Asus' Eee PC on sale with 8GB SSD, 1GB RAM for $499

Don't look now, but those not quite satisfied with the Eee PC's 512MB of RAM and 4GB hard drive can finally get what they've been asking for. E-tailer Dynamism is offering up Asus' 7-inch darling (in Pearl White and Galaxy Black) with 1GB of RAM and an 8GB SSD, but all of the remaining specifications look to be the same. Of course, you'll be coughing up nearly five bills for this version, so we'll leave it to you to decide if it's worth it. Oh, and don't expect either flavor to arrive before "mid-to-late December."

[Via jkkmobile]

[jbcaro @ Dec 1st 2007 8:50PM]

I wonder if I'll get two.

[mushrooshi @ Dec 1st 2007 8:50PM]

kawaii [°ω°]

[Constable Odo @ Dec 1st 2007 10:04PM]

Kawaii nanka ja ne. Futsuu no gomi da yo.

MacBook Thin FTW.

[Future Man @ Dec 1st 2007 8:54PM]

It seems a huge part of the Eee's success is the low price point. I'm kinda scared that Apple is going to totally miss the point with their new ultraportable and price it around $1,500 or something absurd.

[Zadillo @ Dec 1st 2007 9:08PM]

Well, even Asus makes more expensive ultraportables (the U1 and U6 being the most recent). $1500 isn't really an absurd price point for most normal full featured ultraportables. The Eee PC is something different, designed to be very tiny and very cheap. Apple isn't likely to make something along the lines of the Eee; any ultraportable they make is going to probably be similar in cost to things like the Sony TZ or SZ series, the Asus U6, etc.

[MoonMan @ Dec 1st 2007 9:22PM]

You totally missed the point on the Eee PC. Compare the specs of the Eee PC with other Ultra Portables. The Eee PC is meant to be a toned down hardware PC for checking emails and web surfing. A number of companies already have ultra portables, including UMPCs at a much higher price point than the Eee PC, and it's all justified by the hardware.

Don't compare or confuse a computer with a 4GB/8GB (depending on model) with a full featured, high power ultra portable PC or Mac.

[tekdemon @ Dec 1st 2007 8:57PM]

Come on Asus...just a slightly bigger screen instead of those speakers and I'll bite haha.

[Roofus @ Dec 1st 2007 8:58PM]

We all would

[Andy @ Dec 2nd 2007 9:00AM]

It will be perfect if they replace the speaker with more screen and fix the button for the touch pad. .. anyone know if they plan for bigger screen... I really want this thing.... The screen is just too small for any productivity... I holding your $500, Asus..

[BigDaddyM @ Dec 1st 2007 11:34PM]

Agreed, teh screen is what is holding me back from getting one. I would rather pay double that and just get a UMPC...
M

[Mike Cerm @ Dec 2nd 2007 2:21AM]

The real problem is the resolution. If you were to put Windows on this, you'd easily find yourself trapped in dialog boxes (like the Display Properties one) that are taller than the screen. I'm not sure if the Xandros that comes with it suffers the same problem, but I know that the screen height severely impairs Google Reader.

When the fabled 10" model comes out, hopefully they'll up the resolution to 1024x600, at least. If they could keep the same form-factor and price, I'd buy one.

[Ben Hobbs @ Dec 2nd 2007 3:06AM]

Its a standard 16:9 widescreen resolution, and exactly the same resolution as DVD. At this size (7") Its exactly the same as using a 3200x1920 14" resolution monitor in terms of scale. I have one and the resolution is DEFINITELY NOT an issue.

[EQC @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:18AM]

Ben Hobbs: I could be misinterpreting what you're trying to say...but I think you need to recheck your math.

From what I've read, the 7"-diagonal screen is 800 x 480.
If you double the width and the height to make it a 14" screen, and keep the pixel size (dot-pitch) the same, you get a 1600x960 screen.

You seem to have multiplied both numbers by 4 to get 3200x1920. The total number of pixels would be multiplied by 4 in going from 7" to 14" diagonal...but you should only have twice the number of pixels spanning each dimension.

--
on another note...I think that a perfect 480p 16x9 would be 854x480...so if this screen is indeed 800x480, and the pixels are square, I think they should first add the extra 54 pixels on the horizontal axis to make it a more true DVD size. Otherwise, DVD-quality video is either going to be cropped at the sides or scaled down slightly with a little letterboxing to fit fully on the screen. Doing this, but keeping all the pixels the same size, would still be a 7.35" screen, so not much bigger and likely not much added cost. There are actually a few ~7" 854x480 monitors on the market, so I'd think that the "mass-market" effect would keep prices lower at this size than the Eee's slightly smaller version.

