People are always asking which Linux distribution is best for this device or that. And the truth is, it depends. It depends on what it is you want to do. And it often depends on whether you favor performance or ease of use or any number of other factors.

With that in mind, Phoronix has published a rather awesome article showing how the Asus Eee PC 901 performs on a series of benchmarks while running four different Linux distributions. The distros include Ubuntu 8.10 Alpha 4, Fedora 10 Alpha, Mandriva 2009 beta 2 and the custom version of Xandros that comes with the Eee PC 901. In other words, these are all pretty much bleeding edge operating systems and I’m not sure I’d recommend anyone use them as a primary OS unless you’re actively looking for bugs. But each distro includes the latest kernel and system updates and, at least in theory, should be able to use the Eee PC 901’s hardware to the fullest.

So how did they do? Well, it depends. When it comes to encoding media files, Ubuntu was the clear winner. But Fedora was almost twice as fast at compiling an application. Xandros trailed behind the competition in most tests, but seemed to do well with tests that involved reading data from the solid state disk. If you’re trying to pick a new distro for you Eee PC, you should definitely check out the full article. I was surprised at just how far apart some scores were. The moral of this story is that when it comes to performance, the software matters at least as much as the hardware.

While these tests only look at the Eee PC 901, the Eee PC 1000 and 1000H have very similar hardware so I’d expect somewhat similar results. It’s important to note, however, that the 1000 has a different solid state disk than the 901, and the 1000H has a hard disk. So I wouldn’t expect the results to be identical.

It looks like Asus is slashing the price of the Eee PC 901. Previously you could pick up this 8.9 inch laptop with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, 12GB SSD, 1GB of RAM and Windows XP for about $599. But now Amazon is asking just $499 for the netbook and I’m guessing other retailers will soon follow suit.

This isn’t the first time Asus has lowered the price of a netbook to keep it in line with prices for similarly specced machines. When MSI released the 10 inch Wind laptop with a 6 cell battery for $550, Asus cut the price of the 10 inch, 6 cell Eee PC 1000H from $650 to $550. And now that Lenovo, Dell, Acer and other laptop makers are offering 8.9 inch netbooks for under $500, it only make sense that Asus would follow suit.

Oh yeah, the 20GB Linux version of the Eee PC 901 is also now available for $499.

Update: Newegg now has the Eee PC 901 for $499 as well.

• White:
  ASUS Eee PC 901 XP – Pearl White Intel Atom 8.9″ WSVGA Integrated Graphics
  
• Black:
  ASUS Eee PC 901 20G – Fine Ebony Intel Atom 8.9″ WSVGA Integrated Graphics
  

via Engadget

Eee PC 900 running OS X

While the Asus Eee PC line only officially supports Linux and Windows, people have been finding ways to load OS X onto the diminutive laptops for ages. But if you care about little things like performance, here’s a tip: You might want to pick up an Eee PC 1000H instead of an Eee PC 901 if you want to run OS X.

MacEee reports that the 901 is just too slow to run the Mac operating system. The problem isn’t with the CPU. The two computers actually have identical processors. Rather, the Eee PC 901’s solid state disk just isn’t fast enough to keep up with the demands OS X places on it. The Eee PC 901 actually has two solid state disks, a 4GB disk for the operating system and a second, larger disk for programs and files. The 4GB disk is pretty zippy, but the secondary disk not so much. And according to MacEee that second drive makes OS X kind of sluggish. OK, that’s an understatement. It reportedly takes 7 minutes to boot OS X on the Eee PC 901.

The solution? Pick up an Eee PC 1000H. It comes with an 80GB hard drive, and happens to be about $50 cheaper than the 901 anyway.

While I would never actually condone installing OS X on unsupported hardware (which is a violation of Apple’s licensing agreement), you can find a ton of information on how to do it at the Eee PC OS X Project wiki.

Apparently Asus has decided to give its Eee PC computer lineup the collector’s card treatment. The company offers Eee PC models coated in white, black, pink, green, and blue plastic around the world. But now for a limited time only, Korean customers can pick up a pinkish red or green Eee PC with some sort of pattern that looks a bit like spilled paint on the cover. Be the first kid on your block to own one!

The special edition designs will show up on Eee PC 901 and Eee PC 1000H models and should be available on August 22nd in Korea only. And possibly eBay.

[via Engadget]

Want an 8 hour battery for your tiny computer, but don’t want to build one yourself and risk getting stopped by the TSA next time you pass through the metal detector? If you’ve got an Eee PC 901 or 1000, you can now pick up an 8-cell battery, 8800mAh battery that should be good for about 8 hours of use on eBay. The extended battery costs less than $90.

This battery is developed by a third party, not Asus. So use of the battery may void your warranty and if it overheats, explodes, and melts crucial parts of your computer don’t expect Asus to refund your money. But how cool would it to be able to run your computer for an entire work day without once plugging it in?

Of course, the battery pack is huge, not particularly attractive, and probably a bit heavier than the standard 4 or 6 cell battery packs that you can get from Asus. But did I mention, 8 hours?

[via jkkmobile]

Eee PC hacker extraordinaire jkkmobile has posted a video showing how to add a hard drive or a CF card adapter to an Eee PC 901. The whole process is made extraordinarily easy by the fact that Asus included a little shelf in the computer that’s almost exactly the right size for resting a 1.8 inch hard drive.

Because the Eee PC 901 includes two SSD modules, you can actually add a hard drive or extra flash drive without removing the module that holds your operating system. It’s almost like Asus wanted people to hack this device.

The one problem jkkmobile ran into was that it was a bit hard to connect the hard drive without cutting away at some of the plastic. So if you’re willing to void your warranty, you might want to use some wire cutters or a sharp knife.

Asus has let loose with the UK pricing for its latest Eee PC models, and overall the prices don’t look that different from the US versions. The 901 will set you back £299 or about $592 US, while the 904 will run £269 or about $533 US. The Eee PC 1000H (with an 80GB hard drive) will retail for £349 or about $691, while the Eee PC 1000 (with a 40GB SSD) is priced at £369 or about $731.

These prices include VAT, which explains why they may be a bit higher than the US versions in some cases.

Asus has also posted a handy little comparison chart that shows how the various Eee PC models stack up against one another.

[via Mobile Computer Magazine and Slashdot]

As expected, the Eee PC 901 is showing up at online retailers like Amazon and Newegg. While Amazon still says the 901 is available for preorder, Newegg says it will ship the $599 PC within 3-5 days. But Engadget notes that Amazon has at least one bizarre listing for a $399 Eee PC 900 with the specs of an Eee PC 901.

Amazon has started to accept preorders for the Asus Eee PC 901, 1000, and 1000H. Asus has said the computers will begin shipping in the US on July 8th.

Amazon is charging $699 for the Eee PC 1000 with an 40GB SSD, 10.2 inch display, and Linux. You can pick up an Eee PC 1000H for $649 with an 80GB hard drive, 10.2 inch display and Windows XP. Or for $599 you can grab an Eee PC 901 with an 8.9 inch display and Windows XP or Linux. The XP version sports a 12GB SSD, while you can get a 20GB Linux model for the same price.

The new computers come in black and white, and you can place an order or search Amazon using the box below. (Disclosure: If you place an order through the search box, I’ll get a small finder’s fee).

[via Eee PC.net]