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Engadget

Toys 'R' Us Now Selling iPods and Eee PCs


Toys 'R' Us, the primary provisioner of joy and happiness to children in the world, is branching out into iPods and Eee PCs. Though never a stranger to consumer electronics, Toys 'R' Us has traditionally shied away from strict gadgetry -- with a notable exception being Zune sales starting last year. Now the retailer will be offering iPods in a little "iPod boutique," with various shuffles, nanos, touches and related accessories to help you fill those stockings and bolster Geoffrey's bottom line. The Eee PC will be offered in black and white, with low-end 7-inch Linux and XP versions available for $269 and $299, respectively.
Engadget

Ultra Stylish and Affordable Eee Box Gets Pricing Details

Asus Eee Box
We know pretty much everything about Asus' Atom-powered Eee Box -- we even have a bevvy of pretty pictures -- but as of yet we didn't know exactly how much the little bugger was going to cost. Fret not, for we now can tell you that the Wii-like computer will cost £199 ($392) -- including keyboard and mouse -- and will pack an 80GB HDD and a DVI out. It will come with Windows XP Home pre-installed while those two USB ports are confirmed. No word yet on stateside pricing and release date, but we'll keep our eyes open. [Source: stuff.tv]

[Thanks, Joe]

Hands-On: Asus' Atom-based Eee PC 901


What, you're not in Taipei? No problem, Engadget Chinese is at the WiMax Expo with the first WiMax-enabled Eee PC 901 pictures. Showing off a funky, cutaway hinge (likely due to missing battery), the Eee PC 901 features Intel's Atom processor as expected, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g, and now 802.11n too (hoozah!). The card reader supports MMC/SD/SDHC cards and the WiMax chipset is Intel's Link 5150. Keep in mind that the Link 5150 is a dual-mode WiFi and WiMax module. In other words, there's no guarantee the 802.11n will carry over to the WiMax-less 901 being announced tomorrow. A few more pics after the break, all the rest at our Chinese site.
Engadget

Atom-Based Eee PC 901 Out on June 3rd with Bluetooth for $650

June's shaping up to be a pretty special month 'round here. In addition to whatever Apple's got up its sleeve and all the new gear set to announce at Computex, Asus will be launching its Atom-based Eee PC 901 just like we heard. June 3rd is the date for "a price below" $650. We assume that means $649.99. DigiTimes' reliable market channel sources claim the 8.9-inch 901 will also feature Bluetooth for the first time (you know, without a hack) while the rest of the tech specs remain the same. That's $250 more than the 10-inch, Atom-based, MSI Wind running Linux and launching on the same day. Oh ASUS, what have you done?

Update: To be fair, it could be that the $650 Eee PC 901 model runs XP and the Linux-based Eee PC 901 will sell for (a lot) less -- the XP-flavor of the MSI Wind costs between $500 and $549. [Source: Digitimes]

Which Is the Best Mini-Notebook for Typing?

Mini-Notebook Keyboard Shootout
Miniature notebooks, like the ASUS Eee, may be all the rage these days, but they come at a cost. Typing on these diminutive computers is slow and uncomfortable. The problem is that as the computer shrinks, so does the keyboard, which leads to missed keys and lost punctuations as our touch typing skills are rendered useless by the lost width. Laptop Magazine decided to take three of the more popular mini-notebook models and find out which one was the least terrible for typing out Hamlet's soliloquy.

The clear winner was the HP 2133 Mini-note, which all three testers were able to average a full 10 WPM (words per minute) faster on than the ASUS Eee and CTL 2Go PC (Classmate) which both came in within half a WPM of each other at 44.75 WPM and 44.25 WPM respectively. [Source: Laptop Magazine]
Engadget

Asus Rumored to Be Spinning Off EeePC Brand With 11-Inch Model

Information doesn't get much more twisted than this so you'd best tread lightly with it. We've got a DigiTimes rumor whose message appears modified in translation. Engadget Chinese tells us that the original DigiTimes article (in Chinese) states that Asus is planning an Eee PC "sub-corporation."

In other words, an ASUS spin-off that would include more than just low-cost ultra-portables. The rumor is attributed to DigiTimes' proven ASUS sources. However, DigiTimes' own English translation simply calls the move an Eee "sub-brand" which was already obvious with ASUS' announced plans for additional Eee branded products including the E-DT desktop, E-TV television, and 19- to 21-inch E-Monitor all-in-one said to be due in Q3. DigiTimes' sources also claim that ASUS will slap a 1001 model number on its 10.6-inch Eee PC and then -- perhaps supporting the spin-off claim -- says that there will be a premium 11-inch Eee PC before the end of the year as well.

