Gizmodo: eee 900

MSI Wind With 6-Cell Battery Now Available

Jack Loftus — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EDT

MSI is jumping the gun with its 6-cell version of the Wind laptop. Originally slated for a September release, the MSI Wind is currently available at Mwave.com. Those battery shortages that threatened to keep the model off shelves until September never materialized. The $570 asking price is $70 more than what MSI had originally promised, but my Gizmodo brethren tell me that even with the hike, the pricing is pretty much in line with others in this space (although it is a bit more than what you can find the comparable Eee PC 1000H going for today). [Lilliputing]

Eee PC's to Get "Whole Day" Batteries, Says Rumor

Kit Eaton — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:40:00 EDT

Not content with muddying-up the waters of the Eee brand, Asustek is apparently keen to "push out software and hardware upgrades every month to fill gaps in the netbook market." Though that sounds like a bad idea, at least one benefit may come of it: according to Digitimes, one of the upcoming products will be a "whole day" battery for the Eee UMPCs. Digitimes also talks about an "internet storage" solution, and cooperation with European telecoms vendors. Interesting stuff, though since it seems slightly unsubstantiated, we'll wait 'til we hear something concrete to believe it. [Digitimes]

ASUS Continues Flood of Eee-Branded Gear With External HD, Optical Drive and 3G Card

John Mahoney — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:40:00 EDT

Still not content with keeping the Eee name only on their successful (but ballooning) line of netbooks, this unofficial but legit-looking crew of peripherals joins the Eee Box, Eee TV, Eee Monitor and Eee Enema (spot the outlier!) in further desecrating the brand. Included is an external hard disk with a fold-out USB connector, an optical drive and a 3G data connection card—which put together make up for most netbooks' feature shortcomings. No release details but we'll keep an Eee Eye out, if we can make sense of the whole mess. [Eee PC News via Laptop]

New York Times: Analysts Aren't So Big On The Netbook Movement

Adrian Covert — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:13:00 EDT

Today's New York Times has a trend piece on ULPCs/Netbooks/Nettops/Subnotebooks/Mini PCs/*Insert Buzzword Here* and analysts who fear their low prices will spell doom and gloom for the PC industry. They cite the already low profit margins for PC sales as an example of what could drive computer companies into the red. Naturally success stories like the Asus Eee, and the next wave of products like the CherryPal were name dropped as potential threats, but it hardly seems time to worry.

The only concrete example in the article to warrant this concern is the aforementioned lack of profit margins, and there are still plenty of people who need more from their computers other than web browsing and micro-sized keyboards. But hey, if analysts are worried, should the rest of the world be? [NYT]

Eee PC 1000H Price Drops, Now $549

Elaine Chow — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:05:00 EDT

Looks like Asus listened to us when we complained about the price of their biggest and best Eee PC yet, the Eee PC 1000H. It's been on sale for less than a week, but Newegg's already dropped the price by $100. In case that was the only thing preventing you from taking a bite out of Eee, go pick it up now for $549. [Mobile Stylus]

Japan Has Subnotebooks For $1 With Data Plans

Matt Hickey — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:40:09 EDT

I've thought for awhile that the key to selling the super cheap yet very underpowered sub-notebooks that are exploding all over the place would be carrier subsidization, and now a carrier in Japan is taking the the idea and running with it, selling the Eee PC 701 for less than $1 American with a data plan contract, much like how we get cell phones. These devices often feature 4G—in this case with an external wireless modem—networking, which means you get an always-on Internet connection for your tiny laptop for less than $65 a month. American carriers, are you paying attention? [JK On The Run, via Liliputing]

MSI Wind Preorders Finally Shipping

Mark Wilson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Hooray! If you preordered an MSI Wind and suffered through a few delays, know that the mini-notebooks are shipping now. Remember they're only coming with a 3-cell battery, and apparently the $499 6-cell and $399 Linux versions aren't hitting until September. The $479 Wind should be available at popular retailers somewhere between now and soon.

MSI BEGINS SHIPPING THE WIND

The Wind is available in Fry’s and online New Egg, Amazon, Fry’s, ZipZoomfly, MWave.com and Buy.com

CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA – July 8, 2008 – MSI Computer, a leading manufacturer of computer hardware products and solutions, has begun shipping all the pre-ordered Wind U100 notebooks. The Wind, with its speedy new Intel Atom™ 1.6GHz processor, is also on sale at Fry's and online at www.newegg.com, www.amazon.com, www.frys.com, www.zipzoomfly.com, www.mwave.com, and www.buy.com. These first notebooks sold will feature Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and a 3-cell battery.

In September, MSI will begin selling a Windows version of the Wind with a 6-cell battery , as well as the Linux version with a 3-cell battery. MSI will also carry a 6-cell battery for customers who wish to upgrade their 3-cell battery in late September.

Asus Offering $100 Rebate on Eee 900

Mark Wilson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:20:00 EDT

Asus just released their Eee 901 for sale in the US and all is well with the world...except for one thing. They built a bunch of Eee 900s that they have to get rid of. Remember the Eee 900? That was the original 8.9-inch Eee that used a Celeron processor instead of a shiny new Atom. Anyway, if you purchase a 900 between now and July 31st, Asus will give you $100 back. That brings the price to $450, or $150 less than a 901. So what's that Atom worth to you again? [ZaReason and Direct PDF Rebate Link via Lilliputing]

Asus Eee PC 901 Shipping Now

Mark Wilson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:23:00 EDT

The Asus Eee PC 901—the new 8.9-inch Eee—is shipping now from Newegg (Amazon still has it on pre-order only). Configured with Atom processor, 1GB of RAM and 12GB of SSD storage, the little laptop can be yours for just $599.99. And in a strange cosmic occurrence, today is the day I expect to finally get my MSI Wind test unit.

