anyone else here play with the EEEPC?

[MrBuzz]

Thanks Dave Bob...I hadn't seen those on sale from Newegg or Buy.com.
I see that Buy also has an Acer One model with a 120GB HDD for only $399...that's getting pretty serious!
Have you read anything about the Dell e-mini notebook? It is a 9" LCD, Atom cpu like the rest but it is supposed to have bluetooth on it as well. Dell is supposed to be releasing them for sale in August for $299!!!
Before I buy a netbook I think I at least have to wait and see if Dell actually does that or not.

[Dave Bob]

Specifications from a leaked Dell documents. Option include XP, Webcam, Bluetooth, 1GB RAM and various SSD sizes Likely to be available in three 8.9" versions in different colors from August at a starting price of $299. Later versions may have 3G or Wimax. Can they hit that price point? We'll have to wait and see I guess. Read about it here along with a bunch of other netbooks. http://www.umpcportal.com/products/product.php?id=208 and here http://www.engadget.com/tag/DellE/

Dave

[MrBuzz]

Dave Bob;
Thanks for the links. I read the one from endgadget...it's so funny to read people's opinions about the computer business. The author states that the netbook market is now thoroughly saturated...oddly enough from what I have seen most of the models that we read about, are not available yet.
It will be interesting to see if Dell can do what everyone else has not been able to do...bring a netbook to the marketplace at the price they announced. AND especially a 9" LCD with an Atom CPU. I'm going to wait and see if they manage that. If not then I'll probably buy the Acer...if the prices don't come down on the eeePC 900 that is.
As usual I'm trying not to get too excited about purchasing a shiny, new toy until the market settles down. But everyday I'm in situations where a PC like this would be perfect and my 15+" Sony is just to big to lug around!

[MrBuzz]

Dave Bob;
The other thing I want to find out or wait to see on the Dell is what Linux Distro they are using. Dell has a history with Ubuntu and Ubuntu has been working on a couple iterations of their O/S specifically for netbook applications. I like Ubuntu and have figured out how to configure it to work with my cellphone data connection. That would be great if that's what Dell was using.

[Gaelen]

Well...at this moment my brand new, completely replaced eeePC 900 Linux is charging up. Later, with a full charge, I'll do a complete system OQ, but for now, this is how Asus handled my failed SSD.

Thursday 7/24--called Asus, reported the issue and error message.
Friday 7/25--received emailed RMA # and shipping directions. Since they came Friday afternoon, decided to wait for the promised Asus FedEx label via email until the last drop off time on Monday afternoon, and if it didn't show up, would pay shipping myself and write it off.
Monday 7/28--no label by 2pm, so I shipped it myself (NY to CA, with insurance, $75 for next day delivery.)

I was told 5-7 business day turnaround, so didn't expect the email with the return tracking number until today, maybe next Monday.

Three hours ago, the FedEx guy delivered to me what appears to be a brand new unit (Asus even shipped new power cords and a new battery.)

Replacement, by warranty, within a week from one coast to the other--not bad by any computer company's standards. If the machine checks out as well as the first one did, I'll be a very happy woman.

edit after the OQ--

[SSchumacherCO]

Well thanks a bunch. There I was minding my own business checking out this seemingly harmless teardrop site and I come across this thread on eeepcs. I had never heard of them. In the end I bought a 900 running Linux. This is too cool. It is small enough to be truly portable.

[mikeschn]

sorry about that... we go off on a bunch of different tangents, don't we.

I'm even thinking about building a wooden bike!

But first I have to smoke a brisket!

Mike...

Well thanks a bunch. There I was minding my own business checking out this seemingly harmless teardrop site and I come across this thread on eeepcs. I had never heard of them. In the end I bought a 900 running Linux. This is too cool. It is small enough to be truly portable.

[Gaelen]

SSchumacherCO, whatever you do, do NOT go near any of the 'coffee' threads. You'll be buying an Aeropress or an expresso machine before you even realize it.

[MrBuzz]

Gaelen; Did you ever see the shipping label from Asus?
Good service on the repair/turnaround! I had a similar experience with HP...it absolutely surprised me how fast my laptop came back.
Did you get your same machine back or could you tell if they just replaced the whole machine?

[Gaelen]

MrBuzz, they sent me a completely new machine--new serial number, even new battery and new power cord. So far it's passed every qualification test I can think of, and I'm just about to do the tweaks to get a dual boot (advanced desktop or easy mode) and install my HP all-in-one pritner.

I'm so glad I got it back, and that the new one is working at full speed. I'm very happy with it.

[Geron]

I'm so glad I got it back, and that the new one is working at full speed. I'm very happy with it.

Gaelen,

Glad to hear CS seems to be a priority

I just put XP back on mine (simply could NOT get kpilot in xandros to sync my Treo 700p)

I used NLite to strip all the bells and whistles off XP. Then added Firefox and Thunderbird. My stripped down version of XP pluse FireFox and Thunderbird comes to 538 MB . That leaves 3.74 GB of the 3.8+ available on Drive C:

Now, if the stripped down OS just stays stable

likewise, I'm having a ball with this thing.

g

[cpucampin]

I did not read the entire thread but did anyone mention mini or nano?

Why not go mini-itx or nano-itx. You get a cheaper system with more speed and umph for less power draw. You also can then mount whatever monitor you like, wherever you like. Full nano systems from $200 bucks. Also allows you to buy as much or as little as you need (storage, memory, OS, I/O options, Wi-Fi, optical drive, etc). Plus nano systems are about the size of 5 stacked CDs.

Heck the pico-itx boards are the size of a deck of cards. And that's a full x86 mainboard. I'm tellin ya, small pc's are gettin tiny.

www.mini-itx.com is a uk site but a good place to get a primer on mini and nano pc possibilities. Their prices are high but they cover most of the major hardware providers in the market sgement.

My problem with cheap laptops is when they break they tend to stay that way. Mini or nano allow you to have an upgradeable, fixable, component system that anyone with some basic home pc skills can install and maintain themselves.

-Ken

[Eunice]

this board had convinced to get one of these eeepc. My son-in-law said it was a good thing. I would have paid the extra for the windows version
but then kenny saw this on the tv and i went for it.
http://www.shopnbc.com/Product/?familyID=V50903&cm_re=TV1-_-ONAIR-_-N
they shipped it today. cant wait to use it.

[MrBuzz]

Geron;
Did you try making a USB bootable version of Windows?
I used nLite for the first time a few weeks ago to add an SATA driver to my XP install so I could get Vista off my new Vaio...that program rocks!!

[Geron]

Geron;
Did you try making a USB bootable version of Windows?
I used nLite for the first time a few weeks ago to add an SATA driver to my XP install so I could get Vista off my new Vaio...that program rocks!!

Mr Buzz,

No I didn't. Just made an ISO file and burned a CD. Then loaded Winlite.

That would be awesome. Windows on a SD card. Is that possible????

g