ASUS eeepc 900HA

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

THE JOYS OF eeeXUBUNTU

I decided to switch over to eeeXubuntu from the stock Xandros distro.

While Asus and Xandros did a nice job of creating an OS that is easy to use for beginners, it just isn't very extensible. Power users will hit a veritable brick wall if they want to install many applications because of dependency issues.

That's because the custom Xandros install used on the eeepc sports an old version of KDE and many custom libraries. It is kind of a mishmash that doesn't lend itself to upgrading via Synaptic or apt-get install without all kinds of errors and the potential of bricking the eeepc.

The issue that finally pushed me over the edge was an inability to get it working with my Bluetooth dongle. After many failed attempts, I decided to wipe it clean and install eeeXubuntu.

The eeepc Wiki has a special page for eeeXubuntu and I highly recommend it:

http://wiki.eeeuser.com/ubuntu:eeexubuntu:home

By following the instructions, I was able to burn a CD and then install it to a USB flash drive and finally to the eeepc. The installation went without a hitch and I was able to boot into XFCE desktop.

While XFCE is a nice, light, environment and plenty fast, I am a KDE fan and I decided to overlay KDE onto the install. That went quite well and I was able to get Bluetooth working great using bluez and kppp. I can now tether my eeepc to my Moto Razr and log on to the web using my T-Mobile data plan.

Finally, I decided to overlay a slimmed-down version of Kubuntu. Now, the system cranks really well, I can install the latest apps and still have about a gig left over!

3/08