Asus Eee PC pricing and release dates loosed: less flash for more money?

Take it for what you will, but a forum jockey over at Eeeuser claims to be up on the hubbub regarding the release details of the Eee PC for the US. According to the poster's "high ranking manager" source within ASUS North America, three models of the Eee PC will ship. Of these, two will ship to the US in late September: a $269-$299 model with 7-inch display, 2GB of storage (4GB was the previously stated minimum), 4- or 6-cell battery, 512MB or memory and built-in WiFi; and a $369-399 model which bumps the storage to 4GB. Both models will be available in black or white with those 4- and 6-cell batteries delivering up to 4- and 5-hours of runtime, respectively. Unfortunately, that hotly anticipated $200 model will not be making its way into the North American market. So while it looks like we'll be getting less flash for more money, none of this is official until ASUS says it's so, ok?

[Thanks, Ken]

[Harving @ Mar 26th 2008 4:29PM]

Well, i was looking for an ultraportable computer, but i can't pay $3000 for one (yes, i was a Vaio User), i have "normal" laptops of 15", but it's so hard to get a breakfast and chat in the same table =D. But, if eeepc keep this line, i will think in another choice. Oh, the baterry issue, if it have a SSD or something like that, whay it's too short the time of battery life, 3.5 it's the low level i use the computer. I write, but i like to write not in a desk, i prefer landscapes, parks, beachs, but in the end i using pen and paper, yes, the keyboard it's necesary to me.

Saludos a todos, me encanta este sitio

[william @ Aug 16th 2007 8:10PM]

so this is strictly work related laptop right or could i use this to stream also?

[BFish @ Aug 16th 2007 5:19AM]

So upgrading flash from 2GB->4GB will cost you +100USD.
That's what I call a fat margin, 8GB flash costs to manufactures 13 bucks.

[PEZ @ Aug 16th 2007 7:08AM]

The raw cost of flash memory to the manufactures has nothing to do with the end cost, and what it should cost. it needs to be tested, installed, retested. Stop being a moron.

The total cost for making a package of twinkies (your favorite food) is about 26cents. Though, they cost how much for a pack of 3? (help us we dont know)... do the math, bozo.

[patsy @ Aug 16th 2007 9:17AM]

@PEZ:

Since the units are identical except for memory size, development and testing for the entire product line would be practically identical and should take place only once. So the price difference between the various memory models should only reflect the extra cost of the memory plus the expected profit margin. Who's the moron now, oh sweet candy?

[2think @ Aug 20th 2007 5:13PM]

Did Pez's 'special needs economics' just get deconstructed by patsy? LMAO!

[mike @ Aug 30th 2007 4:02PM]

I don't think this is flash memory, but rather is the new flash hard drives we'll be seeing more of in the future. I'm not sure of the difference, probably more speed, as you may have noticed transferring files to/from flash memory is quite slow.

[Jonah @ Nov 30th 2008 5:29PM]

It'd be cheaper just to buy an external and duct-tape it to the laptop.

[noname @ Aug 16th 2007 5:57AM]

I guess they have found that they hit the niche market and they can put their product on market initialy for higher price, so they do it, and after some time they will decrease the price or give high percentage to resellers. Normal market positioning.

About the lesser Flash - i guess the reason may be no 4/8 GB flashes on market thanks to iPhone.

[Daniel Cuneo @ Aug 16th 2007 7:04AM]

Dang, I was banking on that $200 range. Oh well. At least the extended life battery rumor is gaining traction.
And who in their right minds would want the Eee in Black anyway?

[Dahk @ Aug 16th 2007 10:33AM]

I hope I'm in the right mind... :S

But... *slowly raises hand* I... want... black.

[Twitchy @ Aug 16th 2007 7:58AM]

Pffft, who cares if they change the specs a bit or up the pricing - it's still a hell of a deal. Pity we won't see it down-under for a while, and then only at largely inflated prices. Ergo, stop whining, you don't know how lucky you are.

[patsy @ Aug 16th 2007 9:06AM]

The main problem with the higher price points is that you can already get full featured notebooks from major manufacturers for under $400. BB for example sells a Compaq with better specs in all areas for $379, it just weighs quite a bit more than 2 lb.

[Twitchy @ Aug 16th 2007 5:17PM]

*loud thud noise of jaw hitting ground shakes neighbourhood*

Man are we getting the short end of the stick in NZ.

[michael brown @ Aug 17th 2007 3:32PM]

in reference to under 400 computers, best buy has a comact on sale this week for 399. unfortunately some of us cant afford even that right now and will have to wait it out for the Eee.

[MickeyMoo @ Aug 16th 2007 10:21AM]

If the Twinkies were made in China like most electronics, then I'm guessing 29 cents. 30 if you don't want the creamy poison filling.

[r @ Aug 16th 2007 12:46PM]

$269 for 2gb? I'll pass.

