Eee Site

Eee PC 900 vs. HP 2133: Who wins?

2008-04-09T14:33:00.000-04:00

Two low-cost ultraportables can enter, but only one can leave. It's official. I'm torn between the HP 2133 and the Eee PC 900. I know that I want an ultraportable that has a larger, higher resolution screen than my Eee PC 701 4G. But I don't know which one to go for. I doubt I'm alone, which is why I added a poll to the top of the site. Once you cast your vote, feel free to leave your comments here. I'd love to know what you think.

On the one hand, the Eee PC has a proven track record and the 900 series looks like a huge improvement over the 700 series. While the final specs and pricing haven't officially been announced, we do know that it'll pack an 8.9 inch, higher resolution display in the same tiny package. It'll also have more storage space, and possibly more RAM and a faster processor.

The HP 2133, on the other hand, includes far more storage (depending on which model you purchase), an even higher resolution 8.9 inch display (1280 x 768 pixels compared to the Eee PC 900's 1024 x 600 pixels), and a near-full sized keyboard. The HP 2133 also seems to have a more solid build quality and weighs a bit more (2.6 pounds, compared to 2 pounds for the Eee PC). The HP 2133 also has a VIA processor instead of an Intel chip. Considering the Eee PC 701 uses an Intel Celeron, which is sort of the Jan Brady of the Intel chipset family, this may be six of one, half dozen of another.

Which computer are you leaning toward, and why? Or are you waiting for more low cost ultraportables to hit the market before making up your mind?

Dell to enter sub-$500 ultraportable market?

2008-04-09T10:42:00.000-04:00

HP ain't the only company you've actually heard of getting in on the low-cost, ultraportable game. Dell CEO Michael Dell says the company also plans to launch a similar product. Engadget reports that it could cost less than $500, feature an 8.9 inch widescreen display, and could be available in June. That's a lot of "coulds," but there's no real solid information available at this point, so I'll take rumor and speculation for now.

HP 2133 Mini-Note preorder page goes live

2008-04-08T19:26:00.002-04:00

So much for Asus's hopes of releasing the Eee PC 900 before HP or Acer launched their new ultraportables. You can now order an HP 2133 from the HP web site. Prices range from $499 for a low-powered Linux model to $849 for the top of the line unit with Vista Home Basic and a 160GB hard drive (although, honestly the $749 model with a 120GB hard drive seems like a better deal, since it has more RAM, a faster hard drive, and Vista Business Edition).

What I want to know is why you can't choose your operating system for each configuration. The $499 model has a 1GHz processor, 4GB of solid state memory and 512MB of RAM, while the $599 model has a 1.2GHz processor, 120GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, and Vista Business Edition. I'd buy that model in a heartbeat if I could replace Vista with SUSE Linux.

The computers are expected to begin shipping on April 15th. Note that there do seem to be some problems with the web page right now. When I clicked "Add to Cart," I got a message telling me that a computer was in my cart. But when I proceeded to checkout, my cart was empty.

Update: It looks like HP has added a $549 version that's exactly the same as the $599 model, but comes with SUSE instead of Vista. I'm going to assume they got the idea from this blog until anyone proves me wrong. Thanks for making my decision between the Eee PC 900 and the HP 2133 that much harder HP. Thanks Chase!

[via jkOnTheRun]

Will Asus rush the Eee PC 900 to market, skip the Atom processor?

2008-04-08T09:43:00.000-04:00

Can't decide whether to pick up a new mini-laptop from Asus, Acer, or HP? All three computer makers are coming out with light weight ultraportables with 8.9 inch displays in the next few months.

But while HP started a major publicity push for the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC today, Digitimes reports that Asus hopes to beat HP, Acer, and others to the punch by releasing its next generation Eee PC 900 in Taiwan during the second half of April.

While there was some speculation that Asus would pack Intel's brand new power-saving Atom processor into the next generation Eee PC, the Atom chip won't be available until May. DigiTimes reports that Asus will instead use an older generation processor. Interestingly, the report says the Eee PC will use a dual-core ULV processor. The current generation Eee PC uses a rather poky Celeron processor.

And one more HP Mini review worth noting

2008-04-08T09:16:00.001-04:00

OK, I'm going to stop writing about the HP 2133/Mini-Note/Mini or whatever it's officially called soon. I promise. But in the meantime, check out James Kendrick's excellent review at jkOnTheRun. What sets this review apart from the PC World and Laptop Magazine reviews is that's it's clear James has spent some time using this mini laptop in real world conditions.

