Menq International lowers the bar with $89 EasyPC E760 laptop

Aw yeah, it's an $89 laptop, son! And it's new! Menq International's EasyPC E760 was reportedly spotted in Berlin at IFA 2008, and one particular camera-wielding individual even gave it the showcase treatment on video (after the break). This el cheapo was seen sporting a 7-inch 480 x 272 resolution display (ouch!), a Samsung ARM processor (what a workhorse!) and Windows CE behind the scenes. In that case, we'll just pick up a pocket-sized WinCE device and save ourselves the hassle -- thanks anyway, though.

[Via techvideoblog]

[joe23521 @ Sep 12th 2008 3:05PM]

Gotta love how the Google logo fills up the entire screen.

[Neil @ Sep 12th 2008 3:07PM]

I guess it should be ok for MSN, AOL or Yahoo Instant Messaging, but I wouldn't want to do more than that on that low res screen.

[imacmatt09 @ Sep 12th 2008 3:07PM]

The opening sentence made me LOL.

[absinthe party @ Sep 12th 2008 3:09PM]

I call fake. Mr. Blurrycam or it's not real.

[avester @ Sep 12th 2008 3:16PM]

Mr Blurryvideocam too?

[who? @ Sep 12th 2008 3:11PM]

Lower resolution than the iPod Touch. Funny.

[avester @ Sep 12th 2008 3:15PM]

1/4 of the price, funny.

[who? @ Sep 12th 2008 4:36PM]

Try this: 89/229=___?

I get your point, but your math kind of sucks.

[avester @ Sep 12th 2008 4:48PM]

I round upwards on anything to make math nuts crazy.

[fleegoal @ Jan 17th 2009 6:29AM]

@avester

1/12th the size, funny.

[avester @ Sep 12th 2008 5:35PM]

Yeah yeah, keyboard, who cares.

[Eugenia Loli-Queru @ Sep 12th 2008 3:11PM]

>we'll just pick up a pocket-sized WinCE device

The PDA devices that are left in the market are currently much more expensive than $89. WinMob/PalmOS PDAs that used to cost $200 new, are now sold for $300. Plus, they are usually QVGA rather than 480x272, and they don't have a full keyboard. So in my opinion, as underpowered this system is, it might be able to serve some people in its niche market -- for the right price.

[Johan S @ Sep 12th 2008 4:25PM]

@crayola

Is your brain so malfunctioning and defective that it makes you act like a bitch?

[Crayola @ Sep 12th 2008 5:34PM]

Many apologies, but that photo is really unflattering, thought that was a 'joke' photo. The one on your web site is much better.

[GreezyG @ Sep 12th 2008 3:14PM]

I like my PC's how I like my women...cheap and easy oh ya

[joe23521 @ Sep 12th 2008 5:15PM]

And virus-free!

[avester @ Sep 13th 2008 4:05AM]

And no bloat!

[iEye @ Sep 12th 2008 3:15PM]

As long as there is WiFi, This will be good for Pron viewing, as HD pron has way too much detail...

[Viaono @ Sep 12th 2008 3:21PM]

I wouldn't buy a laptop that is cheaper than my keyboard..

and

MenQ?

a BenQ competitor???

[sracer @ Sep 12th 2008 3:26PM]

Wifi, LAN, touch panel, tablet mode for $89?! I'll believe it when I can buy 5 of them at the local Walmart.

[JR @ Sep 12th 2008 3:28PM]

Now THAT is a... bezel.

[Evan @ Sep 12th 2008 3:34PM]

Hey, don't diss ARM processors! All your high-end smartphones and iPhones run on ARM processors.

[aemond @ Sep 12th 2008 3:38PM]

Cooool!
Cheap, WinCE with full keyboard for 90$!!!
Intant on, instant off, super battery efficient.
WinCE with too small keyboard used to be over 1000$.
This is very good for note taking on the road (business or students).

I always thought that only a pocket OS and a pocket CPU with small screen could last a day long with less than 500$ battery. I tried multiple pocket device with a external full keyboard without lasting a day. Now my netbook with two batteries can only do 7 hours way to short for my 10hours day. So i'm waiting for a netbook with pocket OS. Bring em on!

[bureX @ Sep 12th 2008 3:41PM]

Low-end phones render web pages faster than this thing...

[lolism @ Sep 12th 2008 4:16PM]

um, maybe it is just a slow connection? you can hardly expect a T3 connection at the Berlin IFA.
then again, you may be right.

[zmjjmz @ Sep 12th 2008 3:42PM]

Oh god WinCE why.
Please let there be a Linux option, or else I'll just install it myself. (Which will be a PITA)

[CubeGuy @ Sep 12th 2008 3:42PM]

EasyPC...

Like the phrase "Easy peasy"?

D=

[ThomasShaped @ Sep 12th 2008 5:01PM]

lemon squeezey!!

[Dee @ Sep 12th 2008 3:48PM]

The prophesy has been fulfilled a

[Surflizard.com @ Sep 12th 2008 4:16PM]

You have to be pretty jaded not to think an $89 laptop is cool as hell, regardless of the specs. $89!

[▀█▀ █ ▀█▀ ▄█▀ @ Sep 12th 2008 4:28PM]

That is actually not a bad device. It has text processing, spreadsheets, email, chat, all the basics. Slap Opera on there and you even got a half decent browsing experience. Plus you got a lot of extra applications for WinCE, like Google maps, Putty, Nethack and yes even Doom.
This is basically a revival of the Handheld PC (think Jornada 680/720/820) for a very competitive price. I paid about $1000 for my Jornada 720 iirc and am still using it today.

