Asus Eee is a family of products by
AsusTek Computer Inc. The product family began with the release of the
Eee PC
The ASUS Eee PC is a netbook computer line from Asus, and a part of the ASUS Eee product family. At the time of its introduction in late 2007, it was noted for its combination of a lightweight, Linux-based operating system, solid-state drive (S ...
subnotebook in 2007; since then, the product family has
diversified into a number of PC form factors. According to the company, the name Eee derives from "the three Es," an abbreviation of its advertising
slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a clan, political slogan, political, Advertising slogan, commercial, religious, and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose, with the goal of persuading members of the publi ...
for the device: "Easy to learn, Easy to work, Easy to play".
Eee PC
The Asus Eee PC is a
subnotebook
Subnotebook, also called ultraportable, superportable, or mini notebook, was a marketing term for laptop computers that are smaller and lighter than a typical notebook-sized laptop.
Types and sizes
As typical laptop sizes have decreased over t ...
/
netbook
Netbook was a commonly used term that identified a product class of small and inexpensive laptops which were sold from 2007 to around 2013. These machines were designed primarily as cost-effective tools for consumers to access the Inte ...
computer. At the time of its introduction in fall 2007, it was noted for its combination of a light weight,
Linux
Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, which ...
-based operating system,
solid-state drive
A solid-state drive (SSD) is a solid-state storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies to store data persistently, typically using flash memory, and functioning as secondary storage in the hierarchy of computer storage. It is ...
and relatively low cost. Newer models have added the option of the
Windows 7
Windows 7 is a major release of the Windows NT operating system developed by Microsoft. It was released to manufacturing on July 22, 2009, and became generally available on October 22, 2009. It is the successor to Windows Vista, released nearly ...
operating system,
dual-core
A multi-core processor is a microprocessor on a single integrated circuit with two or more separate processing units, called cores, each of which reads and executes program instructions. The instructions are ordinary CPU instructions (such a ...
Intel Atom
Intel Atom is the brand name for a line of IA-32 and x86-64 instruction set ultra-low-voltage processors by Intel Corporation designed to reduce electric consumption and power dissipation in comparison with ordinary processors of the Intel Cor ...
CPUs, and traditional hard disk drives, and have also increased in price, though they remain relatively inexpensive as laptops, and notably inexpensive for ultra-small laptops.
EeeBox PC
Asus EeeBox PC is a
nettop
A nettop (or miniature PC, Mini PC or Smart Micro PC) is a small-sized, inexpensive, low-power, legacy-free desktop computer designed for basic tasks such as web browsing, accessing web-based applications, document processing, and audio/video ...
(desktop for the internet) counterpart to the
Asus Eee PC
The ASUS Eee PC is a netbook computer line from Asus, and a part of the ASUS Eee product family. At the time of its introduction in late 2007, it was noted for its combination of a lightweight, Linux-based operating system, solid-state drive (S ...
netbook
Netbook was a commonly used term that identified a product class of small and inexpensive laptops which were sold from 2007 to around 2013. These machines were designed primarily as cost-effective tools for consumers to access the Inte ...
(notebook for the internet). Its
motherboard
A motherboard (also called mainboard, main circuit board, mb, mboard, backplane board, base board, system board, logic board (only in Apple computers) or mobo) is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in general-purpose computers and other expand ...
employs
Splashtop
Splashtop is a family of remote-desktop software and remote support software, developed by Splashtop Inc. Splashtop enables users to remotely access or remotely support computers from desktop and mobile devices. Splashtop enables remote compu ...
technology called "ExpressGate" by Asus.
Eee Top
The Asus Eee Top is a touch screen computer designed by Asus and released in November 2008. Its
motherboard
A motherboard (also called mainboard, main circuit board, mb, mboard, backplane board, base board, system board, logic board (only in Apple computers) or mobo) is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in general-purpose computers and other expand ...
employs
Splashtop
Splashtop is a family of remote-desktop software and remote support software, developed by Splashtop Inc. Splashtop enables users to remotely access or remotely support computers from desktop and mobile devices. Splashtop enables remote compu ...
technology (an embedded
Linux
Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, which ...
distribution) called "ExpressGate" by Asus. Both models feature a 1.6 GHz Atom processor, widescreen (16:9) 15.6" display, 1 GB RAM, 160GB HDD, 802.11n Wi-Fi, speakers, SD card reader and a 1.3 MP webcam with Windows XP Home modified with Asus' big-icon Easy Mode.
Eee Keyboard
ASUS Eee Keyboard contained a built-in
PC motherboard
A motherboard (also called mainboard, main circuit board, mb, mboard, backplane board, base board, system board, logic board (only in Apple computers) or mobo) is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in general-purpose computers and other expand ...
within a full-size keyboard, similar to Cybernet's
keyboard computer
A keyboard computer is a computer which contains all of the regular components of a personal computer, except for a screen, in the same housing as the keyboard. The power supply is typically external and connects to the computer via an adapter ca ...
models and reminiscent of such 1980s PCs as the
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer.
Referred to during development as t ...
