Talk:Ultra-cheap sub-notebook matrix

This is extremely helpful. I've been waiting for one of these to actually be "purchaseable".

Does anyone know what flavor 30GB drive is in the nanobook? 2.5"? sata? pata? Since one can now actually purchase a 32GB Compact flash albeit horribly expensive, I wonder if ASUS may not have the better deal? A sub-300 pricepoint puts the machine at the same cost as this iPaq I carry around. Reviews on these things continually ask why anyone would want them, so I thought I would respond.

The iPaq has a very high quality 320x240 display 9cm diagonal (3.5+"). I get to hit the little reset button quite often as the CE gets squirrely quite often. The nice feature of this is the dual SD/CF slots, but on this one I have to steal one for the wifi. The bluetooth keyboards for these things are useless, I've tried two.

Now, I have trouble with the size of this screen already. Putting all this crap on a phone with a 7cm diagonal is likely fine for the under 40 crowd, but I just can't read the damn thing, and now I have this bulky phone to deal with. Until someone comes up with a "global" ala EFC with a roll out screen, I want my phone to be as small as possible, my "PDA" to have a keyboard that I can actually type on, and a screen big enough to run a base set of apps:

1) browser,mail,address book,calendar - Defacto requirement

2) rdesktop,vnc,telnet,ssh,kermit - Remote access to home/work servers

3) video player(xine),audio player(xmms) - Video and audio entertainment for travel.

These sets are required. After these, productivity apps like OpenOffice would be the icing on the cake. Most of my work is going to be via a remote desktop method (vnc/rdesktop) to this is not a requirement.

On the hardware side a 7"/18cm 800x600ish diagonal screen can give you a package about the same size as the Day-Timer I used to carry. I want it to be as light as possible with:

1) CF slot

2) SD slot

3) USB slot

4) Ethernet port

5) Wifi

No DVD, Floppy, etc

If I want to watch a vid, I squash it to an XVID and drop it on a CF/SD. This gives you enough screen to actually run remotely and actually be able to see something on the display.

Another item forgotten is all the support gear you have to bring with you, chargers, stands etc. As it is, now I hump around both my laptop and my iPaq. I would prefer a 110v "boom-box" style cord in the side of the unit to charge it. Bricks are always annoying. I'm still having trouble understanding why these vendors cannot build a small light double insulated 110v power supply built in. If we can do it for a $20 boom box, why not a for a $250 sub-note?

Here's hoping they hurry up and get these things out! --KS

Scrap Foleo from overview?

Shouldn't we scrap the info on the Foleo? This device hasn't been marketed, and afaik will never go to market. It simply doesn't exist. -- JK

I believe so, perhaps when the next device appears it can replace this one. A 9" display unit would be a good choice as they are coming out soon. The page on the Asus has a preliminary write up on one such device DaleDe 10:41, 21 April 2008 (EDT)

Good idea. We might replace the column on the Foleo with the HP 2133 UMPC. I'll see whether I can make a start. Johannes 14:28, 22 April 2008 (EDT)

We have a page for UMPC's. They are distinct from Ultra cheep laptops. DaleDe 14:34, 22 April 2008 (EDT)

I see. But the 2133 is an UCL, isn't it? Johannes 16:14, 23 April 2008 (EDT)

Yea, the UMPC designation is becoming a bit confusing. I think this one is fine in the comparison due to its starting cost although it is a bit higher than typical ULCPC devices DaleDe 12:32, 24 April 2008 (EDT)

The current terminology is indeed confusing. Also the terminology used in the title for this article seems non-standard. Whilst recognising that the terminology is still developing, instead of "ultra-cheap sub-notebook" we could use the more widely adopted terminology "Netbook"? Johannes 05:35, 9 May 2008 (EDT)