BOOT CAMP 531 (01/07/08) – Tweaking the Eee PC
Aside from the hype whipped by Apple Mac launches, most
PCs and laptops tend to come and go largely unnoticed. One notable exception is
the Asus Eee PC It’s a pocket-sized PC that first appeared late last year and
it breaks all the rules, yet more than an million of them have been sold so far
this year.
Mini or sub-notebook PCs with screens smaller than
10-inches are now coming out of the woodwork (see also this week’s Top Tip) but
it’s certainly not a new idea. There have been several notable models over the
years but they have suffered from being prohibitively expensive or difficult to
use. So what makes the Eee PC different, and so popular judging by all the
emails and letters we’ve been receiving lately from new owners, and those
thinking about buying one?
It’s obviously not the specification, which flies in the
face of the computer industry’s faster and smarter credo. The current basic Eee
700 series model sports a modest 900MHz Intel Celeron processor, 512Mb of RAM
and a paltry 2Gb of solid-state storage space (it has no hard disc drive). The
7-inch screen has a resolution of only 800 x 400, which is okay for word
processing and emailing but some web pages tend to fall off the edge. The
keyboard isn’t going to win any prizes for usability and battery life, at
around 2.5 to 3 hours is nothing to write home about either.
Eee PCs are pre-installed with a custom version of the
Linux Debian operating system, called Xandros, which seems like a controversial
choice in a market dominated by Microsoft, though being an Intel based machine,
Windows XP can be persuaded to run on it, surprisingly well in fact and its now
on option on more recent models. While there is nothing intrinsically wrong
with Linux this distribution is tailored to the Eee and the default ‘Easy Mode’
desktop does look a bit, well, childish, with fun-size menus and giant icons,
though as we shall see in the next couple of weeks that’s easy to fix.
The most obvious attraction, though, is the price and the
entry-level 2Gb model, when you can find one, sells for as little as £175.
That’s a bargain when you consider that it is has a built-in wi-fi adaptor, all
of the software you could possibly want or need on a mobile PC, including
Firefox for web browsing, Thunderbird for emails, Open Office Suite for word
processing, spreadsheets, presentations etc. (all fully compatible with MS
Office documents and files), plus some very capable image processing and media
player software. It has 3 USB ports, VGA and LAN sockets, an SD memory card
reader and the higher up the range models have more on-board memory and storage
space plus a built-in web cam, and you still get change from £250.
The advantages of Linux are apparent when you switch it
on, there’s no delay waiting for the hard drive to spin up and it is usually
ready to use in around 30 – 40 seconds. Linux stability is legendary; it is
very secure and virtually immune to viruses and malware (though it comes with a
virus scanner, just in case…). Easy Mode, whilst not particularly appealing for
grown-ups, is very easy to use and the Wi-Fi system is an absolute delight,
almost always managing a fast, fuss-free connection whenever you are in range
of a hotspot or access point.
Suffice it to say the Eee PC is a most agreeable
travelling companion and it makes you think twice about lugging a laptop around
with you. Writing long documents on the small keyboard can be hard going but in
just about every other respect, from emailing, to organising your digital
photographs or browsing the web, it’s a little gem, but it can be so much
better and next week we’ll have some simple software tweaks to turn the Eee PC
in something really special.
We’ll finish off this week with a quick and simple way to
boost performance, by upgrading the memory on models with 512Mb of installed
RAM. It’s a simple and safe procedure and all you need is a small Philips
screwdriver and replacement 1 or 2Gb memory module. The Eee PC uses a common
laptop type, specifically DDR2 SODIMM modules and 1Gb cards cost around £20 -
£25 online.
If you are ready to begin, and with your replacement
module to hand (keep it in its anti-static packing until needed), touch a metal
radiator, to dispel any static charge on your body or clothes. Remove the
charger cable and battery pack, flip the machine over and carefully remove the
two screws securing the hatch and prise it open. You can ignore warning labels
about voiding the warranty; Asus now say DIY memory upgrades are permitted. The
memory module is held in place by two metal clips, one each side; gently move
them outwards, the module flips up and it can be removed. Take the new module
out of its packing, being careful to avoid touching any contacts or components.
Make sure it the right way around by lining up the notch, pop it into the slot
and press down until the side catches lock. Replace the cover and screws, refit
the battery, switch on and you should see an immediate improvement with a
reduction in the time it takes to boot and programs opening faster.
Next Week – Tweaking the Eee PC part 2
JARGON FILTER
DDR2
Double Data Rate 2 – technology used to speed up data throughput
on memory modules – twice as fast as older DDR type modules
LAN
Local
Area Network -- a computer network
SODIMM
Small Outline Dual in Line Memory Module – common type of memory
modules used in laptops
TOP TIP
The first of the new generation of small and ultra cheap laptops
was the OLPC (One Laptop per Child) X0-1, designed to cost no more than $100
and specifically intended for children in poor countries. Such was the demand
for a consumer version that US buyers were offered ’Give 1 Get 1’ deal, with
one machine going to customers and the other to a child in a deprived country.
Intel, and others, sensing a new marketing opportunity have
quickly responded with rival products. The Eee PC being the first to make it
onto the market and already second generation model, with larger 8.9 and
10-inch screens are due in the shops anytime now. Rival products (both in terms
of size and price) are either now available, or will be soon from Elonex, MSI,
Fukato, Hewlett Packard, Jisus and MiniNote.
Don't forget, there's a
full archive of previous Boot Camp Top Tips at www.pctoptips.co.uk
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© R. Maybury 2008, 1106
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