MSI to Compete with Asus Eee PC?
The Asus Eee PC currently faces some competition with various similar-sized alternatives like the XO, the Intel Classmate PC, the Everex Cloudbook and (for some) even the Apple Macbook Air. And recently rumors have it that Acer is planning an ultraportable release.
Here’s another rumor: MSI might come out with an ultraportable of its own. Via HLWT:
MSI looks like it is going to utilize Intels new 45nm Diamondville processor for its rumored ultraportable. The new Intel processor has been specifically engineered for low power portables but it looks like MSI may be the first out of the gate with an actual product with this new chip inside. The Diamondville will be officially announced in April yet but MSI has already gave word that when the chip is “ready” then their own project will be “ready”, too. Expect the new MSI ultraportables to be in the market by July or August this year.
Smallest MSI notebooks I’ve seen so far are sized 11-plus inches. So I think they won’t be far behind in developing an ulraportable close to the size and specs of the Eee. Question is–how soon?
Windows XP-Preinstalled Eee PC Out This February
According to CNet versions of the Asus Eee PC pre-installed with Windows have already been released in Japan. The US market may come next.
Called the Eee PC 4G-X, it will come pre-loaded with Windows XP Home Edition. It has the same specs as the original 4G model with Linux introduced last fall: 4GB of storage, Intel Celeron processor, 512MB of RAM, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, and more.
According to Asus, Eee releases pre-installed with XP may be expected this February or March. Of course, you can install Windows XP yourself, as the DVD with the Eee PC sales packages includes Windows drivers. The manual also has instructions and tips on how to minimize space usage. XP, after all, is a space hog and memory hog compared to the built-in Xandros and most other Linux flavors.
Thing is, the bundled RAM is just 512MB. I doubt if Windows XP will perform well given the limited memory. Best to boost it up to at least 1GB, which is dirt cheap these days.
[via Eeeuser]
Acer Plans to Launch an Eee Competitor
I haven’t been much of a fan of Acer laptops until recently, when they launched their Gemstone-line of notebooks. I always went for IBM Thinkpads, HP/Compaq Presarios, and now the Asus Eee.
However, Acer seems to be getting in the game of ultraportable notebook computers, with their rumored release of a 8 inch and 9 inch notebook later this year.
Acer plans to launch low-cost notebooks available with 8- and 9-inch displays late in the first quarter or early second quarter of this year, with the products aimed at competing directly at similar sized Eee PCs from Asustek Computer, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report. Prices of Acer’s low-cost notebooks will be as competitive as those of the Eee PCs, the paper said.
To me, this is good news. More competition only means (1) better innovation, and (2) lower prices.
Asus is in a good position to have been the leader in all this. Sure, there have been a handful of ultraportables before the time of the Asus Eee (like those from Fujitsu, Toshiba and even Sony). But the price point was what made the game for Asus.
At $400 you’re paying about 20% of the price of other similar-sized notebooks. Sure, specs-wise you’re at a disadvantage. But I wouldn’t expect too much from a diminutively-sized notebook, anyway.
So Acer, bring it on! Maybe you can send me beta or production units for review sometime! You know where to contact me.
[via Eee site]
Asus Eee: Still King of the Hill?
There you have it, folks. The Asus Eee PC is still king of the hill for affordable ultraportables. There were rumors just recently that Apple was to release an ultra mobile computer with dual touch-screens (and not to mention the cool factor). But apparently that’s not their focus.
At the recently-concluded MacWorld Expo, the highlight of Steve Jobs’ keynote speech was the new MacBook Air. It’s razor-thin and definitely lighter than its predecessors.
Think Motorola RAZR, but this time for laptops.
Thing is, the MacBook Air is not really an ultraportable (and not marketed as such), but is a standard-sized, ultra-slim laptop. It has a 13.3″ widescreen, a full-size keyboard, and weighs 3 pounds.
I know there’s a market for ultraslim laptops. And of course, being a Mac, the MacBook Air is likely to have a cult following, too (which is to say the same for hte Asus Eee PC, isn’t it?). But the target market is different from that of the Asus Eee. So I would say the Eee is still leading the pack when it comes to low-priced consumer-grade ultraportables.
In short, it’s like comparing apples with oranges. And in this case, one of them is actually an Apple.
Oh, and one other thing. I noticed the MacBook Air has just one USB port. And even the MacBooks (non Pro) have only two. My Asus Eee has three. I rarely use them, though, but I think the sparsity of USB ports is one big complaint by certain Mac users.
We’re Moving Servers
You might encounter errors when accessing www.myasuseee.com for the next few hours. Please bear with us!
9 Inch Screen Asus Eee in 2008
Over at CES 2008, there are rumors (likely to be true) that Asus will be releasing an Eee model with 8.9 screens this 2008. Sure, they’re also including WiMax in the possible specs, but it’s the screen size and real estate that most Asus Eee users are interested in.
This year at CES (the big technology show starting next week in Las Vegas) ASUS is planning to launch the new and improved Eee PC. According to the ASUS Web site and various tech blogs, the new Eee PC will feature WiMax and a larger 9-inch screen.
The WiMax bit isn’t so exciting for people in the UK and Asia as there are hardly any WiMax networks in place just yet, but the larger screen definitely gets our juices flowing. No more scrolling sideways to view pages or having to squint at documents.
Of course, the increased LCD size will likely lead to higher unit prices. Or, it could cause the older 7-inch screen models to drop in price. At any rate, this is a welcome development, and with a bigger screen, the Eee can be poised as a better competitor against its more expensive brethren from other brands (like Fujitsu, Sony and the like).
Installing VLC Media Player on the Eee
As much as I don’t like to install stuff on the Eee to make sure I don’t use up the already limited memory on it, the limitations with the software bundled with the Eee leave me no choice sometimes. Case in point: SMPlayer, the built in video player on the Eee, after some time, does not play audio. The Eee plays mp3s and other sound files alright; it doesn’t seem to be a soundcard issue. One day I just got pissed off with SMPlayer mysteriously refusing to play audio after an hour or two. I decided to just install VLC on my Eee. Besides, VLC is my default media player on my XP desktop, why shouldn’t I not install this open-source beauty on my Eee? And guess what: it works beautifully.
So how do we install the VLC Media Player on the Eee’s default Xandros Linux OS? Read more
Official Asus Eee PC Accessories Announced
Over at the official Asus Eee site, OEM accessories have been added, including mice, headphones, power adaptors and extra batteries for the Asus Eee PC.
I would agree with EeeUser that the six-cell 7800 mAh battery sounds particularly interesting, especially for those of us who want to get longer battery uptime from our Asus Eee computers.
I haven’t checked with the local (Philippine) distributors, dealers and retailers if they already carry the official accessory line, but I will update here if and once they do, along with price information. For those in other regions, do your retailers already offer these accessories for sale?
