Since I'm reviewing things anyway, let me review my laptop that I've had for a few months.
I got the Asus Eee PC 904, which is a teeny tiny little thing (I named her Ava). I was looking for something a) cheap, and b) tiny, and she's both. Only US$320 (and free shipping), she runs XP and has 160 GB of storage. Intel Atom processor. 6 hour battery life. And she warms up really quickly (in about 10 seconds from off to ready to go).
My needs are the internet, writing, and storing phootos and MP3s, and she's a champ for all of that. And I can just toss her in my shoulder bag and go. She's a dream at the airport, and a conversation piece in public.
There are some quirks:
- The screen is only 8.9 inches diagonally, so it's a little small and you have to get used to it. It wouldn't be right if you do a ton of photo editing.
- The keyboard is a little narrow. I think my hands are about as big as you'd want to have to type on it. (I wear a size 7 1/2 shoe US/38 European, if that helps you know how big my hands are.) I can't imagine it working well for a man, although it would be perfect for a kid.
- She has no disc drive. Three USB ports, so you can put in a flash drive, but no CDs/DVDs. (There's a really detailed review on Amazon.com telling how to network the Eee with another laptop on your home wireless and loading a CD onto the other laptop and then moving it onto the Eee, if you're interested.)
Other than that, though, the Eee is surprisingly robust and easy to use. I recommend it as a second laptop, a travel laptop, a laptop for a child, or a laptop for an adult woman who doesn't need a big screen. You absolutely can't beat the price. (I mentioned it was just over three hundred bucks?)
I just purchased the same machine and am so, so happy with it. I use it for the same 3 purposes. I downloaded Open Office (a free version of MSOffice, only different [that I've noticed so far] in very minor ways, loads all office documents, etc. A GREAT buy. We use it primarily as a desktop, so it's hooked up to a regular keyboard and mouse, but even out and about it's not too small for myself and my husband to use and enjoy.
Posted by: Johanna | April 23, 2009 at 08:58 AM
I was in the look for a mini-computer and when I fell in love with the new Asus EEE 1000HE it was just meant to be (hubby, engineer, approved the specs). It's the slightly larger version (10" screen) and it's perfect. It's my primary computer, now. I haven't turned on the "big" system since I got this, except to grab some photos from that computer.
I use this for internet, spreadsheets, very basic photo editing. Hubby has started using it for programming in Perl (it's slow but doable). It's the perfect computer. I'm a SAHM and it allows me to wander the house and compute wherever my boys are playing at the time. I can even take it outside and sit in a lawn chair while they play (if I want). The battery lasts forever. Seriously. It's incredible to look down at the little battery icon and it's a bare sliver and I panic a little, mouse-over and there's an eye-rolling 1.5hrs left! The keyboard, though it took a few days to get used to the "chicklet" style, is just the right size for my hands and the screen hardly took any time to get used to. I think everyone should have one of these!!
Posted by: Kelly | April 23, 2009 at 09:01 AM
We are an Aspire household, with the Aspire One. But I agree with you, that as long as you aren't looking to play videogames, these little netbooks are great little units. I do most of my writing on it and my husband uses it for his programming, network tweaking, and Internet.
Posted by: fahmi | April 23, 2009 at 10:44 AM
I have a similar laptop -- the ACER mini computer; about the same size. I use it primarily for MP3s, photos and as a server for my printer. The keyboard is just a tad too small for me to comfortably touch-type. I love the fact that it is so small and portable; I just wish it was a 'scosh' bigger!
I never use my desk-top anymore. My primary computer is my larger laptop which is about on its last legs. I need to find a suitable replacement soonish!
Posted by: Kathy B. | April 23, 2009 at 10:59 AM
I looooooooooooooooove my EeePC! I have the 1000HA so it's a little bigger. The screen is 10.2 inches. The only thing I don't like is the mouse pad so I'm going to get a little portable mouse for it. The buttons on the mouse pad are a little hard to hit comfortably for me.
The battery life is out of this world. I get almost 4 hours out of it fully charged if I'm just writing and surfing the web.
I just picked up a job doing some spreadsheets and I haven't attempted it on there yet so we'll see how that goes.
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE that it comes with almost nothing on it. No stupid programs I'll never use clogging up the memory and hard drive. I just loaded up Office on it and was set.
Seriously, I love my EeePC. Love it.
Posted by: Danielle | April 23, 2009 at 12:02 PM
I love my Eee PC! My husband got me one for my birthday and it is just perfect. I highly recommend, but do agree that the keyboard is a little tight.
Posted by: Jamie | April 23, 2009 at 12:08 PM
First time Poster... long time lurker to your blog. Love you Moxie!
