Have Laptop Will Travel

ASUS has new EEE PC with overclocking capability

Originally posted on December 4, 2008 @ 11:03 pm

ASUS has announced another addition to its popular EEE line.

The EEE PC 10002HA is the first version of the popular netbook that not only features a brushed aluminum body, it also has the Super Hybrid Engine, a feature that allows users to lower and overclock the CPU speed. The unit has a button on the keyboard that lets you cycle through different performance presets.

It also features 160GB of storage, along with 10GB of free online storage through the Asus EEE Online Storage. It has 802.11 N WiFi capability and a five hour battery life.

This new netbook will be available this December for $499.

Future netbooks may come with cellular broadband

Originally posted on December 16, 2008 @ 10:51 pm

With netbooks becoming more and more ubiquitous not just in the business space but also among casual internet users, its further evolution is going to be assured.

One part of this evolution would be in the area of broadband access. Based on an article on Wired, netbooks in the next few years may start arriving bundled with built-in WWAN radios, only with the caveat that a subscription will be required, which would fall along the $60 a month category.

Acer, Radioshack and AT&T are already requiring buyers of the Acer Aspire One to get a contract for broadband access. As I have posted before, the subsidy comes in the form of ultracheap Aspire Ones ($99) but a requirement of a two-year contract.

Is this development a good or bad thing for users? Time will only tell but it will depend on how much freedom manufacturers and provider will give users.

$99 netbook offered

Originally posted on December 14, 2008 @ 12:33 pm

The $99 laptop is slowly but surely coming true.

Acer and Radioshack recently unveiled a netbook whose price is subsidized by AT&T, the 3G provider.

The Acer Aspire One, which is more than $200 usually, has been priced at just $99 for customers who sign on for a two-year contract with AT&T, who will provide the integrated wireless data connection. The wireless data plan begins at $60 a month, this is a total of $1440 for the duration of the contract.

The new offering is available in over 4400 Radioshack operated stores and will last until December 24.

Subsidizing netbooks is not really a new thing outside the US. This is the first of its kind policy within the country and it looks like this is the start of a trend that will continue for the next few years.