My one complaint with all of these articles is that HP seems to be giving all reviewers the top of the line $750 model with 2GB of RAM, Vista Business Edition, and all the extras. At $750, this computer is a great alternative to ultraportables of days gone by. But it's really not fair to compares it to an Eee PC which you can pick up for as little as $299. What I'd really like to know is how the $499 base unit with 1GB of RAM and SUSE Linux stacks up against the $399 Eee PC 4G, or better yet the upcoming Eee PC 900 which will feature a similar sized screen and may cost about the same price.

I highly recommend checking out James's complete writeup. But if you've got a half hour to spare, you can also watch his comprehensive video review below.

Laptop Mag weighs in on the HP 2133 Mini-Note with a video review

2008-04-08T00:16:00.000-04:00

PC World wasn't the only magazine sitting on a review unit of HP's new Mini-Note (the official name of the 2133) this week. Laptop Magazine has published a review and video overview of the new PC.

Here are a few takeaway points:

Excellent build quality
92% size keyboard, which is much larger than the keyboard you'll find on the Eee PC or Everex Cloudbook
Excellent 1280 x 768 8.9-inch screen
Wide variety of RAM, storage, CPU, and operating system options
For some reason the mouse buttons are on the side of the touchpad rather than below, making it hard to operate with one hand unless you prefer to tap on the screen itself.
It takes about 80 seconds to boot Vista Business Edition.

Overall, it seems like an excellent computer. But here's the thing -- it carries a higher price tag than the competition.

The cheapest version sells for $499 and packs SUSE Linux, 4GB of solid state memory, 512MB of RAM, a 1GHz VIA processor, and a 3 cell battery which will only provide about 2 hours of power. If you want a 6 cell battery, a 120GB hard drive, or any of the other advanced options, you're going to have to pony up some extra cash. And while $499 doesn't seem like a bad price, that slow processor, minimal RAM, and puny battery make the $399 Eee PC 4G look pretty good, even if it has a smaller keyboard and screen.

If you're looking for cheap, you might want to stick with the Eee PC. If you're looking for solid build quality, more configuration options, and a higher quality display and keyboard, the HP Mini-Note looks pretty appealing. I'd just like to see HP bring the price of the cheapest model down a bit. Or do away with the 3 cell battery and make the 6 cell standard for all units.

More details on the Acer ultraportable: Now there's two

2008-04-07T20:54:00.001-04:00

Digitimes is reporting that Acer has big plans for its Eee PC-killer. Make that killers. The company is now reportedly planning an 8.9 inch Aspire laptop and a 12.1 vinch Slim Gemstone Aspire. The company hops to ship more than 6 million of the low cost laptops in the second half of 2008, with the 8.9 inch version accounting for the bulk of sales. This all seems a little ambitious to me, but I'm not going to complain if Acer or any other company wants to flood the market with low cost computers.

[via Electronista]

PC World get their hands on an HP 2133

2008-04-07T20:44:00.000-04:00

Word on the street was that HP would be launching its Asus Eee-PC competitor today. But the HP 2133 is nowhere to be found on the HP website, or at Newegg, TigerDirect, or a handful of other online stores i checked. But if the HP 2133 isn't available today, it looks like it will be soon. PC World got a chance to check out a review unit, and they deem it to be a sort of Eee PC for grownups.

It's a little bigger than the Eee PC, and weighs a bit more (it's almost 3 pounds, while the Eee PC is just 2). But it packs an attractive 8.9 inch, 1280 x 768 pixel screen, which is something that even the upcoming Eee PC 900 won't boast (it'll have a 1024 x 600 pixel display on its 8.9 inch screen).

Like the Eee PC, the HP 2133 has 3 USB slots, WiFi, Ethernet, an SD card slot, a Webcam, and VGA output. But it also adds a PC Express card slot.

The HP 2133 will come in several configurations, ranging from a $499 model with a 1GHz CPU and Linux to a $749 version with a 1.6GHz processor and Vista Business Edition. PC World says you can also order a unit with Windows XP if you're not feeling Vista.

