(Credit:
Asus)
Always looking for new ways to connect users with PCs, the inventive minds at Asus have packed the guts from a Netbook/Nettop Atom-based PC into a wireless keyboard.
The result, called the EeeKeyboard PC, has a built-in 5-inch multitouch secondary display and connects wirelessly to a nearby display. Asus calls this technology "Eee WiCast wireless HDMI," and it sounds very similar to wireless display tech we've been seeing from other tech companies (more on that later in the week).
Asus says its wireless display technology is virtually latency free and ideal for gaming and multimedia use (Atom CPU aside), although our hands-on experience with similar technologies has been somewhat laggier, and we'll have to wait until we can run through some hands-on tests to pass judgment.
The built-in secondary display screen (with an 800x480-pixel resolution) is especially interesting, as it can be used to launch apps, control media player software, or as a touch pad for your main display.
The system specs are fairly standard for ... Read the full post at CNET's CES 2010 blog
(Credit:
Asus)
At times, it seems like hardly a month goes by without a new version of Asus' popular Eee PC Netbook. While the Eee PC 1005PE, which was the first laptop to feature Intel's new Atom N450 processor, is less than a month old, we now can add the 1008P to the lineup.
Internally, both systems are very similar, with 10-inch displays and N450 CPUs. The new 1008P, however, has a brand new look, created by industrial designer Karim Rashid (who designed, among other things, the Dirt Devil Kone vacuum).
The new look of the Eee PC 1008P is described by Asus as "a fluid-driven form design along with the use of tactile friendly materials [that] results in a product that is both fashionable and unlike any other product in the Netbook market." The company calls Rashid's design philosophy one of "sensual minimalism."
In real-world terms, that means the back of the lid has a unique wavy texture over a cross-hatched pattern, available in pink and brown (or "hot pink" and "coffee ... Read the full post at CNET's CES 2010 blog
The newest version of Asus' popular Netbook, the $379 Eee PC 1005PE, is the first system to reach our labs with Intel's new Atom N450 processor--the long-awaited sequel to the Atom N270 and N280 CPUs found in nearly every other Netbook.
This new 1005 model, thanks to the re-engineered Atom platform, is extremely efficient, and ran for more than 8 hours on our grueling battery drain test. That's extremely impressive, although the N450 was more of a mixed bag in our performance tests, beating other Netbooks in some categories, but matching or falling slightly behind in others.
The Eee PC 1005PE definitely scores points for being the first laptop out of the gate with the new N450 CPU, and its battery life is nothing short of amazing--making this a very useful system for serious road warriors. But we would have liked to see a 1005 that was more fully upgraded across the board.
... Read the full post at CNET's CES 2010 blog
With its attractive deep-red finish and roomy 10-inch screen, this Asus Netbook is a tough bargain to beat.
Update (10:55 a.m. PT): Sorry, folks, looks like the Netbook's already sold out. Stay tuned for a new deal later today! (In the meantime, the two backup deals below are still good.)
When it comes to super bargains, I have to confess I rarely think of Best Buy. But the store's been rocking some pretty solid deals of late.
For example, today only (and while supplies last), Best Buy has the 10-inch Asus Eee PC 1005HAB Netbook for $229.99. That's not including sales tax or shipping (the latter will run you $11.50).
This isn't your average, boring, black Netbook: the sale model has a stylish "deep red" lid and wrist rest.
Other than that, however, the specs are pretty standard: Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive, and the aforementioned 10.1-inch screen. The OS: Windows XP Home, not Windows 7.
That's the only real bummer here. On the plus side, you get 802.11n Wi-Fi and a full one-year warranty (you'd expect a Netbook at this price point to be a refurb, but this one's brand new).
The 1005HAB weighs 2.4 pounds and measures 1.4 inches thick. Asus claims a runtime of nearly 4 hours from its three-cell battery.
That sounds about right: CNET reviewed this model with a six-cell battery, and it lasted nearly 7 hours on the grueling battery-drain test. Verdict: four stars for the Asus and an Editors' Choice award.
Needless to say, if you're in the market for a Netbook, here's a top-rated model for a bottom-basement price.
Backup deal: Today only, you can get IObit Security 360 Pro absolutely free. This antimalware suite normally sells for $29.95. Interestingly, the always-free, non-Pro version earned a five-star rating from CNET.
Backup deal No. 2: Newegg has the Energizer AP1500 iPhone case/charger for just $19.99 (plus $1.99 shipping). I reviewed the AP1500 back in July, when it sold for $80. At this price it's a steal--and a perfect gift.
(Credit:
Asus)
Hot on the heels of the well-regarded HP Mini 311, Asus has moved the Netbook bar forward by taking a 12-inch Netbook chassis and including both Nvidia's Ion graphics and a dual-core version of Intel's Atom processor (called the Atom 330). We've previously seen dual-core Atoms only in a handful of Nettop desktops, because of heat issues, and it's unlikely we'd see one in anything smaller than a 12-inch laptop body.
While still small, the 1201N fits in a full-size keyboard and a 250GB hard drive (plus access to 500GB of online storage space). The system comes with Windows 7 Starter and 2GB of RAM. Asus claims the 6-cell battery should last up to five hours, similar to what we've seen in other Eee PC models.
