Eee PC news: touchscreens, bumps to dual-core Atoms, sub-$300 model

We've seen tons of Eees modded with touchscreens, and it looks like ASUS is taking the hint -- it's saying that it expects to launch touch-enabled Eee PCs next year, as long rumored. It's not clear whether the new models will run XP or a special Linux build, but we'll find out soon enough, since the company plans to show them off at CES in January. Unsurprisingly, we should also be seeing dual-core Atom 330 chips make their way into the Eee line as soon as they're available in quantity, but the best piece of news is probably that ASUS will be getting aggressive on price with a sub-$300 Eee. Now just wrap all that up in the S101's case and we're all set -- that would be just about perfect.

[Via Electronista]

[konshuss @ Oct 10th 2008 10:04AM]

Asus has also begun unveiling plans to stop the eeePC from "sucking."

Well the price is a start.

[rock99rock @ Oct 10th 2008 10:07AM]

"sub-$300"

I swear ive heard this before from somewhere.

[BigD145 @ Oct 10th 2008 11:59AM]

You probably heard it the day after someone said "sub-$200"

[OneLove @ Oct 10th 2008 2:29PM]

lol (just, lol)

[tiuk @ Oct 10th 2008 2:46PM]

Yeah, at least they're finally getting to the price point they originally announced so long ago.

[Patriks7 @ Oct 10th 2008 10:11AM]

sub $300 with a 6 inch screen?

[iofthestorm @ Oct 10th 2008 1:36PM]

Sub $300=$299?

[sinai @ Oct 10th 2008 4:58PM]

299.99

[TRAFFICBLOWS @ Oct 11th 2008 6:18PM]

$349.99-$50MIR

[adobochicken @ Oct 10th 2008 10:19AM]

this motivation came from Acer Aspire One selling real well.

[Chuck @ Oct 10th 2008 10:27AM]

That's "really"

Did you apply for that Engadget internship?

[rock99rock @ Oct 10th 2008 11:15AM]

@ Chuck

That's "(e)ngadget".

Did you apply as well?

[sinjinn @ Oct 10th 2008 1:36PM]

@rock

thats Engadget , since Engadget is a name and all names should have capitals.

I think 'real well' is fine in the context it was used.

dont corekt my spellings becoz i dont cares abiuts its , i just dont likes peoples correctings things wich isnt even wrongz in the tha firstest placed.

[rock99rock @ Oct 10th 2008 1:55PM]

@sinjinn

engadget is the name of a company, or entity of a company, there of which they can decide whether or not they want a capitol in their company name.

What are you new?

[Tony @ Oct 10th 2008 6:53PM]

@ rock

Capital =/= Capitol

Also, Engadget is spelled with a capital E. You can find examples of such on this very page.

[Itsuru @ Oct 10th 2008 6:59PM]

This is the best fight I've ever seen! Word it up a notch my brothers.

[sinjinn @ Oct 11th 2008 8:24AM]

@rock

check this very webpage and you will find Engadget written with a capital E many different times.

no need for snarky comments , just learn from the experience.

[Ian @ Oct 10th 2008 10:38AM]

The sub $300 version would suck, though. I mean, I don't expect them to give me the world for under $300, but it would be unusable. What would they give me, 256 MB of RAM and a 4 GB SSD? Well, I guess they could go back to the 7" screen. Meh.

[Hey Ya @ Oct 10th 2008 10:55AM]

Pretty close. Last time it only got you 2GB SSD.

[Benson @ Oct 10th 2008 12:12PM]

I fully expect the Pandora to be a better option for 80% of potential customers than the $299 Eee.

But most of them won't know it, because non-x86 scares people. So the $299 Eee will be an x86 with pathetic specs and running a stripped-down customed-up Linux anyway, and people will buy it, realize it sucks, and return it to buy a bigger badder Eee. Boosting the statistics that Linux netbooks get returned more often...

[daftfunk @ Oct 10th 2008 3:06PM]

Jesus, if you've ever built a computer you would know that you can build a quad core desktop pretty comfortably for 300 dollars, i think you can build a decent laptop for 300.

[ArcticFox @ Oct 10th 2008 10:40AM]

real well and really well are both acceptable.

Did you apply to become a Grammar Nazi?

You know your life sucks when you post on a comment system just to pick at the way other people type. (yes i realise this is ironic but people like above irritate me)

I might actually be interested in a netbook with the Dual Core Atom, the Single Core version put me off a bit, I realise that its not meant to be a powerful machine but the extra core gives it a bit of an overhead.

[jon @ Oct 10th 2008 10:45AM]

you can't spell realize

[Kinger @ Oct 10th 2008 11:07AM]

We spell realise with an "s"

Some people aren't American.

[Nick @ Oct 10th 2008 11:08AM]

No you can't spell 'realise'.

