Just What is this ASUS Eee Thing Anyway?

davidmwilliams writes "ASUS have released a cheap subnotebook. It is far from state-of-the-art tech-wise, with 512Mb RAM and a Celeron processor. It has a 4Gb hard drive and no optical drive. Its screen is 7" and runs at the odd resolution of 800x480 and the operating system looks like something Fisher Price might have designed. Why would you buy it? What on earth can you do with this?" I've been wondering this myself given the huge coverage in the media of this thing.

Huh

[Corporate Troll]

the operating system looks like something Fisher Price might have designed.

Just like the Windows XP default theme....

What can you do with it?

[Anonymous Coward]

Like any sub-notebook, you put it in your man-bag/briefcase, and then carry it about with you at all times, so you always have a computer on you.

Re:Tons of Potential

[Anonymous Coward]

Believe it or not, the "huge media coverage" that I've noticed of this thing has only been on Slashdot.

Believe it or noot, most of slashdot considers itself the world and the only computer users on it.

That's the reason we have so many posts about Linux being ready for desktop.

Better Thesaurus

[devnullkac]

I think Mr. Williams needs a better thesaurus. From page 2:

A quick Google search ejaculates forth bold experimenters...

Re:Tons of Potential

[drapeau06]

Back in college, I used to work with pioneer robots in my classes. The damned things had a 15 lb. Dell notebook mounted on top of them. Ridiculous. Try hauling the robot and the laptop to a demonstration or presentation.

What's ridiculous is that the robot made you carry it! I guess they're already smarter than us.

Slightly OT: Fisher Price

[Cytlid]

I find it hilarious that the author says "the OS looks like something Fisher Price might have designed." It's sort of an (un)concious jab at Linux.

  Here's something I noticed for years:

  Do me a huge favor. Go to an XP machine. Go to control panel, look at the icon for "User Accounts".

  Look familiar?

Re:MacBook eee ThinkPad, according to Google

[G Fab]

Precisely, if Lenovo came out with some sort of new thing the thinkpad brand would likely skyrocket for a little while too.

My real question is: what can I do with this that I cannot do with a $250 used thinkpad, a can of air, and a new battery? Thinkpad is cheaper, has a better everything, and I can actually type on it without shrinking my hands. I guess this eee is a lot smaller and doesn't smell like cabbage yet.

Love the idea of this computer, but the cheapskates have always had the refuge of obsolete computers.

Re:What Can You Do With It?

[aldheorte]

>The church he attends has a penchant for springing preaching duties on him at the last minute. Instead of carrying a folder full of old sermon notes, he simply carries the ASUS now

This is not a Slashdot approved use. Please confiscate it immediately. Your service to the Party is appreciated.

Re:Huh

[cHiphead]

I just rtfa... actual quote: "A quick Google search ejaculates forth bold experimenters..."

That explains a lot.

Cheers.

This is Slashdot

[Chess_the_cat]

What can you do with a small portable computer that runs Linux? I doubt anyone here would have any ideas. Try a site like Fark or something. I think they're into computers.

Re:Slightly OT: Fisher Price

[Waffle Iron]

The article is inaccurate anyway. Of course everybody knows that Windows XP has always had a Fisher-Price interface. The author therefore assumes that this Linux distro must be using the same thing.

Not true: the Eee actually uses a Playskool interface, which has no connection at all to Fisher-Price. This is just another example of the typical superficial journalism you see in media today.

Re:Tons of Potential

[hack slash]

"Believe it or not, the "huge media coverage" that I've noticed of this thing has only been on Slashdot. Other than that, it's a big name manufacturer, in our world it's huge news."

The Register [theregister.co.uk] have been covering the Eee quite a bit, particularly a certain scantily clad busty beach babe [regmedia.co.uk], there's a theory going around that she's using an Eee but no matter how long I look at the picture I just can't see any computer - even when I'm using my own Eee!

Those Cheeky Bastards at Apple.

[hullabalucination]

Not only did they copy Windows 95's taskbar /start menu /system tray model, they did it in 1984. That's some f*ckin' nerve.

Re:Huh

[nschubach]

I knew there was a reason I hated the ribbon other than it's usability.

Re:Better Thesaurus

[techpawn]

I think it does, but it means something else too, which seems to be more on the minds of slashdotters.

Sure it means something other that the assumed! But, go into your boss and say you need more storage because of an ejaculation on the disks and see what they say...

While you're at it try to use "niggardly" in a sentence...

Re:I played with one yesterday

[Ohreally_factor]

The author failed his English Grammar classes.

Heh heh.