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- 4DFX, on 04/21/2008, -4/+219Hear that Dell?
- carpespasm, on 04/21/2008, -3/+149yay! This is a good use of the extra money that would otherwise go to a windows license.
- wildmXranat, on 04/21/2008, -1/+82No OS license fee FTW !!
- JMSantos, on 04/21/2008, -1/+58Asus isn't trying to sell and promote linux, they are trying to sell computers and make a profit off them. It was a great idea.
- solarwind24, on 04/21/2008, -1/+56Asustek spokesman Charlton Ho called it a "strategic decision."
Dugg just for his comment. - TeacherOfHeroes, on 04/21/2008, -0/+49"Excluding the XP license cost issue, how is this promoting the perception of a fair choice or fair market to the average buyer?"
Why should we exclude it when it is the primary motivator for the difference in features? If Asus doesn't have to pay for a windows license for the Eee you buy, they can either
a) lower the price
b) upgrade your hardware
I see nothing here that works against the free market. As for the "perception [...] to the average buyer", maybe they'll finally start to realize that windows costs money. Microsoft has done a wonderful job of hiding that fact, and now that the price tag reflects that fact, it's somehow interfering with the perception of a fair market? - inactive, on 04/21/2008, -0/+48My guess: when Microsoft sold them XP licenses, they included a "Linux and windows versions must be sold at the same price" clause in the contract to hide the fact that windows in more expensive and this is Asus's way of getting around it
Also, anyone know when the Atom based refresh of the 900 will be released? - carpespasm, on 04/21/2008, -3/+44I don't like the use of proprietary hardware, but I'll applaud Dell for making preinstalled linux more available. Baby steps people.
- Konrad9, on 04/21/2008, -1/+40How about a Linux version with a 9" screen and... 4-8GB drive for........ $399?
- repick3, on 04/21/2008, -3/+36Orly? 8 more gigs might not be that much... but I'd think it would be worth $50... Its a couple movies or an extensive music library.
- rockets, on 04/21/2008, -3/+32People: iPhone users paid $600 for 8GB of storage..... TOTAL
- phaedrusiszen, on 04/21/2008, -3/+30Why would anyone want to downgrade like that?
- sk11, on 04/21/2008, -4/+30Many "average Joes" won't even know what the hell windows xp is...
- kingofpenguins, on 04/21/2008, -8/+34their
- sirhomer, on 04/21/2008, -7/+32You get to pick from 8GB of SSD space or Windows XP Home. 8GB of extra SSD space (SSD space! Flash memory isn't cheap), and a superior operating system? I think this is very fair.
- repick3, on 04/21/2008, -2/+25They might go, "Oooh... 8 more GB! I should ask someone who knows a lot about computers about this"
What I want to know is how stripped down the XP is. - MadEnvoy, on 04/21/2008, -0/+22oh, it seems like a good block and report.
- inactive, on 04/21/2008, -7/+26The 549 linux version is still over priced, *waits for the atom processor* , or maybe the MSI wind. At this point the HP mini note even seems better. I really wanted the new Eee pc, but the short battery life, and price point upsets me
- badqat, on 04/21/2008, -3/+19It is when you're talking 8 gig v. 16 gig iPhone...and it is when you're talking 12 gig v. 20 gig on a sub-laptop too.
- hassanchop13, on 04/21/2008, -0/+15actually, gigs are the first thing most people look at after the price.
- z0mbie2099, on 04/21/2008, -7/+22The prices difference would've been marketing for Linux.
- thecheatah, on 04/21/2008, -3/+18At the time I checked it was +35
- inactive, on 04/21/2008, -0/+14thats what i want
- brkhobowriter, on 04/21/2008, -1/+15A 32 GB SSD, which in this system is a 20 GB, costs up to $1000 alone.
The processor is about $50-$100.
Everything else added up is at least $100.
I don't know how Asus is making these. - Labourer, on 04/21/2008, -2/+16 A little bit unfortunate for the windows user here as he is the one who will be needing the extra space to accomodate his bloated operating system not the linux user.
- dnl2ba, on 04/21/2008, -1/+15I'm a Windows user, and I agree. This is a good alternative use of the money, and helps highlight the cost of a software license in buying a new PC.
Since I'd basically only use a UMPC or MID for web browsing anyway, Linux would probably suit my purposes, too. - inactive, on 04/21/2008, -0/+14The issue is battery life, so what if 900Mhz Celeron is better, the atom is going to bring at least 4+ hours of battery life. And to me, thats a selling point
- sirhomer, on 04/21/2008, -7/+20Or they could say: The computer with Loonix is $50 cheaper. It must be shoddy! I'll stick with the familiar "Winders" software that came with my e-Machine, it's only $50 more..
