Eee PC 1000 breaks cover before Computex

We were expecting to see ASUS's 10-inch Eee PC 1000 make the scene tomorrow at Computex, but it looks like French site Blogeee.net scored some early pictures of the long-rumored Atom-based machine. No detailed specs yet, but hit up the read link for the rest of the glamour shots.

[Michael LaFramboise @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:37PM]

I'm just curious; does this version have Linux pre-installed?

I'm asking cause theres no windows/start menu button and I'm yet to see any manufacturer not stamp the windows logo onto their keyboards... :/

[Ethan @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:56PM]

All the Eees with Linux have the house in a circle button. The Windows ones have flag keys.

[Justin @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:38PM]

Hey Asus,

DO NOT WANT.

Why not?

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the Wind, the answer is blowing in the Wind..

[gad get @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:02PM]

It's in the Air. tee hee!

[BrokenMonkey @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:16PM]

I want the Wind now! Is it supposed to be on sale tomorrow or just on display? I haven't seen any pre-orders even!

[vdogg89 @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:31PM]

is it just me, or does each new picture I see of the eee pc models look completely different than the last? The trackpad buttons change all the time, the webcam looks different.

[Boss @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:38PM]

i thought we was on the eeepc 1300? what happen to the other 300 models i missed?

[kle0012 @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:39PM]

I was always under the impression that this sector of the market was about price, not about how much they can cram into a small form factor, and make a huge profit on.

It will be interesting to see how Asus plays their cards with this in response to the MSI Wind. If they can't offer something decent for the premium they demand, it'll make MSI look like an angel when they release to the market.

[ScOObyDoo @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:41PM]

They lost me at the 900.

It's amazing to see how they've milked this $200 laptop into a global brand of machines that are ever increasing in size, price and specs.

Within a few months they'll be announcing a new 15" machine with a 160Gb HDD and 2Gb of memory.

[Ayman @ Jun 3rd 2008 1:48AM]

Don't forget that they would still be calling it "Ultra Portable" and their new price index would be less than $1000

[iEye @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:42PM]

Wow, the original language mentions that there might be an option for a non SSD...

[blackfeathers @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:44PM]

i see they're still going with the two-toned metal bezel design with the 'eee' logo instead of the asus one. talk about ugly.

couple that with a price increase and all this machine is good for is to encourage competitors to make better computers in this class range. not sure what is up with all these bad two-coloured designs coming from asia. asks asus about their ugly design + price hike, why??

[Jesse S @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:46PM]

Who cares about the eee anymore?

[kle0012 @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:51PM]

If Asus can get their act together, we could see this model providing some serious competition to the Wind in the future, which will only serve to drive the price down for consumers, and quicken the so called "race to the bottom".

Who knows, maybe as mentioned above, this might come with a HDD option, putting this well into the realm of MSI territory. It's all up to how Asus plays it's cards with this before, and after the Wind release.

[Tim Kimberl @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:52PM]

Alright, there is a new eeepc model every week, and the price you know its just gonna keep going up and up :(.

[Evan @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:52PM]

FTA: "Also pictured is also disgraceful, this hinge is constantly reminding me the drawing of plastic toys first prize you win in the fairgrounds. Hopefully it sounds less toc true."

Damn, my thoughts exactly!

[Ethan @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:58PM]

Next up: $200 Eee 500?

[Ethan @ Jun 2nd 2008 9:58PM]

Pretty please with a cherry on top?

[Genjinaro @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:47PM]

You need to work for ASUS...

[Ethan @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:51PM]

Maybe I will!

[Ian @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:06PM]

I liked the idea behind the Eee before Asus started to overmilk the cow.

The Eee became popular for a reason, and Asus isn't delivering that anymore. The small part of Asus that was probably concentrating on the cheapie Eee machines probably makes up a much larger part of the company.

Hopefully the Wind can set them straight.

[tyler @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:40PM]

Is it just me, or is anyone else put off by the eee's strange placement of the right shift button?

My friend has a laptop with the shift button placed very close to the up arrow, and I frequently find myself running two sentences together in a completely noncoherent manner :)

[Todd @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:01PM]

Why has this blog turned into freakin' Eeegadget??

[Jack @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:24PM]

Because, Asus just had a presentation starring all their new comers. It's like when Apple has a big conference on their products, Engadget covers that.

[KEROLiUKAS @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:46PM]

Just be quiet, it's about time we get a lil' decent posts, 2007 was full of craptacular posts about Apple, Apple, oh and the iPhone and Apple....oh and MBA.