So is anyone picking up the 901? [Newegg via I4U]

EeePC 900 Gets a Touchscreen Mod That's So Good We Want It Standard

Jason Chen — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:59:59 EDT

If we didn't know that this was done by a user, we'd swear that this touchscreen Eee PC was made by Asus themselves. The video shows a super sensitive and responsive screen, flicking quickly up and down on a web page with either the finger or stylus. On a laptop of 10-inches or smaller—what we like to call "tardtops"—a touchscreen fits just perfectly. Why get a Kindle when you have a light, touchscreen laptop that can be carried with you and supports lots of colors? Nice work jkkmobile. [JKKMobile]

Everex Going Bigger With Tiny Cloudbooks and Adding Next-Gen Wireless Joy

Matt Hickey — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:00:00 EDT

The mini-notebook market is heating up, with today bringing stats and shots of the Asus's latest Eee PC with its tiny screen and keys that might work with normal hands. Then later, we get news of a leak about Everex, Asus's competitor in this market, about its next Cloudbooks, including one with a 10.2-inch screen and 3G connectivity, and another with an 8.9-inch screen and WiMax.

No definite word on if they'll be using Intel's Atom processors or competitors from Via, or if they'll be XP or Linux machines, but the makers of the reference design, FIC, would confirm a screen resolution on the 10.2-inch model at 1024x600. It will also feature a 1.3-Megapixel camera, 2GB RAM, card reader, dual USB 2.0 and an express card slot.

Less details are known of the 8.9-inch model, though the specs should be similar, including resolution. The devices might be subsidized by 3G carriers like AT&T or Sprint—if they ever hit the US shores, which there's no promise of.

We liked the Cloudbooks we've seen so far, and we can't wait to see if a slightly larger model will actually be usable for those of us with big, bear-like hands. [PC Advisor, via Slashgear]

First Quality Pictures of the Asus Eee All-In-One Monitor

Sean Fallon — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:38:00 EDT

We got a blurry look at the upcoming all-in-one version of the Asus Eee PC Monitor back in early June, but these new images over at Laptop Mag provide our first real glimpse at what users can expect. Outside of what we already know, the images reveal that the Monitor will feature 4 USB ports, an Ethernet port, modem, audio ports for a mic and 2 audio outs. There will also be white and black versions. No further information has been released, so we still expect it to be released in 19 and 21-inch versions with a TV tuner for around $500. Check the full gallery at the source. [Laptop Mag]

Leaked Shots of Asus Eee 904 & 905 Laptops Show Half-Baked Idea

Benny Goldman — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:23:17 EDT

Shots of the rumored Asus Eee 904 and 905 leaked, and they look like we expected—big keyboard and a small screen with way too much plastic around it. (If the screen gets too large, they aren't allowed to use Windows XP.) There's also a 903 model in the shots, but it just looks like a slightly updated 900. I get what they're onto here: The small size of the EeePC is nice, but the keyboard on the 900 is still too tiny for my fat fingers. But honestly, how long before Asus just makes full-sized laptops? Oh that's right, they already do. UPDATE: Asus confirms the 904 HD, with HDD instead of SSD, but not the 903 or 905...yet. [903, 904 & 905 via i4u]

New Eee PCs from Asus Will Have Small Screens, Big Keyboards

Benny Goldman — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:04:44 EDT

Asus is working on a couple of new Eee PCs, the 904 and 905, say sources of DigiTimes. The models take the 8.9" screen from the 900 and 901 and mash it up with the bigger keyboard on the Eee 1000, which doesn't seem like a very good idea to us because the mini-notebook appeal is precisely its compact size. The new models may replace the current 900 series line entirely, but that, along with potentially increased battery life and storage capacity, is still up in the air. The price, however, are expected to remain the same. [DigiTimes]

Asus Eee PC 901 and 1000 Dates Soft-Announced

Mark Wilson — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EDT

This isn't first-hand word from Asus, but Liliputing is reporting that a member of their readership got an extremely confident US release date from the Asus pre-sales department for both the Atom-based Eee PC 901 and 1000. And that date was July 8th—one day later than MSI's Wind. We'll let you know if we hear anything official from Asus on the matter. [liliputing]

MSI Wind Delayed Again, Now to July 7

Mark Wilson — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Reports have been floating around from various forums and tipsters that the MSI Wind was delayed yet again. MSI has confirmed the delays with a representative explaining that the problem is still industry battery shortages.

MSI went from 6 to 3-cells in hopes of getting to market faster, but the batteries have become a bottleneck...I apologize for the delays and can only ask you and your readers for your continued patience.

For anyone who preordered the Wind, the new estimated ship date is July 7. And you'll be receiving a free overnight shipping upgrade, for what that's worth. Thanks everyone!

Furryrobo: Sleeping Bags For the Macbook Air and Eee PC

Sean Fallon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EDT

If you thought the AirMail case was a little on the bizarre side, get a load of these sleeping bags designed to custom fit your Macbook Air or any 7" UMPC (Eee PC included). Each bag features a waterproof nylon surface combined with shock-absorbent quilted 5mm PE foam and leather trim. It's the perfect way to keep your scrawny Macbook Air warm on those cold nights in the wild. Available in white and black versions—$49 Singapore dollars ($35 US). UMPC version is around $20 US.

