Comments on: The Mini PC As an Ebook Reader

By: So a writer walks into the ePub… | Moriah Jovan

So a writer walks into the ePub… | Moriah Jovan — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:16:03 +0000

[...] to tell: The ASUS Eee PC, which operates on Linux and a solid-state hard drive. More about this at Dear Author, as this is one of the few places I’ve seen with a decent breakdown. This, I am also [...]

By: roslynholcomb

roslynholcomb — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 20:02:01 +0000

Oh man, Target has them for $250 right now.

By: XandraG

XandraG — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:42:24 +0000

I’m salivating over the eeePC meself. I’ve been running a linux rig for about 3 years now, so it doesn’t intimidate me, and I know the open source community well enough to find any DRM workarounds I need–and most of my ebooks are in PDF format anyway. The only problem I encountered with the eeePC is that the screen is just shy of being able to handle an 800px wide webpage, which renders many websites just a little uncomfortable to read. But that native qwerty keyboard is something I really want on an ultra portable.

By: Chrissy

Chrissy — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:39:40 +0000

I’m at Barnes and Noble on mine now. Honestly… since I got this the only thing I use my other computer for is graphic work.

The best part is 2 pounds… which means if I chuck my big denim messenger bag on the floor it won’t break… and it isn’t re-aligning my neck.

I wish I could have gotten pink but they only had white.

By: Jill A

Jill A — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:22:21 +0000

These choices are so hard! But at the same time, it’s so great to have so much selection! I’m trying to decide whether to get a little minipc like these ones, or go whole hog and get a smallish (14-15″) laptop. My issue is that I’m a gamer, so while I primarily want the portability to be able to make notes and write wherever I am (which a minipc would do just fine), being able to play games elsewhere than my desk is extremely tempting…argh. The agony of having to choose…though it’s good, the longer I agonize, the cheaper these get ^_^

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:29:10 +0000

Excellent! I have yet to get into the whole eBook thing, I’m still deeply attached to cuddling my books, but this whole mini computer post is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’ve got this really awesome Mac desktop but I’ve really always wanted a laptop as well, but a tiny tiny one. I hadn’t realized that there were so many to choose from :) Thank you so much for all the info, this is great!

Vanessa, off to investigate how exactly I wish to go into debt ;)

By: Julie Hurwitz

Julie Hurwitz — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:13:19 +0000

Love, love, love my eeePC. I have the 900 with Linux. I didn’t get it to read books on — but for the lightweight and portability. I love that it has wireless capabilities and boots up so quickly.

It’s not difficult to type on if you have relatively small hands. I don’t have much problem with it.

But I love the fact that I can shove it into my purse and go. :)

Julie

By: Chrissy

Chrissy — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:12:03 +0000

I love mine.

By: Mary Stella

Mary Stella — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:53:26 +0000

I’m thisclose to getting the ASUS, not for ebook reading, but for portability on quick trips away. I have a Sony Vaio notebook as my only computer at home. Love it and don’t mind toting it in carryon luggage when I go on longer trips. However, there are quick weekends away when I just need a computer for email checks and to write when that scene that must be captured pops into my head. I have an AlphaSmart NEO but have trouble adjusting to only seeing a couple of lines of text and, of course, it’s not web-compatible.

Jane, you’ve now provided excellent information. It might be all I need to jump off the edge and whip out my credit card.

Alyssa, your daughter’s only 8 years old and already doing Power Point presentations? Sweet Lord, that amazes me. Good for her!

By: Alyssa Day

Alyssa Day — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:04:46 +0000

I’m seriously thinking about an ASUS for my 8 y.o. daughter – the small key size would be an asset, not a hindrance for her. She has a laptop-intensive school where her class uses the computers for almost every subject. For school use, do those of you who have one think the small screen would be fine? She does PowerPoint presentations, wordprocessing, and uses the internet for research. Thanks for any advice.

By: Shannon Stacey

Shannon Stacey — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:45:41 +0000

In case anybody’s wondering at this point, Angie’s title is Executive Editor.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:43:06 +0000

I got a HTC Advantage to read ebooks on. It runs windows mobile 6. It has a 5 inch screen, really nice for reading on and a detachable keyboard (which I don’t use much). It has other benefits too, a built in GPS and Camera, media player and I can surf the web. 8 gig micro drive is built in and it does take mini sd cards but I haven’t felt the need for the extra yet. It has become a fantastic ebook reader for me!