Originally, Jerry Shen, ASUS CEO, said the Eee PC would never exceed 10-inches so that it wouldn't cut into ASUS' laptop offerings. A spinoff would presumably give the Eee brand more freedom to compete.

[Via Engadget Chinese]

Read -- DigiTimes (Chinese)
Read -- DigiTimes (English)
Engadget

ASUS Replacing Eee PC 900 Batteries With Longer Lasting Versions


Attaboy, ASUS. Not even 24-hours after reports starting flooding in over end users receiving less capacious Eee PC batteries in Hong Kong than expected, the firm is stepping up and doing the right thing. According to an admittedly rough translation of a statement on its website, ASUS is openly thanking its supporters for their business, and while it seems as though it's still chalking the whole mishap up as a simple mistake, every single Hong Kong-based customer will be receiving a free (5800mAh) replacement. 'Tis a shame we'll likely still be griping over the battery life. [Source Asus via jkkmobile]

HP Debuts Super Small Sub-$500 Laptop

HP Reveals ASUS Eee Competitor
The market for cheap sub-notebooks is simply exploding. It all started with the OLPC XO, then Intel jumped in with the Classmate. Soon Asus revealed its critically acclaimed Eee PC, and these low-priced, low-powered (often Linux-running) machines truly started to take the world by storm.

The latest entry into this field is the Hewlett Packard 2133 Mini-Note PC. The Mini-Note starts at $499, for the entry level model with 512 megabytes of RAM, 4-gigabytes of storage, a 1-gigahertz VIA processor, and Linux. At the top of the heap is a $749 model loaded with Vista Business, 2-gigabytes of RAM, and a 1.6 gigahertz VIA processor. The $749 model also comes with a 120-gigabyte hard drive that spins at 7,200 RPM for super fast data access. Many full-sized notebooks only come with 5,400 RPM drives, and most ultra-portables are saddled with a 4,200 RPM drive.

The first batch of reviews are in, and they're all pretty positive. Some complain about the lack of power due to the VIA processor, and the awkwardness of the side-mounted touch pad buttons, but most are blown away by the full-sized keyboard and the 8.9-inch screen that at a resolution of 1280x768 can display a full Web page without any horizontal scrolling, unlike the ASUS Eee.

The Mini-Note sounds like a strong competitor to the Eee and other cheap compact notebooks, but the price does sound a little high. An Eee PC similarly equipped to the lower end Mini-Note costs about $100 less, and for the $749 asking price of the high end model, you could buy a much more powerful laptop, though one not nearly as small.

From Engadget

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$399 Windows Eee PC Now Available at Best Buy

$399 Laptops Now Available In-Store

Wal-Mart seems to think that consumers don't want to buy cheap computers (earlier this eyar, the retailer pulled the $199 Everex gPC from store shelves and forcing consumers to go dig through its Web site to order one). Fellow big-box retailer Best Buy, however, has a different opinion. The home electronics powerhouse has just made picked up the recently released Windows XP version of the $399 Eee PC, which is now available both via its website and for in-store pickup.

We've reported on the low-cost Eee PC many times before, including word just last week that this XP flavored version was coming. That was good news for many who were looking for a cheap ultra-portable but wanted the familiarity of Windows. When we reviewed the laptop in February we found it to be capable and compact, if not quite a powerhouse. (What do you expect for $400?) The addition of Windows XP to the device should make it an even more appealing -- though slower -- option for many, though the faster version with a larger screen coming later this summer may be an even better choice ...

From Engadget

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Microsoft Extends XP's Life Again -- For Low Cost PCs Only

Microsoft Extends XP's Life Again, for Low Cost PCs
Windows XP is turning into the operating system (OS) that just won't die. After extending the life of its last generation OS from January of 2008 until June, Microsoft is giving the aging system another stay of execution, this time till June 30, 2010, or one year after the launch of Windows 7, whichever is later.

If you're thinking this sounds too good to be true, you're right. There is a catch. Windows XP will only be available and approved for so-called Ultra Low Cost PCs (ULCPC), such as the Eee or Classmate. Microsoft is giving manufacturers the option of using XP Home or Vista Home Basic on its ULCPC devices. But even in its most stripped down form, Vista is often more than these machines can handle and makes them operate more slowly.

This seems more or less like an admission that Vista has been a disappointment for Microsoft. The OS was geared at high powered desktops with dedicated graphics cards. Unfortunately for Mr. Gates and crew, the computer industry took an unexpected turn towards smaller and cheaper computers. Small form factor desktops, home theater PCs, and ultra-portable laptops are the hot markets right now, places where low power components are necessary to keep components cool, quiet, and lasting hours on a single battery charge.

We don't doubt Microsoft did its best, but Vista was not long for this world.

From Cnet

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