[Furryrobo via Freshmoco via Unplgged]

Eee PC 1000 Dissected, Found Eeeish

Mark Wilson — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EDT

The newest Asus Eee PC—the 10.2" Eee 1000—was recently dissected by Tweaktown. There's not a ton of news to come out of the autopsy, but we got this pretty picture, and it was confirmed that the Eee 1000 uses stock components just begging to be replaced, like its 2.5" 40GB or 80GB 5400RPM hard drive. We might suggest the world's highest capacity laptop drive for the job, the 320GB Western Digital Scorpio Black? It'll only cost about half again what that Eee 1000 set you back. [Tweaktown via CrunchGear]

Asus Eee PC 1000H Reviewed (Best Eee Yet, Except the Price)

matt buchanan — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:40:00 EDT

Asus's Eee PC 1000H is the least Eee-like Eee yet—big, pricey ($649) and it has a regular ol' platter hard drive. Laptop Mag says the extra screen real estate makes it the most productive yet, too, even though the colors don't pop as much as the Wind. And the keyboard: "To say it’s an improvement over the cramped keyboard found on earlier Eee PCs is an understatement." Performance from Atom and its 1GB RAM is solid, and the move to a HDD from a SSD doesn't hurt too much, even on startup—battery isn't hit too hard either, 4 hours and 28 minutes with Wi-Fi. Overall, everything's gravier than past models, 'cept the price. [Laptop Mag]

How the @&%# Is Crysis Running on the Eee??

Mark Wilson — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:30:00 EDT

The Asus Eee is a fine computer and everything, but we never expected it to run the game-rig-melting Crysis at a high frame rate. So how is it possible? Forgery? Magic? Deal with the devil? No, just a new version of StreamMyGame that now supports UMPCs, mini-notebooks and all those tiny little wimp computers—over 100 models in all. Still don't believe it actually works? Here's a clip:

The new version of StreamMyGame can stream 1024x600 from your big PC to your little PC over your home network. So if you've been waiting to recreate some of the most graphically-intensive games of the current era on a squintastic 7" screen, your day has come.

StreamMyGame : Play Crysis and the latest games on the Eee PC. Now compatible with over 100 UMPC models.

www.StreamMyGame.com, which enables games to be played remotely, has released today a new version of its software targeted at the highly popular Eee PC and Ebox from ASUS and over 100 UMPCs from other manufacturers.

StreamMyGame's new software runs at full screen resolution on both Windows and Linux versions of the Eee PC and many other Netbooks and UMPCs.

"The Linux player has been requested by our Eee PC members and has been optimised to run on both the original and new ranges of the Eee PC. The Window's player has also been optimised." said Richard Faria, StreamMyGame's CEO.

"You can have your games installed on your home PC and play them on your Netbook around the home and remotely, providing a portable gaming experience on screens that have resolutions of 1024x600," he said, "There are over 100 Netbooks and UMPCs that are now compatible with our technology and we will guarantee similar compatibility with the MID market."

Utilising StreamMyGame's technology, high-end games including Crysis, Call of Duty 4, BioShock and HalfLife2 can be played smoothly and without lag on the Eee PC and other UMPCs providing a responsive gaming experience. The gaming power is delivered from your main PC and networked to your Netbook. The new range of Eee PCs using 802.11n and WiMAX will further improve game play by substantially reducing any network lag.

[StreamMyGame]

Asus Prices the Eee PC Out Of Its Own Market

Mark Wilson — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:35:00 EDT

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]

Asus Working on Handwriting-Pad Add-on for Eee PC

Kit Eaton — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT

While modders are busily adapting the Eee PC for touchscreen capability, it seems that Asus has been working on an official handwriting recognition add-on. Demoed at last weeks Computex show, the Asus pad accepts English and Chinese (traditional and simplified) characters and simply plugs into the Eee's USB port. It measures 4.3 x 4.4 x 0.7 inches, with the touch pad being a little over 2-inches across. If you're an eager hand-writing fan, you'll have to wait though, as there's no launch date or price info. [Aving via Pocket Lint]

Eee PC 901 Gets Unboxed, Touched and Probed

Sean Fallon — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:20:00 EDT

Personally, I don't get much of a thrill out of unboxings. Besides, we have already seen the Eee PC 901 topless, so the mystery is all but gone. Still, if you cant get enough of this strange gadget strip show, Laptop Magazine has the filthy images you so desperately crave. And if you are not interested in unboxings, they also came up with some initial impressions saying that they were generally pleased with what they saw so far—despite an initial problem with a bent keyboard. Hit the link for the full gallery of photos. [Laptopmag]

Asus Eee TV (Too Far?)

Mark Wilson — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EDT

There's no doubt, Asus really shook up the technology market with their Eee PC mini-laptop. And to parlay the Eee's success into a success for all of their electronics, Asus came up with a plan. Just call everything the Eee! Here's Asus' new Eee TV that was spotted at Computex, described only as a "rather plain looking LCD TV playing the Blu-ray version of Pixar's Cars." If it runs $299, sign us up. Otherwise, we're getting a bit confused as to the eeexact definition of the word... [engadget China]

First Pic of Asus Eee All-In-One, New Eee Coming

Jesus Diaz — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:45:00 EDT

The image is kind of blurry, but I have to admit that the upcoming $500 Eee Monitor—Asus' all-in-one PC that will be available with 19- and 21-inch displays—looks simple, elegant, and rather pretty. Mark says that they are clearly following Apple and Nintendo's—who follows the first—designs, and that's not a bad thing. I agree, even when the iPod-look will eventually become the new beige. Asus has also announced two new products for September and December—named "Eee S1" and "Eee K1"—although nobody knows what they would be. But has this ever been a problem for our animal guts-reading powers? Thor says NO!

[PC World]

Crazy Talk: Why Small Laptops Are Going to Save Windows XP

Mark Wilson — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EDT

Windows Vista hasn't been adopted joyfully by the masses, but consumers don't always have a say when it comes to the next Windows OS they'll be using. Most of us have to run whatever comes preinstalled on our machine of choice. And according to Microsoft, starting June 30th of this year, that OS will be Windows Vista only.

There is an exception: A rag-tag group of small, cheap rebels that are exploding in popularity. Netbooks, mini-notebooks, ultraportables—whatever you want to call them—are bending the rules and reigniting Windows XP as a manufacturer-supported OS.

