Category: Asus Eee PC

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Asus Eee PC Netbooks

Asus releases EeePC Seashells in the Philippines

eeepc-seashells

Also known as the Asus EeePC 1008HA, the EeePC Seashells is Asus’ new update to the netbook line that started it all. The new design certainly looks classy and very well done, a lot better than netbooks from previous generations. But that’s the problem — it’s not really any prettier than every other netbook we have in the market now. Most maufacturers have raised their game to produce beautiful portable machines at a reasonable price. And then there’s the issue of pricing. If Asus Philippines gets to do it their way, the EeePC Seashells will come out at around 32,000 pesos. Ouch. That’s a lot of money for a netbook; in fact for a bit more than that you can buy a netbook and a desktop PC.

The EeePC Seashells comes with things typical in netbooks: Intel Atom processor, a large hard disk (160GB), 1GB of RAM, 6–hour battery life. That battery life is impressive for this design, you don’t get the unattractive bulge typical in high–capacity batteries. Unfortunately, the battery is not user–replaceable as it is integrated; it is not the removable type.

As this review would suggest, the EeePC Seashells (1008HA) is a good performer that’s thin and light with a gorgeous design. It is sadly hampered though with a non–removable battery and a Philippine SRP that puts it way above its competitors. 32,000 is steep for a netbook. Anywhere in the 20-25,000 peso range would make this an excellent choice especially with the chic colors it is available in.

eepc-seashells-pink

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Asus Eee PC Laptop Reviews Netbooks Ultraportables

Asus Eee PC 900HA: Budget bestseller?

asus-eee-pc-900ha

I recently came across a review of the Asus Eee PC 900HA but before I read it, I thought it was just going to be one of many Eee PC variants that are becoming too common these days. After all, the specs is just the same as every other netbook these days:

  • Intel Atom 1.6 GHz processor
  • 160GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive (Seagate Momentus 5400.4)
  • 1GB of DDR2 RAM (667MHz)
  • Windows XP Home Edition Operating System
  • 9″ WSVGA LED-Backlit 1024 x 600 LCD
  • Ports: Three USB 2.0, 1 VGA monitor out, headphone jack, microphone input, SD card reader (SDHC-compatible), Kensington lock slot, Ethernet 10/100
  • Webcam (.3 MP)
  • Battery: 7.4v 5200mAh 4-cell battery (39Wh)
  • Wireless: 802.11b/g (Atheros AR5007EG)
  • One-year warranty
  • Size: 8.86 (W) x 6.69 (D) x .79 ~ 1.33 (H)
  • Weight: 2 lbs 7 oz

Nothing too spectacular, right? It has an ordinary notebook hard–drive for more storage but makes it noisier than an SSD module. Even the webcam’s downgraded from the 1.3MP one found on the Eee PC 900.

What makes the Asus Eee PC 900HA an interesting offering are the subtle niceties that comes with it. It has a reconfigured keyboard that’s a lot easier to type on. And with the Intel Atom, it is now a battery miser that can get to four hours of mobile use. And the clincher, a street price of around USD $250! The listed price is supposedly at USD $350 but it’s commonly found in the low 300 range. If it sells for less around 15,000 pesos here in the Philippines, it will be sure to fly off the shelves!

Note: Image courtesy of NotebookReview.com and/or its reviewer.

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Asus Eee PC Ultraportables

Happy Birthday Eee PC!

Happy birthday Eee PC!

It’s been a year since the Eee PC was released and we have seen the netbook market grow to the competitive segment that it is now! None of the compact computing goodness we’ve been having wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for Asus and the original Eee PC, so here’s to the first birthday of the pioneering little wonder. Happy birthday, Eee PC!

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Asus Eee PC Site News

Asus Eee PC 900 sightings in Manila

Asus Eee PC 900

Yes, the Asus Eee PC 900 is finally here in the Philippines! I managed to spot some units in various computer shops around Metro Manila though not all shops have them in stock.

Asus Eee PC 900 compared to the 701

In Comp-Link in SM North EDSA, units of the Asus Eee PC 900 are in white only, priced at seems to be okay 24,990, or 25,000 pesos to put it simply. These are the Xandros–powered units that come with a 20GB SSD, which actually is the same 4GB SSD on the 701 paired with a slower 16GB SSD module. Looking at the Eee PC 900, it may look exactly like the 701 but with a larger screen, but upon closer inspection it is a few millimeters taller. The touchpad is huge, a welcome change. Its multi–touch feature makes it fun to use, aside from being completely functional.

Black Eee PC 900 beside a MacBook Air

In SM Megamall, I spotted a black Eee PC 900 in one of the shops there. I forgot the shop’s name but it’s in Cyberzone and it’s known for importing laptop models not available locally.

The black Asus Eee PC 900 does seem to look more business–like and now appears serious with the much larger screen. The white one spells more fun with its Apple–like cues, but both models should sell well and continue to stamp Asus’ lead in the affordable ultraportable market.

