Asus rumored to be spinning off Eee brand, 11-inch Eee PC coming too

Information doesn't get much more twisted that this so you'd best tread lightly with it. We've got a DigiTimes rumor whose message appears modified in translation. Engadget Chinese tells us that the original DigiTimes article (in Chinese) states that Asus is planning an Eee PC "sub-corporation." In other words, an ASUS spin-off that would include more than just low-cost ultra-portables. The rumor is attributed to DigiTimes' proven ASUS sources. However, DigiTimes' own English translation simply calls the move an Eee "sub-brand" which was already obvious with ASUS' announced plans for additional Eee branded products including the E-DT desktop, E-TV television, and 19- to 21-inch E-Monitor all-in-one said to be due in Q3. DigiTimes' sources also claim that ASUS will slap a 1001 model number on its 10.6-inch Eee PC and then -- perhaps supporting the spin-off claim -- says that there will be a premium 11-inch Eee PC before the end of the year as well. Originally, Jerry Shen, ASUS CEO, said the Eee PC would never exceed 10-inches so that it wouldn't cut into ASUS' laptop offerings. A spinoff would presumably give the Eee brand more freedom to compete.

Read -- DigiTimes (Chinese)
Read -- DigiTimes (English)

Asustek to Launch Eee PC With 10-inch Screen

Asustek plans to launch a new version of the Eee PC with a 10-inch screen, a top executive said Monday.

The company's CEO made the statement at the launch of the new Eee PC 900 with an 8.9-inch screen, in Taiwan. The original Eee PC 701 carries a 7-inch screen.

"The feedback we've received from users has been great. Many have asked us for bigger screens and better usability. That's what made us start developing the Eee PC 900," said Jerry Shen, CEO of Asustek, during a news conference in Taipei. People are asking for bigger keypads and more software as well, issues the company continues to work on.

An Eee PC with a 10-inch screen could be out later this year, and it will be the biggest screen an Eee PC will ever get, Shen said. The company defines anything with a 12-inch screen or larger a classic notebook PC, not an Eee PC.

Asustek believes that screen size makes a difference in sales.

The new Eee PC 900 with the 8.9-inch screen will likely account for 50 percent of overall Eee PC shipments by June, and 60 percent or more of shipments sometime in the second half of the year, said Shen.

He declined to set a firm date for release of a new Eee PC with a 10-inch screen, and would not talk about possible prices. But a 10-inch screen could make a new Eee PC model much more expensive than the 8.9-inch model. Once screen sizes reach 12-inches, they are nearing mainstream sizes, where mass production reduces the price-per-unit. But a 10-inch screen is still a specialty, and therefore more expensive screen size.

The Eee PC 900 went on sale Monday in Taiwan for NT$15,988 (US$528).

ASUS replacing Eee PC 900 batteries with longer lasting versions

Attaboy, ASUS. Not even 24-hours after reports starting flooding in over end users receiving less capacious Eee PC batteries in Hong Kong than expected, the firm is stepping up and doing the right thing. According to an admittedly rough translation of a statement on its website, ASUS is openly thanking its supporters for their business, and while it seems as though it's still chalking the whole mishap up as a simple mistake, every single Hong Kong-based customer will be receiving a free (5800mAh) replacement. 'Tis a shame we'll likely still be griping over the battery life.

[Via jkkmobile]

Thieves use Eee PC in Brazilian ATM scam

Man, that tiny Eee PC can be used for just about anything: surfing the web, blogging, surreptitiously hiding inside an ATM machine and stealing your identity. You know, the usual stuff. Yeah, so three creative Brazilian thieves were recently caught stuffing a black Eee into an ATM, where it replaced the ordinary magical-money-making workings and instead stole unwitting customers' card numbers and PINs. The thieves didn't stop there, however -- they purposefully damaged all the other nearby ATMs so that theirs would be the only one in service. Clever! Of course, that doesn't explain why it was so easy to crack open the target ATM in the first place -- we'd pretty much consider our cash flow problems solved if we could pull that trick. Check out the Brazilian TV report after the break -- any Portuguese speakers care to translate?

Eee PC 900 owners find weaker batteries than those used by reviewers

This isn't going to end well for Asus. Early adopters of the Eee PC 900 in Hong Kong are in a spat with Asus over batteries. Seems the Eee PC 900 ships with a standard 4-cell, 4400mAh battery whereas the battery shipped to the Hong Kong media (and presumably others) was a 4-cell, 5800mAh; the latter Asus is calling a mistake. That would certainly account for the wide ranging Eee PC 900's battery life reviews which have varied from a very disappointing 1.5 hours to a decent 2.5-hours. Of course testing methods will also contribute to lifespan. Regardless, ASUS is now considering giving 900 buyers a free upgrade. Our suggestion? Just do it Asus, and pronto. Else the Eee PC brand you've become so dependent upon is going to take a serious beating.

