Hands-On With the Windows XP-Based Asus Eee PC

MojoKid writes "Though the Asus Eee PC Windows XP variant isn't due out until sometime in April, HotHardware was able to get their hands on a full retail bundle before they hit store shelves in the US. The standard assortment of accoutrements is included in the bundle, along with a couple of notable upgrades. Asus took the initiative to provide an additional 4GB SD card from Adata, a healthy storage expansion for the system. In addition, an Asus-branded optical mouse was thrown in for good measure. Microsoft's Windows Live messenger, photo gallery and email suite are pre-installed on the the machine for collaborative and social networking capability, in addition to Microsoft Works for word processing, spreadsheets, and calendar functionality."

Asus 8 GB Eee PC

[backpackcomputing]

I'm not sure I'd run out and get the XP version with only a 4 GB SSD just yet (albeit with an additional 4 GB card). The 8 GB is available now (see http://backpackcomputing.com/ [backpackcomputing.com] for the link). Also, a version with an 8.9 inch screen, but the same overall form factor should be out in a few months.

disk space

[nawcom]

Aren't people gonna want to install the office 07 suite on that thing? I mean, when i make vmware images for xp, the minimum is 8-10 gigs. isn't microsoft works... no... i'm gonna stay away from the microsoft bashing.. I just see people wanting more standard performance out of it than it can really do. We shall see who lasts the longest before their Eee complains about low disk space. I guess if they want to use it as a web browser and email reader, they would have to use a few gigs to get outlook on there. only communists use mozilla anything. nutscrape. yeah.

The 9" LCD version comes out this Summer

[SpudB0y]

I'm going to wait for the bigger screen. http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/hands-on-with-the-9-inch-eee-pc/ [engadget.com]

Re:Windows XP?

[Nimey]

OEMs won't sell it starting on 1 July; system builders can get it until the end of January, but they'll have to order XP copies in bundles of 50.

That's assuming Microsoft doesn't change its mind or give Asus a sweetheart deal for the Eee.

Re:For those without adblock, patience...

[shellbeach]

I can't wait to get my hands on one of these, and put Linux on it.

As I understand it, the next gen Eee (with larger screen and larger touchpad -- see, for example, this article [dailytech.com]) will come in linux and Windows flavours, but the big difference is that the linux one comes with a larger flash drive (12Gb vs 8Gb) for the same price (since Asus doesn't need to pay Microsoft).

Microsoft is never going to win this one, and I think they know it ...

$399? ya.. ok..

[deathguppie]

I just bought one of the linux base ones from newegg, and I looked around a bit. The midrange 4 gig model sells for about $350, and the 4 gig model with the webcam and a better battery goes for $399, with linux.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=eee+pc&x=0&y=0 [newegg.com]

Now they are trying to say that they are going to sell a windows based version bundled with a bunch of other stuff for only $399?

The only way I see that happening is if Microsoft pays them to do it. If they are selling a smaller bundle with a free operating system for the same price. I call shenanigans.

Huh?

[EraserMouseMan]

Yea, It's a real slap in the face when older OS versions are capable and reliable enough to build new products around.

I've got a friend with an old iMac. It's got OS9 on it and works just fine. What a slap in the face for Apple.

Re:For those without adblock, patience...

[eebra82]

As I understand it, the next gen Eee (with larger screen and larger touchpad -- see, for example, this article [dailytech.com]) will come in linux and Windows flavours, but the big difference is that the linux one comes with a larger flash drive (12Gb vs 8Gb) for the same price (since Asus doesn't need to pay Microsoft). Microsoft is never going to win this one, and I think they know it ..

And you say this because you are the average PC buyer? You know, Linux geek, Slashdot reader.. Sounds like just about anyone, right?

My friend runs an online store and 90% of his sales are laptops. It's not a small business since he's selling hundreds of lappies every month, so his facts are interesting. According to him, the Windows-equipped $499 laptops outsell the Linux-equipped $399 laptops 5 to 1.

I don't think the average Eee buyer is going to care much for specifications as much as they care for the whole concept, which is why I think you are wrong.

Re:PowerPoint presentation machine? VGA port?

[BlueCodeWarrior]

I'm posting from my 2G Surf. It has a VGA out. I'm pretty sure all of them do.

