Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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111 of 113 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than a great little gadget, December 11, 2007
After a little over 24 hours of using this item, I have to say this little gadget is much more than just a fun must-have. Set-up was quick and easy. It connected instantly to our corporate network without any input by me. With our Windows-based units, it normally takes about 10-15 minutes to get everything up and running. At home, I had it connected to my home network in about 10 minutes, most of that time was spent getting my other computer configured.
I do have a few complaints though and they are minor. One, it seems to be a little picky about how it connects to the wireless network. I had to shut it down and restart it several times before it would connect. After it connected once though, it had no problems. Two, the windows (tabs) at times are not visible completely - I maximized a window a couple of times and could not scroll to all of the edges and actually had to close out the window (tab). Setting up my mail was a chore because all of the options at the bottom were not visible, so I just had to hit enter on the keyboard and hope the right button was highlighted.
All-in-all this is a great product. Aside from the screen size, it is every bit as functional as my work laptop. Open Office works great with only minor formatting issues. The keyboard is an acceptable size. I have the 4G Surf model, which at the time I ordered it Asus only listed one model on their website and that was the 4G model. I thought I was getting the webcam and the higher capacity battery. The 4G Surf model does not have those items, but I can purchase them separately. I successfully downloaded the beta version of Skype for Linux, which includes video conferencing capabilities. I have not tried it yet, but it looks like it should work. If you visit some websites, it will tell you that Skype for Linux will have that capability in 2008 - it is available now. I like this computer for what it is - a lightweight travel companion that I can take anywhere and use anywhere. For the price I paid, you cannot get a quality laptop that runs this fast and is this practical. The 900mhz processor and 512mb RAM runs faster than our 1.6ghz Windows-based desktops.
Update: After a little research I learned that you can hold down Alt and left-click anywhere on the window to move it around. Also, wireless works a lot better now - I have no problems connecting anywhere I go. The problems I had before must have been a fluke. The other day I wanted to find certain store, so I parked in front of a restaurant with Wi-Fi and connected to the internet to find where I wanted to go. What a great deal!
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75 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Eee PC Excels, February 5, 2008
The Asus Eee PC certainly doesn't look as sleek as the ultra portable Macbook Air, but most laptops are not as sleek as Apple or Sony products. Still, the Eee PC is a genuinely ultra-portable everyday workhorse with features, performance, and value that make it a terrific machine. I think the Eee PC is probably one of the best values in computing technology you will ever find.
I bought the black 4 G Surf, which means it has a 4 Gig SSD (drive) and does not come with an onboard web cam. I like this machine. It boots up fast and quietly; when I turn it on its ready for me in 20 seconds. No Windows machine I am aware of can deliver that kind of performance on the hardware the Eee PC runs on.
It comes pre-installed with all the software you need to be productive, which is good since this machine does not have an optical disc drive. To install additional software, you do not have to buy a disc drive; instead, you can connect the Eee PC to a network or the internet using the built-in wifi 802.11 b/g connection and download additional software; downloading is also a good way to access updates for the pre-installed software. A BIOS update from AsusTek is already waiting for users of the 4G model.
Since this machine is genuinely ultra-portable, I carry it with me nearly everywhere I take my knapsack. At 2 lbs, it is hardly noticeable. Unlike most notebooks, the Eee PC's power cord is light weight and the SD card I use for extra disc storage weighs less than a penny.
In the office, I use a Windows XP desktop, at home I have a Macbook Pro, and for travel integrating the Linux-based Asus has been seamless and easy even though the Eee PC is the third operating system I am using. Thanks to the open source software that runs on the Eee PC, I can create documents that are compatible with anything on my Macbook Pro or Windows PC. Although I might be considered a "power user," believe me anyone can pick up the Eee PC and use it out-of-the box without any prior experience with Linux;you simply point and click your way to whatever you want. And, for the power user, you can do virtually anything on this machine with the flexibility of installing whatever you want on this machine including installing a new operating system or entirely changing the original set up. With all of the choices open to computer users and the bargain basement cost, I am not sure why the Eee PC has not received more media attention in the U.S.
This is a terrific machine for everyday tasks like web browsing, emailing, document creation, and even writing this review. I highly recommend the Eee PC as a second computer for adults, a first computer for a child or an ultra portable computer for anyone.
A Few Issues that Matter
Keyboard Size:
Some folks may not like the keyboard. The Eee PC uses a small key board; it is probably one-fifth to one-fourth the size of a typical laptop keyboard. I can type fast on this keyboard, but the keyboard is not as responsive as my MBP keyboard and the right-shift key is too small - - it is too easy to mistakenly hit the larger enter key instead. Having said that, I think the keyboard is very usable, but be prepared to spend some time adapting to the small keyboard before you are able to type quickly and accurately on it.
Screen:
The 7-inch display is crisp and sharp, but not as bright as some laptops and the resolution is only 800x480 pixels. You are going to scroll the screen more than you would on a 15-inch desktop or laptop. To alleviate this problem, be prepared to buy one accessory: a wireless mouse. The touchpad is responsive, but I think touch pads are particularly poor pointing devices when a lot of scrolling is required.
Disc size and Memory:
The solid state hard drive is fast and responsive. Applications load quickly and disc access occurs with a breeze. Although nearly half of the 4 GB SSD is used by the pre-installed software, you can use SD cards to extend your storage capacity. I have over 1 GB of space available on the internal SSD with nearly 50 data files installed. Unless you are installing large video or music files, your data files are not likely to occupy a lot of storage space. Remember, the Eee PC is for productive work, data communications, and Internet access, it is not your game PC and I wouldn't use it like an iPod either.
Battery life:
I have been able to get slightly over 3 hours of battery life out of the Eee PC when I turn wifi off.
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31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A handy mobile notebook for the money, March 19, 2008
For the last year or two I've been using two computers for mobile web access and note taking. One is an aging iBook that's starting to develop keyboard and battery problems, and is heavier than I'd like to carry in a backpack or camera bag. The other is my Nokia 770, which is cute, but slow and very limited when it comes to typing or writing notes. I thought about buying a Nokia 810, but the reviews I've read suggested the Eee would be better for my uses. I decided to risk a purchase.
So far, I'm pleased. The Eee boots fast, it's quiet, the screen is more than adequate, and it's very light and compact. True, the keyboard isn't great, but I found it reasonably easy to adjust to. Installing other apps isn't easy, and the 800MHz processor doesn't support graphic editing, but that's not what this machine is intended for; if you want to run the Gimp, get a faster machine. The same goes for running Windows. I thought about installing XP, but that's really stretching the capabilities of this machine, and trying to make it into something it's not.
The Eee is at its best providing a light, inexpensive and very portable platform for basic web activities and simple office tasks. The screen is bigger than any of the pocket-sized computers, the keyboard is better than anything you'll find on a web-enabled phone or Nokia WiFi terminal, and it's a fraction of the price of the more powerful hand helds. As a student computer it's the perfect combination of portability, function, and low cost. If you keep its limitations in mind, and use it for what it's intended for, I think you'll be very happy with it.
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