New Eee PC Seashells sport Windows 7 Starter, less battery life
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Oct 21st 2009 6:44PM
posted Oct 21st 2009 6:44PM
Ah, Windows 7 Starter -- you're adding to the retail cost of netbooks, and for what? Lack of support for multiple monitors, DVD playback, or remote media streaming? Lack of Windows Media Center? Granted, these things aren't at the top of your list if you're rocking a netbook (and DVD playback won't be on your list at all) but we have principles, y'know? And that leads us to the next batch of Eee PCs that will fly the flag of the aforementioned OS. Both machines sport your standard Atom N280, 1GB memory, IEEE802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, and customary 10.1-inch display. Of the two, the 1005HR-WS sports WXGA, a 250GB HDD, and will run you ¥49,800 (about $546). The 1005HE-WS, however, is WSVGA and comes in two capacities: 250GB HDD for ¥46,800 ($513) or 160GB HDD for ¥44,800 (about $490). In addition to that jive Starter edition of Windows, battery life for these guys has decreased to about 8.4 hours. Available in Japan come mid-November.
[Via Engadget Japan]
[Via Engadget Japan]
N280.... not even ION... wonderful..
we need a new dual-core atom for netbooks to go with ION or ION 2 imo
@Streetfights
apparently you never knew that there's limitations on netbooks with windows under 10"
no dual-core processors
no more than 1GB of RAM (i think allowed with win7)
HDD no larger than 160GB (250GB for win7)
SSD no larger than 16GB (32GB for win7)
@Peter
The limits aren't defined by screen size.. though there is also a limit on the size of the display*... but rather Microsoft will only license Windows XP ULCPC or Windows 7 Starter Edition on machines with X maximum specs.
*12" for XP, 10.1" for 7 SE.
No dual-monitor support? Seriously?
@ Mark.
What other netbook has dual-monitor support? I don't count using the built in LCD and the VGA/DVI out at the same time as dual monitor support.
So what was the battery life before?
10.5 hours est.
The HR is for High Resolution display. These netbooks have a 1366x768 resolution display, which probably accounts for the drop in battery life.
http://www.liliputing.com/2009/10/asus-japan-introduces-eee-pc-1005hr-with-hd-screen.html
Do your research.
Still waiting on a decent 10.1" netbook with ION and great battery life to replace my 1000HE.
What, you don't like the HP Mini 311?
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/05/hp-mini-311-with-ion-benchmarked-it-goes-very-fast/
And battery life is still decent...
I like Asus' new style, though the innards are lame. Seriously, without Microsoft's restrictions, shouldn't netbooks be thin and light, but actually have modern components?
Only if you want to make them very expensive.
I'm sure quite a few people would pay a bit more for it to run Home Premium instead of the Starter edition.
For triple the price, you'd kinda think that.
There is something to be said for disappointment though.
Horse shit is so much better than SuperTroll's comment or reply, or whatever that piece of junk is.
Now that there are affordable 11.6" CULV machines here, like the Acer 1410/1810, the Atom netbooks are dead to me. I'd only pay attention to the ones with Ion. Now if the CULV ultraportables could get ION. : )
Everyone talks ION this, ION that, it was a chipset made to work with the Atom processors, so even if we see any ION machines out, they will only have atoms in them, hopefully a similar solution will be created, with a better processor. I have ION with a 330, and it runs well, it does what it was designed for.
Not exclusively the Atom. You are forgetting the VIA Nano (ION also works with this CPU) which is significantly better in many performance tests. If VIA actually gets to releasing the dual-core Nano it will totally blow away the Atom.
No one remembers the Via Nano ... that chip has been MIA for years now.
The Nano is MIA? Interesting...
What then was the Cloudbook Max running on? The Lenovo s12 uses what processor other than an Atom?
How about the Samsung NC20? What does that use?
I wouldn't confuse a slow adoption rate with MIA :\
I really don't see Windows 7 Starter edition more than a gimmick to attract clueless customers to go:
"Oh Windows 7! I've heard it's better than Vista!"
And buy the horribly crippled version far inferior from what they expected.
True, not everyone might need or use the features of the "Superior" editions like Ultimate or Professional but the things Microsoft take out are becoming just ridiculous, I mean lack of media streaming and multiple monitors might not be ued but in the other way around, it MIGHT BE USED.
They are just pieces of code that they got on their hand and they decide to take such features out just so they can sell "Professional" version for more $$$?
Windows XP Home and Professional was bearable (Even though it was annoying) Vista editions were idiotic (Many of the bonus features for Ultimate Extras were useless or could easily be implemented on "inferior" versions)
Starter edition for 7 might be one of the worst way to shat on your customers(Thank god they didn't go ahead with the appliciton limits)
"They are just pieces of code that they got on their hand and they decide to take such features out just so they can sell "Professional" version for more $$$?"
That's ... correct.
Yeah - let's get all over Asus for not including a more expensive OS with features that are admitadely not going to be used by 95% of the user base.
Netbooks are all about maximizing cost efficiency with usability. Going with Windows Starter is a great choice. For those that need additional capabilities you can always upgrade to Home Premium.
95% of people don't change their desktop background.. or watch DVDs?
I'm all for Windows 7, but the Starter Edition really isn't a smart idea.
I do agree with you but I am just angry about microsoft for intentionally crippling some of the features easily implementable.
The OS could still be lean by not running such programs without user actions. And if I wanted ultra-slim OS, I'd just get Linux.
(Yeah, I know, compatability issues, sigh...)
Desktop background? Does anyone really care?
What are you going to put those DVD's in on a netbook?
@Nathan
An external USB drive obviously.
Apple don't even make netbooks, so that's like arguing that IBM is so much better than McDonalds.
Jesus, with the money Asus makes, can't they use a font and ad design that doesn't look like it was found on public access.
i have to say asus has lost me to the acer timeline notebooks/netbooks . i feel that they have played out the atom cpu so much that the eeepc has lost its drive. i got the acer 4810TZ for 449 and it def last 8hrs and has a 25gig drive 14 inch screen and dvdrw and some good power when you need it .
Asus has their own line of CULVs that are much better than Acer.
Also the decrease battery life is probably because of Windows 7 taking more power compared to XP
although not technically a netbook, a macbook air can ba classed as a large netbook, no optical drive, basic specs with less ports/connections and core 2 instead of atom and high price typical of apple
Oh boohoo, god forbid only 8.4hr of battery life
Please those little things are just good for Word, and I don't know how comples an excel file could be on that little thing.
Windows 7 is AWESOME.
Cut the C..P 8.4 hs Battery life still sounds great to me.
That's not a real Computer or it wouldn't have an ATOM porcessor, (if we can call that a processor)
More than enough to take notes
Not very particular about the battery life, 8hours is still a goodly amount.
Yeah, this is pretty much for taking my notes when the boss requires it, and that odd DVD movie. I paired my old Asus EEE with an external DVD burner for better functionality. -> http://www.digistor.com/Digistor-External-DVD-Burner-USB-2-0-Slot-Load
Whatever these guys produce, netbooks are netbooks, and Atom processors are just that. No need to confuse what these babies are for.
Windows Starter should come with at least a way to detect when you are going to use a projector... It's common place to use this small thingies for presentations, and given the oh so flanged new abilities to detect all and such... Well one would expect that at least it would let one show a powerpoint.
Now this is why Starter doesn't make sense. And in my most humble opinion, this netbook should have come with at least basic and a good explanation, or you know, Linux.
Thank Papa Smurf I decided to get my Eee before Win7 came out.