Eee PC 900

Mini-notebooks, such as the Eee PC 900 and the HP Mini-Note, could be the hottest things around since those nude pictures of Lindsay Lohan. But how about the real temperature of these little guys? Do they toast your legs while sitting in bed? Do your fingertips get warm while typing on the keyboard?

After some heated time with the HP Mini-Note, I took it upon myself to do some scientific testing of the small systems. Using a Raytek Mini Temp Non-Contact Thermometer Gun—our new favorite toy in the office—I’ve been testing the heat on four of the most popular mini-notebook models: the Eee PC 900, the Eee PC 701, the Everex CloudBook, and the HP Mini-Note. I also threw in a normal Dell Latitude D630 notebook as a standard laptop variable.

Since laptops have a few different heat-sensitive regions, I took readings on the the underside of the notebook, on the keyboard between the G and H key, and on the touchpad. Each of the readings on the system were taken after the same usage pattern. Our extended usage patterns consisted of three different tasks with the system running on battery power: transferring of 2GB of files from an external USB drive, surfing the Web and playing the same House episode on Hulu.com, and making a Skype video call.

Read the rest of this entry »

As it happens, we have access to a few different Eee PC models here at LAPTOP. So, when we started examining the Pearl White Eee PC 900 we received last week, we plunked it right down next to our original Eee PC 701 (in white) and our Galaxy Black Eee PC 4G Surf. After we peered at its 8.9-inch screen, we compared the Eee PC 900’s keyboard with prior Eee PCs.

Touching the different keyboards, we found that the two white keyboards (on the 701 and the 900) were identical in size and feel. It seems like nothing has changed keyboard-wise between the 700 series and the 900 series. However, when we touched the keyboard on our black 4G surf, we had a startling revelation: the black keyboard feels different than the white keyboard!

Read the rest of this entry »

I am a fan of ASUS’ Xandros tab-based desktop, but for everyday advanced users, it just isn’t cut out to do the dirty work. I much prefer working in the more Windows-reminiscent Xandros full-KDE Mode with a Start Launch button and easier access to utilities and programs.

I figured enabling the advanced desktop mode on the Eee PC 900 would be a cinch if I just followed the step-by-step directions for the 700. But there’s the rub. I followed our instructions for the 700 extremely closely; however, when I got to the step to type in “apt-get update” in the terminal, an error message popped up saying the files could not be located.

Thanks to some helpful EeeUser.com forum members I was able to solve the problem by following these steps.

Read the rest of this entry »

Last week the long-awaited Eee PC 900 arrived at our office. After it underwent the Ellis Island sign-in process—okay, rather our laptop tracking database—it was greeted by some eager onlookers. Like a great big bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, we passed the system around, and I think many of us licked our fingers clean. After we were done pawing at the new system and making comparisons to its older, inferior brother, I sat down to review it.

My initial impression of the system was that, though minimally different from its predecessor, it had come a long way. The 8.9-inch screen is so much easier on my eyes; I don’t think twice about storage space when it comes to downloading files or applications, and a multi-glide touchpad adds a touch of class to a budget system. Sure I had my reservations: two hours of battery is less than ideal and the system goes into a power-saving mode that affects performance. But overall, I was damn pleased.

Will my high regard for the system live on? Can the Eee PC 900 make me forget about all the other notebooks in the world and be the one I promise to love and cherish? I intend to find out over the next few days. Join mEee on the ride.

If those Eee PC 900s could sing, they’d be belting out Neil Diamond’s “We’re Coming to America!” Andy Abramson, a friend of mine and a notable VoIP blogger, ordered an Eee PC 900 on eBay this past Saturday. It arrived yesterday at his home in California. Andy ordered his Eee PC from this eBay seller.

The Eee PC 900 is priced at $600 by this seller, and since the system is located in Taiwan, shipping costs an additional $60. But Abramson and other eager Americans just couldn’t wait for ASUS to release the system in the U.S. later this May. He didn’t even want to try his luck entering our Eee PC giveaway!

Abramson described the system as a lot sleeker than his original 4G. The screen is a huge improvement; he is much happier with the sizing of Web pages in the built-in browser. He even claims the system, running Xandros Linux, is performing faster. Though we’re not sure about that one, as the system has the same specs.

Read the rest of this entry »

Last night we officially launched our Eee PC giveaway. That means that right now you can enter to win the $549, 8.9-inch widescreen ASUS Eee PC 900. Think the price of the newest model is too high? Here’s your chance to get the system for the glorious price of nothing.

Here are some of the highlighted specs of the long-awaited system:

• 8.9-inch screen
• 1024 x 600 resolution
• 1.3-MP webcam
• FingerGlide Touchpad Technology
• Xandros Linux OS
• 20GB Storage
• 2.2 pounds

The contest will be up for the next month, so make sure to enter by May 21, 2008 at 11:59 p.m.