Eeepc as "shoebag computer" ?

Chris Stratton

Chris Stratton

New Member
Anyone have an Eeepc, the new $400 Asus micro laptop with webcam?

I'm getting very tempted, as I think it might be workable as the "shoe bag computer" I've always wanted - something light enough and cheap enough to carry around, that could be used to record practices for immediate review, discuss snippets of comp video, etc.

Unfortunately availability is kind of limited at the moment. And the big question is if the keyboard is typeable or not.

But if it works, possible with upgraded memory and almost certainly with USB sticks for storage, I'm thinking that it might do the job. Already have some caching hacks to mplayer to improve frame advance/rewind, though I'd have to port them from the windows version back to the main tree to build for eeepc's linux environment.
 
I hadn't heard about it until you mentioned it here. I've been trying to research it on-line, but don't feel I'm getting a very good idea of its capabilities. Their web site obviously targets a different demographic, but it runs Linux so I suspect that it might support my needs even though I can't get any information of what software comes loaded and what you could load.

Have you looked at one yet? I would assume that it has shells, such as the "Bourne Again shell", bash. Does it have perl loaded? How's about a gcc tool-chain? I would assume the former, but the latter is probably a stretch. Well, could one install the gcc C/C++ compiler?

My primary computer is my laptop (she got the desktop; my idea, since it would have been difficult for her to get set up -- it surprised her too), so I want to protect it. I want to be able to play with a Linux system (mainly shell scripting as well as C-based systems programming, such as sockets and multi-processing/multi-threading type stuff) and I also would find an inexpensive "field model" handy, like when I go on a dance cruise. Could this "eee pc" fit both bills? I dunno, but would like to find out.


PS
As a touch-typist (I learned about 40 years ago and greatly consolidated those skills when I started out as a computer science major and then professional 30 years ago), I agree that the keyboard is probably too small for touch-typing. Yet to be seen.
 
You'll definitely have bash dwise (or bash 2 rather, but whatever), and if it doesn't have perl/gcc (c cmopiler), it's simple enough to add one.
 
It currently ships with the Xandros distribution of Linux, but Asus is also going to release a version with WinXP preinstalled. Actually, you can install XP yourself (or any other x86-based OS) on any of them that ships with Linux should you so choose.

Linux is not nearly the resource hog that Windows is. I installed it on my laptop a while back, and so far everything I needed to do in Win I can just as easily do in Linux.


For taking notes, playing music, watching movie clips, etc. Linux would do just fine. These laptops ship with smaller-sized flash hard drives, so you could use the extra space you'll save by not using Win for storage.

I found lots of info on it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASUS_Eee_PC
 
I've had mine for almost two weeks... it's great. The web cam is a bit dissapointing - was hoping to use it to record practices, but I can use an external usb camera which picks up more light. Keyboard has taken some getting used to, but I now occasional get up to nearly my usual speed, then make a mistake and flounder around a bit before getting going again. The 8 gig models are out now for a little more, perhaps I should have waited but will likely just modify mine with a 16g usb stick inside the ram door. Gcc was not installed but I've added that and many other tools from debian repositories... recompiled the kernel on it and have the tools for some embedded linux development for work running too. But my first major programming project is going to be to port my buffering & frame advance/rewind hacks to mplayer over in order to use it for analyzing dance video. First computer I've seen that's capable enough to do what I want, and light and cheap enough to routinely take along when taking public transit to the studio, etc.
 
Yeah, was doing some more research into it today, definitely looks promising. And using apt repos is old hat, so that part won't be hard. Never done any real AV work on linux box though, so will have to find programs I like and get used to them (besides mplayer, of course).

How's the battery life in real world? I think they claim 2:45 for the old models and 3:30 for the new ones?
 
Battery life is not great... but then there aren't that many situations when I can't plug it in. I'm running off batteries right now, but the charger is around here somewhere and I will get it when I need it. It is kind of slow to recharge though.

I won't claim it's the perfect machine, but it is a lot of capability in a tiny package for the price. I used to window shop for a microlaptop, but the prices where just too much to justify, since I have access to desktops, and indeed a full size company laptop for any real work. What I wanted was something that I could take where lugging a normal computer was unjustified, but I'd still like to have one available. Out of the fun factor I've been tending to use it more than my home desktop.

One downside is no firewire/1394, so if I replace my ancient hi8 camcorder with something more modern, I still wouldn't be able to import comp video until getting home. Some of the sony's do usb streaming, but I might have to have a windows xp install on an external usb disk to get that to work. But for recording/examining practices I'll just use a drugstore disposable camcorder modified with a usb cable ;-)
 
Involuntary day off from dancing resulted in getting my mplayer seamless frame/advance rewind hack ported to linux. With that, the eeepc has finally become the very capable little tool for analyzing dance videos that I was hoping it would be when I bought it. Just wish I'd had the improved video player working in time for the review-comp-video lesson.
 
Larinda McRaven said:
Seems the Eeepc has a 7 inch screen. My main laptop is the Vaio 10 inch. It is my "shoebag" computer. It took only a short itme to get used to the keyboard... and I was switching over from a full 17 inch laptop. Everywhere I go people want to see it and hold it and they all say "Is that a REAL computer?"

At that price it is almost worth it ANYWAY just to get it...
Click to expand...

Vaios are mighty pricey machines though, IIRC.
 
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