Acer: Eee PC killer on track for Q2/Q3

We had the chance to corner Acer at CeBIT to ask them about their plans for that Eee PC killer. We received confirmation from Stefan Engel, Managing Director and Country Manager for Acer Germany, that they were on target for a Q2/Q3 release. Incidentally, they will continue to offer the 7-inch Packard Bell EasyNote XS (aka, Everex CloudBook, NanoBook, FIC CD260) along side the Acer branded 7- to 9-incher even though Packard Bell is all but officially an Acer subsidiary.

[bob sakamano @ Mar 5th 2008 6:28PM]

is the EEE PC even something that is killable?

what is their market share in that category?

[rcastrousa @ Mar 5th 2008 6:41PM]

100% since they are the only ones in there...basically asus has turned the portable market on its head...a $300 mini laptop ...less than 2 pounds slightly bigger than dvd case...they sold 500,000 in 3.5 months ...they have sony running scared

[hotlatinmonkey @ Mar 5th 2008 6:45PM]

My thoughts exactly! I've heard the world "KILLER" being used so many things already. If by killer it means ACER going to die in shares/comparison... then perhaps. The EEE PC sold out in what... 4 hours the first day on newegg? Then was recogized by Fortune Magazine.

[Backlin @ Mar 5th 2008 6:39PM]

That's supposed to kill the Eee PC?

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 5th 2008 6:44PM]

make is cheaper than the eee by a hundred and I'm sold, even though that probably won't happen, because the cloudbook is already expensive compared to the low end eee's. Need to get something of that sort for my son.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 5th 2008 6:45PM]

Tis' cloudbook or Packard Bell Easynote as said in the article my friend.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 5th 2008 6:46PM]

._. Wassup with that?! that was a reply to Backlin. Fix your reply system Engadget

[Meld @ Mar 5th 2008 6:51PM]

I hate Acer's fugly plastic products made of garbage. Seriously.

[m-p{3} @ Mar 5th 2008 11:19PM]

I got an acer flat screen and I don't think it's garbage. However I can't tell for their other products.

[hotlatinmonkey @ Mar 5th 2008 6:52PM]

I'll laugh if after the first few hours of when ENGADGET gets their paws on one of these "killers" and post it's naked body to find out it has an ACER motherboard. :P

[hotlatinmonkey @ Mar 5th 2008 7:00PM]

corrction... ASUS motherboard.

damn crack pipe!

[ijyt @ Mar 5th 2008 7:14PM]

Oh I so hate Acer.

[Javaflash @ Mar 5th 2008 7:21PM]

The issue isn't EEE being number one is some sale ranks, although Amazon.com's bestseller has this little guy pinned in top 10 for quite some time. This issue is EEE, if it becomes commercially successful, would drive margin of notebook makers through a cliff.

Like Sony said, race to the bottom...

[skulldriveshaft @ Mar 6th 2008 2:22AM]

There's no race to the bottom.

Those are bitter words from anyone that didn't want to do it.

ASUS took a big risk, and created a well designed product.

I'd say it is a commercially success product already.

[PeterF @ Mar 5th 2008 7:31PM]

The laptop in the image is sooo ugly. I do not like a hole between my screen and the chassis nor do I like uncentered screens on ANY of my items, it just looks horrible.

[m @ Mar 5th 2008 7:44PM]

I predict that this thing is going to wind up in a box in the basement, with all those iPod killers you read about.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 5th 2008 7:56PM]

atleast not Ed Colligan's basement. Getting to crowded there ;)

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 5th 2008 7:56PM]

reply to m.

Again, fix your darn reply system

[Raf @ Mar 5th 2008 8:09PM]

I think Palm should not have canceled the Folio. The Eee PC, OLPC, and the Cloudbook from Everex are sorta similar to the Folio. If only Palm continued development of the Folio, it could have been the market leader among these new ultraportable PCs.

[freakmarket @ Mar 5th 2008 8:56PM]

The Folio didn't have a chance at a $600 price point. The Asus EEE is a full blown mini laptop ... you can run Linux, WinXP, Vista, and Mac Tiger on it at $349.

The Folio was crippled Linux only.

The EEE with XP syncs great with Palm Treos and WinMobile devices.

Palm didn't stand a chance against the Eee.

