I think this HP is more compelling than the EEE PC ...

[cmeisenzahl]

HP 2133 Mini-Note PC
"It might be small in size but its big on usability, durability, and attractiveness. Packed with an impressive combination of features, the HP 2133 offers you a full-function PC with the utmost mobility."
http://h40059.www4.hp.com/hp2133/?jumpid=ex_r135_uk_en_public_psg/mu/-/hp2133
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/pscmisc/vac/us/product_pdfs/2133.pdf

HP's 2133 Mini-Note subnotebook - The Tech Report - Page 1
"Asus' Eee PC has defined the budget subnotebook genre, serving up relatively low-end hardware that's just fast enough in an ultraportable form factor with an affordable price tag. It's a simple formula, really, and one that made the Eee PC an instant hit despite its small, low-resolution screen and a Lilliputian keyboard that really only works if you have the diminutive digits of a 12-year-old."
http://techreport.com/articles.x/14816

 

[PhantomPhoton]

The bigger keyboard is about all I like better than the eepc. No SSD hard drive is a killer.

 

[scott.cr]

I've seen this for around $499, it does seem to offer a lot compared to the Eee. It'd be nicer if they offered a solid-state storage option instead of hard drive, but HP probably intends this to be more of a mainstream machine. (I'm pretty sure no corporate buyer is going to buy a few hundred Eee PCs.)

I paid around $365 for a Nokia N810... sheesh... but it does what I want, which is fit in my pocket and still have a (small) keyboard!

 

[meuge]

One of the options has Vista installed on the mini-note. I, for one, would hate to be within earshot of the poor people who will try using vista on a 1.2GHz Via C7 CPU.

 

[qip]

ULV are really slow

 

[Tempest UK]

One of the options has Vista installed on the mini-note. I, for one, would hate to be within earshot of the poor people who will try using vista on a 1.2GHz Via C7 CPU.

Quite. Vista is hardly a smooth ride at the best of times, let alone on such limiting hardware. XP or a suitable Linux distribution is definitely the way to go for this form factor.

Regards,
Tempest

 

[meuge]

ULV are really slow

The new Intel Atom consumes about 4W at 1.6GHz and benchmarks somewhere in the range of a 1.2GHz Pentium M. Considering that a 1.6GHz Pentium M is quite snappy, I hold high hopes for the new crop of mini-laptops from Acer, Asus, and Dell.

 

[Fallingwater]

I'm still waiting to grab an OLPC...

 

[PhantomPhoton]

I'm still waiting to grab an OLPC...

I have one. Not impressed to be honest. The hardware is okay, the sugar OS is terrible. Would be nicer if I had a couple of them or some friends locally with them as they're designed more or less for that instead of modern web browsing etc.
I still can't play a flash video on it, still a few other bugs, and have mercy if you accidentally fill up the memory. It won't boot up at all if you do this, you'll have to completely re-install the OS loosing EVERYTHING you had done with it previously. I'm still trying o get a nice small linux disto working well on mine. I'm just not trying hard enough yet.
By the looks of it though the v2 will have nicer hardware still and looks like you'll be able to run a chopped down version of XP on it which means you can run a heartier linux distro too.

 

[Fallingwater]

Any chance you'd be willing to sell it to me for a non-ludicrous price? I really want to play around with one.

The OLPC program hit some trouble recently. I'm not sure a V2 is ever going to come out. The whole project might die, actually.

 

[Solstice]

Yeah, I definately do want to get a "sub" notebook, and the hardware design of this one is great, but I'm waiting for the next version with a true Intel Atom processor (I'm sure it will happen), as I've heard this first HP Mininote is an exceptionally bad performer in the speed department. There are already some Atom based competetors soon to be released- the Acer Aspire One (http://www.acer.com/aspireone/power.html) has caught my eye, and I may need to take the early adapter plunge whenever it's released.

 

[bobisculous]

As I type this, its on my EEE. I simply could not be happier.

Small and does what you should honestly expect from it. Bigger keyboard would be neat, but I am good with what it has. I am more interested in the new Dell coming out soon.

-Cameron

 

[paulr]

It's kind of interesting but about as expensive as a real laptop. If you want something cheap and small, the EEE is hard to beat. If you want something higher end, I like the Lenovo X61.

 

[Pellidon]

My stimulus package went to an EEE purchase. I like it. But I also like non Microsoft environments wherever possible. It has better Wi-Fi reception than my compaq work machine that has to run windows.

I also picked up a cloudbook despite the warnings. It is slow mostly due to the hard drive. I installed Ubuntu 8.04 on it and it works fine with an external Wi-Fi. It's internal one stinks. I got it as a tinkerer's unit. Someday I will plop in a faster hard drive and that should pep it up some.

Oh, cloud book warnings, slow to boot, slow to open files, wifi poor, OS kind of lame. All true but mostly fixable or livable.

 

[flashy bazook]

There was a thread on the Eee when it first came out and a lot of enthusiasm about getting one. I recall at the time I said that we were going to get new versions based on later chips, and it might therefore be worth the wait for the second Eee version to come out, and this is now happening.

The Eee being compared with the HP in the initial post of this thread is being updated to something more similar to the HP.

There will be a 10" Eee version with larger solid state HD's available and with the Atom processor. You need to check that you get the one with the faster Atom processor (there is also a slower version and both will be available with the Eee I believe).

The 10" will have a larger keyboard as well, which is nice for those of us who touch type. It will have a much longer battery time due to the ULV Atom chip plus some new power management features.

There is by the way another company coming out with this type of ultra-compact laptop, MSI, which got good early peek reviews (especially for its keyboard). From what I recall, MSI has regular (not solid state) drives, however.

Dell is not far behind with its own version of this, not very creatively to be called the Dell E. In addition to the very small models, it will also come in a somewhat larger version (12.1" screen but still very slim, probably also trying to catch some of that Mac "Air").

Obviously, we are in good times if we want to get something like the original Eee, but updated.