WorldCAD Access

Installing Google Chrome OS on an ASUS 701 netbook

Hhexxeh.net is a site that offers installable versions of Google's Linux-based and browser-based Chome OS operating system. Yesterday I finally got around to trying it out. 1. Download the latest version (aka "build") from http://chromeos.hexxeh.net (scroll down the page, and then click Download the USB Image.) 2. Windows users can use the free 7-ZIP utility to unpack the .tar.gz file (Linux version of .zip). Although the download is just 335MB, the .gz file expands to 1.9GB. (So much for a lean operating sytem!) 3. The resulting .img file needs to be transferred to a USB thumbrive using software that makes... Read more →

Older Software Great for Netbooks

Josh Lowensohn of C|Net's Web Crawler blog writes: One of the things that has been most-surprising about the advent of netbooks is that it has become less about the hardware as much as how mainstream operating systems and applications have had to adapt to fit within their confines. I agree. I especially wish Google would adapt Picasa to netbooks, allowing us to collapse areas of the screen that we rarely need, like the lower fat bar that holds the Mail, Export, and other buttons. However... Last week I was on "vacation" visiting the in-laws, taking along my LG X110 netbook.... Read more →

Switching the Asus EEE 700 to Mint

Even though it is less than two years old, the EEE 700-series' software is no longer supported by Asus. The update service no longer works, and standard software can't being updated, such as OpenOffice and FireFox. The XEPC.org organization has given up updating, as well. Their final relase came out at the end of December, last year. Even then, Asus Linux v.17 does not include FireFox 3 or OpenOffice 3 -- the latter needed for dealing with .docx files. It occurred to me that I should try installing Linux Mint on my Asus 700, one of the 4G models. (4G... Read more →

Looking Back on Living with Netbooks for a Year

It seems hard to believe that I purchased my Asus EEE 700-series netbook just over a year ago -- July 2, 2008. At the time, it was the only netbook available in my part of the world, western Canada, and the only one in stock at our local Staples store. That's how rare netbooks were a year ago. Today, I have the EEE 700 sitting next to the easy chair in the living room, where I use it like an ebook reader for reading opinion columns on the Internet in the evenings. Asus invented the category; the 700-series was its... Read more →

Asus EEE: Media Streamer

My wife wanted to hear the Eddie Daniels version of "The Four Seasons," an album that was stored in MP3 format on my computer downstairs. How to play it upstairs? It would take too long to hunt down the CD. The Roku Internet radio we have in our bedroom can stream music from any computer in the house; but it's in the bedroom, not the living room. I eventually jury-rigged the following technology: 1. I brought my Asus EEE upstairs, and connected it to house's wireless network. 2. I used its file manager to access the hard drive from the... Read more →

Asus EEE: How the CapsLock Gets Stuck

I think I have figured out how the CapsLock gets stuck on on on the Asus EEE 701 netbook computer. (Hey, I managed a sentence with three on's in a row!). BTW, this is an electronic "stuck on on," because pressing the key does nothing; holding down Shift corrects the problem, but even I get tried of holding down Shift with my pinkie finger while touchtyping elsewhere on the keyboard. How CapsLock gets stuck when the lid of the netbook is closed while the computer is still running. This puts the netbook into sleep mode, but also forces on CapsLock.... Read more →

Asus EEE: Faster CapsLock Fix

The CapsLock problem continues to dog my Asus EEE 701 netbook computer. But now I have found a faster way to fix it. (The Asus netbook has a bug in which the CapLock comes on by itself, and stays on. One of the first fixes found involved shutting down the computer, pulling the battery, holding down the power button for at least 15 seconds, reinstalling the battery, and rebooting.) The faster fix that I've found is to reboot the X windowing system used by Linux: Press Ctrl+Alt+Backspace. The Asus shuts down and reboots. This takes about 45 seconds -- much... Read more →

Love Those Mobile Editions!

Numerous Web sites have editions specific to mobile devices, like PalmPilots and cell phones. Mobile editions are stripped down, with fewer graphics and narrower text. For a device with a small screen, like the Asus EEE 701 netbook, mobile sites are great! They load instantly, because the Web pages contain far less content. They don't require side-to-side scrolling (as some sites do), because they are formatted for narrow screens. Unfortunately, not all mobile sites work on the Asus. Some sites detect the type of device, and attempt to send the most appropriate one. Others require the download of code specific... Read more →

Checking Out the New Netbooks

FutureShop and its parent BestBuy had a couple of new netbooks on their shelves, and so I dropped by to check them out. HP The new HP Mini 1000 is clearly the best looking of the bunch, and improved over HP's first attempt, the Mini 1300. They packed a bigger screen into a smaller body and a lower price. But then the drawback: Very few connectors (no VGA out, just 2 USBs, etc) Just a 60GB hard drive (most netbooks now have 160GB drives) Highest price (for fewer features). Bad keyboard design (more on this later). Clearly, HP designed it... Read more →

