ASUS EEE PC 1008HA NETBOOK REVIEW

The Asus Eee PC 1008HA sports an all-new design inspired by the curves of a seashell. Its specifications don’t set it apart from the multitude of netbooks available in the market. But this ultraportable machine does have some plus points of its own. On the flip side, it misses a few ports and offers less battery life than a typical netbook does.

Specifications
Processor: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N280
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
Memory: 2 GB
Storage: 250 GB 5400 rpm
Display: 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels

Price as Reviewed: $411

Design and build quality
The Eee PC 1008HA sports an attractive design. The screen lid is available in glossy white and black; blue and pink are expected to be available later this year. The lid features an infusion finish which makes it scratch resistant. The netbook measures one inch in thickness. And at just 2.2 pounds it is lighter than most netbooks available in the market.

Ports
All the ports are covered with plastic tabs. There are 2 USB ports (most netbooks have 3), a 4-in-1 card reader, Ethernet port, headphone and microphone jacks. There is also a VGA port for connecting the netbook to a larger display.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard is spacious and is comfortable to type on. The keys provide nice tactile feedback. There is a Wi-Fi and touchpad on/off button above the keyboard. The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures. It is covered with small Braille-like dots. There are no dedicated right and left buttons, but the single button does work well.

Display, Audio, and Webcam
The 10.1 inch display features 1024 x 600 pixels. The display is good. Colors are bright and vivid. Horizontal viewing angles are good but vertical viewing angles are average. The 1.3 megapixel webcam fitted above the display produces clear images.
The speakers are good but not the best. Audiophiles will definitely need to invest in a pair of headphones.

Performance
The original 1008HA ran Windows XP. But the new version runs Windows 7 Home Premium. This is a remarkable feature as most netbooks out there run Windows 7 Starter which has very limited functionality. The new and improved 1008HA also has 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive.

Performance is satisfactory. The netbook has enough power to handle every day tasks. You will not have any difficulty surfing the web with multiple tabs on or conducting video calls over Skype. The integrated Intel GMA 950 chip can easily decode 720p HD video, but gaming is still out of question.

Battery Life
The Eee PC 1008HA has a 2900 mAH lithium polymer battery instead of the more common lithium ion battery. The 6-cell battery provides up to six hours of up time. While the battery life is OK, the battery itself does pose some problems. It is integrated with the netbook and cannot be removed.

Pros
Thin and light
Spacious keyboard
Attractive design
Faster hard drive

Cons
Integrated battery which cannot be removed
VGA port requires adapter

STANTUM RELEASES A TABLET PC OUT OF DELL INSPIRON MINI 10

Stantum has unveiled a 10 inch slate PC specifically built out of Dell Inspiron Mini 10. It is not known whether the company plans to mass produce the device because it is described as a ‘proof of concept’. There is, however, a page for ordering an evaluation unit. The slate PC comes with a multi-touch screen that can handle 10 touch points at the same time. The tablet accepts both finger and stylus inputs. It supports Windows 7 with no additional drivers.

The tablet measures just 1.2 inches in thickness and weighs around 2.3 pounds. The 10.1 inch display comes with either 1024 x 600 or 1024 x 576 pixels. There are 2 USB ports. Other features include Bluetooth and WiFi.

It will be interesting to see whether the tablet would do well when it hits the market. But one thing is certain: It will have to be priced aggressively.

ASUS EEE PC 1201HA NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH BEST BY

The Asus Eee PC 1201HA is now available for purchase in the US. The machine debuted in Italy a little over a month ago.

In the US, Best Buy is the first to sell the device through their retail outlets. But the Best Buy version is crippled in many aspects. The European version of 1201HA has better specs than the 1101A. It sports 2GB of RAM and a 250 GB hard disk drive and runs Windows 7 Home Premium. The system offered by Best By only has 1 GB of RAM and a 160 GB hard drive. And instead of Windows 7, it runs Windows XP Home Edition.

The Best Buy version has its plusses too. It is available for just $329.99. The Asus Eee PC 1201HA is available in 11.6 and 12 inch screen sizes.

ASUS EEE PC 1201T TO HAVE AMD PROCESSOR

Asus plans to launch three different versions of the upcoming Eee PC 1201 12.1 inch notebook. We have already heard about two versions - the Eee PC 1201N and the 1201HA. While the 1201N has anIntel Atom processor and Nvidia Ion graphics, the 1201HA has an Atom Z520 processor and GMA 500 graphics.

There will be yet another model dubbed Eee PC 1201T and it will have a completely different chipset. Asus recently introduced the 1201T at a function in China. The notebook has a dual core 1.6GHz AMD Neo MV40processor and ATI Radeon HD3200 GPU. This is the same chipset used in several upcoming thin and light laptops including the MSI Wind X230. While the AMD processor may improve the performance of the notebook, it may also reduce the battery life.

The Eee PC 1201T will have a 12.1 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. Other specifications include 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi 802.11b/g/n. There are 3 USB ports, Ethernet, headphone and microphone jacks. There is no HDMI.

SMARTBOOK AG RELEASES ZENID GC CRYSTAL NETBOOK

Smartbook AG, a German computer company, has started selling its Zenid GC Crystal netbook. As far as specifications are concerned this netbook isn’t different from other netbooks in the market. It is powered by an Intel Atom 1.6 GHz processor with 2 GB of RAM. It runs Windows 7 and has a 10 inch display. Another notable feature is WiFi.

The Zenid GC Crystal still isn’t like any other netbook. Its screen lid is covered with Swarovski crystals and it comes with a bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne.

Smartbook AG has no intention of mass producing the Crystal version. Only 20 are going to be built and each one will cost roughly around $3,008. The non-crystal version will cost around $449.

