Hotter than the $99 HP Tablet? 11.6" Asus Laptop $139

[Fritzo]

Best Buy just offered this Asus Laptop with the same specs as the HP tablet, only a larger screen for $139. What say you all?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-11-...paignID=648323

Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70Jr8Ru3VBA

 

[NickelPlate]

Seems like a damn good deal if you're in the market for a small budget laptop. But no touchscreen and it's not a tablet so I'm still sticking with my Stream 7.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Why are OEMs pushing 32-bit again? Is it Intel's fault, product-segmentation gone mad, limiting some of their Atom chips to only 32-bit operation? Or is it an OEM decision, due to the lack of RAM?

Whatever it is, I don't like it at all. I moved up to 64-bit with Windows 7 in 2009 or so. Having to move back to 32-bit (and give up Waterfox), is kind of annoying.

It figures that because of that, these have a heavy dose of planned obsolescence. Future Windows OSes may go to 64-bit only, and leave these cheaper Atom devices in the dust. (Like Microsoft did, with the original Atom Netbooks that came out, with the lower-than-768P screen resolution (which was an intentional MS / Intel limitation), and then later MS OSes came out, that required a minimum of 768P, and then they wouldn't run on those Netbooks. Crafty, aren't they?

 

[Fritzo]

It's part of Microsoft's strategy to wrestle back control of the PC market. They're scared to death of Chromebooks, so they're planning of flooding the market with cheap tablets and laptops to get everyone to say "Why use a Chromebook when you can get a full featured laptop!"

Intel's Atom processor is optimized for 32 bit, so you get 32 bit Windows. Intel isn't expected to have a 64 bit Atom until next year.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Intel's Atom processor is optimized for 32 bit, so you get 32 bit Windows. Intel isn't expected to have a 64 bit Atom until next year.

I don't get that. Bay Trail supports 64-bit. It's Intel's product-segmentation that results in chips coming off the assembly line with their 64-bit component neutered.

 

[TwiceOver]

They're scared to death of Chromebooks...

LOLOLOLOLOL that's hilarious.

Seems like a usable laptop for the basics.

 

[Fritzo]

LOLOLOLOLOL that's hilarious.

Seems like a usable laptop for the basics.

They are- schools are adopting them left and right. Google has a whole infrastructure centered around Chromebooks. They're surprising robust little machines for education because you can set policies on them so they only do very specific things.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

LOLOLOLOLOL that's hilarious.

Seems like a usable laptop for the basics.

It's almost like you're completely ignoring reality.

 

[TwiceOver]

They are- schools are adopting them left and right. Google has a whole infrastructure centered around Chromebooks. They're surprising robust little machines for education because you can set policies on them so they only do very specific things.

I guess if you can't afford the Apple Educational program, you go with the next best thing?

It's almost like you're completely ignoring reality.

Correct. Reality is that I've never seen one in the wild, the only people I know who bought them thought they were *real* laptops and had to return them. A *good* Chromebook is what, $300ish, $350 for one that is stunningly good? That's not a lot of bang for your buck.

Who knows, maybe some day, but that day isn't today.

 

[Fritzo]

I guess if you can't afford the Apple Educational program, you go with the next best thing?



Correct. Reality is that I've never seen one in the wild, the only people I know who bought them thought they were *real* laptops and had to return them. A *good* Chromebook is what, $300ish, $350 for one that is stunningly good? That's not a lot of bang for your buck.

Who knows, maybe some day, but that day isn't today.

1/2 of our state's school systems have been switched to Google so far. Apple is on the way out due to costs and problems with administration. My own son was issued a Chromebook for homework and some textbooks. Wholesale costs to schools for the Samsungs they use is $149 each, and they have a 10 hour battery, play HD video, and are locked down so they can only be used for schoolwork.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

I guess if you can't afford the Apple Educational program, you go with the next best thing?



Correct. Reality is that I've never seen one in the wild, the only people I know who bought them thought they were *real* laptops and had to return them. A *good* Chromebook is what, $300ish, $350 for one that is stunningly good? That's not a lot of bang for your buck.

Who knows, maybe some day, but that day isn't today.

Definitely completely segregated from reality.

 

[Homerboy]

Our STEM school in town used Apple for a few years. Then the Chromebooks matured and we entirely jumped onto that bandwagon. The machines and their backend options are WAY more impressive than anything MS or Apple offers and a fraction of the price (which is the bottom line for approval in the educational arena)

 

[TwiceOver]

1/2 of our state's school systems have been switched to Google so far. Apple is on the way out due to costs and problems with administration. My own son was issued a Chromebook for homework and some textbooks. Wholesale costs to schools for the Samsungs they use is $149 each, and they have a 10 hour battery, play HD video, and are locked down so they can only be used for schoolwork.

Cool.

Definitely completely segregated from reality.

Yup. And it's nice. I mean I guess if all you do is sit on facebook all day, read email, have at it. There's no way any of my co-workers could get through their day to day operations with one. Especially with that bastardized "office" application they use.

 

[Fritzo]

Cool.



Yup. And it's nice. I mean I guess if all you do is sit on facebook all day, read email, have at it. There's no way any of my co-workers could get through their day to day operations with one. Especially with that bastardized "office" application they use.

