ASUS stuffing resistive touchscreens into next-gen Eee PCs?

We have some major doubts about this one, since Asus officially shut down those Eee PC touchscreen rumors a while back, and DigiTimes has been pretty far off in the past, but apparently the new word on the street is that Asus actually is building resistive touch into at least a some of its upcoming next-generation Eee PCs. Citing "sources at touch screen panel makers," the technology is supposedly more mature than capacitive touch screens at this size, and will cost Asus about $10 extra per laptop. We still don't see the point, but it looks like you dreamers can keep on dreaming for the time being.

[Blaine Oliver @ Mar 25th 2008 9:09AM]

'will it blend?'
'will it play doom?'
Honest to god i will brain anyone who says that on here!

AS for touchscreen, no one really cares, people with fat fingers and no stylus will break it before too long... (all americans)

[nedy78 @ Mar 25th 2008 9:33AM]

Blaine,

Seems like you have a lot of hostility in your life. Might I suggest a nice cup of hot tea?

[Blaine Oliver @ Mar 25th 2008 9:37AM]

Big surprised, im ranked low because i generalised to all americans...

Yes im sipping away at my tea now,listening to some soul music :)

[adam reiniger @ Mar 25th 2008 9:49AM]

But will it play blend while playing Doom?

[Blaine Oliver @ Mar 25th 2008 9:52AM]

You sir are going to get brained!

[Adam Reiniger @ Mar 25th 2008 9:58AM]

C'mon, it's the next logical step. We've had blending, we had doom... now blend while playing doom.
It's the next evolutionary step.
...
Seriously though, I love the EeePC. if I could justify another laptop, I'd buy one, but I already have too much technology.

[Adam Reiniger @ Mar 25th 2008 10:01AM]

On the subject of making the EeePC touchscreen... can they make the blonde lady who advertises it touchable too?

[Slug @ Mar 25th 2008 10:08AM]

I would have said the same thing sooner or later, Blaine.
It’s pathetic really. Anyone who even THINKS about saying it will regret it! I will personally swim across the pond, hunt you down, and bust a cap in your a**! :p

[Khris @ Mar 25th 2008 10:19AM]

@ Blaine

You give yourself WAY too much credit. You were ranked low because you're a f-ing douche! Get it right!

[Zeus.:God @ Mar 25th 2008 10:21AM]

Dumb Brit...

I'm American, but guess what- Its likely that I'm skinnier and fitter than you.

[Raheem @ Mar 25th 2008 10:29AM]

I apologise for the actions and comments of my uninformed, generalising countryman. See over here, some of us have access to good education and travel, while others just watch FilmFour all day and see Michael Moore mouthing off all day. You'll have to forgive him. He knows not what he does.

[Brian @ Mar 25th 2008 11:05AM]

@Zeus - Better teeth, too. And yes, I can talk - both parents from the UK.

[Magallanes @ Mar 25th 2008 11:08AM]

@Blaine:

do you get the term "repetition joke" ?.

[ssuk @ Mar 25th 2008 5:58PM]

@Zeus: That MAY be true, but have you looked at the rest of your country? Yeah, I wouldn't be gloating now either.

[johnnythm @ Mar 27th 2008 11:58PM]

I fail to see any relevance to the article at hand. Seriously, this is high school level stuff...

[peshue @ Mar 25th 2008 9:15AM]

If they change the hinge so you can flip over the screen it could be nice. It might need a bit of interfacing tweaking though, and xp would be unusable without a stylus.

[Alan Strangis @ Mar 25th 2008 9:26AM]

@ peshue...

I agree that a tablet convertible EEE would make it much more practical. If they release a convertible EEE, I'm SO there.

That being said, I've already order the parts for doing the jkkmobile touchscreen mod to mine. It'll definitely make ebook and comic reading so much easier than reaching across the screen to hit the spacebar.

Then again, I have fairly big hands, but the only time I use the stylus on Windows Mobile is when I get a new device and have to calibrate the screen.

[Homeboy @ Mar 25th 2008 9:16AM]

"and will cost Asus about $10 extra per laptop."

Translation: Asus will jack up the price by $150.

[sinjinn @ Mar 25th 2008 1:55PM]

thats a baseless comment

[emailtabs @ Mar 25th 2008 9:22AM]

Hell yeah i'm in on that!.

I've had a touchscreen in my 7" Geeekbook for the past couple o'months and i couldn't recommend it enough. it changes the way you use the applications and it makes you feel even more in control than with a trackpad.
(Plus - It makes minesweeper/solitaire two of the most amazing games ever).

If it is less than £30 I WILL be having it on my 9" from asus. if it is more i will just upgrade and add it in the process.

For all you out there with 7"eee - add a touchscreen kit.(linitx £30)

[Teetdogs @ Mar 25th 2008 10:40AM]

I dont see a touchscreen kit for that much sir can you provide a direct link?

[emailtabs @ Mar 25th 2008 11:07AM]

"http://linitx.com/viewproduct.php?prodid=11273"
just found out that "Stock expected 29-Apr-2008 (35 days)" Soz!.
Karpc also seems to be out of stock.

ebay (uk) "http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/7-inch-touch-panel-screen-kit-for-eee-pc-eeepc-Asus_W0QQitemZ320230134886QQihZ011QQcategoryZ174QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m122"

Or just search on " 7" inch touch panel screen kit for eee pc eeepc "

Also if you are going to try this then check out eeeuser.com as the forums have all the info you could ever need when playing with your little eee.

