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Asus Launches Touchscreen Eee Desktop

Posted by kdawson on from the smearing-the-peanut-butter-and-jelly dept.

Barence writes "Asus has launched an Eee-branded 15.6" touchscreen desktop PC as a budget rival to HP's TouchSmart. Available for pre-order now on Play.com for £399.99 ($749), it shares much of the same specification as the Eee PC, but with a larger 160GB hard disk. Interestingly, it's listed as coming with XP installed, so we'd guess Asus will be using some sort of proprietary touchscreen interface — yet the image on the site clearly shows Linux on the screen, which may be a better bet for an easy-to-use touch system."

157 comments

  1. HP wha? by Ant+P. · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Looks more like they're trying to compete with the iMac from that picture.

    1. Re:HP wha? by qoncept · · Score: 1

      They're touch screens. Quit looking at the picture and imagine what is a more direct competitor.

      --
      Whale
    2. Re:HP wha? by exley · · Score: 1

      In other words, Ant P, think different.

  2. tablet by ihatethetv · · Score: 1

    So its a sort of giant, non-mobile tablet? -g

  3. Touchscreen?? by Finallyjoined!!! · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why oh why would anyone want a touchscreen? It's hard enough to make out stuff on my flat screen, through the greasy fingerprints, as it is. (Have to hot-desk)

    It would be even worse after Marmite on toast :-)

    --
    If I had an Ass, I'd call it Fanny Bottom, then I could slap my Ass; Fanny Bottom, on the Arse.
    1. Re:Touchscreen?? by pembo13 · · Score: 1

      Why are you touching your screen if you don't have a touchscreen?

      --
      "Thanks for all the money you paid to us. We've used it to buy off ISO among other things" -Microsoft
    2. Re:Touchscreen?? by hansamurai · · Score: 1

      People come to my cube all the time and poke my screen to point things out. Quite annoying.

      --
      Reviewing just the first hour of video games.
    3. Re:Touchscreen?? by Finallyjoined!!! · · Score: 1

      My point exactly, and it's even worse when you have to sit at the desk previously occupied by someone with a predilection for jammy doughnuts and a nasty habit of running their fingers over the screen. :-(

      --
      If I had an Ass, I'd call it Fanny Bottom, then I could slap my Ass; Fanny Bottom, on the Arse.
    4. Re:Touchscreen?? by ziggy00001 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Why oh why would anyone want a touchscreen?" 3 words "Point of Sale"

    5. Re:Touchscreen?? by exley · · Score: 1

      Why are you touching your screen if you don't have a touchscreen?

      The same reason people touch themselves: because s/he can.

    6. Re:Touchscreen?? by physicsphairy · · Score: 5, Funny

      It would be even worse after Marmite on toast :-)

      Incorrect.

      After you've been forced to eat Marmite on toast, nothing is worse.

      --
      When things get complex, multiply by the complex conjugate.
    7. Re:Touchscreen?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you're eating marmite on toast, the greasy fingerprints on your screen are the least of your issues.

    8. Re:Touchscreen?? by tsa · · Score: 1

      I would just slap their fingers.

      --

      -- Cheers!

    9. Re:Touchscreen?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And you allow this? Grow some balls.

    10. Re:Touchscreen?? by KermodeBear · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree 100%. I do not see the point of a touch screen for home or business use. The screen will quickly get smudged up and look gross and nasty and require constant cleaning. Of course, I suppose you could wear gloves, but how silly would it be to have to put on The Computer Gloves every time you wanted to look at something? More chances to scratch the display as well, and don't get too excited - you may push your computer right over.

      --
      Love sees no species.
    11. Re:Touchscreen?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey I love that stuff I even have sent Ãt over to me from the UK.
      If you love Guiness you might like marmite, the taste is very close.
      My girlfriend of course hates it.

    12. Re:Touchscreen?? by DrWho520 · · Score: 1

      EVE Online through a touchscreen interface, FTW!

      --
      The cancel button is your friend. Do not hesitate to use it.
    13. Re:Touchscreen?? by lysergic.acid · · Score: 2, Funny

      maybe Asus should sell a Don't-Touchscreen Eee Desktop.

      just design the monitor so that any direct physical contact with the LCD display area produces a mild (or not so mild) electric shock--the greasier the finger, the higher the current.

      perhaps they can even license the technology which Honda has apparently built into my car door. every time i get out of the car and grab the metal frame of the door to shut it, i get a nice jolt of static electricity. it's gotten to the point where i'll only put my hand on the glass window pane, or i'll just shut the door with my butt.

    14. Re:Touchscreen?? by Phybertekie · · Score: 0

      I was thinking pokescreen laptop since thats what it looks like what most folks to do touchscreens. I realized I was just having Commodore 64 flashbacks - Poke 49152

    15. Re:Touchscreen?? by Chris+Burke · · Score: 1

      It would be even worse after Marmite on toast :-)

      What the heck is Marmite? Is it some kind of industrial orange jam used to weld railroad ties together?

      *googles*

      Oh, it's some British soy sauce equivalent. I think I'd rather eat my version.

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
    16. Re:Touchscreen?? by stupkid · · Score: 1

      I would just slap their fingers.

      I keep a riding crop and beret just for such occassions! ;p

    17. Re:Touchscreen?? by Finallyjoined!!! · · Score: 1

      Soy sauce equivalent?

      No soy I'm afraid, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmite

      I recommend it :-)

      --
      If I had an Ass, I'd call it Fanny Bottom, then I could slap my Ass; Fanny Bottom, on the Arse.
    18. Re:Touchscreen?? by Chris+Burke · · Score: 1

      Uh, yeah, it was the wiki article that said it was comparable to soy sauce in flavor.

