Everex's Cloudbook coming to Wal-Mart by month's end

Well folks -- it's official. The Everex / Packard Bell / FIC Nanobook / Cloudbook / CE260 (phew) that we recently got some face time with is actually coming Stateside... to Wal-Mart. That's right, the Eee crown-threatener will be available on January 25th of this year, featuring a 1.2GHz VIA C7-M CPU, 512MB of RAM, a 30GB hard drive, and a 800 x 480 display for the extra-affordable price of $399. The system will be sporting Everex's gOS Rocket, the Google-ified version of Ubuntu which powers the company's cheapo desktop. Watch your back, front, and sides, ASUS.

[jeff @ Jan 9th 2008 11:39AM]

I think I'm sold. I was holding out for the updated eee pc but I like these better.

[JAmerican @ Jan 10th 2008 9:52AM]

I agree. My birthday is around that time too so I might treat myself to this. Just the larger HDD and the batt life is enough for me :). I also am tired of carrying my very heavy PowerBook 15" around.

The only thing is that I don't know how I will like/hate the screen. I want to definitely put a digitizer on it :)

JAmerican

[laurie @ Jan 9th 2008 11:42AM]

uhh where's the mouse/trackpad?

[jd @ Jan 9th 2008 11:49AM]

something on the right side of the screen tells me thats the track ball.

anyways, how big is the screen size.

and why the hell do we need 30 gig for? do they expect us to download porn using this laptop?

[kadajawi @ Jan 9th 2008 12:20PM]

If you look at the cousin of this thing that Engadget linked to you can see a tiny tiny touchpad. Really, the round zoom touchpad on my Wacom Bamboo seems to be bigger. Ouch.

[Rex @ Jan 9th 2008 12:52PM]

It is about a half inch by 3/4 inch and is on the top right of the keyboard. The buttons are on the top left of the keyboard.

[kureshii @ Jan 9th 2008 12:54PM]

http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/01/08/look-out-eee-a-399-tiny-laptop-from-everex-is-afoot/
I believe it's that glowy reddish circle-thingum.

Still better than this (http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/01/08/the-tale-of-the-tiniest-touchpad-by-everex/), methinks.

[Nate @ Jan 9th 2008 1:09PM]

If you look above the keyboard, you'll see that there are two buttons on the left hand size (right and left click), and there's a tiny pad on the right hand side.

The trackpad and buttons requires two handed operation.

[Nate @ Jan 9th 2008 1:14PM]

Here's a link to the engadget gallery that shows the trackpad and mouse buttons:

http://www.engadget.com/photos/hands-on-with-the-packard-bell-easynote-xs-nanobook/

[kureshii @ Jan 9th 2008 1:19PM]

Ah, my bad. Should have read around more... yeah, it's on the top right hand corner. Usage screenshots here (http://www.umpcportal.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1030), videos here (http://www.umpcportal.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1063).

Incidentally, it (the video) also answers Flashpoint's question, albeit indirectly.

[Kiteless @ Jan 9th 2008 11:44AM]

My Eee PC is whimpering in the portable DVD player case I tote it around in. While none of the brands connected to this notebook scream quality to me, I will be watching the release of this one closely.

- Kiteless

[Flashpoint @ Jan 9th 2008 11:47AM]

But why not just buy a regular ASUS laptop for just a hundred dollars more?

[YourTechSupport @ Jan 9th 2008 12:23PM]

Well. People that are looking at a device like this don't need a 'full size laptop' as much as they need something smaller and more convenient. Capability is a secondary priority, they just need a truely portable computer.

[Nate @ Jan 9th 2008 12:27PM]

What's the model number of that five hundred dollar Asus laptop again?

[Nate @ Jan 9th 2008 12:27PM]

What's the model number of that five hundred dollar Asus laptop again?

[Fall-Apart @ Jan 9th 2008 11:47AM]

Battery life?

[Martin Trautmann @ Jan 9th 2008 12:03PM]

everex still did not manage to name the power consumption of the gPC - there's still no docu within the support section.

Do not expect any real numbers from everex - and I'm afraid that you should not expect any support as well.

[ethana2 @ Jan 9th 2008 4:30PM]

I expect with VIA, battery life is what they'll be counting on.

[Nick @ Jan 9th 2008 11:56AM]

Wow, it's ugly..

[silverblackvoid @ Jan 9th 2008 12:30PM]

looks can be deceptive.

[kureshii @ Jan 9th 2008 12:45PM]

Ugly is subjective; I'll take "ugly" but easily moddable/customisable over stylish but not mod-friendly.

Quick question: What's inside this thing (other than the stuff we already know)? How many RAM slots? Mini PCI-E? How does this compare to the Eee in terms of moddability?

[Big Sam @ Jan 9th 2008 11:58AM]

Too much. If they could get the price down to under $300 then it might be interesting.

[Liam Billington @ Jan 9th 2008 12:01PM]

Yeah $300 would be nice, but we live in a real world.

Please release these in Britain. £200 + VAT I wouldn't mind paying!

[Samir Benahmed @ Jan 9th 2008 12:20PM]

There are already in Britain mate.

[markp @ Jan 9th 2008 12:05PM]

Downloaded the gPC VMware image a couple of days ago. I must say; wow they did a lousy job on it! It feels like they created it in a couple of hours.. Such a shame, I really liked the idea behind it.

[Brett @ Jan 9th 2008 12:09PM]

Am I missing something? What is the draw with this PC and the Asus EeePC? Why would I want this limited little thing, when I can I can a full blown laptop for just $100 more?