Have you seen Google Drive lately? It's actually pretty damned awesome. The ability to have multiple people collaborate on a single document at the same time, with the ability to revert instantly to previous versions is pretty powerful, and the ability to search for documents from any app is awesome too. The latest version even makes it all pretty.

All this is moot though because MS Office is available in the Chromestore now for free.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/office-apps/jdbcdbdkiaadpbkggggekjcpmgjekkke?hl=en

Anyway, how 'bout that Windows Laptop deal!!!!

 

[TwiceOver]

Have you seen Google Drive lately? It's actually pretty damned awesome. The ability to have multiple people collaborate on a single document at the same time, with the ability to revert instantly to previous versions is pretty powerful, and the ability to search for documents from any app is awesome too. The latest version even makes it all pretty.

All this is moot though because MS Office is available in the Chromestore now for free.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/office-apps/jdbcdbdkiaadpbkggggekjcpmgjekkke?hl=en

Anyway, how 'bout that Windows Laptop deal!!!!

Last time we set up a few documents for multiple users it got all f'd up. As soon as one person sorts a "spreadsheet" or inserts multiple rows, or deletes a column the whole thing gets all wonky.

The word document equivalent is even worse, basically impossible to use with multiple people making edits.

Maybe it's gotten better since the last time I've used it, I doubt it though as what I am talking about is inherent in how these documents work.

 

[VirtualLarry]

1/2 of our state's school systems have been switched to Google so far. Apple is on the way out due to costs and problems with administration. My own son was issued a Chromebook for homework and some textbooks. Wholesale costs to schools for the Samsungs they use is $149 each, and they have a 10 hour battery, play HD video, and are locked down so they can only be used for schoolwork.

That sounds like a really compelling proposition for education.

I have a question - they have Android Tablets, and Chromebooks (and Chrome set-tops).

Why no Chrometabs?

Edit: I mean to suggest, using Chrome on tablets, rather than Android. Sure, it's a bit more limited, but it would give you the management back-end stuff for educational uses or whatever.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

amazon has pricematched this deal. good if you don't pay tax
http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-X205TA-DH.../dp/B00OBA5AZU

 

[Fritzo]

That sounds like a really compelling proposition for education.

I have a question - they have Android Tablets, and Chromebooks (and Chrome set-tops).

Why no Chrometabs?

Edit: I mean to suggest, using Chrome on tablets, rather than Android. Sure, it's a bit more limited, but it would give you the management back-end stuff for educational uses or whatever.

Google knows that they need to optimize the OS for the device. Apple does the same thing. Microsoft found that out the hard way with Windows 8.

 

[Roland00Address]

Giving you guys a heads up, not saying $139 is a bad deal, but this will be $99 at Staples on Black Friday, instore only.

Slick deal on the black friday pricing
http://slickdeals.net/f/7355130-asu...tom-z3735f-2gb-ram-32gb-ssd-win-8-1-for-99-99

Personally I would pay $40 dollars to not deal with a headache that is sometimes Black Friday, then again I was the person who had to work Black Friday for 7 years in a computer retailer so maybe I just have bad memories.

Online Shopping FTW!

 

[soccerballtux]

I don't get that. Bay Trail supports 64-bit. It's Intel's product-segmentation that results in chips coming off the assembly line with their 64-bit component neutered.

yes, that was intentional. Intel is large, and it's a problem for their more powerful product lines if they undercut themselves with (over?)powered Atoms.

Someone gets around to it though, which is why we have ARMH
The weird thing about ARMH is they are taking a chunk of the market inefficiently from a capitalistic perspective; they should be charging more.

 

[VirtualLarry]

yes, that was intentional. Intel is large, and it's a problem for their more powerful product lines if they undercut themselves with (over?)powered Atoms.

AMD should be charging them per-device royalties for AMD64 / x86-64 extensions. $2/CPU would be good profits for them.

Btw, the deal in the OP is DEAD, price is back up to $179.99.

 

[RedChief]

Best Buy just offered this Asus Laptop with the same specs as the HP tablet, only a larger screen for $139. What say you all?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-11-...paignID=648323

Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70Jr8Ru3VBA

Does it run Lubuntu???

Serious....My daughter's laptop is a 10year old Dell (which is only a year younger then her) running Lubuntu and the latest chrome updates broke flash (aka Youtube). Since I got her on Linux, i want to keep her there (so no Windows or Chrombook).

 

[dodger2020]

These are 64bit chips. They just run 32 bit windows.

 

[VirtualLarry]

These are 64bit chips. They just run 32 bit windows.

If the CPUs are 64-bit, then why do they ship with only a 32-bit UEFI?

It apparently prevents them from booting 64-bit OSes.

 

[Pulsar]

I guess if you can't afford the Apple Educational program, you go with the next best thing?



Correct. Reality is that I've never seen one in the wild, the only people I know who bought them thought they were *real* laptops and had to return them. A *good* Chromebook is what, $300ish, $350 for one that is stunningly good? That's not a lot of bang for your buck.

Who knows, maybe some day, but that day isn't today.

Huh?

You realize that chromebooks are a HUGE seller, and work for pretty much everything outside gaming, right?