G10IL, the Eee PC killer from ECS, is actually killer

Perhaps the ECS G10IL could use some help in the naming department, but it certainly isn't having any trouble bringing a bit of class to the subnotebook market. In addition to those stylish good looks, the G10IL sports a webcam, HSDPA 7.2, three USB ports, Ethernet and a 56Kb modem (joy of joys!). No mention is made of WiFi or Bluetooth, but at least the former seems a given. Other details are slim, but the price is supposedly "sub-$500." Perhaps this "race to the bottom" won't be so horrible after all.

[jd @ Mar 6th 2008 9:47AM]

2 comments:
1) the hinge looks like dell top end laptop
2) me want.

[Khris @ Mar 6th 2008 10:20AM]

First thing I thought when I saw the picture is that it resembles the Dell XPS m1330 and m1530 laptops.

If the price turns out to truly be below $500, I'll definitely be lining up to get one.

[Nate @ Mar 6th 2008 10:21AM]

1. You mean the XPS m1330, which, coincidentally, is manufactured by Asus.

[Deputy Doffoos @ Mar 6th 2008 10:58AM]

word on the street is that will sport a brand new Pentium4 processor and 256 MB SD-RAM along that 56k modem

[Eddie @ Mar 6th 2008 11:15AM]

"me want" sums it up XD
I am excited about this type of laptop now. Guess I'll let it play out for a bit longer before I get one though.

[Ellianth @ Mar 6th 2008 3:05PM]

Nine months ago the eee, the m1330, and an HP DV notebook had a VERY WILD night out.

[Randavance @ Mar 6th 2008 8:24PM]

Except with a nicer keyboard. I hate the XPS keyboard.

But then again I also hate mac keyboards.

And membrane keyboards.

And really anything that doesn't wake the whole house when you type a sentence.

But it's white and shiny.

And that's what counts.

[eseiber @ Mar 6th 2008 9:47AM]

Ok now you have my attention in the small notebook department assuming this is 10".

[MacroEQ @ Mar 6th 2008 9:49AM]

Looks good. A modem is however totally unecessary. No word on screen size or resolution though. The next few months are going to get very interesting when the new Eee and HP come out.

[Brodie @ Mar 6th 2008 9:52AM]

A modem unnecessary? How else do you plan on logging on to the Engadget BBS? Personally, I'm a purist and would prefer to see a 14.4 in this thing.

[zargon @ Mar 6th 2008 9:55AM]

Why is a modem unnecessary? They have to be cheap, so the overall price can't be affected. I rather have one than not for that simple fact.

Usage for most will be rare and most will probably never use it. But if someone travels a lot, it may be the only way to get on the internet.

[MacroEQ @ Mar 6th 2008 1:18PM]

There's a difference between being a purist and that of owning an antique shop.

I'd rather have the latest technologies and choose to backtrack if needed. The modem is not standard kit in modern computers so it should not be included for that reason.

[shineliang @ Mar 6th 2008 9:49AM]

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/12839/13863/ecs-hspda-broadband-laptop-notebook.phtml for more info

[shineliang @ Mar 6th 2008 9:51AM]

MBA!YEAH!

[MEAT! @ Mar 6th 2008 9:53AM]

A 56k modem? Sweeet! Throw in a floppy drive and I'm all over that!!

No, seriously. I need to load AOL 3.0 onto the computer somehow.

[John @ Mar 6th 2008 10:57AM]

I wonder if those old punters will still work...

[emailtabs @ Mar 6th 2008 12:09PM]

I've got an old wolfenstein floppy floating around somewhere. i can't wait!

[Karl Hackswell @ Mar 6th 2008 9:55AM]

$500???

Are we straying from the cheap sub-laptops? If im going to spend that much I may as well go and get a vostro laptop from dell, honestly. I would still prefer the eee just for price.

[Evan @ Mar 6th 2008 1:57PM]

You can get a Dell laptop for $500, but it'll be heavy and slow (assuming you keep Vista on it). For the same price, the ECS is a whole lot lighter and more responsive feeling, which should offer a superior user experience.

[ReggieXuk @ Mar 6th 2008 9:57AM]

why even post about a computer and not include the CPU and RAM specs

the real stuff

[johnnychipface @ Mar 6th 2008 10:03AM]

Because the site the article was stole from didnt have them either.

[melloncollie @ Mar 6th 2008 11:48AM]

How is this stolen?
It's just an information article that's been cited.
It's not an editorial or an opinion.

[Naveed @ Mar 6th 2008 5:31PM]

because they dont know the specs or they arent provided. I wish they would give us an estimated screen size if they saw it in person. Seems like its an 11.1" screen which in my opinion is a different class. I still would prefer this if its sub 500. The laptop doesnt just look better than the toy looking asus and cloudbook, it looks actractive compared to all laptops. but yeah, dimensions or at least vague comparisons (ex.bigger tha eepc) would be important.

