Hands-on with the Asus Eee 4G PC

Computers don't typically get a lot of buzz, but Asus's sneaky Eee laptop certainly has people talking, and with good reason. I haven't seen a computer this downright exciting in years. It's a humble machine, but it's as close as we're likely to get to a "game changing" device this side of the Macintosh.

In case you're unfamiliar with the new device, the Eee 4G is a pint-sized laptop with a seven-inch screen, weighing just two pounds. It runs Linux and it's preloaded with everything an entry-level user could possibly want: Wi-Fi, web browser, full productivity suite, video player, photo manager, and on and on.

And it costs just $399.

Under the hood you'll find some obviously streamlined specs: 512MB of RAM, a 4GB solid-state hard drive (that is, no moving parts), 802.11g wireless, and three USB ports. The CPU is a 900MHz Celeron, and graphics are obviously integrated. The OS is a Linux distribution called Xandros, an extremely simple operating system that any novice computer should be able to master without ever cracking the manual, yet does everything you want Windows to do. There's even a webcam. (Additional ports include VGA out, Ethernet, and headphone/mic jacks. No modem: It's plugged up and doesn't work.) In my testing, the Eee never crashed, never acted up, and never behaved out of the ordinary in any way.

This may sound like a minimalist set of specs, but remember, you're not running Windows. Linux runs fine on the machine; the only slowdowns I noticed in my testing were during hefty graphics work: Flash animations or video playback, neither of which are 100 percent satisfying on the Eee. Otherwise, the Eee is a perfectly serviceable, if low-end, machine. But hey: It's $399. (I have not completed my battery testing but will update this post when it's done. Update: 2 hours, 20 minutes. Not bad, but I'd hoped for better.)

My only smallish complaint with the Eee is also a big part of its charm: The screen and keyboard are just too small to get much work done with it. Typing on the micro keyboard is tough, and the screen can't even fit a regular YouTube video on the display. It's just not practical to use the Eee for anything beyond casual use: basic web browsing, short emails, and the occasional word processing document. Give me a jumbo-sized Eeeee next time, por favor.

For those looking at tiptoeing into Linux, though, the Eee is a can't-miss opportunity. Why mess up your current system by installing Linux over Windows, just to have to uninstall it if you're not happy with the results? At $399, the Eee is simply too much of a bargain not to buy one if for no other reason than just to see how the other half lives and to have something to toss in your backpack for those sudden road trips.