Ask Slashdot: Instead of a Laptop, a Tiny Computer and Projector? 339
rover42 writes "I travel a lot, usually on a tight budget and often on airlines with tight luggage weight restrictions and high fees for going over, so traveling light is very important to me. So is connecting to the net when traveling, which creates a conflict. I do not trust machines in Internet cafes and my laptop adds significant weight & bulk to my luggage. I could buy a small netbook or a MacBook Air, but is there another choice? There are quite a few tiny computers available, Raspberry Pi and the like. Alone, they don't solve my problem because you need a screen and that is at least as heavy as a laptop. However, there are also quite a few tiny projectors. Would a tiny computer plus a tiny projector do the trick? Which ones? All I need for software is some open source Unix (any *BSD or Linux distro should be fine, or even Minix), a browser and an editor. I don't need large storage or a fast CPU. Has anyone done something like this? Does anyone have a recommendation for either the computer or the projector?"
This is a terrible idea (Score:5, Insightful)
A computer is more than a cpu and a screen. It's also a keyboard, and mouse. Do you plan to cart those around? If you want a projector, just buy the Air or other ultrabook, and buy a projector.
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There's always the idea of having a projected touch screen interface. That's a little bit in the future but not that far really.
Before too long, your phone will be able to do that.
Re:This is a terrible idea (Score:5, Informative)
Re:This is a terrible idea (Score:4, Informative)
I've used one of those. They're slightly worse than a smartphone soft keyboard. I'd have to be really trying to travel light to even consider one of those.
Re:This is a terrible idea (Score:4, Insightful)
First, what do you want to use the computer for?
If it's just surfing and email, why not just get an iPad instead of some cobbled-together contraption?
And you'll even be able to keep using it ON the plane.
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Holy crap, I didn't know they had these already!
Someone needs to roll this together with a pen and a projector so you can have a bite-sized full-function computer everywhere you go.
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That particular keyboard has actually been around for more than 10 years... It's nothing new.
Re:This is a terrible idea (Score:5, Insightful)
Instead of a projector, i'd suggest a head mounted display.
these guys http://www.siliconmicrodisplay.com/st1080-features.html [siliconmicrodisplay.com] have finally answered my question of 3 years ago:
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/09/05/19/1734244/where-are-the-high-res-head-mounted-displays [slashdot.org]
and come up with a wearable display that is lightweight, uses 7 watts, and most importantly is apparently true 1600x1080p x 2 (ie stereo view) in a package that only looks slightly dorky instead of the full face brick / helmet thing that had been the only option before that for this kind of resolution.
with 10% transparency option, you can still see through it enough to see that virtual keyboard and your surroundings.
With adjustable inter pupil distance (IPD) you can set it up so it's right for your eye spacing, thus eliminating one of the major problems with earlier displays that made them hard to wear (ie. migrane inducing) for any length of time.
Apparent screen size is equivalent to 100 inch screen at 10 feet, with a 45 degree field of view.
It's still a bit pricey at $800, but definitely competitive with say, a big 3d tv and shutter glasses, and a lot easier on your neck to wear attached to your face.
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In short... I love it for films... sometimes games... sucks for work
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There is finally a true 1080p head mounted display option http://www.siliconmicrodisplay.com/st10801.html [siliconmicrodisplay.com] I'd consider instead of a projector.
It's got true 3d display, 1920x1080 stereo (ie. 3d) vision, which is supposedly equivalent to 100 inch display at 10 feet, with inter ocular distance adjustable, so it should be wearable for long periods. 10% transparency so you don walk into telegraph poles while using it on the move, and 7 watts powe usage so shouldn't need too much weight worth of batteries.
I'm no
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Re:This is a terrible idea (Score:5, Interesting)
Not to mention that, when traveling, you'd most often be in places where this is totally and completely impractical. You can't break this crap out at the airport (well, you technically could, but most airports I go through are pretty bright places and besides, what a pain in the ass compared to opening a freaking laptop), so you're effectively cutting yourself off from the net anytime you're not parked in a hotel room. Seems like more than I'd be willing to sacrifice even if it did free up some space.
My little ASUS netbook weighs like 3 pounds or something and is the size of a thin hardcover book. If that's considered a lot of space then I'd hate to see what you're wearing when you travel.
