Live from the Intel / Sprint / Asus XOHM WiMax press event

1:59PM PST - Here we are at the XOHM press event, being jointly held by Intel, Asus, and of course, Sprint. We're expecting to hear about some specific deployment plans, and hopefully learn about some devices that will run on Sprint's 4G network. Stay tuned for all the details once this latest presser gets started.

2.01PM - Chairman of ASUS, Jonney Shih takes the stage. Invites us to join a new world of mobile internet. As usual, going through the company's accomplishments and sales figures; takeaway: ASUS is pretty happy with its international standing. They plan to be one of the top 5 notebook manufacturers in 3 years, and the top three by 2013.

Keep reading after the break for the rest of the action.

2:09PM - ASUS claims to have won 2508 distinguished awards in 2007, although we didn't see any Engadget Awards on their slide. New slide: surprise, surprise, the internet is a "great driver of growth." Ah, here comes the Web 2.0 buzzwords -- got em all here, YouTube, Facebook, Picasa, you know the deal.

2:12PM - Now we're going throught the history of internet connectivity, leading up to 802.16, or WiMax. Nothing new here: WiMax is fast, long-range, and basically pretty great.

2.15PM - Ah, the good stuff -- EeePC. Claims to be the company's most successful product ever. Obviously, then, a WiMax-enabled EeePC is going to be a big deal for ASUS.

2:19PM - Hey! They're doing a demo of Facebook video on the Eee over WiMax, and guess who the star is? Our old buddy Kevin Tofel from JK on the Run!

2:20PM - Jonny takes off, Sean Maloney of Intel steps up. His title is a little too long to repeat here. Lots of back-patting going on, clearly Intel has love for ASUS.

2:23PM - Sean is going through some of the philosophy behind the development of WiMax, which basically boils down to unhappiness with current 3G networks.

2:25PM - Another demo, Call of Duty 4 on an ASUS Lamborghini notebook, over WiMax. Ha, it's live, and people are cussing onscreen. Gameplay looks smooth, though, should have the low latency that gamers crave.

2:27PM - Now we have Atish Gude, Sprint VP for mobile broadband operations. First thing: this is the year WiMax finally becomes a reality. Let's hope so! Compares WiMax with other tech like HD and WiFi in terms of adoption rates and timing -- relatively, WiMax is being commercialized faster than most. Hardware manufacturers have the products ready, just waiting on networks -- growing the ecosystem.

2:32PM - More love for ASUS, now from Sprint. Clearly, ASUS footed the bill for this conference room.

2:34PM - Sprint, obviously, is excited about XOHM. Promises more announcements to come, but not from him. Wow, this looks like it's gonna be a quick one. Jonny gets back on stage, gives props to Sprint, following his earlier props for Sean Maloney. Now we're back to actual info, talking about triple-play internet.

2:37PM - Finally, ASUS makes its WiMax commitment: will roll out WiMax this year, continue to add SKUs in future years. Perhaps most exciting, entry-level pricing for WiMax-ready notebooks will be $999 -- that's not the price of the WiMax Eee, although Jonny promises an attractive MSRP.

2:40PM - We've been promised some new devices by an ASUS product manager. Let's see what they have to show. Here's the 15-inch M50 which we recently heard about, the one sporting up to 1TB of storage using dual Hitachi Drives. This machine also boasts Altec Lansing sound with built-in subwoofer.

2:42PM - Ok, here we have the R50A UMPC -- WiMax-ready, 5.6-inch screen, built-in GPS, dual webcams, and digital TV tuner. Quite the package.

2:43PM - New EeePCs planned, 7-, 8-, and 8.9-inches, different colors. That's it, though, no pics, specs, or anything else we'd really want to see.

2:49PM - Question and answer session, time for us to split! Stick around for some hands-on video.

[wimaxed @ Jan 23rd 2008 9:58PM]

Maybe in a few years UMPCs will replace smart phones and WiMAX the cell networks :) .

http://www.WiMAXed.com

[Tom @ Jan 7th 2008 5:18PM]

my, what an insightful comment.

2nd

[Sarge @ Jan 7th 2008 5:21PM]

I can has second-gen, 9-inch Eee pc?

[PiZ @ Jan 7th 2008 5:19PM]

...let's hope for a bigger screen eee...
Come on Asus, don't disappoint me!! =)

[Kul @ Jan 7th 2008 5:22PM]

A larger screen would be nice, but they should try to keep the price low above other things..