,
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...
, and
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the Atari 8-bit family. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985 and was widely available in July. It was the first pers ...
. It substituted a
touchscreen
A touchscreen or touch screen is the assembly of both an input ('touch panel') and output ('display') device. The touch panel is normally layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system. The display is often ...
in place of the conventional
numeric keypad
A numeric keypad, number pad, numpad, or ten key,
is the palm-sized, usually-17-key section of a standard computer keyboard, usually on the far right. It provides calculator-style efficiency for entering numbers. The idea of a 10-key nu ...
. ASUS had planned to ship the device in September 2009, but it actually debuted at
CeBIT
CeBIT was the largest and most internationally representative computer expo. The trade fair was held each year on the Hanover fairground, the world's largest fairground, in Hanover, Germany. In its day, it was considered a barometer of cur ...
2010 and launched in March 2010.
The ASUS Eee Keyboard EK1542 contained a standard set of features typical for 2008
netbooks
Netbook was a commonly used term that identified a product class of small and inexpensive laptops which were sold from 2007 to around 2013. These machines were designed primarily as cost-effective tools for consumers to access the Inte ...
: an
Intel Atom N270 processor (2.5W
TDP), built around the Intel 945GSE chipset (6W TDP) and a ICH7-M South bridge (3.3W TDP). A Mobile Intel 945GSE Express chipset integrated into the
Intel GMA 950
The Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) is a series of integrated graphics processors introduced in 2004 by Intel, replacing the earlier Intel Extreme Graphics series and being succeeded by the Intel HD and Iris Graphics series.
This series ...
video subsystem resulted in performance similar to the
Asus EEE PCs 901/1000.
The computer came with
Windows XP
Windows XP is a major release of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. It was released to manufacturing on August 24, 2001, and later to retail on October 25, 2001. It is a direct upgrade to its predecessors, Windows 2000 for high-end and ...
Home Edition; an additional 1 GB
RAM
Ram, ram, or RAM may refer to:
Animals
* A male sheep
* Ram cichlid, a freshwater tropical fish
People
* Ram (given name)
* Ram (surname)
* Ram (director) (Ramsubramaniam), an Indian Tamil film director
* RAM (musician) (born 1974), Dutch
* ...
, as well as a 16 or 32GB
Solid State Drive
A solid-state drive (SSD) is a solid-state storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies to store data Persistence (computer science), persistently, typically using flash memory, and functioning as secondary storage in the Computer ...
, was soldered directly to the motherboard (preventing any memory upgrade). Network interfaces consisted of a standard gigabit LAN adapter,
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wave ...
802.11b/g/n @2.4GHz, and
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...
. A
Realtek
Realtek Semiconductor Corp () is a fabless semiconductor company situated in the Hsinchu Science Park, Hsinchu, Taiwan. Realtek was founded in October 1987 and subsequently listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange in 1998. Realtek currently manufactu ...
sound system drove 2 small built-in speakers, and a
Li-Po
A lithium polymer battery, or more correctly lithium-ion polymer battery (abbreviated as LiPo, LIP, Li-poly, lithium-poly and others), is a rechargeable battery of lithium-ion technology using a polymer electrolyte instead of a liquid electrolyt ...
accumulator provided a power capacity of 49 W*h.
It boasted some unique features: a 5-inch, 800x480 screen with a multi-touch panel, a
Broadcom
Broadcom Inc. is an American designer, developer, manufacturer and global supplier of a wide range of semiconductor and infrastructure software products. Broadcom's product offerings serve the data center, networking, software, broadband, wirel ...
video decoder
A video decoder is an electronic circuit, often contained within a single integrated circuit chip, that converts base-band analog video signals to digital video. Video decoders commonly allow programmable control over video characteristics such as ...
for accelerating
H.264
Advanced Video Coding (AVC), also referred to as H.264 or MPEG-4 Part 10, is a video compression standard based on block-oriented, motion-compensated coding. It is by far the most commonly used format for the recording, compression, and distri ...
and
VC-1
SMPTE 421, informally known as VC-1, is a video coding format. Most of it was initially developed as Microsoft's proprietary video format Windows Media Video 9 in 2003. With some enhancements including the development of a new Advanced Profile, ...
high-definition compression algorithms, and a Wireless 720p Video Transmitting function utilizing
Ultra-wideband
Ultra-wideband (UWB, ultra wideband, ultra-wide band and ultraband) is a radio technology that can use a very low energy level for short-range, high-bandwidth communications over a large portion of the radio spectrum. UWB has traditional applicati ...
Technology (a minicard receiver connecting to a TV/monitor via
HDMI
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a proprietary audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed video data and compressed or uncompressed digital audio data from an HDMI-compliant source device, such as a display controller, ...
).
Eee Stick
The Eee Stick is an accessory that is expected to be bundled with specific models of the
Eee PC
The ASUS Eee PC is a netbook computer line from Asus, and a part of the ASUS Eee product family. At the time of its introduction in late 2007, it was noted for its combination of a lightweight, Linux-based operating system, solid-state drive (S ...
and
EeeBox PC. These specific models will also come with games that will take advantage of the features of this hardware. This accessory is very similar to the
Wii Remote
The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with ...
