Question to Asus EEE laptop users

Hi all, a friend has asked me to recommend a laptop to him (all the usual requirements, Email, Office, portable, cheap) and i thought about the EEE obviously, but then he mentioned DVD video playback.
Now, you might be thinking about DVD -> AVI conversion etc, but really he's not tech literate and wants ease of use when on holiday (just sling the disc in and play).

Would something like this external DVD (USB powered) disc drive be a good idea to match with the EEE?
I dont know how big it is, but i cant easily find an external, USB powered, slim and light DVD ROM (dont really need the writer).
Or should i just recommend another laptop?

Or tell him to get the Eee for stuff that you'd normally use a laptop for, and a portable DVD player?

I'd say batter life might be an issue - it'd work ok but drawing power off the eee will not make things better - if he's ok plugging it in to the mains then not an issue. There are lots of programs that make video conversion REALLY easy though so I wouldn't discount that.
It's a very good media player - the screen is very good (and widescreen) and the sound is suprisingly loud/decent quality (and the speakers face you).

I took mine on a business trip recently and the coolest thing about it was being able to pop it in my hotel room's safe whilst out :)

The EEE is pretty kool but I think I'd tempted to get something like this XPS M1210

ok it's a refurb but it's a lot of laptop for the money (price is ex vat)

Thanks chaps & chapesses, all very useful stuff.
I personally think that this guy still likes to take a pile of discs and sling one in and won't adapt easily to a 'video file' concept.
I like that XPS though, very kewl.

A cheap Dell from Dell Special Offers, Cheapest Deals, E-Value Codes and Discount Coupons | dmXdimension might suit him better than the Asus. That XPS M1210 seems a good bargain though.

might be having a spare m1330 up for grabs in the next few days :)

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Originally Posted by Hasnath

might be having a spare m1330 up for grabs in the next few days :)

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well there's already two in the house and a fully specced m1210 but... how much? :D

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Originally Posted by staffsMike

well there's already two in the house and a fully specced m1210 but... how much? :D

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£600 delivered?

What's the spec?

c2d t7100 1.8ghz
2gb ram
120gb 5400rpm HDD
CCFL screen
8400gs 128mb
6 cell battery
bluetooth and wireless N cards
3 year warranty

I'll have to think about that one. It's to replace my dying sony which has decided to behave itself so I've been looking at the m1210's I posted before but could be swayed by another 1330, shame it doesn't have the LED screen though U have really grown attached to that.

No problem, I was gonna put it up in the for sale section later.

Got myself a new penryn macbook, but I hate to see the dell go tbh.