Seems to me this would only be appealing if it was around $250

[Nate @ Jan 9th 2008 12:13PM]

A lot of people don't want to carry around a tank of a notebook, which is what you get for 100 bucks more.

[eM @ Jan 9th 2008 12:15PM]

You're missing the size and weight benefits. For some of us, those make a huge difference.

[Aaron @ Jan 9th 2008 2:02PM]

*sigh*

Why is it every time there is an EEE post or something similar we have to have the same "for $100 more you could get a REAL laptop" or "why wouldn't you just buy a regular laptop?" comments?

[Samir Benahmed @ Jan 9th 2008 12:17PM]

Nothing new here, at least in the design. Check this out - http://www.ebuyer.com/product/133791

[Nate @ Jan 9th 2008 12:24PM]

That's not the same machine. That's the prototype that we saw sitting next to the Cloudbook at CES yesterday.

[Samir Benahmed @ Jan 9th 2008 1:08PM]

Confused? I thought they were the same machine?

[Nate @ Jan 9th 2008 12:28PM]

Scroll down the page here:

http://jkontherun.blogs.com/

You'll see both models.

[Nate @ Jan 9th 2008 12:30PM]

You'll notice that the one you linked to includes a Skype phone, Windows, and a trackpad under the keyboard.

[Jonathan @ Jan 9th 2008 12:28PM]

Would a usb modem (Sprint EVDO) work with this? I thought I read somewhere that the Eee PC doesn't support usb modems...

[jus10 @ Jan 9th 2008 1:06PM]

The eee does support USB EVDO modems - but its default OS may not. That may also be true of the cloudbook but ubuntu by default should be hackable into a working evdo modem.

[Organic_Shadow @ Jan 9th 2008 12:29PM]

If the 4gb/512mb Eee PC drops to $299 shortly after the 8gb/1gb releases, then I'll go with the 4gb Eee. No reason to NEED the 30gb of storage when there isn't even a disc drive with which to rip/install things IMO. I'll grab the 4gb Eee, a 16gb USB stick, and maybe an external burner.

[Superevil @ Jan 9th 2008 12:30PM]

This might actually be worth it but I'd throw on Ubuntu 7.10 and a USB wireless mouse

[Jonathan Sundy @ Jan 9th 2008 12:34PM]

According to the link to the press release on hardocp this laptop gets 5 hours of battery life.

5 HOURS!!

That is a significant improvement over the 3.5 quoted for the $400 Eee pc.

It's not nearly as gorgeous as the Eee pc, but the battery life may be a clincher. A night class is 3 hours long usually, and not being able to make it through that is an issue for the Eee :/

[BigD145 @ Jan 9th 2008 12:51PM]

I'm guessing they get that sort of life with the backlight off, the HD running at 2000 RPMs (or not at all), and the processor idling.

[Martin Trautmann @ Jan 9th 2008 12:59PM]

Everex claimed 2 Watt for the gPC : http://www.everex.com/products/gpc/gpc.htm

"Green
Imagine a computer with a CPU that averages just 2 Watts of power and operates at a whisper quiet 28dB..."

... which is ridiculous since that's the amount of the idle processor - and only the cpu, but not the board or computer.

But taking those numbers, a pc would have to run twenty times as long when you have a 2 W CPU instead of a 40 W CPU.

There's display to add, memory, externals etc. - but 5 hours is not that impressive, considering the claim of a low power device.

[Martin Trautmann @ Jan 9th 2008 1:00PM]

Everex claimed 2 Watt for the gPC : http://www.everex.com/products/gpc/gpc.htm

"Green
Imagine a computer with a CPU that averages just 2 Watts of power and operates at a whisper quiet 28dB..."

... which is ridiculous since that's the amount of the idle processor - and only the cpu, but not the board or computer.

But taking those numbers, a pc would have to run twenty times as long when you have a 2 W CPU instead of a 40 W CPU.

There's display to add, memory, externals etc. - but 5 hours is not that impressive, considering the claim of a low power device.

[jkkmobile @ Jan 9th 2008 1:29PM]

real life battery is 3 hours..

review of it with XP:
http://www.umpcportal.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1063

[Jonathan Sundy @ Jan 9th 2008 8:22PM]

Good find JKK.

That's a huge difference from the claimed battery life.

[Jonathan Bergeron @ Jan 9th 2008 12:39PM]

Why is there a Facebook icon on there?

[JohnH @ Jan 9th 2008 12:55PM]

Facebook is part of gOS and the enlighten window manager. Lots of on-line icons in gOS - blogs, meebo, Google office stuff, and gOS 2.0 has Google gears for off-line work.
John

[Trevsweb @ Jan 9th 2008 12:52PM]

hope they dont use the old style mouse "the nipple" although compact it was annoying to use.
is the 30gb a SSD? otherwise theres no point to it.
i want ASUS' updated model more now i hate the current bevel/surrounding round the screen atm

tho a VS match when theyre both out would be helpful... hey engadget sort it out later in the year please ;)

[emagius @ Jan 9th 2008 12:17PM]

Many prefer the "old" trackpoint/nub/eraserhead to the trackpad. I'm not one of them, but still.

[Eric @ Jan 9th 2008 12:25PM]

I bet its a 1.8in Hard drive. There's no way it'd be a SSD at that price.

[Trevsweb @ Jan 9th 2008 12:52PM]

true ssd is just to pricey but i want 5 sec boot! :P