Part of the appeal of the Eee PC is its low price and extremely low weight. But the difference between 2 and 3 pounds isn't all that great, and I would love to get my hands on an ultraportable with a super-sharp screen like the HP 2133. I've already decided I'm going to pick up something with a better screen than my Eee PC 4G. I was pretty sure I was going to go with the Eee PC 900, but now HP's making my decision a little bit tougher.

What you get with the Windows XP Eee PC

2008-04-07T14:05:00.000-04:00

The folks at PC Perspective have put together a comprehensive look at the Windows XP version of the Eee PC, now available from Best Buy and other retailers. While the hardware is identical to the original Linux model, you do get a bit more than a change of operating system in the XP version.

First of all, Asus has included a full version of Microsoft Works, which is Microsoft's budget version of Office. Honestly, I'd recommend removing this application and replacing it with OpenOffice.org at your earliest convenience. OpenOffice.org takes up less space (Works eats about 400MB of precious disk space) and is more likely to be compatible with Office documents.

The XP version will also apparently be available at two separate price points. For $399 you can pick up a basic version with just Windows and nothing more. For $469 you also get a 4GB SDHC card, effectively doubling your amount of storage. It's not 100% clear from the PC Perspective post, but I think that extra $70 also gets you a cute little travel mouse. It's pictured in the first page of the article, and it certainly doesn't come with the original Linux version of the Eee PC. Plus I seem to remember Asus including a mouse when it started selling Windows XP versions of the Eee PC in Japan a while back.

[via Eee PC - Blog]

Jisus, would you look at this Eee PC competitor?

2008-04-07T13:05:00.001-04:00

I really tried to avoid making a groan-worthy pun in the headline to this post. But I just couldn't do it. Sorry. Anyway, it looks like the latest company-you've -never-heard-of to launch an Eee PC competitor is Van Der Led, which will apparently be releasing the Jisus, a low cost, Linux-based laptop on May 25th.

If the unknown company hasn't already scared you off, take note that the Jisus PC will sport a mysterious "1 GHz, 64-Bit Loongson 2F" processor. I can't decide if that's a typo, a poor translation, or some newfangled proprietary chip.

The rest of the specs look reasonable:

512MB DDR-667 RAM
4GB Nand flash solid state memory
802.11b/g WiFi, Ethernet
2 USB 2.0 ports
Microphone, headphone jacks, stereo speakers
4.5 hour battery life
Ubuntu Linux operating system

The Jisus will also sport an 8.9 inch LCD with a disappointing 800 x 480 pixel display resolution. The computer will set you back 299 Euros, or about $470. At that price, I can't really see anything that makes this laptop stand out from the competition. But it's always nice to have choices.

[via Engadget]

Windows XP Eee PC now available at Best Buy for $399

2008-04-06T20:25:00.000-04:00

As expected, Best Buy has put up a product page for an Eee PC running Windows XP. This is a 4GB model, with all the same basic specs as the first generation Eee PC we've come to know and love. The only difference is that it runs Windows XP. It has exactly the same price tag as the Linux version of the Eee PC 4G, which means that one of the following statements is probably true:

Asus has brought down production costs
Microsoft is has offered Asus a really good deal on XP licenses
Some combination of the above
Asus is selling so many of these tiny computers that it's willing to lower its profit margins a bit

Just to recap, here's what you get for $399:

900MHz Celeron Processor
512MB DDR2 RAM
4GB solid state memory
7" 800 x 480 pixel display
Integrated graphics
802.11b/g, Ethernet
3 USB 2.0 ports
2 lb weight
Windows XP Home Edition

According to the Best Buy product page, the unit is available in most stores and orders placed online should ship within 1 day.

How to upgrade RAM if you don't have a RAM access panel

2008-04-06T16:10:00.000-04:00

For some reason Asus has decided to release some Asus Eee PC laptops with a RAM access panel on the back of the unit, while others lack that easy access panel. Otherwise, there are few differences between the machines.

As I demonstrated a few months ago, upgrading your RAM is an incredibly easy process if you have an access panel on the back. You just unscrew two screws holding the panel in place, pop out your old RAM and pop in a new stick. That's it. The whole thing takes less than 60 seconds.

But if you don't have a RAM access panel, the process can be a bit more complicated. Not impossible, just more complicated. Fortunately, I recently came across this video on YouTube which does a great job of laying out step by step instructions.

