Asus rumored to be spinning off Eee brand, 11-inch Eee PC coming too

Information doesn't get much more twisted that this so you'd best tread lightly with it. We've got a DigiTimes rumor whose message appears modified in translation. Engadget Chinese tells us that the original DigiTimes article (in Chinese) states that Asus is planning an Eee PC "sub-corporation." In other words, an ASUS spin-off that would include more than just low-cost ultra-portables. The rumor is attributed to DigiTimes' proven ASUS sources. However, DigiTimes' own English translation simply calls the move an Eee "sub-brand" which was already obvious with ASUS' announced plans for additional Eee branded products including the E-DT desktop, E-TV television, and 19- to 21-inch E-Monitor all-in-one said to be due in Q3. DigiTimes' sources also claim that ASUS will slap a 1001 model number on its 10.6-inch Eee PC and then -- perhaps supporting the spin-off claim -- says that there will be a premium 11-inch Eee PC before the end of the year as well. Originally, Jerry Shen, ASUS CEO, said the Eee PC would never exceed 10-inches so that it wouldn't cut into ASUS' laptop offerings. A spinoff would presumably give the Eee brand more freedom to compete.

[Via Engadget Chinese]

Read -- DigiTimes (Chinese)
Read -- DigiTimes (English)

[Randy @ Apr 28th 2008 6:35AM]

I am holding out until the 15.4" screen version, with 2 gigs of RAM, a 200+ gig hard drive, a 20x CD/DVD burner am willing to pay $3000 for it.....because nothing like that already exists for under $700.

[sinai @ Apr 28th 2008 12:16PM]

it's funny because it's true.

[JAmerican @ Apr 28th 2008 6:49AM]

I want the 10" screen with decent resolution. Also great battery life! That's really it.

JAmerican

[Joe @ Apr 28th 2008 8:30AM]

While poorly articulated, I think you're right.

A 10" 1200x900 display. Keep the Cellery 900 Mhz toss 16 Gb onboard a gig of ram and fill the rest of the bigger formfactor with Lithium. It's ok to be heavier if it's for 4 hours of battery life.

[Pochi @ Apr 28th 2008 9:26AM]

"Keep the Cellery 900 Mhz..."

No.

Especially not if you want the battery life to shoot up.

[micklol @ Apr 28th 2008 9:51AM]

oh the Irony

[Ricardo @ Apr 28th 2008 7:03AM]

Wasn't it Asus who said anything bigger than 10" would be harfmul for the market?

[CamryFan @ Apr 28th 2008 7:04AM]

Do it Asus, just please call it something other then "EEE". I think that should be reserved for the ultra portables

::
Lol, Randy, great comment

[LarryLarryLarry @ Apr 28th 2008 7:33AM]

The larger the computer gets, the less I care. They're already selling the promised $200 computer for $500.

How does creating a new division reduce competition between eee-branded laptops and Asus-branded laptops? If both products exist, they compete, regardless of the names under the screens.

[Joe @ Apr 28th 2008 8:31AM]

It's a marketing move.

[m-p{3} @ Apr 28th 2008 7:51AM]

It's going to become the Eeee

[Franko @ Apr 28th 2008 11:01AM]

EEEE??

Easy to Learn
Easy to Work
Easy to Play
Expensive


regards from Chile, waiting for the 900

[LondonConsultant @ Apr 28th 2008 8:15AM]

I wonder if Asus will eventually dilute the Eee brand with desktops, digital cameras, mobile phone ringtones, and luxury ice cream...

[Neoprimal @ Apr 28th 2008 8:49AM]

I wouldn't doubt it. They're certainly taking the brand and running with it...but that's what you do when you see people lining up to buy an underpowered machine for what they could buy something with much better specs, albeit bigger for. They're scrambling to squeeze as much out of the fad/brand as possible.

OR it could simply be a niche market for eee pc certified/branded products like flash drives, ram, hard drives - solid state/magnetic, and tons and tons of peripherals. They have to work on keeping people interested in the brand, and there's nothing to do that like flooding the market with accessories for the eee pc.

[william @ Apr 28th 2008 8:57AM]

i feel that if Asus should come out with another name for the biger 11 inch screen and keep the EEE PC to the small factor line-up. i think they might lose customers because the customer cant see the line between the notebook and sub-notebook. why mess it up.

[Cory @ Apr 28th 2008 9:03AM]

They're going the wrong way! We wanted to see the the 5" ... with 3g support... so we can use it as our cell phone... Right?

[Ian @ Apr 28th 2008 9:09AM]

Too much milking going on here. They're going to ruin a pure idea, which always happens when an actual good idea, which a company never gives a chance, becomes an unexpected hit. Damnit.

[Janb @ Apr 28th 2008 9:26AM]

"I hope there will be a 10 inch EeePC with 1280x720 - 2GB Ram - 16GB SDD - 1.8Mbit HSDPA - min 4 hours battery - WiFi - Max 2.5lbs - For around 450 Euro (700 USD)"

Yes finally!

[Tired_ @ Apr 28th 2008 11:04AM]

First it was 7 inches. Then it was 9 inches, then 10, and now they're saying 11.

They're starting to sound like a guy with some issues...

[Homeboy @ Apr 28th 2008 11:07AM]

...........and this is the begining of the end for the Eee. This 11 inch version will likely sell for near €/$1 000.

[Will @ Apr 28th 2008 11:34AM]

What is the point sure its nice to have a bigger screen but part of why the 7" was a hit was its $299 pricetag, but once you get to $500 you almost might as well start looking at decent laptops. Going bigger and more expensive makes no sense for a brand built on portability. I think 8.9" is a perfect size but not for $500+ we need cheaper. ASUS should start innovating again fix the keyboard size and battery life a bit, either 7" or 8.9" but its needs a decent resoltion and the base price should not be above $399. We need the atom to come so the competition steps up and we finally get to see prices fall. I love the idea of the Eee pc market but we need one of the companies to step up and deliver a cheap decent solution.

[sinai @ Apr 28th 2008 12:17PM]

companies fabricating half-truths to sell? what a concept!

[sinai @ Apr 28th 2008 12:18PM]

ugh... not again.

[Jeebus @ Apr 28th 2008 12:35PM]

I want my $199 Eee. Where is it?

[g3n3tix @ Apr 28th 2008 12:53PM]

eee-leven inch ?

[Sean @ Apr 28th 2008 2:07PM]

Oh for crying out loud Asus.
Stop cramming new stuff into your BUDGET laptop and BRING US BACK TO THE PRICE POINT!

[TIMMAH! @ Apr 28th 2008 4:35PM]

I think they're losing sight of their primary market. The reason the 7" Eee was so successful was that is was small, portable, inexpensive. I don't think they're going to be competing as well when going up against regular laptops.

[Darryl @ Apr 28th 2008 6:17PM]

*Sigh* always something better... I think I'll just wait till June for the atom Eee 900 thank you very much. I'll keep telling myself I need it for college. Enough waiting.

[iyad @ Apr 29th 2008 8:24AM]

I think the original old Eee was great! the only addition I was hoping for was a reasonable Harddisk with more than 40GB and a double or tripple capacity battery. if they could achive that then I beleive they can beat the Sony Vaio UX UMPCs and it can still be under the US$300 margin.

[Esbjörn @ Apr 29th 2008 9:48AM]

I all sounds good and what not, but as the saying goes - better one in my local store than ten in Korea. Perhaps they should concentrate on actually making these things available before the hype dies?