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The First Three Netbooks To Consider
Wading through the numerous netbooks available today can be challenging, so you might want to at least start with this list of the first three netbooks to consider. There are selected because they have all been fairly well received and, more importantly, all have some feature that distinguishes them from the crowd. As a disclaimer, I have not touched any of these, except for the the HP MiniNote.
Asus Eee PC - This one is obvious. The Eee PC is really the original netbook. It is really targeted at casual web surfing and those sorts of things. There are a number of netbooks in this category, but this one stands out as the original and still one of the best.
HP MiniNote – The MiniNote takes the whole netbook thing a different direction. The high resolution screen (which looks great), the standard hard drive, the large keyboard, and the plentiful RAM available makes this almost more of a very small laptop than a netbook.
Dell’s Inspiron Mini - Unlike the other two, what sets the Inspiron Mini apart from the others is the software. Forget some tiny version of the standard interface or the locked-down icon view, this thing has Ubuntu Netbook Remix.
Nearly Half of Amazon's Top 10 Best Selling Notebooks Run Linux
With the popularity of Linux netbooks, 4 out of Amazon’s top 10 bestseller list for notebooks now run some form of Linux. Another four run Windows XP, not Vista. The final two (which are 2nd and 10th) are MacBooks.
I think this list says a lot about the current state of laptops. First of all, 8 out of 10, all except the Macs, are netbooks. Additionally, it is worth noting that the Macs have an advantage, since there are a very limited numbers of Macs, compared to the number of Windows or Linux machines, so if you disqualify the Macs, all ten are netbooks. That says a lot about how popular netbooks are.
Then, if you look at the netbooks in the top 10 notebooks (so really the top 8 netbooks), you find that half of them run Linux and half run Windows XP. None of them run Windows Vista or Mac OS X. In my opinion, this is a strong indication that both Windows and Apple are missing the rise of UMCPs. Microsoft has at least had the sense to extend Windows XP’s life, while Apple has done nothing except the Air, which misses the point, at least in my opinion, due to its price point.
Finally, the list also tells who has the really popular UMPCs. Out of the netbooks in the top 10, Asus makes two of them (1 Linux, 1 Windows) and MSI makes 6 of them (3 Linux, 3 Windows). I should note that Asus’s ones are number 1 and number 3, while MSI’s are lower down, and that MSI’s Wind was released a lot more recently than Asus’s Eee PC. Still, though, it is interesting that MSI’s Wind line is doing so well. I would have predicted that it would be the HP MiniNote or the Acer Aspire One, but I guess not.
Certainly Amazon’s bestseller list cannot be viewed as a perfect indication of what products are doing well, but it still provides some interesting insights into what is going on.
Asus Takes Major Step Forward: Adds CNR Capability to Linux Eee PC
Engadget reports today that Asus added to their download section a place for applications that will run on the Eee PC in the CNR format (more later.) Unfortunately, the CNR installer is not yet on the Eee PC, so putting the website up in the first place was probably a mistake (and they have taken it down now), but it is great to know that this is being planned. Here is why it is so important:
Until now, and for at least a few days more, the Eee PC’s default OS has been locked down (see all my stuff on Ubuntu Netbook Remix). This means that anyone who wants to do anything outside of the Eee PCs default applications (edit: easily – it is possible) has to install a new OS. Now, or presumably soon, you will be able to go to the Asus website (and probably CNR.com, too) and click a single button to install an application. This is what Click n’ Run (CNR) lets you do.
Long time readers can probably understand why I am so enthusiastic about this. I have complained about the Eee’s OS being too locked down (see link to Ubuntu Netbook Remix posts above) and I have talked about the merits of CNR and similar solutions. To me, this seems the perfect use of a good technology to fix a problem. It makes sense, too, since Linspire (the company that created CNR) was just bought by Xandros (who makes the Eee PC’s OS.)
It may be a lot late, but it is bettter than nothing. Hopefully, this will help to get people to more carefully consider the options and, perhaps, opt for Linux. Still many will want to install their own OS, but at least now the default OS is more flexible, as it should have been from the beginning.
Back in March, I tried to find as many Linux-based UMPCs as I could. At the time, I found 18, which was expanded to 20 with the help of commenters. After many more Linux-based UMPC releases, I decided to see how many more I could find. The first 20 on the list below are from the previous list.
- Eee PC
- CloudBook
- OLPC
- Noahpad
- HP 2133
- Elonex One
- Gecko Laptop
- Intel’s MID(s) – Yeah, yeah, I know it is a “MID” not a “UMPC.” Who really cares?
