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Thieves use Eee PC in Brazilian ATM scam
Man, that tiny Eee PC can be used for just about anything: surfing the web, blogging, surreptitiously hiding inside an ATM machine and stealing your identity. You know, the usual stuff. Yeah, so three creative Brazilian thieves were recently caught stuffing a black Eee into an ATM, where it replaced the ordinary magical-money-making workings and instead stole unwitting customers' card numbers and PINs. The thieves didn't stop there, however -- they purposefully damaged all the other nearby ATMs so that theirs would be the only one in service. Clever! Of course, that doesn't explain why it was so easy to crack open the target ATM in the first place -- we'd pretty much consider our cash flow problems solved if we could pull that trick. Check out the Brazilian TV report after the break -- any Portuguese speakers care to translate?
Keepin' it real fake, part CXVII: Kira 100 rides the Eee PC wave (a bit too closely)
It's one thing to bust out your own Eee PC wannabe knowing full well it isn't apt to catch on, but the Airis Kira 100 isn't even different enough to warrant such a label. No, this copycat smells, looks and likely feels just like Asus' darling, packing a 7-inch 800 x 480 resolution display, a 1GHz Via C7 processor, gigabit Ethernet / modem jacks, integrated multicard reader, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, 802.11b/g WiFi, built-in webcam and a battery good for "four hours." Oh please, don't tell us you're seriously considering this €299 ($476) imposter just because of the loud paint jobs. Wait, are you?[Via GadgetoBlog]
Eee PC 900 gets dissected, looks about the same as the Eee PC 700
Oh, poor Eee PC 900. You haven't even made it into most people's hands, and already you're getting dissected and inappropriately inspected. Honestly, we didn't mean for that to rhyme. Regardless, the folks over at bit-tech have gone to all the hassle of cracking the little dude open, though what they find inside is apparently more of the same. No new modules, no fancy layout changes, no tiny army of artificially intelligent lifeforms. Still, it's nice to look at. Take peek and see for yourself!
Atom-based Eee PC in June? Sure.
Everyone loves the Eee PC, especially now that Asus has increased the display from 7- to 8.9-inches, bumped the webcam to 1.3 megapixels, and widened the track-pad while adding in some nifty multi-touch capabilities. Unfortunately, we're still looking at a rated 1.5-hours of battery life since the new 900 uses the same power hungry CPU found in the original Eee PC. So where's Atom and its promise of "significant power savings?" Well, according to Techradar, they've been in touch with Taiwan-based ASUS' UK reps who believe that the Atom-based Eee PC will debut at Computex in early June and then launch globally shortly thereafter. Makes sense as June is the confirmed time frame for the Atom CPU launch. If true -- and we believe it is as it syncs up precisely with DigiTimes' sources -- then the only remaining mystery is whether the June model will also feature an 8.9-inch touchscreen (and possibly GPS) as promised by Asus. Let's hope so.[Thanks, Robert James P.]
ASUS Eee PC 900 review roundup
It's like this: if you found yourself all giddy playing with the Eee PC 701, you'll be absolutely enthralled when handling the 900. At least, that's the verdict being blasted out from reviewers web-wide. More specifically, CNET found the 9-inch subnote to be superior in quite a few ways to the 701, and felt particularly impressed with the ability to run multiple applications more easily due to more screen real estate and the included 1GB of RAM. However, they were none too thrilled with the keyboard (still), and echoed Trusted Reviews gripes of lackluster battery life. Yeah, that last dig could be fairly substantial if you're looking to stay untethered completely for hours on end, but if you're confident you can locate an AC outlet when necessary (and can't afford to wait for an Atom-based version of the machine), it seems the 9-inch Eee is well worth a look.Read - CNET review (8.7 out of 10)Read - Trusted Reviews review (...the Eee PC 900 still represents staggering value for money.)Read - Stuff.tv's video review
Eee PC 900 details, launch dates come trickling out
We've already gotten the disappointing word that the Eee PC 900's processor is the same 900MHz Celeron M found in the 701, but perhaps our hearts can be warmed by all the new details that came flooding out today. First, we've got word that the 900 will actually carry two different flash storage units, with 4GB soldered onto the motherboard and an 8GB SSD in the PCIe slot for XP versions and a 16GB unit for Linux models. The dual-storage system means you should be able to upgrade easily, but we're still wondering why the lighterweight OS gets more storage -- we've got a feeling that since both models will be priced at the same $500 - $650 price point depending on territory, Windows license fees have something to do with it. Speaking of territories, we've also learned some international ship dates: Hong Kong and UK customers should be seeing this pop up as of today, while France should join the fun on the 17th, Taiwan and Singapore later this month, and Australia, Germany and Italy will all have to wait until May. Sadly, we're still in the dark on Stateside release dates, but you'll know as soon as we do.Update: Asus just made the final specs official.[Thanks, Bob]Read - International launch datesRead - Dual flash storageRead - Eee PC 900 specs