If you're not comfortable taking your computer apart, then you'd better get comfortable with 512MB of RAM. Keep in mind that disassembling your computer case and poking around on the insides is likely to void your warranty. But if you follow the instructions in the video closely, you should be able to upgrade your RAM.

Note that these instructions apparently do not work if you have an Eee PC 2G. They are only for the 4G models.

Site construction

2008-04-05T19:05:00.000-04:00

I'm going to be working on the site design a bit this evening, so the site may look funny or be down periodically. I promise things should be back to normal soon. Well, better than normal.

Stay tuned...

12:37am Update: Well, the new theme is in place. I didn't get everything finished that I'd hoped to tonight. But I'm taking a much needed sleep break. Sorry about the down time, but I hope you like the new look.

3rd party extended batteries available on eBay

2008-04-04T13:31:00.001-04:00

Want to get a bit more battery life out of your Eee PC? The current generation of batteries come in 4400 and 5200 mAh varieties, which tend to die after 2-3 hours of use. Asus plans to sell a 6-cell, 7800 mAh extended battery soon, which should give you a bit more power. But if you don't feel like waiting for Asus to begin selling extended batteries, you can pick a 3rd party battery on eBay today. Best of all, there are already 3rd party batteries with capacities up to 10400 mAh, which is reportedly enough juice to power an Eee PC for nearly 5 hours.

Read the rest of this article at Liliputing.

Intel announces Classmate 2 (ie Netbook, ie 2go PC)

2008-04-03T07:18:00.000-04:00

It's official. The reason that Intel Netbook we've been seeing for the last few weeks looks so much like the Intel Classmate PC is because it's basically the second generation Classmate PC. Laptop Magazine got all the gritty details, and spent some quality time with the Classmate 2, which is aimed at educational markets.

As expected, Intel won't be bringing the computers to market itself, but will be working with third party manufacturers. The first model out will be the 2go PC from CTL. While the 2go, like the original Classmate is really intended for educational use (and has a child-sized keyboard that reportedly makes the Eee PC's cramped keyboard look huge), CTL plans to sell the 2go through Amazon.com. The computer should begin shipping in mid-May.

So what's under the hood?

900 MHz Celeron M processor
512MB RAM, upgradeable to 1GB
The test unit Laptop Mag reviewed had a 30GB, 3600rpm hard drive, but the final version will reportedly have a 40GB, 4200rpm hard drive
2 USB ports
9-inch 800 x 480 pixel display
Intel 915GMS integrated graphics
Choice of Windows or Linux operating system
$400 or $500 price tag, depending on your choice of OS
Ruggedized case with a briefcase-style handle
Weighs 3 pounds

Best of all, while Laptop Magazine reports that the 2go/Classmate isn't going to win any speed demon awards, it gets a good 4 hours of battery life under real world conditions. My Eee PC, for comparison's sake, tends to conk out after about 2.5 hours.

Third party power adapter for the Eee PC, less than $20

2008-04-02T17:12:00.000-04:00

Need a spare power adapter for your Eee PC, but don't feel like dropping $40 on one? Mark at Mindful Musings has found a 3rd party power adapter that has the same unusual voltage/power draw specs as the Eee PC adapter.

You can pick up the adapter from All Electronics for less than $10, but shipping costs will drive the final price up closer to $17.

The adapter isn't quite as compact as the one that comes with the Eee PC, but if you need a spare and not a replacement, it might do the trick. Mark reports it does a decent job of charging his computer even though its specs aren't quite identical to the Eee PC charger's.

[via Asus Eee PC Hacks]

EeeControl: Adjust your Eee CPU and fan speed in Linux

2008-04-02T16:52:00.000-04:00

A while back I looked at EeeCtl, a utility that lets you adjust the fan, backlight, and CPU settings for an Eee PC running windows XP. But if you've been looking for a user friendly way to do the same thing using the stock Xandros Linux operating system that comes with the Eee PC, you might want to check out EeeControl.

Basically, EeeControl is a graphical user interface for the experimental eee.ko module. It displays your computer's current clock speed, CPU temperature, and other details. You can also switch between automatic and manual control, and adjust your Eee PC to give it a bit of a speed boost when you need it. You can also quiet the noisy fan by adjusting the fan speed, although note that if you overclock your computer and reduce your fan speed, you might want to think twice before placing your blazing hot computer on your lap.