[Richard Lai @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:13PM]

Wow, it looks nothing like the prototype 1001 that appeared in last year's Computex. I kind of liked the prototype's style, even though it was slightly bigger.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/14/the-10-inch-eee-pc-hiding-in-plain-sight/

[Brett @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:23PM]

1.45Kg - are they joking ? that's a monster... Panasonic has been doing 1Kg 10" sub-notes since 2002 ...

they need to make these under 1Kg (eee pc, wind etc wake up!)

[Richard Lai @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:43PM]

But even though the series is also called Toughbook, I doubt Panasonic's sub-notes will dodge any dents on their thin metallic cases. Also, check their price tags.

[bot @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:45AM]

Yea, at first I was excited about an even larger screen and keyboard but now the weight is starting to get to be too much. I'm more used to lbs and this will be around 3.2lbs assuming the article is correct. My 12" Gateway is 3.75lbs and that's getting on the cusp of too much to carry.

[Nick Ritch @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:36PM]

When oh when do we find out more about the wind????

[Ellianth @ Jun 2nd 2008 11:56PM]

Let's get one thing straight. I'm not a hello kitty fan. I don't even understand why people like it. But seriously, this thing is dying to have hello kitty stickers pasted all over it. Every time i see the photo in this article i want to stick a hello kitty sticker where that feather icon is.

I don't know what has come over me. It could be my lack of water and sleep, but I prefer to think that I'm not the only one who feels this way so, please tell me I'm not the only one.

[Jimmy @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:19AM]

nope. you are not the only one. i agree completely with everything u said.

[batmon @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:01AM]

Wow, Engadget Taiwan said Linux version is 40GB SSD, 7.8 hours battery life. XP version is 80GB HDD!!!

7.8 hours sounds too good to be true!

http://chinese.engadget.com/2008/06/02/eee-pc-901-1000-01-7-8/

[Jimmy @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:25AM]

probably is too good to be true. although Atom does sip electricity, it is just one component. unless ASUS did some major work with new components, the 7.8 hours is just not going to happen using the standard eee battery. including an extended battery would achieve the 7.8 but it would sacrifice weight, profit margins, and portability. and the 80gb hdd is unlikely. the SSD is more likely, but still rather far fetched, considering the relative cost of flash memory. doing this would easily push the eee into $600+ territory. NO ONE wants that. what most people want is a 900 for $350 or a 700 for $200.

[batmon @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:07AM]

Look at the price, 901 is around US$550, 1000 XP is around $600 and 1000 Linux is around $650. I think in US will be +$50 more.

[batmon @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:12AM]

...And they all have bluetooth!!

I am gonna stay up all night to see the specs for MSI wind. I am hoping to get either Wind or 901 when it's available...

[batmon @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:17AM]

The 1000H (XP version with HDD. I guess that's why they call it "H"), it says OS = XP and GNU Linux. I wonder if Linux is used for "instant on"?

[mog @ Jun 3rd 2008 12:29AM]

Argh.

On a TEN-INCH NOTEBOOK there is no reason to have such a poorly placed right shift key. NONE. On a seven-inch notebook there's no real reason, either - just squish the arrow keys, like Apple does, or move them down a row - but on a ten-inch notebook, there's just no excuse. Even if, for whatever reason, you don't want to squish the arrow keys or move them down a row, you can still fit a decent right shift key on a ten-inch notebook - just look at the MSI Wind. Throw in the fact that it will almost certainly be more than $600 and you've lost me.

You've lost me, Asus. You've lost touch with what the Eee was supposed to be about (as evidenced by branding their high-end media PC the "Eee Station"). I'm really not sure why you went through the trouble on re-branding your OEM business and making Asus your consumer brand, because now you're just using Eee as your catch-all consumer brand. It's stupid.

What set the Eee apart was that it was a) small and b) cheap. As such, bigger and more expensive is not the direction you should be taking the Eee.

I'm buying the Wind. It's a bit larger than I would like (I really do believe that it's possible for a smaller notebook to still have a usable keyboard - if Asus would get off of autopilot and make just the tiniest adjustments they'd have one) but it has a) has a usable keyboard and b) is cheap. It's what the Eee 900/901/1000 should have been. They should have taken the Eee, filled that bezel in with a 9" screen, and kept selling it at the same prices - even if that means we'd only just now be seeing it. Coming out with the 900 just weeks before the 901 was kinda stupid, anyway.

[Sime @ Jun 3rd 2008 9:04AM]

when are they gonna stop? its becoming less and less of a secondary, throw around, ultra cheapo laptop and more of an expensive laptop which people dont want

[Red49er @ Jun 3rd 2008 6:43PM]

Gotta go with the eee simply because of the inclusion of the multi-touch trackpad. I'm holding out for the 1000, but the real question is will they start just in black and white? Or will there be another color as well? (I'm thinking it won't be any color a self-respecting male would want tho).
Wish they would give us a release date already. Boy, my girlfriend and mother are gonna kill me for getting this now.