The Linux-based ASUS Eee PC Lim Kin Chew

The Linux-based ASUS Eee PC Lim Kin Chew 16 Jan 08

Contents of presentation ASUS Eee PC 4 G • Features – Hardware – Software • Uses: – Work, study, entertainment • Limitations • Resource links • Conclusion

Ultra Mobile PC - ASUS Eee. PC 4 G • First launched in Singapore during SITEX 2007 on 1 st December 2007. • Based on the popular Linux (Debian/Xandros) Operating System platform. • Uses the window manager called Ice. WM. • Ability to withstand shock using a solid state memory, no hard disk involved. • Built-in Wi. Fi 802. 11 b/g to seamlessly connect to the Internet. • Audio/Video capability with built-in webcam, speakers, microphone. • Pre-install software such as Open. Office 2. 0, Firefox, KDE Kontact, Planner, Skype and other educational software. http: //www. hardwarezone. com/news/view. php? id=9497 易學易玩易攜帶 http: //asia. cnet. com/reviews/notebooks/0, 39050495, 62035943, 00. htm

Models in the ASUS Eee PC Series • • Eee PC 8 G Eee PC 4 G Surf Eee PC 2 G Surf (Source: http: //wiki. eeeuser. com/eee_pc_701)

Comparison of UMPCs (Source: Digital Life, 18 Dec 2007) ASUS Eee PC Kojinsha SA 1 Kojinsha SH 811 Packard Bell XS 20 Gigabyte U 60 Intel Classmate Processor Intel Celeron M 900 MHz AMD Geode LX 800 Intel A 110 800 MHz VIA 1. 2 GHz VIA 1 GHz Intel Celeron M 900 MHz RAM 512 MHz 1 GB 768 MB 256 MB Screen 7 -inch 800 x 480 native 7 -inch 1024 x 7 -inch 800 x 600 native 480 native 6. 5 -inch 800 x 480 native 7 -inch 800 x 480 native Storage 4 GB Flash 40 GB Hard disk 120 GB Hard disk 30 GB Hard disk 2 GB Hard disk OS Linux Windows XP Windows Vista Windows XP Webcam Yes No Yes Yes No Ports 3 USB, SD 2 USB, SD, Compact Flash 2 USB, SD 2 USB Warranty 1 year 3 years 1 year NA Weight 920 g 985 g 990 g 950 g 740 g Unknown Price (with GST) $598 $960 $1, 390 $1, 298 $1, 549 Not available here

The Schematic

The Celeron M Intel Processor

The Intel GMA 900 chip It supports the memory controller for the DDR 2 512 MB 667 MHz memory module as well as offering the graphics core for the LCD and external VGA port.

LCD Graphics Port links the LCD directly with ribbon cable.

The DDR II 512 MB RAM Rated at 667 MHz

The Intel CH 6 -M Chip supports the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 3 x USB ports, Realtek sound chip (ALC 6628) giving 5. 1 channel High Definition sound, Built-in stereo speakers, MMC(plus)/ SD(HC) card reader, 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Microphone Keyboard Mouse pad, 10/100 Mbps Ethernet V. 92 56 K modem Mini PCI-E slots Another vacant PCIE port for future expansion

The Realtek ALC 6628 chipset provides 5. 1 Channel High Definition Audio.

The LCD Panel Here we have the 7” Optronics Display having a WVGA resolution of 800 x 480. The TFT-LCD has built-in stereo speakers and a microphone.

The Webcam The Eee PC 701 4 G also ships with a Webcam capable of VGA (640 x 480 pixels) at up to 30 FPS (frames per second, Omnivision sensor).

Wireless Communications Card The Wireless communications card is an Azure 802. 11 b/g Wi-Fi PCI-E card. However, there is no Bluetooth facility in this model.

The BIOS is American Megatrends, Inc. (AMI).

MMC(plus) / SD(HC) card reader

Microphone & Headphone Jacks

The Complete Inventory

Some demonstrations • Open Office • Shell prompt • Full desktop mode

Open. Office 2. 0 • Initial release in 2000 by Sun Microsystems and obtained its first million downloads by 2001 before its first anniversary. Reached 20 million downloads in 2003. • Key desktop applications (word processing, spreadsheet, presentation manager and drawing program). • Available in 65 languages, with more constantly added from the community. • Press Ctrl + Space bar to activate the SCIM utility – Chinese, Japanese & Korean inputs • Don’t know why ASUS uses the Version 2. 0 instead of the latest Version 2. 3. Most probably it might be the file size consideration.

