[LINK] Fwd: Today on Catch - Asus EEE PC 701 Netbook only $259.90

[Brendan Scott]

Pilcher, Fred wrote:
> Jan wrote:
> 
>> in case anyone was considereing.
>> http://www.catchoftheday.com.au/index.php
> 
> I travelled around the UK and Europe with one of those and it was
> flawless. I had it turned on, charging on a high-ish benchtop at a
> mate's place, tripped over the power cord and sent it flying down onto
> and across his tiled floor. It never skipped a beat. It sold me on Asus
> gear and I replaced the 701 with a 901. Their recent desertion if Linux
> has cruelled the brand for me though.

The 701 is a tad too small (also Linux developers seem to code arbitrary restrictions into screens, assuming more real estate than is present - OOo and it's context sensitive toolbars are a particularly egregious example) - although I travelled around Europe with one in my pocket (yes, pocket) and found it very convenient. 
 
I recently got a chance to pick up (literally, not as-in-purchase) a 1000H.  Screen and keyboard size-wise they're great, but I think they're probably a tad too heavy (guess at 1.5x the 701). 

Asus have got what they wanted with Linux Eee (ie astounding leverage over Microsoft), and are now trying to upsize it into a Windows notebook (and one in which Windows is actually commoditised as a complement to the hardware).  That they've now deserted Linux is not good for Linux.  However, they've proven the market and others (dell, hp etc) are now entering it - albeit at gratuitously high configuration/price points.  Hopefully they'll all be eaten out from below when ARM equipped versions hit the market later this year. 


Brendan