      Except it's British, which means it's probably an even nastier thing to spread on toast than soy sauce would be.

      But I kid the British and their terrible, terrible food. ;)

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
    19. Re:Touchscreen?? by Finallyjoined!!! · · Score: 1

      Heh.

      Comparable to soy sauce as Orange marmelade is to Strawberry jam :-)

      Marmite spread over Spam makes Spam almost palatable..

      Disclaimer: I said "almost" :-)

      --
      If I had an Ass, I'd call it Fanny Bottom, then I could slap my Ass; Fanny Bottom, on the Arse.
    20. Re:Touchscreen?? by aplusjimages · · Score: 3, Funny

      no because then there would be ball smears all over the screen.

      --
      Can I bum a sig?
    21. Re:Touchscreen?? by Chris+Burke · · Score: 1

      Comparable to soy sauce as Orange marmelade is to Strawberry jam :-)

      Ah, so it is a nasty British version of soy sauce. ;)

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
    22. Re:Touchscreen?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      3 more words. Piece of Shit.

    23. Re:Touchscreen?? by Finallyjoined!!! · · Score: 1

      You got me :^D,

      how about:

      Colman's English Mustard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colmans to that vinegary gloop, French's, you cover a hot-dog with ;-)

      In a strange twist of fate, French's is now owned by the company that used to own Colman's.

      --
      If I had an Ass, I'd call it Fanny Bottom, then I could slap my Ass; Fanny Bottom, on the Arse.
    24. Re:Touchscreen?? by cheater512 · · Score: 1

      Yeah I'll be sticking to Vegemite.

      Hi guys, from down under. :)

    25. Re:Touchscreen?? by Chris+Burke · · Score: 1

      Well I'm not about to defend French's, even against the British, so I'll give you that one. Not that I prefer yellow mustard to begin with, so I doubt I'd find Colman's to be a jewel in the rough that is the Kingdom. ;)

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
    26. Re:Touchscreen?? by itomato · · Score: 1

      Ex-act-ly.

      @ $749, it would be a serious mainstream option in a world of segregated niche hardware.

      The POS world is sorely missing cheap hardware of this class. There are a few vendors that will happily sell you a PC equipped for POS duty, but those systems are frequently bundled with service plans, value-add POS software, or the like.

      1. Buy one of these
      2. Get a cash drawer, a receipt printer, magstripe reader, keyboard, barcode scanner, and free POS platform
      3. Eliminate two (three?) weak, costly links in the chain between your customer's hand and your bank
      4. ???
      5. Profit!

    27. Re:Touchscreen?? by couchslug · · Score: 3, Funny

      "Why are you touching your screen if you don't have a touchscreen?"

      I'm trying to wipe off the collateral damage from my...surfing habits.

      --
      "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
    28. Re:Touchscreen?? by Tongsy · · Score: 1

      Try touching your car with the flat of your hand instead of your finger tips.

    29. Re:Touchscreen?? by mcclure · · Score: 1
      *waves back*

      You're welcome :)

    30. Re:Touchscreen?? by lysergic.acid · · Score: 1

      actually, that's what i do usually. i still get a shock, but it's fairly mild compared to when i get shocked on my fingertips. it's still rather annoying, though.

    31. Re:Touchscreen?? by tmalone · · Score: 1

      think about how terrible it would be if the screen were touch sensitive. People would constantly be moving your cursor around and hitting buttons you don't want hit. This again brings up the question, 'why would you want a touchscreen?'

    32. Re:Touchscreen?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      vegemite or bust, k thx

    33. Re:Touchscreen?? by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      I am always surprised how often people shun technology because they don't understand it. The problem with touching current screens is that they are not designed to be touched. The surface is a material that does not clean well. All that needs to be done is put a smooth glass surface and the screen can be easily cleaned to a perfectly clean state. Personally, I'm kind of annoyed that current monitors don't come with a flat non-porous surface.

    34. Re:Touchscreen?? by tsa · · Score: 1

      I have a coworker who threatened someone with that. He hates his screen being touched by greasy-fingered men.

      --

      -- Cheers!

    35. Re:Touchscreen?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      NEC Had a range of MultiSync LCD's that DID. Mine's a 1565. Sadly either due to cost, or just lack of interest nobody seemed to buy them, and they reverted to selling regular bare LCDs like everyone else. Wasn't damage-proof, but it kept me from killing a lot more pixels than I did on uncovered TFTs.

    36. Re:Touchscreen?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It would be even worse after Marmite on toast :-)

      Incorrect.

      After you've been forced to eat Marmite on toast, nothing is worse.

      Incorrect.

      Worse would be eating marmite on toast spread thick like in an American peanut butter and jelly.

    37. Re:Touchscreen?? by mspohr · · Score: 1

      The shock is caused by the high voltage static arc. The trick is to hold something metal in your hand (such as your key) and touch the metal to the car. You won't feel the very small current that flows or the arc (shock) that will occur between the metal and the car.

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
    38. Re:Touchscreen?? by electronerdz · · Score: 1

      I'd love to have a screen like this in my kitchen. All in one, hook it to a Myth box for TV, look up recipes, etc.

      --
      Kernel Krunch - Part of a Complete OS
    39. Re:Touchscreen?? by Kangburra · · Score: 2, Funny

      Where's the +1 Eww moderation??

      --
      Common sense is not so common
    40. Re:Touchscreen?? by b0bby · · Score: 1

      I don't know - I had a 3Com Audrey sitting in a corner for years, and it was great for quickly looking up something or checking email. The screen was not an issue, even though it was being touched all the time (well, much of the time we used the stylus, but by no means all the time). I would guess that we gave it a wipe every 6 months or so. Something like this would be great on a kitchen counter, for example, though not for $750.