Open. Office 2. 0 Writer • Fully equipped word processor and desktop publisher with Auto. Correct and Auto. Format for easy document writing. • Writer Screenshot Standard document template such as letters and minutes. Flexibility to create your own template. Calc • Spreadsheet program with Datapilot technology to extract raw data from databases, summarize and convert to meaningful information. • Built-in functions and natural language formulas to assist to create your spreadsheet in less time. Writer/Calc • Ability to convert to PDF format without requiring to install a third party converter. • Calc Screenshot Portability to save and open your documents in Microsoft Word/Excel format.

Open. Office 2. 0 Impress • All-in-one tool to create winning multimedia presentations. • • Impress Screenshot Use Master Pages to manage consistency in your presentation. Equipped with slide show animation and effects to enhance your presentation with stunning impacts. Draw • Create and edit images easily with Draw without installing complex images editors. • Ability to import common image formats (jpg, gif, bmp, png, tiff and wmf) Impress/Draw • Ability to export to Flash (. swf) files from your presentation/drawings. Draw Screenshot

Open. Office 2. 0 Base • Uses the full version of HSQL database engine and stores data in XML format. • Supports popular databases such as (Microsoft Access, My. SQL, ADO) through industry standards ODBC and JDBC drivers. • Create queries and reports to display meaningful data in wide variety formats. Base Screenshot Math • Create mathematical formula and equations easily without installing any font packages. • When used in Writer, the equation is treated as an object. (ADO – Active. X Data Objects ODBC – Open Database Connectivity JDBC – Java Database Connectivity) Math Screenshot

KDE Kontact Your Personal Information Manager KDE Kontact is a PIM (Personal Information Manager) which can help you manage your communication and organize your work so that you can achieve personal efficiency and productivity. KDE also supports various groupware servers (e. g. Kolab Server, SUSE Linux Openexchange, MS Exchange server 2000 and Novell Groupwise) such that you can access features like shared email folders, group task list, calendar sharing, address books and meeting scheduling. Kontact consists of the following components: – Summary – Mail – Calendar – Contact – Notes – News (KDE – K Desktop Environment)

KDE Kontact Your Personal Information Manager Summary Screenshot Mail Screenshot Summary • Specially customized for KDE Kontact to provide an overview of the other components. Mail • Standard mail client with IMAP, POP 3 and SMTP support. • HTML friendly Calendar • Scheduling tool to help you manage your meetings. Calendar Screenshot (IMAP –Internet Message Access Protocol POP 3 – Post Office Protocol 3 SMTP – Simple Mail Transport Protocol)

KDE Kontact Your Personal Information Manager Contacts • Manages your contacts similar to an address book. • Customizable to your requirements. Contacts Screenshot News • News reader that is GNKSA compliant and allows reading of HTML articles. Notes • Digital sticky notes collection where you can stick them on your desktop. Notes Screenshot

Thunderbird Features Advanced Folders View • Offers many ways to organize and display your folders. Ability to set up RSS/News feeds to stay updated with the latest news. Message Tagging • Allows you to tag / identify your emails with ‘descriptors’ such as ‘To -Do’. You can even customize your own tag. Advanced Folders Message Tagging Message Templates • Allows you to easily set up your message templates for your repeated emails. Add-ons • Many add-ons to provide you with more features from a regular mail client. Sample Email (RSS – Really Simple Syndication)

Gnu. Cash Managing Your Financials Register Screen Overview • • Rich application with the ability to manage your money and accounts for a variety of financial needs. These needs can range from personal checking accounts to business accounts. • Graphical Reports Competitor for Microsoft Money and Quicken on personal and small business accounting. Uses Druids instead of Wizards to assist you with various activities in the program such as setting up a new account or investment portfolio.

Limitations • Customized version of Xandros • Need to install the full version of Linux before you can do programming work, e. g. gcc not available • No bluetooth facility • Limited Flash-based storage – 4 GB in the 701 model. However, can increase capacity by adding an SDHC card. • Memory – 512 MB

New screen resolutions • Eee PC’s original screen resolution: – 800 x 480 pixels • New resolutions (just announced): – 800× 600 pixels, – 1024× 768 pixels, – 1280× 1024 pixels

Other uses for the Eee PC • Build a Portable Security Tool with the ASUS Eee PC and Ubuntu – http: //www. enterprisenetworkingplanet. com/nethub/article. php/3713806 • Classroom use by kindergarten and primary school students (like the OLPC) • Conference presentations / presentations for clients (e. g. by insurance agents, advertising agents, property brokers) • Students doing field work to collect data • Device. VM’s Splash. Top running on ASUS Eee PC – http: //www. phoronix. com/scan. php? page=article&item=965&num=1

Resource links • http: //eeepc. asus. com (Official website) • http: //www. eeeuser. com • http: //wiki. eeeuser. com

Conclusion • The ASUS Eee PC is a very convenient, lightweight and mobile PC. • Suitable for simple uses like office work, presentations, surfing the Web, doing your school work, experimentation • Not suitable for serious heavy duty programming.

End of Presentation Thank you!