Re:This is a terrible idea (Score:4, Informative)
What about power? I have spent the last 15 years traveling with my work, working out of cafes, coffee shops, bars, planes, trains, and automobiles, beaches, and basements. I am incredibly conscious of size and weight because I cary my laptop everywhere, every day. If I'm outside my laptop is on my shoulder or back. 3 punds is the breakpoint. Less than 3 pounds and you can carry it everywhere all day and not notice you've got it. Above that it becomes a problem.
But really, by far the most valuable thing to have in a portable computer is a long-lasting built-in power supply.
There will never be an outlet when you need one. I guarantee it. And with a portable computer you must have an outlet to do anything at all. Even if you did cobble together a battery for a portable computer it wouldn't be nearly as efficient as a laptop because laptops are made to run efficiently. And you'll need to carry the cord. More mass. Before "ultraportables" and the Air I would carry Sony X-series and spring for the extra-life battery. It increased the weight 50% and volume by 25%, but gave me 8-9 hours of tether-free power (vs 2) which saved my job on more than one occasion. I don't get quite that with the Air at this point, but 5+ hours is easy. I usually leave the charger at home/office/hotel room, which saves more space in my bag.
Projectors also require a flat, light colored, vertical surface to project on. This is much less available than you might think.
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Re:This is a terrible idea (Score:5, Insightful)
This. I can hardly imagine how terrible it would be.
1) Projectors don't work in daylight so you won't be able to see your screen.
2) Projectors need a nice flat white surface... good luck finding one.
3) Keyboards and Mice are huge and unwieldy.
4) What do you use to power it? I've made home-made auxiliary batteries and they're messy ugly and a PITA.
Just buy a cheap ultrabook or netbook.
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I agree with 1,2,and 4. 3, on the other hand....
We have a setup here at the house, with a small eMachines ER1401, with a DLP projector, USB 2TB hard drive, wireless keyboard and mouse.
For screens, I've used everything from a plain white-ish wall, to white sheets, and real screen material in a custom frame. Needless to say, the real screen is much better than the other options. Being in a lit room works ok. If it's pitch black, it's so much better.
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Re:This is a terrible idea (Score:4, Interesting)
Yep, touchscreen phones and tablets are largely commuter toys, I needs me a keyboard to get any work done.
Re:This is a terrible idea (Score:5, Insightful)
It's an example of a person over-thinking the problem, considering the multiple solutions already available --
- Netbook or Air
- Tablet or iPad
- Smartphone
- Small and light laptop
Seriously, once you add in all the miscellaneous nonsense you'll need to deal with in getting such a homebrew solution to work, it just isn't worth it. Because, after all, isn't your time worth something? Great, take your hourly rate and times it by how much you're spending researching homebrew solutions and then actually getting something to work to your satisfaction.
Any business traveler who doesn't know how to pack light should instead invest in some time learning how to pack light. I carry a netbook and carry-on internationally and it's never been a problem, weight-wise or otherwise.
Re:This is a terrible idea (Score:4, Insightful)
take your hourly rate and times it by how much you're spending researching homebrew solutions and then actually getting something to work to your satisfaction.
Where do you people work where you can decide for yourselves that you'll just spend a couple more hours working and charge for it? Most people have a fixed salary, possible with overtime if it's needed, but that's it. Their hours outside of their fixed working time are probably worth a pittance.
Now, I fully understand that paying money to save time makes perfect sense, but that's because I value my leisure, not because it makes economical sense.
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No, the issue is that while this is possible to do, it's a terrible idea. If we do get projection touch control stuff, and we do get better projectors, then this may be workable. But today? No, it's not, and he's just asking for a difficult time to trying to manage it. He'd be lugging around 4 pieces of equipment minimum that he'd need to connect together, just to avoid a super lightweight and small laptop? Really?
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your hour is coming M$... ever thought about growing corn or raising cattle?
God I hope not.
Windows Genuine Advantage Corn products - We hook it up to your piehole and your cornhole to make sure it is real corn.. for your own good. Trust us.
Remember, Open Source Corn products are known to cause cancer!
Milk went up 2000% in price when it was announced that 1/3 of all cows mysteriously continue to BSOD after the latest service pack. MS is working on a fix and predicts it will come out soon.
30 MS software engineers were taking into custody today for a top secret research project on c
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If you post as AC, you really have nothing to complain about. Really, we don't know if you're the person who wrote the previous, or another AC trolling. If you want accountability for what you write, log in . It's not like it's expensive or anything. Well, unless you can't afford free.