    41. Re:Touchscreen?? by digitalchinky · · Score: 1

      Even easier and much less prone to scratching the paint work, just grab and hold the door as you step out, current harmlessly disappears, no zap.

    42. Re:Touchscreen?? by digitalchinky · · Score: 1

      In the Pegasus galaxy touch screens improve worker drone productivity by about a billion times. They allow for inordinately complicated physics and math problems to be solved in around three to four hard and rapid taps on the screen. Who wouldn't want that?

    43. Re:Touchscreen?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      every time i get out of the car and grab the metal frame of the door to shut it, i get a nice jolt of static electricity. it's gotten to the point where i'll only put my hand on the glass window pane, or i'll just shut the door with my butt.

      the Static Is Caused By The Friction Between Your Clothes And The Seat Of Your Car. this Is Why You Should Never Get In Or Out Of Your Car While Pumping Gas. the Fix Is Easy. ground Yourself While You Are Standing Up Or Spray Anti-Static Spray On The Seat. i Guess You Could Also Drive Naked. ;)

    44. Re:Touchscreen?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I imagine they're trying to sell units on the coat-tails of the iPhone.

    45. Re:Touchscreen?? by jones_supa · · Score: 1

      Well, that's why they include a pen that can be used to poke the screen.

      I personally have not found touchscreens that useful. I had a Fujitsu-Siemens subnotebook which had one, but after the initial coolness it's faster and more accurate to just use a normal mouse. For small PDA type gadgets touchscreen seems to be fine though.

  4. First thought by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This will be great in the bathroom/toilet.

  5. One thing I've always wondered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    How the hell do you pronounce the durn thing? I've always been calling it the "Triple-E", but saying "an Triple-E" isn't proper English. So what is it? E e e? A drawn-out e? Something else?

    1. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by Steauengeglase · · Score: 1

      Tertiary-E?

    2. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by Drooling+Iguana · · Score: 4, Informative

      According to Wikipedia, it's pronounced like the letter "e", but that's stupid so I just call it the Triple-E.

      --
      ... I'm addicted to placebos
    3. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Tertiareee

    4. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by elysiana · · Score: 1

      I've just been calling it "an E-PC" but have no idea what the proper title is. I assumed when Wiki says it's "pronounced as the letter e" they just meant the "Eee" part, not the entire name. I'd also love some enlightenment on this!

    5. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by vux984 · · Score: 3, Informative

      That's a surprisingly common mistake. its "a Triple-E" not "an Triple-E". You always alter the article (a or an) based on the sound of what you are actually saying.

        a Liquid Crystal Display
        an LCD ("ell-see-dee")

        an AAA member (pronouncing each letter: ay-ay-ay)
        a Triple "A" member

      As for the eee, its pronounced as a regular long 'e',
      or 'eee' is to 'eee PC' what 'i' is to 'iPod'

    6. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by Facegarden · · Score: 1

      How the hell do you pronounce the durn thing? I've always been calling it the "Triple-E", but saying "an Triple-E" isn't proper English. So what is it? E e e? A drawn-out e? Something else?

      Actually, i never really noticed how many E's were in it, i just call it the E-E-PC. Kind of wrong, but if you look at it like E-ee-PC, it works, and it sounds good.
      -Taylor

      --
      Worldwide Military budgets: $2100 billion. Worldwide Space Exploration budgets: $38 billion. Really, world? Really?
    7. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by Gilmoure · · Score: 1

      Tee ?

      --
      I drank what? -- Socrates
    8. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by escay · · Score: 1

      Like how mini-me would say, 'eee!' i always thought it was kind of an Asus' in-joke, to name their mini PC after a popular mini character.

      --
      My sig has been answered.
    9. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by Skuldo · · Score: 1

      I've heard it being called the E-PC a fair bit.

    10. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by rrohbeck · · Score: 1

      Teee.

      --
      thegodmovie.com - watch it
    11. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by tkw954 · · Score: 2, Funny

      That's a surprisingly common mistake. its "a Triple-E" not "an Triple-E".

      It's "it's", not "its".

    12. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by beav007 · · Score: 1

      It's supposed to be a kind of scream. Like when someone buys one, you go "You bought a WHAT?!?!" and then scream...

    13. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by mr_rangr · · Score: 1

      It's "it's", not "its".

      And punctuation marks go inside the quotation marks.

    14. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by tkw954 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      And punctuation marks go inside the quotation marks.

      According to wikipedia:

      The traditional convention in American English is for commas and periods to be included inside the quotation marks, regardless of whether they are part of the quoted sentence, while the British style places them in or outside of the quotation marks according to whether or not the punctuation is part of the quoted phrase. The American rule is derived from typesetting while the British rule is grammatical (see below for more explanation). Although the terms American style and British style are used, it is not as clear cut as that because at least one major British newspaper prefers typesetters' quotation (punctuation inside) and BBC News uses both styles, while scientific and technical publications, even in the U.S., almost universally use logical quotation (punctuation outside unless part of the source material), due to its precision.

      Since I'm not American, and Slashdot is (loosely) a scientific or technical publication, I think I'm justified in putting my comma outside the quotation marks.

    15. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by the_womble · · Score: 1

      It also says that scientific and technical publications prefer logical quotation because of its precision. Are you suggesting that Slashdot is in some way associated with precision?

    16. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by YourExperiment · · Score: 1

      Since I'm not American, and Slashdot is (loosely) a scientific or technical publication

      For extremely large values of "loosely".

    17. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      You just got served.

    18. Re:One thing I've always wondered... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't think you'd be allowed to see a Tripoli Desktop in US.

  6. Hampster Ball! by Atheose · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well how are you supposed to mount that inside a hampster ball?

    1. Re:Hampster Ball! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What the hell is a "Hampster"?

    2. Re:Hampster Ball! by supernova_hq · · Score: 1

      And why is his ball empty?!?