[via Eee PC News.de]

Everex announces Cloudbook Max

2008-04-01T17:11:00.000-04:00

Everex is showing off its next generation Cloudbook at CTIA. On paper, this thing looks sweet. It has a higher resolution screen, a faster processor, and it doesn't have that big ole gap between the keyboard and screen that the original Cloudbook has. And heck, it even has a real touchpad.

Here are the specs:

1.6GHz VIA processor
80GB HDD
2GB RAM
8.9 inch 1024 x 600 pixel screen
Windows Vista
802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, and an integrated GPS receiver
2 megapixel webcam
4 hour battery
S-Video output
WiMAX support

Something tells me this puppy's going to sell for a few bucks more than the original $399 Cloudbook when it's released next year.

[via Engadget]

Eee PC 900 updates: Don't bet on a touchscreen, pre-order from AllAsus

2008-03-31T09:31:00.000-04:00

It's always a good idea to take any news about a prereleased computer's specs or prices with a grain of salt unless they're listed on the the company website, and sometimes even then. Saltshaker firmly in hand, I reported a few days ago on a rumor that the Eee PC 900 would be getting a touchscreen, and possibly integrated GPS. Now Heise Online reports that Asus Germany is pretty much debunking that claim.

Honestly, I'm betting that Asus will offer a touchscreen option in the future, a GPS option, and any other options they can to squeeze a few extra bucks out of consumers. But even if the touchscreen would add just $10 to the price of a unit as is suggested by some of the rumors (although it's not clear if that's how much money it would cost manufacturers or customers), the whole point of the Eee PC is that it's a low-cost machine. Why add items that many users won't want if it drives up the price at all?

In other news, online retailer AllAsus.com is accepting preorders for the Eee PC 900. The site is charging $569.99 for the 12GB Linux version, and $549.99 for the 8GB Windows XP version. AllAsus says both unit should be available in May.

Normally I'd say this will give us a pretty good idea of what the computers will sell for when they're actually released. But AllAsus doesn't even have images of the new models on its site. Instead they seem to have posted lightly Photoshopped images of the Eee PC 700 series. So I'm not sure they've got an official hookup.

[via Eee PC.net and Blogeee]

Everex release Cloudbook restore DVD image

2008-03-30T18:06:00.000-04:00

Everex has finally released a disc image with everything you need to restore a Cloudbook laptop to factory condition. While Asus has been shipping a restore disc with the Eee PC since day one, the Everex Cloudbook has not come with a similar disc.

These days it's not uncommon to buy a laptop without a restore disc, but I think it's especially important to include one when you're selling a Linux laptop targeted at mainstream consumers and not Linux ubergeeks. The simple truth is that while Linux is often touted as a more stable operating system than Windows, any time you find yourself using an OS you're not familiar with, there's a good chance you're going to mess something up without knowing how to fix it. A system restore disc is a nice option to have. And from a customer service standpoint, it's probably a lot easier to include a system restore disc than to have customers constantly shipping their "broken" computers back to you.

Anyway, right now you need to download a 1GB disc image from the Everex support site and burn it to DVD yourself. Hopefully in the future we'll see Everex include a disc in every Cloudbook box.

[via Cloudbooker]

Eee PC 4G with Windows XP to sell for $399 in April

2008-03-30T08:29:00.000-04:00

Asus plans to start selling Eee PC models preloaded with Windows XP in the US in April. According to Laptop Magazine, you'll be able to pick up an Asus 4G with XP at Best Buy for $399 on April 9th. That's the same price Asus is currently charging for the 4G model with Xandros Linux, which means that one of the following is true:

Asus has managed to bring down production costs.
The company is selling so many units that they can cut their profit margin and still make money
Microsoft has decided to offer up Windows XP for the same price Asus is paying for Linux, ie: free.

I'll let you decide what's actually going on, but I'll give you a hint. It's certainly not option 3.

Anyway, Laptop Mag went and did a mini-review of Windows XP on the 4G, but to be honest, there's not much new to report here. Asus has included Windows XP drivers since day one, and folks have been loading Windows XP onto their Eee PCs for just as long. The one difference is that the geekiest folks who load Windows on their own use programs like nLite to shrink XP and remove unnecessary components and services so that the operating system will take up less space. On the unit that Laptop Magazine tested, Windows took up a good 1.8GB out of the box, and after installing just a few applications, the testers were almost out of storage space.