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Oct 10th 2008 11:26AM]

@jon
We use a language called English and spell words correctly. For example, realize is spelt the correct way of realise.
color = colour
aluminum = aluminium
airplane= aeroplane
specialty=speciality.
yogurt=yoghurt
Last but not least ass=arse.

The title is a bit misleading we just spell words correctly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_words_not_widely_used_in_the_United_Kingdom.

Oh and spelt.

[spass @ Oct 10th 2008 12:03PM]

@ArcticFox
Reading this kind of comments is the main reason I go to engadget several times per day.

[Linkman2004 @ Oct 10th 2008 12:12PM]

Why can't Americans and Brits just get along and realize that we spell things differently and that nobody is right or wrong?

[ArcticFox @ Oct 10th 2008 10:41AM]

Bollocks, that was meant to be a reply to Chuck.

[jon @ Oct 10th 2008 10:43AM]

what a passive voice article, engadget needs to hire better writers.

hint - use "that" less, and gerund phrases more

[digitallysick @ Oct 10th 2008 10:44AM]

kick ass i look forward to it. I really enjoy the Asus Eee pc 1000H , the battery life is great.

[cbsevenfifty @ Jan 10th 2009 6:49PM]

yes, I will take one with a touchscreen as soon as possible too. My Asus Eee pc 901 is the best thing I have ever enjoyed when it comes to electronics. Battery life is amazing (ssd and 9-inchs adds another hour compared to the 1000H.

[iEye @ Oct 10th 2008 11:03AM]

Asus we are still waiting for the $199 model...

and there are much better models for cheaper now, so you better start selling them for $199...

[ilh @ Oct 10th 2008 11:56AM]

Cheaper, yes, better, no.

[Wolfticket @ Oct 10th 2008 11:13AM]

To me, a faster but more scalable (speed/power consumption wise, based upon what you are doing) Atom CPU would make more sense that going straight to dual core.

[scoob @ Oct 10th 2008 11:18AM]

Who cares? Steve's coming in big time with next Tuesday's announcement. Buttons all over the world will be hovering over refresh on that day.

[GadgetManUK @ Oct 10th 2008 12:00PM]

We are still waiting for the EEE with 3g (HSDPA etc) versions,

[spass @ Oct 10th 2008 12:04PM]

... and in a tablet form.

[25cent @ Oct 10th 2008 12:06PM]

The more models the better. Unlike most, I never get tired of all of the eee variations :>)

[catman2112 @ Oct 10th 2008 12:22PM]

1) -

"spelt" is not a word

2)

6 inch screen....seriously laughing over here....

[LondonConsultant @ Oct 10th 2008 12:43PM]

"pedunt" is not in my vocabulary...

[Robert J Loomis III @ Oct 10th 2008 12:35PM]

Are the specs available for the touchscreen yet?

[Cynic-AL @ Oct 10th 2008 1:17PM]

@catman2112
"spelt" is a word. it refers to a species of wheat.
However, you are correct in implying that "spelt" should be substituted for "spelled" under the context of this article.

@ London Consultant.
"Pedunt" shouldn't be in anyones vocabulary. The correct spelling is "pedant."
And yes, I am one, could you tell?

[LondonConsultant @ Oct 10th 2008 3:14PM]

"iruny" is not in your vocabulary...

[Bob @ Oct 10th 2008 1:32PM]

It was my understanding that the dual-core Atom 330 is to be only sold for use in nettops, not netbooks. Did Intel change their stance or is this just wishful thinking still?

[Deoki @ Oct 10th 2008 2:41PM]

Oh, I could swear I have seen Asus mocking with Acer before, but after this I bet they apologized and asked if they could use the same blue paint job as the Aspire One.

[Jash Sayani @ Oct 10th 2008 1:55PM]

Wow! I would love a Tablet netbook with dual core, good battery life and the light-weight Windows Starta (Win Cloud) !!

[JM @ Oct 11th 2008 11:16AM]

Not that this is the place to ask... BUT why not?!
Does ASUS or any manufacture of small portable laptops plan on releasing a gaming model.
I know manufactures produce gaming models but I'm looking for a small 12" laptop that could play games.

I wouldn't mind buying into one of these Eee PC laptops if they could play say... WAR

[ssrat_ @ Oct 10th 2008 8:02PM]

There have been interviews with Asus and others that have mentioned the dual atom release has been given to the makers as 2nd half 2009
Hopefully that is true.

What sucks now is that the touchscreen will be available out the door so I get to keep putting off whichever one that fits the bill for more than a week before the NEXT thing shows up

[Ian @ Oct 10th 2008 10:34PM]

This means we're stuck with 1.6 GHz Atoms with 1 GB of RAM and 6 cell battery for at least another 9 months?