    3. Re:Hampster Ball! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Touch screen. *INSIDE* a hamster ball. ...

      I'm not going to go there.

  7. Touch Screen interface by Widowwolf · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "Interestingly, it's listed as coming with XP installed, so we'd guess Asus will be using some sort of proprietary touchscreen interface -- yet the image on the site clearly shows Linux on the screen, which may be a better bet for an easy-to-use touch system" Honest question, not flaming: Ok, so if its a proprietary touchscreen interface, why would it be so much easier on Linux then XP

    --
    ~~"Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong." ~~Dennis Miller
    1. Re:Touch Screen interface by exley · · Score: 5, Informative

      Honest question, not flaming: Ok, so if its a proprietary touchscreen interface, why would it be so much easier on Linux then XP

      I had the exact same thought. I have a convertible tablet laptop, and sorry, but the tablet support and applications under XP and Vista are much better than what I've seen for Linux. In fact, I have Linux installed on this laptop (as well as tablet/stylus support and apps) but never use it. Unless if things have changed or I've missed out on something with Linux, I don't see why things would be much different for touchscreens as well.

    2. Re:Touch Screen interface by TheNetAvenger · · Score: 4, Informative

      Interestingly, it's listed as coming with XP installed, so we'd guess Asus will be using some sort of proprietary touchscreen interface

      I think this statement is also pulling straws.

      A) An XP interface would NOT be any harder than a freaking mouse driver.

      B) TabletPC XP already has multi-touch driver interfaces, that go back to 2003 from several vendors. Yes Apple Fans, WindowsXP TabeltPC devices existed back in 2003/2004 with multi-touch, far before any iPhone or multi-touch trackpads from Apple.

      Crap like this is why Apple's marketing works so well, it gets repeated no matter what the truth is.

    3. Re:Touch Screen interface by Colonel+Korn · · Score: 2, Funny

      Interestingly, it's listed as coming with XP installed, so we'd guess Asus will be using some sort of proprietary touchscreen interface

      I think this statement is also pulling straws.

      A) An XP interface would NOT be any harder than a freaking mouse driver.

      B) TabletPC XP already has multi-touch driver interfaces, that go back to 2003 from several vendors. Yes Apple Fans, WindowsXP TabeltPC devices existed back in 2003/2004 with multi-touch, far before any iPhone or multi-touch trackpads from Apple.

      Crap like this is why Apple's marketing works so well, it gets repeated no matter what the truth is.

      Thanks. I was insisting to a friend a couple months ago that another friend of mine had a multitouch Windows tablet of some sort long, long before Apple had anything of the sort. Now I can easily find the wiki pages to send to him to prove it.

      --
      "I zero-index my hamsters" - Willtor (147206)
    4. Re:Touch Screen interface by Widowwolf · · Score: 1

      Yeah i figured it was more anti windows/pro Linux fud posted here as usual. As long as they build the proprietary touchscreen interface for that system, i don't see any problems

      --
      ~~"Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong." ~~Dennis Miller
    5. Re:Touch Screen interface by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I wonder if what the summary was getting at was that the INTERFACE (presumably the same IceWM based interface the Eee PC used) would be nicer to use with a tablet PC then with windows XP?

    6. Re:Touch Screen interface by Repossessed · · Score: 2, Informative

      X recently integrated a touch screen interface, so yes, things are a bit different. I can't say how well it works though.

      --
      Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite (TM)
    7. Re:Touch Screen interface by Lumpy · · Score: 1

      Um hello?

      I have a WFW 3.11 for touchscreens on a Dauphin DTR1 back in the day.

      Tablets are not new at ALL in any way shape or form. Microsoft touts this stuff every 5 years as "revolutionary" Bah.

      It sucked then, it sucks now. In fact the Handwriting recognition was better back then. Somehow it got worse as XP and Vista came along.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    8. Re:Touch Screen interface by theJML · · Score: 1

      I've got a G4 Powerbook at work I use on a daily basis. It came with a multi-touch pad, but the drivers didn't recognize it that way. A simple update of the drivers to iTouch and it's now all multi touch capable. The one I got came out in 2002.

      In all honesty though, I remember my Pentium 120 pre-mmx notebook having the ability to sense multiple touches, but the driver didn't do anything other than purposely ignore them, assuming the second finger was your palm. I'm sure it could have been hacked, but I was more into graphics programming than driver hacking back then.

      --
      -=JML=-
    9. Re:Touch Screen interface by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nothing to see here, move along. We were running touchscreen apps under DOS ten+ years ago.

    10. Re:Touch Screen interface by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually Apple acquired a company called Fingerworks for their multi-touch technology. Fingerworks had started working in this are in 1999. I know that others probably had been working on this even before then, but Microsoft didn't have multi-touch in their Tablet PC until after 2003/2004. I think Microsoft Surface was the first try at multi-touch and that was 2007.

    11. Re:Touch Screen interface by TheNetAvenger · · Score: 1

      Tablets are not new at ALL in any way shape or form. Microsoft touts this stuff every 5 years as "revolutionary" Bah.

      It sucked then, it sucks now. In fact the Handwriting recognition was better back then. Somehow it got worse as XP and Vista came along.

      Ok, you are missing the point, and losing some credibility here.

      1) This was about 'multi-touch', not touch or tablet devices.
      2) Yes, Pen Windows 3.1 was around in the 1993 timeframe, and I know this because our company made products for it.
      3) As for recognition being better 'in the old days', you really need to check out the 'ink' concepts Microsoft has advanced and how well it works across the board in Vista. (Even using an external Wacom tablet for $100 bucks, you can be long-handing everything you do on your computer with 99% recognition.)

