Comments on: The Ultimate Portable Notebook – Air or Eee?

By: timhu

timhu — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:50:38 +0000

came across this product on a Taiwan website today – works out to be $AUS750. http://www.kohjinsha.com/models/sa/sa5sx04/index.html (japanese website)

By: Nick London

Nick London — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:55:31 +0000

While the Air looks fantastic, I think I’ll be sticking with my EEE. I mean, the Air is ridiculously overpriced in my opinion, although it may come down in time.

But I’ve got XP installed on my EEE and it does me fine. Even though it’s only running at 667mhz, I can still run Quake 3 at 60fps, runs Visual Studio, Photoshop and 3D Studio MAX perfectly. I mean, I use more intensive applications than the standard user so if it can suit me, then I imagine it’s well above the needs of most people on the market for an ultra-portable.

Yes, the tiny screen is a bit annoying and the image quality isn’t great. Yeah, the keyboard is tiny, flimsy and awkward (This is probably my main concern with this laptop) and the internal hard-drive is exceedingly small (Although you can get a massive SD-card for a little over a hundred bucks, so this is easily rectified), but you still get a HELL of a lot for $500.

By: Andrew Herron

Andrew Herron — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:24:08 +0000

yeah I agree about the features – I’ve wanted to buy a mac laptop for years but I just don’t move around enough to justify the cost unless I ditch my desktop (which I can’t do). A web tablet that runs linux with a stack of community-driven apps available for it is right up my alley.

I skipped the n800 because I wanted at least some kind of keyboard, and I’m eagerly awaiting the Australian release of the N810 (I’m in Brisbane).

Particularly now that podshow has hooked up a 15% discount deal ;)
http://curry.podshow.com/?p=932

By: scotty

scotty — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:58:26 +0000

@Michael — I agree that Air is marketed towards the iPhone crowd. I still don’t get why people would want to spend that much on a phone up front, when you have to sign a phone contract at the same time. But then there are people who are willing to pay at a premium to get the latest and greatest. Big thanks to them to keep the economy afloat :)

@Andrew — I think N810 is a great machine if you are looking at a browsing appliance. I actually expect an ultraportable that you can “work” on, i.e. typing up a report, do a bit of coding, etc. If I am looking for a web surfing tablet, N810 (or N800 which is actually available in Australia) will be ideal.

@Oliver — we don’t have PPC-6700 here. The only thing that came close is HTC TyTN II but that thing is expensive. I can imagine myself typing up an essay on that either…

By: Oliver

Oliver — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:27:28 +0000

If I were to choose, I’d get an Eee. The Air doesn’t have enough bang for the buck. For that much money, I’d expect to have a DVD. A nonreplaceable battery is also too inconvenient. The battery is about the only thing I replace on my laptops. The iPod like touchpad though is nice.

But, as for having an ultraportable, I’ll stick with my PPC-6700. :)

By: Andrew Herron

Andrew Herron — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:25:10 +0000

I’m going for the Nokia N810, myself. Similar price to the EEE, but doesn’t try to be a PC.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 04:09:35 +0000

I’ve got to go with you on the EEE, from a purely pragmatic approach. I like the MB Air but can’t justify the price for the value. I’m typing this on an older PowerBook that will just have to do me until the prices come down to the point where they are affordable by those of us who don’t have the discretionary income of the apparent target market for Apple’s latest offering.

I’m truly given to wonder if Apple isn’t marketing the MB Air at the same people who purchased the iPhone. Not sure if I could back that one up with hard data, but (to me, anyway) it feels a bit that way.