I learned about the Asus EEE-PC late last year, and set my sights on getting one for myself this spring. Then I learned that the next-gen would be coming out in late spring, and I figured I'd wait until then so that the one I wanted would come down in price. But then when I saw how quickly these little gems fly out of stock, I knew I had to move faster than that.
I purchased a 4G model in basic black, although the unusual white was tempting for the technogeek in me. Ultimately I decided the black was more practical, since it wouldn't show dirt and smudges so well, and I figured since I am a n00b in the EEE-PC's OS I don't rank a geek badge yet.
"EEE" stands for the philosophy that went into producing this amazing little workhorse: "Easy to to learn, easy to work, easy to play." And it is! For a person like myself, who started using a MS-OS PC in the Nineties and suffered through a billion "upgrades" of Windows, the Linux OS is both a dream come true (rapid load time, zero freeze time, excellent abuse tolerance*) and a feisty challenge to learn on one's own.
The solid-state disk helps make this ultra-portable truly portable; the compact size helps too - under 8.5"x6.5" is literally pocket-sized for some of my pull-overs, and easily fits with its protective sleeve into almost any bag or purse. Battery life is leagues beyond what I was dealing with on my old laptop.
I'm a bus commuter, and many has been the time I have a quasi-argument with another rider that can't believe my EEE-PC is a computer rather than a personal DVD player. And when I tell them the price - an unbeatable US$400 - I have to have a pen and paper ready to write down the info for them because they want one of their own.
Granted, the EEE-PC would not be ideal for everyone. The small size is perfect for me, as I have smallish hands, but the reduced key-size would certainly be a challenge to some one with a wider span. Also I cannot replace most of the software I customized my desktop with, as the programs are either not available for Linux or not stable enough for me to want to try them. And third, the little screen can be frustrating when surfing the web or trying to use some of the preloaded software (specifically the misleadingly named "Paint" that is more like the high-end Abode Photoshop software than the MS-app with the same name).
And finally, a note on *abuse: I multitask at the keys, usually having at least three different applications open at a time. On many systems I have used this sort of thing affects performance notably, but the EEE-PC breezes along as if whatever app has focus is the only one running.
The Asus EEE-PC is definitely a pick worth checking out.
I purchased a 4G model in basic black, although the unusual white was tempting for the technogeek in me. Ultimately I decided the black was more practical, since it wouldn't show dirt and smudges so well, and I figured since I am a n00b in the EEE-PC's OS I don't rank a geek badge yet.
"EEE" stands for the philosophy that went into producing this amazing little workhorse: "Easy to to learn, easy to work, easy to play." And it is! For a person like myself, who started using a MS-OS PC in the Nineties and suffered through a billion "upgrades" of Windows, the Linux OS is both a dream come true (rapid load time, zero freeze time, excellent abuse tolerance*) and a feisty challenge to learn on one's own.
The solid-state disk helps make this ultra-portable truly portable; the compact size helps too - under 8.5"x6.5" is literally pocket-sized for some of my pull-overs, and easily fits with its protective sleeve into almost any bag or purse. Battery life is leagues beyond what I was dealing with on my old laptop.
I'm a bus commuter, and many has been the time I have a quasi-argument with another rider that can't believe my EEE-PC is a computer rather than a personal DVD player. And when I tell them the price - an unbeatable US$400 - I have to have a pen and paper ready to write down the info for them because they want one of their own.
Granted, the EEE-PC would not be ideal for everyone. The small size is perfect for me, as I have smallish hands, but the reduced key-size would certainly be a challenge to some one with a wider span. Also I cannot replace most of the software I customized my desktop with, as the programs are either not available for Linux or not stable enough for me to want to try them. And third, the little screen can be frustrating when surfing the web or trying to use some of the preloaded software (specifically the misleadingly named "Paint" that is more like the high-end Abode Photoshop software than the MS-app with the same name).
And finally, a note on *abuse: I multitask at the keys, usually having at least three different applications open at a time. On many systems I have used this sort of thing affects performance notably, but the EEE-PC breezes along as if whatever app has focus is the only one running.
The Asus EEE-PC is definitely a pick worth checking out.