. The device takes two
AA batteries
AA, Aa, Double A, or Double-A may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''America's Army'', a 2002 computer game published by the U.S. Army
* '' Ancient Anguish'', a computer game in existence since 1992
* Aa!, a J-Pop musical group
* Dou ...
in each of the two components (four batteries in total).
Eee PC Media Server
Asus Eee PC Media Server was shown at CES 2009.
Eee Pad MeMO
Asus MeMO 171 tablet was displayed at CES 2011, while MeMO 370T was displayed at CES 2012
* Eee Pad MeMO 171 - 1280x800 pixel 7" screen, powered by Qualcomm 8260 Dual-core CPU 1.2 GHz, and Android 3.2 Honeycomb; for US$600, available only in Asia.
* Eee Pad MeMO 370T - 1280x800 pixel 7" screen, powered by the 4-core
Tegra 3
Tegra is a system on a chip (SoC) series developed by Nvidia for mobile devices such as smartphones, personal digital assistants, and mobile Internet devices. The Tegra integrates an ARM architecture central processing unit (CPU), graphics proc ...
, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean; 16GB for US$249 (pre-tax).
Eee Pad and Eee Reader
Asus showed previews of a
dual-touchscreen
A dual-touchscreen is a computer or phone display setup which uses two screens, either or both of which could be touch-capable, to display both elements of the computer's graphical user interface and virtualized implementations of common input dev ...
"Flipbook" notebook at Cebit 2009 in Germany. The company stated that the Flipbook possessed the capability of optionally displaying user interface elements in both screens both horizontally and vertically; the concept design was renamed as the "Eee Reader", rebranded as an e-book reader, and scheduled for launch in Q4 2009, which did not happen as intended. Finally, the Eee Reader was rebranded again as the "Eee Book" and scheduled for launch at the June 2010
Computex Taipei
COMPUTEX Taipei, or Taipei International Information Technology Show (), is a computer expo held annually in Taipei, Taiwan. Since the early 2000s, it is one of the largest computer and technology trade shows in the world.
The last COMPUTEX was ...
.
In addition, Asus disclosed to the press in January 2010 that a
tablet computer
A tablet computer, commonly shortened to tablet, is a mobile device, typically with a mobile operating system and touchscreen display processing circuitry, and a rechargeable battery in a single, thin and flat package. Tablets, being comput ...
named as "Eee Pad", using an
Nvidia Tegra
Tegra is a system on a chip (SoC) series developed by Nvidia for mobile devices such as smartphones, personal digital assistants, and mobile Internet devices. The Tegra integrates an ARM architecture central processing unit (CPU), graphics pro ...
2 chip, a
3G wireless connection and a 720p or 1080p resolution, would also debut at Computex.
''Asustek Plans Eee Book E-reader and Tablet PC to Rival IPad''
, PC World
''PC World'' (stylized as PCWorld) is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. Since 2013, it has been an online only publication.
It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal tech ...
It finally materialized in March 2011 as the Eee Pad Transformer (TF101) which has an optional real (hardware) keyboard that can be connected to it. This was then Succeeded by the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime
The Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF201 or Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is a 2-in-1 detachable tablet from the Asus Transformer Pad series. It is the world's first Android tablet computer with a quad-core processor, and a successor to the dual-cor ...
in December 2011.
In 2012 the newest version was released, the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity
Asus Transformer Pad TF700T or Asus Transformer Pad Infinity - is a tablet computer made by Asus, successor to the Asus Transformer Prime. The manufacturer announced it at CES 2012, less than a month after the original product launch, to launch ...
.
Eee Note
Originally released in Taiwan, featuring stand-alone note-taking/sketching capability and an E-reader. Its non-backlit screen had a long battery life, and incorporated a Wacom tablet with pressure sensitivity allowing pen-drawing on PC when connected with a micro-USB cable.
EeeBook
The Asus EeeBook is a lineup of affordable Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
laptops
A laptop, laptop computer, or notebook computer is a small, portable personal computer (PC) with a screen and alphanumeric keyboard. Laptops typically have a clam shell form factor with the screen mounted on the inside of the upper li ...
by Asus. In 2014 Asus introduced EeeBook lineup of computers starting with the X205TA model. By 2017 the EeeBook lineup was succeeded by the Asus VivoBook E Series. Some EeeBook laptops were rebranded to VivoBook E Series laptops such as the EeeBook E202 was rebranded to the VivoBook E202 and the EeeBook E402 to the VivoBook E402. The EeeBook lineup consists of the E202 (E202SA), E402 (E402MA), E502 (E502SA and E502MA) and X205 (X205TA).
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Asus Eee
Eee EEE may refer to:
Business
* ''Electronic Equipment Engineering'', a defunct American trade magazine
* Embrace, extend and extinguish, an anti-competitive Microsoft business strategy
* Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (trades as EEE)
* Union of ...
Discontinued products
Tablet computers