ASUS Eee PC For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) (Paperback)

by Joel McNamara (Author)
Key Phrases: synaptic package manager, customizing the user interface, personal information manager, Linux Eee, File Manager, Advanced Mode (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
What can you do with your Eee PC? Find out how to get the most from this mini-laptop with Asus Eee PC For Dummies. It shows you how to get things done—using the Linux operating system and applications, navigating the tabbed desktop, adding hardware and software, backing up and restoring the Eee PC, and more.

You’ll learn how to set up Windows, take advantage of all the pre-installed software, ensure that your computer is secure, and even run your Eee PC on solar power. You’ll find tips for configuring printers and changing touchpad settings, techniques for making Skype phone calls and listening to Internet radio, and advice for adding storage and peripherals. It also helps you:

• Take full advantage of this exciting, ultra-portable “netbook” PC
• Set up your wireless connection
• Make free Skype phone calls and video calls
• Use OpenOffice.org, Thunderbird e-mail, Mozilla Firefox, and other included applications
• Use the versatile OpenOffice productivity suite, including Writer for word processing, Calc for spreadsheets, and Impress for presentations
• Compare the advantages of Windows vs. Linux
• Discover the science, language, math, and art functions that kids can enjoy on the Eee
• Enjoy built-in games, watch videos, play music, organize and view photos, and more
• Boost storage and memory with SD cards and USB drives, go Bluetooth, and add a GPS
• Get the scoop on backups, explore the advanced desktop, and customize the user interface

The Eee PC makes it simple to surf the Web, play games, work, and more. Asus Eee PC For Dummies makes it easier!

From the Back Cover

Discover all you can do with this well-equipped, Web-enabled mini-laptop

Ultra-small, ultra-light, ultra-easy — that's your Eee PC. But it's no lightweight when it comes to getting things done, and this book helps you make the most of all it has to offer. Learn to use the Linux operating system and applications, navigate the ingeniously tabbed desktop, add hardware and software, back up and restore the Eee PC, and much more.

• Stay in touch — learn to use Thunderbird e-mail and explore the flexibility of Web browsing with Firefox

• Choose your OS — see which ASUS Eee PC models come with Windows® XP and compare the advantages of Windows versus Linux

• Kid stuff — discover the science, language, math, and art functions that kids can enjoy on the Eee PC

• Let's play — enjoy built-in games, watch videos, play music, organize and view photos, and more

• Expand — boost storage and memory with SD cards and USB drives, go Bluetooth®, and add a GPS device

• Tech it out — get the scoop on backups, explore the Advanced Mode desktop, and customize the user interface

Open the book and find:

• A quick course in using Linux

• How to set up Windows on an Eee PC

• A guide to all the pre-installed software

• How to make Skype phone calls and listen to Internet radio

• Tips on backing up, restoring, and troubleshooting

• Testing and security advice

• How to add storage and peripherals

• Ways to extend battery life

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; illustrated edition edition (December 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470411546
• ISBN-13: 978-0470411544
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #44,207 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, but not for all Eees, January 13, 2009

By	R. A. Andresen (Østfold, Norway) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In short, this is a quite good book for teaching you the basics of how to get more out of your Linux based Eee. If you bought - or are planning to buy - a Eee with WinXP preinstalled, there are probably better guides to buy than this one.

In not-so-short, this book is a good buy for having an off line reference for using the software that ships with the Linux Eee, how to set your Eee up to suit your needs and how to perform a number of useful tweaks to improve the user experience... It is not, however, a definite guide to everything. On the contrary, the author willingly admits that there are much more information available - especially online - and helpfully provides a number of links to useful sites. More on that later, first some general remarks.

Eee PC for Dummies is written in an easy, accessible and informal style that I at least found easy to follow. It's laid out in a logical progression, starting with a short discussion on the various models of the Eee available when the book went into print, showing the reader how to start using the Eee and the installed software before moving onto more advanced topics.