[Flashpoint @ Mar 6th 2008 9:57AM]

I don't consider these devices to be a race to the bottom. There are plenty of people out there who would be perfectly happy with a webcam equipped, internet surfer that can get them bidding on EBAY, stalking on Myspace or VIDEO BLOGGING on Youtube.

All we need is more time for SSD's to become cheaper and gain hgher capacity.

And I'm glad this thing has 56K because some Engadget people laughed at me when I said that all laptops should have 56K. The world isn't standardized with broadband yet and in many situations there is no wifi available - while telephone lines are. I don't wanna see 56K dissapear until wifi access becomes the world standard.

[OnlyShawn @ Mar 6th 2008 10:10AM]

'race to the bottom' goodness...that is one of the most horribly uninformed economic ideas uttered. Mr. Sony-dude should be absolutely ashamed of himself for inferring that cheaper computers is going to mean lower quality overall.

[sinjinn @ Mar 6th 2008 10:45AM]

agreed . personally i have not had a reason to upgrade my pc in 4 years, no matter how many gigahertz they added. but if you give me everything i need in a smaller package .. yeah , i'll buy it.

[Avalos @ Mar 6th 2008 9:58AM]

In one of the screenshots of the keyboard you can clearly see below the mousepad a "wifi" led icon inbetween its power and battery icons. Yeah, its got wifi.

[iibbmm @ Mar 6th 2008 10:07AM]

There's also a blue-tooth icon down there

[Gonzalo @ Mar 6th 2008 10:03AM]

Looks nice

[Javaflash @ Mar 6th 2008 10:06AM]

Race to bottom is referring to manufacturers. Imagine the margin on these machines, a couple quarters? In yen?

[Jooseppi @ Mar 6th 2008 10:07AM]

It is 11 inches!

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Oh-My-God-Meet-the-Eee-And-MacBook-Killer-the-ECS-G10IL-78670.shtml

[ShadowMaker @ Mar 6th 2008 10:28AM]

I really,really, really hope that you're still talking about that laptop. And not just for my ego.

[Naveed @ Mar 7th 2008 6:53AM]

i cant beleive he actually said it looks like an apple. It is clearly closest to the Dell m1330 in design if anything.

[Organic_Shadow @ Mar 6th 2008 10:11AM]

Color me ignorant, but what's the advantage of having this HSDPA 7.2? Does that mean I can use the laptop as a phone? Err.....?

[andy @ Mar 6th 2008 10:29AM]

cell network; sort of like a permanent tether for your laptop.

[Deez @ Mar 6th 2008 10:11AM]

Looks very nice. But the keyboard seems to be like those keys on a flashy phone - looks great, but functions terribly. Lets hope it isn't.

PS Dammit, I was set on 9" eee :( Now there be many options, too many...

[Patrick @ Mar 6th 2008 10:12AM]

mmm, pretty. where do i enter my credit card info?

[Raheem @ Mar 6th 2008 10:20AM]

Oh just e-mail them to me, I'll take care of everything.

[DP @ Mar 6th 2008 11:02AM]

Really? Nice, what is it?

[Deez @ Mar 6th 2008 10:13AM]

Looks very nice. But the keyboard seems to be like those keys on a flashy phone - looks great, but functions terribly. Lets hope it isn't.

PS Dammit, I was set on 9" eee :( Now there be many options, too many...

[Nate @ Mar 6th 2008 10:19AM]

It looks a little on the large side, compared to an Eee.

[initialxy @ Mar 6th 2008 10:21AM]

holy crap! this thing might actually kill EEE PC for good.

[sinjinn @ Mar 6th 2008 10:51AM]

holy moly !!

[David @ Mar 6th 2008 8:04PM]

I don't think so!

This is f-ing HUGE compared to an Eee.

They're missing the whole point. The Eee is the size of a DVD player. This is the size of ... a typical laptop.

May as well get a Wal-Mart $400 lappy by Acer or Miscellaneous if you're going to get something as bulky as this.

[darkroom @ Mar 6th 2008 10:22AM]

apple take note...

[john @ Mar 6th 2008 10:26AM]

Which OS?

[brian @ Mar 6th 2008 12:15PM]

Most likely Linux.

[john @ Mar 6th 2008 12:45PM]

I hope so ("most likely linux"), but I couldn't see anything that would indicate it (other than the lack of a windows sticker on the thing; but that might be a pending thing).

If it ends up with HSPA, Wifi, and bluetooth DUN, and vendor supported ubuntu ... I might have to give it a very serious look. Especially in comparison to the linux version of HP's 2133 UMPC.

[andy @ Mar 6th 2008 10:32AM]

I have on occasion needed a 56k modem to fax something.


The problem now though, is that I don't ever have a phone line available. All of the phones at work are those custom deals (fax machine there anyway), and I only have cell phones at home.

Still, it's nice to have a modem.



What I don't get is computers that don't have a serial port. Managed switches still use serial ports for command line interface as do many application specific devices like your car's ECU.

[Fall-Apart @ Mar 6th 2008 3:56PM]

I've got an older interactive whiteboard in my classroom that runs off the serial port. I had to hunt around to find a laptop that would drive it...