ASUS: 10-inch Eee PC coming this year, Atom in June

Jerry Shen, ASUS CEO, is casually twisting Eee PC fans into a tizzy this morning. At the launch of the 8.9-inch Eee PC 900 in Taiwan, he uttered the magical phrase "10-inch Eee PC" for the first time. Expected sometime later this year, Shen said that the 10-inch screen will be the biggest allowed on the Eee PC. Good for you Jerry, but we've got the feeling that you've completely forgotten about the original promise of a $200, 7-inch laptop. Surely we're due for a price drop now that the 900 is out, right?

Update: Asus also confirmed that an Atom-based Eee PC will launch at the Computex show just like we heard. No details about the screen size or any other specs were provided.

Eee PC 900 gets dissected, looks about the same as the Eee PC 700

Oh, poor Eee PC 900. You haven't even made it into most people's hands, and already you're getting dissected and inappropriately inspected. Honestly, we didn't mean for that to rhyme. Regardless, the folks over at bit-tech have gone to all the hassle of cracking the little dude open, though what they find inside is apparently more of the same. No new modules, no fancy layout changes, no tiny army of artificially intelligent lifeforms. Still, it's nice to look at. Take peek and see for yourself!

[bit-tech.net]

Asus Eee PC 900 hits the US on May 12th

Asus Eee PC 900 hits the US on May 12th

Preliminary benchmarks have VIA's Isaiah besting Intel's Atom

You knew this day would come: Intel positioned Atom perfectly to compete with VIA's low-power offerings, and VIA is trying to stay one step ahead in the low power game with its Isaiah processor. Who will be the winner? Well, we'd say it's still a little early to call it, but German site Eee PC News did some quick and dirty benchmarks that show Isaiah on top by a decent margin. At this point the numbers are just in "ALU" and "FPU," but hopefully some real world benchmarks from some retail products can clear this up before long.

Atom-based Eee PC in June? Sure.

Everyone loves the Eee PC, especially now that Asus has increased the display from 7- to 8.9-inches, bumped the webcam to 1.3 megapixels, and widened the track-pad while adding in some nifty multi-touch capabilities. Unfortunately, we're still looking at a rated 1.5-hours of battery life since the new 900 uses the same power hungry CPU found in the original Eee PC. So where's Atom and its promise of "significant power savings?" Well, according to Techradar, they've been in touch with Taiwan-based ASUS' UK reps who believe that the Atom-based Eee PC will debut at Computex in early June and then launch globally shortly thereafter. Makes sense as June is the confirmed time frame for the Atom CPU launch. If true -- and we believe it is as it syncs up precisely with DigiTimes' sources -- then the only remaining mystery is whether the June model will also feature an 8.9-inch touchscreen (and possibly GPS) as promised by Asus. Let's hope so.

Asus Eee PC 900 Review - trustedreviews.com

Reviewed by Riyad Emeran

Few could argue that Asus created something special when it launched the Eee PC last year. The idea of making a truly mobile, yet very affordable mobile computer was welcomed by the Press and consumers in equal measure. Although the Eee PC 4G 701 that Andy reviewed back in October 2007 was a great machine, there were a couple of issues that took away some of the shine. Now however, I have the Eee PC 900 to play with, and it looks as though Asus may have got everything just about perfect this time.



Anyone who's got a few years under their belt, like myself, will be well aware that the concept of a basic, portable computer with solid state storage and no moving parts is nothing new. About ten years ago I did a significant amount of my writing on a Psion Series 5, which was laughably referred to as a PDA. In the Series 5, Psion created a device so usable, that I was able to write entire features on it while sitting on the train. The company then pushed the boundaries even further when it launched the Series 7 and eventually the NetBook.

What Psion got right with its machines was a balance of essential functionality, small form factor and great battery life. As time moved on, though, fully fledged notebooks became smaller and lighter and end users wanted to run feature rich (read bloated) operating systems on their mobile computers. All this spelled the end for Psion hardware (although it did spin off its EPOC OS as Symbian), and for a long time we simply didn't see machines like the Series 7 and NetBook. Thankfully Asus realised that there was room in the market for a basic, affordable machine that didn't need to run the latest version of Windows - thus the Eee PC was born.



