Comments on: Asus to release touchscreen EEE PCs. Why?

By: henq

henq — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 07:35:34 +0000

Car.
As a traveling sales rep, I’d love an eee like laptop mounted in my car. With a finger-tap and on screen keyboard integrated app offering:
- cell phone dialing / contacts lookup
- texting (sms)
- GPS navigation
- ToDo list
- E-mail (read only for safety)
These functions would all have large fonts, because you look at it from further than normal laptop use.
Of course, when parked you can switch to more regular apps and type mail on the regular keyboard. (all the other modules above I will not use when driving, honestly officer)
So a sort of giant iPhone with a physical keyboard thrown in, my ideal for an in-car all-in-one setup.
~henq

By: Steve Paine

Steve Paine — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:18:02 +0000

Its a similar case to people not understanding why you would want a pc without a keyboard. Once you've used it a lot and have got into the habit of using it, you don't want to go back, There are definitely good reasons to have touch on a notebook. See this pic for on example. http://flickr.com/photos/umpcportal/2836512403/ Steve - Reading feeds on the M912M and yes, using the toucscreen as i lean back into my comfy sofa!

By: Spads

Spads — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:00:32 +0000

You are right, except if they make a touch screen enabled Eee PC in a convertible Tablet PC form factor…

What ? I’m dreaming ??? ;-)

By: gonzalo

gonzalo — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:22:48 +0000

IF asus comes out with a slate eee i’d buy it in a heartbeat. all i use my tc1100 is to ink, no internet, no games, just notes.

imagine a cheapo 450$, 5hr battery, webcam yielding, ssd packing salte.

By: Gordon Cahill

Gordon Cahill — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:13:27 +0000

I’m a touch lover. Really miss it on the mini-note. I’ve become quite used to using the touch screen for navigation around windows instead of using the trackpad. I launch and close programs, copy files with drag and drop, switch tabs in Avant Browser (the BEST browser by far) and most other navigation tasks. I prefer it to both the touch pad (yuck!!) or a mouse.

Gordon

By: JeffGr

JeffGr — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:42:48 +0000

The article just indicated a plan to introduce a touch-screen version of the Eee, but it didn’t say what the exact form-factor will be. I would hope that they would plan to put a swivel hinge on it to make it a convertable tablet. I have a Vye S37 that has that basic design and absolutely love it. I don’t use it much for ink (my handwriting isn’t very readable even by me…), but I love swiveling it to slate mode while reading an ebook or during some types of web-surfing sessions. In those situations, touch screen is definitely great to have.

-Jeff

By: jkkmobile

jkkmobile — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:33:41 +0000

On a 8.9 inch 1024 x 600 screen i don't need to make anything bigger. On smaller ones I do need. Here is my settings on U2010: http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2008/09/setting-up-fujitsu-u2010-u820-ub50n.html Maybe our difference is that you and other tableteers typically use touch for writing, where I don't. Another difference is that when I use my netbook, I'm mobile.. not on the desk and no tables near me.. so I don't lift my fingers from keyboard as they are not there.. I actually like light netbook + touch more than convertible with touch as the screen hinges are sturdier and specially on Eee 900 the one hand grip is better becouse of the hinge design: http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2008/07/asus-eee-pc-900-with-touch-screen.html I'll try to make a video explaining and showing the actual use.. but not now as i'd need someone to shoot while I use...

By: Travis

Travis — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:12:32 +0000

A touchscreen on a netbook small and light enough to hold with one hand is much different than having touch on a notebook.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:58:12 +0000

I’m with you James – as much as I like touchscreens, I can’t see the utility in having on on a clamshell. Maybe if asus implemented some sort of convertible HTC shift for-factor or even the mock-up, twin screen version of OLPC version2 :)

By: James Kendrick

James Kendrick — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:48:53 +0000

jkkmobile, I've seen your homebrew video so I know you love it. But what do you do with it, seriously? I'm trying to see value, it's so uncomfortable in a standard clamshell to interact directly with the screen for me, especially a fairly small screen. Do you customize the interface to make buttons bigger or something?

By: jkkmobile

jkkmobile — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:45:23 +0000

It is just you... I'm loving it... multi love: http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2008/10/touchscreen-eee-pc-finally-coming.html

By: MiniMage

MiniMage — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:17:19 +0000

Once saw a drug rep with one of the Fujitsu clamshell LifeBooks. Since her screen didn't rotate, she had the keyboard in the air and the top of the LCD pressed onto the counter to write. Not my thing, but I guess it was working for her.