Experiences with Asus UL30

[fde]

Package was not available in the repository for amd64. I can't figure out where the package originates from.

It's from the array.org repository.

[TomtheWombat]

The kernel config in my /boot directory says that elantech is enabled in psmouse module.

When I do a `dmesg | grep elantech' as suggested on the patch developers page, I do not get any results. Therefore it appears that the elantech is not being detected by psmouse. I tried to insmod psmouse with the option elantech=1, but that fails.

[TomtheWombat]

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...ux/+bug/418282

According to the reports in this bug, it appears that the touchpad in our computers does not match type 1 or type 2. Hopefully the patch developer will answer someone, and he can fix it without having the actual hardware.

EDIT: elantech.c only checks the firmware version. Our touchpads may just have a new firmware. I am recompiling the kernel now with the firmware check disabled to see for myself.

[TomtheWombat]

It appears that some work has started to debug the elantech trackpads.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ch#post8300337

[ketilkn]

I got a UL30A qx165v yesterday. Everything that matters seems to work. Booting, suspend, VGA/HDMI out, sound, mic, vmx.

I find the touchpad less annoying than this thread first had me anticipate. The button to turn it off does not work.

linux-backports-modules-karmic-generic fixed the wireless issue for me as well. Though there seem to be the occational packet loss as evident when using secure shell.

I have now removed all stickers (lots) anvd intend to keep the laptop. The machine is great. After the "Asus recommends Windows" website and Asus dropping Linux on netbooks in Scandinavia I was sure I would never buy their products again. Glad I put my issues aside. My Macbook Pro is dead to me now

[Magnesium]

My Macbook Pro is dead to me now

So would you want to sell it then? I've been thinking about buying a MBP. Didn't know how serious you were about that...

Mg

[Enigmatic]

How are you guys finding the screen? My laptop is 3.5 years old and I'd like to upgrade, but I have been spoiled by the IPS screen. I'm pretty sure no other laptop will be able to match it.

[ketilkn]

So would you want to sell it then? I've been thinking about buying a MBP. Didn't know how serious you were about that...

I would but it is more accurately owner by my employer. But thank you for the offer.

As for the screen it is OK. I think it is less bright than other laptops I have owned but no big deal. Might not work as good in the sun outdoors but I rarly do that.

[TomtheWombat]

How are you guys finding the screen? My laptop is 3.5 years old and I'd like to upgrade, but I have been spoiled by the IPS screen. I'm pretty sure no other laptop will be able to match it.

It depends on what you are doing. At work I tend to sit my laptop to my left at an angle. I much prefer my old IPS laptop in this condition, but I don't do this very often so I can let it go. It is also much more difficult to show people pictures, etc. Again, I can make due.

I really wish that Asus included an IPS. It would have been worth the price premium, and lets face the facts. This laptop is nowhere near a bargain in the 11-13" CULV category anyway.

[TomtheWombat]

EDIT: I want to also mention that the touchpad issue has started to annoy me over time. Good posture kept my wrists off the touchpad at first.

My only gripe about linux on this laptop is the power management support. There is no possible way that you could squeeze the same life out of the battery in Linux as in Windows.

These things work:

- CPU frequency scaling. You can clock the processor at 800mhz to save on a lot of power.
- HDD spin down. Although it is so active that it will never actually spin down.

These things don't work:

1. Adjusting brightness of the screen. Gnome-Power-Manger dims the LCD after a few seconds, but it returns it to the default setting afterwards instead of your previous settings. This only works if the default settings are good for your lighting conditions.
2. Disabling wireless doesn't turn off the wireless light in the front. I'm not 100% sure that the radio has been disabled in order to save power.
3. Freq scaling of the intel GPU. I can't find a way to do this. In Windows it will underclock the GPU and turn off aero to save power.
4. Hibernate is uselessly slow unless you're turning off your computer for a long amount of time, but sleep works just fine.

#1 and #4 are general problems with Linux. #3 is also pretty general. I'm not sure how specific to the ul30a #2 is. My previous laptops didn't have this problem, but their hardware was dramatically different.