For anyone who hasn't heard of the Eee PC before (where have you been hiding?), let me give you the low down. The Eee PC is a very small machine measuring 225 x 165 x 35mm (WxDxH) and weighing around 1kg. that puts it well and truly into the ultra-portable sector, being lighter than even a Sony TZ31MN, and smaller too. This is a machine built to be used on the move, without the need to make much space for it in your bag. The Eee PC comes in two colours, pearlescent white, like the one I'm reviewing here and black - yes, that does sound very similar to Apple's MacBook range, but that's most definitely where the similarities end.

Although the chassis that houses the Eee PC 900 is pretty much identical to the 701 that Andy reviewed last year, you only have to open the lid to see the first major difference between the two. The screen on the 900 is a huge improvement and one that makes this new Eee PC even more attractive than its predecessor. The 7in screen on the original Eee PC was hampered by the 800 pixel wide resolution, which meant that you had to scroll sideways on the vast majority of web pages. The 8.9in screen on the new model rectifies this issue by sporting a 1,024 pixel wide resolution, which allows it to display the vast majority of web pages perfectly, without the need for sideways scrolling.



The full screen resolution is 1,024 x 600, which means you've got a widescreen aspect ratio, just like the majority of fully featured notebooks on the market. It should also be said that the quality of the screen in the Eee PC 900 is superb. OK, so it's not gloriously bright and vivid like the screen in a Sony TZ, but it is evenly lit, has a wide viewing angle and this sample at least, suffered from no dead pixels. The 8.9in screen actually fills the lid properly too, whereas the 7in display in the 701 just looked tiny, flanked as it was by speakers and surrounded by a large black bezel. As well as offering much improved functionality, the new screen also improves the Eee PC aesthetically.



Considering the overall size of the Eee PC, it comes as no surprise that the keyboard is quite small. Anyone who struggles with a reduced size keyboard on a traditional ultra-portable notebook isn't going to have much joy with an Eee PC, it really is that simple. However, if your hands aren't too big, you shouldn't have any problem typing - I'm currently writing this review on the Eee PC 900 and I can't say that I'm typing much slower than if I was using a full size keyboard on a notebook or desktop.



Also surprising is the amount of travel that each key has, and the fact that there's a solid break at the end of each keystroke, ensuring that your finger bounces back up ready for the next attack. If there's one small annoyance, it's the reduced size Return key, which resembles the flat Enter style key seen on US keyboards. This isn't anything that you won't get used to after a short time, but I'd still rather have seen a larger Return.

Below the SpaceBar is the touchpad, which represents another major change from the older Eee PC 701. Not only is the touchpad far wider than that on the previous model, but it's also multi-touch enabled. OK, so maybe I was premature when I said that the similarities with Apple would end with the colours, but I didn't want to spoil the surprise! Just like on the MacBook Air, you can zoom in and out of images by pinching your fingers together, or pulling them apart. Of course, as with the MacBook Air, I'm not convinced that multi-touch is the killer feature that it is on the iPhone or iPod touch, but it's great to see Asus squeezing such cutting edge technology into such an affordable machine.



If you're the kind of notebook user that has got used to using the right hand edge of the touchpad to scroll through documents, you'll probably be disappointed to hear that the touchpad on the Eee PC 900 doesn't support this feature. But don't despair, because Asus has come up with a far better method. Instead of having to place your finger right at the edge of the touchpad to scroll, the Eee PC 900 will let you scroll from anywhere in the touchpad, as long as you use two fingers. The fact that you're using two fingers tells the touchpad that you're not just trying to move the pointer, and will consequently scroll through your document or webpage instead. The two finger scrolling method can be used for both vertical and horizontal scrolling.



There are some big changes inside too, although the CPU isn't one of them. Despite the fact that many of us were hoping that the Eee PC 900 would be sporting Intel's new Atom chip, unfortunately it's not. In fact the basic platform is unchanged from the original model, with a 900MHz Intel Celeron processor residing in a 915GM based motherboard - hardly cutting edge, but more than capable of the job at hand. The first component improvement over the old 701 is the memory complement, with the new 900 sporting 1GB of RAM as standard, as opposed to the 512MB seen previously. The webcam has also been upgraded from a 0.3-megapixel unit to a 1.3-megapixel model - ideal for anyone who needs their friends to see them in even more detail while chatting on Skype.

