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| Updated Detailed Info About the Eee PC 701
Eee PC 701
Introduction
The ASUS Eee PC 701 (manufacturer product page) is an upcoming ultraportable notebook computer with an estimated starting price of $199 USD (large-quantity orders only).1) It was developed jointly by Intel and ASUSTeK based on Intel's Classmate PC project but with an aim for the consumer market. Unlike some broadly similar devices, notably UMPCs and upcoming MIDs, this computer features the traditional clamshell design, touchpad pointing device, and QWERTY laptop keyboard. Its appeal lies in its combination of portability, low cost, relatively high performance, and familiar ease of use.
Availability
Initial availability is scheduled for the end of October 20072), with widespread retail availability later in the year or early next3). ASUS has set a conservative global sales target of 200,000 units for the first year, presumably limited by production, that will increase to between 300,000 and 500,000 by March 2008 and to over three million by the end of that year. Given indications of high demand, initial allocation in any region is expected to be very tight.
Specifications
Eee PC 701
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Display: AU Optronics4) 7? WVGA (800×480) TFT-LCD
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Processor: 900MHz Intel Celeron M ULV 353
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Chipset: Mobile Intel 910GML Express
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Graphics: Intel GMA 900 (integrated) with external VGA-out connector
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Memory: 256MB (non-upgradeable), 512MB, or 1GB single-channel DDR2-400 (PC2-3200) SDRAM5)
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Storage: 2, 4, or 8GB SSD (non-upgradeable6))
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BIOS: American Megatrends, Inc. (AMI)7)
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OS: ASUS-customized Xandros Linux with “Easy” and “Standard” GUI modes
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Wired communications: 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, V.92 56K modem
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Wireless communications: 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, possible Bluetooth integration
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Ports: 3 USB 2.0, MMC(plus)/SD(HC) card reader, microphone and headphone
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Webcam (optional): VGA (640×480) @ up to 30 fps
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Audio: 5.1-channel High Definition Audio (Realtek ALC6628)); built-in stereo speakers, microphone
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Battery life: 3.5 hours (4-cell Li-ion: 7.4V, 5200mAh, 2S2P); 2.8 hours (4-cell: 4400mAh)
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Dimensions: 22.5 x 16.4 x 2.15~3.5 cm (8.86 x 6.46 x 0.846~1.4 in)
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Weight: 0.92 kg (2.0 lbs)
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Colors: white, black, and three pastel hues (green, blue, pink)
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Price: $299-$399 in North America
Hardware
Unlike some broadly similar devices, notably UMPCs and upcoming MIDs, this computer features the traditional clamshell design, touchpad pointing device, and QWERTY laptop keyboard. However, for storage it uses a solid state drive (SSD) based on non-volatile NAND flash memory, rendering it much less susceptible to shock damage. Random-access times should be substantially lower than that of mechanical hard drives, as well, but sustained transfer rates (read and write) will likely also be lower. In practical use, the SSD allows the computer to boot quickly while consuming less power and extending battery life.
The exterior design is fairly symmetrical, and the computer is inclined toward the user at a shallow angle to ease typing. It appears the slightly recessed touchpad has one large button, but it works like two 9) 10) 11) (as is the case with ASUS's A8 series of notebooks); a marked scroll strip can be seen on the right edge. The 80-key keyboard is considerably smaller than full-size (most keys measure 1.5 x 1.3 cm12)), as would be expected, but the widescreen display does not fill the panel space and leaves an unusually wide bezel all around. The surrounding black area is used for an optional fixed webcam (top), ASUS logo (bottom), and stereo speakers (sides). The chrome power button resides on the right side of a sturdy-looking hinge, next to the Eee PC logo, and a horizontal array of four different-colored status LEDs lines the front-right edge. These are indicators for power (green, flashes on standby), low-battery warning (red), disk access (blue), and Wi-Fi (aqua), in that order.
The removable battery sits at the bottom-back, which raises the possibility for extended packs for longer runtimes (though ASUS says it has no plans to offer such batteries13)). It is held securely in place by dual sliding latches, one on either side. The integrated microphone is located on the bottom toward the front. Also on the bottom is a centrally located panel cover secured by two small Phillips-head screws, and this compartment is surrounded by a series of vent holes for a reportedly quiet fan (no vents on the sides). The panel cover enables replacement of RAM14) and installation of a PCI Express Mini Card device in an unoccupied slot. Finally, four rubber feet (two round ones at the front, two long at the back) elevate the notebook off the surface for proper airflow intake.
On the left side of the computer, from front to back: 3.5mm (1/8”) color-coded headphone (lime green) and microphone (pink) ports, one USB 2.0 port, and RJ11 (protected by rubber cover) and RJ45 jacks. On the right side: MMC(plus)/SD(HC) card reader (one slot, flush-fitting), two USB 2.0 ports, VGA-out connector (without screw terminals), and Kensington Security Slot. (A design limitation prevents simultaneous use of the latter two15), a problem which has been observed on some other ASUS notebooks.) A DC power-input jack (9.5V x 2.315A = 22W) is the only connection on the back; it is to the immediate left of the battery when viewed from the front. The included AC-DC adapter/charger (100-240V @ 50/60Hz input) is very small, akin to that for a mobile phone16), and has a long, thin cable of about two meters17).