Some people mod down anything by AC. That's the price you have to pay fo
Go further: do it on a phone? (Score:3, Interesting)
For once, a great Ask /. question.
For extra bonus points: any way we can do this off a currently available phone? For discussion purposes, I'll scale back the reqs to merely a browser and a text editor.
Re:Go further: do it on a phone? (Score:5, Insightful)
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The Beam launches next month, so technically no. But a useful post - first I'd heard of it.
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LaTeX won't work on ARM
Really? It was originally written for the PDP-11 and I've run TeX on SPARC, PowerPC, i386 and x86-64. I doubt there's anything sufficiently unportable to fail to run on ARM. You can install a Debian chroot on Android, and there are TeXLive packages for Debian/ARM, so I don't see what the problem is...
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The resolution is 640x360. Good for playing the original Wolfenstein... That is just about the only use I can think of. I suppose video would work, if you don't make the "screen" larger than 12" or so. Web browsing is not particularly realistic. You are better off just ignoring the projector and sticking with the 4" 800x480 screen on the phone.
This made me make a slashdot account (Score:4, Informative)
Re:This made me make a slashdot account (Score:5, Informative)
Plus, why a projector? They sell video glasses for any phone, at a couple of different transparencies. Seems like that would be more effective than a projector.
Re:This made me make a slashdot account (Score:5, Informative)
Sony Glasstron have been around for years. There are several other manufacturers making their own versions of them. I had the first version, which had a fixed visor. As I recall, newer versions of it had removable visors so you could see through them. There were also hacks for the original ones, where people removed the visor (or parts of it), so you could see through them.
The original wouldn't work with a phone, but I believe others did use Bluetooth.
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Of course. Most modern Android devices offer MHL (=> HDMI) out in 720p, and Bluetooth mouse and keyboard support.
You'll regret it (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:You'll regret it (Score:4, Informative)
And the most expensive option. And if it breaks, you won't be able to fix it. Definitely a good choice.
Re:You'll regret it (Score:5, Funny)
Re:You'll regret it (Score:5, Informative)
Re:You'll regret it (Score:4, Insightful)
That's a good comparison, because they have been made for similar uses, showcase equal performance and capabilities, cost about the same and are roughly the same size. If it's only durability you're concerned about, though, a huge brick of gold is a much better choice than either of them.
Here's a random thought: if you take the money you'd use to buy a MacBook ($1200) and deposit it on a savings account (0.8%), you'll be able to afford a new Pi every 2.6 months on interest alone, thus having pretty much infinitely replaceable Pis. It will be exactly one MacBook cheaper than buying a MacBook and if the Pis resist more than a few months, you can cluster them at will.
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Re:You'll regret it (Score:5, Insightful)
And the most expensive option. And if it breaks, you won't be able to fix it. Definitely a good choice.
Please tell me WHAT computer you can fix yourself WHILE TRAVELING?
Idiot.
Just get an Air, and forget about the "fixing it" part; because it is highly unlikely to break anyway; whereas a cobbled-up bit, involving multiple cables and whatnot, assembled out of the cheapest-possible stuff, is just as likely TO break.
And as I said, both are unlikely to be fixed by YOU on the road; but at least with the Air, there is the possibility of having an Apple Store in the area, where it CAN be fixed.
Seriously, AC, look at ALL of the requirements; not just the ones that would apply in your Mom's basement.
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Please tell me WHAT computer you can fix yourself WHILE TRAVELING?
I've done HDD replacements and RAM upgrades on the go before. On most laptops you only need a screwdriver, and they are not exactly hard to obtain. I have a bootable USB flash drive with disk imaging and some other vital software on it, about the size of a penny, that lives in my bag for just such emergencies. You can buy a USB->SATA converter and new HDD anywhere civilized.
For serious travelling get something a bit more robust like a Thinkpad or Toughbook/Let's Note. The latter come in very light models
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If I could mod this up, I would.
Thanks! And for the record, I think this is the FIRST AC post where I haven't been bashed for my username, LOL!
Repairable means more breakable. (Score:3)
The Air would have have had a keyboard connector come lose with a simple drop.
That's hardly a story to inspire one to something more repairable, which also means self-dissabemly is more possible also by the device when dropped.
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Statistically, 1 out of 1 people didn't have their Macbook Air break after 12 months. This means that the Macbook Air has a 0% fault rate.
