Community Matters

Intel has something else in mind when they talk about the Ultra Mobile PC, namely a more pen and touch screen based user experience, but to me the eeePC today is a very impressive implementation of exactly this idea. A full computer, fast enough for the real internet experience, running a reasonably customized version of a standard OS, but extremely light and small so it’s easy to take with you on the road.

I am traveling to a conference this week; I brought my eeePC and am very pleased so far. You can surf the web wirelessly almost anywhere; I have had only one password protected network that I couldn’t access as it seems the eeePC uses a different algorithm for WEP passwords than some access point vendors like D-Link and the owner of the network didn’t have the hex key available. Everywhere else connecting with the eeePC was as easy as connecting with my MacBook Pro: It sees the access points, asks you which network to connect to (I actually like the way the networks are displayed together with their signal strength better than what’s available on the Mac!), asks you for encryption keys where necessary and off you go!

You can browse the web with the best browser available (Firefox), get to your email (even though I’m not completely in love with Thunderbird on this small screen – too much wasted real estate), play media… pretty darn impressive. As you can tell, you can blog (this post is written on the eeePC, of course).

The only real downside is caused by the major upside of this device. It is so small that the keyboard is too crowded and it is sometimes hard to find a comfortable sitting position with it – it’s just too tempting to sit down anywhere and put it in your lap – and the ergonomics just don’t work out to well with that…

Yes, the MacBook Air is prettier. But at six to eight times the price of an eeePC (depending on which models you compare), I’m not sure it is worth it. And if I am allowed a snide remark… having a real right click with your trackpad as a welcome change from the Mac… (but yes, I do of course realize that in most every other aspect the Mac is much more advanced – given its price it better be!).

Anyway, my verdict so far: the perfect travel companion for the blogger!