The other major component upgrade is the amount of storage on offer. The original 701 had only 4GB of storage, while the 900 comes in two configurations - one with 12GB of storage and the other with 20GB. There's no difference in price between these two versions because the 12GB model comes preloaded with Windows XP, while the 20GB version is running Linux. Basically Asus has used the money saved by installing an open source operating system to increase the storage. Of course if you really are set on Windows XP, the obvious suggestion would be to buy the Linux machine, then just install XP yourself - assuming that you have a spare copy of XP knocking about that is.



It's the 20GB Linux version that I've got in front of me right now, and I have to say that I'm simply not convinced that I would ever need Windows XP on a machine like this. The beauty of the Eee PC is its simplicity, so filling it up with a heavy duty OS, when you simply don't need the majority of the features it offers seems pointless. Unless you absolutely, positively have to run Windows applications like Microsoft Office, when you're out and about, there's pretty much nothing that you can't do with the Linux version.

Performance wise, the Eee PC 900 zips along, without any of the tedious grinding that Windows Vista users will be used to. Unlike with Vista, 1GB of RAM is more than enough for a well configured Linux build, while the fast solid state storage also helps to ensure that the Eee PC 900 responds instantaneously to your commands.



Navigation on the Linux install is unbelievably simple. You're basically presented with a tabbed desktop, and clicking each tab will change the icons on offer to you on your desktop. The first tab is labelled Internet and unsurprisingly, all the icons are linked to Internet access in some way. Highlights include a Webmail button, which opens a page with various Webmail client icons such as Gmail and Hotmail. The Web icon will open the pre-installed Firefox browser, while the Skype and Google Docs icons will do exactly what it says on the tin. The Messenger button will launch Pidgin, which is a multi-protocol instant messenger client, that works very well. I especially like the fact that all your conversations happen in one window, with tabs for each person you're talking to - this is very useful when desktop real estate is at a premium.

The Work tab gives you access to OpenOffice, for all your word processing, spreadsheet and presentation needs - and yes you can save in Microsoft Office format. Here you'll also find a PDF reader, a simple notes program and a shortcut to Thunderbird for all your email needs. This is also where File manager lives, which basically equates to Windows Explorer and lets you search through all your folders.



The Learn tab is clearly aimed at the education sector, which is a big part of the Eee PC market. Here you'll find games and applications to help improve your vocabulary, spelling and even maths ability. There's also a basic Paint program here, which is similar to the identically named application found in Windows, while the Science icon will give you access to a periodic table and a planetarium.



The Play tab brings up all the fun stuff like the Media Player, Music Manager and Webcam utility. There's also a Sound Recorder and a Games icon, which gives you access to a handful of pre-loaded games, including the obligatory Solitaire.



The Settings tab gives you access to all the system utilities and configuration applications. Here you can configure the touchpad, change the date and time, monitor disk usage and implement a virus scan of the system. The Add/Remove programs button also lives here, which not only lets you install or uninstall applications, but also checks for updates on all your installed programs. Finally the Favourites tab is just that, a place where you can store all your favourite links and shortcuts.

Despite the very small chassis, Asus has managed to squeeze in a surprising amount of connectivity. On the right you'll find a D-SUB port for hooking the Eee PC 900 up to an external monitor. Next to this are two USB 2.0 ports, along with an SD card slot. Considering how cheap flash memory is these days, the SD card slot means that even if you do run low on internal storage, augmentation won't be expensive.



On the left there's a third USB 2.0 port, which is one more than you'll find on most fully featured ultra-portable notebooks. Here you'll also find headphone and mic sockets - so you've got a choice of using a traditional or USB headset while taking advantage of that webcam and pre-installed Skype. Of course there is a microphone built into the lid of the machine, but you're always better off using a proper headset.



The final connection on the left is an Ethernet port for the 10/100 network adapter. It's worth noting that the Apple MacBook air doesn't have an Ethernet port, despite being considerably larger and heavier than the Eee PC 900, making Apple's machine look like a lightweight in metaphorical rather than literal terms. Of course you also get 802.11b/g wireless built-in - Draft-N would have been nice, but let's hope that when the Atom version arrives it wll be Draft-N compliant.

If there's one area where the new Eee PC 900 doesn't really improve on its predecessor, it's battery life, and that's a real shame. With the improvements that Asus has made in this new Eee PC model, battery life is about the only chink in its armour worth mentioning, but it's still a significant chink. Asus quotes 2.5-hours battery life for this machine, but I barely got two hours out of it, although to be fair I had the screen on full brightness and wireless running. Perhaps with a bit of a tweak to the brightness and more frugal use of wireless I could have matched Asus' estimate, but even then, two and a half hours isn't much by today's standards.