Statistically, small sample sizes for statistics are misleading 100% of the time. This is based on a sample size of 1.
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Re:You'll regret it (Score:5, Insightful)
you won't be able to fix it
Just get a MacBook air
How can you make these two statements in a single post?
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A MacBook air with a unibodied aluminum case, LED backlight and all solid state storage should last a lifetime.
That is one of the most bizarre arguments I have ever seen someone promote. I can keep repairing my old Dell laptop for the rest of my life too (and I do not even have to go through Dell to replace things that break!), but I would hardly say that the laptop will "last a lifetime." I doubt that the keyboard, trackpad, or screen will last more than 10 years without problems (bad pixels, bad keys, etc.). LED lights do not last indefinitely either, and mechanical components like hinges are also destined to
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For traveling overseas, I use a crappy $299 netbook. It's about the size and weight of a hardback book and is not so expensive that I can't leave it in my hotel room when I'm out.
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It's about the size and weight of a hardback book and is not so expensive that I can't leave it in my hotel room when I'm out.
I can't remember the last time I was in a hotel room that didn't have an in-room safe large enough to accommodate a laptop.
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Last time I was in a hotel with an in room safe, I was pretty sure that every employee in the hotel had access to it.
Not that I would expect them to steal anything, but I'd go for cheap and ugly as opposed to a MacAnything if I were worried about theft.
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Last time I was in a hotel with an in room safe, I was pretty sure that every employee in the hotel had access to it.
What made you "pretty sure" of that? On every hotel safe I can remember seeing, you set the password yourself. Plus, if you came back to your locked room and your locked safe was empty, it would be a pretty sure bet who stole from it. I can't imagine a more clear-cut liability case.
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The safes at any hotel have a master password that allow a manager to open it up for you if you forget the code you set yourself. Sadly, in some hotels, this means that any one of the staff may have access to this password.
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You forgot the most common scenario.. If you lock it when you check out, it has to be unlocked and the code cleared for the next guest. So I'd bet that the cleaning crew has the code. The manager has better things to do than go running up to every room to reset the safe.
I've been finding it less and less common for hotels to have in-room safes, even the more expensive ones. The last time I saw one was in an Ibis hotel in Europe in 1999. I've stayed in hundreds of hotel
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Also, you might be surprised to learn the value of the jewelry that many travelers (usually older) like to wear around. If a thief was skilled enough to enter hotel rooms and break into the safes, I highly doubt that he'd be thinking "jackpot!" if all he found was a MacBook Air.
Just get a netbook (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Just get a netbook (Score:5, Insightful)
It sounds more like this would be a hobby solution.
You do realize this was posted to Slashdot on a Sunday afternoon, right?
Seconded (Score:2)
Unless you plan everything perfectly, at some point you're going to need a keyboard; and carrying a keyboard eliminates all the advantages of having a smaller PC. Use an ultraslim laptop or netbook.
Alternatively, make someone at the presentation site provide a PC or laptop, and carry all the data and an installer for the display prog on a USB key.
Raspberry Pi + projector + keyboard + mouse (Score:2)
Does not sound very compact or light. Just get a very light weight laptop like a Let's Note (Toughbook). Leave the battery at home if it makes that much difference.
Add a camera too (Score:3)
http://www.pranavmistry.com/projects/sixthsense/ [pranavmistry.com]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ-VjUKAsao#t=2m30s [youtube.com]
Note that you may have problems boarding the plane with such gear :).
Your problem SOLVED.... Eee PC (Score:5, Informative)
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PicoProjector+Pi+CubeLaser=Fun Hobby solution (Score:3, Interesting)
A 7" Tablet is a better solution (Score:5, Informative)
I used to lug a laptop on business trips but now I can get by with just my Blackberry and Playbook. The Playbook has HDMI out so I can use a big screen TV at the other end to show my presentations and videos using my blackberry as a remote. The Playbook fits in my inside jacket pocket so it is ideal for these kind of trips.
Tablet is probably best, but.... (Score:2)
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Yeah, but without a bunch of peripherals a tablet has nowhere near the utility of a netbook and an order of magnitude less storage and costs just as much if not more.