- BPETD H9
- EB MIMD
- eo TufTab v7112XT
- Pepper Pad
- Lime PC
- Simple PC
- ECS G10IL
- WING
- Unnamed Acer UMPC – Linux on this device is not confirmed, but quite possible It is now called the Aspire One and it does run Linux.
- Gigabyte M528 MID
- Nokia N810, N800, N770
- Zaurus
- Bestlink Alpha 400
- MSI Wind
- Aware A-Pad
- 3K RazorBook
- Sylvania G
- Gigabyte M912V
- Unnamed GeCube
- VIA OpenBook
- Ink Mobile
- VDL Jisus
- Lenovo IdeaPad S10
- Dell E
- Gdium
- Elonex Webbook
- Pandora
Wow! 32 32+ Linux-based UMPCs! Here is my question: many people, including myself, consider the Eee PC to be the product that caused so many new UMPCs to appear. Sort of like a spark for the UMPC business, but is that true? How may of these UMPCs would exist if the Eee PC had never appeared. My guess is not many.
Debian To Replace Xandros on the Eee PC?
Reading this week’s DistroWatch Weekly, I was surprised to see an interesting news story I had, apparently, completely missed. Normally, I try not to write about stories that are more than a couple of days old. But considering how many Linux news sources I read daily and considering I never saw this story, I have to assume that a large portion of you also missed this story, so I am making an exception.
This message on the Debian Eee PC mailing list reveals that Asus and Debian are working together, or at least planning to, on software for the Eee PC. This, presumably, means that future versions of the Eee PC could run a modified version of Debian, rather than a modified version of Xandros, as they currently do. While the end-user interface might be very similar, it seems highly likely that if the Debian project was involved, it might become much easier to install software and do other more complicated tasks, beyond what the current Eee PC’s software allows.
A change like this would, hopefully, make those who are trying to do anything beyond the most basic tasks with the Eee’s default software much happier, while not making the standard interface too complicated.
If the Eee PC does switch to Debian as it’s default OS, it would be a great step forward in making the Eee PC’s default software more attractive to a wider audience.
As you know, I am absolutely against making the same hardware cost the same with two different operating systems that don’t cost the same price. So if you take a given PC or laptop, put a free OS on one version and a commercial OS on the other and charge the same price, that is unfair. You may wonder why I am making such a big deal of the same hardware. Obviously you can’t compare across two different PCs, right? Well, apparently not.
A recent Techworld article is titled “Windows same price as Linux in new Eee PC.” When I read this, I thought “Ugg. Asus is messing with prices again.” Then I read the article.
If you look closely, the end of the second sentence says “although the specs are different.” That makes the story completely different and makes the title very misleading.
Just to make sure I am very clear, there is nothing wrong with selling machines with different priced OSs, if there is a difference in the specs that compensates for the price. Please, no more misleading titles.
With a device like a UMPC, it is difficult to know what interface to put on it. On one hand, it is really mostly meant for just surfing the internet so a simple interface would seem like a good move. On the other hand, it is also basically just a small laptop, so why not put a standard interface on it? A Washington Post article, however, argues that both of these options are bad options. I agree with this, but if a standard interface is bad and a simple interface is bad, what is good? The answer: Ubuntu Netbook Remix.
The reason Ubuntu’s Netbook Remix is a better option that most is because it blends simplicity with the full Ubuntu. Rather than being stripped down, limited, and un-extendable, Ubuntu Netbook Remix has almost the full Ubuntu underneath it, but has a simple enough interface on top of that. Because of this, when Ubuntu’s Netbook Remix comes out later this year, we may see it really take off and potentially propel non-Eee PC UMPCs to success. Based on this and all the other news that keeps flowing in about Ubuntu Netbook Remix, it looks like the end of this year could be an exciting time for Linux and UMPCs.
Quite a while ago, Asus announced that they would be introducing a desktop version of the Eee PC, the E-DT. Now more details appear to have been leaked about the device, now called the EBOX, according to Electronista. Almost all of the details from before appear to still be true. The device is supposed to cost between $200-$300 and the previously-leaked design, which looks GREAT, also appears to be real. Perhaps the most interesting detail, though, is that there is no word of a Windows version.
Personally, I think that, in the case of a desktop, leaving Windows out is a good choice, and not just because I like Linux more. If you think about it, there are so many Windows desktops that as a Windows machine, the EBOX would have too much competition to succeed. As a Linux box, though, there is significantly less competition. Because of this, I think the apparent choice to ignore Windows for the EBOX is the right move.
