EEE! It's a PC!

In the nineteen-fifties, Volkswagen introduced its 'Beetle' model to the US market. The car proved popular, despite being the opposite of a 'proper' car. (It was small, economical, and possibly the worst of all, without fins.)

Asus has released their new EEE PC, an inexpensive sub-notebook computer. Like the Beetle, it is small, economical, and also without the fins that accompany modern computers.

The EEE PC is a no-frills device. Asus has limited the hardware, keeping the computer portable. It has a seven inch LCD screen, not the typical fifteen or twenty-one inch display. Storage is handled by Solid State Disk (SSD) so there is no spinning disk. There is no built-in CD or DVD drive. The keyboard is small and requires delicate fingers.

Despite the limited capabilities, the EEE has some advantages. First, it is small. The sub-notebook is about the size of a small hard-cover book and can be conveniently stored in a purse or backpack. (It's a bit large to fit in your pocket.)

Second, it is inexpensive. Priced at four hundred dollars, it is in the range of an Apple iPod Touch. (There are several models of the EEE, with different storage configurations.) But more importantly, it is a reasonable price for people who want a simple computer to surf the web, read and send e-mail, and write a few documents.

Third, it is designed for non-techies. The software runs by default in 'basic' mode. (The opposite of 'advanced' mode. Neither mode has anything to do with the programming language known as 'BASIC'.) This is a computer for people who want to do things, not fiddle with computer settings.

The EEE has network connections. It has a CAT-5 socket and it has Wi-Fi built in. It also has three USB ports, allowing you to attach external drives, keyboard, mice, and other devices.

The EEE PC runs Linux. Asus selected a variant of Debian Linux for the EEE; there are other distros of Linux available for it. (The Asus web page claims that the EEE is compatible with Windows XP, almost as an afterthought.) The selection of Linux made it possible to create the 'basic' and 'advanced' modes.

I've seen the EEE, and I like it. The keyboard is a bit crowded, but it is servicable. The display is just large enough. The EEE does not have everything, but it does have enough to work. It is the 'Volkswagen Beetle' of PCs - small, economical, easy to use, and easy to care for.

Asus just might have something here.