[emailtabs @ Mar 25th 2008 11:07AM]

"http://linitx.com/viewproduct.php?prodid=11273"
just found out that "Stock expected 29-Apr-2008 (35 days)" Soz!.
Karpc also seems to be out of stock.

ebay (uk) "http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/7-inch-touch-panel-screen-kit-for-eee-pc-eeepc-Asus_W0QQitemZ320230134886QQihZ011QQcategoryZ174QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m122"

Or just search on " 7" inch touch panel screen kit for eee pc eeepc "

Also if you are going to try this then check out eeeuser.com as the forums have all the info you could ever need when playing with your little eee.

[Teetdogs @ Mar 25th 2008 11:21AM]

Thanks emailtabs, just found the kiddshop no solder kit on ebay. and thanks for helping get the word out about eeeuser.com, I love that site and am there almost everyday since I ordered my EEE. On another note, as badly as I want a 8.9 EEE i think i will stick with my 7 incher as my only complaint is the cpu speed but with eeectl that is almost a non issue.

Peace

[NG @ Mar 25th 2008 10:00AM]

Nah don't think so..

$10 for touch screen
$10 for new case for the slot and stylus
$10 for bluetooth
$10 for extra hour juice.... etc
don't you remember they are trying to keep it cheap and simple so people can afford it???

[Ian @ Mar 25th 2008 12:15PM]

I think that Asus is reacting to the infux of competition which is rolling out similar machines currently and over the next few months.
My complete GUESS is that the 701 will drop slightly in price and the 900 model will assume the current pricing. It's possible that Asus will either package in these new features from the "getgo", or make them a part of a premium model costing say $50 more.

[knives @ Mar 25th 2008 10:15AM]

this looks great!

[Bubba @ Mar 25th 2008 12:47PM]

Capacitive Screen > Resistive Screen

[JAmerican @ Mar 25th 2008 2:02PM]

Actually they aren't. Once you loose the pen, its worthless.

Resistive touchscreen is were its at :).

JAmerican

[samsharp99 @ Mar 25th 2008 10:18AM]

I think this is a great idea! I was thinking of getting one for taking to uni - small enough so it can fit in my normal uni bag for typing up notes - and if they add a touchscreen it makes taking down diagrams soo much easier than trying to load up MS Word and spending hours trying to replicate what a spring looks like and ultimately failing :(

[Raheem @ Mar 25th 2008 10:30AM]

Why why why so soon? I only got the EEE like 5 months ago!

[CosterMonger @ Mar 25th 2008 12:00PM]

is that sarcasm?
ASUS announced that there were going to have bigger screens in Q2 2008 when they launched the EeePC.

[Raheem @ Mar 25th 2008 12:24PM]

I missed that one.

[edh @ Mar 25th 2008 10:42AM]

I hope it's true. TS are the future.

[Randavance @ Mar 25th 2008 10:48AM]

But that takes all the fun out of breaking the warranty.

I have a feeling that I would end up upgrading the touch screen anyway to one that feels a little nice. Transitive ones have never really been my style, they're cheap and not very crisp.

[someone @ Mar 25th 2008 10:53AM]

i dont really care if there is a touchscreen, we dont even have the original version in sale here in the nordic countries.....

[Magallanes @ Mar 25th 2008 11:09AM]

neither here (white, grey or black market).

[directive0 @ Mar 25th 2008 10:57AM]

Ew, resistive touchscreen. Hello 1997.

[emailtabs @ Mar 25th 2008 11:12AM]

Hello 2008, can we have our childlike humor back please?

[Teetdogs @ Mar 25th 2008 11:22AM]

I have an extra one I can sell for $600 upgraded ram and SDHC.

[Teetdogs @ Mar 25th 2008 11:24AM]

Stupid comment system that was a reply to Magallenes

[Serge @ Mar 25th 2008 11:31AM]

For design/engineering studies en projects this is ideal. For other users, no use..

[dvdivx @ Mar 25th 2008 1:16PM]

How about the next generation of EEEPCs actually showing up in stores. That would be something new.

[Andrew @ Mar 25th 2008 1:34PM]

Personally I really don't care what they are going to put into the machine or not. What I would like to be able to do is actually BUY one of these things in the first place. It's been out how many months now and there are still supply shortages!

[Jeff Lewis @ Mar 25th 2008 4:15PM]

"the technology is supposedly more mature than capacitive touch screens at this size"

You mean - like every touchscreen used in commercial applications OTHER than the Dell XT and Apple's iPhone/iPod touch?

Hello? You've been covering PDAs all this time and this statement even needed to be said?

Capacitive touchscreens are new. They're expensive. They can't be used with styluses. They require thicker frontpanels.

Resistive touchscreens have been in use since the 90s. They're very well understood. They work very well. They're THIN. They're made in huge quantities so they're cheap.

Now why add one? Well, two answers. The first is the simplest - although the least satisfying: if it really only costs $10 to add, it makes your product distinctly different from the huge number of wannabees about to show up (except, oddly, for the Via design which started with a touchscreen - which Everex promptly removed in their Cloudbook version).

The second argument is a bit more fuzzy. I have a UMPC and I've gotten used to touching the screen to click buttons. I knew it had become reflex when I was demoing an app on a regular LCD screen and when I wanted to change screens by clicking on a button, I reflexively reached up and tapped the LCD display.

It was a good laugh, but the point is - once you have it you kind of get used to having it. It's faster and more intuitive than using a mouse or trackpad - even if the screen can't be folded flat.

[The_Steven @ Mar 25th 2008 10:58PM]

Keep it to +10.00 and I'll buy another one!
And I don't give a damn if it plays Doom.

[Martin @ Mar 26th 2008 4:52AM]

I think Eee PC does not need a touch screen , i think the thing Eee pc really need is a 9 inch screen with higher resolution. Also , it is better to add one more memory card port for extra storage need.At last , if asus really wants to add touch screen to "E".I suggest them to add bluetooth will be better.