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View Full Version : The eeebox Looks awesome ..



bigbrovar
August 15th, 2008, 08:48 AM
2008 is indeed the year of the Linux Desktop .. it seems that companies are now starting to realize the power and flexibility that linux bring s to the consumer home pc market .. now everyone wants to bring out and ultra mobile pc that ships Linux .. while the reception in the meanstream notebook market is still lukewarm .. Another Set of Computer Device has jumped on the Linux Open source Revolution .. its called the eeebox (http://www.eeextra.com/eee/eeebox-specs.html)

http://www.eeextra.com/images/blackeeebox.jpg

this device is reputed to be able to start and connect to the internet in .. wait for it ... 7 seconds ... when i heard that i just knew it had to run a linux .. cus we all know that there is now chance in hell for windows to boot in 7 secs ..

here are the specs for the eeebox


Computex 2008 saw the crowning of the long awaited desktop eee pc: the eeebox.
Specification

* Processor: Intel Atom N270 at 1.6GHz
* Ram: 1GB DDR2 memory
* Hard disk: 80GB or 160GB 2.5″ SATA, at 5400rpm
* Connectivity: Ethernet, Wifi 802.11n, Bluetooth
* Graphic chipset: Intel GMA 950
* DVI connector, to transfer signal to an LCD or plasma TV
* An MS/MS pro/MMC/SD/SDHC memory card reader
* Two USB ports at the front and two at the back
* External Wifi antenna connector
* A Line connector (S/PDIF)
* Dimensions: 8.5″x1″x7″
* Price tag: From $269 (about 173€) for Linux and 1GB of Ram. For $299 (193€), the eeebox will feature Linux, 2GB Ram, 160GB HD - or WindowsXP, 1GB ram, 80GB HD.




Eeebox purpose

The eeebox will be a great affordable device you can connect to your LCD television via DVI and reproduce multimedia material, record your favourite TV shows.

The Intel Atom processor, and the hardware backing it, is powerful enough to reproduce HD-Ready movies at 720p, but full HD requires more strength. That said, Asus has more powerful and more expensive similar devices in its portfolio, such as the EEE Station.

With the wifi connectivity, you can use the vast capacity of the hard disk as a network drive, accessing your files with your eee pc, or over the internet.

Off course, all your favourite internet applications for browsing or email purpose will be available. Other interesting uses can be mentioned, like webradio, p2p tv, browsing video streaming websites such as Youtube…

You can even use the eeebox as a security surveillance device, recording pictures and video feeds from wireless cameras, and sharing them over the internet.

The eeebox will be available in Linux and windows xp versions. As we witnessed with the eee, the dynamic GNU/Linux community will surely provide us cutting edge solutions, well adaptated to the eeebox hardware.

The bluetooth technology will expand the connectivity and allow the use of a wireless keyboard and mouse, or transfering files directly from your mobile phone and displaying your pictures and videos on your TV.

With the eee pc, Asustek started a wave of low cost computing, which will allow affordable computing in countries where having a PC is still a privilege. Let’s hope the eeebox will serve that purpose.

http://www.eeextra.com/eee/eeebox-specs.html

gn2
August 15th, 2008, 08:56 AM
Nice device apart from the noisy fan but not really anything new, the Linutop has been available for ages.

http://www.linutop.com/linutop2/index.en.html

kernelhaxor
August 15th, 2008, 09:14 AM
I personally dont like it

For the same price, I can get a better more powerful regular sized desktop .. the compactness doesnt appeal to me so much .. its portable but wht I do carrying a CPU around?

bigbrovar
August 15th, 2008, 09:37 AM
kernelhaxor
Re: The eeebox Looks awesome ..
I personally dont like it

For the same price, I can get a better more powerful regular sized desktop .. the compactness doesnt appeal to me so much .. its portable but wht I do carrying a CPU around? good point .... but it feels good to see linux being offered in mainstream computers meant for the home users .. this would help increase the Linux market share in the long run ..

bigbrovar
August 15th, 2008, 09:38 AM
.. and also remove the FUD around Linux Desktop

grossaffe
August 15th, 2008, 09:40 AM
I think its nice because in the past year, eee has really made a name for itself. This is just an expansion of that and will bring linux more into the light of day for those who don't know much about it.

who's heard of linutop, linux people? but then who's heard of eeepcs? those made a splash in the market and are getting noticed.