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Asus Eee PC Links News Ultraportables

Asus Eee PC 900 Battery Life

Are you curious about the Asus Eee PC 900’s battery life? With conflicting reports on the rated capacity of batteries shipping with the Eee PC 900, the issue of battery life is now a significant concern. The first review units of the second generation were tested with a 5800 mAh but the first batches in Hong Kong included a much lower 4800 mAh battery. Consumers were obviously not happy and Asus offered a 5800 mAh replacement battery.

One of the first few users to get an Eee PC 900 shares with us his findings on the life of the 4400 mAh battery. Running Windows XP with brightness at 50% and sound volume at 80%, he managed to get 2 hours and 24 minutes before the Eee PC breached the 7% critical warning in Windows XP. Not bad, though far from Asus’ claim of 2.8 to 3.5 hours.

Personally, I’d be happy with 2:24 on a cheap ultraportable. And considering he was at 50% brightness, a notch just above the lowest would probably yield another 10 to 20 minutes. If only I can afford another Eee PC.

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Asus Eee PC News

Asus Eee PC 900 in Black

Asus Eee PC 900 in black.

The first pictures of a black Asus Eee PC 900 suddenly shows up at Flickr, and they do look nice and more professional! Unlike the white ones that may seem to cute for older users, the black model appears to be in the same finish as the black 701.

Looking at the food beside the black Eee PC, the source surely is from Asia, suggesting that we’ll soon have these here in the Philippines! Let’s just hope they won’t be as expensive as they are now.

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Asus Eee PC News

Asus Eee PC 900 in the Philippines

Windows XP on the 9-inch Eee PC.

So you’ve heard of the Asus Eee PC 900, the second generation of the cheap ultraportable that started it all, now with an 8.9–inch LCD display. The good news is, it’s now here in the Philippines. But with the predatory history of PC shops here in the Philippines, the new model priced around $500 USD will be sold here at 33,900 pesos. Ouch.

Our friends over at My Asus Eee PC broke the news much to the sadness of Eee PC fans waiting for it locally. But with how things look, it seems PC Corner, the shop selling the overpriced Eee PC 900, is selling advanced stocks most likely sourced abroad and not from local distributors. This is just a hunch, but since it seems they are the only shop to offer the said model, they are probably getting it somewhere else.

If their stocks are from local distributors, there is no reason for us not to see it in the other shops. Additionally, prices should be far closer to the international SRP and not twice that value. I strongly advise Eee PC fans to wait for official local units of the Eee PC 900 to get full warranty and more importantly, a reasonable price. Another reason to wait would just to make sure your unit comes with the right batteries; Asus’s initial shipping to Hong Kong was a batch duds — they had lower capacity batteries.

Now if only we could get to try the Asus Eee PC 900 soon…

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Asus Eee PC New Products News

9-inch Asus Eee PC with Windows XP

Windows XP on the 9-inch Eee PC.

Yes, as Engadget has reported, the second generation Asus Eee PC that comes with 9–inch LCD screens will also come in Windows XP–powered variants.

Let’s just hope that XP will stay just as an option and for Asus to continue using Linux as the main OS; alternative operating systems makes it cheaper for the consumers!

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Asus Eee PC New Products

2nd generation Asus Eee PC

Second generation Asus Eee PC

Yes, even before everyone could get their hands on the always sold–out Asus Eee PC, they have announced a new model with compelling improvements. The 9–inch Asus Eee PC is currently covered extensively by gadget blogs like Engadget, who managed to give us the scoop over at CeBIT.

Notable improvements on the new Eee PC:

  • New 9–inch LCD, actually 8.9–inch, much bigger than the previous 7–inch display
  • 1024 x 600 resolution, an ergonomic screen estate better matched for today’s operating systems unlike the older 800 x 480 pixel screen.
  • 1 GB of DDR2 RAM, twice than that before and a better starting point for a reasonably snappy system
  • Larger SSD drives reportedly coming in 8 GB up to 12 GB offerings.
  • A bigger trackpad!

Though there is more than enough reason to think that this is a completely new model, it isn’t. It is still heavily based on the previous model with the same keyboard and basic structure, with some components changed to accommodate the improvements.

Though price may be fractionally higher, the new Eee PC will still be a good buy considering the price of comparable ultraportables.

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Asus Eee PC News

Where to buy Asus Eee PC in the Philippines?

A lot of our commenters in our previous post on the Asus Eee PC have been asking where to purchase the best–selling mini–notebook here in the Philippines. As of December, it was safe to say that most of the major PC hardware shops were selling it like pancakes.

Price ranged from 17,000 to 20,000 pesos, depending on how badly the shop took advantage of the huge demand for the Eee PC. A good number of these shops offered the product for a 12–month, zero–interest deal that puts it at 1,650 pesos a month, putting it at 19,800 pesos.

When buying an Asus Eee PC, I recommend getting it from a reputable shop like Villman to make sure you’re getting locally procured and not smuggled units. We got two of our Eee PCs from them, with our third one from PC Live.

By the way, if you finally got yourself one, you might want to head over to my Asus Eee PC Hacks blog, a sister site dedicated to getting the most out of your new toy!