      If you have doubts on #3, go to YouTube, search for Vista and Handwriting or Vista and Tablet, etc. There are tons of videos of people either going OMG it can even read my crap handwriting or comparing Vista to OS X. (Hint, OS X loses because it doesn't handle Ink like Vista and instead uses more of an image recognition process.)

      The Microsoft Ink concepts compute stroke direction, pressure, speed and also the vector image created to discern 'intent' of the person writing, not just what it 'looks' like, thus giving recognition levels that are truly amazing when a human can't read the handwriting and yet Vista does.

      (And again, this is why preserving the 'ink' data in documents is important to Microsoft, and the thousands of companies and industries that use it. Go look up medical for one example. Ink is one reason MS has fought to keep OOXML the standard instead of people losing the 'ink' data by down-saving their documents to the OpenDocument format.)

    12. Re:Touch Screen interface by TheNetAvenger · · Score: 1

      Actually Apple acquired a company called Fingerworks for their multi-touch technology. Fingerworks had started working in this are in 1999. I know that others probably had been working on this even before then, but Microsoft didn't have multi-touch in their Tablet PC until after 2003/2004. I think Microsoft Surface was the first try at multi-touch and that was 2007.

      Ok, there is so much wrong here, I don't even know where to start.

      Multi-touch input goes back to at least the 80s, Apple, nor Fingerworks created this. Apple may be using Fingerworks code for the recognition, but the UI multi-touch concepts they put in the iPhone are a direct rip off of both MS Research and TED conference demostrated concepts. (Google the TED multi-touch video that was long before Apple's iPhone.)

      Microsoft Surface is NOT ABOUT multi-touch. Microsoft Surface is about 'unlimited touch' or 'visual touch' input, as it uses imaging devices that allows it to see unlimited points of input, their size, and even what they look like. That is why it can see things laid on the display, in addition to providing cute 'multi-touch' type UI interactions.

      When you can swipe 5 fingers on your Mac or iPhone and it sees all 5 fingers and even see they are fingers and their size, and then responds to all of them at the same time, then you can start to compare any of this to Microsoft Surface technology. It is not even in the same class or generation as freaking dual or simple multi-point input that Apple uses. Think different, like years beyond what Apple is doing.

    13. Re:Touch Screen interface by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "why would it be so much easier on Linux then XP"

      because this is Shashdot... everything is better in Linux, even if it isn't.

    14. Re:Touch Screen interface by digitalchinky · · Score: 1

      Not a screen as such, but I bought a logitec newtouch split keyboard with a touch pad in 1997, this handled multi-touch just fine - three fingers to bring up the right mouse menu, two for middle.

      Ancient tech.

      I was using flat panel plasma displays in the military with multi-touch somewhere around 1993.

  8. Everything old... by Steauengeglase · · Score: 1

    So it took 8 years to get a follow-up to 3Com's Audrey. At least it is a $100 bucks cheaper this time.

    1. Re:Everything old... by Steauengeglase · · Score: 1

      Woops, $749, so it is $250 more.

  9. Why would you want it? by rotide · · Score: 1

    I can't see the touchscreen being anything more than a gimmick. But that tends to go against what the box is made for in the first place? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this a simple computer to be able to do web/email/office work? Non-graphics intensive, etc?

    Adding a touchscreen would allow you to do what exactly? I can't see it adding ease to surfing/word processing.... However, the HDD space could be useful, so kudos there...

    1. Re:Why would you want it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      put it in the kitchen, mounted on a wall, and surf the internet while cooking. Scratch a quick message to the wife on it. It doesn't need a keyboard.

    2. Re:Why would you want it? by philspear · · Score: 1

      Adding a touchscreen would allow you to do what exactly?

      It would allow you to touch the screen to interact with your computer... kinda though that was obvious...

      Kidding aside, the DS showed that at least with games, the touchscreen could be used well, just takes a little imagination. It wouldn't improve programs or current interfaces much, but that's to be expected as current interfaces were not specifically designed for touchscreen input, they were designed for a mouse. I didn't own a computer at the time, but I would guess that when the computer mouse was first marketed, there were a lot of people without imaginations who thought it would never amount to beans.

    3. Re:Why would you want it? by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      It's a video phone that can surf the web.

    4. Re:Why would you want it? by KlausBreuer · · Score: 1

      Well, when the mouse came out, it was for use with GUIs - made immediate, perfect sense.
      Did not catch on immediately, as the primary user interface back then was the text screen...

      --
      Free PC version of ChipWits at http://www.breueronline.de/klaus/chipwits/
  10. um by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Linux... easy-to-use

    head asplode

    1. Re:um by KasperMeerts · · Score: 1

      If you've ever used an EEE before, you would understand that Linux can be easy-to-use.
      This is because it was set up like that by a company and in contrast to Windows, companies can set up Linux;

      --
      As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields.
    2. Re:um by entgod · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Companies actually can an do customize their windows setups. Too bad they usually abuse that ability and just load them up with crapware.

    3. Re:um by aurb · · Score: 1

      I don't get it.

    4. Re:um by badkarmadayaccount · · Score: 1

      Uhh, too bad we still don't have an Apple-alike for Linux. Asus, MSI, etc. are all great, but not good enough. For instance, Xandros - not the best OS choice, I'd say. People sometimes don't want something good enough (windows) or something that feels like it. They want something better. Hence the market Apple has. Of course, their target demographic, artsy types, people in need of a penis/breast enlargement operaton, etc. prefer OS X. But I think that a spcialised hardware company that bundles good software with it, so as to be just works (TM), would get a good share, if they add on nifty features as well. Not just good enough (like dell), but better (like sun microsystems). Hey, maybe we can get them to make a semi-embeded version (again, apple showed that it doesnt have to be win compatible, or general apps compatible).