It was a great concept at $200, but not at $269+...

[Copperhead @ Aug 16th 2007 9:21AM]

When it was $200 it was a nice alternative to a laptop, but the closer it creeps to the price of a cheap laptop, the less likely I am to buy one.

Shame, I was looking forward to this too....

[tiuk @ Aug 16th 2007 11:17AM]

Same here, I was going to snatch one up before the semester started. Now, looks like I'll probably wait until the price comes down.

[G @ Aug 16th 2007 9:17AM]

I only read this article's comments to see if there would be some more retards misreading "loosed" or claiming it wasn't a proper word.

[laika @ Aug 16th 2007 9:31AM]

yeah, that $199USD sounded so nice. and that higher price also brings it closer to the Nokia N800, which appears to be even more portable.

[Kory @ Aug 16th 2007 9:18AM]

It is getting pricier, but they're probably comparing their machine with the Foleo, which is going to be priced twice as high (albeit with a slightly better display, I believe).

[js @ Aug 16th 2007 10:00AM]

If you want less flash for the money, doesn't the Foleo have only 128MB?

[Daniel Cuneo @ Aug 16th 2007 3:30PM]

*Slap*

That's what you get for being a conformist, or rebelling against the rebels, or since white was predominate, then...

Anyway, back to your cell!!!

[Alec @ Aug 16th 2007 11:19AM]

If this is all true, then so long to this machine. I have been looking forward to the $200 price tag since I first heard about it. I'm not paying $400 for this. Screw that!

[Ant @ Aug 16th 2007 11:44AM]

Bring out a new Psion Series 5 with all this new technology and sell it for $300, now I'd buy that. A nice usable gadget without it shouting to everybody 'I can't afford a nice laptop so I bought this'.

The flash memory thing as well, I don't get it, am I missing something, I bought a tiny little 2Gig MicroSD card for my phone it fits into my camera with a SD adaptor that came with it, this was $22, I think they do a 4Gig for a little bit more. Why they put such a tiny memory in these new devices and then rave about it being flash memory, I've been buying it for a few $'s for over a year for my phone and camera. Even my Psion 5 has a 2Gig Compact Flash cost about $28 and that’s expensive.

[Tony @ Aug 16th 2007 1:09PM]

if its 400 bucks ultra portable and long battery life and a screen I wont go blind looking at. Im all over it.

[Jon @ Aug 25th 2007 4:15AM]

Well it's not any of those things. so get over it. It's not for you.

[Tony @ Aug 25th 2007 12:21PM]

Jon had a bad day?

[RIFRAF @ Aug 16th 2007 12:29PM]

Well, that sucks that they lowered the flash. I intended on getting one and installing XP on it, but the 2/4 configs are just too small to actually run XP plus other software installed. Oh well, maybe I'll wait for the 8gb/8" screen version coming out later in the year, or just say screw it and save up my money for a HTC Shift instead.

[rock99rock @ Aug 19th 2007 10:18PM]

Ever hear of TinyXP?

[Kal-El @ Aug 16th 2007 12:29PM]

But can it play Doom?
Haha, sorry, couldn't resist. I wonder if you could upgrade this by removing the flash drive and putting an HDD in, that would be a really cheap laptop. Seriously though, 4GB? The last computer I remember having less storage space than that was the Pentium 233/366 computers, and the iBook G3 clamshells.

[Patrick @ Aug 16th 2007 12:38PM]

I was counting on waiting for the 10" version in the spring with 16GB of flash and was counting on it being close to $500 now I might be looking at over $1000. Damn!

[Marek @ Aug 16th 2007 6:42PM]

There are too many people that "know someone that knows someone" throwing in the two cents on the price... I'm just gonna wait this the damn thing hits the streets with an actual price sticker on it.

[Gene @ Aug 16th 2007 5:30PM]

I was really looking forward for this to use at college when I'm running around campus. I wanted something small and cheap that I could use if I couldn't get to a computer or for working on group projects. I would probably would have got the 10" model but I looks like it will be cheaper to get a standard notebook. I think the max I would be willing to pay for the 7" is $250 for a 4GB model.

[John Ridley @ Aug 16th 2007 1:48PM]

I want it because of its size and weight. I already have a full size laptop that I never use because it's too big.
As far as flash goes, it's got an SD slot so if it's low on flash I'll just drop an 8GB card in there and mount it at /home/me and call it good.

[Jason @ Sep 9th 2007 2:13PM]

Any update on a Canada/ US release date?

[JBrown @ Oct 31st 2007 12:37AM]

HEY everyone, I've been hanging out at eeeuser.com following this little beauty.

A couple users uploaded pictures of the interface on the Eee and I built a little Online Test Drive for the Eee.

Check it out at: http://www.honeypothack.com/eee/internet.htm

-Josh