Eee PC 901 dismantled, broadband solder points found

ASUS's Eee PC 901 has been unboxed, examined, pictured, tested, and now to end it all, it has been completely dismantled by a curious writer at bit-tech. They didn't find anything terribly unusual, but highlights include a monitor-diameter 802.11n antenna, the all-important SSD module (not soldered to allow for upgrades), internal fan, an IDE3 slot, and solder points labeled "3GCard" which you can interpret as you wish (we'll give you two guesses). Finally, they found a mysterious button that doesn't seem to do much of anything. So there you have it: The Eee PC 901 has officially been pillaged. Hit the read link for some exposed silicon.

[Mile @ Jun 17th 2008 2:29PM]

Everytime that dufus presses that button, my TV turns on and off! *mad*

[Penguin @ Jun 17th 2008 3:09PM]

It's not working! I keep pressing it.

[stefan @ Jun 17th 2008 6:57PM]

That button is just about an inch right to where my 900 has its hard-reset button. Figure that's what it is...

Probably they realized that customers would just take out the battery and they didn't further consider this button when redesigning the case.

[LondonConsultant @ Jun 18th 2008 4:57AM]

"a mysterious button that doesn't seem to do much of anything"
You have to type 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42 before you press that button...

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Jun 17th 2008 2:34PM]

Why does everfything have a secret button that doesn't do anything. It must be a secret conspiracy.

(btw has anybody downloaded firefox 3. I can't get to the site to download it)

[Mile @ Jun 17th 2008 2:36PM]

For all intensive purposes, mozilla.com is dead.

[Luigi193 @ Jun 17th 2008 2:36PM]

WE KILLED MOZILLA!

[rv @ Jun 17th 2008 2:38PM]

If you are planning to break a record for downloads, make sure you have THE FUCKING BANDWIDTH FOR IT!!!

[Splunkster @ Jun 17th 2008 2:42PM]

Two things:

1. The phrase is "For all intents and purposes."
2. Download links:

Windows:
http://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-3.0&os=win&lang=en-US

Mac OS X:
http://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-3.0&os=osx&lang=en-US

Linux:
http://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-3.0&os=linux&lang=en-US

[Mile @ Jun 17th 2008 2:44PM]

3.0 will be the death nail of FF.

[kjb434 @ Jun 17th 2008 2:49PM]

Just download it from another source besides Mozilla.

It's available everywhere in final release version.

[The Dude @ Jun 17th 2008 2:51PM]

I remember seeing someone on Cnet mention that Google was bringing out big cojoned servers for Mozilla to host the 3.0 release.

What a piece of fucking fail, though. Released at (GMT -8) 10 A.M. Pacific? How about at 12:00 A.M. for countries at their respective time zones. You know, it being June 17th there earlier their on over here on the extreme west coast. Their servers wouldn't be being raped at the same time, either. But that would make too much sense you guys.

[Phoenix @ Jun 17th 2008 3:02PM]

...has the Engadget article on it disapperaed? I can;t find it now...

[Ebzy @ Jun 17th 2008 3:11PM]

Not to sound cocky, but I've downloaded it fine here in the UK. Granted the connection is slower but its far from unbearable (average 50kB/sec).

[Jamma @ Jun 17th 2008 3:22PM]

anyone in the UK or Europe, here's the link for you - and it works!!!

http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/

americans can also download the uk version, there really isn't much difference

[Benson @ Jun 17th 2008 4:02PM]

@rv:
Nope, not bandwidth. It's about server-side scripting; the download goes fast enough when you get to it.

[B @ Jun 17th 2008 5:28PM]

Phoenix, I was wondering the same thing. They're blank.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/17/firefox-3-0-available-now-almost
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/17/firefox-3-0-available-now

[phanbouy @ Jun 17th 2008 6:50PM]

you mean "death knell", Miles? wow, 2-for-1 idiom mauling today!

[Jason @ Jun 17th 2008 7:05PM]

Dangit! Quit pushing the stupid secret button! You're effing my Firefox DL!!!! GRRRR!

[rv @ Jun 17th 2008 2:35PM]

Easy. 3g card slot is for the pizzza synthesizing machine that Ive always dreamed of. Pizza, constructed molecule by molecule. AWESOME!

[Bad vibes @ Jun 17th 2008 2:36PM]

The little button was probably a "case opened" detector that discharged a capacitor through a critical chip to burn out a link.

Powned!

[dj-kenpo @ Jun 17th 2008 2:57PM]

I want one of those pci-e ssd cards!

my hp laptop has a spare and empty pci-e slot...

I would love to use it as the spot for my OS drive...

[P Coke @ Jun 17th 2008 3:10PM]

The solder points appear to be just another standard pci-e slot, it even has the 2 standard holes for the screws above it.
What is more interesting is the top photo which shows solder spots for a sim card slot labeled SIM.

It would be nice if all you needed to have mobile broadband on the eee was to solder 2 slots, but I suspect it would not be enough.

[Carl M @ Jun 18th 2008 2:31AM]

I noticed these items:
-solder points for PCIe card labeled 3G Card (already mentioned)
-solder points for SIM card on top (just mentioned)
-solder points labeled EXAT, probably for external antenna

I wonder if IDE3 is intended for a 1.8" hard drive?
There even seems to be a cavity for it in the plastic bottom.

[Dillon @ Jun 17th 2008 3:09PM]

I bet every time that secret button is pressed, a garage door opens somewhere.

[Ian @ Jun 17th 2008 3:29PM]

Jar Jar

just as annoying as in the movies...

[Dillon @ Jun 17th 2008 7:37PM]

lol, now your response makes no sense!

[Amit @ Jun 17th 2008 3:33PM]

How about you fuck off?

[phanbouy @ Jun 17th 2008 11:27PM]

just as funny out of context

[snotvoid @ Jun 26th 2008 2:01AM]

Jar Jar's comments are actually better than most comments on engadget.


I'M LOOKING AT YOU SEVERAL HUNDRED GUYS WHO MAKE EVERY ARTICLE INTO AN APPLE OR IPHONE DISCUSSION.

[phanbouy @ Jun 17th 2008 6:52PM]

like your comment par exemple?

[Hoos @ Jun 17th 2008 3:47PM]

I tethered George Lucas' iPhone to my Eee 901 and downloaded Firefox 3 in .03 seconds.

Slackers.

[digitallysick @ Jun 17th 2008 4:15PM]

its a self destruct button!

[Kizorblade @ Jun 17th 2008 4:43PM]

You must be looking at yourself then :P

[Zorque @ Jun 17th 2008 4:51PM]

What a horrible gimmick.

[chuck @ Jun 17th 2008 11:36PM]

I have a good source that Mossberg is about to report that the secret button actually causes certain -- ahem -- less qualified commentators to post incorrectly spelled and/or used idioms. Death nail. Heh.

[Sim @ Jun 18th 2008 3:11AM]

More importantly, when did diameter become an acceptable reference to any dimension of a rectangular object (alright, fine it's technically cuboid. Perhaps even with rounded edges, this one, oh noes call the apple police shut up clak shut up everyone else..).

Unless i'm missing the circular/spherical antenna hidden in the EEE somewhere?

[Brian Nutcart @ Jun 23rd 2008 10:01AM]

Splunkster:

The phrase is actually "to all intents and purposes"

Ahem.