      --
      I know tobacco is bad for you, so I smoke weed with crack.
  11. This is pretty close. by dbc001 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is pretty close to the one thing that my home network is missing.

    I'd love to have a little wall-mountable computer that could play videos, mp3s, and interact with my network.

    No need for a fast cpu - i'm not going to do any work standing there; or play any games. But with a webcam and Skype or IM, it would make a great phone replacement. Maybe a photo screensaver that pulls from a network folder or flickr account.

    Basically what I'm looking for is a larger (and faster) version of the Nokia n800. I'll definitely buy one when they get the size and price right.

    1. Re:This is pretty close. by walshy007 · · Score: 1

      a friend of mine does large boat electrics and control systems, the interface they have to the engines and statistics monitors/dead man alarms etc is in fact a touch screen core 2 duo, while I'm fairly sure the ones he chose were more cost effective, there are lots of things like these about.

      it only really lacks in the video card, more than enough power for any kind of video or audio you could want

    2. Re:This is pretty close. by Jorophose · · Score: 1

      YES! I especially love the video and mp3 part! Maybe for security cams, too? Or door bells? Or something like checking if your mail box is full, if the cat/dog/fish needs to be fed!

      Being wall-mounted would be great. And the fact that this is likely only going to be ~500$ (UK/Europe often gets screwed, and I'm hoping that 700$+ figure was guestimated) it's going to be great.

      Not only that, but I know of plenty of places this would go... If I could get it without HDD, or with an SSD, I would so buy it and run something like a dual-opteron server or even just Core 2/ Athlon X2/Phenom X4 (or X3 would be nice for cheap) and up the strenght of all the computers in one shot.

      (But if I connected to that one server directly, any chance I could play games? That would be the deciding factor...)

    3. Re:This is pretty close. by pembo13 · · Score: 1

      http://www.cybernetman.com/default.cfm?DocId=8001

      --
      "Thanks for all the money you paid to us. We've used it to buy off ISO among other things" -Microsoft
    4. Re:This is pretty close. by oakgrove · · Score: 1
      Maybe try this.

      Everything the owners of N8xx's wish they were but aren't. Particularly the USB host support in addition to the half-assed USB on-the-go crap. 600MHz ARM overclockable to 900, 3D graphics hardware that you can actually use. You can easily install a real version of Linux and not be stuck with the Maemo cut-rate stuff like on the N-series. I know that's fixable but it isn't easy. Support for up to 64 GB worth of SDHC cards. S-video out, the list goes on and on. They have a video on the site of it running Xubuntu and Firefox 3 quite snappily. The only reason I'm sticking with my N770 for now is the Pandora looks a little bit bigger than pocketable.

      --
      The soylentnews experiment has been a dismal failure.
    5. Re:This is pretty close. by Lumpy · · Score: 1

      Crestron has had that stuff for decades. I install 6" and 8" web enabled touchscreens weekly in people's homes.

      Granted this is not toy crap that the poor ($350,000 a year and under income levels, you poor schmucks get as advanced as X10 before you freak out about price) but those that dont even bat an eye at installing a $5000.00 15" touchscreen above his urinal in the mens bathe outside the home theater. Or the 32" Plasma in the shower behind glass imbedded in the tile showing his stocks. They have all the cool stuff you want.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    6. Re:This is pretty close. by shrikel · · Score: 1

      Actually, last weekend I put a computer in my kitchen that is just a Neoware thin client I bought used from a nearby University for $20. The unit is actually between two studs in the wall, below the monitor. The monitor is set into the wall, such that it is flush with the drywall. And since it's just RDP'ed into my main desktop (using that old hack to allow multiple concurrent sessions), I have all my programs, and more importantly, my settings and data, so it's much more useful for me and my wife than having a second whole computer.

      Next time I'll use a cheap touch screen instead of a mouse, I think.

      Total cost for this one was $200 (most of that was the monitor) plus about 4 hours of tinkering and installing.

      And yes, it will soon be running a recipe database.

      --
      Any sufficiently simple magic can be passed off as mere advanced technology.
    7. Re:This is pretty close. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or the 32" Plasma in the shower behind glass imbedded in the tile showing his stocks.

      I don't envy anyone who has to watch their money that closely.

    8. Re:This is pretty close. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Same here. I want one for the kitchen for looking up recipes and other food information. Have a laptop that I drag in there now but this would be a much better fit.

      I didn't even think of the Skype thing but that would be a good use for it too.

      Only problem is I really don't like XP(not flaming) and it looks like they are bundling it with trial ware. So I wonder how hard it would be to do a clean XP install and still have the touch screen stuff working. Even better would be if someone made a Linux distro specifically for it (yes, I could do it and maybe I will :P)

  12. Damn it! by motang · · Score: 1

    Damn it Asus, I just bought an Eee box like couple of months ago...should have waited! Oh well, I am happy with my setup, took off XP Home and installed Xubuntu with Compiz and AWN...awesome!

  13. I was in the UK last week by Joce640k · · Score: 1

    ...now I've got three jars of Marmite!

    --
    No sig today...
    1. Re:I was in the UK last week by mcclure · · Score: 1
      And what are you going to do with them?

      Use them as Australian repellent? :)

  14. 4.3 kg by Snefru2 · · Score: 1

    On the play.com site it says the weight of this device is 4.3 kg. While it looks really nice, I cannot believe it weighs so much. If it is true, I don't want to take such a thing with me while underway. I'm a happy eee 901 owner.

    1. Re:4.3 kg by Chaos+Incarnate · · Score: 1

      I would hope that's actually 4.3 pounds, and Play forgot to convert...

      --
      Benford's Corollary to Clarke's Law: "Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced."
    2. Re:4.3 kg by SaDan · · Score: 2, Informative

      It's not a portable, it's a desktop.

