Today Everex officially unveiled the rumored Cloudbook, which uses the VIA Nanobook platform. It’s an interesting device in that it might be the first real competitor to the Eee PC.
There are several distinct differences between the Eee PC and Cloudbook. First, the Cloudbook uses a 1.2GHz VIA C7-M ULV Processor. The processor combined with a 4 cell battery apparently results in a 5 hour battery life. While this hasn’t been independently verified, 5 hours is approaching at a (or at least my) sweet spot for ultra mobile devices. The Cloudbook also uses a traditional hard drive instead of SSD memory, and as a result comes with 30GB built in. It runs gOS, and will cost $399.
The dimensions of the Cloudbook are: 9.06″ x 6.73 x 1.16″ , while the Eee PC is 8.86″ x 6.46″ x1.4″. As a result, the Cloudbook is just a hair larger, but nearly the same size.
Oh, and the Cloudbook will be available for purchase at Walmart.com on January 25th. Will it somebody reach stores?
Personally, I think it’s a great thing. The Eee PC has had plenty of time to cement itself as the leader in these low cost ultra-portable notebooks. But, a lack of competition might lead to less innovation and/or higher prices. The arrival of the Everex Cloudbook not only presents this competition, but it has some differences to the Eee PC- in hard drive space, processor, and in running gOS. More importantly, having distribution in Walmart means that more eyes will see and enter this part of the industry.
Several weeks ago, when the Cloudbook began to be rumored, I set up a sister site to EeeUser called Cloudbooker. If you’re interested in the device and want to discuss it, I hope you choose to visit there. It would be great to develop a community behind the device to find out more about it and gOS in general, like we did and continue to do here at EeeUser.
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I think this is being branded as a packard bell xs20-006 in the uk – they’re already on sale in pc world . . . http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1218090590.1199907663@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccladdmmljihgdcflgceggdhhmdgmk.0&page=Product&sku=622061&category_oid=-27757&fm=undefined&sm=undefined&tm=undefined
Packard Bell xs20-006 has XP home pre-installed, not gOS
I wonder when will the EEE Pc be available in the US in stores, I don’t want to buy it online.
Seems that the only thing that it’s better than the eeepc is the 30 gb HDD, The one thing also I don’t like is the VIA CPU, haven’t tried one yet but from laptops reviews I’ve seen the low voltage takes on performance.
So I guess this cloudbook would not be a true competitor if the performance isn’t that good with that cpu.
By the way I don’t like how the cloudbook looks.
Will this thing run XP? If so, will Everex make it easy to install, as Asus did? There’s the little matter of drivers…
Well, it’s the exact same resolution as an eee. 800×480. Slightly bigger, slightly thinner.
So, I’m happy with what I have
Have you seen the lousy touchpad on the thing?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pu6CtT-NAd4
Good lord, 4200RPM PATA? Talk about slow. VIA CPU and graphics?
Just looking at the specs for this thing makes it clear that it’s a piece of garbage. $400 for this thing? The Eee stomps all over this thing, and it’s more aesthetically pleasing, to boot.
I’m not willing to buy anything at Wal-Mart. Is there another retailer who will be carrying this thing? If it’s an exclusive item then I’m giving the Everex a pass.
Sorry i guess you have no clue about that cpu and the chipset
thank god i could play around with the reference design already in september
5 hours of battery life is awesome, the cpu has as much performance as the celeron-m underclocked @ 630Mhz and….
and this is the main arguement..
the manufacturing quality is lightyears ahead of the eee pc
way better keyboard, way better finish of the case
but a horrible mousepad!!!
sorry forgot to mention the video of the reference design:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6EARjjCm_g
Can’t say it really floats my boat – when I first saw the eee it was a case of instantly running out and buying one – its a great bit of kit and perfect for my needs (and all my friends and colleagues are jealous!) The same can’t be said of the packard bell – they’re not a brand i would trust, they make me buy a license for xp home with the unit even though i’d put linux on straight away, and it costs 150 GBP more than my eee! Oh – and the trackpad would really annoy me! On the plus side the name isn’t as silly as “Eee”
We all know Asus in rolliout more options, competiontion is never bad. Yeah keep them cheap, and small
A reflection of lame ideas
This looks exactly like the easynote XS from Packard Bell, and after watching this videos I stay with my eeepc 100% . I just like it more.
However there’s a review of an everex laptop with this kind of proccessor, maybe not the same that says that it has poor performance, could be my ignorance in failing to see the difference between this two devices but if this helps someone to teach me this kind of things I’ll be most thankful.
http://notebookreview-cnet.com.com/laptops/everex-stepnote-nc1500/4505-3121_7-32156990.html?tag=pdtl-list
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu6CtT-NAd4
VIA and linux user site
http://www.mini-itx.com/
Read your make judgement about the CPU, graphic, blah, blah. I am eee owner but 30Gb drive, probably will buy one.
Not a huge fan of the touchpad system on the Everex. I am looking forward to the extended eee pc battery. That will put it miles ahead of competitors…I hope.