Your phone? (Score:3)
If this is truly important to you, why don't you see if you can get by using a phone? Get a phone that has HDMI out and then get a cable so you can plug it into the TV at your hotel, or maybe carry on of those small pico projectors (the projector idea sounds annoying.) Maybe get one of these keyboard projectors? http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/cellphone/e722/ [thinkgeek.com]
Tablet + Keyboard (Score:2)
I manage to do fairly well with a mid-level tablet (in my case a Toshiba Thrive) and a logitech bluetooth keyboard. Both fit in a pocket on my carry-on.
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Let's face it: despite claims here to the contrary, the ergonomics of most laptops leaves much to be desired. Even though my main machine is a laptop with a full-sized keyboard, I use a bluetooth keyboard so that I can put the screen at the proper distance.
Galaxy Nexus + Dock + BT Key/Mouse (Score:3, Informative)
I use Galaxy Nexus for such stuff. GN has pretty large screen for on the go, but when i get at home, GN dock + Bluetooth Keyboard + mouse + 24" monitor gives me decent working environment.
you can carry all (except monitor) anywhere where you go and then use dock with hotel room TV (if it has hdmi port).
I'm happy with my Galaxy Nexus :)
Alex
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Battery (Score:3)
don't the put the laptop in cheacked bags (Score:2)
don't the put the laptop in checkered bags easy way for it to get lost, broken, or stolen
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don't the put the laptop in checkered bags easy way for it to get lost, broken, or stolen
Yep, the lst plaid suitcase I had got stomped on by an irate baggage handler. Apparently, they prefer stripes.
smartphone -- droid 4 works great (Score:3)
at $550 usd it's not 'cheap' if you buy it without a contract... but with a contract but only $99 for new customers. it's got a qwerty physical keyboard 16 gb stock with a sdmicro supporting 32 gb add on (in the battery housing) and debian supports the hardware just fine. the screen is a bit small but it has a micro hdmi output that will mirror the screen for use with projectors. just a small list of feature, wifi connection to avoid wasting plan gbs, ability to connect to 5 wifi devices to act as a mobile hotspot. full support of google play apps as well as carrier apps, dual core 1.2ghz processor, 1 gb of ram, 8 megapixel camera on rear and 1.4 megapixel cam on front (for skype, etc)
depending on how many apps you have running the battery lasts all day, and will charge from usb ports. if it's supported in debian the micro hdmi out means ethernet over hdmi support..
netflix works great on it, though i output to a hdtv to netflix since the screen is not the top grade. it will record video clips in 1080p not sure how many minutes, as i haven't needed to test that yet. it plays back mp3s but i had troubles with mp3 identification when i tried to sync (only on the carriers os) it is a 4g lte phone but works fine on 3g and voice protocols.
Projectors cost more than a Netbook... (Score:2)
Its silly to mess with anything else -- a tablet will be terrible for softwa
Eee Keyboard (Score:2)
Don't underestimate the importance of having everything in a single package for portability - I've been really disappointed with the route that Apple has been g
not going to he happy... (Score:2)
Hmm (Score:2)
Why not use a smartphone? Get a Mini-HDMI to HDMI cable, as well as a bluetooth mouse and keyboard. Use the built-in wifi connector, and use a 'Remote Desktop' client to connect to a machine with more power.
Sure, it limits your options to hotels with LCD screens and WiFi Hotspots, but that shouldn't be too much of a burden.
SixthSense (Score:2)
Glasses? (Score:5, Interesting)
Forget the projector. Does anyone make glasses with a suitable HUD?
I Googled and found Vuzix [vuzix.com]. These appear to be designed mainly for video use, so the resolution might not be great. But if you are going to be projecting an image on any old surface, how much worse can these be?
Tablet (Score:2)
iPhone + BT keyboard + HDMI/DVI adapter (Score:3)
I've been using that combo more often for conferences and business meetings. If you want more screen, an iPad or galaxy tablet would work.
I like the iPhone approach since it limits me to a single device for everything (except coding). Keynote works great for presenting (I usually author in PowerPoint).
-Chris
Two options (Score:3)
If you want a device that meets your criteria and is actually really nice to use, get a Macbook Air. Fantastic display, great keyboard, great trackpad, awesome battery life, super light and very durable. Plus OS X is actually really nice if you prefer a unix-ish environment.
a Chromebook is ideal for your use case (Score:2)
I was on a very tight budget last summer, had been relegated to only using my Android phone for a computer for a few weeks, and finally picked up a first generation Samsung Series 5. (It came with 2 years of minimal 3G connectivity; if you factored that into the price it was cheaper than anything else I could find.) It's tiny, light, the battery lasts longer than anything I've had, and you have a real keybo
You must not travel a lot. (Score:2)
If you did travel 'a lot', you'd be an elite frequent flyer and get at least one bag checked free. I don't even travel that much compared to someone who claims to 'travel a lot', and I have free baggage privileges with two major airlines on an ongoing basis for the past 5 years.