The book is divided into six parts: Getting Started, Day to Day, Adding Software, Hardware and Accessories, Advanced Topics and Part of Tens.

In the Getting Started section, Eee PC for Dummies starts of by telling you what exactly an Eee is (ie: a normal laptop, only smaller and with less bells and whistles), what an Eee isn't (just as important) and which models are available. This is where the major downside of this book first rears it's ugly head: Asus changes the lineup of the Eee range so frequently that many models now in sale are not discussed, and a couple of the models discussed are no longer in sale. This sounds worse than it is though - apart from the listing of models in the first section this only pops up again in the more advanced topics towards the end of the book.

Further in the first section, the book shows you how to power on your Eee, how to use the admittedly non-standard interface it presents when first started, and vitally how to get connected with either a wireless or wired connection and sharing files over your home network. Perhaps critically so early in the book, it fails to mention some of the known pitfalls of wireless connections with the Eee - this is touched upon in the last part of the book however.

In the second section - Day to Day - pretty much every application installed on the Eee gets a fairly detailed description. Several tips and hints for how to use the software on a smaller than normal screen is given, which is quite useful. In this section the author has done a good job of balancing the needs of the readers; it's neither too high flying for someone just starting out with computers, nor to shallow for those who have several years of computer experience under their belts. This treatment is given not only to the serious applications - such as the web browser and the office suite - but also to the less serious programs like the various games and graphics editors that are installed. Some space in this section is given over to how to configure and customize the Eee with the preinstalled tools - useful, since it's not the same process as on a WinXP computer - and where to find help online when you have problems.

The office suite that comes with early model Eees - OpenOffice - are given two whole chapters - a logical choice since these are large and powerful programs. However, At least some of the newer model Eees have a different office suite - StarOffice - installed. It's worth noting that both office suits share a lot of common features and are based on the same code, so this shouldn't turn potential buyers away from the book.

This section is also the one part of the book where WinXP on the Eee is discussed - briefly. Just ten pages are devoted to the topic, which covers the bare minimum of information. Again, if you bought or are planning to buy an Eee with WinXP installed, this may not be the best book for you.

The third section covers adding extra software to the Eee. It starts off sensible by explaining how software installation works under Linux, discusses briefly the Add/Remove utility that Asus installs on the Eee and the various package managers available. This can be considered the start of the more advanced part of the book - if you're happy with using the forty odd applications that comes with the Eee you can close the book when you reach this point and it'll still be money well spent.

While I miss a warning at this point, the author does a good job of explaining the various concepts and lays out easy to follow commands to find and install all sorts of software. A chapter on popular Linux programs gives the reader a quick teaser of what's out there for free. For balance the next chapter deals with free software for WinXP - this reads more as an afterthought and mostly list applications that are already installed from the factory on the Linux models.

The fourth part - Hardware and Accessories - are reasonable brief, but it covers the subject well. It shows how to add more memory - RAM - and storage easily, as well as giving a quick overview of other "much needed" accessories such as bags, spare batteries, chargers and so forth. The section is short and to the point, and contains lots of useful pointers to websites that carries accessories for the Eee.

The second to last section covers so called Advanced Topics. The first part of the section shows how to do backups and restore from them, usefully pointing out one of the reviewers favorite tools for doing this. It also shows how to restore your Eee to it's original state if - or perhaps when - you get too experimental with the software and end up breaking the system. Further on in the section the book explains how to enable the so called `Advanced Mode'; a more traditional desktop that is much the same as you'll find on any non-apple computer. The book also helpfully points out a few of the drawbacks with switching to this mode, but fails to suggest that a new user should back up his system before enabling it.

The section also contains an introduction to command line Linux, along with a list of common commands. Again this is presented in a clear and concise way, accessible for anybody, and does a good job of demystifying the command line. Another useful chapter in this section deals with how to customize the user interface, both from the command line and by using several tools created by users. The book shows how to add and remove icons and tabs from the basic interface, as well as other helpful tweaks that in the opinion of the reviewer does much to improve the usability of the Eee.