Asus RAISING All Computer Prices 20% -- So long, Cheap EEEs!

Asus RAISING All Computer Prices 20% -- So long, Cheap EEEs!

So much for the cheap "netbook." The originator of the so-called "netbook" with its EEE launched in late 2007 has just announced it is raising prices on all products by 20 percent. It is big news. See: http://news.softpedia.com/news/ASUS-to-Do-the-Unthinkable-and-Raise-Eee-PC-Prices-104174.shtml .

This proves what I have been saying, that Asus and other "netbook" makers have been pulling a classic bait-and-switch on us. Stores and traders have being doing this for time immemorial. Offer one product at a cheap price, then raise the price or offer an inferior product once you have a buyer on the hook.

They will be sorry. Much cheaper computers than even the 400s are coming (see the bubblepack PC at the right). The netbook is showing its true colors: not a real category, just a low-end notebook.

Hablas Linux?

Hablas Linux?

Do you speak Linux? All the world does. The Cuban government is pushing the use of the Cuban Linux OS, called "Nova," and expects "that in five years our country will have more than 50 percent migrated (to Linux)." One has to wonder How many other countries will adopt this policy and reach 50-percent Linux usage? See the entire article at: http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE51A77S20090211

Apart from security concerns, free software better suits Cuba's worldview: "The free-software movement is closer to the ideology of the Cuban people, above all for the independence and sovereignty."

I feel same way about software. Paying for software seems like a ripoff and, well, undemocratic, like paying for air and water.

That is why I started this blog. We have been ripped off too long by US software companies, mere publishers charging us thousands of dollars over a period of years, and by US computer makers who are not makers of anything except profits. I was so incensed that -- would you believe it? -- I almost bought one of the DOS computers shown. That was before I found out about the HiVision MiniNote, 3K's Razorbook 400, and the Belco/Bestlink Alpha-400.

The computer in the photo is still available from California Digital (interesting site, BTW) for $159. It conforms to my guidelines -- Small-Cheap-Easy -- but it runs only DOS. At this stage, I am not much interested in building things and programming things, just using them, however; so the 400s are what I am looking for in a "cheapest" computer. These things, the Fujitsu Poquet PC Plus computers, originally cost over $2000, and the technology is well worth a look. For example, the Poquet truly is instant-on, more so than any of the 400s. Also, it runs off 2 AA batteries for weeks. And it's great for hacking and experimenting. The whole California Digital site is well worth a look.

VIA-powered Phecda PHV102 Netbook: $185

VIA-powered Phecda PHV102 Netbook: $185

The Phecda PHV102 from Shenzen features a VIA C7 1.6 GHz CPU, 1 GB RAM, a 160 GB HD, a 10.2" display, and a 3-cell battery for just $185 USD. It seems to run Windows XP. Details are still not available but this definitely represents a deal worth looking into.

Specifications
CPU: 1.6GHz VIA C7-M
Chipset: VIA VX855
RAM: 1GB DDR2
HDD: 160GB
Display: 10.2”, 1024 x 600 resolution
Battery: 3-cell 220mAh
Weight: 1.2kg
Ports: 3xUSB, VGA, LAN, card reader
Price: USD 185

AViiQ Aluminium Laptop Stand

AViiQ Aluminium Laptop Stand

From Gizmodo -

Above photo shows the $80 AViiQ portable, folding aluminum stand that supports up to 17" units. It actually matches the MacBook pretty well, angling the keyboard at a comfortable 12 degrees. It also folds down easily to an absurdly thin, near-weightless strip of aluminum that can squeeze into just about any bag. Unfortunately, it feels like flimsy, pop can aluminum than unibody Mac aluminum.

AT&T Offers The HP Mini 110 Netbook

AT&T Offers The HP Mini 110 Netbook

From ubergizmo -

AT&T is matching Verizon's HP Mini 110 bundle and is now offering the HP Mini 110 at $199 with a 2-year contract, after a mail-in rebate.

Embryo VIA C7-M powered netbook spotted in the wild

Embryo VIA C7-M powered netbook spotted in the wild

From Liliputing -

NetbookNews.de has reported the sighting of another new VIA-powered netbook, a 10.2″ model from Embryo. Too bad, it is not that well designed, with the charging tip located smack in the middle of the unit’s right-hand side. In addition the plastic shell has a decidedly brittle look. Upside is it might have a low price, probably $180.

Dell

Zumo thinks they got a peak at the specs for Dell's first cheap mini-laptop on a recent trip to Dell's Texas facilities. They say that it'll be called the Inspiron Mini, contrary to previous reports it'll it's the Dell E. What's supposedly inside sounds reasonable, and what you'd expect out of a suitable Eee killer, especially if it's really only $299. Zumo says it's got a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, Intel's 945 Express Graphics chipset, an 8GB SSD, Wi-Fi and a memory card reader, with a 1240x600 resolution screen (that looks a bit off—1024x600 seems more likely). Reportedly, mass production of a Linux model with extra Dell productivity apps starts next month (in time for back to school). It all seems reasonable enough (and a steal for $299 if true), though I wouldn't consider this dipped-in-blood solid, yet. [Zumo]

Pegatron lands large-volume smartbook orders

From Digitimes -Pegatron Technology has received a large volume of orders for smartbooks from several clients, which are likely to launch in cooperation with mobile telcos in Q1 2010. Smartbooks, which are positioned between smartphones and netbooks, offer longer usage time, short boot-up time, friendlier user interfaces, and lower prices than the latter. Price point will likely be US$200 price point when the first wave of smartbooks arrive in Q1 2010. Google Chrome OS-based smartbooks are expected to be available on a large scale in Q2 2010.
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