I had a look at these mini pcs but I would need one that the screen folds over the keyboard (like a tablet) and some basic control buttons on the bottom of the screen before I would be comfortable reading on them.

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:21:30 +0000

I don’t have a Blackberry Pearl so I’m not very well versed in its useability as an ebook reader.

And yes, Angie is an editor or the executive editor or, I’m not really sure what her title is, at Samhain. She and Samhain are like one entity in my mind.

By: Keishon

Keishon — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:26:53 +0000

I blame Jane for my ebook reading as well. Sigh. She is evil incarnate. Tempting broke people like me to think about what it would be like to have a dedicated ereader. I broke down, due to a weak moment, and bought a Sony Ebook reader. Lurve. It. This girl ought to get a commission.

By: Lynne Connolly

Lynne Connolly — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:19 +0000

Angie is on her way home from Australia, with one of my books she’s editing (ha!) She bought an Asus after seeing mine at RT, and then she went and researched it, as she does.
But you see one, you want one, and I bought mine in conjunction with a passport drive, which holds 160 gig. I love the robustness of the Asus, I used it almost exclusively through April 2008 and then July, which was UK conference month, combined with a visit to my family and to London to get some research done. It was sooo convenient when I was visiting libraries and museums, I could just open it and type my notes straight in.
The keyboard is small, but it doesn’t take long to get used to it. You can touchtype on it easily.
It’s okay for reading ebooks on. I flashed my 4 gig Asus with an nlited XP because although the Linux system it came with was perfectly fine, I wanted it in line with all my other computers and pda’s.
But the battery is only around 3 hours, 3 1/2 if you’re careful, and it’s not exactly the kind of device you can curl up in bed with. I use FBR reader on it.
Recently I broke my ebookwise, so I’ve gone with an Ipaq for regular reading. I need that backlight, since I’m an insomniac.
But there’s no reason at all why you can’t have a variety of devices for reading on and use the one that suits you. I’m holding out for an Astak Mentor, which should come out in October.

By: Claudia

Claudia — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:20:31 +0000

I often used and will still drag out my old school nec mobile pro 800 handheld pc. The 2lb clamshell folds to the size of a vhs tape, the half vga screen is wide enough for comfortable reading, and it gets around 8 hours on the standard battery. This was my alphasmart equivalent until my desire for regular windows apps was met the the HP mini. As much as I liked the eeepc size, speed and battery life, I require a larger keyboard that allows me to touch type.

The mini is a beaut, but also a beast. The slower power hungry processor results in an average 2 hour battery life on the standard 3 cell, even with an ssd. The proc also runs hot, and with the lack of vents, it’s a bad idea to place this guy on lap, pillow or anything else that restricts what little airflow it can get. The highly reflective screen can also be distracting at times. HP’s non-consumer focus and perpetual backorders suck too.

Overall, I find myself reading more ebooks at my desktop. I’m at work so much that I often read from my books during fringe moments.

I heavily used my palm tx for a bit, but lean towards the sony as a dedicated reader/media player.

By: Shiloh Walker

Shiloh Walker — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:09:50 +0000

Sarah let me see the mini PC at RT, and while yep, it’s cool, I wouldn’t want it for ebook reading. I just spend too much time looking at a PC screen-that’s why I love my Sony Reader.

But the time is coming when I’ll have to buy the bratlet her own PC and the EEE is what I’m considering.

By: Janine

Janine — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:24:19 +0000

Jane, you totally talked me into the whole ebook experience. The problem is, now every time a new device comes out, I want it. You're evil. In a good way.

I know what you mean! Last week I was half convinced to get the Kindle when the new models come out in the fall. Today I want a mini PC!

By: Leah Hultenschmidt

Leah Hultenschmidt — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:35:23 +0000

Jane, you totally talked me into the whole ebook experience. The problem is, now every time a new device comes out, I want it. You’re evil. In a good way.

By: Statch

Statch — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:25:55 +0000

I should mention that if you buy the Asus EEE PC with the Linus operating system, I don’t think you can use Mobipocket, and the reader you can use with Linux won’t accommodate DRM’ed books. That’s why I bought it with the Windows XP operating system.