iPhone Killer for the CDMA crowd - well at least Sprint

At 06 Jul 2008 16:46:59 +0000 Larry wrote:

> > I currently run Open Office on my eee PC, under Linux. It's a nice
> > machine, but it doesn't either fit in my pocket or connect to cellular
> > networks.
>
>
> The eee is a nice machine, but seems to lack the company-encouraged
> community of Linux hackers that Maemo created to support it with eee-
> enhanced freeware.

It doesn't really need that- it's a "real" Linux PC with a standard PC
architecture. Any Linux software for PCs will run on it. Your tablet
needs a "Community" because it's NOT a PC, and needs software customized
for it's non-x86 processor and unique hardware configuration. "Off the
shelf" Linux software can be loaded on the EEE- no "hacking" or "porting"
necessary.

Where a hacker community has sprung up for the EEE is in the hardware- the
hackers have added touchscreens, internal USB ports to hide GPS, cell data
cards, more storage, etc.


> I played with a couple, one at CompuZone that one of
> the techies had with him. He's trying to sell it, now, so he can buy an
> N800.
>
> The killer was the 4GB or 8GB "solid state disk" drive. I suppose you
> can plug in an SDHC card, but I seem to remember something about it
didn't
> support a very big card, so I suppose you'll need a USB adapter for the
> big cards for storage sticking out the side.

It supports up to the current maximum- 32GB, AFAIK, but I use an 8GB as a
fixed "D" drive. (The 8GB was cheap and large enough for my purposes.)

> In a technology time where memory
> is just dirt cheap, that should have been 40GB and 80GB, not 4G and 8G.

It's a $300 PC- 32GB SDHC cards cost over half of that! Look a why thos
Macbook Airs are too expensive- SSHDs are (relatively) expensive.

> The OS and programs are tiny on Linux and that's not the problem....it's
> the storage for MEDIA that takes up so much space.

It's a real PC- standard cards, USB drives, etc. will work, no hacking
necessary.

I played with the included Linux OS for two days and slapped XP on mine
instead. XP used 2.5 GB of the included 4GB "hard drive" but there's
plenty of space on my 8GB SDHC card.

It's a nice web-connected device- I'm not using it as a media PC- just an e-
mail/web/remote terminal for the family when traveling. I typically use my
WinMo phone for all that.

---

› See More: iPhone Killer for the CDMA crowd - well at least Sprint

In article <[email protected]>,
Todd Allcock <[email protected]> wrote:

(about the eeePC)

> It's a $300 PC- 32GB SDHC cards cost over half of that! Look a why thos
> Macbook Airs are too expensive- SSHDs are (relatively) expensive.
>

....

> I played with the included Linux OS for two days and slapped XP on mine
> instead. XP used 2.5 GB of the included 4GB "hard drive" but there's
> plenty of space on my 8GB SDHC card.

It's worth noting that Todd and I are talking about different models.
Mine is the newer 900, which costs about $550, has a 9" screen and, in
the Linux version, a 20 gig flash "hard drive."

--
http://www.daviddfriedman.com/ http://daviddfriedman.blogspot.com/
Author of _Harald_, a fantasy without magic.
Published by Baen, paperback in bookstores now

"David Friedman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It's worth noting that Todd and I are talking about different models.
> Mine is the newer 900, which costs about $550, has a 9" screen and, in
> the Linux version, a 20 gig flash "hard drive."

Yes- I should have made that clear- sorry. I bought mine shortly before the
new model (900 series?) was released. I have the lower end 4G Linux unit
with 7" screen and webcam which listed at the time for $399, but was offered
at Buy.com on a special $300 deal. For $300 lousy bucks I couldn't resist,
and frankly didn't expect much. I was very impressed however, by the
performance if the device particularly considering it's low-end specs. It
even handles media playback and VoIP well.

IIRC, the 9" has a faster processor and more memory in addition to the
larger SSHD drive in the original device's form-factor. I'll wager it's
even more impressive!