How Can They Get Away With It?
You see, Microsoft has a clause in their Vista-only mandate. Knowing—and now openly admitting—that the OS is far more taxing on a system than XP, Microsoft has agreed to allow makers of "ultralow-cost PCs" to continue selling XP computers until 2010. And while Microsoft will only offer major support for the platform through 2009, limited support will be available for XP until 2014. Essentially, it's a loophole that Microsoft created for an entire new class of computers like the Asus Eee PC.

Will This Really Matter?
The Asus Eee was a hit, already moving over 1 million units. And since then, countless other similar "ultralow-cost PCs" have been announced for the market by major manufacturers. Originally for the Eee PC (and others like OLPC's XO laptop) a Linux OS sufficed. But consumer demand for a more familiar operating system led to the adoption of XP. Now, most of these mini-notebooks offer an XP option right out of the gate, at an added cost.

Aside from the many small to medium manufacturers, the two biggest PC manufacturers, Dell and HP, have both jumped onto the mini laptop bandwagon. Here's where it gets interesting: HP's Mini Note does not support XP drivers natively, only Vista and Linux, and we don't know what OSs Dell will offer. But HP's system certainly qualifies for the exemption category because of its Via chipset, and Dell's very well might, too. If mini-notebooks continue to sell at the rate they're being produced, these big companies will definitely play a factor as to whether or not it's XP or Vista that's on them.

Still, the upstarts have the momentum. XP-loving Asus expects to sell 10 million Eees in 2009 when the mini-notebook market is anticipated to reach 20-30 million units sold, says Reuters. That's a lot of computers ready for XP.

So What's The Catch?
Microsoft was clever. After announcing its intent to support mini-notebooks, it clarified (read: limited) the specs on "ultralow-cost PCs." Requirements include nothing bigger than a 10-inch screen (not a problem), limits on processor speeds (variable by make/model), a cap at 1GB of RAM and a limit on storage. So far, the RAM and storage rules have both been broken by Asus already. And it's probably only a matter of time before Atom processors top their current (released) speeds of 1.6Ghz and create yet another exception to Microsoft's rulebook.

It will be interesting how XP popularity plays out from here—a game that's pretty much controlled by Microsoft at this point. But Microsoft is certainly allowing companies fudge the rules time and time again, probably because in the eyes of Ballmer and Gates, it sure beats some guy running Linux.

Additional Sources: [CNET, ZDNET Asia, Reuters]

Modder Discovers Eee PC 901 is Most Hackable Yet

Kit Eaton — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:15:00 EDT

Just yesterday we brought you the cheap Eee 701 touchscreen hack, and now it looks like the same guy who did that mod has been ferreting around inside an Eee 901, with some unexpected results. In fact, it looks like the 901 is even more moddable than the earlier models, with some extra functions inside the case waiting to be adapted.

• There's room for a 1.8-inch hard drive, or maybe an SSD, with a waiting ZIF connector nearby
• There's also space for a SIM card
• And, best of all, there's a PCI-e slot going begging

This sounds like a modder's dream: you easily could supe-up the Eee with another solid state drive or a large HDD. Maybe you could even jam something like a 3G HSPDA card in that PCI slot. One remaining complication is that the 901 still treats the SSD as two drives, one about 4GB in size and storing the OS. That might make dual-boot installations somewhat tricky, but presumably it's not an insurmountable problem.

Of course, all this extra stuff is a hint that Asus itself may have plans to include these features in the future. But until then, fire up your screwdrivers and soldering irons, guys! [ via Liliputing]

Asus to World: Your Biceps Don't Look Enough Like Boobs

Mark Wilson — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:40:00 EDT

Wow, did this guy really go all out for this new Asus Eee ad and get inked? Because that would be amazing!

Nah, nothing more than a cheap sticker. But apparently, certain circumstances dictate a more hands-on approach.

Simple Hack Gives Eee PC a Touchscreen for Just $70

Kit Eaton — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 06:40:00 EDT

People love to mod the Eee PC it seems, cramming everything you can imagine, including a touchscreen, into the diminutive cheapo notebook. But perhaps none have been so cheap and easy as this straightforward $70 touchscreen hack. It takes just 9 steps (including unscrewing the Eee 701 and putting it back together) to slot a USB touch controller board and touch-sensitive matrix inside the case. Even fumblefingers me could manage that, I think. [JKKmobile via Hackaday]

Asus Eee PC 901 and 1000 Get Super Duper Official

matt buchanan — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:00:00 EDT

It's hard to believe that Asus's Eee PC 901 and 1000 didn't officially exist until this moment. But now they do! Officially. 'Course, there are few surprises left (except for battery life, they're claiming up to 7.8 hours), which takes the fun out of it: Atom processors, 12 or 20GB (up to 40GB SSD for 1000, or 80GB HDD for 1000H!) storage, depending on whether you roll XP or Linux. The 1000 is much like the 901, but with a 10-inch screen and a less cramped keyboard that's 92 percent of the standard notebook size. Annoyingly, still no official pricing info, but if they really wanna move these, it'd be wayyyy under that crazy $650 figure we heard. Update: And below there's a complete spec list for number lovers.

Embrace Easy, Excellent and Exciting Computing with the New Eee PC™
Eee PC™ 901, 1000 and 1000(H) Unveiled at Computex 2008

Upon reaching the milestone of surpassing 1 million Eee PC™ sets sold in just 6 months after its launch, ASUS has provided yet another wave of anticipation with its release of the new Eee PC™ 901, 1000 and 1000(H) models. These new iterations of the ever popular electronic gadget add even more options to users. With its shockproof Solid State Drive (SSD) design, users will be able to enjoy stable and reliable computing on-the-go – making it the ideal and travelling companion for outdoor activities. This new range of Eee PC™ are also equipped with the exclusive Super Hybrid Engine technology that can provide longer battery lifespans of up to 7.8 hours*, exclusive web storage and high speed connectivity**, and large displays for easy viewing. Available on both Windows and GNU Linux platforms – this range expands upon the original 3 ‘E’s to further its “Easy” concept to cater to even more discerning users.
* Exact battery life subject to actual usage and model.
** 3.5G concept sample will be displayed at Computex 2008.

