ASUS Eee PC 1015PED Debuts

Have had enough of ASUS netbooks already? ASUStek does have the tendency to release a ton of netbook models each year. This year is no different. ASUS Eee PC 1015PED is yet another decent netbook that has just been released to the market. It does take advantage of ATOM N475 (1.83 Ghz) and 1 GB DDR3 RAM to offer you more speed with your daily tasks. Just like most ASUS netbooks, this unit does come with a 500 GB online storage too (for 1 year).

ASUS Eee PC 1015PED does have a faster CPU, but it also is pretty energy efficient. According to ASUStek, users should be able to get 13 hours of battery life out of their netbook. (more…)

Acer, ASUS To Wait for N550?

Dual core netbooks are on their way. ATOM N550 is a processor that is expected to feature in many new machines in the next few months. Asus and Acer both seem interested in taking advantage of this processor, which could explain why they have frozen their new netbook models till mid-August 2010. In essence, netbook makers to see what Intel does with its Celeron processors. Intel has sent mixed messages to manufacturers in the past. If Celeron goes, ATOM processors will have much more room to grow.

Although Intel reportedly plans to phase out Celeron processors and let Atom CPUs taking over the entry-level notebook segment, since Intel still has not yet officially confirmed the rumor, most of the notebook brands are taking a wait-and-observe attitude. (more…)

ASUS Eee 1005PR with Broadcom HD Released

The latest flavor of ASUS netbooks has hit the market. ASUS Eee PC 1005PR comes with the standard processor, RAM, and storage that you get with top ASUS netbooks. But it goes beyond what other ASUS netbooks offer by taking advantage of the power of Intel UMA with Broadcom Crystal HD Accelerator to provide better support for HD content. The HD display (1366X768 WXGA LED) does not hurt either.

Here are the specifications for ASUS Eee 1005PR:

• Intel Atom N450 (1.66GHz, 512KB L2 Cache)
• 10.1-Inch Color-Shine 1366X768 WXGA LED Display
• Intel UMA graphics with Broadcom Crystal HD Accelerator
• 1 GB DDR2 SODIMM memory, Max 2 GB
• 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM) + 500GB Free Web Storage
• 802.11 b/g/n; Bluetooth; 0.3MP Webcam; Chiclet Keyboard
• 11 Hours of Battery Life
• Windows 7 Starter Operating System

Check after the break to see how Eee PC 1005PR stacks up against its predecessor (Eee PC Seashell 1005PE) : (more…)

Eee Pad to Challenge iPad?

AsusTek is one of those companies that does not hold back even when going against the giants in the computer industry. Apple iPad has already generated a whole lot of buzz and is expected to be one formidable tablet to beat. That does not mean that Asus won’t be trying. Asus already has tablet netbooks that can give you the best of both worlds. But the company is working on at least two tablet PCs to challenge the iPad head on. Jonney Shih, chairman of Asus, put it best:

Netbooks are the best combination of personal computing and cloud computing… But between netbooks and smartphones and e-readers, we think there will be a space for something like a tablet or slate PC

(more…)

Is ASUS In Trouble?

You wouldn’t be able to easily call it a struggle for ASUS if you look at the line up that it’s planned for the next few months, but in reality ASUSTeK has been struggling to make profits in the past few months. The company is always going to be known for one of the pioneers of the netbook market, but with companies such as Nokia, HP, and Dell going after the netbook market, you can expect ASUS to have a harder time competing against the big boys in the future. So far it has, and it’s no wonder its sales numbers are on the rise. It could be a seasonal fluke, but any increase in sales is good news for ASUS at this point.

ASUS is already working with Garmin on its Nuvifone GPS smartphone project. Both companies are hoping to take advantage of the latest trend in the mobile industry to bring more powerful GPS smart-phones to the market. ASUS is also putting a lot of focus on its nettops as well. Nettops are compact desktop PCs that are designed for modern houses.

EeeTop PC ET2002T is the latest effort by ASUS to compete better in the nettop market. These machines are highly capable, come with a ton of eye candy, and can hold their own against most all in one desktop PCs.

For the time being, Asus’ focus remains on netbooks and smart-phones. The company may be going against the giants, but as it has proved with its netbooks, it does have the creative power to create and compete in new markets. It may be struggling now but as netbooks become more popular, there is no reason Asus can’t compete with the other big boys in the market.

ASUS Eee PC 904HA – Review

Asus is known for having some of the best netbooks available on the market. ASUS Eee PC 904HA is one of those netbooks. It is designed for business professionals and those who are constantly on the go. The device is tiny and yet powerful enough to allow you to get the job done. ASUS is known for putting extra attention in quality, and this netbook is certainly a high quality item. So let’s see what 904HA has to offer:

• Screen: you get a 8.9 inch screen that is not too big but doesn’t require you to put extra burden on your eyes to see things on your laptop.
• CPU: Atom N270 has become the standard CPU on top netbooks these days. N280 is coming to new netbooks but you still get a lot of value with this CPU.
• Battery: Asus’ hybrid energy is legendary for allowing folks to use their batteries for hours. It’s just an efficient engine that gets you more out of your battery. In this case, you get about 5.5 hours of work time with your netbook.
• Keyboard: I found the keyword to be not too hard to get used to. When you switch from an 18 inch laptop to a 9 inch one, you are always going to have to adjust, but this one was very easy to get used to.
• Wireless: I wish this item supported wireless N connection. You do get the standard wireless G support, which is fast enough to get work done.
• Hard Drive: you get a 160 GB hard drive with your Eee PC. Your drive comes with 2 equal 80 GB partitions. That’s probably the best way if you want to use one drive to back up your important data and the other for your OS activities.
• Weight: 904HA weighs about 3 pounds. It’s easy to take it over your trips.
• Web Cam: the Web Cam on this device comes with 1.3 MP resolution. It is great for having video chats while you are on the go.
• Eee Storage: this is my favorite feature. You get 10GB Eee Storage with easy accessibility anywhere online. If you have valuable files that you want to backup, this is a life-saver.

Verdict: A. Overall, if you are looking for a laptop that allows you to save money and at the same time is portable enough to let you take it anywhere with you on your trips, Asus Eee PC 904HA is a good one to consider. You get performance and energy efficiency in one package plus all the features you would need to make video and connect with others on the Internet.

To compare Asus 904HA with other netbooks on the market, please log on to our netbook ratings page.

Asus’ Ultra Thin Netbook: Eee PC 1008HA

It seems Asus has finally decided to take a page out of Apple’s book by introducing a Macbook-Air like thin netbook in Eee PC 1008HA.  The new Eee PC is not only ultra thin, but it weighs only 2.4 lbs. It also supports 3G and Wimax connections which is a big plus.

It’s not really hard to see where netbooks are going at this point. They are going to become thinner and lighter. Yet, you can except netbooks to pack more punch and come with more features in the future. With Apple’s rumored entry into this market, you can expect the competition to move a whole new level.