Ideally I'd like to see at least four hours battery life out of an Eee PC, especially since full fat ultra-portable machines like the Sony TZ can last well over six hours. Of course you can buy a larger battery for the Eee PC, but that will push both the price and the weight up. On the plus side, the power brick is tiny, so it wouldn't be too much of a chore to carry around with you, but that's not going to help you if you want to work out in the garden, or perhaps in a park where there are no plug sockets.


Battery life aside, Asus has thrown enough enhancements into the Eee PC 900 to make it a very attractive proposition for anyone who's thinking of buying a small, thin and light notebook. Of course those enhancements have also pushed the price up, with the Eee PC 900 costing £329 instead of £219. Even so, I can't see too many people being put off by the higher price point. In fact some of the guys in the office have already said that they'll be buying one of these little notebooks as soon as they get paid.


Verdict

Asus has done a brilliant job of updating an already great product. The engineers have clearly listened to all the comments regarding the original Eee PC and attempted to put them right. The 1,024 wide screen makes the Eee PC 900 a joy to use, especially if you spend a lot of your time in a browser window. The extra memory and storage are also very welcome additions, and help make this version of the Eee PC a real alternative to a fully featured notebook.

Yes the price is higher than the previous model, but I personally believe that the Eee PC 900 still represents staggering value for money. Ultimately, if you want a notebook that's small, light and still very affordable, the Eee PC 900 should be top of your list.

Asus Eee PC 900 Review - cnet.co.uk

Reviewed by Rory Reid

The Asus Eee PC 701 has earned a permanent place in history. It almost single-handedly defined the sub-notebook -- a genre of PC that made slow, inexpensive laptops the hottest properties in the computing world. Many have tried to emulate its success, and most have failed miserably, so it's left to Asus to push the envelope with a new version its product.

Step forward the Eee PC 900. This brings with it several improvements including a high-resolution 8.9-inch screen, more storage, more memory, a multi-touch mouse trackpad and an improved webcam. In other words, it's a far more attractive proposition even than the original. But is it enough of an evolution to stave off competition from its rivals? Let us know what you think in our Asus Eee PC 900 forum.

The Asus Eee PC 900 will be available on 1 May for around £329.

Design
The Eee PC 900 isn't too different to its predecessor, at least aesthetically. In comparison to the Eee PC 701, it's still ivory white and is still the size of a hardback book. It is, however, 6mm longer than its predecessor and approximately 100g heavier. The speakers that sat on either side of the screen have been removed to accommodate the larger panel -- an arrangement that immediately makes the laptop more attractive.

The speakers now live at the bottom of the laptop below the wrist rest -- an arrangement that adversely affects sound quality, particularly if you're using the Eee PC 900 on your lap. We'll forgive it this oversight, however, because the quality of the speakers on the original Eee PC 701 was rubbish in the first place.

We rather hoped the Eee PC 900 would have a larger keyboard than that of the 701, but that isn't the case. We still had the same trouble typing on it as we did before and had to adopt a four-finger -- index and middle finger -- approach to typing instead of our standard all-action, all-digit touch typing. It slows you down, but you'll get used to it after extended use.

The mouse trackpad has been improved, and notably so. It now has a wide aspect ratio to match that of the screen, meaning your finger inputs will more closely mirror what's possible with the on-screen cursor. The left and right selector buttons have also been improved. They now sport a silver finish and are easier to press.

Best of all, though, is the addition of multi-finger input, often referred to as multi-touch. The trackpad now lets you scroll horizontally and vertically through documents by swiping two fingers up or down across the surface of the trackpad. You can also zoom in or zoom out of pictures by making pinching or stretching movement with your fingers -- just like on a MacBook Air.

The selection of input-output ports on the Eee PC 900 is identical to that of the 701. The left side consists of an Ethernet port, a single USB port, and mic and headphone jacks. The right is home to a D-Sub VGA video output, two additional USB ports and an SD card reader. The latter can accommodate third-party SDHC cards for up to 32GB of additional storage. Larger cards are expected to emerge in due course.

Features
The aforementioned 8.9-inch display isn't simply for making the laptop look nicer. It's also of a very good standard. It runs at a native resolution of 1,024x600 pixels, which is significantly higher than the 800x480-pixel screen on the old 7-inch model. The quality of the display is also commendable, especially given the price of the laptop. The vertical viewing angle is a little limited, so you'll need to adjust the horizontal tilt to get the picture just right. Still, the horizontal viewing angle is wide enough to allow two users to watch a DivX movie side by side in relative comfort.

