Asus confirms the 8GB 10-inch Eee PC

Asus has been coyly hinting at a spec-bumped Eee PC for a while now, but it looks like the wink-and-nudge days are over -- German Asus spokesman Holger Schmidt said that an 8GB Eee PC with a 10-inch screen would ship in 2008, as well as that equally-rumored but far less sexy desktop Eee. See, sometimes dreams do come true.

[Read link is in German]

[brandon @ Mar 18th 2008 12:21AM]

the 8g is on their site currently and is in 7in. i would say the price would be reasonable for a 16g model. considering a macbook air (or any other ssd using pc) is 400 bucks for 32 gig. so 200 for 16 gig, 100/150 for 10 in lcd, 25-50 for the intel merom cpu, 50 for 1 gig memory, 150 for everything else/being so dang small. so looking at 600 bucks for a laptop aimed at being the "everyone can own one" i would buy one if it was priced at 450-500.

[Homeboy @ Nov 14th 2007 11:13AM]

If the 4GB version with a 7 inch screen cost $400 that new version is bound to cost a whole lot more.

[rv @ Nov 14th 2007 11:50AM]

Unless of course it comes with 4 free.

[Bombaclaat @ Nov 14th 2007 1:49PM]

you think?

[loci @ Nov 14th 2007 6:54PM]

If the 4GB version with a 7 inch screen cost $400 that new version is bound to cost a whole lot more.

you are a powerful thinker....the girls must love you?

[Superevil @ Nov 14th 2007 11:14AM]

Awesome. I know what I'll be getting with my tax return now.

[Chuckles McGee @ Nov 14th 2007 11:25AM]

Hooray for progress!

[Kris @ Nov 14th 2007 11:15AM]

Yeah, and that's a problem. I'd still buy at $499. If it's more, I won't. I'm still waiting for my ideal package. 10", 8GB, 1GB RAM, $499.

[gfar @ Nov 14th 2007 12:33PM]

To paraphrase you: "...my ideal package. 10"..."

[Kris @ Nov 14th 2007 12:41PM]

huhuhuhuh yeah butt-head you said package

[andres @ Jan 24th 2008 7:46PM]

@kris
ahh, you little ten year olds with your internets, you crack me up

[Kris @ Jan 25th 2008 9:10AM]

It was an infantile repsonse to an infantile remark. If you would like everyone you read to act their age, go read the comments at marketwatch.com.

[fastolfe @ Nov 14th 2007 11:16AM]

It'll still be less than a Sony TX or Fujitsu.

[Magnulus @ Nov 14th 2007 11:20AM]

It'll also still only cost a fraction of what any of those cost.

[Magnulus @ Nov 14th 2007 11:22AM]

Oh, wait. Sorry. Ignore that. My brain added another word in there that would change the entire meaning. So, yeah... Sorry 'bout that.

[Homeboy @ Nov 14th 2007 11:30AM]

......and it still just give you a quarter of the specs. This laptop 8GB and a 10 inch screen should not cost more than $500

[djjc @ Nov 14th 2007 11:24AM]

What's all the fuss about and 8gb device? Aren't we in 2007, almost 2008?

[Burm @ Nov 14th 2007 1:34PM]

Yeah! Take that iPhone!!!
....Oh, you mean EEE? Shame me.

[Magnulus @ Nov 14th 2007 11:19AM]

I just hope it's still the same size.

[RyanTV @ Nov 14th 2007 11:27AM]

8GB is plenty of space for a secondary machine to use for email and web purposes. and with 8GB you could even unload your digital camera a few times if you were on vacation.
I think they will do well with the new laptop model. The desktop on the other hand is going to be a wash. You can already get extremely low cost desktop models so there isnt much new there.

[adobochicken @ Nov 14th 2007 11:28AM]

399 is actually a sweet spot for a bargain PC. If the 10inch comes out for 499, I might got with the 399. it's just my 2nd PC anyway

[cyberfrog @ Nov 14th 2007 11:31AM]

please please please please, all i want is tv out. just give me a lil tv out love.

[hottek @ Nov 14th 2007 11:42AM]

What's the heck is "tv out" anyway? See comes with VGA port - u can connect it to most tv's

[luke @ Nov 14th 2007 11:54AM]

a VGA does not connect to a normal TV, only a more expensive TV with a 'PC' connection. Otherwise you would need something like a VGA to SCART converter, which exist, but can cost you a few bucks

[bethel03 @ Nov 14th 2007 11:42AM]

I won't believe a price until I see it. Remember, the manufacturing cost of the 7" screen went up around $20 and they raised the cost of the unit $200. If the 10" screen goes up another $20 who knows what the retail will be...

[BertieBassett @ Nov 14th 2007 11:50AM]

What's really important is...where can I get that Jade Raymond background?

[CaliforniaKid @ Nov 15th 2007 8:41AM]

Asus needs to remember that they're low price and low weight are coupled with the attractiveness of buying these eEEs.

For $500, on eBay you can pick up a nice, albeit used, Thinkpad X30 with the ability to go to 1gb of RAM. It won't be that much heavier than the eEE, when you consider it comes with a 40gb hdrive and a 12" screen.

[fobunited @ Nov 14th 2007 12:02PM]

I don't believe the 10" model will be the same size as the 7" model. The screen won't simply replace the 7" screen and the speakers to the sides. I would expect the 10" model to be slightly larger.

I also see a price drop of the 7" model when the 10" model releases, and the 10" model to hover near the price point of the current 7" model.

The $20 price jump for the LCD contributed to the $200 retail price jump, but it wasn't the only contributing factor. The original $200 price tag was for a 7", 2 gig laptop, without carrying bag and camera. At the time of manufacture, the 2 gig jump in SSD prices, the price hike in the LCD, and the addition of the bag and camera, added to the price.

