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| Brand: Asus
Category: Personal Computer
List Price: $449.00
Buy New: $417.00
You Save: $32.00 (7%)
New (14) from $417.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  53 reviews
Sales Rank: 84
Color: Ebony Black
Media: Personal Computers
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: Yes
Operating System: Linux
CPU Manufacturer: Intel
CPU Speed: 1.6
CPU Type: Intel Atom
Processors: 1
System Memory: 1000
Memory Type: DDR2 SDRAM
Hard Drive Size: 20
Floppy Disk Drive: None
Native Resolution: 8.9
Modem: None
Display Size: 8.9
Shipping Weight (lbs): 7
Dimensions (in): 6.9 x 8.9 x 0.9
nv:Condition: New
Operating Systems: LINUX
Platform: Netbook
Expansion Ports: N/A
PS/2 Mouse Connectors: N/A
PS/2 Keyboard Connectors: N/A
Serial Communication Ports: N/A
Parallel Ports: N/A
USB Ports: 3
FireWire Ports: N/A
Fast Infrared Ports (FIR): N/A
LAN Ports: 1
Modem Ports: N/A
Audio Out Jacks: 1
Line In Jacks: N/A
Microphone Jacks: 1
VGA Ports: 1
S-Video Connectors: N/A
DVI Video: N/A
Port Replicator/Connector: N/A
Processor Brand: Intel
Processor Class: Atom Processor
Memory Type: DDR2
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: EEEPC901-BK001
Model: EEEPC901-BK001
UPC: 884840266716
EAN: 0884840266716
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Great Portable Compter! September 5, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I just love this little computer. I typically use it for tabletop gaming, and it is the perfect size to display the information that I need, while not obscuring my vision around it. And, compared to my other laptop (15" screen) this computer is actually portable. I can really take it anywhere. I took it with me when I got pulled into jury duty, and while I was there I found it easy to use my Netbeans IDE to write java code. The screen resolution is good, but things can still get a little cramped. When I got to jury duty I bee-lined straight for a power plug, thinking that I would need to keep this laptop charged... Over 2 hours later I realized that there was no power coming from the plug, but my little eee still had 65% battery left. I was impressed! The battery life is amazing. (note: I was not using sound or the wireless connection)
I did end up unlocking the desktop mode of the OS, so that it would run a bit more like a traditional computer. I needed too many extra programs, and it was too much work getting them to display in the normal eee interface.
I would actually rate this product just under 5 stars, as there has been one drawback. The touchpad on my computer does not work well - it is responsive only half the time, and I find that the cursor jumps around quite a bit. This was easily solved by getting a tiny usb mouse, which works great. Perhaps there is just something wrong with my touchpad?
Anyway, I highly recommend getting an eee if you need portability - it is great!
Great portable machine October 3, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
When looking for a portable computer to join me on the road, I was most concerned about:
* (Exceptional) battery life
* (Small) size and weight
* (High) exterior durability/build quality
* (Solid) keyboard
* (Good) wireless hardware/software
* (Low) noise and heat
* (At least) a 1024-pixel-wide display
* (Reasonable) disk space
At the time of research/purchase, the EEE line seemed to meet these requirements better than the alternatives I read about, especially battery life. The units are small, the 6-cell batteries really are great in the Atom-based models, the power brick is tiny, a carrying case is included in the package, etc.
The tough call for me ended up being whether to get the EEE 901 or the EEE 1000H. At the time, the 1000H was significantly cheaper, came with a larger (and more traditional) storage unit, had a larger keyboard and screen, with nearly the same battery life, and had Windows. (The the Windows version of the EEE 901 really did not sound appealing given the low storage space on it.) I got to try out the Acer Aspire One at a local Best Buy, and felt that the keyboard size was just right. The knowledge that the 901's keyboard was smaller than the Aspire One's worried me, though when I saw pictures online comparing the overall size of the 901 to the 1000 to a normal-sized laptop, it seemed almost pointless to buy something just a tad smaller than a normal laptop, vs something significantly smaller and still usable. Also, the 901's keyboard has been around for a while (used in all EEE models except the 1000 up until that point), and reportedly felt a lot sturdier, even if it were smaller.
