COMPUTING ON THE GO
After introducing this form factor last year, Asus looks like it has another winner
PEE KAY
Late last year, Asus launched the Eee PC, a small notebook that penetrated the large (and untapped) low-cost, ultra-portable notebook market so overwhelmingly other players are trying to imitate its success.
That model has earned its place in the history of personal computing, and now Asus has launched the Eee 900 PC, a newer version of its prized product, in an attempt to maintain its momentum as market leader. If my first impression of this new and improved model is any indication, Asus has another winner on its hands.
Measuring 22.50 (W) by 17.00 (D) by 2.00 to 3.38cm (H), the Eee 900 is one of the smallest notebooks available. Its footprint is only about 60 per cent of an A4 sheet of paper - a little bit larger than a paperback.
Weighing less than 1 kg, it's also one of the lightest. You can hold this puppy in one hand easily.
At first glance, this Pearl White Eee 900 looks pretty much like its predecessor, only a tad bigger. But looks can be deceiving. And except for the same Intel 900MHz Celeron CPU installed in both machines, the new model is different from its earlier siblings in many vital areas.
Asus Eee 900 comes in two flavours, Xandros Linux and Windows XP Home Edition. The former features a 20GB solid state drive (SSD), 4GB built-in plus 16GB of flash memory, while the later has a 12GB SSD - 4GB built-in plus 8GB flash. They both sport 1GB DDR2 RAM, a 1.3MP webcam, and an 8.9in. non-glare screen capable of displaying a resolution of 1,024 by 600.
Another noticeable improvement over the original model is the Eee 900's touch pad. Not only is the pad larger but it also features FingerGlide, which is what Asus calls its multi-touch implementation. FingerGlide makes it easier for you to zoom images and scroll through web pages using two fingers.
Asus decided to leave the connectivity options unchanged, except for the omission of the rather useless modem port. But three USB ports, WiFi and 10/100Mbps Ethernet are quite respectable for a notebook this size. Like its predecessor, the cover has no latch. (The hinges are quite firm, though.)
With the machine's limited size, it's obvious that trade-offs must be made somewhere. In the case of Asus Eee 900, you trade mobility for screen and keyboard size.
But the real sacrifice is the keyboard, which is quite small and could take a while to get used to. However, after a couple of days of really using this notebook, I can work on it with acceptable speed. This article was written almost entirely on the test machine, actually.
As for the screen dimensions, despite its tiny size, text is quite readable - especially if you adjust font sizes up a little bit. The improved screen resolution also alleviates the problem of side scrolling while web surfing that so plagued the original Eee PC. So screen size shouldn't be a problem for most people.
Upon turning on the test machine - a Xandros Linux version - my first impression is that the Eee 900 is ready for action 30 seconds after its power switch is pressed. This fast boot time has a profound affect on me. This is, after all, twice as fast as my PDA's boot time! Normally, I fire up my notebook only when it's absolutely necessary, because I don't want to wait for it to boot. But I use this machine much more often because of its speedy booting.
Once the boot process is done, I was impressed to see the Eee 900's simple and intuitive interface. The screens are grouped into six tabs, namely Internet, Work, Learn, Play, Settings and Favorites. With Firefox for web surfing, Skype for Internet phone, Mozilla's Thunderbird for email, and OpenOffice for office applications, this machine is really a showcase for the power of free software.
Essentially, if you use the unit for office work and web surfing, the pre-installed software on the Xandros Linux version should be more than plenty. But if you need special software not supplied in the package - Adobe Photoshop, for example - you would probably need to go the Windows XP route, that is if you don't have Linux background. I'm still not brave enough to install TrueCrypt, my favourite encryption software, onto this device.
Regardless of your computer background, the unit's ease of use is fantastic. The machine is usable right out of the box - without the need for complicated settings whatsoever. I can plug in my thumb drive and start using this notebook right away with existing data I have.
One inconvenience I found was that due to security aspects of Linux, I have to enter a WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) key every time I initiate a wireless connection with my home's wireless router. This is tedious but acceptable. I just have the key typed into a text file ready to be used.
I also couldn't initially find a way to adjust mouse setting for left-handed users. The setting is available in Advanced Mode, I learned from some Eee user groups on the Internet - you just need to be a Linux guru (or Google guru, for that matter) to be able to do it.
My battery test for the Eee 900 was quite simple. I played MP3 files continuously until the machine shut down. Total usage time in such a test was 2.5 hours. Since there is no six-cell battery available for this model at the time of writing, battery life seems to be a rather weak spot for this notebook.
During the battery test, I observed that the battery meter only shows battery life remaining as a percentage, but not the actual remaining time - another inconvenience. I also discovered that the Eee 900 is too small to be used on my lap all the time. Heat management, on the other hand, is impressive. The bottom of the case and the palm rest only ever get warm to the touch.
My conclusion is that Asus Eee 900 PC is a very attractive ultra-portable notebook computer. The combination of portability, functionality, ease of use and reasonable pricing make it hard not to like this machine. It can be your second notebook or even the main one if you can overcome (or in some cases, side-step) its limitations.
One thing is certain - this notebook is definitely not a gaming machine by any stretch of the imagination. On the other hand, it is highly suitable for web surfing and light work anywhere. And even if you opt for the Xandros Linux version - as reviewed here - for the added storage, there are a lot of special interest groups (both here and abroad) to help you solve any problems - even if you're a newbie to Linux. As I said, it's hard not to like this lovely machine.
Asus EEE 900 PC (Xandros Linux version) is 17,900 baht (exc. VAT) and the Windows XP version is 16,900 baht (excluding VAT).
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Specs
Display 8.9in., 1,024 by 600 resolution
Colours Pearl White, Black
CPU Intel 900MHz Celeron Mobile
Memory 1GB DDR II
Storage 20GB (4GB built-in + 16GB flash) SSD (Linux OS Version) 12GB (4GB built-in + 8GB flash) SSD (Microsoft Windows OS Version)
Audio HD audio / built-in speakers
Wireless Built-in 802.11b/g
Camera 1.3MP web cam
Storage cards SD / MMC (SDHC)
Input / output 3 x USB / VGA-out (D-Sub, 15-pin) / earphone socket / mic / RJ45 10/100Mbps
Tracking control Uses FingerGlide
Operating system Windows XP Home / Linux
Language Thai language and Thai keyboard available
Dimensions 22.50 (W) by 17.00 (D) by 2.00 to 3.38cm (H)
Weight 0.99kg
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