We purched one a few months ago and LOVE it for all the formentioned reasons. You get used to the smaller keyboard and what you trade off in weight is worth it.
I am traveling with it this summer to a workshop in Boston, so the real test is to come, but so far I would highly recomend.
Posted by: heather v | April 23, 2009 at 01:00 PM
I have the 10" Eee, and love it too. I got a wireless mouse for it along with a case (sold as a portable DVD player bag). Couldn't be happier. Oh, and it has a built-in camera for video conferencing which is cool.
Posted by: j | April 23, 2009 at 01:28 PM
Okay, I have no prospect of getting one of these anytime soon, but I am in love with things that are cheap, little, and cute, and I adore the idea of a laptop that *just* does internet & writing for me, without all the extra bells/whistles/saxaphones computers usually come with.
So... does anyone have experience linking one of these to a Mac? Just curious if it was easy or hard to download dvds, music, & photos from a Mac, since the Eee doesn't have a cd drive.
Posted by: kates | April 23, 2009 at 02:08 PM
Thanks for the review Moxie. I have been eyeing the netbooks for a while and it's nice to a hear real-life review. FYI if anyone is interested, there just happens to be a netbook review on Yahoo today
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/106954/Battle-of-the-Netbooks
Your Asus EEE came out on top! Maybe I'll be running to the store soon!
Posted by: Deborah | April 23, 2009 at 03:02 PM
I love mine too. I actually have Linux on it, not XP, and this has forced me to finally try Open Office, which I quite like.
Also, the fact that is has a smart card memory and no hard drive has saved my sanity those two (eek!) timed it fell on the floor... I clearly cannot be trusted with breakable things.
Posted by: Maria | April 23, 2009 at 05:20 PM
I deeply love my EEEpc. It is so very durable! My son has pulled it off a table and dropped it a few times and IT STILL WORKS!
Have deep love!
Posted by: Mel | April 24, 2009 at 09:07 AM
Here's a helpful tip if you have a little screen--in Firefox you can press F11 to "hide" the top and bottom edges of your browser window. The address bar and tabs bar pop back up if you move your mouse over them, or F11 brings them back. It makes a huuuuge difference! I have the exact same model as Moxie and ever since I started using that feature, I love it.
Posted by: heidi | April 24, 2009 at 10:40 AM
I recently got a Samsung NC10 ($439 on Amazon), and I love it. The specs are about the same as the eeePC, except it has a 10.2" screen instead of the teeny one. It's my primary computer, and replaced my Dell that was only 2 years old and died on me two weeks outside of warranty. UGH. I went to the Apple store, thinking of making the big switch, and realized that for about 1/7 to 1/8 of the cost, I could get a sweet little netbook. At home, I use a 20" monitor and a dock that adds a full sized keyboard and real speakers (the sound is there, but not great).
The only gripe I've had is with streaming video online -- Youtube is fine, but shows on Hulu and the like kind of suck. Anyway, I LOVE this thing. It has about the same power as the laptop that died, but it's oh-so much cooler.
***Almost forgot to add: the NC10 has a full-sized keyboard, and is way comfortable for typing.***
Also -- if anyone has extra money to blow on a bag, Megan of http://maverydesigns.com makes fabulous custom bags. Check out the Patricia messenger bag -- she can make it custom-sized to fit a netbook. I got mine sized just a smidge bigger so it can hold up to a letter-sized notepad...awesome quality.
Posted by: meanderwithme | April 24, 2009 at 05:35 PM
I have my Eee Pc laptop it is very durable and I purchased it in a very cheap rate
Posted by: Cheap Computers | June 17, 2009 at 06:10 AM
Its good but the screen is only 8.9 inches diagonally, so it's a little small and you have to get used to it. It wouldn't be right if you do a ton of photo editing.
Posted by: used computers | March 08, 2010 at 01:15 AM
There's a really detailed review telling how to network the Eee with another laptop on your home wireless and loading a CD onto the other laptop and then moving it onto the Eee, if you're interested.
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Posted by: generic laptop | March 12, 2010 at 12:02 PM
Its great. The only thing I don't like is the mouse pad so I'm going to get a little portable mouse for it. The buttons on the mouse pad are a little hard to hit comfortably for me. The battery life is out of this world. I get almost 4 hours out of it fully charged if I'm just writing and surfing the web.
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Posted by: generic battery | March 16, 2010 at 05:03 PM
I love mine too. I actually have Linux on it, not XP, and this has forced me to finally try Open Office, which I quite like.
Posted by: used computers | March 17, 2010 at 08:21 AM
It's my primary computer, now. I haven't turned on the big system since I got this, except to grab some photos from that computer.
I use this for internet, spreadsheets, very basic photo editing. Hubby has started using it for programming. It's the perfect computer.
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