Laptop suggestions
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: San Diego, CA
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...u,1947-11.html
Wow, the plot thickens when you read up on the Atom chip. There's a eee 901, the same case but with the new chip, and a claimed EIGHT HOURS of battery life. The infortunate thing is the chipset - sure, more cpu performance, but a lot less of everything else and a lot more power. The pda chipset actually has hardware h264 decoding, awesome for me since I has hundreds of movies in that format. :-)
It turns out perhaps the 900 and the 901 cost the same, but perhaps a bigger drive and longer battery life is good, forgetting how good they could-have-done, and just looking at what-you-get it's a decent trade off. For the 10" eee, the 1000's and their ilk, you're just spending what you can get a core 2 duo in a 14" laptop, and really only saving an inch in each dimension and getting a crappy screen.
I'll still look around a bit for a cheap used 14", but right now if I can find a 901 I think that's the way to go.
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The minimotes looked really pricey?
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You've been reading the same reviews I have - I haven't seen ANY 901's yet here in the US, but I'll look, now. I just found out about it recently.
The UX us utterly ridiculous. ****, I could buy a car for that much. :-) Seriously, I was excited when I saw only $725 for one, but it turned out to be that much just for a warranty on one!
Anyway, this 901 thing intrigues me. Sure, I'd like to spend less (like, the 300-350 for a 4G) but I think you're getting something for it - like the lack of heat sink, much much longer battery life, and more storage.
Wow, the plot thickens when you read up on the Atom chip. There's a eee 901, the same case but with the new chip, and a claimed EIGHT HOURS of battery life. The infortunate thing is the chipset - sure, more cpu performance, but a lot less of everything else and a lot more power. The pda chipset actually has hardware h264 decoding, awesome for me since I has hundreds of movies in that format. :-)
It turns out perhaps the 900 and the 901 cost the same, but perhaps a bigger drive and longer battery life is good, forgetting how good they could-have-done, and just looking at what-you-get it's a decent trade off. For the 10" eee, the 1000's and their ilk, you're just spending what you can get a core 2 duo in a 14" laptop, and really only saving an inch in each dimension and getting a crappy screen.
I'll still look around a bit for a cheap used 14", but right now if I can find a 901 I think that's the way to go.
--------------
The minimotes looked really pricey?
----------------
For what Abe is looking for, I'd think that the Eee 901, with its 1.6Ghz Atom processor, will be entirely adequate. It's got the processing power of a "real" PC with a form-factor that fits anywhere, and it's relatively inexpensive to boot. If not, I'd suggest checking out either the Vaio VGN-UX or the Vaio VGN-TX / TXN. In particular, the keyboard on the UX is laughable, however the machine weighs less than 1.5 lbs (with battery) and the new ones run friggin' Vista! It's basically a PDA that happens to have a real processor in it.
The UX us utterly ridiculous. ****, I could buy a car for that much. :-) Seriously, I was excited when I saw only $725 for one, but it turned out to be that much just for a warranty on one!
Anyway, this 901 thing intrigues me. Sure, I'd like to spend less (like, the 300-350 for a 4G) but I think you're getting something for it - like the lack of heat sink, much much longer battery life, and more storage.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,047
Total Cats: 13
From: San Diego, CA
P.S. As to the keyboard, my old HP "clamshell" pda from back in the day was a full inch narrower, and after a couple days practice, I could type on it quite well. Yes, slower than on a full keyboard, but not much. Maybe 20-30% slower, but it was consistant, and I could touch type on it without looking at great length.
If this thing had a touch screen (fantastic when you have a small keyboard right below the screen) it would be idea.
Also, the 901 has bluetooth 2 and 802.11n. The only disappointing thing is 3 USB slots when the cpu supports 8 natively! MAN I hate that.
If this thing had a touch screen (fantastic when you have a small keyboard right below the screen) it would be idea.
Also, the 901 has bluetooth 2 and 802.11n. The only disappointing thing is 3 USB slots when the cpu supports 8 natively! MAN I hate that.
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 34,384
Total Cats: 7,506
From: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Not to mention the fact that you could put an Ariel sticker on the lid and confuse people. 
Ask and ye shall receive: http://cgi.ebay.com/8-9-inch-Touch-Screen-Panel-kit-Asus-EEEPC-900-901_W0QQitemZ270248137136QQihZ017QQcategoryZ177QQs sPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
For Pete's sake, how many USB devices do you need to hang off of a computer that weighs 2 pounds?

The only disappointing thing is 3 USB slots when the cpu supports 8 natively! MAN I hate that.
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 34,384
Total Cats: 7,506
From: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,047
Total Cats: 13
From: San Diego, CA
Not to mention the fact that you could put an Ariel sticker on the lid and confuse people. 
Ask and ye shall receive: http://cgi.ebay.com/8-9-inch-Touch-Screen-Panel-kit-Asus-EEEPC-900-901_W0QQitemZ270248137136QQihZ017QQcategoryZ177QQs sPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Ask and ye shall receive: http://cgi.ebay.com/8-9-inch-Touch-Screen-Panel-kit-Asus-EEEPC-900-901_W0QQitemZ270248137136QQihZ017QQcategoryZ177QQs sPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
JUST when I decide I should get a real toptop, and forget this eee thing. WHY do this to me? Sadistic bastard.
damnit. That's it, I'm going to try to get this dell for $600, if I fail, THEN I'll worry about this whole eee thing again. If I succeed, I still could resell it.
For Pete's sake, how many USB devices do you need to hang off of a computer that weighs 2 pounds?
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,047
Total Cats: 13
From: San Diego, CA
Do you think the eee's are jokes as real computers, and I should just get the minimum I need to run MegaTune, or is it close enough to a laptop that you can get by with it on short trips, etc?
What are the minimum requirements to run megatune and MLV?
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 34,384
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From: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
According to the MegaTune documentation "Just about any computer that is capable of booting Windows 95 (or better) will be fast enough"
MLV is about the same. Both run nicely under Windows 2000 on my P3-400 with 128MB.
MLV is about the same. Both run nicely under Windows 2000 on my P3-400 with 128MB.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,047
Total Cats: 13
From: San Diego, CA
I'll agree, with that phone, breasts, and a slightly open shirt, you've got the world wrapped around your finger. Even if you lose the phone.
I have nothing to add, since I'm pretty sure you posted all that after knowing I got the Dell (besides, if the asus costs $150 to ship at only 1.1 kg, what do you think even the thinest of those asian girls costs?), I'll just post this.
I have nothing to add, since I'm pretty sure you posted all that after knowing I got the Dell (besides, if the asus costs $150 to ship at only 1.1 kg, what do you think even the thinest of those asian girls costs?), I'll just post this.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,047
Total Cats: 13
From: San Diego, CA
Nice, very nice.
Of course, those end up being several hundred more, have smaller harddrives and/or slower CPUs, and a 20% wider body. :-) I'm pretty happy with the laptop I got, only there's one with an GForce Go in it for sale I'm thinking of buying and stripping the card out of and reselling. :-)
Of course, those end up being several hundred more, have smaller harddrives and/or slower CPUs, and a 20% wider body. :-) I'm pretty happy with the laptop I got, only there's one with an GForce Go in it for sale I'm thinking of buying and stripping the card out of and reselling. :-)
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 34,384
Total Cats: 7,506
From: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
What a shame... Your car would have looked so heterosexual with a small plate protruding out just above the radio, bearing velcro, and holding an Eee 901 atop it. It would have looked something like this:
































