Originally published on January 26, 2009 in our free SmallLaw newsletter.
Legal netbook fans take note! Asus of netbook fame released a fascinating new product late last year, which was re-introduced at CES 2009. It's called the Asus EEE Top 1602.
The more I think about it, the more I think it isn't just yet another member of the burgeoning EEE family of mini-systems, but possibly something revolutionary. This may just be the perfect accessory for your small firm's primary workstations — a second workstation for your desk.
What Is the Asus EEE Top?
It's essentially the guts of Acer's popular 1000H netbook (see my review of the 1000H in an earlier SmallLaw column). The EEE Top is replete with an Intel Atom N270 (1.6 GHz) processor, 1 GB of RAM, a 160 GB hard drive, N-series WiFi, built into a stand-up desktop, all-in-one-ish chassis with a 15.6" wide-mode display, and a wired keyboard and mouse.
One difference versus the Asus EEE netbooks is its use of an ATI Radeon 3450 discrete video system versus the earlier netbook's more minimalist integrated Intel graphic chipset — document image and digital photo viewing should benefit.
Plus the 15.6" wide-mode 16:9 format display. Ah, but that's no ordinary wide-mode LCD display … it's a touch-screen. Available in white or black, it's a little like either a smaller scale version of HP's pricey TouchSmart series of all-in-ones, or like an iMac "Junior" — with the white version having more than a passing resemblance to the previous generation of iMacs.
The operating system is Windows XP Home, commonplace in current netbooks — so we're spared the personal torture Vista would inflict on such a system. While it's no processing powerhouse, anyone who has used an Atom-equipped netbook has seen how zippy these systems are. And also, it's hard not to notice the quick boot-up and shut-down times versus regular Windows systems.
What is fascinating about these systems isn't Windows — certainly not. But Asus' "Dashboard" system evokes memories of its original netbook, the too-tiny to be useful EEE PC701 model. What I enjoyed about the 701 was its Linux GUI — elegantly simple, visually uncluttered and fast! Dashboard looks a lot like the 701's Linux GUI and includes a number of touch-enabled utilities with real promise. When you view the YouTube demo (see below) pay attention to the "memo" function. It literally lets you write memos on screen with your finger — very slick.
So What Would a Small Firm Do With an Asus EEE Top?
I can think of several scenarios. In the office, think of using it as a secondary network-connected PC, handling communication functions, and thereby unburdening one's primary system from those functions.
Use it as your Skype machine, have a browser open, run an intra-office IM system like the very slick Outlook Messenger, monitor your Twitter feeds, keep a posting window open for your practice's blog, monitor the news, etc.
Or what about placement at your receptionist's desk — use it to display your firm's marketing message via a slideshow running in a window — and one that welcomes visitors. Or take it much further and allow clients to check in when they visit. Let them press their own personalized welcome button on-screen, which could execute a Windows macro (using a program like MacroExpress) notifying their lawyer and his/her assistant, pulling up the client's matter in the case management system with the information about the appointment for a final briefing before the meeting (with the client's picture of course, to jog the memory).
How about another one for the kitchen counter at home? Use it to check the Food Network for the evening's recipe, place Peapod orders, and leave hand-touch-written memos for the kids about the lasagna in the fridge just needing to be heated in the convection oven.
Conclusion
So it is a KitchenTop? I think so. How about a ConnectTop for your office communications? Yes, I can see that. What about a SecondTop — just another PC to run secondary programs to unburden your primary PC? Whatever it may be, the Asus EEE Top seems to be much more than a low-budget iMac or TouchSmart. The Top may be hard to top for work and play. Sign me up — I can't wait to review it.
Shiny Tech TV's EEE Top Review (Video)
Postscript: A Message to the Mac Lawyers Who Dissed Me
Finally, a note to all the surprisingly unfriendly Mac Lawyers who trashed my pro-Mac SmallLaw column.
Guess what people, today's column was written in Microsoft Word 2008 on my 13" MacBook acquired in December 2008. Does that make me a "Mac person." Nope. Just like I'm not a "Windows person." Rather, I'm just a "person" not defined into a mere label by virtue of whatever computer or operating system I happen to use at any given moment. How ironic is it that devoted users of one of the friendliest technologies ever created are some of the least friendly legal technology consumers I've ever encountered?
For those of you who read only my SmallLaw column and don't know about the onslaught that ensued, read Sadly, Mac Lawyers Proved the Points Made in My Recent Article and Thank You Bill Pope.
Written by Ross Kodner of MicroLaw.
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