“With constant innovations and implementation of the latest technologies in the new Eee PC™ range, we have since expanded the original 3 ‘E’s into ‘Easy’, ‘Excellent’ and ‘Exciting’. ‘Easy’ will still encompass the core value of Easy to learn, work and play, ‘Excellent’ will highlight the Eee PC’s™ role as an Excellent mobile Internet device and ‘Exciting’ entails utilizing the Eee PC™ for Exciting multimedia enjoyment.” said Jerry Shen, CEO of ASUS.

Solid State Drive for Shockproof and Reliable Computing
With mobility being one of the key factors that contributed to the Eee PC’s™ overwhelming success, the new range of Eee PC™ continues in this trend and utilizes the built-in Solid State Drive (SSD) technology. This technology is shock proof, quiet, produces less heat and is energy saving for reliable and stable computing on-the-go. Traditional hard disk designs spin at 5400 RPM (Revolutions per Minute) – creating more chances of data loss or damage in the event of shocks or bumps. The Eee PC™, on the other hand, are able to safeguard against such incidents – making them the perfect solution for outdoor computing and ideally suited for reporters, wildlife photographers and other like-minded outdoor enthusiasts.

Exceptional Features for User Convenience
The new Eee PCs™ are also equipped an expanded battery that provides up to 7.8 hours* of battery life; while the exclusive Super Hybrid Engine technology provides three GUI modes to easily adjust CPU frequency, voltage, and LCD brightness to minimize system noise and power consumption to save up to 15% power consumption, or to maximize system performance according to individual needs. What’s more, the addition of exclusive 20GB Internet storage makes data backups simple and convenient.
* Exact battery life subject to actual usage and model.

Enjoy Easy Viewing with Large Displays
The new Eee PCs™ will integrate large 8.9” to 10” displays – allowing users to view more screenspace and enjoy easier viewing of A4 documents and online webpages – without the need to scroll left or right. Furthermore, the Eee PCs™ pair a built-in 1.3M Pixel webcam with high speed wireless Internet connection capabilities for easy web communications anywhere, anytime – increasing work efficiency or just making it easier to chat with friends and family. What’s more, the keyboard is 92%* the size of generic notebooks – making it more comfortable to type for more relaxed usage.
* Only available on the Eee PC™ 1000 models

Exciting New Covers to Suit Your Trendy Lifestyle
The new range of Eee PC™ also makes its mark with trendy and colorful Infusion cover patterns inspired by various elements. The Infusion technology utilizes a unique manufacturing process that is inlaid into the chassis itself – forming an integral part of the Eee PC™. It is also extremely resilient – resisting scratches and scrapes, and thus will not fade with time. Additionally, these new cover designs are tastefully designed and provide vibrant colors to suit the user’s individual personalities – making the new Eee PC™ the ideal companion for your computing needs.

ASUS will also be showcasing several new Eee Family products like the Eee Box and the Eee TV at our Computex booth. This new range of products embody the “Easy” concept synonymous with the Eee PC™, and will provide allow users to easily enjoy new digital experiences.

ASUS Eee PC™ Achievements
ASUS has sold more than a million Eee PC™ sets since the official launch in October 2007. On April 19th 2008, at the Eee PC™ 900’s official launch in Hong Kong, ASUS sold 1,000 sets in 1 day. In Taiwan, the Eee PC™ 900 was placed on Yahoo’s front page on the 16th of April, and in just 1 hour achieved 20,000 hits – creating a brand new blogging record.

[Asus]

Asus Eee Box B202: Our First Look, Plus Official Specs (Only $300)

matt buchanan — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:17:55 EDT

The other toy Asus brought for us to look at is their upcoming Eee Box, which will launch mid-July in the US. Running on a 1.6GHz Atom processor, it comes in Windows XP and Linux versions, both of which are blissfully cheap: $269 for the base 1GB RAM, 80GB storage Linux model, $299 for XP. Memory and storage are configurable, running from 512MB to 2GB, and 80GB to 250GB, respectively. 802.11n is standard, and it has a pleasant number of ports—serious potential as a TV streamer box (as commenters have pointed out, lack of optical drive and HDMI out is definitely limiting here). We didn't get to see it in action, but it's definitely a cute, well-built package for the money. All the dirty details below.

Name and Model: Eee Box B202
OS: Linux System/ Hardware Compatible with Windows XP

Processor: Intel Atom N270 (1.6 GHz, FSB 533)

Memory: DDRII 512 MB / 1 GB / 2 GB (see US configs below)

Storage: 80 GB / 120 GB / 160 GB / 250 GB (see US configs below)

Chipset: 945GSE + ICH7M

VGA: On-board Intel GMA 950, 1600 x 1200 maximum resolution

Networking: 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN, 802.11n WLAN, Bluetooth optional

SD/MMC/MS slot: SD, SDHC, Mini SD, (Micro SD through adapter) ; MMC, MMC plus, MMC4.x, RS MMC, RSMMC4.x (MMC mobile through adapter);MS,MS PRO
Audio: Azalia ALC888 Audio Chip

Front Ports:
USB x 2
Card Reader x 1
Headphone-out jack (WO/SPDIF) x 1
MIC x 1

Rear Ports:
USB 2.0 x 2
Gigabit LAN x 1
DVI out x 1
Line-Out (L/R) with S/PDIF x 1
WiFi antenna

Accessories:
19Vdc, 4.74A, 65W power adaptor
Mouse (optional)
Keyboard (optional)
VESA mount (optional)
WiFi antenna
Stand

Dimensions: 8.5" x 7" x 1"
Net Weight: 2.2 lbs.
Gross Weight: 6.6 lbs.

