Everex's $399 CloudBook wannabEee: now February 15th

Everex's site has been updated with a new CloudBook ship date. The little 9-inch, Via-based laptop with 7-inch display, 30GB disk, and 5-hours battery is now expected to pop with a gOS Rocket on Walmart.com and ZaReason.com February 15th. A day earlier would have required a pink version which nobody wants... at least not yet.

[Thanks, David]

[substance90 @ Jan 29th 2008 4:10AM]

I would be interesting if I can actually buy one of those and then replace it`s Via C7 CPU with the new Isaiah, if it can be purchased separately. :)

[Russ @ Jan 29th 2008 4:19AM]

Is there a price on this yet? Would be great to come in at $200 or so.

[nxtiak @ Jan 29th 2008 4:23AM]

$399

[nxtiak @ Jan 29th 2008 4:19AM]

This is pretty cool alternative to the Eee PC. I hate how the screen is off center, and where the heck is the trackpad?!?!? Is there seriously none? Have to use external usb mouse or what?

[B_Lizzard @ Jan 29th 2008 5:18AM]

The upper right side has a *veeeeery smaaaall* touchpad, whilst the upper left side has two mouse buttons.

I was also wondering if the C7 CPU could be replaced with the new Isaiah, seeing as they're pin-compatible.

[substance90 @ Jan 29th 2008 4:37AM]

The Developer Units are supposed to have touchscreen, but I`m not sure about the retail version.

[Amanda @ Jan 29th 2008 4:37AM]

The price is in the link:
"Find your $399 CloudBook at Walmart.com and ZaReason.com beginning 2/15/08."

[webon @ Jan 29th 2008 4:49AM]

Ss this the on with the analog thingy at one side?

thats fugly

[Call me Kenneth @ Jan 29th 2008 5:31AM]

This is a pale imitation of the Eee PC -- see a review @ http://www.mobilecomputermag.co.uk/20071123172/packard-bell-easynote-xs.html

[bob @ Jan 29th 2008 6:35PM]

it is not a pale imitation of an eeepc. it has a 30 gb hard drive and bluetooth. the only thing wrong with it seems to be the small mouse pad.

http://www.umpcportal.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1030

[Call me Kenneth @ Jan 29th 2008 5:51AM]

Orly? Take a look at that price tag... That's a UK price though, at the inimitable PC World...

[bob @ Jan 29th 2008 6:36PM]

thats a price from last november , and pc world is a well known rip off store in the uk... let me find the more reasonable version of this machine...

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/133791

based on the same reference design with 1gb ram , 80 gb hd , bluetooth and touchscreen and skype phone and xp pffesional .. all for £420

you shouldnt really take pc world prices as rrp , they market to the unknowing masses.

[Erwos @ Jan 29th 2008 6:37AM]

This thing got announced BEFORE the eeePC. Calling it an imitator is simply not true.

[jakep_82 @ Jan 29th 2008 12:24PM]

@bob

The Packard Bell version of this laptop includes bluetooth. The version Everex is releasing in the US does NOT include bluetooth.

[spam_from_engadget @ Jan 29th 2008 5:52AM]

There's a good side-by-side review with the Eee at The Register:

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/29/review_maxdata_sbook/

Note that the model they're comparing isn't identical to the US version sold by Everex, e.g. it has its touchpad in the "right" place, and it ships with XP. But I imagine that these comments remain valid:

- The EEE has a quieter fan.
- The EEE has better battery life, because its battery is nearly twice the capacity.
- The EEE has a better keyboard.

So the EEE wins, basically. Yes, a version with the new VIA chip would be better, but you can't upgrade it yourself because the processor is not socketed; we'll have to wait and see what they come up with.

[mex @ Jan 29th 2008 3:51PM]

clearly you bought an eee and only mention the pros about the eee rather than the pros on the cloudbook just to justify your purchase and not having the will power to wait to see if the cloudbook performance is better. i hate your kind - almost like an apple fanboy. losers.

[Bradford @ Jan 29th 2008 6:50PM]

Yeah, and clearly he wrote the article too... /sarcasm/

This page of the article http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/29/review_maxdata_sbook/page4.html interest me - even though the VIA chip is clocked higher than the Intel chip, it ran slower and hotter. I think that made my decision. Sorry cloudbook, I really wanted to love you...

[JAmerican @ Jan 29th 2008 6:49AM]

This is a better device. Much easier to hold. BT. 30GB. It was made for Windows not Xandros. Just the fact that it has the same batt life as the EEE with lower amperage-hour and a traditional HDD tells you how great of a power-saver it is. I think I was sold as soon as I heard about the 30GB, batt life, BT. I can fill 4GB in a day.

[Neoprimal @ Jan 29th 2008 8:23AM]

I would have to agree with JAmerican. Though I've been wondering for a while WHY the EeePC and these 'low powered' machines have become so 'wanted' when you can get a laptop with more power (albeit a bit bigger) for about 50 dollars more, this is at least a worthwhile investment vs. a laptop (ultraportable or otherwise) that comes with 4GB of hard drive space.

[m @ Jan 29th 2008 7:33PM]

some people might have very simple needs or appreciate the instant-on ability of an SSD. let's just agree that they have different uses, shall we? this isn't a new religion we're talking about.

[JAmerican @ Jan 29th 2008 6:51AM]

It is also LED backlit like the EEE PC.

[kris @ Jan 29th 2008 8:05AM]

30gb is a lot more than 4gb.

[spookthehamster @ Jan 29th 2008 9:37AM]

Did you guys not get the tip email I sent? This thing is already on sale! I played with one in store in December!

[tesla @ Jan 30th 2008 1:00PM]

i call bs

[spookthehamster @ Jan 30th 2008 5:07PM]

Why would you call BS? Go into any PC World in the UK and there will be one next to the eees, but they install XP on them instead of the Linux distro.

[Ernest Skocdopol @ Jan 29th 2008 10:12AM]

This seems to be a nice device. I'm thinking of getting something like this for my parents that are not to savvy with computers. Does anyone know if the OS comes with something that will magnify whats on the screen? Parents are getting older and the screen might be a bit small to read email. I'm not too familiar with the OS and Everex's website does not show anything. Thanks in advance.

[adamcpennington @ Jan 29th 2008 12:01PM]

If your product sells at Wal Mart at a decent price, your going to make money. Of course the poor kids that were suposed to recieve a free laptop in Africa will suffer, but there was the convinence of being sold at WalMart that sold the market. Larger hard drive, blue tooth, I'm curious to see the response. BC Computer Fontana

[ark_v2 @ Jan 29th 2008 2:15PM]

I think I'll go with the Eee.

[Mike C @ Jan 29th 2008 2:17PM]

Has everex's spec sheet been posted before for the cloudbook?

http://www.everex.com/press/Everex%20CloudBook%20CE1200V%20Detailed%20Specification-v1.0.pdf

[adobochicken @ Jan 29th 2008 3:33PM]

that's fugly but the specs look better than Eee. 5hr batt is key for me

[nickfawwaz3 @ Jan 29th 2008 7:17PM]

I can see how someone could say this is copying the macbook air, but I know thats not true

[JAmerican @ Jan 29th 2008 8:42PM]

How? Not only was this reference design announced last Summer, we've known about this device since before the MacBook Air was announced. The was going to be released before the MacBook Air too.

I really don't see how Mac products end up in conversations and result in the product being discussed is a copy of that Apple product. It really pisses me off.