This argument does bring up one question, though. There may be a lot less Linux desktop competition than Windows desktop competition, but there are still a surprising number of inexpensive Linux desktops, such as the gPC. Unfortunately, none of those cheap Linux desktops have done particularly well, so how is the EBOX going to be different? Frankly, I am not sure if I have a good answer to that question, so we will have to see what Asus does. The EBOX does have a few things going for it, though:
- The Eee PC has done very well, so its momentum may push the EBOX forward
- The EBOX looks very nice
- Asus may be able to do the software better than other companies have done it. For example, many people complained about bugs in the gOS that shipped with the gPC.
Although none of those are particularly compelling arguements, they do give the EBOX a chance. Hopefully Asus will take this chance and make the EBOX as good as the Eee PC and bring Linux to even more new users.
Is The Linux Eee PC 900 More Expensive Than The Windows Version? (Now With Real Numbers)
For a long time the question has been going back and forth: is Asus messing with us and making the Linux version of the Eee PC more expensive than the Windows version? Previously the numbers have all been speculation, but now, finally, we have real numbers to look at!
So now that the Eee PC 900 is out, it should be easy to get to the bottom of this mystery, right? Naturally, no. For some reason, only a few places seem to be selling the Eee PC 900. Worse, those prices are not all the same. Basically I was only able to find three places that sell both the Linux and Windows versions: Buy.com, Newegg, and OnSale. (I also found both at one more place, but from that store both cost more than $600.) So what are the prices?
Eee PC 900 Windows: $550, $550, $595
Eee PC 900 Linux: $590, $550, $550
Groan. It has been so long. Couldn’t you just give us numbers that make sense??? All I can assume is that Asus is really selling both versions for the same price and Buy.com and OnSale are just making one version or the other more expensive for some reason. Especially since Newegg has them both for the same price, I think that is the best assumption.
So in summary, because the Linux version has more storage space, which cancels out the price of Windows, I think Asus, at least in the US, has done the right thing and made them both cost the same so that no advantage is given to either OS. Now I just wish OnSale, Buy.com, and anyone else messing with these prices would just make them both cost the same as they should. That way, the price advantage of Linux will be clear to all shoppers.
Analyzing The Eee PC Windows Linux Price Issue
Note: Everyone that pointed out that it is really only a difference of $50 if right, however the basic point still stands, since $50 max difference is assuming Windows is free.
Interestingly, though, Orlando’s post suggests the the difference might actually be $150. I don’t know.
Also, every that pointed out the USB flash drives are quite different from SSDs is, of course, correct. I am, and was, aware of the difference, however I choose to use flash drives due to their availability.
Today the headlines have been about the Eee PC 900 with Windows being cheaper (at least in Australia) than the Linux version ($650 to $500). Additionally, the Linux version will not be sold in retail stores. The story gets even worse when you read some of what Asus has said. APC is reporting that ASUS said “Microsoft has been a longstanding supporter of Asus.” I suppose this could just be innocent press talk, but it sure sounds to be like there is something suspicious going on.
One element of the story, however, has not been reported as much. The Linux version comes with 20GB of flash memory, while the Windows version only comes with 12GB. At first glance, 8GBs of storage should not cost $150, but flash is expensive. Could 8GB more flash memory create a significant price difference?
The answer, in a word, is no. The evidence I can find all points to, not surprisingly, 8 additional GB costing far less than $150. Let me explain my reasoning.
First, there are two issues complicating what would otherwise be a very simple problem. First, there are not many consumer solid state drives. Instead I had to use USB flash drive prices. Second, 12GB and 20GB are both very unusual capacities. Here I had to use 8-16GB and 16-32GB.
I used three lines of USB flash drives. The Corsair Voyager (8GB, 16GB, 32GB), the Corsair Survivor (8GB, 16GB, 32GB), and the A-Data My Flash (8GB, 16GB, 32GB). I will not get into the math here (it is nothing more than subtraction, but it would take up a lot of space and be very boring), but the numbers come out to this. The average price difference between the 8GB and 16GB (an 8GB difference) model was around $38. The average price difference between the 16GB and 32GB (16GB difference) was about $86 (the largest difference was about $100). In other words, the price difference between the models should really only be about $50 at most, even if Windows was free.
In summary, although it is imposssible to have perfectly accurate results, it is quite clear that the Windows version is, in fact, significantly less expensive than the Linux version for what you get. This is unacceptable.