Comments on: The Asus Eee PC, and why small could be big

By: chris

chris — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:02:26 +0000

I must admit I found your keyboard hard to use – kept missing letters, had to go back and hit them again. Vegasitis, perhaps?

By: Paul Bradshaw

Paul Bradshaw — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:01:57 +0000

What’s very interesting to me is that Linux-powered sub-£100 laptops are the big thing for schools at the moment (see last week’s Guardian Education supplement), so we will be seeing a generation of people who have grown up with this sort of thing rather than the Windows generation.

By: Neil Mc

Neil Mc — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:51:38 +0000

Craig – I am secure in my metrosexuality, of which my manbag is a key expression

The keyboard is fine; it *is* very small, but fine for bashing out notes, or blog posts. I wouldn’t pick it to write my next book… as much as anything, the screen’s pretty tiny too. But it is possible to touch type, and browse reasonably well.

I’ve got the Asus as a second laptop – think it works well in that role, or perhaps as a second computer – you’ll want something full size somewhere, but sometimes it’s more important to have a laptop that is really easily portable.

I hear rumours that a new model with bigger screen and maybe more memory is due out v soon, which is likely the one onionbagblogger mentions above, so it might be worth holding out.

My only concern is that Asus haven’t been very good at meeting demand, ala Apple of a few years ago – these little laptops would be far bigger had they made more.

By: Craig McGill

Craig McGill — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:22:26 +0000

Of course, in all the geek excitement, I forgot to pull you up for the admission of having a manbag!

By: onionbagblogger

onionbagblogger — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:20:12 +0000

My Asus is just fine with me. The keyboard isn't really an issue, no more so than switching from a PC to a Mac keyboard. The problem you might have is tracking an Asus down right now. 4Gig stock is pretty much exhausted, albeit for a few unscrupulous eBayers. It may be worth waiting for the 8Gig, expected sometime next month. This tracker is pretty cool.

By: Gareth

Gareth — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:17:15 +0000

The keyboard is undoubtedly small (the return key particularly so) but I got used to it quickly. I find the trackpad extremely sensitive, even after tinkering with it. For £200 though, it’s amazing value.

By: Craig McGill

Craig McGill — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:07:27 +0000

I’m sorely tempted to pick one up to replace my thumped 12″ powerbook but how do you find the keyboard for extended typing?

(a part of me wants to just get the bluetooth keyboard for the nokia N-95 but another part of me wants of these)