Castellini on Computers - Computer help for beginners » ASUS

Netbooks – What are they really designed to do and for whom?

Rick — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:53:07 +0000

Today, I demo'd the original EeePC from Asus and the new Dell Mini 9. These Netbooks and all the others on the market from nearly a dozen companies have the following characteristics in common:

Netbooks are NOT made for Windows XP or Vista

Rick — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:50:18 +0000

One year ago, ASUS started a fire storm of new computers that now go by the name of netbooks with the release of their EeePC. I wrote about this subject just a few months ago, but with the holidays approaching and netbooks are high on gift giver's radar screens so I want to explore netbooks a little more in depth.

Netbooks make attractive gift giving ideas for a few reasons:

They are inexpensive; usually cost less than $400.
They are extremely portable (2-3 pounds).
They are cute.

Here are some facts you need to know about netbooks:

New Dell Mini laptops

Rick — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:21:44 +0000

Dell has joined Everex, Acer, HP, Sony, and the ground breaking Asus Eee PC in the arena of the netbook. Netbooks are small laptops with a screen of 9" or smaller and a weight of less than 2.5 pounds. They all run on either a form of Linux or Windows XP. The Dell Inspiron Mini (click the picture above to buy or read more about them) is Dell's entry into this increasingly crowded and popular market. Remember that these netbooks are not for everyone, but they fill a niche for frequent travelers, train or bus commuters, and computer users who want an inexpensive yet capable second computer.

Asus started a whole new trend

Rick — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:29:02 +0000

I just returned from visiting my brother and his new baby and traveled, again, with only my phone and my Asus Eee PC. As usual, the little laptop did not disappoint. I was able to keep up with email, work with my spreadsheets and word processing documents and do other web research as well. All from a little marvel that cost less than $400 and weighs less than 2 pounds.

Eee PC 900

Rick — Mon, 12 May 2008 20:34:58 +0000

The new ASUS Eee PC 900 is finally available in the United States. Like its release earlier this year in Asia, the 900 version is selling like hot cakes in the U.S. too. I have been using the 4G version of the original ASUS Eee PC since November 2007 and wrote a few articles about it that can be found here. I originally bought it to try it out and see what all the fuss was about, but quickly became attached to its ultra portability and usablity.

Think twice before your blame your computer’s manufacturer for problems

Rick — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:09:37 +0000

"What brand of computer do you recommend?" is one of the most common questions I get asked. My answer is usually, "It really doesn't matter as long as it is a name brand and has the specs that you need."

I often hear comments like, "Our first computer was a Dell and we constantly had problems with viruses and spam," or "I'm never going to get another HP, this one just locks up and crashes all the time."

Most computer problems I see every day have nothing to do with the parts they are made up of. Most home computer problems are software related - not hardware.

Help! My laptop has been stolen – No they didn’t catch the bad guys

Rick — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:56:21 +0000

Before I get a bunch of comments about the news story on the bad guys who were caught, it doesn't appear to be the same bad guys at the moment. My stuff was not in the initial find and the dates don't match up. Maybe the bad guys know each other, but until the police contact me with a find, I am assuming that my laptops are still out there. Yes, both my laptops were stolen out of my car last night. One was an Averatec with tons of stickers plastered on the top cover, the other was my Asus Eee PC. There was a lot of other stuff in the bag, but nothing that I can't replace.

Week #3 with my Eee PC

Rick — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:38:26 +0000

My daughter is out driving around with a driving instructor, and I took the opportunity to visit a local coffee shop and use my Eee PC. Asus announced their intention to release a small computing device that is too small to call a laptop, but too large to call a handheld device earlier this year. They started selling them in October. After watching the hoopla for about a month, I decided that the unit is too compelling not to give it a try.

I have had the unit for three weeks now and use it when I'm working with clients and at night when I watch TV and work at the same time. The computer uses a modified version of Linux and boots in less than 40 seconds. It connects to the Internet either through wi-fi or Ethernet and can even create and read Microsoft Office compatible documents.

Needless to say, after three weeks, I think I will hold on to this little gem. Traveling with it will be much more convenient than hauling around my laptop and all its heft. The easy access to the web and quick bootup and shutdown times make using the device easy and fast. I never question whether I have enough time to boot it up and check my email or look up a phone number or even look at the latest Woot.

The Eee PC isn't for everyone, but for computer users who travel a lot and want quick, solid access to their email, the web and even some occasional spreadsheet and document creation, the Eee C fits the bill admirably. Watch for more tips and pictures of this little marvel in the weeks to come. In fact, I plan on doing all my CES coverage in Vegas this year with only the Eee PC!

ASUS Eee Laptop PC released today

Rick — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:09:08 +0000

Remember how excited I was yesterday when I talked about the $199 PC from WalMart? Well, I'm equally excited today with the official release of the ASUS Eee Laptop starting at $299! This little gem promises to unleash a whole new genre of what I want to call Internet Appliances 2.0. I'm hoping to get my hands on a review unit soon, but in the mean time, read this thoroughly written article from Dave Altavia at hothardware.com.