Reports say the chassis is well-assembled but somewhat flimsy, as can be expected given the price range. However, select models ship with a black, ASUS-branded neoprene carrying case that fits tightly to absorb vibration from shock when on the move. Other items in the package include a User Guide, Quick Use Guide, Support DVD-ROM (contains Windows XP drivers, currently at Rev. 1.1) in paper sleeve, and warranty card. Optional accessories may include an as-yet unannounced ASUS AiGuru U1 wired USB handset for Skype18), ASUS wired notebook optical mouse (various colors), larger and higher-capacity 6-cell Li-ion battery, and a wireless base station whose connection with the computer is not clear; a GPS navigation kit may be offered at a later date.19)
Processor
900MHz Intel Celeron M ULV 353 (Dothan-512, Ultra Low Voltage)20)
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Packaging: Socket 479 mPGA
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Manufacturing process: 90nm
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FSB: 100MHz x 4 = 400MHz
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Multiplier: 9
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Multimedia instruction sets: MMX, SSE, SSE2
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L1 cache: 64KB
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L2 cache: 512KB
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Voltage: 0.94V
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TDP: 5.5W
Chipset
Mobile Intel 910GML Express21)
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supports up to DDR2-400
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ICH6-M southbridge
Graphics
Intel GMA 900 (integrated) with external VGA-out connector
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166MHz/160MHz @ 1.05V
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8MB video memory by default
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supports dual independent displays, up to at least 1600×128022)
Memory
256MB, 512MB, or 1GB single-channel DDR2-400 (PC2-3200) SDRAM (8MB allocated to video memory by default)
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256MB: Qimonda HYB18T512161BF-25 (64MB x 4)23) integrated (non-upgradeable)
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512MB: SiS SSX264M8-J6E24) (64MB x 8, 667MHz @ 400MHz, CL5)25) in (1 of 1) 200-pin SO-DIMM, user-upgradeable up to 1GB
Storage
2, 4, or 8GB SSD with Silicon Motion SM223 controller26) and Hynix NAND flash memory27) (non-upgradeable)
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2GB: Hynix HY27UG088G5M (1GB x 2), common in portable media players
Connectivity
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Wired communications: 10/100 Mbps Ethernet (Atheros), V.92 56K modem
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Wireless communications: 802.11b/g Wi-Fi (Azure AW-GE78028) with Atheros AR5BXB6329)), possible Bluetooth integration
Software
Operating System
(Note: Most of the information in this section is applicable to the entire Eee PC series.)
Thanks to a relatively lean operating system and quick-access SSD, the computer reportedly boots in under ten seconds (ASUS claims within fifteen) and shuts down in five, though some estimates put boot times at up to thirty seconds. The boot screen (with ASUS and Eee PC logos) presents this message: “Press F2 to run Setup. Press TAB to display BIOS POST Message”.
The OS is an ASUS-customized variant of Xandros Linux (based on Debian GNU/Linux 4.0 [”etch”], kernel 2.6.22) with “Easy” and “Standard” GUI modes designed for novice and advanced users, respectively. (Early prototypes appear to run a modified version of Xandros Desktop Professional, but final production models will likely ship with a variant of Home Edition or Home Edition Premium.) As with a normal Xandros installation, this Linux distribution runs the K Desktop Environment (KDE) by default. “Easy” mode is a menu system that consists of a custom tabbed interface, organized by task, with large icons under each tab to launch applications, files, or websites. “Standard” mode is essentially the normal Xandros desktop (but without Xandros branding) and resembles the Windows XP desktop environment, in particular the original Luna visual style in silver.
The following details were observed on a late engineering sample with 4GB SSD, 512MB RAM, and webcam.30) Internal storage is divided into four partitions, the first two of which are combined via UnionFS: OS partition (2.7GB, ext2), home partition (1.3GB, ext2), a FAT32 partition (8MB), and an EFI partition (8MB). (No swap partition is configured by default.) Of the 4GB total capacity, only about 1.3GB is available to the user (excluding any free space remaining on the OS partition), which suggests that the base 2GB model will ship with less software preinstalled.
The computer features a voice-recognition program (Settings ? Voice Command) that can launch applications (a total of sixteen) and shut down the system, but according to one source, it is “a bit too sensitive”31) (translated from Chinese) and is less effective in high-noise environments. In addition, the user must prepend the word “easy” before each command, as in “easy shutdown” and “easy Internet access”.
"Easy" mode
This mode is probably the default mode upon boot. Horizontal tabs run across the top of the screen, and once clicked, the active tab's icons are laid out in a 3-by-5 grid-like structure below. As is the norm, icons must be double-clicked to launch. There may be multiple levels of icons, in which case a navigation bar (with a back button) appears below the tabs once the user leaves the top-most level. According to one report32), there is no need for a second (right-click) touchpad button in this software environment, which ASUS calls their “one-click intuitive interface.”
