The tech reality of my life
When I bought my first computer back in 1993, it was a top-of-the-line model, complete with a 128MB hard disk. Yes, I wrote that right - MB - GB was still in the future. Well, a week later, something new and better came along (I can’t even remember what it was), the price fell and my top-of-the-line computer became bottom-of-the-heap.
So it is with my latest tech toy, the ASUS eeePC 900. I spent weeks walking around shops at Digital Mall and IKANO Power Centre, asking when would the 900 XP version be available. Eventually, the 900 Linux version was released, and I finally figured it out that that was the version available in Malaysia. Finally, last week, I bought one for myself. Same price as the XP but with 8GB more storage (wow, more than my 1993 computer).
I must not have walked around the right shops. This morning, I went by the IT floor at The Curve to get an external DVD-Writer. And saw there, the new Acer Aspire One. That wasn’t all. There was also the MSI Wind in a display case! I was so single-minded on getting that one item that I’d walked into the shop without looking at anything else.
So there, before me, two competitors to the ASUS eeePC range of UMPCs (Ultra Mobile PC). Did I regret getting the ASUS? Here’s what I posted on the Flickr AlphaSmart forum:
So, let’s see - besides the ASUS range, there’s now also similar machines from HP (MiniNote), Acer (Aspire One) and MSI (Wind). I’ve seen all three.
Both the HP and MSI offer regular HDs. The Acer offers an 8-gig SSD. The MSI is the largest with a 10″ screen. But when closed, you can see the keys in the space between the two halves of the clam shell. That bothers me (or maybe I’m just looking to console myself for not having waited … )
I find different things I don’t like about the 3 machines that are now available after I bought the ASUS eeePC. Do I regret not waiting just that little bit longer?
Please believe me when I say I really like my ASUS eeePC 900. I bought it when I needed to, not a second too early or too late. I have promised myself to use it for a year before looking at another machine. It does what I need it to do, plus it’s light and not very eye-catching, which is what I like. Plus, I conquered the keyboard in less than 3 days, learning to use the left shift key which was what was giving me the most typos (and headache).
For those of you out there looking to get an UMPC, there’s now more choice in the market beside the ASUS eeePC range. Walk around Low Yat in KL or Digital Mall (old Metrojaya across from Jaya Supermarket) in PJ. Be amazed by the choice. Hold one in your hand. Enjoy the lightweight. Open it up. Run your fingers over the keyboard. Decide what feels right beneath your fingertips (and your budget). Then take out your credit card and commit. BTW, Dell is joining in the competition, too, with its Mini Inspiron.
Meanwhile, I’ll be enjoying my eeePC even more, having installed XP on it this afternoon. It’s now running very close to the way I like it. The only snag to be sorted out is the wireless connection - my eeePC won’t connect to my home wireless network … not yet, anyway. I think I’ll go to Hoxe’s this evening and see how it runs.
And here’s my eeePC on the MacBook (which I’ll be selling off soon). The desktop icons are hidden so I get the full picture of “teddy bear” Lang Lang on the eeePC, while that’s Feng Yi on the MacBook. Both of them are currently at the Beijing Zoo for the Olympics.
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