I F9'ed My Asus EEE

"To F9" is a verb in the Asus EEE community. It means to reinstall the Linux operating system from scratch. (During the boot process, press F9. The EEE asks if you want to reinstall Linux. It can be tricky pressing F9 at the right time, so the eeeuser.com forums have suggestions on how to do it more easily. I won't detail it here.) How long d'you s'pose it takes to reinstall Linux? On a Windows system, it can take several hours. On this EEE, about a half-minute. The reason I F9'ed it, was because I was becoming frustrated with the... Read more →

Installing ThinkFree on EEE

ThinkFree yesterday released a version of their software specifically for netbooks -- miniature notebooks whose lower screen resolution can make the user interface of regular software too large. ThinkFree consists of a word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation software. The Asus EEE netbook includes a version of OpenOffice customized for the small screen. It does have a few quirks, such as unwanted toolbars popping up automatically. So I thought I'd try ThinkFree free for 30 days, especially since it supports Microsoft's otherwise-incompatible DOCX format. Installation The Linux running on the Asus EEE is based on Debian Linux, so the easiest way... Read more →

EEE Keyboard Stops Working

I became unhappy with my Asus EEE 701 netbook computer with the keyboard began to non-function. At first, it was a case of ALL CAPITAL LETTERS -- the CapsLock key reversed its function. I grew adept at holding down the Shift key for typing lowercase. But then the keyboard stopped working altogether. I was ready to contact Asus tech support, but tried one more time finding a solution at the EeeUser forum. I finally came across a reset process that seems to work (so far!): 1. Shut down computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Remove the battery. 3. Hold... Read more →

Scanning to the Asus Eee

My new HP PhotoSmart C6280 printer is connected directly to our network. Today I discovered that it has a built-in Web interface. To access it: Open your Web browser. Enter the printer's TCP/IP address, which probably starts with http://192.168.1. and ends with a number like 3 or 15. (The printer's control panel will tell you the address under Setup | Network. Windows might tell it to you too, under its list of network devices.) The Web interface is useful for controlling the printer from any computer, such as checking the level of its inkjet cartridges. Then I found that HP... Read more →

Watching the Olympics

I have a day job, and so to watch the Olympics, I use my Asus EEE netbook computer. Here in Canada, the CBC streams its tv channel, two cable channels, and nine (count 'em, 9!) Web channels of olympics coverage through its www.cbc.ca/olympics/livevideo site. It also has on-demand video for highlight clips of archived events. The diminutive Asus EEE 4G takes up little deskspace; its FireFox Web browser with MPlayer plugin plays back the streaming video effortlessly. Fortunately, the CBC did not select Microsoft's proprietary movie playback mechanism, so that all viewers -- Linux, Mac, PalmOS, and Windows -- can... Read more →

Asus Eee: Viewing DVDs

The Asus Eee 4G mini-notebook computer lacks a DVD drive. One way to watch DVD movies is to hook up a DVD drive to on of the USB ports. (I haven't tried this yet.) The other method is to rip DVDs to a USB key. Here is how to do it: 1. From the http://www.dvdcatalyst.com/compare site, download the free DVD Catalyst program. Its purpose is to convert movies into files that can be used on portable devices, like PalmPilots and the iPhone. 2. Install the software on your fastest, multi-core computer. On my 6-year-old Pentium 4, the ripping speed was... Read more →

Asus Eee: Advanced Mode

Getting tired of the Asus Eee's simple icon desktop, I finally made the switch to "advanced mode." I was convinced after I learned that the switch-over process would add buttons that allow switching between easy and advanced modes. I followed the instructions given here: http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:getkde#enable_advanced_desktop_mode_-_the_easy_way The only difference I experienced from the text is that two dependencies also needed to be downloaded: kicker and ksmserver. Upon clicking the shutdown button, the dialog box indeed had the extra button for switching to Advanced Mode: click the Full Desktop button. I clicked it, the 4G did its 25-second reboot, and the familiar... Read more →

Asus Eee: Installing Picasa

Picasa is my primary software for dealing with the tens of thousands of digital photographs I have taken since 1999. I got it running on my dad's old Compaq with its Ubuntu Linux, and I wondered if it would install on the Eee 4G. I found it works; here are the steps: Downloading Picasa 0. On the Eee's Internet tab, open the Firefox browser (Web button). 1. Go to the Picasa Linux page at picasa.google.com/linux/. 2. Click the prominent Download Picasa 2.7 for Linux button. 3. The Web page lists several types of installers. Since the Eee 4G's Linux is... Read more →

Asus Eee: External Keyboard

One of the problems with the Asus Eee 4G is the small size of the keyboard. The keys are too tight for me to type as quickly as I normally do (80-120 words per minute). Perhaps HP found the solution for its mini-notebook: the keys have almost no gap between them, resulting in a larger keycap; on the 4G, the keys look traditional: somewhat wedge-shaped. External Keyboard One solution to the too-small keyboard is to use an external keyboard. I have a no-name keyboard with USB connector. I plugged it in, opened OpenOffice writer, and began typing. It worked. This... Read more →