[ZSX @ Sep 12th 2008 4:45PM]

Exactly! I have a number of Handheld PCs and they are still immensely useful for on-the-go word processing and spreadsheets, especially if you value the instant-on and day-long battery life.

Internet Explorer embedded (as opposed to Pocket IE) still chokes on Engadget I see - you soon learn which sites not to visit!

[JonBWhite @ Sep 12th 2008 4:47PM]

Did anyone else notice the "mod 1k" in the corner of the sign? Sure, it might be an $89 laptop, but it might be a $1089 laptop, or worse a $2089 laptop!

[JRetSapDoog @ Sep 12th 2008 7:51PM]

Yeah, "MOQ" meaning, presumably, "minimum order quantity," so...this puppy wouldn't be selling to end-users at 89 bucks unless one was indepedently wealthy and had 999 friends. It'll be interesting to see the range of the final retail price, but if some deep-discounter could offer these just north or south of a Benjamin, that would be a pretty incredible thing...considering the versatility and relative zippyness of that little ARM CPU-that-could (and did) manage to render most of those websites fairly well. I could see my sister--who is on a budget (sadly, aren't most of us) and kind of hard on products--tossing (litterally) one of these babies in the car in order to have a little WiFi Internet action (the sign at 1 minute into the vid says "WiFi and LAN") or using it at Starbucks. Spill coffee on it? Just hang it out to dry...or buy a new one. "Yes, I'll have a coffee-latte with a PC, please." Heck, at some point, those coffee chains will just provides "PCs" as part of their service, if they're not already. At this price and integration rate, companies could hand these things out as year-end party gifts and so on. And I'm lovin' the instant-on-ness (on nearly so) and battery-life.

[timsimonshow @ Sep 12th 2008 8:43PM]

This juror is in deliberation until I can get a full spec sheet that's (hopefully) not in Engrish.

My Criterion:
Integrated WiFi: WIN
Expansion Slot: WIN
OPTION for normal WinCE Desktop: WIN
Price that inflates a week before release: FAIL
No USB Connectivity: FAIL
No traditional WinCE PIM functions: FAIL

As long as these criterion are met/avoided, I would drop $89 for what is essentially the modern version of the AlphaSmart Dana.

[kyakko @ Sep 12th 2008 10:32PM]

This is perfect for the one child one pc program. It ACTUALLY IS under 100 dollars.

[Magallanes @ Sep 13th 2008 9:31PM]

If the price of this "laptop" is correct then this device is putting the latest nail in the coffin of OLPC.

[Michael @ Sep 12th 2008 11:19PM]

As an author, I would grab this the moment I saw it for sale, as long as the keyboard is usable.

I could finally retire my old Apple emate 300 and use this for all my on-the-go, far-from-an-outlet writing needs.

[Carld @ Sep 14th 2008 12:46AM]

If they could upgrade the screen a bit to at least 640x240 it'd make a perfect replacement for my ancient MP780. I'd still like one. It'd be great for some light writing and editing while away from the desktop, and easy to carry around.

[Deafcyclist @ Sep 14th 2008 11:10PM]

I really hope to see something like this in USA in the next year or 2. At least before I go to college since this would be an extremely useful alternative to my laptop (only last about 2 hours on battery :-/ ) for note-taking and basic research (Wikipedia and the like).

I wonder if they will offer an even cheaper version without the touchscreen (and screen rotation) option? My other laptop is a convertible tablet so I don't really need that option. and maybe a number of peoples wouldn't need that option either.

I just hope that it can be easily hacked to integrate a several GB usb drive into the case similar to how a number of peoples have expanded on the eeePC storage size. 64 MB internal storage just doesn't have enough space for me since I could be downloading tons of other files such as eBooks, guides, and more.

[davemcg @ Sep 15th 2008 12:52AM]

soooooooooo where can I get one?

[Prodigit @ Sep 16th 2008 12:31PM]

Well, you gotta love the price!!!
Also,if it has a monitor out,that can be set to 1024x768 or 1280x800 resolution @60-75Hz you can use it as a replacement desktop.

I think this device will be awesome for hackers!
the screen is too small to do anything on it, but apart from geeks, freaks and hackers, I think this laptop would do great as a christmas gift to your 5 year old son!

the only pitty I find, is that it doesn't support the minimum 640x480 screen; I know digital photocamera's with a larger resolution on a 3"TFT screen then this one...

But if there's a possibility for an external monitor supporting the basic resolutions of 640x480, 800x600,1024x768 ,this device could be your kids first toy!

really 1280x800 is a luxury for this type of device (for $80)
Shipping costs for this item are probably between $25 to 30..

[ProDigit @ Sep 16th 2008 12:31PM]

What a wonderful device for the price!!!

I think the public interested in this device are the hackers, software developers, and 5yrs old kids as their first pc!

This would be a great device if an external monitor is supported, with basic CRT/LCD monitor resolutions of 640x480 (for DOS)@60-80Hz16bit; 800x600 24-32bit 60-75Hz, 1024x768 16-24bit @60-75Hz(for a graphical OS or os with GUI),

A luxury would be to have 1024x600 or 1280x800@60 Hz 16-24bit for widescreen TFT monitors

More you don't really need on a $80 device!

If no external monitor,I'm affraid this device won't be of much use...
Doesn't really say battery use (probably 2 hours)
ROM (probably 4 or 8GB MLC flash memory
RAM (probably between 128 and 512MB RAM soldered; Sodimm upgrade of 1 - 2GB stick would be nice)
USB probably doesn't have much devices supported
Probably doesn't have much software supported neither..
Would be nice if it has a card reader slot for extra disk space!

[end @ Sep 19th 2008 11:57PM]

i kick enter.

[zizozoro @ Dec 12th 2008 2:13AM]

how can i get a one, please