How would you change Everex's Cloudbook?

When we gave you readers a shot at ranting about the Everex gPC, little was left unsaid. If we were betting souls, we'd guess the firm's über-cheap laptop -- affectionately known as the Cloudbook -- is about to suffer a similar beating. Based on early reviews, the wannabe Eee PC slayer wasn't exactly a dream come true, but we just know there's a good bit of potential here untapped. So, for those of you who've parted ways with your $400 in exchange for one of these Cloudbook contraptions, how would you improve upon what's already there? Clean up the user interface? Add a bit more horsepower under the hood? Or would you just find a way to plug that unsightly gap between the LCD and keyboard? Go ahead, your momma's not listenin' -- let us know how you really feel.

[Khris @ Mar 7th 2008 6:38PM]

I would have locked it in the cellar never to see the light of day.

[mushrooshi @ Mar 7th 2008 6:39PM]

Go drink some chocolate milk.

[michas_pi @ Mar 7th 2008 6:44PM]

I suggest chocolate rain.

[Khris @ Mar 7th 2008 6:55PM]

I Like Choklit Milk

[wootman @ Mar 7th 2008 6:59PM]

but he's allergic.

[Erik @ Mar 7th 2008 6:59PM]

Cheese, go home!

[superfresh @ Mar 7th 2008 8:44PM]

Wouldn't change a thing. Just wouldn't buy it.

[mushrooshi @ Mar 7th 2008 6:39PM]

Seeing as how the hinge is that small, I think it is conceivable to change it to a swivel hinge. Change to a multitouchscreen, add a small little nub in the keyboard for an alt mouse, and give it a facelift. Then I think it would, infact, actually be viable compared to the Eee.

[onetruebill @ Mar 8th 2008 11:52AM]

OR...
you could make it really THIN
remove all the ports but one
charge lots of money for it
and put it in an envelope.

[Sime @ Mar 8th 2008 12:32PM]

wow...sounds awfully familiar

[shineliang @ Mar 7th 2008 6:41PM]

er....everything?

[BradStar @ Mar 10th 2008 12:05AM]

I'd start with the name- seriously, does anyone know of a name that screams "vaporware" like "cloudbook"?

[Ricardo @ Mar 7th 2008 6:41PM]

From what I have read there are so many things that went wrong that instead of asking what to change you should ask what should be kept. And honestly I don't know.

[shineliang @ Mar 7th 2008 6:42PM]

people are not so prode of the things that they bought from "wal^mart".

[shineliang @ Mar 7th 2008 6:44PM]

people are not so proud of the things that they bought from "wal^mart".

[Chebwa @ Mar 7th 2008 6:43PM]

"Everything" seems like too broad of an answer, but it's the only one I can come up with.

[McLogic @ Mar 7th 2008 6:44PM]

1) Shrink the whole thing until you can thumb-type on the keyboard. (No extra space around screen.)
2) Add a nipple-mouse because the touch pad is really small.
3) Make the AC adapter smaller and 12 volts (may already be 12 volts).

[saschaisking @ Mar 11th 2008 1:24AM]

add a swivel screen and call it a sidekick

[Rhys @ Mar 7th 2008 6:49PM]

The fact it was ever conceived, and then produced.

[shineliang @ Mar 7th 2008 6:50PM]

lol

[Flashpoint @ Mar 7th 2008 6:51PM]

I'd make it able to play CRYSIS.

[Superevil @ Mar 7th 2008 8:12PM]

No matter how many times I hear that it's always funny to me. Kinda like "Will it blend" or "But can it play Doom"

[gerardo @ Mar 7th 2008 6:55PM]

id change the price=]

[Nate @ Mar 7th 2008 6:59PM]

Right now it's bad. I'd make it good.

[wootman @ Mar 7th 2008 7:00PM]

8800GT FTW?

[m @ Mar 7th 2008 7:15PM]

i'd be content with some explanation of the stupid name.

[Dino Kadich @ Mar 7th 2008 7:14PM]

Give it a face lift, a new Intel processor, some good mobile graphics card, and outfit it with XP, and I'd buy it.

[Arjy @ Mar 8th 2008 10:38AM]

Why not just buy a dell then?

[Matt Welke @ Mar 12th 2008 7:04PM]

Because we wouldn't want it to crack on us.

[Kamall @ Mar 7th 2008 7:17PM]

Get rid of Via completely (just too poor performance, sorry), get Intel in there, even if the 900mhz Celeron in the EEE and GMA 950 graphics which blow away whatever Via offers. Put a very small touchpad or the trackpoint "nipple".

Ship it with a better operating system which is actually scaled to the screen's resolution and which will work OUT OF THE BOX without some having to call tech support because they don't realize they have to scroll down to click on the "next" button to bypass all the "starting up for the first time" stuff.

It uses a 1.8" HDD, but actually uses a slow 3600rpm speed (didn't even know they came that slow, thought just about all of them were 4200rpm). At least use a 4200rpm HDD.