US Configurations and MSRP:
$269 1GB memory + 80GB HDD Linux edition
$299 1GB memory + 80GB HDD XP edition
$299 2GB memory + 160GB HDD Linux edition

Availability: For the US, we're expecting to hit the market Mid July. For French-speaking Canada, a French Linux version will be available the following month.

[Asus]

Atom-Based Asus Eee PC 901 Specs; WiMax Version in the Works

matt buchanan — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:55:17 EDT

Long unofficially official, Asus is finally showing off its Atom-based Eee PC 901, which is remarkably speedier than the 900 with a 1.6GHz Diamondville processor. Expected to launch tomorrow, besides the predicted addition of Bluetooth, the specs are otherwise the same: 1GB RAM, memory card slot, 12GB of storage for the Windows XP flavor, 20 for Linux. Asus is promising four to six hours of battery life. There is a WiMax version in the works (it's being shown at the WiMax Expo), but it's a little further out. No pricing yet, but we'd heard $650 earlier. [PC World]

Subnotebook vs. UMPC vs. Netbook: WTF Is the Difference?

matt buchanan — Fri, 30 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT

When Blam broke the news on Dell's mini Inspiron, there was one he was stuck on: How to categorize it. Is it a subnotebook? A UMPC? A netbook? (Knowing the specs might have helped, but probably not much.) Part of the problem is that the category names themselves are very new and pretty vague. Here's a mini-compendium of the most popular terms for dwarfish laptops being tossed around, where they come from and what they're trying to say. Help us decide which ones to keep, and which to ditch.

Subnotebook: Judging by Google results (1,660,000) and the presence of a Wikipedia entry, "subnotebook" appears to be one of the most popular and closest-to-legit terms, with a history going back to at least Toshiba's Libretto, according to our friend Mark Spoonauer, editor-in-chief at Laptop. The real sticky point appears to be on the edges—when does a UMPC become a subnotebook, and when does a subnotebook become a real notebook? At 11 inches, Lenovo's IdeaPad U110 is probably the breaking point for subnotebook. In fact, that's our new rule: to classify as a subnotebook or ultraportable (see below), you've gotta be 11 inches or under, and less than 3 pounds. (Sorry Walt, the MacBook Air might be light, but its ginormous, full-notebook footprint means it ain't really a subnotebook in most people's eyes.) Judgment: Like a pair of loafers, "subnotebook" is unsexy, but it gets the job done.

Ultraportable: That's a really tricky term, probably the most amorphous. Spoonauer classifies small notebooks with fuller keyboards and displays like the IdeaPad U110 or HP's Mini-note 2133 as "ultraportables," leaving the "subnotebook" moniker to devices in the UMPC class, like the HTC Shift. However, added confusion comes from the fact that ultraportable sounds like ultramobile, as in UMPC (see below). Still, it's the most compelling alternative to subnotebook, because it sounds sexier, and has over 3 million Google hits alone and 1.27 million tagged to notebook or laptop. The big knock against "ultraportable" is that it redirects to "subnotebook" on Wikipedia. Judgment: I don't mind it, but without a firm identity it'll never be useful. Plus I feel like it's trying too hard.

Mini-Notebook: While "mini notebook" seems like a less popular and unwieldy derivative of "subnotebook," with fewer Google results (1,110,000) and no Wikipedia page (it doesn't even direct back to subnotebook), Spoonauer says that it's distinguished from subnotebook as being the class of small form-factor notebooks that are under $600, like the Eee PC. Judgment: I think this one should be junked, though determining a class on price is probably a good idea.

ULPC: This most generally stands for ultra low-cost PC, though I've seen ultra-light PC, too. (How about that for a red flag?) It isn't overly popular, but it obviously refers to small, cheap notebooks like the Eee or XO OLPC Laptop. While it might be useful in distinguishing the Eee from, say, the pricier U110, overall the term seems pointless, especially when there's already a better alternative. Judgment: Garbage heap.

Netbook: This is actually the brainchild of Intel's marketing department to describe sub-$500 notebooks centered around internet-connectivity, such as its Classmate PC. The original Eee PC, XO OLPC Laptop and Cloudbook would fall into this category. While it is technically flackspeak, I actually like it because it's short and fairly specific. Besides being endorsed by Intel (obvs), Ubuntu has officially picked up the term. Judgment: A keeper, even if it was coined by the Man.

UMPC: The term stands for ultra-mobile PC, and actually has fairly concrete origins in the Project Origami catastrophe headed up by Microsoft. Under Intel and Microsoft's guidelines, technically the form factor is defined as touchscreen mini-tablet smaller than eight inches with a resolution of at least 800 pixels wide. However, we (and most others) include the OQO in this category. Even though it doesn't have a touchscreen, it otherwise fits the slabby form factor to a T. Update: To be clear, the OQO has an active digitizer, not a touchscreen. It won't recognize your finger, you need a special stylus. Judgment: Works, we just have to disabuse people of using it in reference to stuff like the Eee.

Conclusion
Hopefully focusing on three terms that bear the least ambiguity will help with this confusion. Here's where you guys come in, since believe it or not, we do like standards. So while UMPC has dried to a firm, tasty shell, Netbook and subnotebook are still pretty jelly-like. Or maybe you'd prefer ultraportable to subnotebook? Should low-cost dwarfish notebooks be called netbooks, or is there a better term? Help us clean up this semantic cesspool.