The last part - Part of Tens - covers two things: troubleshooting and essential places on the internet.

Overall, it's a book well worth considering even if you feel that you know how to use a computer and have bought - or are planning to buy - an Eee with Linux. It does, as mentioned, have a couple of shortfalls; mainly because Asus keeps changing the lineup and the applications installed. For the most part this is of little consequence, but in the section on advanced topics there are several pitfalls directly relating to this issue - for instance are the configuration files for the desktop kept in a different folder on newer Eees than the book states when it comes to customizing the desktop. However, the author throughout the book points the reader to where more information is found, and an enterprising reader will quickly go to the source to find out more.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a book that respects and understands the Eee PC, January 16, 2009

By	yardcoyote (USA) - See all my reviews

The author of this book understands the Eee PC: what it is, what it isn't, and what it can do. These little computers are amazing tools, and people sometimes see them as either toys or simple Internet appliances, neglecting to explore their full capabilities.

Structurally, this is the classic "Dummies" book; it starts at the beginning and addresses the material clearly and directly, in logical sequence, starting with charging the Eee and turning it on, through connecting it with a network, using the pre-installed software, customization and troubleshooting.

It will be particularly useful to novice Linux users with Eees running the Xandros OS. The Linux Eees are highly useful right out of the box, using the underrated Easy Mode tabbed interface, and this book provides a complete introduction to working with this fast, simple, rock solid setup. But there is also plenty of information here for users with an experimental bent to get started adding software and customizing their Eee's interface. All the Linux basics are included (at the beginner level) but the emphasis is on working specifically with the Eee, which can be a quirky little beast. The book also offers clear introductions to all the preinstalled software packages, from the Open Office applications to the games, and tips for avoiding common problems in moving data between Linux and other operating systems.

But the XP Eees are not neglected. While I think the author is safe to assume some familiarity with the MS operating system, there are plenty of specific details about how XP works on the Eee. And of course the useful tips and tricks for getting the most out of the Eee's compact hardware apply to every user.

I've noticed over the last few years that computer writers seem to assume that all users have access to broadband Internet that is always on, and the author of this book seems to make the same assumption. I noticed at least one set of step by step instructions for a process that requires the Eee to be online to download files, and that is not mentioned. Sorry, but as the sole remaining dial-up user in the world, I notice these things.

In general, however, this is a very useful book, highly recommended for anyone who owns an Eee, and particularly for those who are thinking of acquiring one. (The section comparing the different models, and the first steps for the new owner are both first rate.) I suppose one could make the argument that most of this material is available online at no cost, but nowhere else is it so easy to find and use, or so well organized. Or so accessible when your Eee is having wireless trouble and you can't get on the Internet ...

I certainly wish this book had been available when I first got my Eee, and I'm very glad to have a copy now.

(Written on an Eee 701, running "out of the box" in Xandros Easy Mode.)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ASUS-Eee-Dummies, February 13, 2009

By	Saraswati - See all my reviews

Being one of the earliest EeePC owners, I've spent a lot of time searching on the web for instructions how to use and customize my EeePC. And finally I am delighted to find a book that covers all the information you will need.

As the title suggest, this book is for EeePC users who come from the Windows world, don't know much about computer, but want to make full use of his EeePC - not just as a PDA, but also as a PC. In this book, there are comprehensive instructions on virtually everything, from simply using built-in softwares to running your EeePC with a solar battery for the EeePC (which I have searched on the web for long time without definite answer). And for some advanced topics, the book gives a link to instructions on the EeeUser Wiki.

People may argue that most of the information in this book are already on the web. But indeed many people found it difficult to look for the correct answer from the vast no. of threads in the EeeUser Forum, and moreover not all the answers in the forum are entirely correct. Many times, you have to read through pages of threads before you can get the right answer. Having this book at hand will certainly save you many trouble tweaking your EeePC.

Highly Recommended!