There is one other nugget of information worth mentioning. Apparently Microsoft is bundling its Works suite with the Eee PC. So you can probably gain a few more MB of storage by uninstalling that and replacing it with free Office-compatible programs like AbiWord and Gnumeric. Or if you're not particularly concerned about storage, you could install the bulkier, but fuller-featured OpenOffice.org.

Eee Desktop photos leaked

2008-03-29T08:33:00.000-04:00

HotHardware is running two pictures of what the site claims will be the upcoming Eee Desktop from Asus. There's not really much info, other than the fact that the PC appears to be small, and looks a bit like a Nintendo Wii.

These are leaked image, not official product photos or even designs, so HotHardware's not saying where it came by the images. And therefore I recommend you take them with a grain of salt. Especially since Asus was showing off a much chunkier desktop model at CeBIT a few weeks ago.

Eee PC 900 gets a power brick-style AC adapter

2008-03-28T20:21:00.000-04:00

Bluetooth and a multi-touch trackpad aren't the only surprises we found in the FCC documents related to the upcoming Eee PC 900. The next generation Eee PC will also have a much larger power adapter.

While the current Eee PC power adapter looks more like a cellphone charger than a computer power brick, the Eee PC 900 will ship with an adapter that should look pretty familiar to anyone who's purchased a laptop computer in the last few years. It comes in two parts, a power adapter and a battery power system. Basically, one part converts AC power from a wall socket to DC power, and the other part sends that power to your computer.

The benefit of the new adapter is that it will likely lead to faster charging times. Right now, it takes a ridiculously long time to fully charge an Eee PC, especially if you're using the computer while it's charging. The downside is that the new adapter will be quite a bit bulkier than the current model, making the Eee PC 900 slightly less portable than the Eee PC 701/702, even though the computer itself should be pretty much the same size and weight.

More on the Eee PC 900's multi-touch trackpad

2008-03-28T20:14:00.000-04:00

I was running out the door the other day when news broke that there was a ton of information about the upcoming Eee PC 900 on the FCC web site. So I took a quick look, saw that Asus snuck in a little Bluetooth and a multitouch trackpad, and that was about it. But now I want to take a closer look at the touchpad.

First off, this touchpad is significantly larger than the one you'll find on the Eee PC 700 series. At first we figured the larger trackpad was due to customer complaints that the first generation Eee PC's pad was just to friggin small. But now it looks like the new pad is designed to give you enough room to wiggle two fingers around.

There are two sets of gestures that you'll be able to perform with two fingers:

Move your fingers apart to zoom in on an image or document, and back together to zoom in.
Move both fingers up or down together to make an entire window scroll, and not just the cursor.

The first action will only work in supported applications. Right now that means OpenOffice.org Writer, Impress, Adobe Reader, and the PhotoManager utility. But I suspect we'll see support for more software down the road. It's not clear if there's multitouch support for both the Windows and Linux versions of these programs.

AsTray Plus 1.3 beta 3 released

2008-03-28T11:06:00.000-04:00

Bassam has released an update to AsTray Plus, an awesome Windows utility for the Eee PC that lets you change your virtual display resolution, turn off your monitor, and perform some other pretty nifty features.

In case you're not clear what I mean by virtual display resolution, in a nutshell the current generation of Eee PC laptops has a display resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. It's sharp, clear, and easy to read. But many web pages and applications are wider than 800 pixels and it's hard to fit them on the screen. So Bassam and some other Eee hackers have found a way to tweak the display drivers into acting as if your Eee PC had a higher resolution. Using AsTray Plus, you can effectively squeeze 1024 x 768, 1000 x 600, 900 x 540, or 800 x 600 pixels onto your 800 x 480 display. Now, since the screen actually can't handle that many pixels, what the software does is change tweak the display fonts and other settings, so it'll be harder to actually read text on your screen. I wouldn't recommend using 1000 x 600 mode all the time. But every once in a while it can be a lifesaver.

Version 1.3 beta 3 of AsTray Plus includes the following updates:

Turn off your monitor from the tray menu
Show/Hide cursor by hitting Win+C
QuickSwitch: define your favorite resolution modes
AppWatching feature will change your resolution when you launch certain applications
New user interface
Bug fixes

AsTray Plus 1.3 beta 3 will be the final beta version, and AsTray Plus 1.3 final will be release soonish.

[via Eee PC News.de]