[kojo87 @ Mar 5th 2008 11:05PM]

yeah i initially wanted a Palm Folio. then i found out it was $600. then i saw the EeePC. then i bought an EeePC. then i put XP Pro on it. Now im happy as can be.

[aarons12 @ Mar 5th 2008 9:35PM]

i wish these all didn't seem like so much vapor-ware. i can read about them, get all worked up, but lots of luck finding them. or if you do, like the kohjinsha which is very cool but by the time you equip it the way you would want, goes from $600 to $1400 and can only be bought on ebay.

[Billy @ Mar 6th 2008 4:36AM]

Not sure what you're talking about, but I have an Eee and it cost me $360 with shipping brand new from newegg. LOVE IT.

[aarons12 @ Mar 6th 2008 7:36AM]

well, for starters, i don't want to buy anything i haven't had a chance to actually play with. but again, i wasn't talking about just the eee. gizmodo had info on the kohjinsha, said it was going to be priced similarly. and maybe a stripped down one is, but most of them are double. and i keep seeing ads and blog entries on all these others, but it seems that there are not many reviews, just previews.

[AoMoe @ Mar 5th 2008 10:26PM]

Killer here, killer there, killer everywhere. The use of the word killer is becoming over used. And the usage a tad boring.

[kojo87 @ Mar 5th 2008 11:08PM]

no kidding. if i had a nickel for every iPod killer that came along i'd have a buttload of nickels. my Rio Carbon was one. the Toshiba Gigabeat was one too. and those are just the one's i've owned.

there wont be an iPod killer or an Eee killer until someone else can establish a better brand that is more recognizable but i think its too late

[Reader @ Mar 5th 2008 11:38PM]

The Gigabeat, and now Zune, were and are both iPod killers for me. If it weren't for them I would have bought an iPod. No one ever said 'iPod genocide-er'. Killer only implies one or more :D

[AoMoe @ Mar 6th 2008 1:46AM]

@reader; kojo87 seems to understand. The point is the use of the term “(product) killer”. When the iPod established itself as the preferred MP3 player; and a new product was announce; the term was very effective. Now, the term is being over used to a point it can be considered a cliché.

[Reader @ Mar 6th 2008 2:25AM]

Meh, nvm, poor attempt at a joke it seems.

[dvdivx @ Mar 5th 2008 10:41PM]

Considering it's based on Via I don't think Asus will be scared. Maybe if it's the Via chip that is supposed to be DX10 compatible but I really doubt that.

[skulldriveshaft @ Mar 6th 2008 2:23AM]

Nice flamebait headline Thomas, well done.

[demetrius @ Mar 6th 2008 4:24AM]

AAAHHH!!! Packard Hell! brings back memories of my first computer. mmmm... aol pr0n. ;p wanted a eee pc, but realized that i picked up a dual core pentium lappy for less. dunno, i guess i'm missing the real good points of a eee based pc anyways.

[Peter Meijer @ Mar 6th 2008 4:31AM]

I use the Windows XP based Packard Bell XS20 as shown in
the image for wearable computing purposes, and it serves
that purpose quite nicely (it easily fits in a backpack).
A full day battery life would be still better...

http://www.seeingwithsound.com/UMPC_The_vOICe.jpg

[nojak @ Mar 6th 2008 6:50AM]

I've never been fond of Acer... IMO, they don't have very good reliability, from experience as a tech.

There's no way that thing is going to kill the Eee.

[poweroffice @ Mar 6th 2008 9:24AM]

Everyone will attempt to kill the eeePcs, but the eeePCs will live forever!

[joe @ Mar 6th 2008 3:10PM]

if acer loads this low power rig w/the same crap as they do on their regular lappies, there's no way it will "Kill" anything but time.

[Qwertinsky @ Mar 8th 2008 12:27AM]

LOL Like Packard Bell is a name you can trust.

Packard Bell is known for crap, and Acer is not much better.

They are dreaming if they think they can kill anything with a Packard Bell branding.

[SoMoney @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:00AM]

To little / to late Acer. The new Eee PC 900 will release 2Q/3Q also. Right when you Debut your "Eee PC Killer". So your not killing nothing, you're just trying to catch up. Next time you intend to kill something, make sure the guy at the end of your sights doesn't have a bigger gun than you.

[jd @ Mar 24th 2008 11:05AM]

Palm's Folio got screwed big time. it should have been the market leader.