Asus did not see a market for that stripped down of a laptop in its home market, which is Taiwan. Of course that would appeal to the US market, which they're trying to break into, but we must understand that Asus has very very little market share in the United States as far as laptops go, and therefore will target demographics where they have a larger market share.

Please remember the 7" EEE PC was an early attempt and testing the waters of US demand for ultra-portable laptops, and things will only get better the 2nd time around.

[moregadgets @ Nov 14th 2007 12:15PM]

"I don't believe the 10" model will be the same size as the 7" model. The
screen won't simply replace the 7" screen and the speakers to the sides.
I would expect the 10" model to be slightly larger."

From TFA: "Das Gehäuse bleibt dabei gleich groß wie beim 4G-Modell", meint der Asus-Sprecher, der Platz hierfür reiche problemlos aus.

Translation: "The enclosure remains at the same size as the 4G model", according to the Asus spokesperson, as there is more than enough space.

[fobunited @ Nov 14th 2007 12:17PM]

Okay.

I still believe my source more though.

[jason @ Nov 14th 2007 12:40PM]

who is your source? random kid on a message board? or simply making it up and saying you have a source to win some sense of pseudo-legitimacy?

[fobunited @ Nov 14th 2007 12:43PM]

If I revealed my source, he wouldn't be my source any longer, would he?

[RIFRAF @ Nov 14th 2007 3:09PM]

fobunited - it's been written that the 10 in would fit in the same case before. For ASUS to keep costs down they would try use as much hardware from the 4g as possible. I don't speak German or have a source, but even I could figure that one out.

[loci @ Nov 14th 2007 7:01PM]

"If I revealed my source, he wouldn't be my source any longer, would he?"

whats it like being you?

[JCA @ Nov 14th 2007 8:06PM]

loci is the only one to make me laugh all day. Thanks!

[fobunited @ Nov 15th 2007 12:09AM]

Toldju so.

[Fesetsu @ Nov 14th 2007 12:13PM]

Hi Don't forget one important point - its Portability. Tiny footprint, tiny power supply, rugged and with crack to Linux flexibility. The 8Gig version will mean more software - probably in a case not much bigger that the current devive. For my frequent trips to Europe this tiny tiger is a godsend.

[spam_from_engadget @ Nov 14th 2007 1:49PM]

Normal VGA-to-TV converter boxes include a scaling chip. Motherboards with TV-out have the same sort of scaling chip (or the same function integrated into another chip). On the other hand, if you can persuade your video card to output at TV resolution and sync speeds directly, you don't need to do any scaling; a VGA-to-TV cable in this case is almost trivial. For an example, see http://ryoandr.free.fr/english.html or http://www.idiots.org.uk/vga_rgb_scart/.

Getting an EEE to output the right resolution and sync frequencies should not be hard since I believe it uses well-documented video chipset, and running Linux makes it relatively easily hackable.

[Hax Or @ Nov 14th 2007 1:57PM]

The EeePC had so much potential. Instead, I'll be buying a $300 notebook on sale.

These things would be great if they were $200-250. Not worth it, bah!

[Bombaclaat @ Nov 14th 2007 1:55PM]

Now that they have you hooked, it time for a bait and switch. You could get a nice ultra portable laptop with 160GB HD for what they will probably charge for a 10 inch.

[Mike @ Nov 14th 2007 4:54PM]

Ultra portables go for nearer $2000.

[Bombaclaat @ Nov 14th 2007 6:38PM]

Mike, you can get a fujitsu U810 for under a $1000 or cheap, compact 15" laptop with much more equipment. The only difference is the new hotness factor.

[spam_from_engadget @ Nov 14th 2007 6:58PM]

@Bombaclaat

The U810 has a 5.6 inch screen.
The "compact 15" laptop" has a 15 inch screen.

I want something with a 10" screen. There is very little available in that space. I don't understand why.

[Ac @ Nov 14th 2007 9:21PM]

I never hear about people wanting the EEE for watching movies. I would think that a person who travels would want not only a small and cheap device for emails and word documents but also a little entertainment. Am I wrong?

[gyffes @ Nov 14th 2007 2:28PM]

I wonder, if the battery doesn't get bigger, will the 10" screen suck a LOT more power? I'm asking, not postulating.

I love my eee, but battery life is a bit disappointing, esp since my macbook gets close to 5 hours, even with wifi constantly on (surfing while listening to tunes sucks it down much faster). The eee goes MAYBE 2.5 hours, wifi always on. Would driving a bigger screen w/o an improved battery run the battery down faster?

[Alex M @ Nov 14th 2007 3:16PM]

I wouldn't mind this for like 400 with windows xp on it.

[BiddleBubbly @ Nov 14th 2007 3:21PM]

Finally, I was waiting for this. But if they sell it for more than $400 I'm not interested.

[Hypenotist @ Nov 14th 2007 4:04PM]

didn't the iphone teach you consumers anything? It's all about the star trek data pad man! Not some clunky keyboard with a craptastic screen that gives you eye strain and makes baby jesus cry.
put the duckets where your mouth is and demand a real portable with multi touch for a reasonable price, not some back dated hardware with a buzzword "Flash based hard drive" nonsense. They got you all fooled.

[Michael Chastain @ Nov 14th 2007 4:34PM]

If you believe multi-touch is or ever will be superior to a physical keyboard you're the one who's been fooled. The virtual keyboard on the iPhone may have been the best choice for the device, but it's because it decreased the size and complexity of the device, NOT because it's better.

[Daran @ Nov 14th 2007 5:36PM]

Michael, you need to get out more.