I’m beginning to think that we’ll never see that magical $200 price point Asus promised 2 years ago.

Their super successful Eee PC has gone from $349 to $549 and now to $650. Granted; that $650 gets you the newest Intel Atom chip, an 8.9" screen and Bluetooth (a first in any Eee pc).

The rest of the specifications will be the same as the recently released Eee 900 (12Gb or 20Gb SSD drive, 1Gb ram, 1.3MP camera, Linux or XP).

Source: Digitimes

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The upgraded Asus Eee PC 900 is finally showing up online.

The device features an 8.9" display with a 1024×600 pixel resolution, a 12 or 20Gb SSD drive and your choice of Linux or Windows XP.

Even though most stores have the product pages up, the devices won’t start shipping till the 15th.

Amazon pre-order product pages:

Linux (20Gb drive) or Windows XP (12Gb drive).

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Well that WAS quick… The poor thing wasn’t even announced that long ago, and the first of them has made its way to some lucky fellow in Germany.

In case you missed it, here are the new specifications:

8.9 inch 1024 x 600 screen
Intel Celeron 900Mhz
1GB RAM
12GB SSD
1.3 mega pixel webcam
big multitouch trackpad
12v charger brick

Check out the full gallery over at jkkmobile.

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It was just a few months ago when the first photos leaked of HP’s new ultra portable notebook. They clearly took a close look at what people want, because the specifications are close to what I’d call "perfect".

1.6GHz CPU, various hard drive options (including a 120Gb 7200RPM drive and a 4Gb solid state version), 2Gb of RAM, Bluetooth, WiFi and even an Expresscard/54 slot.

Laptop Magazine took one for a spin, so check out their review. With the new 9" Asus EEE PC’s heading our way in June the market for ultra portables just got a lot more interesting.

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In a previous article I had mentioned the imminent arrival of the Asus EEE PC (with Windows XP) at your local Bestbuy store, and they actually kept their word of an April 8th launch date. It is available online right now, and they should be in stores by tomorrow.

If you just got back from your trip to space, here is a quick recap of what the EEE PC is: small, light, cheap and powerful enough for Windows XP. Originally the EEE PC shipped with a version of Linux that didn’t impress me much, and apparently Bestbuy wasn’t too thrilled with it either, because the machine they sell comes with Windows XP pre-installed for you, at the same price as the Linux version!

Back in January I took a closer look at the EEE PC from the perspective of a frequent traveler, if you have 400 spare Dollars and get fed up dragging your laptop around, then the EEE PC might be just what the doctor ordered.

Bestbuy Asus EEE PC page

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There is no denying that the Asus EEE PC has changed the scenery in computer land.

But to actually make Microsoft change its mind on killing off Windows XP? That’s quite impressive!

XP was meant to be "EOL" as of June 2008, but has been granted a 2 year stay of execution, just so computers like the EEE PC and the upcoming Intel Classmate can get something other than Linux.

Of course, it could all just be slick marketing by Microsoft and a disguise to prevent them from admitting that Vista isn’t doing what they hoped it would…

SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. said Thursday it will keep selling a version of Windows XP for use on a new breed of low-cost computers for at least two years longer than the system will be available for mainstream PCs.

The software maker said Windows XP Home will be available at least through June 2010 for computers like Intel Corp.’s Classmate PC and ASUSTek Computer Inc.’s Eee PC. But Microsoft also vowed to keep XP on the market for those machines for a year after the next version of Windows is released, which could mean 2011 or later.

The low-cost machines have smaller hard drives, less memory and slower processors than most Windows computers sold today, and most would have a hard time running the bulkier Windows Vista.

 

Source: AP

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I’ve already posted once how much I enjoy the EEE PC with Windows instead of the default Linux OS. So it was a pleasant surprise when I read that Bestbuy (of all places) will be stocking the EEE (4G) with XP pre-installed around April 9th, for just $399. That’s the same price as the 4G EEE with Linux, so quite a decent deal.

The specifications of the 4G are; 4Gb Flash memory, 512Mb RAM, webcam, VGA output, WiFi, audio in/out and Ethernet.

It’s surprisingly snappy for such a light machine, and I have a feeling they’ll be flying off the shelves as soon as they hit them.

Source and review: Laptop Magazine

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Taiwan’s Digitimes reports that the second generation EEE PC should be here in 2-3 months and that some models will come with a touch screen AND possibly even GPS.

Asustek’s 8.9-inch second-generation Eee PC lineup will include touchscreen panels and possible GPS support, with shipments expected to begin in May or June, according to Kevin Lin, vice president of Asustek’s sales department. Pricing is projected to reach NT$15,000 (US$500), Lin added.

The company is also looking to ship its E-DT (desktop PC) priced at US$199 at the same time, according to Lin.

 

I’ve got 2 thoughts on this:

• It could be completely false since Digitimes isn’t always the most reliable source of news, and tends to report rumors as "scoops"
• What on earth is Asus thinking? The magical $199 pc is now gaining an inch and $300. I love touch screens, but $500 is a lot to ask for a machine with these specifications.

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