Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Never heard of Everex? They’re the smallish, low-end PC maker owned by FIC (who we’d guess also might not know) that makes the Cloudbook (among other things). We only mention them because a third, even more unfamiliar company, a systems integrator named NewMarket Technology, is buying out 75% of Everex to flesh out their mobile hardware presence in certain developing nations. The sum’s undisclosed, the transaction’s due for completion this September, and you might still be wondering what it all means to you. Well, unless you live in Asia or Latin America, probably not a whole lot.

[Via PC World]

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Filed under: Laptops

It’s gotta mean something when Windows XP is still making headlines by showing up on relatively standard hardware, but so it goes — and here’s Everex’s Cloudbook, now with 100% less gOS. The Cloudbook SC1200T is basically the same as the regular-spec Cloudbook, only with 1GB of RAM and limited availability — that “T” stands for “Taiwan-only.” No word on if Everex is planning on bringing this bad boy Stateside, but really, it’s not like we’re hurting for ways to run XP on an underpowered VIA C7M, you know?

[Via Liliputing]

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Filed under: Laptops

Not content with just ordering a touchscreen-packin’ Cloudbook from Japan, Azazel decided to take matters into his own wonder-working hands and hack up his vanilla unit to include the oh-so-coveted touch support. Based on his reports, disassembling the rig and stuffing the new panel in was a lesson in simplicity (save for one quick round with a soldering iron), but actual usability proved to be somewhat of a letdown. It was noted that using the small screen with just a fingertip was challenging, and while relying on a pen did make things marginally easier, we’d think long and hard about your needs / wishes before taking the plunge.

[Thanks, David]

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Filed under: Desktops

Everex is popping off a new gOS powered box tonight, given the unfortunate monicker of MyMiniPC. While $500 is way more than enough to get you started on a low-end Windows box (and even most of the way there toward a Mac mini), the MyMiniPC comes equipped with a 1.86GHz Pentium T2130 and 512MB RAM running gOS “Space”, a 120GB drive, DVD±RW, firewire, four USB 2.0 ports, DVI and S-Video out gigabit Ethernet, media reader, and standard audio ins/outs. Everex is all playing up the whole space theme and MySpace integration, segueing that into avatar-based help experience called “Dave” (i.e. use the Ask Dave function to get help). So, what, does that make us all HALs? Too meta, Everex. Larger interface shot after the break.

Continue reading Everex’s new MyMiniPC: $500 and gOS-powered

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Filed under: Features, Laptops, Wireless

Damn, Everex clearly stepped up their game with the Cloudbook MAX. Not that we want to harsh on the original Cloudbook or anything, but this thing is definitely in a different class — and the integrated XOHM WiMAX doesn’t hurt, either. Check out some hands-on shots taken at CTIA below.

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Filed under: Laptops, Wireless

Not too long ago, we gave you loyal Cloudbook owners a chance to voice your opinion on how you’d change things. Fast forward a few weeks, and take a gander at what Everex has put together. Debuting today at CTIA 2008, the Cloudbook MAX not only boasts an 8.9-inch WVGA (1,024 x 600) display, Windows Vista, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, integrated GPS receiver, 2-megapixel webcam and a battery good for four hours, but it also features an 80GB HDD, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, audio in / out and an S-Video output. Beyond all that, this thing gets energized by a 1.6GHz VIA C7-M ULV processor coupled with the VX800 digital media IGP chipset, which touts full DirectX 9 support and video acceleration for MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV9, VC1 and DivX video formats (plus a VMR-capable HD video processor, among other things). Lastly, the unit includes built-in support for Sprint’s XOHM WiMAX network. Brimming with excitement yet? Start stocking that piggy bank — this currently unpriced rig will be available in the latter half of this year across North America.

Read - VIA and Everex demonstrate Cloudbook MAX at CTIA
Read - VIA VX800 Series Chipset

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The FIC manufactured Everex CloudBook has finally made its way to Japan. What’s interesting is not its US-rooted Everex branding but the fact that the ultra-portable picked up a 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, and 802.11a (to augment the existing b/g WiFi) along the way without any change to the CE1200J model number. All the other specs remain true to the original right on down to the 1.2GHz VIA C7-M proc and 30GB hard disk. We’d chalk this up to a typo(s) if it wasn’t for the new, tax-inclusive price of ¥59,800 or about $600 — a stiff bump from the $399 touchscreen-less, Stateside model. Let’s see if the March 22nd release in Japan brings the additional options for North America and Europe.

[Via Impress]

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Filed under: Desktops

It’s hard to know the real story here — we’d hate to think of a bunch of Mr. and Mrs. Nice Persons taking home a gPC just to find it can’t run that copy of Office or Half-Life 2 they were hoping to install — but for whatever reason Wal-Mart is dropping its Linux “experiment” from store shelves and going back to selling the systems solely online. Apparently Wal-Mart did manage to sell out its entire stock of gPCs in the 600 stores that got them before pulling the plug, but the $199 computer just “wasn’t what our customers were looking for,” said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Melissa O’Brien. Everex spokesman Paul Kim says that online gPC sales were “significantly more effective,” so apparently there aren’t any hard feelings here.