The Windows question: while I am a die-hard Linux fan, I felt that it might be more practical having Windows on a portable machine that has to go everywhere---on rare occasions, you might run into things where you really wished you had Windows for. Plus with the hard disk in the 1000H, it would be easy enough to partition and dual-boot. If you bought a model loaded with Linux and wanted Windows on it, (I guess) you could try VMWare or something similar or try dual-booting off of the internal SSD's, but you'd still either have to buy it or steal it, neither of which are good options. You really can't beat the value of having it come with the machine.
Ultimately, I decided on the Linux version of the EEE 901. It has just the right amount of built-in storage space, is completely silent when using the battery, has a solid-feeling keyboard, easy-to-read screen/resolution, excellent battery life (5 hours when demanding a lot from the wireless non-stop) and overall is just right for my needs. The build quality is great---does not feel or look cheaply made. And it's so lightweight, and it fits everywhere---in the car, on a coffee table; produces very little heat; it's small enough to have two on your lap at once, if you're into that kind of thing. I only wish it were capable of playing MSNBC's and CNN's live video streams. YouTube, Hulu, etc work fine. This is currently my *only* computer, and I've been using it all day for a month. I browse the web, do email and write software (on a remote system). Though the keyboard is small, it doesn't suffer flex in the way that the 1000H's apparently does, and I can touch-type on it at a satisfactory speed---maybe just a bit slower than I would on a full-size keyboard. As a fair warning, I do have smaller-than-average hands. And even with that "advantage", I did buy an external full-size USB keyboard to use when I really have to do some serious typing. But the portability factor of this model is just superb, and the built-in keyboard is really satisfactory 90% of the time. It definitely beats having a larger machine to lug around, even if the built-in keyboard were a tad larger.
Finally, a note about wireless: The included wireless software works fine and is easy to use. Reception could be better, but I have nothing to compare it to. So let me put it this way: whenever and wherever I have needed to get online, I've been able to.
Way to go Asus, you really got things right with the EEE 901!
Great Net-Book October 12, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Bottom Line Up Front:
Unless you use a computer for light tasks (net-surfing, email, school work, connecting to other computers, etc.), the 901 is NOT meant to be your only PC. If going back and forth between the two machines is a problem, learn how to make your 901 connect remotely to your main machine. That's one of it's strengths. Use it.
The 901 is a NETBOOK:
That means it's highly mobile--and highly-connected--enough to be either a "smart terminal" for work, or a basic "media station" for personal use. Although it may have the processing power to do more, it lacks the massive storage capacity. (You can use an external, USB Hard-Drive to overcome that).
Why I Purchased One:
Starting a month or two back, I actually had to be mobile at a moment's notice. That's when I realized my 3 year-old, 5-pound "luggable" laptop (I believe it was once called a "Desktop Replacement") was too cumbersome to be of use to me. So I purchased the 901, and all is well again.
The luggable still handles all of my heavier tasks. The 901 handles my software development and network-admin duties.
Your Concerns May Vary:
If you're truly concerned, try out one of these things before buying. (I bought mine sight unseen.) Initially, I was worried about the size of the keyboard. I even tried to "prepare" for that by typing on one of those small, folding keyboards for PDAs. At 8.5 inches x 3.25 inches, the 901's keyboard was even smaller by comparison. So much so that I almost sent the computer back without trying it, but I'm glad I didn't. I got used to typing on the thing inside of 10 minutes. Yes, the right-shift key is in the wrong place. (You can go to eeeuser.com for a remedy.) True, the right-control key is gone completely. (You're on your own for that one.)
Or to be completely fair, look into the competition. A friend of mine--also a computer professional--saw my netbook and liked the concept. However, he didn't like the keyboard. He purchased the Mini 910 from Dell. (It has nearly the same specs, and it's cheaper.) Meanwhile, my boss is looking at the Eee PC 1000, which has a 10-inch screen and a larger(?!), laptop-sized keyboard. Suddenly, every laptop manufacturer has at least one netBook model in its lineup. You've got a great selection to choose from.
