I bought my Eeepc around a month ago, the base model ($299, in green!).
Im a college student who needed a pc to bring to campus for notes, web browsing, homework and the like. Its a bit of a pain to type on (especially coming from a 17’ widescreen laptop’s keyboard), but not difficult once you get the hang of it. I have really tiny hands and small fingertips, however. I really really hate the placement of the shift key as Darryl Lict mentioned above. Drives me nuts when Im in class, because it messes up my train of thought and I get behind.
I really like my Eee, its absolutely perfect for what I needed. The battery life is advertised at 2.5 hours and I’l get 2.3 while watching youtube videos and web browsing. It’l be difficult to type on it for 2 hours straight though; you really need to find a store or friend who has one and try using it for a little while first.
eta: I’ve thought about using Ubuntu, but until I have another computer up and running reliably I can’t afford to mess up and be computer-less during the school semester. If you do go with the Eeepc, and use Ubuntu, please tell me how it goes!
I am using my EEE right now. It took a little while to get used to the keyboard, but other than that, I have no complaints. I am a self taught typer, so i in no way, shape or form put my fingers in the correct positions like you would on a standard keyboard, even when using a standard size keyboard.
I have a 2G surf (in blue). It comes with a slightly goofy interface, but with a little time and linux know how, you can install a normal desktop environment. Apparently if you get the 4G or 8G versions, the advanced desktop comes standard.
I use mine mainly for surfing, but have created powerpoint shows on it for work. I don’t think I would recommend it for serious writing due to the keyboard and screen size. However, you can hook up a usb keyboard and a normal monitor, so if most of the time it is in the office and only an occasional trip, it can easily be a replacement for a full sized laptop.
Can’t tell you about the eee Ubuntu until next week. I plan on installing it onto an SD card and trying to make it work. There is a 9" (screen size) eee scheduled to be released later this year.
Absolutely. I have a Neo purely for writing. No other programs or toys to distract me. No wifi, no worries about battery life or screen glare. Great gadget.
If you’re curious, the link I provided has a download for a live disc. It allows you to run Ubuntu from a disc (or in the eee’s case, I’m guessing you can boot from a USB or SD slot?) and see what you think without actually installing it. It won’t be quite as fast as if it were installed, but it will give you a good feel for what the OS is like.
Yeah, this really messed me up I really want an eee, but the improvements being made for the 900’s are worth the wait, imo (especially the slightly larger keyboard). It’s the $600 price tag that kills me. I would have preferrted $450-500, but $600 is harder to justify, because then we’re getting close to typical laptop pricing.
I agree. I went with a 2G surf because of the price (only $300). I can’t see spending $600 for an EEE when you can get a Dell or other ‘name’ laptop for the same price. Although the ‘Wow factor’ of pulling out a 2lb laptop the size of a paperback book has to be worth something.
I have taken my EEE to the local coffee shop, used it at the airport and brought it into work (in a non-technical field). I’ve stopped counting the number of times people ask me what it is and if it’s a ‘real computer’.
I’m seriously considering buying one. I have a Dell Inspiron 5100 currently. I got it in June of 2003 and it’s on its last legs. I mostly use it for web-surfing and managing digital photography.
I realize, in theory, the EeePC would be one of the worst, if not the worst, possible choices of new computers for managing photography, but when I contemplate what I really do with my photos, I’m not too concerned. I store them on an external hard drive, so I need to be able to transfer photos from my camera to the hd via the laptop. That’s a can do with the EeePC. As far as digital manipulation, I need to be able to compress the original files down to a size that can quickly be uploaded to flckr and my photo blog, which the EeePC also ought to be able to handle. I have a desk top that I use for any heavier digital manipulation of photos.
My Dell is quickly dying and I’m always a little gleeful when I turn it on and the monitor works. Unattaching the monitor from my desk top and reattaching it to my lap top is a real pain. Three hundred dollars is right about the maximum I could spend for a computer right now, so I’d be going with the 2Gb version. Help me think of reasons that the EeePC totally wouldn’t work for me, so I don’t totally waste my money.
I can tell you that people on the eeeuser forums have installed GIMP on the 4G versions. So basic photo manipulation is available. Also, I have used my EEE as a terminal by Rdesktop or VNC into my main computer (running XP home) and manipulated files that way. So I can’t say it would be a waste of money to get an EEE, but it may not be the most cost effective purchase ever.
i am far from a hardware expert, but i would guess the low-end dell or compaq would be much more computer for the money. I think you can get either of those for $500 or so. They would have equal or more computing power than an EEE. I just went to dell.com and here is a comparison EEE to Dell 1525.
2G Surf
price $299
screen 7"
hd 2GB (.6 avail)
optical NO
RAM 512 MB
weight 2lbs
Dell 1525
$499
15.4 "
80 GB (no sure how much space is taken up by pre-installed software)
cdr / dd player
1 GB
6+ lbs
These are the things i would look at in comparing laptops.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my eee, but it is a niche product.
Disclaimer: I do not work for dell (or asus for that matter), have no affiliation, etc… I would guess you could get a similar or better equiped laptop from another ‘name brand’ computer manufacturer (sony, compaq, hp, etc.)
Unfortunately, like I’ve said, three hundred dollars is about the maximum I can spend. If I had five hundred, I’d think about a proper lap top. I’m not convinced I need a proper lap top, but that’s what I’m trying to discern. Can you think of any reason the Eee PC wouldn’t suit my needs?
I think the eee will fit your needs. It is pretty user friendly. The default ‘easy mode’ will probably do everything you need it to. I have added some software that doesn’t come standard on the 2G to make it more like a standard desktop (they call it advanced desktop mode). Since you are mainly going to be working with photos/pictures, you will probably really like the SD Card slot. Just pop the card out of the camera and stick it in the eee.
Amazon has been known to weed out unfavourable reviews in the past - not that I’m aware of any significant flaws in the EeePC - and indeed I think it’s probably pretty good.
I really want an eee, but the improvements being made for the 900’s are worth the wait, imo (especially the slightly larger keyboard). It’s the $600 price tag that kills me. I would have preferrted $450-500, but $600 is harder to justify, because then we’re getting close to typical laptop pricing.