First Details on the Asus Eee Box

Mark Wilson — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:40:00 EDT

Asustek has dropped some details on that Eee Desktop PC EP20 we've seen floating around. First off, it has a more catchy name—the Asus Eee Box.

Expected for a global launch this July in both Linux and Windows XP versions, the cheapest model will start at about $330 and pack an 80GB hard drive (maxing out at 250GB). Standards for the line will include 802.11n Wi-Fi, 4 USB ports, and a slot for various flash memory cards. There's no word on the processor at this time, or whether or not the Eee Box will be packing an Atom like its mobile sibling. [PCWorld]

Asus Eee PC 1000 to Debut First Week of June

Jesus Diaz — Wed, 28 May 2008 06:38:00 EDT

According to an invitation from Chairman Jonney Shih, Asus will present their EeePC 1000 at Computex 2008, the classic IT fair to kick off in Taipei next week, starting on June 3. The 10-inch EeePC 1000 will appear alongside the newly-redesigned 9-inch EeePC 901.

"ASUS is looking forward to welcoming you during Computex 2008 in Taipei, Taiwan, for the ASUS' 08 Computex Trilogy of launch events. We would also like to specially extend an invitation to you to attend the official global launch of the new Eee PC™ 901 and 1000 series."

[UMPC Fever—Thanks Frank]

Is Via's OpenBook the Next (Little) Big Thing in UMPCs?

matt buchanan — Tue, 27 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Last week, we sat down with Via to take a look at the reference design they're hoping will be the standard for UMPCs over the next year: the OpenBook. While the raw horsepower inside (their C7 and VX800 chips) isn't next gen (though it'll run XP, Vista Basic or Linux), Via is pushing it as the "most connected" low-cost, low-power UMPC to date, with the mobile broadband of your choice (WiMax, HSDPA or EV-DO), three USB ports, and a 4-in-1 card reader (also, it has not one, but two webcams).And it'll run between $500 and $800.

Part of the reason they're calling it the OpenBook is that part of the design is customizable, with CAD files of the external shell available for download so manufacturers who pick it up can be creative with it. Unfortunately, that doesn't drill down to the keyboard, which was noticeably cramped compared to an HP 2133 Mini-note, despite being of a very similar 8.9-inch form factor. The resolution's also lower, 1024x600 (same as the Eee 900) to the 2133's 1280 x 768.

It is light, though, a hair more than two pounds. And on its unimpressive 4-Cell, 2600mA battery, you get (supposedly) an impressive three hours (consider that the Eee 900's is twice as fat).

While not a giant leap ahead in UMPC design, it is a shimmy forward, bringing in some of the connectivity missed in some of the earlier notebooks in this category. More broadly, the simple fact that it's relatively low burden for a third party to pick up and hawk their own branded OpenBook could make this class of subnotebook even more mainstream. They haven't signed an agreement with a US manufacturer yet, but they do have a bunch of international makers onboard, and we should start seeing product in July or August.

Further down the road is the Isaiah chip, which will deliver 4x the performance of the C7 with the same power envelope. It's a complete redesign (though pin-to-pin same as C7 so backwards compatible with older mobos), which Via hopes will help them break into powering more mainstream 12- to 13-inch (and even 15-inch) notebooks. We'll hear more about that, as well as their "close" partnership with Nvidia at Computex in a couple weeks.

VIA Unveils VIA OpenBook Mini-Note Reference Design VIA offers case design and unique 3G and WiMAX wireless customization as well as new ultra mobile processor platform to bring new looks, global connectivity and better performance to the mini-note market Taipei, Taiwan, 27 May 2008 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today introduced the new VIA OpenBook™ mini-note reference design targeted at the rapidly growing global market for ultra-portable notebooks. The VIA OpenBook mini-note reference design introduces a host of new innovations, including the next generation of VIA Ultra Mobile Platform, based on the VIA C7®-M ULV processor and the new all-in-one VIA VX800 digital media IGP chipset. Together, this ultra compact, power efficient platform delivers richer computing and multimedia features, including a stunning 8.9" screen and greater video playback support, in a compact and stylish clamshell form factor that weighs just 1kg. The VIA OpenBook features a flexible internal interface for high-speed broadband wireless connectivity that provides customers with the ability to select from a choice of WiMAX™, HSDPA and EV-DO/W-CDMA modules appropriate to their market. In addition, under a unique collaborative approach, the CAD files of the external panels of the reference design are offered for download under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 license to give customers such as OEMs, system integrators, and broadband service providers greater freedom in tailoring the look and feel of their device to meet the diverse needs of their target markets. "The VIA OpenBook builds on the great success of the VIA NanoBook reference design launched last year, which has been widely adopted by numerous customers around the world," commented Richard Brown, Vice President of Corporate Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. "Our unique open approach to case design customization and wireless connectivity flexibility, coupled with the higher levels of performance, further extends VIA's leadership in the global mini-note market." "VIA is a forward thinking company that has realized that sharing enables a healthy ecosystem which helps them provide an innovative product which supports their core business," commented Jon Phillips, Business and Community Manager for Creative Commons. "Making the actual raw CAD files available under a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 license is a brilliant first step that clearly and legally allows others to emergently build upon VIA's open innovation."
Powered by the VIA C7-M ULV processor and the VIA VX800 digital media IGP chipset, the VIA OpenBook mini-note reference design is a small, 1kg, 8.9" mini-notebook form factor design that supports screen resolutions of up to 1024x600 and high performance VIA Chrome9™ DirectX™ 9.0 3D graphics. Advanced video acceleration for MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV9, VC1 and DiVX video formats, a VMR capable HD video processor and 8-channel HD audio make it a highly media rich mini-notebook platform.

