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Pioneer Computers unveils its $499 notebook – an EeePC killer? -- PC Authority On line

08/02/2008

By William Maher, PC Authority 8 February 2008 03:52PM

- New $499 ultraportable notebook
- Multiboot Linux/Windows option
- Has hard drive unlike EeePC

Has Pioneer Computers managed to replicate and improve the EeePC’s incredibly popular $499 EeePC notebook formula?

The new pint-sized, super cheap rival is called the DreamBook Light IL1 – and it’s worth checking out for the options alone, including a choice of pre-loaded Ubuntu, XP, or Vista (costs extra), or a multi-OS option with Linux and Windows.

In terms of size, the DreamBook is tiny, though at 1.1Kg (which, incidentally, is lighter than Apple’s 13.3inch Macbook Air) it’s slightly heavier than the 928g Asus EeePC. The screen is also the same size at 7inches and a resolution of 800x480.

Crucially you get a hard drive option (40GB) or a 2, 4 or 8GB flash drive – great news for music and movies for those long train rides home from work. There’s only 2 USB ports verse 3 for the EeePC, but you do get a 6 cell battery option, versus 4 cell for the ASUS.

Interestingly Pioneer Computers has gone with a Via powerplant (C7-M 1.0G) – we’ll be interested to see how it shapes up with the 512MB RAM option under Windows.