  15. A Better Idea by CSMatt · · Score: 1

    Release a touchscreen/tablet Eee PC laptop.

  16. Touch Screen: Single Touch Panel by __aailob1448 · · Score: 1

    That means no multitouch or Tablet functionality. Handy to read ebooks perhaps and operate non-existing toy-like software.

    What is desired is a TabletPC + multitouch hybrid. This one has neither and thus is a niche product using obsolete technology.

    1. Re:Touch Screen: Single Touch Panel by Sark666 · · Score: 1

      Yes I agree. And I've never looked but it's disappointing to read linux doesn't have great support for touch displays, well according to other posts listed here.

      And I've always pictured a multitouch being able to bring up a virtual keyboard so one can type a quick email/message. I know virtual keyboards have existed for ages, but I mean a nice, maybe semi-transparent overlay keyboard that can be quickly brought up/discarded.

      Does the Mac or some other windows variant have something like this?

    2. Re:Touch Screen: Single Touch Panel by kisrael · · Score: 1

      Oddly enough that's kind of the trick the iPhone uses...

      --
      SO YOU'RE GOING TO DIE: The Comic for Dealing with Death
    3. Re:Touch Screen: Single Touch Panel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't know about the keyboard overlay, but I know that the Dell Latitude XT tablet notebook supports multitouch gestures.
      http://www.dell.com/tablet

    4. Re:Touch Screen: Single Touch Panel by oakgrove · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I'm not sure what problem anyone else on here is having with their touch screens and Linux but the 7" touch screen Xenarc LCD attached to the PC in my car works perfectly with Ubuntu 8.04. The drivers and calibration software is an easy download from their site and a shell script away to install. I can't imagine it being easier or working better on Windows.

      Of course, I am a bit selective in the hardware I buy. I love using Linux on my computers and wouldn't use anything else so I am willing to do the little bit of research necessary to purchase hardware that works with it as opposed to getting whatever is the cheapest on newegg and hoping that I won't have any problems.

      --
      The soylentnews experiment has been a dismal failure.
    5. Re:Touch Screen: Single Touch Panel by Sark666 · · Score: 1

      I'm totally willing as well. More details though. Does that have a virtual keyboard feature? Multi-touch?

      With touch interfaces, there's the bare minimum of mimicking a mouse (and how well? easy to navigate?) but then there's driver issues and then any additional software that takes advantage of it, like the virt keyboard or say an image program recognizing swipes, stretch with two fingers etc.

    6. Re:Touch Screen: Single Touch Panel by oakgrove · · Score: 1
      Hi, for a virtual keyboard, I use xvkbd. It works great and is in the repositories for just about every distribution. The great thing about it and what, in my opinion, makes it even better than what you get with the Windows tablet edition and most of the other commercial soft virtual keyboards, is it is freely resizeable so if you have fat fingers, you just make it as big as necessary, otherwise, keep it small and once you set the size, it stays that way everytime you bring it up. It looks almost just like a real keyboard with all the keys right there. It doesn't automatically pop up when you touch a text field like the address bar in your browser for example but, I haven't really tried to make it do that. I have a shortcut icon for it on my taskbar linked to a script that toggles it on and off. When I need it, i just touch the icon; when I'm done, I touch the icon again and it's gone. When it appears, it is set to stay on top so it won't get hidden by other windows.

      As far as multi-touch, that's obviously something that has to be implemented in hardware first and this monitor, which is several years old, by the way, just doesn't have it. So, even if Linux had it, I wouldn't be able to use it. I did take the liberty of Googling multi-touch and linux and it is on the table, so to speak so support is coming. You'll just have to have a touchscreen that works that way.

      --
      The soylentnews experiment has been a dismal failure.
  17. Touchscreen laptop by wonkavader · · Score: 1

    This is neat and keen, but what I really need for my sales force is a CHEAP touchscreen laptop.

    If they did this to their current laptop model, I'd be screaming for a passle of these.

    1. Re:Touchscreen laptop by Lumpy · · Score: 1

      HP has them for $800.00 You cant get any cheaper than that.

      did you even try to look?

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  18. Really? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    [Linux] may be a better bet for an easy-to-use touch system.

    care to back this up or is it just more fanboi fud?

    1. Re:Really? by Tubal-Cain · · Score: 1

      Windows is rather dependent on their GUI, and that GUI sucks for touchscreen. Linux, on the other hand, can use anything that runs under X.

    2. Re:Really? by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 1

      Windows has excellent tablet features IMO. At least it does handwriting recognition, which Ubuntu didn't even attempt on it tablet. I need a pretty big citation that Linux/X11 is better at touchscreen-ness.

      --
      Comment of the year
    3. Re:Really? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      thanks for not answering the question fanboi.

    4. Re:Really? by Tubal-Cain · · Score: 1

      You're welcome. How else can I not help you today?

  19. Unit Conversion by onkelonkel · · Score: 4, Funny

    For us SI/metric users, a quick question: how many passles in a shitload?

    --
    None of them can see the clouds; The polished wings don't care.
    1. Re:Unit Conversion by wonkavader · · Score: 4, Funny

      Six.

    2. Re:Unit Conversion by onkelonkel · · Score: 1

      Good to know.

      --
      None of them can see the clouds; The polished wings don't care.
    3. Re:Unit Conversion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      wasn't it 42?

    4. Re:Unit Conversion by effigiate · · Score: 0, Redundant

      I thought it was 42?

    5. Re:Unit Conversion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOLOLOLOL This is the first time I've ever posted but that was one of the funniest things I've ever read... Makes me wonder about the state of my mind?!?! :-D

    6. Re:Unit Conversion by smellsofbikes · · Score: 1

      >how many passles in a shitload?

