Posted Nov. 8, 2007
Made by high-end laptop maker Asus, the Eee PC—a lightweight, full-fledged computer that costs the same as an iPhone—is about to enjoy its own wave of hype in the U.S., following a smash-hit debut in Asia. I’m typing this on an Eee, and so far I love it. It has a teeny seven-inch screen, negligible memory (4GB of iPod-like flash memory, instead of a bulky hard drive), but it’s meant to be a travel companion, not your main computer. The ultrasimple, custom non-Windows (Linux-based) operating system makes it incredibly easy to create Windows-compatible Word docs, hop online (with built-in wi-fi), and otherwise interact with grown-up computers. It’s so damn cute that everyone I’ve shown it to wants one. If you swoon at the idea of a low-cost, two-pound computer that’ll fit in a handbag, my advice is to check it out in person (J&R has it on display and ready to order now; Best Buy is supposed to get it next week) and make sure you can live with the teeny keyboard. It’s definitely cramped—but that’s a small price to pay given that the whole Eee PC is a mere six and a half by nine inches and about an inch thick.
$399.99 at J&R.