Anyone expecting the new Intel Atom CPUs in the Eee PC 900 will be sorely disappointed. This iteration uses the same Intel Celeron 900MHz CPU as the old 701, but it now has the backing of 1GB of DDR 400 RAM -- twice as much as you got in its predecessor. The geek inside us yearns for an Atom -- or similar -- CPU, but we'll have to wait until at least the summer before Asus updates the Eee again. In the meantime, we'll thank our lucky stars Asus didn't opt for a VIA C7-M CPU as seen in the Packard Bell EasyNote XS.

The amount of storage you get in your Eee PC 900 depends on whether you opt for the version containing Linux or Windows XP as an operating system. The Linux model comes with a fairly capacious 20GB of storage, while the Windows XP model has just 12GB. The reason for this discrepancy isn't as sinister as some fanboys might imagine.

Asus wants to keep the price of both models identical. Had the Windows model shipped with a 20GB drive, the price of that model would have jumped significantly due to the cost associated with the Windows user licence. Asus has been able to supply more storage in the Linux edition as a result of Linux costing approximately zero pounds. Sterling.

Both versions of the Eee PC 900 use Samsung flash memory chips rather than an actual off-the-shelf hard disk drive. The only drawback here is that it's not as large as the 32GB or 64GB SSDs in fully-grown laptops like the MacBook Air, but that's not a massive issue. The Eee PC 900's storage is still of the solid-state variety, so you can hurl the machine to the ground in frustration, safe in the knowledge that your data won't be lost. The screen and the keyboard will likely shatter into a million tiny pieces -- the machine is actually quite sturdy, don't worry -- but your data will be safe.

Those who opt for the Linux version of the Eee PC 900 won't be disappointed. It uses the same Linux-based OS as the Eee PC 701, and comes with some 40 applications pre-installed. You can add your own applications as you might expect, but we found pretty much everything we needed was already on the system, including the OpenOffice productivity suite, Firefox browser, a media player and more. Applications are logically arranged in tab groups labeled "Internet", "work", "learn", "play", "settings" and "favourites", so everything is easy to find.

The Eee PC 900 isn't designed to replace your primary PC -- despite what fanboys say otherwise. It's at its best when used as second PC or a Web access tool, and is well-equipped for doing just that. It has an Ethernet port, plus an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi adaptor so you can jump online regardless of whether you're in your lounge, your garden or a local Starbucks. Unfortunately, there's still no support for 802.11n high-speed wireless, but we can't say we really miss this feature.

Performance
The Eee PC 900 feels swifter in everyday use than the previous model -- something we put down to it having twice the memory. The 1GB of DDR 400 RAM also helped the system cope better with running multiple applications simultaneously. We were able to, for example, browse the Internet while watching a movie in a window without it dropping frames. It must be noted that this capability is only possible now that the Eee PC has a larger screen size and higher resolution resolution.

The Eee PC 900 still isn't the ideal candidate for playing games. Yes, there are some titles with modest enough system requirements to be compatible, but these are few and far between. It's also important to note that you'll need to install Windows XP in order to run the vast majority of these, and even then you'll only have a limited amount of space to install your favourite games.

Asus claims the Eee PC 900 will last approximately three hours on its standard battery -- half an hour less than its predictions for the Eee PC 701. In our own DivX movie playback test, it ran for 1 hour 29 minutes, which was just about long enough for us to enjoy a feature-length movie or a couple episodes of our favourite TV show. Your own mileage will vary, but expect it to last slightly longer if you run applications that are not CPU-intensive and with the wireless adaptor switched off.

Conclusion
The Eee PC 900 is a likeable update to the Eee PC 701. We're disappointed its keyboard is still so difficult to use, but the addition of a larger, high-resolution screen, multi-touch mouse trackpad and better storage gives it the edge over just about all of its rivals. It falls slightly short of a wholehearted recommendation due to the mooted touchscreen version and the huge likelihood that Asus will begin using newer Intel Atom CPUs, but for those who can't wait, it's a fantastic purchase.