Fukato's Eee-ish Datacask enters your life in May
Like the Eee? If you're enthusiastically shaking your head in the affirmative, perhaps you'll want to check out Fukato's low-cost Datacask (cheery, right?). Like the Jisus before it, the computer-maker hopes to garner some of that cheapo laptop market with this black and white number, which sports an 8-inch, 800 x 480 display, a 500MHz AMD Geode CPU, a 20GB 60GB hard drive, 512MB of RAM, and a (surprise!) Linux-based OS. The little dude will be hitting European shelves sometime in May for €279 (or about $440).[Via Liliputing]
ASUS Eee PC 900 gets unboxed
Yeah, you already knew what this 9-incher looked like from our time spent with it over in Germany, but there's just nothing like seeing a spotless machine escape from its factory packaging and delight its new owner for the first time. Hit the read link below for more shots, and do your best to withhold that growing pang of jealously, will ya?[Via jkkmobile, thanks Brad]
ASUS' 7-inch Eee PC now available at Best Buy in XP flavor
Sure, the picture on the purchase page shows the little guy running Xandros -- but read the fine print ya'll. That's right, the moment some of you have been waiting for has finally descended upon us like the enraged, ancient dragons of yore. The Windows XP equipped ASUS Eee PC is now available at Best Buy. For just $399.99, you can experience the totally okay performance that is this 7-inch master of destruction. Enjoy it now, but remember, those 9-inch models are just around the corner.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Windows XP to live until 2010... on the Eee
We puzzled over Microsoft's cryptic statements at CeBIT that the Eee's "other requirements" would lead to an adjustment of the Windows 7 timeline, and it looks like our first guess was spot-on: Microsoft will be making Windows XP available for Eee-class ultraportables until 2010, and possibly later. Demand for XP on devices like the Eee and Intel's Classmate machines has prompted MS to reconsider axing XP entirely this June: the company will now sell XP Home through at least June 2010, and for one year after the release of Windows 7 -- which means sales of XP could stretch into 2012. There's no word on if the build of XP Home targeted at the ultraportable laptop set will be different from regular XP builds, but we doubt there'll be many changes -- it'll be awfully sad if people are still clamoring for XP more than a decade after its initial release, though.[Thanks, JP]
Windows XP-powered Eee PC laptop: $400, April 9th
Sounds like we've finally got a price and a date for the XP powered Eee PC: $400, and April 9th. The hardware's identical to current-gen Eee PCs, though, so if you're happy with your little white lappy and are itching for XP you might try to pick up a license on eBay. Still, if all goes well for ASUS, they'll be selling 4x what they did the first time around, innit?P.S. -If you are, for whatever reason, itching to read more about current hardware running the 7 year old OS, Laptop's got a hands-on. Nothing that wasn't already out there though.
ASUS' 9-inch Eee PC 900 hits the FCC with full teardown, gets multi-finger gesture support
Eee fans, your second-wildest dream has just come to pass. ASUS' next version of the mini-laptop has hit the FCC, and we've got the pictures to prove it. Yes, as we speak (possibly, but maybe not) inspectors from the agency are poring over details of the 9-inch, second generation system -- referred to here as the Eee 900 -- desperately hoping that none of its radio waves do anything funky to anyone else's radio waves. There's no secret-sauce WiMAX or drastic changes we can see, though the manual does make mention of "multi-finger gesture input," which will apparently provide the ability to zoom in, zoom out, and do familiar two-finger scrolling on the newly resized trackpad. Check the pictures in the gallery for loads of looks at the new entry, including a view of its insides that'll make your eyes water.%Gallery-19220%
ASUS releases Eee SDK, open source continues to be open
Word on the street is that ASUS has joined the fray and released an SDK for its Eee line. According to the folks over at Eee Site, the Xandros-based software package is available for download as a 1.2GB disk image. Of course, since the mini-laptop's Linux-based OS is... well, Linux, it doesn't really seem like an SDK would be necessary. Could it be that the company is just jumping on the development bandwagon, which has gone from obscure hacker-geek territory to front page Apple news? Perhaps, but it's still nice to see developers getting some attention for once. Hit the read link to get your downloads -- and apps -- started.[Via Eee Site]
Acer's Eee competition to have lower price tag, more beautiful eyes
According to a report on the lately-talkative Acer, the company's first iteration of Eee PC-competition will be somewhat cheaper than ASUS' current (and future) sticker prices. In a scant article, speculation abounds that the first wave of Acer-made 8.9-inch laptops will be priced around $350 to $400, while ASUS will market its 8.9-inch micro-top for $50 to $100 more. Word on the street is that Acer will launch its cheapo solution sometime in May, but ASUS will preempt the introduction with an April landing for the 2nd generation Eee. Of course, we're looking forward to the glorious future where laptops are simply free, all men live in harmony, and multi-colored unicorns once again roam the Earth.