[Nate @ Mar 8th 2008 1:15AM]

Considering the thing was designed by Via, I kinda doubt they'll throw Intel chipsets in these things.

[Montusama @ Mar 9th 2008 1:46AM]

I think Via should of waited, I really want a computer with a via processor but their current line-up is to much into low power than performance until Isaiah is out anyways

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VIA_Isaiah

[Sauerkraut @ Mar 7th 2008 7:20PM]

stop reporting on something no 1 cares about (besides some maniac that will respond to this

[Windzilla @ Mar 7th 2008 8:03PM]

GLAWWWHARAARRRRGGGGGGGSH a NA NA! snort!

[Sauerkraut @ Mar 7th 2008 8:07PM]

LOL

[Superevil @ Mar 7th 2008 8:13PM]

Obviously you care enough about no one caring about this to post a comment.

[Neoprimal @ Mar 7th 2008 7:27PM]

I dunno. People seem to be really dumping on it but I don't see much wrong apart from the unsightly bare gap under the screen (when closed). The area between the 2 little speakers should have been utilized form some media buttons or some kind of 'web' or 'application' buttons - perhaps all of those!, ones similar to most modern keyboards. I like the thumbpad, but for people who aren't holding this thing in 1 hand (or right handed for that matter) they should put one of those little thinkpad buttons (the red ones, in the middle of the keyboard, can't remember what they're called...trackpad? or sth.) in the middle of the keyboard. Other than that, a little more power if possible...and that's it. I'd actually take a cloudbook over an EEE any day, just because of the bigger hard drive (and the fact that I don't want to hack the EEE).

[Garrett @ Mar 10th 2008 12:43PM]

(they're called eraserheads :)

[Chris Macdonald @ Mar 7th 2008 7:28PM]

Hinges are important. All the laptops I've ever had have eventually died because of the hinge... All were HP's actually, and I really like HP as a brand, I just don't know what to think.. :(

[Nick C. @ Mar 7th 2008 7:31PM]

touch screen

[colon cleanse @ Mar 7th 2008 8:03PM]

lol.... nice one :-)

[Randavance @ Mar 7th 2008 7:55PM]

rid the gOS, especially the UI, stop using enlightenment, start using xfce, jwm, icewm, openbox, fluxbox, or a friggen command line for Christ sake.

[Nate @ Mar 8th 2008 1:19AM]

Actually, part of the problem is that they dropped Enlightenment at the last minute for Gnome, and, basically, shipped it untested (or damn close to it).

[dos @ Mar 7th 2008 8:05PM]

To make Engadget like it:

1.) Make it "pretty"

2.) Paint it white, but be sure to offer it in pink and such.

3.) Don't do business with Wal-Mart

4.) Make the hard disk much smaller, hacks to add a larger disk bring viewers and ad revenue

5.) Make it difficult to install another operating system, hacks to do so bring viewers and ad revenue

6.) Make it a difficult to obtain exclusive item that will generate lots of anticipation stories and ad revenue

7.) Make sure it has a comparable competitor to slam constantly for no real reason, as both products have similar problems and issues.

8.) Sell it to a recognizable brand with a cult of fans already in place who will adore it for months before it is released.

[john @ Mar 7th 2008 8:15PM]

UMPCportal's specs don't say much about its BT capability. Make sure it has Bluetooth DUN, PAN, and FTP support.

1.8" SSD option.

Express card slot on the back (not the side). Make sure it has linux drivers for the express cards offered by Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T (T-mo only has a PC-Card, but if that changes, add drivers for them too).

Make sure its wifi can act as an access point for my PDA.

Twist/swivel screen for tablet use, and a touch screen.

More battery (no matter how much it has now, it's not enough).

More RAM options (again, no matter how much it has now, it's not enough).

More VRAM (again, there's no info about what its external resolution is, on UMPCportal)

I have no idea what gOS is like compared to Ubuntu. I'd investigate Ubuntu Mobile, though.

Oh, and, build a virtual split thumb keyboard to use in tablet mode (like the Samsung Q1 uses ... not the Q1 ultra, just the Q1).

Make sure it's durable enough to leave in my backpack, in a hard case, and just use as a network/file server for my PDA.

[APPLES @ Mar 7th 2008 8:41PM]

yum apples

[C.A.M. @ Mar 7th 2008 8:58PM]

U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no aliby...

[C.A.M. @ Mar 7th 2008 9:05PM]

(alibi) oops.

[hkicedude @ Mar 9th 2008 9:39PM]

I have to admit I do not have one of these, but I have try other nanobooks. Here is my take:
1) Add turn/swivel screen
2) three usb port.
3) bigger mouse pad
4) Get rid of the circled Everex logo, make it smaller. It is really ugly now.

[Joshua Walters @ Mar 7th 2008 9:15PM]

I want a community (big one) on it before I would buy it.

Thats one amazing thing about the Eee, theres a monstrous community to help you with any mods/upgrades.