Eee PC 900 details, launch dates come trickling out

We've already gotten the disappointing word that the Eee PC 900's processor is the same 900MHz Celeron M found in the 701, but perhaps our hearts can be warmed by all the new details that came flooding out today. First, we've got word that the 900 will actually carry two different flash storage units, with 4GB soldered onto the motherboard and an 8GB SSD in the PCIe slot for XP versions and a 16GB unit for Linux models. The dual-storage system means you should be able to upgrade easily, but we're still wondering why the lighterweight OS gets more storage -- we've got a feeling that since both models will be priced at the same $500 - $650 price point depending on territory, Windows license fees have something to do with it. Speaking of territories, we've also learned some international ship dates: Hong Kong and UK customers should be seeing this pop up as of today, while France should join the fun on the 17th, Taiwan and Singapore later this month, and Australia, Germany and Italy will all have to wait until May. Sadly, we're still in the dark on Stateside release dates, but you'll know as soon as we do.

Update: Asus just made the final specs official.

[Thanks, Bob]

Read - International launch dates
Read - Dual flash storage
Read - Eee PC 900 specs

Video: Eee PC 900 processor is NOT Atom, multi-touch trackpad demonstrated

Oh man, the rumors were true. Asus' EeePC 900 -- the 8.9-inch model -- is still plodding along on that same 900MHz Celeron M processor as the original Eee PC 701. Good news: it does run at the full 900MHz without the 630MHz cap of its predecessor (pre-overclocking, that is). Bad News: it's not the Intel Atom proc promised at CeBIT. A potential bottleneck when loaded with the relatively CPU heavy XP instead of the Linux-based OS. Still, we're hoping this is a limitation in the early-launch, Hong Kong / Taiwan models only, and things will get corrected when Atom launches in June. The video after the break clearly demonstrates the multi-touch trackpad (3:50 in) which Engadget was first to discover in the FCC filing.

Mandriva Linux 2008 Spring Released

Mandriva Linux 2008 Spring has been released. This new release brings features like full support for the Asus Eee, easy synchronization with Windows Mobile 5 and later, Blackberry, and Nokia devices, a new parental control utility, the Elisa multimedia centrer, Codeina for easy installation of necessary media codecs, and PulseAudio by default. Software updates include KDE 3.5.9 (with 4.0.2 available from the official repositories), GNOME 2.22, OpenOffice.org 2.4, Linux kernel 2.6.24.4, X.org 7.3, and Compiz 0.7. You can download the One (live/install CD) or Free (traditional installer, 100% free/open source software) editions of Mandriva Linux 2008 Spring right here. BitTorrent download links can be found here. The main 2008 Spring page on the Mandriva Wiki has more information.

ASUS Eee PC 900 gets unboxed

Yeah, you already knew what this 9-incher looked like from our time spent with it over in Germany, but there's just nothing like seeing a spotless machine escape from its factory packaging and delight its new owner for the first time. Hit the read link below for more shots, and do your best to withhold that growing pang of jealously, will ya?

[Via jkkmobile]

ASUS Eee PC overclocking looks surprisingly easy

Have an Eee PC? Did your friend's overclocked OLPC get you thinking about just how much more horsepower you can eke out of that little beast? Say no more -- with a little hackery you too can join the 900MHz+ Eeelite with your ASUS cheaptop. Looks like there are apps for both Windows and Linux to get the job done, just don't come crying to us about melted legs or -- worse still -- a busted computer.

[Via Liliputing]

Asus Eee PC Windows Review - notebookreview.com

by JerryJ

The Asus Eee PC quickly became an overnight success after its release last year. Consumers looking for a low-cost ultraportable laptop began buying the Linux-based Eee PC in record numbers. After months of customer feedback, Asus has decided to offer the Eee PC with Windows XP and a couple of extras ... all for close to the same amazing price. Let's take a look.

A Little History Of A Little Laptop

As the editor for a technology website and as a consumer constantly looking for cheap deals on electronics, I was genuinely impressed with the Asus Eee PC 4G. This little low-cost laptop comes dangerously close to being a "disposable notebook" at its current price of $399. Sure, if you spend your time shopping for deals you can find new laptops from other companies that rival this price ... but none are as convenient to carry as the tiny Eee PC.

The editorial staff of NotebookReview.com chose to award the Eee PC 4G with the Editors Choice Award in October of 2007 and I even wrote a follow-up article proclaiming the "perfection" of the Eee PC. Despite all there is to love about these pint-sized subnotebooks, I would be lying if I said the Eee PC is without its flaws. In order to give consumers a mobile laptop at a rediculously low price Asus had to use a small, low-resolution LCD. This 7-inch display isn't great for long-term use, but then again the Eee PC was designed for short-term use such as a short business trip or casual web browsing anywhere you go.