There are six tabs, in this order: Internet, Work, Learn, Play, Settings, Favorites; plus a Help button in the top-right corner. They present the following icons, in their respective order (from left to right, top to bottom):
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Internet: Web Mail, Web, iGoogle, Messenger, Skype, Network, eBook, Google Docs, World Clock, Wikipedia, Internet Radio, 3G, Wireless Networks
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Work: Accessories, Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations, PDF Reader, Mail, File Manager, Dictionary, Notes
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Learn: Science, Language, Math, Paint, Web Learn
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Play: Games (7), Media Player, Music Manager, Photo Manager, Video Manager, Webcam, Sound Recorder
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Settings: Anti-Virus, Volume, Instant Shutdown, Printers, System Info, Date & Time, Personalization, Add/Remove Software, Touchpad, External Display, Disk Utility, Diagnostic Tools, Desktop Mode, Voice Command
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Favorites: Asus.com, Customize (allows the user to add frequently used programs to this tab for quick access, or to remove them, via a custom utility)
In addition, always present in this mode are a Menu button at the lower-left corner of the screen and a red “off” button in the lower-right (next to the digital clock) to quickly shut down the system. These features are missing in the “Standard” mode; the Menu button is replaced by a Launch button.
"Standard" mode
This mode can be activated by selecting Settings ? Desktop Mode in the “Easy” mode, but this procedure may require a system restart33). It is typical of a “full-blown” Linux graphical desktop, in particular a KDE desktop, and allows the user to do most anything that can be done in Linux, save for perhaps some commands in the shell. The default desktop icons are Trash and Home. Also by default, there are two switchable desktop sessions. Shortcuts to Firefox, Thunderbird, File Manager, and Show Desktop (in that order) are to the right of the Launch button on the bottom panel.
Included Applications
Most included applications are open-source and licensed under GPLv2, with the notable exception of Skype.
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AbiWord - word processor
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Calculator
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CodeWeavers CrossOver Linux - allows running Windows programs (may be removed)
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Crack Attack! - Tetris Attack-based game
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Disk Utility
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Frozen-Bubble - Puzzle Bobble-style game
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Function Plotter
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GNOME Sudoku - puzzle game
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Gnumeric - spreadsheet program
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Klondike - solitaire card game
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Kopete - instant messaging client
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KPresenter - presentation program
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KStars - planetarium program
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Longman Dictionary
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LTris - Tetris game
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Mozilla Firefox 2 - graphical web browser
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Mozilla Thunderbird - email client
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SMPlayer - media player
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OpenOffice.org 2.0 - office suite
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PDF Reader
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Penguin Racer - 3D racing game
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Periodic Table
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Pidgin - instant messaging client
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Potato Guy - potato editor for children
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Project Management
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Screen Capture
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Skype - P2P VoIP program
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Sound Recorder
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Tux of Math Command - math tutorial program for children
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Tux Paint - bitmap graphics editor for children ages 3 to 12
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Tux Typing - typing tutorial program for children
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UCView - video-capture program for webcam
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Xandros Antivirus (powered by ClamAV)
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Xandros Control Center (customized variant of KDE Control Center)
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Xandros File Manager (replaces Konqueror in KDE)
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Xandros Music Manager (powered by Amarok)
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Xandros Photo Manager (powered by digiKam)
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Video Manager
It is uncertain whether this customized variant of Xandros can make use of the Xandros Networks package manager, a proprietary apt-based download tool that handles updating and installation of software from a large online repository. Normally, registered users of Xandros get a free subscription to this service.
Windows and Other OSes
The computer is capable of running Microsoft Windows XP with driver support from the manufacturer, but that OS will not be included to keep the price down. Various GNU/Linux and BSD distributions should also install successfully, thanks to the use of Linux-compatible hardware. Due to the lack of an integrated optical drive, however, users who wish to install Windows or an alternative OS must boot from a USB device (usually flash memory or an external CD/DVD drive). (More information on Windows XP installation can be found in the User Guide.) An engineering sample has been shown on video running Windows XP Professional (pre-SP2), PCLinuxOS, and an unidentified Linux distribution in Live CD mode.34)
Earlier versions of Windows will probably not work without proper drivers (perhaps with the exception of 2000, given its NT roots and similarity to XP). Running Windows Vista is most definitely out of the question, not only because of the need for drivers, but also because of the computer's performance and space constraints (notably CPU, RAM, and graphics capabilities). Compatibility with Apple Mac OS X is uncertain, but the Pentium M-based CPU lacks support for the SSE3 instruction set required by Apple's Rosetta dynamic translator. Rosetta enables applications compiled for the PowerPC architecture to run on x86 processors. (Warning: It is prohibited, and thus illegal, to run Mac OS on non-Apple hardware under the EULA.)
--BRUISED |
Guess I'll be looking for a deal on a J728....... 
