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The limited hard drive space mean that you will be placing all of your extra space in virtual memory (unless you turn VM off, and then you will take a performance jab). I received it within a week of ordering and it arrived in perfect condition. Windows Nlite performed slightly better, but I quickly switched back to the Xandros distro solely because it is better at performing everyday tasks. The Xandros linux distro that comes with the eeePC 2g surf is extraordinarily capable at doing necessary computing tasks such as web-browsing and word processing. It is very capable of running Compiz and running it well. Screen size isn't really an issue for me. Battery life is subpar, pulling in 2 hours from full charge with Wi-Fi on.
I found the screen to be quite bright and the colors to be very nice. This particular version isn't upgradeable, but if you are using this as a backup PC you won't really need to upgrade. The mouse pad is nice, and I can even touch type on the keyboard (and I'm a big guy). I use it for notes every day in college so mine sees a lot of use.
This little machine is one of the most capable that I have seen at this price range. The machine boots up very fast. However, if you enable the "advanced desktop" mode (which requires a bit of terminal work unfortunately) you will find your boot-up time to be doubled. DO NOT put windows on this machine unless you are planning to boot from an outside source. I often find myself messing up my notes because I accidently hit the up key instead of the shift. This PC is great and I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't have, but needs, two laptops. The processor isn't the speediest, but is capable of doing everything on linux with a moderate amount of speed. One other complaint: This thing gets hot.
They made the shift key too small and to the right of the up key, which is a HUGE problem for me. The speakers are loud and the Wi-Fi is what you would expect. Using it for an hour will make the wrist wrests hot, which can get uncomfortable at times. Excellent product.
The unit would not connect with my Linksys WiFi router properly and the battery life was an hour less than advertised.
I was so excited about getting a small, lightweight, easy to carry little computer. I could drive down the street and buy one for $299 from Target and it would cost less than sending this one back. A couple times when trying to type 'yes' to reboot - the keyboard wouldn't work either. Now I am really sad. I tried restarting, I called the ASUS support number, they had me press the reset button and start it up, press F9 to get back to the factory install settings, etc. But nothing worked. I ordered a 2G surf to take with me while traveling. They said they will pick it up tomorrow.
And I don't think the size of the keyboard would have bothered me. I called the shop from Amazon that I ordered it from and said I wanted to return it. I wanted small and sturdy and cheap - just to travel with now and then. I checked and it would have cost me $89 to send it there with 1 day shipping. The package got here, I opened it and set it up right away and then when I turned it on and the screen for the license agreement came up, I couldn't do anything - the touchpad wouldn't work at all. I was really looking forward to using this little guy.
I need it soon for a trip - they wanted me to send it back to them to CA with one day shipping and then they said they would send me another one. I bought it through a 3rd party here for $249. Now I don't know if I want to take a chance with another one of these or not or find another brand of mini-notebook.On the plus side - it started up quickly, as far as the startup went anyway. I didn't expect it to function like a full laptop, but I expected it to at least work.
For those who aren't used to programming, or those who simply don't want to get involved in complex applciations, it makes downloading new software and performing more complicated tasks very difficult. I can whip out my computer at a coffee shop, at the mall or at a presentation and get internet connections in under 2 minutes. I bought it as a simple portable computer that I could use to type notes on, surf the internet, use a flash and occasionally skype with. It has all the general functions of a computer tucked into a neat package that weighs under 2 pounds.
This is perfect for traveling anywhere be it on a bus, subway or plane. I am incredibly happy with this product. The online forum support for EEE pcs and Linux are helpful but involve a lot of time to figure everything. People come up to me all the time to ask what kind of computer it is, and I get compliments and comments on this laptop almost daily. I have heard some people comment that it fazes the line between a PDA and a laptop.
This is the kind of laptop to buy if you are happy to use things the way they come and don't need to download new programs, skins, browsers or applications. It is super convenient and the price is definitely right. It has reached and surpassed all of my expectations. For anyone who doesn't like lugging a laptop around (and 90% of laptops today ARE a task to carry around) this is perfect. But this is not a large cellphone - it is a mini laptop.
One small disadvantage is that the laptop comes with Linux. I would add that the WHITE color is beautiful and looks like a cool mini-mac. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a light, portable computer.
I am delighted with this little notebook. Also, I love Linux and will be replacing Windows with it on a couple of my desktop computers. It has the essential tools tht I need: its version of Microsoft word and powerpoint.
That's what I got. The small screen makes it difficult to find various "windows" when I'm on the internet retrieving e-mail. I wanted a durable, portable computer that I could easily transport.
The downside is a very small keyboard. It's great for accessing e-mail while I have coffee in a Starbuck's. It boots quickly, and I've never had a software failure.
At the price, it's a bargain. One should also pick up an external CD ROM since this occasionally comes in handy.
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