The Eee PC also uses a 900MHz Intel processor that's a little slower than most consumers expect in today's market. In fact, the processor actually runs at a slower clock speed straight out of the box and it's up to the user to set the processor to run at a full 900MHz in the BIOS. That's a little complicated for most consumers ... but again, we're talking about a low-cost travel laptop that's almost disposable yet still manages to rival ultraportable notebooks costing much more.

Still, the biggest criticism from consumers was the use of Asus' customized Xandros Linux as an operating system. The "Eee" in Eee PC stands for "Easy to Learn, easy to work, easy to play." Unfortunately, although the point-and-click Linux interface was indeed simple, most customers didn't find it "easy." In fact, the single most common modification that customers made to their Eee PCs was the installation of Windows XP.

Well, Asus was paying attention, and the Eee PC with Windows XP is here.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same

This review of the new Asus Eee PC with Windows XP doesn't follow our typical review format because, to be perfectly honest, little has changed with this release of the Eee PC. Basically, the Eee PC 4G with Windows XP is the same notebook as the Eee PC 4G with Linux. The only difference is the operating system and couple of extra accessories (a 4GB SDHC card from A-DATA, and a small wired USB optical mouse).

Why is this attractive to consumers? Well, you get an extra $30-$40 worth of accessories and a $100 operating system for little or no increase over the low price of the original Eee PC 4G: retail prices range from $399 to $469 at the time of this writing.

Performance and Benchmarks

The Eee PC isn't designed for HD video encoding or playing Crysis, but it is designed to be a mobile companion that's perfect for web browsing, working in Microsoft Office, or some light gaming while on the road.

For our standard performance benchmarks we decided to test the Eee PC with Windows XP in both the stock configuration (with the processor running at 630MHz) and using one of the Asus BIOS to set the processor at its full clock speed of 900MHz.

The bottom line is the Eee PC performs well with the Intel processor ... but it performs better when it's running at full speed. The other item of note in these benchmarks is the incredibly poor performance of the VIA processor despite a significantly faster clock speed. This suggests VIA processors may in fact be a poor choice for this form factor. It also means the competition needs to think seriously about alternative processors choices from Intel.

Conclusion

The Eee PC with Windows solves two of the key complaints about the original Eee PC 4G. Adding Windows XP and an extra 4GB SDHC card make this notebook much more attractive to most consumers who need a low-priced notebook that can go everywhere with them.

Although I understand the realities dictating retail price, the Eee PC is already dangerously close to being too expensive for what you get. The original $399 price point is great, but some retailers are selling the new Eee PC with Windows XP for $469. Once we get to $500 most consumers would be better off buying a budget 15-inch notebook and living with the inconvenience of the larger size. The Eee PC is still a great choice for people who want a low-cost travel companion, but the key element to the Eee PC's success has been the low price. The Eee PC concept likely won't succeed if Asus or retailers keep increasing the price.

Overall, the Eee PC 4G with Windows is a great deal for anyone who was considering the purchase of the original Eee PC and buying Windows separately. If you're the type of person who wants a low-cost ultraportable notebook the Eee PC is still the king of the hill.

Pros
• Still a great subnotebook at a great price
• Windows XP is a better fit for this machine
• Extra 4G SDHC card and mouse are nice

Cons
• Still a tiny display
• Still a cramped keyboard
• The processor should be clocked at 900MHz by default

8.9-inch Eee PC to launch early, without Intel's Atom?

by Thomas Ricker

It's just a rumor, though it's likely spot-on given DigiTimes by launching its second generation 8.9-inch Eee PC early. As such, they'll have to forgo Intel's new Atom processor (shipping in ' past success with its well placed ASUS source(s). Remember, they nailed the 9-inch touchscreen (rumor, announcement) as well as the 2nd generation ship date (rumor, announcement) among other notable successes. Apparently, ASUS is looking to get a jump on HP's new Mini-Note and that upcoming ultra-portable from AcerJune) and slap in an older-generation dual-core ULV instead. Sources claim that ASUS still plans to go Atom in "later versions of its Eee PCs." What's unclear is whether this would be an AsiaPac move only, or if ASUS' entire global rollout strategy has changed. We'll update you as soon as we know more.

ASUS' 7-inch Eee PC now available at Best Buy in XP flavor

by Joshua Topolsky

Sure, the picture on the purchase page shows the little guy running Xandros -- but read the fine print ya'll. That's right, the moment some of you have been waiting for has finally descended upon us like the enraged, ancient dragons of yore. The Windows XP equipped ASUS Eee PC is now available at Best Buy. For just $399.99, you can experience the totally okay performance that is this 7-inch master of destruction. Enjoy it now, but remember, those 9-inch models are just around the corner.