When I first read about the Eee 4G computer from Asus, I found it interesting. Then I saw one at our local Staples, and I was intrigued. You have to see it in person to grasp its compactness.
While in the store, I immediately tried my MID acid test. (MID is short for "mobile Internet device," and is any small computer-like device that can access the Internet.) This is the test:
Play a Internet radio station.
"Why are you obsessed with Internet radio stations?" asked my son. "Because," I explained, "this one test shows whether the MID is capable of five important tasks:
1. Whether it has networking -- wireless or wired.
2. Whether it runs a Web browser.
3. Whether it can stream music from the Internet.
4. Whether it can playback MP3 files.
5. Whether it has built-in speakers (or headphone jack).
(Item four is a bit touchy with Linux, because some distributions do not include MP3 codecs, such as Ubuntu Live.)
For the Eee 4G, it was this easy: click on the Internet Radio button in the Internet (default) tab of the desktop. The Web browser opened at a Web site that lists stations. Choose a station, wait for the buffering, and then listen to the music on the built-in speakers.
When I found that the Eee 4G effortlessly passed the MID Acid Test, I was convinced that this is something I should buy.
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