Eee PC
Archived Posts from this Category
Eee PCs Have Arrived!
Posted by michael.stahlman on 25 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Eee PC
After much delay and waiting for a release of the new Eee 901 and 1000, we now have the new Eee PCs in hand! The 701 version was very nice and now the new versions are that much better. I chose the 901 version because I was satisfied with the keyboard size of the 701 and wanted the higher screen resolution, faster processor, and more SSD space. Troy chose the 1000 for the same reasons and because he wanted the larger screen size and keyboard.
So, it seems after all that hassle with Amazon and Asus, it turns out that Newegg knows what’s going on. I gave another call to Amazon and it seems they didn’t even order the laptops so they would be ready to fulfill the pre-orders… They told me that I might expect it in September! I was very pleased that the information I received from calling Asus previously was correct and they did release on July 23rd.
I realized that Newegg had stock of the new 901 and 1000, so we decided to trust them and purchase. First the 1000 was purchased and overnighted. Newegg was truthful and indeed, the 1000 was in hand the next day. After realizing the 1000 was shipped, I decided to also purchase the 901 through Newegg. I ordered yesterday and it was here today.
When I purchased, Newegg was apparently restocking as I looked, so I was unsure whether I would actually receive it soon. I decided to use their live online chat and spoke with a representative that gave me accurate and detailed information. I was informed that the stock was truly there and my order would be filled. Thanks Newegg!
You can expect reviews of Xandros, Ubuntu, and Windows XP on the new Eee PCs soon.
Asus Eee 901 & 1000 Linux Delays
Posted by michael.stahlman on 14 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Computers, Eee PC
Released on July 8th? Think again.
So, it seems that no party wants to take responsibility for the delays of the Eee PCs. I would like to have the new Eee 901 in hand, but I am not desperate. What I dislike most about this situation is that no information is being provided to those of us who made pre-orders. Seriously, this is 2008: Worldwide communication should not be complicated.
I have made a few calls to find the status even though no one wants to help. I started with Amazon, hoping that they might have stock and working on getting the products shipped. I don’t think I could have gotten a more dry, pre-fabricated answer. No matter how I phrased the questions, all I could get out of the rep was basically, “When you receive an email, it will have information on shipping and arrival.” Wow, I didn’t realize Amazon forwarded me to the “Captain Obvious” department…
Next, I gave a call to Asus after seeing many stories floating around the internet about production delays, customs delays, or deals with Microsoft. After being transferred everywhere, I finally was able to talk to the notebook sales department. It seems the Eee 901 and 1000 series are delayed due to production issues. The rep told me they are estimating another week of delay and hoping for an availability date of July 23rd.
If you decide to call, be sure to mention you are interested in the Linux version, because they will automatically assume that you want the Windows version…
Even though I don’t like the wait, it is better knowing not to expect it before July 23rd. If only I could request one even with the software bugs, because it won’t have Xandros long for me. Bring on the Ubuntu Netbook Remix!
Pre-Order an Eee PC
Posted by troycoon on 05 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Eee PC
The new line of Eee Pc’s is ready for pre-order at amazon.com. I’m going to order mine right after I finish this post. Just click one of the links below to order yours too.
Eee PC 1000
Posted by troycoon on 02 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Eee PC
I have been a little fixated on the release of the new line of Eee PC’s specifically the Eee 1000 40gb SSD. I can hardly wait to get one, especially since I sold my Eee 701 to my brother, which leaves me without a portable computer. I am really excited about the 40gb SSD, battery life and the slightly larger keyboard since I have giant sausage fingers. As far as I can tell the EEE 1000 should be out in the UK and will be available sometime in mid july in the US, but if you cant wait it is available for pre-order from Dynamism. If anyone hears of a pre-order site in the USA please add a comment and help me get one quick.
Ubuntu Netbook Remix on Eee PC
Posted by michael.stahlman on 09 Jun 2008 | Tagged as: Computers, Eee PC, Geek Toys
As soon as I had Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron on my Eee PC, I couldn’t resist trying new interfaces. I had seen the Canonical Netbook Remix on Tombuntu less than a week earlier and did some searching until I found the launchpad site and found that I could add the applets into my current installation!
I added the ppa apt repository and installed everything except the ume-config-netbook, because it is not meant to be used on all systems. The applets are:
- go-home-applet: a button that when clicked, returns to the main launcher
- window-picker-applet: a nice window switcher that shows windows opened by the application icon and the title of the current window
- maximus: forces all windows to open in fullscreen mode while leaving only the top panel
- human-netbook-them: a nice theme with dark colors
- ume-launcher: an application launcher that makes it easy to get to applications and fills the easy mode need that Xandros offers
I took a few screenshots of it in action:
Here it is in the internet category with the default appearance.
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It has a nice popup showing an application is loading.
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The window picker handles several windows nicely.
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Of course the colors, themes, and panels can still be changed.
All I can say is: Well done Canonical. Maybe this will help convince new mini-pc manufactures to choose Ubuntu instead of Xandros…