Barrucadu
August 15th, 2008, 09:56 AM
Right, so how many people do you think will buy the Linux version over the Windows version? I don't actually know anyone with a Linux EeePC - they all buy the Windows version because they know Windows...

bigbrovar
August 15th, 2008, 10:39 AM
Barrucadu
Re: The eeebox Looks awesome ..
Right, so how many people do you think will buy the Linux version over the Windows version? I don't actually know anyone with a Linux EeePC - they all buy the Windows version because they know Windows... some ppple rushed for the XP version when its came out because it was what there are familiar with .. but after seeing the performance of a windows eeepc with a friend .. i was disgusted .. the thing takes forever to bootup and has tons of issues , just yesterday i tried playing with it and it was sooo slow in responding .. i havent tried the Linux version b4 but i can bet its not that slow i mean the poor guy spends more time fixing the thing than using it .. so with time the word would come out that Linux rox better on the eee and then pple would start to give the Linux version a try... already its hard buying the Linux version cus its sold out .. i mean go to amazon .. when it came out it sold out within hours ..

beside the eeebox is being advertised to be able to boot and become internet ready in 7 secs ... we all know that only one version has the ability to achieve that

zmjjmz
August 15th, 2008, 01:34 PM
i mean go to amazon .. when it came out it sold out within hours ..

I'm not even sure they sell it at Amazon.

TheSlipstream
August 15th, 2008, 01:48 PM
Yay. Who doesn't just love laptop components in desktops. Asus sure does! Buying laptop components and sticking them in a desktop frame for absolutely no reason since you're not about to lug around your desktop and then charging the same price as for a computer that could be decent and not ultra low powered if bought from the right place is such a good idea. Sign me up.

youngalfred
August 15th, 2008, 01:59 PM
some ppple rushed for the XP version when its came out because it was what there are familiar with .. but after seeing the performance of a windows eeepc with a friend .. i was disgusted .. the thing takes forever to bootup and has tons of issues , just yesterday i tried playing with it and it was sooo slow in responding .. i havent tried the Linux version b4 but i can bet its not that slow i mean the poor guy spends more time fixing the thing than using it ..

I own an eepc 701 4g (linux) and it is so fast! boot in 10 seconds in easy mode, about the same for advanced desktop. The programs were very responsive (except for tux racer), and it was very easy to get work done quickly. Though i had to get rid of xandros cos it was crampin my style... hardy runs beautifully on the eee. full compiz and emerald (i upgraded to 1gb ram) and it runs very smoothly. boot times are nowhere near as good as 10 seconds, but pretty acceptable considering what you get. The only problems im having are minor with my kde install (apt-get kde4) but but thats just teething problems with kde4. I have run windows on it, but it was nlited so it was pretty fast. I would love to have one of the eeeboxes hooked up to a big plasma, would be kickass :p

gn2
August 15th, 2008, 02:12 PM
beside the eeebox is being advertised to be able to boot and become internet ready in 7 secs ... we all know that only one version has the ability to achieve that

That functionality is common to all new Asus motherboards and is independent of the OS installed on the storage drive(s)

dnns123
August 15th, 2008, 03:13 PM
It's called Express Gate aka Splashtop.

billgoldberg
August 15th, 2008, 03:16 PM
I don't for one second believe it will boot up and have firefox opened (or whatever browser) in 7 seconds.

After 7 seconds I'm still watching grub load here.

Canis familiaris
August 15th, 2008, 04:14 PM
I don't for one second believe it will boot up and have firefox opened (or whatever browser) in 7 seconds.

After 7 seconds I'm still watching grub load here.

You have to: ;)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splashtop
http://www.splashtop.com/

freddyg
August 17th, 2008, 04:23 PM
Is the linux version available yet? or are we stuck paying the microsoft tax on this one?

VMan
August 18th, 2008, 09:27 PM
I have the EeePC 1000H laptop. It has almost identical specs to the EeeBox (I upgraded the HD to a 160G that I had laying around). I installed Ubuntu (had to use a custom kernel and modules from eeeuser.com forums). My bootup times are just over a minute from cold start to desktop (auto login enabled). I could shorten that to probably about 30 seconds (maybe less), but I have all sorts of customizations and startup programs that consume startup time. I like it very much though and don't mind waiting a minute from the time I press the power button. The laptop also dual boots into Windows XP. I don't have as much starting up in windows and have done some slight tweaks to speed up the boot time. Windows boots about 5 seconds slower than Ubuntu. It would take forever to boot if I had windows starting as many programs as I have in Ubuntu.

Again, I'm really happy with my Eee laptop. I'm not sure that I would get the box version though. I would probably build a desktop with better specs for the same amount of $$.

finer recliner
August 18th, 2008, 09:36 PM
looks pretty slick. A lot of you seem to be complaining that the small size is not a selling point. But for me, this would be perfect for a nice little mythbuntu DVR for my HDTV. I dont want to see a full-sized desktop next to my tv.

intense.ego
August 18th, 2008, 11:31 PM
Yay. Who doesn't just love laptop components in desktops. Asus sure does! Buying laptop components and sticking them in a desktop frame for absolutely no reason since you're not about to lug around your desktop and then charging the same price as for a computer that could be decent and not ultra low powered if bought from the right place is such a good idea. Sign me up.

