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I predict that 2008 will be the year of the ultraportable computer. In the last newsletter we featured the Asus EEE PC, a 2lb., 7" ultraportable laptop. This month’s feature is the latest ultraportable from Apple… the Macbook Air. The price of the Macbook Air is $1799 while the Asus is $349. Here are some features that justify the price difference.

Apple claims to have made the world’s thinnest notebook at only .76 inches at its thickest point. It weighs in at around 3 lbs. and features a 13.3" screen and a full-sized backlit keyboard. The oversized touchpad shares most of the multi-touch functions with the iPhone. With its built-in battery, Apple claims a battery life of 5 hrs. There is one USB port, a headphone jack and a micro-DVI slot for connecting to an external monitor. It has a 1.6-1.8Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2GB of RAM and an 80Gb hard drive. It also sports a built-in iSight camera. It also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth which comes in handy since it does not have an ethernet port. The Macbook Air utilizes wireless technology to connect to other computers when a CD/DVD drive is necessary due to its lack of a built-in drive.

This would be well suited to anyone seeking a lightweight yet fully featured laptop. If you are looking for an ultraportable laptop suited for more casual use to supplement your full-sized laptop or desktop, I would recommend purchasing an Asus EEE for $1400 less. You could even use the money you’ve saved on the more powerful Macbook (not Air) and still have about $300 left over.

For more information regarding this or any other computer related issue, feel free to contact an E-Geniuses Technician at (877) My-Genius.

Happy Holidays!
Everyone at E-Geniuses hopes that you and your loved ones have a wonderful and safe holiday season.

ULTRALIGHT, ULTRAPORTABLE, ULTRA-AFFORDABLE
There are many characteristics that stand out about this new notebook from Asus but there are three in particular that create the most waves. The first thing that most people will notice is the form factor, which is much smaller than most laptops. When closed, it weighs 2lbs and is roughly the same size as a small novel. Next is the very unconventional name: “Eee PC”. The name Eee comes from "the three Es"; an abbreviation of their advertising slogan for the device: "Easy to learn, Easy to work Easy to play". The third aspect that captures most people’s attention? The price. This ultraportable and full featured laptop is only $399.

This notebook comes equipped with a full suite of preinstalled software that allows you the same capabilities of your home computer but on-the-go. You can browse the web using FireFox, use Skype with the built-in web cam and microphone, open Word and Excel docs and edit them, view photos, listen to music files, use AOL IM, MSN messenger or just about any other major chat client. Although pre-installed with Linux, it is also capable of running Windows XP. The Asus Eee PC can be found online at Amazon.com, BestBuy.com and Costco.com.

For more information regarding this or any other computer related issue, feel free to contact an E-Geniuses Technician at (877) My-Genius