Posted on 01/05/2008 5:51:16 AM PST by twntaipan
Who in the *** is Asustek, and why does Microsoft hate them more than any other company in the industry? Why does Apple, Dell and Palm Computing hate them?
And why does Intel love them?
Taiwan's Asustek -- better known as ASUS -- is one of the most interesting, innovative and fastest-growing companies in technology.
At its core, Asustek makes motherboards -- more than any other company. Asustek motherboards are the heart of Sony's PlayStation 2 consoles, Apple MacBooks, Alienware PCs, and some HP computers.
But that's not why they're hated. The source of ire is a tiny laptop called the ASUS Eee PC. This open, flexible, relatively powerful, and very small laptop is notable for one feature above all: It's price. The Eee PC can be had for as little as $299. (Go here to read the reviews -- they're all positive.)
Let's take a moment to ponder how cheap that is. This full-featured laptop costs $69 less than the 16 GB Apple iPod Touch. It's $100 less than an Amazon Kindle e-book reader. The most expensive configuration for the ASUS Eee PC on Amazon.com is $499.
Even though ASUS isn't a well-known consumer brand, and even though the company just started selling them in late 2007, the company expects to sell up to a half million units by March, and up to 5 million by 2009.
The reason Microsoft hates Asustek couldn't be more obvious. The Eee PC runs Linux (Xandros running KDE) and uses an appealing and innovative tabbed-based user interface developed by Asustek. The device also comes with OpenOffice, a Microsoft Office replacement, and Firefox. The entire system -- hardware, OS, office suite and applications -- costs $30 less than Amazon.com's discounted price for Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate alone. The Asus Eee PC is demonstrating to the world that its success depends on aggressively *avoiding* any Microsoft product.
Apple and Dell hate Asustek because these companies have been planning for quite a while to introduce flash storage-based mini laptops. But by the time they get around to shipping, the ASUS Eee PC will have already gobbled up some of the market. Worse, the ASUS Eee PC is preemptively poisoning the well by applying enormous price pressure on these two companies.
In truth, Apple isn't all that concerned because they'll do what they do, and the masses will respond. But poor Dell. That company's flash-based mini-laptop will probably cost five times as much as the ASUS. It will be 10% better and 500% more expensive than the ASUS Eee PC. Good luck with that, Dell!
Palm, Inc. hates Asustek because the company has made a fool out of them. Palm announced in May its Foleo mini-laptop. The device was slightly bigger than the ASUS Eee PC, but less capable and twice the price. The Foleo focused on connecting to the Internet through Palm's own line of giant cell phones. While many think Palm "killed" the Foleo, they in fact only killed the idea of shipping with a Linux-based OS.
In his blog announcement, Palm's CEO vowed to come back with a Foleo-like device that runs the same proprietary OS that powers Palm's next-generation of cell phones. By the time Palm gets around to shipping something, the market will be saturated with millions of ASUS Eee PCs on the low end, and thousands of Apple and Dell units on the high end.
Meanwhile, Intel loves Asustek. The ASUS Eee PC is powered by -- you guessed it! -- an Intel processor, namely the 900 MHz Intel Celeron-M. More than that, Intel respects Asustek for its engineering prowess. Intel discovered this fact when the company was struggling in the 1990s to fix a range of design flaws in its own 486 motherboard prototypes. Asustek was able to fix it, and in fact already had a fully operational motherboard for the chipset before Intel did. Since then, the companies have been very close.
Now rumors are circulating that a new Intel Merom-based ASUS Eee PC that may ship as early as April will run so efficiently that it won't need a fan. The entire laptop will be solid state -- no moving parts. Intel loves that kind of thing.
There's no question about it -- Asustek is the most hated company in the industry. Microsoft, Apple, Dell and Palm hate Asustek because the company can give us something they can't: A super cheap, flexible, powerful mobile computer. At $299, why would anyone not buy one?
I will probably buy one. I’ve used Ubuntu before and I’m running Firefox now. I prefer Firefox to IE. Also have the Open Office.
It does not have an - i - in front of the name.
For a long time most computer users have assumed that Microsoft and Windows was the only choice for computing. That has, of course, kept prices artificially high.
What Asus has done is leverage their expertise with a free OS, and thus broken the grip of Microsoft.
The eeePC could be "the tipping point", and a very disruptive technology.
