Excuse my Freudian slip, but I couldn't help but think that the new ultra-thin Eee PC netbook by Asus has a striking resemblance to the MacBook Air. Just launched yesterday, this tiny device weighs 2.4 pounds, offers a 10-inch screen and is 1-inch thick, which is smaller than the Air on all accounts. No word on a release date just yet, and rumors are swirling that it could cost around $650 . . . now that is a price I can handle, unlike the $1,800 for the Air.
Although I've said before that I wouldn't ditch my computer for a slim and watered-down netbook, I can see the appeal. For some folks, toting around a five pound machine conjures up thoughts of neck stiffness and shoulder realignments, while spending upwards of $1700 for an ultra-light MacBook Air can really break the bank, especially in these volatile economic times. And whether or not Steve Jobs thinks that netbooks are gaining in popularity, the fact remains that they are!
So if you are going to spend your hard earned cash on a tiny mini netbook, the least I could do is help you decide which one is right for you. Check out my guide to the best mini notebooks out there on the market today. No need to thank me, it's all in a day's work.
As adorable as I find Asus's EEE PC and Everex's Cloudbook as dreamy and light as a MacBook Air, I just have no need for an ultramobile PC. The Air has more memory than the two former petite PCs, but its lack of an external drive exempts it from ever becoming my main computer. As nice as it would be to travel with a tiny laptop, I couldn't leave my full-size, powerful laptop at home.
And now, with news that the latest mini laptop is a $240 paperback-sized laptop by CherryPal, the big manufacturers are starting to worry about the low costs of these PCs threatening their big machines, and in turn, their livelihood. That is — if everyone can get into them. But as of right now, they don't have to worry about me, because I'm not ready to give up my mondo storage and speed. What about you? Are you ready to switch to a teeny tiny computer?
So I gather that most of you weren't that impressed with yesterday's suggestion of the Everex Cloudbook as a MacBook Air alternative. A lot of you commented that the Cloudbook was shall we say, unattractive. Meet Asus' EEE PC if you haven't already: This mini PC is also teensy and Linux-based, and definitely beats the Cloudbook in appearance (though the Cloudbook is supposed to come out in "female colors" very soon).
The EEE is a wee 7-inches (smaller than the Air and Everex's machine) already on sale. Now for the big differences: The EEE only comes in 2, 4, and 8GB models (where the Cloudbook is 30GB) and the Cloudbook and EEE are comparable in price — sort of: The 2GB is $300, the 4GB is $400, and the 8GB is $500.
Both are rumored to feature a touchscreen very soon, and though the EEE is unquestionably better-looking than the Cloudbook, it's still not better looking than the Air. I guess it really comes down to what your needs and preferences are. . .Will any of you be buying one of these little laptops?
