Official: ASUS 8.9-inch Eee PC will include touchscreen, possibly GPS

Here we have it, confirmation that the second generation Eee PC will in fact feature an 8.9-inch (resistive) touchscreen display. Kevin Lin, ASUS VP of Sales, says that the $500 (starting price) Eee PC will begin shipping in May or June in 8GB to 12GB options with "possible GPS support." That's the same time ASUS plans to begin shipping its $200 Eee Desktop, aka the E-DT. Look, we're happy with your success with the Eee brand ASUS, but when are we getting our $200 Eee PC?

[nizzy1115 Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:07AM]

This laptop keeps getting more and more impressive. Will they ever offer a 32gb or 64gb ssd?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 7:24AM]

Two things:

1. The Eee don't feature SSD, it has embedded flash memory on the mother board.

2. 32GB and 64GB SSD drives cost so much that they are economically unfeasible to put under the hood of an Eee.

[autobulb Posted Mar 26th 2008 11:53AM]

Homeboy: I remember reading that this newer generation Eee will have standard a form factor SSD or HDD drive. Unless this was changed recently, which I missed, you can swap out the stock drive for your own. I'm assuming it will be 1.8" due to the size.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 5:44PM]

@OP

This laptop is getting more and more expensive. By what you are saying I bet you would praise the fact that if it cost $1,000 it would be even more impressive than prior EEE releases.

[Neru0mancer Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:15AM]

Ok.It's great to hear that the notebook is going to have touchscreen and possibly GPS(will make great for outfiting in the car) BUT my question is how will exactly the touchscreen work.The first EEE Pc didn't have a tablet mode and this looks exactly like the former.Will the screen siwvell all the way to the other side?Imagine the excrusiating pain after a few hours of leaning to use the ts with your hands in the air.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 4:19AM]

You should check this out. They probably saw this guy version on youtube.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3VaerIGpO5Q&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=N8-BbOWVgXg&feature=related

[enlashok Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:12AM]

well there goes my savings

[Deputy Doofus Posted Mar 26th 2008 12:42PM]

Dude, where's my WiMax????

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:17AM]

I love how more and more info is being released. And i'm glad i did not pull the trigger on the current eee, BUT COME ON ALREADY !!!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:17AM]

As the owner of a tx1000 tablet pc, I have to say touch is great, but there is a major disadvantage of the screen looking grainy and not as clear due to the extra digitiser layer. A touch screen can really enhance productivity on a notebook, but if you are getting it primarily to say watch movies, then you are arguably worse off.

[johnmc Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:21AM]

I haven't really found touch screens all that useful in laptops. Maybe if I could figure out some of that multi-touch gesture goodness, assuming of course that the hardware is capable of such things.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:22AM]

oh snap!

[Btids Posted Mar 26th 2008 10:49AM]

You know what it says when you touch the screen?

Eeeee!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 29th 2008 12:07PM]

@BradStar

hEEE hEEE

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:23AM]

$500? Thats getting to the point where you can get a real laptop. Its not that hard to find a decent laptop for $500-600 if you search around a little for some deals.

[sinjinn Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:28AM]

i predict a low rank for you.

[nizzy1115 Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:28AM]

Not one at this size.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:33AM]

but does that laptop have a touchscreen and is this small,lightweight and powered by kryptonite? i didn't think so. :)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:35AM]

I could use a new dekstop.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:41AM]

Haha, Eee Dekstop... It's some sort of newfangled Asus branded card shuffling machine.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 3:49AM]

This device just screams for this sort of functionality. I'm surprised it wasn't included from the start.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 4:07AM]

Eee pc can go suck a fat one,,,,

[Lord Farkward Posted Mar 26th 2008 5:23AM]

well i would've asked it to suck yours but no one seems to be able to find it... can i have my microscope back?

[groggit Posted Mar 26th 2008 8:23AM]

OWNED!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 4:09AM]

A NEXT GEN EEEPC WITH 8.9 TOUCH SCREEN, NOW I REALLY WANT IT, CANT WAIT

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 4:15AM]

just confirmation because i'm confused...

are they saying that all the 8.9 versions will have a touchscreen, and will start at $500 ?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 4:16AM]

Now we're talking! Touchscreen and GPS!! Wow just wow!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 4:21AM]

Oh my god, I really have to think about my next notebook...
Hope its possible to use with the windows tablet pc version, would be great!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 4:30AM]

So instead of trying to produce an EEE closer to the $199 price point, they're taking the name and tacking it on to higher end machines. While no doubt a cool laptop (features, size) per price, it won't be replacing my original 299 EEE.

[3rdsun Posted Mar 26th 2008 5:36AM]

Its called inflation

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 8:46AM]

its called profit maximising

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 10:17AM]

then buy a 7" 2G surf

[jbond Posted Mar 26th 2008 4:39AM]

Where have the speakers moved to? Are the overall physical dimensions the same? Does the camera get an upgrade?

[Frank A Posted Mar 26th 2008 2:08PM]

The speakers are under the palm restpads.
And the camera is 1.3MP.

[Emdii Posted Mar 26th 2008 4:46AM]

Well, I'm still waiting for my 1st gen model. I ordered end of last year. Finally received it March and had to send it back because it was defective and now I have no idea when I'll be getting it. This is in Germany BTW. And they're still not available in Nordic countries. So I guess I can look forward to this sometime next year :(

[rento Posted Mar 26th 2008 4:55AM]

3G enclosure now!! XD

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 5:36AM]

Offer XP on 12 GB SSDs and I'll buy one.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 8:19AM]

You can put XP on it. You can insert up to 16GB SDHC(flash memory). Go buy it.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 5:54AM]

So what is the difference between a Resistive and Captive touch screen?

[topspinserve Posted Mar 26th 2008 6:00AM]

The difference is that you spelled one correctly, and one incorrectly.

[kanenas Posted Apr 8th 2008 7:36AM]

Capacitative allows for multitouch interface (like iPhone or Lenovo's X61T)

[digitalpardoe Posted Mar 26th 2008 6:02AM]

Hopefully they'll put a suitable size battery in it.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 6:22AM]

Buy the 12Gb Linux version and use this guide: http://wiki.eeeuser.com/windowsxp

Or maybe just try linux for a little while, who knows, it might grow on you.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 11:14PM]

199 promise ?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 6:26AM]

ASUS are going to end up adding so many features that it'll end up costing more than a proper laptop. :P

[PEZ Posted Mar 26th 2008 6:44AM]

Thats great! It's OFFICIAL! The New Eee PC MAY include GPS possibly!

Terrific! Fantastic! The best one!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 6:57AM]

Me definitely wants one!!!! Now I can replace painlessly my old and mistreated MacBook......
Now she knows my plans, she will conspire to will me exploding her battery in my face :(

[Randomness Posted Mar 26th 2008 7:03AM]

ARGH! We just wanted the cheap linux based Eee with a bigger screen! Not another one that costs $200 more with stuff we don't want :[ Options, Asus, options!

[Mushy Posted Mar 26th 2008 1:32PM]

they will probably give you the option of not having a touchscreen...
they probably will have one model with touchscreen and one without...
personally im looking forward to the touchscreen

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 26th 2008 9:11AM]

They've got my money, where can I pre-order?