Asus singlehandedly created the budget mini-laptop market. And now, sadly, it would seem that they've priced themselves out of it. Laptop Mag finally got Asus to announce a prices of their new 8.9" Asus Eee (901) and their 10.2" Asus Eee (1000). And confirming long-standing rumors, the $399 pricepoint is a distant dream.

Eee PC 901 (both Linux and Windows versions): $599
Eee PC 1000 (both Linux and Windows versions): $699
Eee PC 1000H (Windows version only): $649

Yes, the screen is bigger, but that hasn't stopped MSI from pricing their Wind for $100 to $200 cheaper—depending on your OS—or Dell's 8.9" "E" that starts at just $299. It looks like Asus is taking their strong Eee branding out for a test drive. The problem is that the original Eee was a smart, frugal machine. It's not meant to be a premium brand.

To be fair, the 1000 price is not completely solidified. But it's hard to believe that it will be cheaper than its $600 9" little brother. [laptopmag]

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