Going one small step further, most widescreen computer monitors are 16x10, not 16x9...if the desire is to use that ratio, then they ought to move to 854x534. Still "perfect" for DVD-video viewing, with no scaling required and just some small black bars on top and bottom. Again, keeping the pixels the same size, you'd move up to just a 7.55" screen.

Nobody else likely cares much about this...but I'm all-for logical screen resolutions. And full-resolution DVD-rips would be nice on a portable device. Not sure why they would have selected a screen resolution that was just slightly-off from the logical size (at least for DVD-quality video).

[Paul P @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:17AM]

Ditch the capitalist version of Linux on it, and it is pretty cool. I hate linspire/freespire. What idiot would pay for Ubuntu? They are MS sympathizers anyway.

[Jose @ Dec 1st 2007 9:11PM]

Wow... ASUS.. I want one too!

[Jose @ Dec 1st 2007 9:12PM]

SOMEONE PLEASE PUT LEOPARD 10.5 ON IT!~~ :D Teach me how to and I'll buy one!

[OctaneZ @ Dec 1st 2007 9:16PM]

It's been done:
http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2007/11/12654/
Please please buy me one now!

[JB @ Dec 1st 2007 9:14PM]

The good folks at HPHstudios have put together a great little utility for those of you curious about the Asus Eee PC. If you are looking to buy one of these laptops for someone special this Christmas, but are not sure if the Eee PC is really the right one; then you need to visit http://www.honeypothack.com/eee/index.htm

HPHstudios has developed an online interface that almost exactly mimics that of the Eee PC. What you see is an intuitive, easy to use, Online Graphical interface that allows you to explore the Linux Xandros operation system implemented on the Asus Eee PC. While the interface is not 100% complete, the depth of detail and level of "clickability" is incredible. Thanks to many images supplied by eeeuser.com and other Eee PC owners, you can visually explore the Eee PC just as if you had one on your lap. Hop on over to http://www.honeypothack.com/eee/index.htm and test drive the Eee PC for Free!

[Dean @ Dec 2nd 2007 2:28AM]

I have a feeling the real version doesn't use windows XP themed title bars

[Dean @ Dec 2nd 2007 2:31AM]

hmm, looks like i shoulda done some research first... I like how i decided to check this after i made the post. my bad.

[Kalen @ Dec 1st 2007 9:20PM]

But can I stream content from my Eee to my Wii?

[James @ Jan 25th 2008 2:04PM]

More importantly, Can it play doom?

[euclid @ Dec 1st 2007 9:48PM]

I still don't get it. Why do we need this exactly? Whats wrong with a regular laptop?

[Andir3.0 @ Dec 1st 2007 10:00PM]

size? portability? price?

[m @ Dec 1st 2007 10:30PM]

nothing, but it will stop your mom & dad calling you every week to troubleshoot a windows or linux machine, and provides an alternative to buying them an expensive mac when all they want to do is write email to their grandchildren. do you get it now?

[m @ Dec 1st 2007 10:43PM]

and yes, i realize it does run linux. the attraction is that it disguises that (perhaps intimidating) fact.

[Nogami @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:16AM]

I picked up the 4gb model more or less as a toy to play with, but I've been very impressed with it. I find myself taking it places when I don't want to lug my Macbook around.

[justelite @ Dec 1st 2007 10:04PM]

It is also available on buy.com but at a higher price ($519.99).

http://blog.pcnews.ro/2007/12/02/asus-asus-eee-pc-8g-on-sale/
Anyway, I never hear about E-tailer Dynamism...

[kojo87 @ Dec 1st 2007 10:25PM]

8GB SSD is just about perfect. enough to out some decent apps on the thing. this would be perfect for college. i have a desktop that im not giving up anytime soon but i would like a lappy for mobileness. this would fit the bill perfectly. cheap and small and has word processing and internets. i think i would be happier with Ubuntu on it though. that should be easy enough though.

can it play Doom? (that is a serious question. you could play simple games on this thing right?)

[Nightstar @ Dec 1st 2007 11:17PM]

Played Shadow Warror and Duke Nukum 3D...

Doom would be a pick of cake!

[kojo87 @ Dec 1st 2007 11:24PM]

good to know. this thing is well worth $500. i'll have to see if they've made any changes to it by next summer or if there are any comparable ultra portables on the market

[St. Stephen @ Dec 1st 2007 10:27PM]

They fill that screen and I'll buy one for myself.. As it is I'm buying as many as I can find to send to our Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. I would like to start up a PayPal account for this charity operation but I'm still working out all the kinks.

If anyone here can afford it, please purchase one and send it to a Soldier fighting for our way of life. They make wonderful Christmas presents!

