Elonex One

[dhicks]

Hello All,

This review from the Sunday Times, via the TES forums:

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/...cle3374812.ece

Few technical details around - comments posted on various forums found via Google say:

- The keyboard is "rubbery" like the XO (which I personally found horrible to type on, but then I don't have child-sized fingers), but USB ports should be available to plug an external keyboard in so who cares.

- Don't know if it includes a Eee/laptop style VGA port to plug an external monitor in too.

- Screen folds somehow to "tablet mode", sounds like XO, bet you the screen isn't quite as snazzy. No stylus-input, too expensive.

- Processor is "old", more than 7 years old. Some 1Ghz Pentium? Actually, we have a bunch of old HPs that would seem to have fanless motherboards, maybe the "new" VIA fanless motherboards aren't all that new after all!

- 1GB of storage for the OS, solid-state I assume.

- Linux OS of some kind.

- No idea about battery life.

- Price is £99. Yes, really.

- Lots of interest - Elonex's website kaput today!

--
David Hicks

[localzuk]

I doubt it has an 'old' chip, as no-one manufactures them any more. It more than likely uses a Via fanless chip, as they are low power and low heat (even lower than the celeron used in the eeepc).

As soon as I can, I'll be snapping up a couple for testing alongside the eepc's we already have. See how they compare.

I'm a bit confused about the purpose of the tablet mode if there is no touch screen though... Seems a bit pointless.

[dhicks]

I doubt it has an 'old' chip, as no-one manufactures them any more.

Not necessarily - the 1975-era 6502 is still manufactured!

I'm a bit confused about the purpose of the tablet mode if there is no touch screen though... Seems a bit pointless.

Looking at the photos available, it seems that the screen is actually completely detachable - for use as an e-Book perhaps? Maybe the screen section actually contains the motherboard and suchlike, the keyboard section is literally just a keyboard? Maybe the screen just has forward and back buttons or something?

--
David Hicks

[dhicks]

Finally got to read the press release - couple more things:

- Battery life is quoted as around 3 hours.

- Does this thing actually include a wired network connection at all, or just wireless?

--
David Hicks

[localzuk]

Not necessarily - the 1975-era 6502 is still manufactured!

I was referring to 'PC' grade chips. Ones that can run modern operating systems and software...

Looking at the photos available, it seems that the screen is actually completely detachable - for use as an e-Book perhaps? Maybe the screen section actually contains the motherboard and suchlike, the keyboard section is literally just a keyboard? Maybe the screen just has forward and back buttons or something?

Still seems a bit odd. Kinda like over engineering it really.

[Dos_Box]

Something else form the Elonex site which would be a good bedroom accessory:

http://www.elonexdirect.com/product-6451.wtl

[torledo]

one thing that alarms me from the website is the mention of a 'rubber' keyboard. That could be bearable or hideously awful to use depending on how rubbery the keys are. If you don't get decent enough feedback on the keys it could be awkard to type on...

I also notice Elonex have made the same mistake as asus by going with a 7inch screen.

Should be interesting though, if they can sell it for less than £100 and it be usable at the same time..would be worth buying just to have a play at that price.

[fafster]

I also notice Elonex have made the same mistake as asus by going with a 7inch screen.

Please elaborate.

[plexer]

I had a look at an EEEPC and thought the screen was just that little bit too small to be very usable.

Ben

[localzuk]

The 7" screen prevents the device from being usable for much. It is perfect for use as a console to plug in to switches when you wander around, and perfect for use at the end of a lesson for kids to type up their work, or to pop online to do research. But anything more would require a bigger screen. However, 7" is a size that is being mass produced for a variety of uses now - car screens, picture frames and these mini computers. There aren't that many 10" devices, so the price of that size would be higher wouldn't it?

[fafster]

A bit of tinkering with font sizes and other settings means the screen size isn't that much of an issue. Browsing the web, word processing, some SCUMMVM etc. What more would you want it to do?

[torledo]

A bit of tinkering with font sizes and other settings means the screen size isn't that much of an issue. Browsing the web, word processing, some SCUMMVM etc. What more would you want it to do?

i find web use slightly awkward, for instance when watching youtube vids the video plus player controls cannot be viewed entirely and you have to scroll. For some sites i find i have to scroll to the right so it doesn't display the full width. Not sure adjusting font sizes would help in either instance, and i'd expect an extra inch or two to the screen size to resolve both issues. I would imagine it may be a cost issue, but there's certainly no design issue with accomodating a larger screen because there's a fair amount of space that is left unused.

[fafster]

i find web use slightly awkward, for instance when watching youtube vids the video plus player controls cannot be viewed entirely and you have to scroll. For some sites i find i have to scroll to the right so it doesn't display the full width. Not sure adjusting font sizes would help in either instance, and i'd expect an extra inch or two to the screen size to resolve both issues. I would imagine it may be a cost issue, but there's certainly no design issue with accomodating a larger screen because there's a fair amount of space that is left unused.

By screen size you in fact mean resolution? I agree that an extra 100 pixels on the side would be nice but it hardly cripples the device. You can use the mousepad to scroll horizontally and vertically and I'd rather put up with the 7" screen than pay an extra £50 for a larger one.

[torledo]

By screen size you in fact mean resolution? I agree that an extra 100 pixels on the side would be nice but it hardly cripples the device. You can use the mousepad to scroll horizontally and vertically and I'd rather put up with the 7" screen than pay an extra £50 for a larger one.

i don't like using the mousepad, the scrolling is very hit and miss. And a larger screen isn't going to command a £50 premium on the existing price.

[CyberNerd]

Theres an interesting hack to sort eeepc screen resolution:
http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=14588


and a touchscreen mod:
http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=6572