I think you're missing the point. The design is meant to look sleek and sexy. Would you rather have this in your living room (or anywhere else in your house, for that matter) or a fat ugly box?

For the same reasons you wouldn't buy a huge, 10kg, ugly games console, you wouldn't buy a regular desktop, but buy an eeebox instead.

myusername
August 18th, 2008, 11:50 PM
why the slow hd? why not 7200 rpm or ssd?

Saiing
August 19th, 2008, 02:37 AM
It doesn't boot into a full OS in 7 seconds. It boots into a very cut down splashtop installation which loads from flash memory on the motherboard. It simply allows you to do simple tasks from a launcher (web browser, skype and a couple of other things).

I installed 8.4.1 on mine. At a rough guess, I'd say it takes around a minute to boot, although I've never timed it.

Works beautifully though as a little dev web server, with nice low power consumption which is exactly what I wanted. Someone earlier suggested it had a noisy fan. Nothing could be further from the truth. I can't even tell mine is running unless I physically press my ear to it. It's to all intents and purposes silent.

Lord Xeb
August 19th, 2008, 03:22 AM
I have been wanting an eeepc for a while now. I am one who loves gadgets and linux and will spring for it if I had the money. when I got into the college. the eeepc 1000H may be what I want but I do not know yet. I will probably just get a 901 >_> Still want one though because of the attention it will get :D

graabein
August 19th, 2008, 09:27 AM
If it is in fact noiseless I bet a lot of people would want this PC in their living room as a mediacenter and internet browser. It's compact and it looks nice without being obtrusive.

TheSlipstream
August 19th, 2008, 10:09 AM
I think you're missing the point. The design is meant to look sleek and sexy. Would you rather have this in your living room (or anywhere else in your house, for that matter) or a fat ugly box?

For the same reasons you wouldn't buy a huge, 10kg, ugly games console, you wouldn't buy a regular desktop, but buy an eeebox instead.

Note: eeeBox doesn't have any advantage over a TiVo/HD recorder. It doesn't have a Blu Ray drive, or any inbuilt media software. What's the point in using it as a HTPC?

graabein
August 19th, 2008, 12:33 PM
Not everyone have the same requirements for a mediacenter.

Maybe they already have a Bluray player or they don't have the need for one. Same thing with TIVO.

Maybe they feel confident that they can install and configure any of the more mature GNU/Linx mediacenters that are available.

Surely the pricetag counts for something.

:popcorn:

Warpnow
August 19th, 2008, 12:38 PM
Whoever mentioned Linutop...

That thing is outrageously expensive for people in the US. Can buy a laptop cheaper.

billgoldberg
August 19th, 2008, 12:46 PM
You have to: ;)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splashtop
http://www.splashtop.com/

All good and well, but that isn't a real OS.

Besides some web based tasks, it can't do anything.

Useless.

billgoldberg
August 19th, 2008, 12:48 PM
Note: eeeBox doesn't have any advantage over a TiVo/HD recorder. It doesn't have a Blu Ray drive, or any inbuilt media software. What's the point in using it as a HTPC?

If you slap ubuntu with mythtv or something on there, you have a full mediacenter with all the things a computer can do.

Browse, game, ...

Warpnow
August 19th, 2008, 01:24 PM
All good and well, but that isn't a real OS.

Besides some web based tasks, it can't do anything.

Useless.

Good for people who only need to do those web based tasks.

I talk on skype alot, and would use it if my motherboard had it.

eluminx
September 13th, 2008, 06:15 PM
so does anyone know where i can purchase the Linux version. I finally decided to purchase this machine and the selling point was the video i saw of how it handles 720p. I haven been looking around to see where i can purchase it, but i only find the windows version for $349. I really would rather purchase the linux version for $299. If anyone can help it would be greatly apprecaite it.

Polygon
September 13th, 2008, 11:39 PM
why the slow hd? why not 7200 rpm or ssd?

5400 is not that slow.

its most likely because its a smaller size (physically) to fit in such a compact case.


Note: eeeBox doesn't have any advantage over a TiVo/HD recorder. It doesn't have a Blu Ray drive, or any inbuilt media software. What's the point in using it as a HTPC?

you can't run custom programs or browse the web or any of that real computer stuff with a tivo/hd recorder?

reesje
September 20th, 2008, 10:57 PM
I personally dont like it

For the same price, I can get a better more powerful regular sized desktop .. the compactness doesnt appeal to me so much .. its portable but wht I do carrying a CPU around?
But after having it turned on 24/7 a couple of years the desktop would be more expensive. The very big advantage of the eee is the low power consumption. 14.5W in idle! a standard desktop easily consumes 5-10 times as much!

BR,
René