Re:PowerPoint presentation machine? VGA port?

[Trelane]

I am the owner of an EEE 4GB galaxy black (701) (I put Ubuntu on it). I can vouch for the presence of a VGA port, as I used it (with OpenOffice and evince) to give a presentation a few months back. It certainly turns some heads when you go up to plug it in for your talk. :) Also, you can fit a surprising amount of junk on a 4GB Linux main drive. I have, however, offloaded most of my documents and project source trees to the SD card.

Re:All resources

[Kris_J]

You're completely wrong. XP on an EeePC runs great, and that's on one that's been converted using a normal old XP disc and the included Asus CD. Presented some stuff with it using IE and Portable OpenOffice just last week.

Re:Hmm.

[Famanoran]

I just bought the Linux 4GB eeePC for my partner, for our anniversary - she loves it!

Primarily because it's small enough to fit in her purse, big enough to touch type on, and due to the SSD, can take the knocks that inevitably happen when the rest of creation is inside her purse with the laptop.

Even better, she likes that it doesn't run Windows!

Re:$399? ya.. ok..

[Kenja]

I know its not a popular subject around here, but putting Linux on a notebook costs money as well. There has to be someone to call when it doesn't work.

Re:All resources

[kernowyon]

What planet do you live on? Both my wife and I have the EeePC 701 (the 4GB version with the webcam built in) and we love them. Hers is pretty much as sold, with a bit of tweaking to the menus, mine runs Kubuntu 7.10. These machines, despite their low spec on paper (900MHz processor throttled back to 602MHz, 512MB ram etc) run as well as any of my other laptops when using them for what they were designed for - e.g email, surfing the web, basic word processing etc. I even play some games on mine - Wesnoth, OpenArena etc. Plenty of folk have already installed Windows XP on theirs - usually cutting down the install with something like nLite to get it to fit sensibly on the 4GB drive. Not my thing - I don't run Windows at all, but they all seem happy enough with the performance. As a Linux user, I am a little disappointed that Asus have gone down the Windows road, but I can't really blame them - they want to make the EeePC as popular as possible. I will be sticking with my Linux install and, when the specs of the machines have been upped sufficiently, I will treat myself to another!

It's always been XP in Japan

[kylehase]

FYI, In Japan, XP is the only flavor of Eee PC. [kylehasegawa.com] Not sure about other countries.

Re:Movies?

[Talkischeap]

"Movies? Yes, they play great off USB thumb drives..."

Really?

Before I installed a 2 Gig chip, I watched Das Boot with subtitles, and my Eee PC displayed occasional frame drag, and the sound track was slightly off as well.

This off of a 4 Gig memory stick with decent transfer rates, and will play movies on my other PC's without these issues.

So admittedly, I'm skeptical about you're being able to watch movies without any problems with the "stock" 512 Megs of memory.

I do however, use my Eee PC to stream the music for both of my radio shows with the included media player, and it worked wonderfully with the "stock" 512 Megs of memory.!

Re:PowerPoint presentation machine? VGA port?

[Talkischeap]

"Can anyone verify the presence of a VGA port?"

Why yes, it does, and it drives my 19 inch wide screen LCD monitor at it's native resolution just fine.

Re:For those without adblock, patience...

[Talkischeap]

"Imagine a non-tech person wants to browse the web, use it as an ebook of sorts to read RSS feeds (which your average user can do with TOO much trouble), watch youtube and just haul it around the house more like an electronic magazine than a computer. S/he would probably pick something that already knows how to use so all they need to figure out is how to hook it to the net and get going."

I don't need to imagine it, everyone that I know that has purchased an Eee PC, is using it just like you say, and none of them are tech oriented, and they have had no problem figuring it out on their own without Windows.

One of my non tech buddies connected to his home wireless router and uses his Eee PC all over the house, and at night he goes to wireless access cafe's and writes magazine articles, and sends email with it.

Thats funny... all my friends are looking for your "Linux learning curve" while happily using their Eee PC's, totally ignorant that they are missing a peak computing experience but not using Windows

And you hardly seem like an average user.

And I also call BS on the RSS feed thing, most regular users haven't a clue.

Re:$399? ya.. ok..

[daveime]

Linux is only free if your time (or your friendly neighborhood geek's time) has no value.