Please email me : [e-mail] if you have any questions.

Remember our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers that can't be home with us for the holidays! =)

[astrostream @ Dec 1st 2007 11:10PM]

"our way of life"! And what that would be?
I thought they are fighting to liberate the Iraqies?

[DarkLightConnection @ Dec 1st 2007 11:50PM]

Exactly how are they protecting your way of life?

It's a stupid war, they are doing nothing for you

[EQC @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:28AM]

careful, DarkLightConnection, you *almost* sound "anti-troops!"

The troops are just doing their job with pride for patriotic reasons. Support the troops -- even if they, too, are anti-war, they don't have an "out" without becoming a criminal (AFAIK)...but hate the war, the genius who started it, and the people who allowed him to take/keep office.

[Andir3.0 @ Dec 2nd 2007 7:07AM]

I support our troops, but I think we are there for the wrong reason. We should not be pushing our "way of life" like some overly zealous preacher and using our military to do it. It's like a modern day Crusades. And look how that turned out?

[spam_from_engadget @ Dec 2nd 2007 12:04PM]

> Remember our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters,
> mothers and fathers that can't be home with us for the
> holidays!

...because they got blown up by an American cruise missile.

80,000 documented civilian deaths so far [iraqbodycount.net].

I hope you get your relatives home for Christmas. Dead or alive doesn't really bother me, as long as they get out of the middle east as soon as they possibly can.

@EQC: the illegal invasion was in 2003, more than four years ago; any soldier who resigned at that time may have been required to complete their "tour of duty", but they would undoubtedly have been out of there by now. The ones who remain have _chosen_ to fight this disgusting war. They're legitimate targets.

[lassi @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:05PM]

i don't want to sound like a soulless cynic but...

new form of 419 etc related scam?

[DarkLightConnection @ Dec 2nd 2007 8:59PM]

I'm anti-troops, if you are against someone's idea, even if it's the president of the world, you have no reason to do it..

I'm against the whole "You do it because I say it" idea, and that quite includes the military

BTW, i'm not American

[brad @ Dec 1st 2007 10:28PM]

looked good asus

[Linh @ Dec 1st 2007 10:50PM]

why not add an e-SATA connector to it, and the hard drive problem is over?

[futurepastnow @ Dec 1st 2007 11:49PM]

eSATA would be nice. Still, it's got three USB ports and 16GB SDHC cards cost less than $150 now, so there are plenty of options for extra storage.

[Paul @ Dec 1st 2007 10:53PM]

My only question is why? I have to admit they are cool and my inner geek is crying out for one, but at the same time the logical part of my brain is pointing out that at $500 you are fast approaching the realm of fully functional laptops. Occasionally you can find ok laptops for around $500 and for just $100 more you are more likely to find a laptop that has about 10x the storage capacity and functionality.

Then again, this thing is nice and small and probably has a great battery life.

[perfectionist @ Dec 1st 2007 11:08PM]

Yeah, it all comes down to if you need the portability/battery life/webcam or not.

[BobCFC @ Dec 2nd 2007 6:03PM]

It weighs about 900g. A typical laptop weighs 3.9kg.

Also it has no moving parts because it is solid state instead of a HD, perfect for the young or people on the move.

Yes you are right about at least an extra hour battery life.

[TLB73737 @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:30AM]

They have a maximum battery life of three hours -- our district just bought a bunch of them.

[astrostream @ Dec 1st 2007 11:14PM]

not bad

[astrostream @ Dec 1st 2007 11:14PM]

if only it has 10" screen

[fuzzy @ Dec 1st 2007 11:35PM]

I'm an owner of a regular 4G, and I don't really see a reason to get this. The 8GB SSD is nice, but not really necessary. I'd rather put another 4GB in mine with the SDHC slot, and even then I probably won't. The 1GB of ram is also nice, and I'm considering breaking my warranty to add my own, but I've found that with my usage, I probably wouldn't notice it.

Basically, I use the Eee to browse and chat and watch movies when I travel. I have it tethered to my ATT Tilt, so it's online anywhere. With Firefox and Pidgin open, I'm still not stressing the amount of memory. And I definitely don't have much installed that would fill up the SSD.

[DarkLightConnection @ Dec 1st 2007 11:58PM]

Is me the only one who thinks flash memory isn't ready to be the main memory of a computer?

Most people seem to be just ignoring that SSDs have limited I/O cycles, they will die with use..

It is OK for memories that you will not be using for more than a few years at most (ie. SD cards), but for a computer? I'm not rich enough to buy a computer that will die after a few years, i'm still have a 10 year old computer that I use at my workshop, and the hard drive is working as if it was new...