Asus EP20 desktop emerges from CeBIT confusion
This shiny little box seems to have slipped under just about everyone's radar during the CeBIT whirlwind earlier this month, but the folks at matbe.com thankfully scored some pictures and details on their trip past Asus' booth, and they're suggesting that it could, in fact, be the desktop Eee PC that the company's been talking about. That claim is backed up by the fact that it comes with the Eee PC's Linux-based OS installed, although there's apparently no other firm details on the desktop (dubbed the EP20) just yet, only that it has "good enough performance" and boasts "docking for living & studying room." There also doesn't seem to be any official word on a price (matbe speculates €200, or just over $300), but it will supposedly be released sometime this summer.[Via Eee Site]
Asus expects Windows Eee PC to outsell Linux counterpart 6 to 4
Asus has never been one to shy away from making from making bold predications about it's fast-selling Eee PC, and it's now come out with yet another feat of prognostication, saying that it expects it's forthcoming Windows-based Eee PC to outsell its Linux-based counterpart by a ratio of 6 to 4. As PC World points out, that's despite the fact that the Windows version will cost nearly twice as much as the cheapest Linux-based Eee PC. Asus chairman Jonney Shih seems undaunted by that fact, however, and assures us that "a lot of people have been waiting for the Windows version."
MSI intros the Eee-ish Wind PC
Apparently MSI is gearing up to release its own Eee competitor, tentatively called the Wind PC. There's not a lot known about the system (which was shown at CeBIT), though it's slated to feature an 8- or 10-inch, 1024 x 768 display, utilize Intel's Atom CPU, will make 2.5-inch hard drive and SSD options available for storage, and will come with 1GB of RAM standard. The mini-laptops are set to range in price from £299 to £699 depending on configuration, feature 1GHz or 1.6GHz CPUs, and should first be available with a Linux build installed -- though the company claims a Windows version will be made as well. Based on photos we've seen, the laptops will come in a variety of colors, though it appears that these are still in prototype territory, so anything could change.[Thanks, Jarrett]Read - MSI Wind, details of the new low-cost laptop MSIRead - MSI Wind PC
Asus spills more details on the 9-inch Eee
In a recent interview, Asus CEO Jerry Shen talked up the company's newest edition to the Eee family, and also dropped a few more details on the forthcoming laptop. Apparently, the new set of miniature PCs will up the SSD capacity, with sizes ranging from 8GB in the XP-equipped model, up to 12GB or 20GB in the Linux versions -- though it's hard to say why the smaller-footprint Linux would need more drive space. Shen also revealed that there are tentative plans to release WiMAX and HSDPA-enabled models sometime in Q3 of 2008, and he confirmed that come May the company will trade up to Intel's Diamondville (er, Atom) chips. In addition, more colors are on the way, and the base price in the US will be $499 at launch -- though that figure is expected to drop in the following months.[Via Eee Site]
Asus and Microsoft working an Eee-targeted version of Windows 7?
So now that the nine-inch Eee is officially available with Windows XP pre-installed, people are wondering the obvious -- why XP and not Vista, since XP is being discontinued in June and Vista can kinda-sorta be made to run on an Eee? The answer, direct from Microsoft, is both obvious and a little surprising: Given the Eee's "other requirements," Asus and Microsoft "couldn't go the Vista route," presumably because the Eee doesn't really have the horsepower for it. Sure, but what caught our interest was that Microsoft is "in close discussions with Asus [regarding] how to take that forward... in regards to the Windows 7 Europe timeframe." Windows 7, you'll recall, has that lean new kernel, which would presumably make building a stripped-down version specifically for Eee-class machines easier -- but the last we heard, Windows 7 wasn't due until at least mid-2009 (and possibly not until 2011), so either Microsoft is planning to continue shipping XP after June or Windows 7 is coming much earlier than we thought. Our money is on XP continuing to soldier on, but here's hoping.[Thanks, Omar]
Eee PC hacked to accommodate 1.2GHz Pentium M processor
In case you haven't noticed, the Eee PC has quickly become a favorite among folks that like to, shall we say, customize things, and it now looks like you can chalk up another big modification to the list of operations the laptop has gone under. This latest come to us from one "guryhwa," who managed to cram a 1.2GHz Pentium M processor into the laptop, giving it a bit of boost of the stock Celeron. Needless to this, this particular hack involves some soldering and a good deal of guts, but you apparently at least don't have to make any modifications to the BIOS. Without any changes, however, the processor only runs at 840MHz, although guryhwa's apparently working to improve that.[Via Eee Site]
