Less than a year after getting the eeepc Surf 4G, I decided to pick up the new eeepc 900HA. Even though it is about the same size as the Surf, the 900HA is far more advanced than its predecessor.
The pokey, underclocked Celeron M ULV Processor processor is replaced by the snappy Intel Atom. Instead of the tiny 7" screen, the 900HA has a slightly larger 8.9" display. In terms of memory, there is 1GB instead of 512MB and the claustrophobic 4GB SSD of the Surf is replaced by a giant 160GB hard drive.
One of the first things I noticed about the 900HA is its impressive battery life of 4-5 hours—about twice as long as that of the Surf. This is one of the benefits of the amazing Atom processor since it uses very little power compared to regular mobile-class CPUs. Another benefit is the 900HA runs much cooler than the original eeepc.
I decided to install Kubuntu Linux on the eeepc (using an external DVD drive) in a dual-boot configuration running in conjunction with the supplied Windows XP. That gives me considerable flexibility and security since I do all my surfing via the Linux platform.
The end result is an impressive unit that is quite a bit smaller than your average notebook PC. While some folks my be put off by its small keyboard, I think that the size-reduction of the unit is worth the trade off.
If you are looking for a diminutive notebook that packs a real punch, I highly recommend the 900HA.
http://www.asus.com
11/08
Showing posts with label asus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label asus. Show all posts
Friday, November 21, 2008
SURF'S UP!
I finally succumbed and picked up a 4GB eeepc Surf.
I've had it for a week or so and am really happy with it thus far. It is a really cool little (and I do mean little) machine.
I got it to be more of a laptop replacement than anything else and it fits that role quite well. As a result, I'll probably be putting my Thinkpad T40 up on the block.
The smallish keyboard isn't an obstacle for me. I type with only two fingers so, even with my big hands, the keyboard is workable. It does have a spongy feel and is not nearly as nice as the Neo's, but I can get used to it.
The eeepc poses no threat to my trusty N800 which is in my hand more often than not. The N800 is my trusty communication machine, has wi-fi and Bluetooth and has really good battery life (4-5 hours for me).
The eeepc does have wi-fi. I just haven't been able to get my Bluetooth dongle functioning completely as of yet, so tethering it to my Razr isn't an option right now. Battery life on the eeepc is also much shorter, although I am using some aggressive power management techniques (turning down the screen backlight as low as possible, turning off wi-fi when I am not using it, automatically turning off the screen and powering down the machine when not used, etc.) to make the batteries last as long as possible.
With three USB ports, the eeeepc makes a great "mother ship" for all my other devices. It can "see" my N800 and Razr hard drives if I connect via USB cable. The Neo also can dump data via USB. I use a Logitech notebook mouse with it and several USB flash drives. I bought a 2GB SD card to reside in the slot for storage. I have about 1 GB left on the 4GB SSHD even after installing several programs.
The machine seems to be well-built and it should last a long time. Highly recommended!
http://eeepc.asus.com/global/
2/08
I've had it for a week or so and am really happy with it thus far. It is a really cool little (and I do mean little) machine.
I got it to be more of a laptop replacement than anything else and it fits that role quite well. As a result, I'll probably be putting my Thinkpad T40 up on the block.
The smallish keyboard isn't an obstacle for me. I type with only two fingers so, even with my big hands, the keyboard is workable. It does have a spongy feel and is not nearly as nice as the Neo's, but I can get used to it.
The eeepc poses no threat to my trusty N800 which is in my hand more often than not. The N800 is my trusty communication machine, has wi-fi and Bluetooth and has really good battery life (4-5 hours for me).
The eeepc does have wi-fi. I just haven't been able to get my Bluetooth dongle functioning completely as of yet, so tethering it to my Razr isn't an option right now. Battery life on the eeepc is also much shorter, although I am using some aggressive power management techniques (turning down the screen backlight as low as possible, turning off wi-fi when I am not using it, automatically turning off the screen and powering down the machine when not used, etc.) to make the batteries last as long as possible.
With three USB ports, the eeeepc makes a great "mother ship" for all my other devices. It can "see" my N800 and Razr hard drives if I connect via USB cable. The Neo also can dump data via USB. I use a Logitech notebook mouse with it and several USB flash drives. I bought a 2GB SD card to reside in the slot for storage. I have about 1 GB left on the 4GB SSHD even after installing several programs.
The machine seems to be well-built and it should last a long time. Highly recommended!
http://eeepc.asus.com/global/
2/08
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)