The VIA OpenBook mini-note reference design offers unrivaled broadband connectivity options VIA OpenBook Reference Design (camera)though two internal modules, with the first one featuring WiFi, Bluetooth, and optional AGPS connections and the second one offering a choice of WiMAX, HSDPA, or EV-DO/W-CDMA options. In addition, the VIA OpenBook also comes with three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA port, and audio-in/audio-out jacks as well as a 4-in-1 card reader (SD/SDIO/MMC/MS) and a 2 mega-pixel dual-headed web camera.

The VIA OpenBook supports a wide range of operating system environments, including Microsoft Windows Vista Basic, Microsoft Windows XP, and various Linux distributions. The device features up to 2GB DDR2 DRAM and can be equipped with a choice of hard disk drive and solid state storage options.

Featuring a 4-cell 2600mA lithium-ion battery, the VIA OpenBook delivers up to three hours of battery life and measures just 240mm(W)x175mm (D) x36.2mm (H).

For more information, file downloads, video and images of the VIA OpenBook mini-note reference design please visit the VIA OpenBook website here:
www.viaopenbook.com

Enabling Global Broadband Wireless Coverage
The VIA OpenBook reference design has a unique internal interface for the addition of a choice of extended connectivity modules, enabling customers to offer HSDPA, EV-DO/W-CDMA, and WiMAX connectivity options to the their device that are appropriate for their target markets, and to forge deeper relationships with local carriers and service providers, creating new business models for the mini-note segment.

Making Customization More Accessible
The CAD files for the external panels of the VIA OpenBook mini-note reference design are being released under the Creative Commons Share Alike Attribution license, giving customers the flexibility to bring their own innovative style and brand value propositions to the mini-note market segment. Through this flexible approach, customers can reduce product development costs and speed time-to-market. The CAD files can be downloaded from the www.viaopenbook.com website.

About the VIA Ultra Mobile Platform
The VIA Ultra Mobile Platform is centered around the VIA C7-M ULV processor, an ultra power efficient mobile processor available in speeds of 1.0-1.6GHz with a maximum power draw (TDP max) of only 3.5 watts, and idle power as low as 0.1 watt, helping to ensure longer battery life. The number one choice for ultra mobile devices with over 30 global design wins, the most on the market today, the VIA C7-M ULV processor's low profile nanoBGA2 package measures just 21mm x 21mm, enabling device designs with drastically reduced weight, size, and thickness.

The latest generation of VIA Ultra Mobile Platform pairs the VIA C7-M ULV processor with the VIA VX800 digital media IGP chipset, which integrates all the cutting-edge features of a modern chipset's North and South bridges into a single chip package measuring just 33mm x 33mm, for a silicon real estate saving of more than 42% over traditional twin-chip core logic implementations. The VIA Chrome9™ HC integrated graphics processor with DirectX® 9.0 3D graphics provides support for brilliant 3D graphics, while the VIA Chromotion™ CE video display engine offers a stunning video experience through hardware decoding acceleration of MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV9 and VC1 video formats.

For more details on the VIA Ultra Mobile Platform, please visit the VIA website at:
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/ultra_mobile/

[VIA]

Asus Developing Eee PC Touchscreen Tablet

matt buchanan — Sat, 24 May 2008 17:30:00 EDT

Aussie pub Current is reporting that the Eee PC will soon morph into a "non-clamshell touchscreen-only device," with an unveiling as soon as June 3 at Computex. Asus's Australia retail manager confirmed they're "obviously looking at form factors rather than just a clamshell" and that it would use a touchscreen. The caveat is that it ultimately might not wear the Eee badge since it's wholly different from—and presumably pricier than—the rest of the line. It might seem like an off-kilter move, but a genuinely cheap tablet (say, $500) could be as game-changing as the original Eee. [Current via Electronista]

Bestlink Alpha 400, The $250 "Eee"

Mark Wilson — Wed, 21 May 2008 19:30:00 EDT

We're a little sick of the Asus Eee metric too, but it sure makes for a succinct headline. The Bestlink Alpha 400 is a 7-inch Linux PC with a 400Mhz processor, scant 128MB of RAM and 1-2GB of internal flash storage. It's nothing impressive, but it only runs $250...through probably not much else, if you know what I mean. But order 100 or more and the price drops to $180 per unit. Pretty neat, since $18,000 could easily buy you just one computer in more advanced configurations. [Desktop Linux]

Atom-Based Asus Eee PC 901 Ships June 3 With Bluetooth

matt buchanan — Fri, 16 May 2008 09:27:22 EDT

Digitimes is reporting that the Atom-based Asus Eee PC 901 that we got a peek at the other day is set to ship on June 3. And it looks like the cosmetic enhancements (like the metal accents) aren't the only bit of newness on board: Apparently, it's got Bluetooth, and the Linux version will come with some new software. Otherwise, the guts are supposedly the same as the 900, and it'll go for somewhere under $650. Hopefully way under that. [Digitimes]

Asus Eee PC 901 Images Show New Refinements, Possibly Atom Motherboard

Jesus Diaz — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:41:00 EDT

French blog Blogeee.net has allegedly exclusive pictures of the next Asus Eee PC 901, which apparently includes a new motherboard. Apparently this model is the one that will have Intel Atom inside, which is why the company has sightly redesigned its exterior. The images show a ton of small refinements over the design of the previous Eee PC 900:

• Metal sides on the screen hinge.
• The power button on the hinge is gone.
• Slim, metal button bar over the keyboard.
• Power button is not located on the thin button to the far right of this bar.
• Metal framing for the trackpad.
• USB ports have been sightly re-arranged.
• VGA port is now on the right side.
• Kensington lock next to the Ethernet port on the left, which allows you to secure the machine while using the VGA on the right side of the machine.
• Two microphones for stereo input above the battery.
• Asus logo is gone in favor of the Eee PC brand.

[Blogeee via jkkmobile]