      An American or Imperial passle?
      A troy or avoirdupois -- or *fluid* -- shitload? (If the latter, I want this conversion conversation to be over *now*.)

      --
      Nostalgia's not what it used to be.
  20. Do they even know about quality around there? by sethstorm · · Score: 0, Troll

    One consistent thing with Asus seems that they don't seem to do quality (EEE or not, a lot of their stuff looks cheaply constructed/designed). I'm not talking about quality that the Far East may be used to, but the quality that this side of the world had.

    Is too much to ask to attempt a model without those knockoff/cut-rate components(and not use an ODM)?

    --
    Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
    1. Re:Do they even know about quality around there? by pimpimpim · · Score: 1

      Quality that this side of the world had... when? In the 60's? PCs are built in the far east for god knows how long already. You just never thought about it. As for Asus, the construction of the eee is pretty sturdy. Had mine fall down several times already, and it just keeps working. The thing is also pretty serviceable, easy to replace batteries with ones from a different model even, or from a generic brand. Some high profile brands from around Cupertino could learn a thing or two from Asus.

      --
      molmod.com - computing tips from a molecular modeling
    2. Re:Do they even know about quality around there? by DanJ_UK · · Score: 1

      I'm assuming the OP is referring to the likes of IBM-era Think quality, which, I've yet to see matched since Lenovo took over.

      --
      - Dan
    3. Re:Do they even know about quality around there? by Kalriath · · Score: 1

      Ironic that, since certain high profile brands from around Cupertino are MADE by Asus.

      --
      For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
    4. Re:Do they even know about quality around there? by pak9rabid · · Score: 1

      One consistent thing with Asus seems that they don't seem to do quality (EEE or not, a lot of their stuff looks cheaply constructed/designed). I'm not talking about quality that the Far East may be used to, but the quality that this side of the world had. Is too much to ask to attempt a model without those knockoff/cut-rate components(and not use an ODM)?

      Uh, have you ever owned an Asus product..like...ever?

    5. Re:Do they even know about quality around there? by sethstorm · · Score: 1

      You are correct on that part. IBM's PCD held the manufacturers to a standard, Lenovo is only killing their products feature by dropped feature. One day it's the logo, the next day it's Flexview, the day after that it's standard(4:3) screens altogether, next thing that drops is the legendary keyboard.
          If you're seeing people swapping in/out T61p 14" boards to keep their Flexview display or even refitting non-Flexview models, there is a sizable market that is just not being served.

      --
      Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
  21. Everything old... by sethstorm · · Score: 1

    ...ends up being re-released as a knockoff with cut-rate hardware.

    --
    Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
  22. Linux or no Linux? by markdavis · · Score: 1

    The summary is right- the screen on the sample image of the computer is most definitely Linux. In fact, it is the same Linux that is used on the EEE's. Why would they load Linux on the machine take marketing images of it, then have a press release saying it will use MS-Windows? Perhaps there will be more than one model/offering?

    And why would anyone get excited about a low-powered computer with a 15" monitor that is $750??? That hardly seems like a very interesting price point, even for a touchscreen.

    1. Re:Linux or no Linux? by mister.f · · Score: 1

      Check out these pics. http://crave.cnet.co.uk/desktops/0,39029426,49299331,00.htm

  23. Who remembers dedodedo.wav? by tepples · · Score: 1

    What the hell is a "Hampster"?

    Hampster is a surname popular in some communities of hamsters, just as Pearson is popular in some communities of persons. Famous Hampsters include Hampton Hampster of Hampsterdance.

  24. Go linux! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What universe have I arrived in this time? Linux described as 'easier to use'? How will they type /etc/init.d/ on the touchscreen I wonder. What did the 'd' stand for in that?

  25. Idiots by wasabii · · Score: 1

    You guys are idiots. A standard Windows XP Tablet install does touch screen WAY BETTER than any Linux interface I have ever used. Maemo included. Somehow it's assumed some propriatary interface of some kind is being used. You can seriously just tap the start menu with your finger.

  26. 1000H by DanielGV · · Score: 1

    The 10" Eee PC 1000H (netbook) already has a 160GB HDD. (not SSD)

  27. No ad = no sale by DraconPern · · Score: 1

    Unless they can come up with a better ad than HP's, I don't see how people are going to spend money on this. At that price range, people are looking at value. A smaller screen is not a better value.

  28. Sounds good! by Hitto · · Score: 1

    I'm very interested in this kind of product. I've got gigs and gigs of music and got through the pain of downloading the covers and all... And as much as I'd like there to be a painless, script-less way to do it under gnome, the best way to display it is under XP... folder.jpg and all that.

    With a touch screen? Hook up the half-gigger and the stereo, takes little room? Very little noise, please? And you get the MP3 library I've always dreamed of.

  29. Better Pictures here by mister.f · · Score: 1

    http://crave.cnet.co.uk/desktops/0,39029426,49299331,00.htm Now it's most definately on that!

  30. Mod parent up, quality *is* a good concern. by cwcpetech · · Score: 1

    (Score:0, Troll)

    Get Modbomb'ed much? Is quality too much to ask, and pointing out where ASUS does cut too many corners?

  31. They don't know anything about quality at ASUS by sethstorm · · Score: 1

    One consistent thing with Asus seems that they don't seem to do quality (EEE or not, a lot of their stuff looks cheaply constructed/designed). I'm not talking about quality that the Far East may be used to, but the quality that this side of the world had.

    Is too much to ask to attempt a model without those knockoff/cut-rate components(and not use an ODM)?

    No, I'm not talking about Apple here, but Asus as their own brand.

    By the time moderators read this, it will probably be too late. No -1 Troll for you, modbombers.

    --
    Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.