Furthermore, I travel for a week or two at a time and I manage to carry not only my full size 15.4" Dell Latitude, but also a external USB screen. And I don't check luggage. Fairly small laptop bag + carry on sized luggage = All my c
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Cripes, my carry on bag holds a 18.5 laptop, ipad and DSLR. and if you fly more than once every 2 months, you get a free checked bag with most of the programs out there, I have not paid for a checked bag on delta for years. and I have never been charged for a carry on bag.
Use internet cafes differently (Score:2)
If you did all of the computing on a stationary machine that you trust (located in your home or in a data center), then you have reduced the task to solve to handling input and output. Would you trust a machine in an internet cafe to send what is on the screen from your own machine to the
Laser Keyboard? (Score:2)
For the keyboard aspect, you could use one of those little laser keyboards, a quick Google search turned up this http://celluon.com/products.php [celluon.com] . Not sure if they work or had any experience with them
Why? (Score:2)
I have yet to find an airline that weighs my carry on and chargers me based on it's weight. In addition to that, I have yet to find any tiny projector that has a resolution over 800X600. Any ultrabook made is lighter than any combo out there that would be useable.
most compact (Score:3)
The most compact and versatile travel combo I found is a 7" Android tablet with HDMI output and a folding Bluetooth keyboard.
I'm not sure a pico projector adds much to that: it's not that useful for presentations, and it doesn't really give you a better picture for working than the tablet.
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Thinking about the mouse, there are some mini-mice available. However, since most of a mouse is empty space, then how about a wireless mouse that is worn on the end of your index and middle fingers like a thimble (the click switches moved to be on the fingertips). Not sure if it's been done before.
For the keyboard, there keep being articles about foldable / rollable keyboards coming "Real Soon Now". Or go down the projected virtual one.
As someone else had commented, instead of a projector, projector glasses
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Re:Zenbook. (Score:4, Informative)
Get the Asus Zenbook ... Aluminum's the worst material to use in a laptop, anyway.
Um, what? Quoted from the Asus Zenbook website:
There are several advantages to the finely crafted aluminum used in ASUS ZENBOOK construction. In addition to its gorgeous appearance, aluminum offers a lighter Ultrabook that’s easier to carry, while retaining strength and durability. To accomplish a sleek and smooth metallic look, ASUS developed new mounting methods that reduce screw usage by 12%, taking inspiration from hand-crafted luxury wrist watches.
Re:Zenbook. (Score:4, Insightful)
Get the Asus Zenbook. Better specs than a Macbook Air, at the same price and with a bit better build quality, to boot. Otherwise, ThinkPad ultrabook. Aluminum's the worst material to use in a laptop, anyway.
Yeah, because the hard plastics that have been traditionally used are so much better. And you of course don't mention WHY Aluminum is the WORST (not just a bad, but the WORST) material to use in a laptop.
And I don't know what you call "better build quality". Unibody Apple laptops are pretty much universally accepted as having the best build quality in the industry.
And ASUS having better build quality that Apple?!? That's a laugh riot!
From what I can tell, it's a Macbook Air ripoff through and through [anandtech.com], but with a shitty TN panel (except for the one that costs as much, or MORE THAN an Air), and a dodgy trackpad, for not a whole lot less than an Air [computerworld.com], and in the case of the one with an IPS panel, MORE. And as far as build quality goes, ask anyone who has owned an Asus laptop. By the way, if not Aluminum, what exactly is the Zenbook made of? Asus seems to think it's made of... wait for it...
ALUMINUM Which they explicitly say was the best material out of the many that they tried [asus.com].
But unlike Apple, who MILLS the case out of a SOLID BLOCK of aluminum (a quite time-consuming and expensive process compared with stamping a body out of SHEET aluminum like Asus does), the Zenbook uses only enough aluminum to make it LOOK like a Macbook; but without the structural integrity of a one-piece chassis.
Idiot. Try not to LIE so badly next time.
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It get's 10+ hours of battery life? My macbook air can easily go over 10 hours of use.
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