“The reason Microsoft hates Asustek couldn’t be more obvious. The Eee PC runs Linux (Xandros running KDE) and uses an appealing and innovative tabbed-based user interface developed by Asustek. The device also comes with OpenOffice, a Microsoft Office replacement, and Firefox. The entire system — hardware, OS, office suite and applications — costs $30 less than Amazon.com’s discounted price for Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate alone. The Asus Eee PC is demonstrating to the world that its success depends on aggressively *avoiding* any Microsoft product....
In truth, Apple isn’t all that concerned because they’ll do what they do, and the masses will respond. But poor Dell. That company’s flash-based mini-laptop will probably cost five times as much as the ASUS. It will be 10% better and 500% more expensive than the ASUS Eee PC. Good luck with that, Dell! “
I love how this article tries to paint some universal “hate” for the eeePC based on some really lame reasoning. Then as usual plays defense for Apple by saying “Oh, well Apple so cool that when they copy these guys, were not even going to care about this thing anymore, But Dell is soooo screwed!”. Im sure the eeePC people just love being seen as a placeholder until the Apple wonder-coporation can give the author permission to ignore them.
The truth is that this PC will be running both Linux and Windows, actually they both are already running on it. Its success is based on the fact that it is cheap not because “
its success depends on aggressively *avoiding* any Microsoft product”.
Love the eeePC. This article is however more of a puff propaganda piece against MS and Dell and for Apple and Linux, which just diminishes how great this computer is and will be.
At its core, Asustek makes motherboards — more than any other company. Asustek motherboards are the heart of Sony’s PlayStation 2 consoles, Apple MacBooks, Alienware PCs, and some HP computers.
The ASUS laptop I really want is the U1F, but I can't spend that much money, and I really don't need it. Hence, I will soon own an Eee PC.
Now that the fanless Merom version is coming, probably with a bigger flash drive, I'm anxiously awaiting it. Gotta save those pennies.
I would think this Taiwanese genius and fix-it prowess extends out into today with a new Intel/Apple/Asus collaboration on desktop and laptop mother boards-——>>>>
Meanwhile, Intel loves Asustek. The ASUS Eee PC is powered by — you guessed it! — an Intel processor, namely the 900 MHz Intel Celeron-M. More than that, Intel respects Asustek for its engineering prowess. Intel discovered this fact when the company was struggling in the 1990s to fix a range of design flaws in its own 486 motherboard prototypes. Asustek was able to fix it, and in fact already had a fully operational motherboard for the chipset before Intel did. Since then, the companies have been very close.
I've had good luck with Linksys support, even though it's based out of India.
BTT
ASUS Eee PC 4G - Pearl White Intel processor 7" Wide VGA 512MB 4GB Integrated Graphics Eee PC - Retail
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ASUS Eee PC 4G – Galaxy Black Intel processor 7" Wide VGA 512MB 4GB Integrated Graphics Eee PC - Retail
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ASUS Eee PC 4G Surf - Galaxy Black Intel processor 7" Wide VGA 512MB 4GB Integrated Graphics - Retail
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ASUS Eee PC 4G Surf - Pure White Intel processor 7" Wide VGA 512MB 4GB Integrated Graphics - Retail
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ASUS Eee PC 2G Surf - Galaxy Black Intel processor 7" Wide VGA 512MB 2GB Integrated Graphics Eee PC - Retail
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I have an ASUS Striker Extreme for about a year now. Finest Motherboard I’ve ever worked with.
New Egg has them for $299 and up
Quick question - if I buy one of these laptops, can I load Windows XP onto it?
I run Firefox, but I prefer Word as a document program to the Sun Open Office program and I prepare many documents in my occupation. So, I’m comfortable with Windows XP. I’m just not that tech savvy when it comes to computers.
Please advise.
What does this say about large U.S. companies that play games with the ChiComs and are willing to sacrifice Taiwan?
I run Firefox, but I prefer Word as a document program to the Sun Open Office program and I prepare many documents in my occupation. So, I’m comfortable with Windows XP. I’m just not that tech savvy when it comes to computers.
Please advise.
Not all the time
Today's' laptops have devices on them that only some will work on XP
I love XP but recently bought a Vista laptop
I added some memory to it and I will deal with Vista. 2gb memory is what Vista needs at minimum
At least $40 of what I paid is for the Vista license and I intend to make full use of it
I have Office 2000 w Word and am sure I can load it on Vista.
Freepmail me for sure
You and I seem to have the same questions...I linked over to Newegg.com and read some of the reviews and it seems several people were running XP on their systems and a few upgraded rams, etc. for better use and it didn’t void the warranty.
What about other software? Most programs say they are Windows or Windows/Mac compatible. Will they run on this machine? My camera software, my publishing program, etc.
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