On A Lighter Note(book):
If you're a guy, you might take exception with the pearl-based color options. Seeing pics did not prepare me for how "cute" the 901 looked in white. I certainly didn't enjoy my girlfriend's reaction. (Ow, my pride.) But, to my surprise, I quickly got used to the 901's apple-esque styling. (In fact, I consider this to be the Apple IIc I couldn't have back in high school. Shut up.)
One thing I will NOT suffer, however, is the included 901 "carrying case". Come on ASUS, that's not a case, it's a freakin' purse! (And a cheap-looking one at that.)
Here's my solution. Buy a book/Bible cover. It should immunize you from purse-snatchers and gay-bashers alike. But more importantly, you'll get better styling in a case that doesn't scream, "Hey! I'm carrying a NETBOOK! Please steal me!"
Yeah, I've used Amazon for years, but this is my first review. Take it for what its worth.
UPDATE:
Depending on how you use the 901, you may get tired of the default Xandros OS (even in its so-called "advanced mode"). That's when you'll want to switch to WinXP (I wouldn't be brave enough to install Vista), or a different flavor of GNU/Linux. In my case, I choose Ubuntu 8.04 -- Hardy Heron -- with the eee-optimized kernel from array.org
And I can't stress enough: When it comes to anything Eee PC, the forums at www.eeeuser.com will be your best friend.
Excellent netbook October 18, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
It took me a while before deciding exactly what Netbook to purchase. I did some research and compared a few models and went with this one (although I hear a new model 901 is coming out soon, so I'd wait for that one if I was you).
To put it simply, using this Eee PC is the first time I've ever enjoyed using a laptop. I bought this because my old Sony Vaio is a beast. It's much too heavy and the battery lasts only about an hour and 45 minutes tops. The Asus Eee PC's battery life lasts about 5 hours (but this is only an estimate because I've never actually let it run all the way down).
Everyone loves this thing, I've gotten more compliments and questions about it than any other product I've ever owned.
The only problem, and this is stressed in any review you'll read, is that the keyboard is very small. I knew this going in to it and was prepared because I have really small hands anyway. After a while you'll get used to it, but switching back to other laptops was kind of tricky because I was so used to the smaller version.
The little slip case it comes with is nice, but has no strap or handle or lanyard attachment. It's basically made out of the same material a beverage "koozie" is made out of, so if your laptop is particularly warm when you put it in, it will stay that way and won't cool down. This was almost a problem because when you turn it off the screen goes blank just a few seconds before the rest of the computer actually turns off (other laptops do this as well). I closed the lid before it was completely shut down which sent it into sleep mode, but I thought it was off. I had it in the slipcase for about 2 hours, and when I took it out again I realized that it was still on, and it was blistering hot. Not just the bottom but the lid and screen, everything, you could have fried an egg on it, it was literally too hot to touch. The little fan had been running like crazy inside the slip case trying to cool it down but was blowing nothing but hot air because of poor ventilation and so was basically cooking the machine. I thought the thing was broken for sure, but I waited a few minutes for it to cool off before turning it on again. It worked perfectly, and has since, there doesn't seem to be any damage, but I won't be making the mistake of not making sure the computer is turned off all the way before putting it in the case again.
Overall, I'm giving it 5 stars. It's everything I wanted and expected; if you buy this expecting something without researching it to see exactly what it can do you will most likely be disapointed. It's not the fastest thing in the world, and does lag when you try to do too many things at once, but, again, I knew that would be the case.
Asus eee 901 20g Linux September 6, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The laptop is just awesome! Small, light and really helpful while travelling! :) Despite its battery is a bit bigger than the eee 900 one, this one gives more working time. The charger is 12V dc, for the geeks who want to use it in the car, it will be reaaally simple to find a normal adapter.
The keyboard is slightly smaller than a normal one but in few weeks u'll find it very comfortable (typing with few fingers though).
The Xandros O.S. is the only defect... too easy but too limited... you can use it only for fun and few important applications. I have installed Win XP though and it is incredibly fast (the SDD helps a lot).
Feel free to ask me for any question/help (dimitrifederico@hotmail.com).
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