- amanilaenvelope, on 04/21/2008, -2/+15but they're good for looking at porno
- jstone, on 04/21/2008, -0/+13I've met many people that don't understand what Microsoft Windows is. They think that all graphical operating systems are Windows.
- Patrickdnj, on 04/21/2008, -1/+1436?
- aywwts4, on 04/21/2008, -0/+12I have met people who think their operating system is dell.
Other people I have met think Microsoft owns Compaq/whatever, and their computer is a windows compaq, these are the people who can't understand linux, they don't think their system can ever run anything else. "But why does Microsoft allow that?!" is a common response to the idea that a system doesn't have to run windows. Many people seriously believe an alternative operating system is certainly illegal, and anyone using it is probably a nefarious hacker. - barius, on 04/21/2008, -0/+12It is not a 20Gb SSD, it is a 4Gb SSD + 20Gb Flash.
- Ellipsys, on 04/21/2008, -0/+11The Atom that was tested there (Silverthrorne) is not the one that is even considered for the Eee. The Eee will be using a Diamondville Atom, which does beat the Celeron in performance.
- brkhobowriter, on 04/21/2008, -1/+12Plus the contract fees, phone plan, data plan...
- Myztry, on 04/21/2008, -2/+13Let's face it. With machines of the caliber of the Eee pc people aren't going to be running Photoshop or similar types of applications that Microsoft likes to claim credit for.
Any current version of Linux is going to be able to provide the kind of capabilities that sub-notebooks are best suited too. And the best way to encourage the general public to discover that is by using the bigger number (storage) to get their interest.
There's absolutely no reason for the majority of people who do mundane tasks like browse the web, check email, write letters, view holiday snaps, etc to pay money to Microsoft - simply because they exist.
The Eee PC won't run Crysis, etc. The people who want to do high end tasks aren't going to be buying sub-notebooks for the purpose. I'm sure the average consumer with their music, digi-pics, essays, FW: email's, etc are going to appreciate the extra storage. - solarwind24, on 04/21/2008, -13/+23If you REALLY want windows, there's always thepiratebay.
- dagamer34, on 04/21/2008, -8/+18The ultra-notebook market makes no sense when manufacturers keep increasing prices with more and more features to get specs "up to level" with what people ask for. I mean, has it ever occurred to people that a normal laptop is what you are looking for?
I just feel that people are getting ripped off if the spend $649 on an ultra-portable when any Dell or HP does more for less. - dallashigh, on 04/21/2008, -1/+11Under the SuperPI benchmark, a 1.6GHz single-core Atom (most likely to be used in the Eee as it is the cheapest) is out-performed by the 900MHz Celeron currently used in the Eee.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Atom#Silverthor ... - puzzud, on 04/21/2008, -0/+10Yeah. I'm starting to consider the Eee Pc less and less because of the price. Bigger screen... good, more memory... don't need too much out of the box. What I would have liked to have seen improved was the battery life. If my computer is going to be so small... let it the battery life go nuts. Otherwise, with a price approaching $600, you might as well get a nice lappy @$650.
- iofthestorm, on 04/21/2008, -2/+11Meh, you'd need a USB CD drive for that though.
- mrsteveman1, on 04/21/2008, -1/+10Ok, so how is that any different from EeePC? or anything else for that matter. The EeePC bios is closed source.......must be proprietary hardware then.
If you were talking about the modem, no one makes discrete serial modems any more, they are all built in to the audio chipset, hence the need for complex software which dell paid dearly for so your Dell Ubuntu box would still be able to use the modem.
Other than that, wtf are you talking about. - apophenic, on 04/21/2008, -2/+11You guys all have pretty serious superiority complexes, huh?
- LinuxGalore, on 04/21/2008, -1/+10You missed a "word" the ASUS EEE isnt "just a laptop" its a "Ultra Portable Laptop" ie weighing less than 1Kg. If you go look at prices for laptops in the sub 1Kg weight class most of them are around $1-2K. A good example is the Toshiba R500 ultra portable with a flash drive is over $1,800 US.
- inactive, on 08/26/2008, -0/+9I like what Asus is doing, in that 20GB is actually significantly more than 12GB (I'm not going to pay for another SSD to replace it when I need more space...), and it doesn't make Linux seem like the "budget" (i.e. "almost as good") option by making it cheaper, but rather gets people to focus on "this is a slightly better laptop for the exact same price".
- inactive, on 04/21/2008, -2/+11How ethical of you :P
...Okay, fine, so I don't care. But still. - inactive, on 04/21/2008, -3/+12Do not feed the troll. Or idiot. Whatever you like to call people like this.
And plus, come on, does everyone need to post the current number of Diggs when they read this? - danjwray, on 04/21/2008, -1/+9*dumb enough
- estvir, on 04/21/2008, -4/+12Proprietary hardware? You really don't know what that means, do you?
- minorthreat, on 04/21/2008, -1/+9Obviously no one would win in that situation
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