I DL the GOS software and booted it on the Eee, It makes the included xandros look like high end software. It took a long time to boot much slower then the PCLOS-gnome (which I liked)
The hinge lloks like a fracture point on the hp/everex.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/09/devicevms-splashtop-more-info-about-the-five-second-linux-syst/
Pretty coool, splashtop for the eee.
Dunno, design looks crappy. the hole between monitor part and keyboard is ugly imho.
Love my white pearl Eee anyways
Interesting, several good points with this machine with only the trackpad to let the side down (I use a mouse so not an issue for me) – I think some comments here are a bit “tribal” with regards to comparing it the eee. Yes it’s nowhere near as cute as the eee either.
The keyboard definitely looks like an improvement on eee’s as is the DVI out, the 30GB is a mixed blessing – I like solid state storage as I travel on a bicycle which kills HDD over time even when not in use. I also ski and HDDs don’t necessarily work over 3000m. The battery life is of course the crowning glory (what would a SSD version do with an extended life battery??). Does it have a fan?
I have some experience of VIA set-ups, but not the ULV versions. An awful lot of ATMs, cash-registers and promotional displays use them very effectively. Their weakness lies in floating point, which for the OS and regular desktop apps, isn’t such a problem but is for some applications, most worryingly audio and video codecs. I would be reasonable to suppose that other things being equal, with the same OS the desktop experience would be better than the eee pc’s.
The VIA chipset does has pretty effective MPEG2 acceleration, but I doubt this would be supported in Linux. That would be my main concern, chipset support (especially outside Windows). You can defintely playback DIVX well at standard definitions with standard via CPUs of 1GHz upwards – I don’t know what the ULV spec of the CPU would do to this. I’d forget H264 though..
We need some “hands on” feedback.
More about SplashTop on eee:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/09/asus-eeepc-spotted-running-splashtop-instant-on-os/
The Hewlett-Packard version was tested with WiFi on and only got 2 hours.
The 5 hours is a lie.
Not surprised though.
Damn. if that PC world version isn’t pretty damn expensive, though. It’s competing with more traditional entry level laptops at that price-point.
Will this unit be available in Australia.
No way!!! No touchpad and no SSD. I wouldn’t consider ever.
i think competition is a great idea, brilliant, it will definatly push ASUS along to come back with more improvements for the eee…
the cloudbook however, i think is the ugliest thing since jade goody, the huge rim around the screen is just horrible and makes it look chunkier than it is.
long live the EEE!!!!
@May-
The EEE is already available at brick-and-mortar stores in the US, at least in California. I’m heading over to PC Club in Fresno tomorrow to pick mine up.
Micro Center in the Midwest U.S. carries the Eee PC in store. They don’t always have stock though. Their online website is excellent.
Oops. I am not a Micro Center representative – I just put the link in the wrong place. Sorry.
http://www.microcenter.com/
Well as far as the cloudbook is concerned I would have bought it if it were the only thing available. But I am very happy with the Eee and it is much more stylish and ergonomic to boot. Plus the cloudbooks traditional hard drive is a turn off to me. So although its an interesting product, I won’t be converted.
And with regards to microcenter, we have one where I live here in California and they have black and white Eee’s in stock. Their in-store display sucks though. The Eee is tucked into some obscure corner and I think that is because their margins are higher on their more expensive laptops.
just to say here.. the PacBell marquee is a copyright that was sold to the same OEM outsourcer as Everex marquee is owned. I think Commodore also sold naming rights… so brand names are no longer true representations of quality. It’s been a long time this fact was true.
Computer part stores (tiny OEM private dealers that sell to public) always jump on these kinds of products – have been for ages like this. every well-knowing customer should know of all their OEM part stores in their area – if they don’t – then that’s just criminal.
“the PacBell marquee is a copyright that was sold to the same OEM outsourcer as Everex marquee is owned. I think Commodore also sold naming rights… so brand names are no longer true representations of quality.” Who would _want_ to use Packard Bell’s name as a representation of quality??
I think the 30GB hdd is actually much better than having a soldered ssd that cannot be upgraded. This is the main selling point for me, I want to be able to upgrade to a poor man’s ssd (cf card) using an ide to cf adapter. I really, really wanted to get an Eee but I refuse to be saddled with a single 4GB drive for the lifetime of the product.
This is the next thing: Putting Flash memory to use in hard drives & transferable data storage – instant on – low power use/low heat – read only software for virus protection. It is coming and here is the beginning.
We can easily have a laptop a la eeepc etc that has a flash drive bay for specialized programs, games, and storage – something closed for secure transport and accessible for swapping.
What is needed is a power source available cheaply world wide – AA batteries. AA batteries can be rechargeable in the unit and available wherever – in rural Africa, Indonesia & Louisiana.
It would fly.
Can the Cloudbook play Halo on it? I am curious to know how it would perform to an EEEPC doing the same.
Also, can you upgrade the ram in the Cloudbook/ Packard Bell EasyNote XS?
Thanks!
Barlow I laugh about people like you.
Play halo on Eee – man get a life. Most people buy Eee because it’s small and light and cheap- perfect for traveling. I break it, loose it or somebody steals it from me, I won’t suffer much.
If you want to play Halo, buy proper AlienWare desktop multimedia PC for that purpose..
No solid state HDD. Which means it will run incredibly slow.
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