DailyTech - $299 ASUS Eee PC 2G Surf in Multiple Colors Appears Online

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Gadgets $299 ASUS Eee PC 2G Surf in Multiple Colors Appears Online
Brandon Hill (Blog) - December 20, 2007 9:10 AM

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18 comment(s) - last by randomlinh.. on Dec 21 at 1:48 PM

(Source: Newegg)

The Eee PC family expands even further

The ASUS Eee PC family recently expanded even further with the addition of the $299 2G Surf model. Newegg now currently lists ASUS Eee PC 2G which is available in Galaxy Black, Blush Pink, Sky Blue and Lush Green.

The Eee PC 2G Surf, as its name implies, only comes with a 2GB solid-state drive (SSD). The device also comes with 512MB of DDR2 memory and the 4G Surf's smaller 4-cell 4400 mAh battery (2.8 hours).

ASUS first announced the Eee PC with a $199 price tag. When the Eee PC 4G first appeared online, however, the retail price was $399. Over the past few months, ASUS has expanded the family to include the $349 Eee PC 4G Surf and the $499 Eee PC 8G.

The $299 price tag of the Eee PC 2G Surf brings the price point closer to ASUS' original vision and should help the company reach its 3.8 million sales goal for 2008. Considering that ASUS recently expanded its warranty coverage to allow users to upgrade the system memory on Eee PCs, the new $299 Eee PC 2G Surf should appeal to value-oriented shoppers and tinkers alike.

The only sticking point that may remain for potential customers with the Eee PC 2G Surf is the meager 2GB SSD. While 2GB is definitely not a lot of space to work with, a $30 8GB SDHC card could go a long way to suppress any concerns over running out of storage space.

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2GB storage??

By cochy on 12/20/2007 9:19:59 AM , Rating: 1

Good lord. I can't even think of an OS that has a small enough footprint for that short of a minimum install of FreeBSD.

Even after an OS is installed there won't be much room for temp files and such.

RE: 2GB storage??

By Trisagion on 12/20/2007 9:24:38 AM , Rating: 2

Well, I can. Damn Small Linux is only 50MB.

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RE: 2GB storage??

By cochy on 12/20/2007 9:36:43 AM , Rating: 2

Xubuntu might be a good candidate as well.

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RE: 2GB storage??

By Bekali on 12/20/2007 9:37:27 AM , Rating: 2

Windows98SE also will fit

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RE: 2GB storage??

By marvdmartian on 12/20/2007 10:01:43 AM , Rating: 5

Hey, how about Windows ME???

Oh....er....um......forget I said anything!!! ;)

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RE: 2GB storage??

By othercents on 12/20/2007 10:13:05 AM , Rating: 2

AH, my eyes, my eyes.. ME was the only problem with our Y2K conversion. I think Microsoft was trying to introduce a Y2K bug with that OS.

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RE: 2GB storage??

By amanojaku on 12/20/2007 5:37:58 PM , Rating: 2

Never forget, never forgive. >:(

:-)

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RE: 2GB storage??

By Chris Peredun

on 12/20/2007 10:03:48 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
I can't even think of an OS that has a small enough footprint for that short of a minimum install of FreeBSD.

An nLited Windows XP installation fits in well under a GB - that leaves another GB for installing programs, and document storage can be done with the aforementioned 8GB SDHC card. ;)

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RE: 2GB storage??

By DEredita on 12/20/2007 10:55:16 AM , Rating: 2

I was thinking the same thing. I bought that exact SDHC card earlier this week for my digital camera, and it is very quick and performed flawlessly.

I see newegg also sells 16GB SDHC cards too. Heck, word is 32GB SDHC cards will be out soon too.

As long as the user doesn't mind swapping SDHC cards, the memory is unlimited.

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RE: 2GB storage??

By Brandon Hill

(blog) on 12/20/2007 11:02:49 AM , Rating: 2

I'm running Windows XP Home SP2 with nLite, I also have the 8GB card in my Eee PC 4G and I don't swap it out -- it stays in 24-7. I have all of my apps installed to the SDHC card ( http://www.portableapps.com ) along with the "My Documents" and "My Pictures" folder.

I also run without a swapfile, so that saves even more space on my 4GB SSD.

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RE: 2GB storage??

By deeznuts on 12/20/2007 2:01:07 PM , Rating: 2

Do you have to run "portable apps" or can you just install normal programs on the SD card?

I'm thinking like with a regular comp you can install applications to the D drive, can you do this with the SD card or do you have to use these special apps?

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RE: 2GB storage??

By Brandon Hill

(blog) on 12/20/2007 3:32:33 PM , Rating: 2

You can install apps to a D: if you wish, but you're probably still gonna have remnant files left on the C: along with registry settings.

The apps tailored for PortableApps don't require registry settings and are contained within the flash drive or SD card. So you can take out the flash drive/SD card and put into another machine and pick up where you left off -- user setting and all.

PortableApps runs directly off the SD drive -- I have a shortcut in my Startup folder that points to the GUI to launch individual apps.

I currently have OpenOffice, Pidgin, GIMP, NVU, Sumatra PDF, Notepad++ and Thunderbird installed with PortableApps. All run perfectly.

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RE: 2GB storage??

By deeznuts on 12/20/2007 4:53:43 PM , Rating: 2

Oh ok. My idea was to install the SD card as permanent, never moving it ever. If regular programs can install on the SD that is perfect. This may garner some more interest from me after Xmas.

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RE: 2GB storage??

By randomlinh on 12/21/2007 1:48:44 PM , Rating: 2

so, what do you use it for, and how usable is it exactly? It's a novel idea, but for a bit more, the portability of an n800/810 seems more viable.

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At this price

By zsouthboy on 12/20/2007 12:03:28 PM , Rating: 2

I'm finally in for 1.

$100 more than I thought i was willing to pay, but at least it's not the $200 more...

And that, folks, is how to convince yourself to buy something like this.

RE: At this price

By Brandon Hill

(blog) on 12/20/2007 12:13:45 PM , Rating: 2

Welcome to the club :P

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Memory

By WilsuN on 12/20/2007 2:08:30 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
Considering that ASUS recently expanded its warranty coverage to allow users to upgrade the system memory on Eee PCs, the new $299 Eee PC 2G Surf should appeal to value-oriented shoppers and tinkers alike.

I may be wrong, but I thought the Surf versions of the Eee come with soldered memory and don't include a cap thing at the bottom for access to the memory slot.

OEM price - not retail

By theapparition on 12/20/2007 3:23:08 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
ASUS first announced the Eee PC with a $199 price tag. When the Eee PC 4G first appeared online, however, the retail price was $399.

Not true. They announced that the OEM price was $199, not the retail.
I correctly predicted that the retail price would be closer to $399 on launch day and got flamed for it.
Glad to see there making progress with other models.

"You can bet that Sony built a long-term business plan about being successful in Japan and that business plan is crumbling." -- Peter Moore, 24 hours before his Microsoft resignation