MINI MAGIC

THE LIGHTWEIGHT, LOW-COST ‘NETBOOKS’ ARE BECOMING POPULAR FOR COMMUNICATION ON THE RUN. MANDALA TOOK ONE FOR A SPIN

ASUS EEE PC 901

PLUSES:

Most impressive is the battery life, which at over five hours on half brightness is great for traveling. At under Rp 5 million (US$545) with an Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor, Bluetooth, wireless radio and 1.3-megapixel webcam, it’s easy to justify needing one.

The Eee is small and sexy, with a sleek, curvy gloss finish in black or white. It’s lightweight and, at the size of a standard novel, fits into a mid-sized purse or handbag.

It launches in seconds and allows Windows to open while playing movies. The webcam makes it a handy communication tool. Capable of handling most Wi-fistandards, the Eee is great for emails and photos on the move.

MINUSES:

No need to throw out your old notebook just yet. The keyboard is clumsy and doesn’t register all key presses. Keys are too small for most adult fingers and slow to respond, a big drawback for serious work. Best use this Netbook for surfing rather than lengthy documents.

The trackpad buttons are very “gummy” and don’t respond very well, plus the trackpad is sometimes slow to respond to touch.

The glossy finish means you keep wiping fingerprints off. And the speakers need improving, as the sound is muffled and the volume very low.

Given the keyboard drawbacks, the Eee PC

901 needs a DVD player for true on-the-go entertainment. – Naeema Ismail