[Blax @ Jan 7th 2008 5:23PM]

I read on http://www.xohmuser.com that the screen is going to be 8.9"

[Tachikomatic @ Jan 7th 2008 5:29PM]

The fact that they may be announcing a larger screen today is the only reason I don't currently own an EeePc.

[PiZ @ Jan 7th 2008 5:35PM]

...it's the same for me!
Gimme a bigger screen and i'll take it!

[Manny @ Jan 7th 2008 5:23PM]

at least 8.7" with 1024x768 would be sweet :)

[Sarge @ Jan 7th 2008 5:23PM]

"Jonny takes off" What!?
Where is the secong-gen Eee?

[porath @ Jan 7th 2008 5:28PM]

wasn't the first one released like, 3 months ago?

[Manny @ Jan 7th 2008 5:31PM]

Yeah, but we want more Eee goodness!

[zephyrcat @ Jan 7th 2008 5:46PM]

"entry-level pricing for WiMax-ready notebooks will be $999 -- that's not the price of the WiMax Eee, although Jonny promises an attractive MSRP."

Does that mean the Eee PC will be over $1000 with WiMAX?

[porath @ Jan 7th 2008 6:03PM]

i don't think eee pc is considered a notebook, so it should cost less than that.

[Yossarian @ Jan 7th 2008 6:01PM]

Still nuffin' about future models... if they aren't committing to a bigger screen I'm gonna buy me a current-gen Eee straightaway. Am sick of waiting!

[Sander de Regt @ Jan 7th 2008 5:46PM]

GimEEE GimEEE GimEEE More

[Sarge @ Jan 7th 2008 5:49PM]

Great success!

[Tachikomatic @ Jan 7th 2008 5:49PM]

New EeePCs planned, 7-, 8-, and 8.9-inches, different colors.

'Nuff said.

[qldonkey @ Jan 7th 2008 5:54PM]

I've read conflicting information that the next-gen will be 8" (vs. 8.9") and one source was so bold as to say that there will be EEE pcs with 8", 9", and 10" configurations. Good grief, give me a break... will these things seriously go in THAT many configurations?

I DO want a bigger, better screen... along with higher res (1024x600 at the very least). If this next model can hit the mark then I'll buy it.

[luke @ Jan 7th 2008 5:55PM]

Why leave before the q&a? ask about the new EEE damnit! What the hell do we pay you for?! Oh... wait.. :)

[john @ Jan 7th 2008 6:05PM]

That last pic has "EeePC" and "Windows" in it... they're not going to move the Eee to Windows are they? eewww..

[dan @ Jan 7th 2008 6:33PM]

2:43PM - New EeePCs planned, 7-, 8-, and 8.9-inches, different colors. That's it, though, no pics, specs, or anything else we'd really want to see.

So, What colors and when will they be available?

[gyffes @ Jan 7th 2008 6:11PM]

Couldn't be, John: the teaser text says, "Intuitive interface." We KNOW that ain' Windows...

[Tom @ Jan 7th 2008 6:17PM]

what good is wimax if there is not network? poor showing from sprint on this one

[CosterMonger @ Jan 7th 2008 7:01PM]

8.9" is confirmed - sweet, better be same size sub-lappy
forget 8 - make 7" smaller {no or less BORDER}

me want now ASUS! NOW!

[ACE @ Jan 8th 2008 2:22PM]

"Intuitive userinterface" + "Windows XP operating system" = ..something being wrong with this picture, very very wrong. :(

if they dont keep at least the choice of a Linux version they lost me as a buyer.

[Brian Empey @ Jan 14th 2008 8:16PM]

I've had my EEE PC for 2+ months, and took it to Thailand in November and Hawaii in December. I'll never take a full-size laptop on the road again.
However, i'd like a larger keyboard, and larger screen (a bit larger) but don't need a HD, or WiMax, and especially DO NOT NEED WINDOWS.

How can they tout "XP Support" when M$ is trying so hard to bury XP as a way of boosting sales of Vista? Vista appears to be less compatible with Windows than Linux is! And it will suck up ALL the FLASH and RAM space on a 4-gig/512-meg EEE-PC, leaving it a lame duck.

Why don't they concentrate on Linux rather than supporting ancient, legacy SW such as Windows?
NOBODY IS ASKING FOR WINDOWS!!! (other than ASUS' own marketing folks, most likely)

Who's with me on this???