Ralph's MID Acid Test

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... Read more →

Asus Eee: About its Linux OS

Asus refers to the Linux running on its Eee line of computers as "Linux GPL." Wikipedia has this to say about the Linux operating system running on the Asus Eee: The installed version of Xandros is tab based; the full desktop version (or "Advanced Mode") may be installed -- but not always easily -- through a set of administrative command prompts. The full desktop version features a KDE 3 desktop with a few modifications performed by Xandros. This desktop mode also provides access to the Synaptic Package Manager which can be used to update and manage the Eee PC's software.... Read more →

Asus Eee: Connecting to Other Computers on the Network

The Asus Eee 4G works as an oversized MP3 player. It has two programs for playing back music, both found in the desktop Play tab: Media Player - plays back audio and video. Music Manager - plays back audio and manages music. Of the two, I prefer Media Player because of its cleaner user interface. I wondered if I could get it to play back music stored on my desktop computer -- over the network. Neither of the two programs would connect directly to my desktop computer over the network. I tried a number of options, and then finally found... Read more →

Asus Eee with Data Projectors & Wireless Mice

The Asus Eee G4 comes with a corded mouse. I wondered if it would work with wireless mice. Not because there is any problem with the corded mouse, but because a wireless mouse can be used to control computers remotely -- specifically when showing pictures in a slideshow. In my case, I have a projector to which I connect my notebook computer to show the family photos. I wondered if the Eee would could take over the job. Being much smaller than the notebook computer, the Eee would be more convenient. But it had to pass two tests: Test 1.... Read more →

Eee Tip: Connecting to Network Printers

Connecting the Asus Eee to printers on my network is as easy as clicking the Printers button, entering the network path, and choosing a few other options. Here is how it works: Installing Network Printer Drivers 1. In the Settings tab of the desktop, click Printers. 2. In the Add a printer dialog box, choose Network Printer, and then click Next. 3. In the Set Printer Attributes dialog box, choose Windows as the Network Type, and then click Browse. 4. In the Browse dialog box, open the Windows Network nodes until you find the printer you want. In my case,... Read more →

Interviewed by John Sprung

John Sprung asks a number of questions in the comments section of this blog: JS: I just got the eeePC 900 with Linux. Has larger SSD [solid state drive] -- 4GB & 16GB for user space -- larger screen, and Bluetooth also. RG: I deliberately bought the smallest one, because (1) it was the cheapest; and (2) I got burned when I bought a 12" HP tablet pc last year. I thought a 12" would be much smaller than a 15", but difference is less than an inch. The Asus 4G is half the size and weight of that "small"... Read more →

Eee Tip: Wireless AutoConnect

Out of the box, my Asus Eee 4G did not connect automatically to my wireless network. At first this was not a problem, because the Wireless Networks button is prominent on the desktop. But as I updated and rebooted the unit several times, it became a nuisance to manually connect. Then I found how to do it automatically. The secret is to use the Network button instead, for it has many more options than does the Wireless Networks button. (In fact, I don't see the point to the Wireless Network button.) 1. In the desktop's Internet tab, click Network. 2.... Read more →

Eee User Community & Batteries

Crucial to the success of new products is a vibrant user community -- that method of exchanging ideas and supporting each other as pioneers. For Asus Eee users, I found EeeUser.com. From EeeUser.com, I found that third-party high capacity batteries exist for my Eee 4G, something that's not yet available from Asus itself. Asus managed to turn batteries into a PR mini-fiasco. It provided review units to journalists with strong (longer lasting) batteries, but shipped weaker (lower cost) to customers. The Eee 4G I bought from Staples in Canada came with the weakest battery: 4400 mAh, which lasts about 2... Read more →

Leave Windows Behind on the PC

Linux fans have been frustrated by the painfully slow progress of getting their beloved operating system popular on PCs. Why can't Linux pull a Firefox (now at 19% marketshare)? Linspire's chairman Michael Robertson knows the answer, as reported by Charles Babcock of Information Week: "Trying to compete with Microsoft on the desktop has been a futile effort. What the last 20 years has shown is that the Microsoft ecosystem goes far beyond Windows" into thousands of drivers for PC devices and applications to run on end-user machines. For Linux to match that may be impossible, he said. "Linux has to... Read more →

Which Asus EEE?

I just bought an Asus EEE mini-note book computer. It was a difficult decision, for Asus has so many models available. Even narrowing it down to the smallest models made it no easier. The decision to buy came with an email blast from The Source, the Canadian subsidiary of Circuit City that used to be known as Radio Shack. The email boasted prices as low as $300 -- my kind of price. I eagerly surveyed the details at their Web site, and was immediately overwhelmed and dismayed. Overwhelmed, because there were so many models available. Different colors, different combos... a... Read more →