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Filed under: Features, Laptops

When we gave you readers a shot at ranting about the Everex gPC, little was left unsaid. If we were betting souls, we’d guess the firm’s über-cheap laptop — affectionately known as the Cloudbook — is about to suffer a similar beating. Based on early reviews, the wannabe Eee PC slayer wasn’t exactly a dream come true, but we just know there’s a good bit of potential here untapped. So, for those of you who’ve parted ways with your $400 in exchange for one of these Cloudbook contraptions, how would you improve upon what’s already there? Clean up the user interface? Add a bit more horsepower under the hood? Or would you just find a way to plug that unsightly gap between the LCD and keyboard? Go ahead, your momma’s not listenin’ — let us know how you really feel.

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Filed under: Desktops

While one generally associates “Everex” with “bargain basement,” we can’t exactly see the incredible value in the gPC mini. Hinted at late last month, this minuscule desktop is now getting all official on us and comes loaded with a 1.83GHz T2130 processor, 120GB hard drive, 512MB DDR2 RAM, a DVD writer and Intel’s GMA950 graphics set. Furthermore, it’s packin’ gigabit Ethernet, DVI / S-Video outs, FireWire, four USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 multicard reader and audio / in out. Granted, you’ll have to deal with the gOS that comes loaded in, but hey, maybe that’s not such a thorn in some folks’ sides, anyway. Don’t worry, you’ve got until March 1st to mull it over, after which you can (hopefully) place your order at NewEgg.

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Filed under: Laptops

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Filed under: Laptops

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Filed under: Laptops

According to DigiTimes, the reason we haven’t seen any CloudBooks on sale is due to the weather. Recent heavy snowfalls in China wreaked havoc on the local rail systems and power supplies leaving FIC unable to meet their targets. According to “sources,” retail shipments will now be pushed back to mid-March. Now our quandary. What’s more dubious? Everex’s newly posted 2/21/2008 availability date or China’s claimed ability to control the weather during the summer olympics?

Read — Everex
Read — DigiTimes

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Filed under: Laptops

The folks over at Laptop already hooked us up with some unboxing pics of Everex’s Cloudbook, and now they’ve posted up some quickie first impressions of the would-be Eee killer — and it looks like Everex could use that extra delay time to polish things up. The Cloudbook’s gOS build was found to be reasonably speedy and the minuscule trackpad designed for thumb usage actually grew on the reviewers, but what really killed the machine was a host of video glitches Everex says are the result of the wrong OS version being installed on the machine. Still, we’re not ready to give up on this little guy yet — we’ll wait to see what the formal reviews say before crowing the Eee the winner of this round.

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Filed under: Laptops

Oh Cloudbook — it’s like you just keep floating off on us. We all thought Everex’s little Eee competitor was going to drop today (the 15th), but since that turned out to be a bust, we started to get curious. As you might have guessed, the $399 UMPC has been ever-so-slightly delayed, again, this time until February 21st (or so they say). We’ve covered an unboxing if you’re really jonesing for a look at the gOS-sporting device — but keep in mind you could ruin that x-mas-morning feeling of wonderment when you pop open the box.

[Thanks, Travis]

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Filed under: Laptops

Merely hours after we first wondered where all those CloudBooks were on launch day, here they come — fashionably late, of course. As of this moment, Everex’s CE1200V is up on NewEgg’s site, but is still sporting a “deactivated item” status. Nevertheless, Packard Bell’s XS20-006 (as it’s so eloquently dubbed across the pond) is currently for sale at PC World for £349.99 ($686). And yeah, there’s a number of unboxing shots pleading for your attention in the link below, so what exactly are you waiting for?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Read - PC World’s XS20-006 listing
Read - CloudBook unboxing

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Filed under: Laptops

Ok Everex, it’s been the 15th of February for more than 8 hours in the US. Still, your CloudBook is nowhere to be found on Wal-mart or ZaReason. As intriguing as this “deactivated” CloudBook page is over at NewEgg, it’s hardly a replacement for the thrill of being the first kid on the block to unbox a $399, 7-inch laptop with 30GB disk now is it?

[Thanks, Dirkus and Travis M.]

Read — Wal-mart (nope)
Read — ZaReason (zilch)
Read — NewEgg (you wish)

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Filed under: Laptops

In the most mangled product launch in recent memory, the Everex Cloudbook has managed to sell out. This according to Zareason who claim to have sold their ‘initial allotment” — however many that might be. Of course, to the best of our knowledge the CloudBook has never actually been on sale with Everex’s own site once again showing a Feb 15th launch. So if these in fact shipped then we ask you dear readers, where are the unboxing pics, reviews, and head-to-head comparisons with the Eee for us to fawn over? Bueller?

[Thanks, Jamerican]

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Filed under: Laptops

We’re certain Everex was aiming to inspire some gadget-lust with this promo video for the oft-delayed Cloudbook, but shooting it on what appears to be VHS under florescent lights just makes it look like a different kind of porn entirely. Check the whole video after the break, and note that ship date: February 15th. Hmm, maybe we’ll see this thing on time after all.

[Via Eee Site]

Continue reading Cloudbook promo video not exactly high-budget

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Filed under: Laptops

We’re not sure that you’d want to do it, but it’s nice to know that you can do it. If you’re really sick of the native OS that came with your Eee — or you’re trying to feel out what a Cloudbook would be like if you could buy one — you can now install Everex’s Google-centric gOS onto your system with little-to-no effort, simply by following this ten point breakdown. You’ll need an external optical drive, a wired internet connection, and probably an hour or so, but once all is said and done, you can break free of Xandros and roll deep with the Ubuntu-based gOS. How the software performs on the miniscule laptop we couldn’t say, but at least now you can show your friends how truly unique you are.

[Thanks, Tom]

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