Asus Launching Eee PC Netbooks with Ubuntu

Thursday Canonical sent along a note announcing that its Ubuntu Linux OS (10.10) is now available pre-loaded on three ASUS Eee PC models including the 1001PXD, the 1011PX and the 1015PX. More models packing Ubuntu will be made available throughout the year.

"The Eee PC with Ubuntu is ideal for consumers and businesses," the company said. "The hardware is sleek and lightweight and energy efficient while Ubuntu is safe, intuitive and stable. Ubuntu includes a complete office suite making it easy to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations and share them with Microsoft Windows users. A full, rich Internet experience is available with Mozilla Firefox and Adobe Flash pre-installed."

The ASUS 1001PXD, otherwise known as the ASUS Eee PC Seashell, features a 10.1-inch LED backlight WSVGA non-glare screen, Intel's Atom N455 CPU, 1 or 2 GB of DDR3 memory, and a 160 to 320 GB 5,400RPM HDD. The 1011PX sports a meatier dual-core Intel Atom N570 (or N455) CPU and essentially the same specs as the Seashell, but with dual boot capabilities thrown in. The 1015PX supposedly offers notebook performance in a netbook size seemingly using more of the same but with a larger HDD (up to 500 GB).

Typically all three netbooks ship with Microsoft's Windows 7 Starter OS, but now there's an option to choose the lighter Ubuntu OS instead. "Canonical’s Ubuntu Linux is used by more than 20 million people across the world today," the company added. "It is available to download for free at Ubuntu.com and also ships preloaded with other original equipment manufacturers, including Dell."

The three ASUS Eee PC models, 1001PXD, 1011PX and 1015PX, is available with Ubuntu 10.10 pre-installed from June 1st 2011 through ASUS sales channels.

  • farleytron
    Yeah, a niche market for people who want to install pirated copies of windows 7 on their netbook without paying for a license on the hardware.
    Reply
  • 11796pcs
    Always nice to see a manufacturer have Ubuntu pre-installed since it eliminates the hasle of installing it and seeing if you can find drivers.
    Reply
  • -Fran-
    farleytronYeah, a niche market for people who want to install pirated copies of windows 7 on their netbook without paying for a license on the hardware.
    Like students with the MSDNAA which get those free, unpaid copies! Damn pirates! (?)

    And beware, because they're millions!!

    ...

    >_>
    Reply
  • dioxholster
    this is awesome, ubuntu is more suited for netbooks than windows.
    Reply
  • 2real
    why not give the option of kubuntu xubuntu or mint?
    Reply
  • molo9000
    farleytronYeah, a niche market for people who want to install pirated copies of windows 7 on their netbook without paying for a license on the hardware.
    Because everyone needs windows?
    There are a lot of people who only use windows because it comes preinstalled on their machines. My mum wouldn't know the difference if I installed linux on her machine. As long as there is a browser, a word processor and an email client, they're fine.

    There also are a lot of people who have a spare winXP license lying around... or students who get free Win7 Pro licenses through MSDNAA.... or students who can buy licenses for 29USD....
    Reply
  • ginnai
    No mention of a decrease in price... somewhat surprised.

    Everyone does not need Windows! The most common compatibility issue I encounter is Office based, but with the advent of Open Office... problem fixed. In terms of using highly specialized software, ie: Mathcad, SAS, Sigmaplot... perhaps, but how many people use such highly specialized software. Netbooks are not processing powerhouses, they are portable computing that is easy to transport and long lived. Linux was packaged with the original... this is barely surprising.
    Reply
  • schmich
    Should have been with an AMD E350 or E450 :(
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    Ubuntu is nice and all that, but consumers just don't (or can't) use *NIX. The abnormally high return rates for the original netbooks showed that.
    Reply
  • My mum never noticed when I installed Linux and set it up with the same background and icons in the same location.
    Reply