I have owned a 770, own an N800 and purchased an EeePC yesterday. My initial review of it, based on an evening's worth of use, can be found here.
In short, it's a fantastic little computer. If I had to pick one device, N800 or EeePC, as a full-fledged portable computer, there's no question: The EeePC is just a tiny, 2lb laptop. Given that more capable, tiny 2lb laptops (like the Toshiba R500, which is only marginally larger) exist but are $2000CDN+, I think the EeePC will really shake up the market. The laptop market, that is.
Having given the EeePC high praise, the Nokia Internet Tablets are a far more ambitious project. 2lbs is a _lot_ heavier than .5lbs. The NIT is _just_ pocketable, while the EeePC is about the size of a student's notebook. Having used both, the EeePC is clearly a better general-purpose computer, but the N800 is an order of magnitude smaller and more interesting form-factor and software-wise.
From an evening's use, I have to say that the NITs and the EeePC aren't in the same league at all. The EeePC is just a laptop. Small, yes. Cheap, relatively, but it's just a laptop. The Toshiba R500 isn't a competitor to the NITs, neither is any other $400 laptop. Myself, I have always considered the NITs to be competing against PocketPC, PalmOS and the newer wifi-enabled iPod-based devices.
I split the purchase of the EeePC with someone else. We'll both use it as a secondary computer, the EeePC would make a great presentation machine, but I'm not thinking of selling off the N800 even for a second. The EeePC doesn't have anything like MaemoMapper, I can't take it with me in a coat pocket, I can't easily do voice recording etc. Also, despite including Kontact on the EeePC, the N800 still makes a better PDA-replacement, which is one of the things I use mine for, despite Nokia's apparent wishes.
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To dive slightly off-topic, I must say that Nokia's dogged insistence that the NIT's aren't PDAs seems very short-sighted to me and are a detriment to the device's potential popularity. Clearly, many people seems to think that a calendar, decent contact, and to-do list would be a definite advantage. As a paying customer, I know that GPE is the first thing I install. Yes, on-line options exist, but despite best efforts, we are not always on-line with these very pocketable tablets. Even Apple includes basic PIM functionality with their closed, "limited" offerings. Wake up, Nokia!
Unlike adding a phone, this wouldn't cost more hardware-wise. GPE is even almost there as a PIM. They just need to tweak the GUI a bit more and officially sanction it. I can even sync it with Evolution (though it would be better if GPE just read standard .ics files and a directory of .vcs files natively.) Heck, Nokia owns Intellisync, so they have syncing expertise, though I'd even settle for none if the on-device PDA software was adequate and they made backup and restore decent.
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Okay, back on topic, the EeePC is a nifty thing, but the only similarities it shares with the Nokia Internet Tablets is that it is Linux-based, in the same price range, and has the same screen resolution.
Someone here mentioned video playback: Out of the box, I wouldn't think that the EeePC would be much better than the N800. YouTube playback was a bit faster, but it was still pushing the box. (It is just a Celeron 900/512MB with very little customization/optimization.) Adding software is a bit easier than it is with the NIT, but it's still not a dual-core 2GHz machine. One must have realistic expectations. There is no magic with the EeePC. Nokia have done far more optimization than Asus, and I wouldn't be surprised if the OS2008 firmware update brings video playback to parity with the EeePC in it's current state.
Okay, back on topic, the EeePC is a nifty thing, but the only similarities it shares with the Nokia Internet Tablets is that it is Linux-based, in the same price range, and has the same screen resolution.
Thanks Ben, that is an excellent review, in particular your comparision to the tablet, to the point, unbias. And I cannot agree more with your concluding remarks about their similarities. For my personal taste, minor details in their difference. The form factor is a big thing, literally, http://internettablettalk.com/forums...&highlight=eee,
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I like to see numbers, the facts, rather then all kinds of estimations:
eee: 226 x 165 x 21 - 35 mm / 908 g (converted from above, when open it becomes 165 X 2 i.e. a little bit under 330 mm)
770: 135 x 78 x 14 mm / 185 g (141 x 79 x 19 mm / 230 g with cover)
N800: 144 x 75 x 13 mm / 206 g (13 - 18 mm?)
N810: 128 x 72 x 14 mm / 225 g
regular shirt pocket 150 x 130 mm
lab coat lower pocket 170 x 160 mm
Size wise, the eee is 4X heavier and 9X (in volume) bulkier even before open!
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The eee is equal to 9 tablets. Period. So pocketability is gone. Battery? The tablet is always on while the eee may not enjoy such a luxury. BT is absent on eee (USB BT may not be as straight forward as one thinks). In summary, the eee/price is going to shake up the laptop industry. But, as some tableteers have posted, lets go and get a eee instead of an N810 because its spec sucks, I dont think so.
Just to add another perspective: think of NIT as a swiss knife (completely poketable) and Eee as a hunting knife (barely pocketable) and then do your comparison.
Just to add another perspective: think of NIT as a swiss knife (completely poketable) and Eee as a hunting knife (barely pocketable) and then do your comparison.
It's much easier for me to kill you with a hunting knife.
Then I'll steal your pocket knife... Har, har, har.
Where can I order online - now - the Asus eeePC - 4G or 8G ??????
Thanks for your Feedback
Expansys Europe has it on preorder for November 15th. Only the 4GB version though.
Personally, I wouldn't go for the 8gig: the Eee has an SD card slot and comes with an empty internal mini-PCIexpress slot. The latter will (allegedly) take SSD storage modules Asus will bring out early next year.
Also, the Eee takes bog-standard RAM modules (I forget what kind, but it's easy enough to find out), so upgrading your Eee to 1 gig of RAM can be done cheaply by just about anyone above the age of three.
I really like this Eee, but I'm bidding on a Pepper Pad 3 (I wasn't kidding about those munchies, it's just that they're gadget munchies ) right now, so odds are I might not get one after all.
) right now, so odds are I might not get one after all.