While you can install OS X or Windows Vista on an Eee PC, the truth of the matter is the laptop does is much more comfortable running Linux or Windows XP, thanks to its underpowered 900MHz Celeron processor and relatively small amount of storage space.
But Engadget got confirmation that Asus and Microsoft do plan to make sure Windows Vista's successor will run on the Eee PC. Right now, the next Windows operating system has the catchy code name of "Windows 7." While it's not due out for another year (or three), Windows 7 is supposed to have a smaller kernel than Vista, which could make it a better choice for a computer without much storage, like the Eee PC.
Of course, by the time Windows 7 is released, flash prices may have dropped enough for Asus to cram a 32GB or 64G SSD into the Eee PC. OK, maybe not, but I can dream can't I?
Up close with the 1024 x 600 pixel Eee PC
5 comments Posted by bradlinder at Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Well, that about makes it official. If Asus can sell the new version of the Eee PC with an 8.9 inch display for a reasonable price in the US, I'm totally hocking my 7 inch model and buying a new one. Engadget got a closer look at the new units at CeBIT this morning, and this time they were allowed to turn the displays on, proving that the new models have crisp 1024 x 600 pixel displays.
While 800 x 480 pixels might be enough for viewing web sites coded in 1995, you have to do a lot of scrolling to view modern web sites on a display that small. And forget about running multiple windows side by side. While a 1024 x 600 pixel widescreen display will be a little shorter than most standard monitor resolutions, I'd say 1024 pixels in width is just about right for a tiny laptop display. Sure, 1280 would be nice, but can you imagine how small the fonts would be with a 1280 x 800 pixel display on a 9 inch screen?
Eee PC 7 inch and 9 inch, side by side at last
0 comments Posted by bradlinder at Monday, March 03, 2008
It still looks like somebody won't let the guys at Engadget actually turn on the new 8.9-inch Eee PC on display at CeBIT, but that didn't stop them from snapping some photos of the two tiny computers side by side.
While we'd been hearing that the version with the 8-9 inch screen would be packed into the same tiny case as the original Eee PC, it does look like there are a few small differences. First of all, the newer model has a larger trackpad, which is good. While you can get used to the tiny trackpad and rocker on the Eee PC 700 series, it is tiny. Like really tiny. Like you might find yourself deciding never to use an Eee PC without a mouse tiny.
Second, it appears that the whole case was made a tiny bit larger to accommodate the larger screen. I'm guessing this won't add much weight to the Eee PC, since we're talking millimeters here, not inches. But part of the appeal of a tiny laptop is that it's tiny. So hopefully the newer models don't feel too bulky.
It looks like the next generation Eee PC will sport a larger display, more RAM, and more storage space. No real big surprises there, but it's always nice to hear.
Blogeee appears to have the scoop for the moment, although we should be seeing a press release pretty soon. In the meantime, here's what we can tell from the Blogeee post:
- New model will be be named the Eee PC 900
- 1GB of RAM will be standard (up from 512MB)
- SSD storage capacities of up to 12GB will be available
- The overall size should remain the same since the Eee PC 900 will use the same case as the current 700 series
- The base price will jump from 299€ to 399€, not sure what that means for the US prices as computers usually sell for a bit less in the US.
Update: It looks like Engadget has confirmed the basic specs... and more importantly, they've got a hands on gallery of the new 8.9-inch model. The Asus reps wouldn't let them turn the unit on, so there's no word on what kind of processor this guy is packing or if there's any change in the display resolution.
Update 2: And here's the official announcement from Asus.
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