In a brief hands-on demo, we noted that the Asus Eee PC 1201N looks very similar to the current Eee PC line, including the popular 1005HA, with a black glossy finish and textured touch pad.
Combined with a 1,366x768 HD display, the Nvidia Ion GPU makes for a great video watching experience, once you download the new Flash 10.1 beta, which allows the Ion to accelerate streaming Flash video.
When it's available later this year, the Eee PC 1201N should retail for $499, which is a $100 premium over the HP Mini 311 (with Windows XP and 1GB of RAM).
Is this the 12-inch Asus Eee PC 1201n?
(Credit: pcpop.com)Several eagle-eyed bloggers noticed a new Eee PC from Asus popping up on a Chinese online retailer's storefront. The purported new model is called the Eee PC 1201n, and a rough translation of the product page indicates it will include Nvidia's Ion graphics.
That long-hyped new GPU should help with HD video streaming and media playback, an area your average Netbook struggles with. Other than that, the Intel N270 CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 1,366x768 display seem fairly standard for a 12-inch Netbook.
Obviously there's no price or US availability info yet, but we've seen similar configurations coming from other PC makers for around $399.
This image, which appears to be a conceptual drawing, shows an Asus e-reader with a backbone.
(Credit: Times Online)We're getting more details about that upcoming Asus Eee-book reader we told you about last month.
The company is looking at two versions: budget and premium, a spokesman for Asus in the U.K. told the Times of London.
But most intriguing is that at least one version of the reader, the higher-end one, would have a hinged spine, opening like a traditional book and closing into tablet form. This design would let users view the text of their book on one screen (turning its pages using the touch screen), while browsing a Web page on the other.
One screen could also act as a virtual keypad, according to the Times report, which would move the device into laptop territory.
The Asus e-reader would have a full color screen, and it may also feature speakers, a Webcam, and a mic for Skype, enabling cheap phone calls over the Internet, the Times reports.
As for price, we don't have hard numbers for you yet, but Asus is known for low-cost products like the ultraportable Eee PC, and speculation has the budget e-reader going for around $163 (Sony's Reader Pocket Edition, in comparison, runs from $200 to $300; Amazon's Kindle 2 also goes for around $300).
Expect to meet the Eee-readers by the end of the year if all goes according to plan.
These allegedly leaked roadmap documents from Asus purport to show the company's Netbook plans for the rest of 2009. The systems and specs indicated aren't terribly surprising, and are in line with what we expect to see from various Netbook makers around the Windows 7 launch.
The most noteworthy is a system called the Eee PC 1201N, which according to the chart below, has a 12-inch display, Intel Atom N270 CPU, 2GB of RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium, and Nvidia's long-promised Ion graphics chip, for $499.
Also listed for sometime in October are two new versions of the popular Eee PC 1005, with Windows 7 Starter and N270 ($349) and N280 ($399) processors.
All three of these new Netbooks have larger 250GB hard drives, a step up from the current 160GB standard. It's also worth noting that Asus, at least according to this roadmap, is staying out of the very bottom of the barrel $299 price territory inhabited by Acer, Dell and others.
Keep in mind this is a leaked roadmap, originally found on the forums of eeeuser.com (and subsequently noted by netbooknews.de and engadget), so like all leaked documents, your mileage may vary.
(Credit:
eeeuser.com )
(Credit:
Asus)
We first got a glimpse of the Asus Eee PC T91 back in January at CES, and at the time, the idea of combining a Netbook with a convertible touch-screen display seemed like a pretty good one. Seven months later, the final product has arrived, and it's a largely successful experiment, even if the system hits a couple of first-generation snags.
We liked the custom interface, which offers big finger-friendly icons for launching apps, and a full-screen version of Yahoo's widget engine. It wasn't as responsive (or accurate) as an iPhone or Palm Pre, but certainly on par with other tablet laptops we've seen. We also liked that despite the new hardware and software, Asus kept the price at a Netbook-like $499.
On the other hand, the use of a lower-end version of Intel's Atom CPU left us feeling a little...sluggish...at times, and the 8.9-inch screen will seem a bit cramped if you're used to 10-inch (or larger) Netbooks.
Blogeee.net says, "The version we tested was a pre-production model, and only two tabs out of five available in the interface were working. The interface reminded us of the first Eee PCs--Eee Fun and Eee Tools looked like the features found on Netbooks running Xandros. The shortcuts on the screen launch things like the alarm or the calculator, which also display on any screen connected to the system."
(Credit: blogeee.net)The folks over at the rather splendide French site blogeee.net have gotten their hands on a prototype of an Asus Eee Keyboard, a media center computer shoehorned into a keyboard.
We first saw this device at CES 2009, where Asus said the keyboard had a 1.6GHz Atom processor inside, 1GB of memory, and a solid-state hard drive. There's a 5-inch touch screen at the side running a customized version of Windows XP, and an HDMI port for hooking it up to a hi-def TV.
Weighing about 2.2 pounds, and with Wi-Fi, two USB ports, and a memory card reader, we were impressed with the concept. There's still no word on pricing or availability, but until firm plans are made for launch, have a look at the photos here to see what Pierre Lecourt thought of the whole thing, and click through blogeee's gallery for still more of his impressions.
How do they fit a proper computer into a keyboard? Like this, that's how.
(Credit: blogeee.net)
