Asus, Intel launch WePC website, ask community to design PCs for them

True power is derived from the people, yes? Asus and Intel know this well, so they've launched a website called WePC, where users can draw up concepts and specs for new netbook and notebook models then argue about how fantastic or utterly impractical they are. In a sense cooperative laptop design is not new -- we've seen groups of companies work together to develop products, and Best Buy's Blue Label is somewhat similar to this -- but Asus and Intel are going full-on populist (or at least the appearance of it) with WePC. The promise is that designers will lurk on the site and implement some ideas -- probably (and thankfully) not including the ones that are completely whacked.

[16-bit @ Oct 29th 2008 4:46PM]

We is the new Eee.

[nerdtalker @ Oct 29th 2008 5:50PM]

So it went

Wii -> EEE -> We ?

What's next? Meeee?

[John @ Oct 29th 2008 6:08PM]

Oh great, another company trivializing professional design to the level of 4th grade art contests.

You don't ask 4 building companies to build you four different houses with their own time and money to only pay the company whose house you like best. How is this any different?

[erhan @ Oct 29th 2008 6:16PM]

@ nerdtalker
You killed it. :-(

[Osiris @ Oct 29th 2008 10:25PM]

John I think you underestimate the public's ability and what the companies are expecting from them..

It's just a cheapskate and efficient method of outsourcing some of their R&D and concept design.

I'm all for it if it'll produce something with features people want.

[Rudiger @ Oct 29th 2008 10:41PM]

John must be a NO!SPEC kind of guy.

Well guess what? Designing a laptop isn't the same as building a house.

[John @ Oct 29th 2008 11:04PM]

Rudiger: You're an idiot.

[xmrgamerx @ Oct 29th 2008 4:50PM]

looks like their taking a hint from pandora.

[_man1c_ @ Oct 29th 2008 9:12PM]

similar to the pandora where the button layout is concerned, but make it look like the urbanmax formfactor. include 4 bumpers on it. 2 on each side. although the DS/PSP only has one they should put 2 there. then add 2 trackballs similar to what blackberries have. one on each side right next to the bumpers.

[iEye @ Oct 29th 2008 4:50PM]

How about a cup holder spack dab right in the middle of the keyboard?

want more half-baked ideas?

-what's next? getting people to volunteer to work in your factories also?

oh wait, interns...

[Patriks7 @ Oct 29th 2008 4:56PM]

All that picture needs is a caption "I R SO EXPENSIVE" and it will be a pwnage laptop!

[Shoumik @ Oct 29th 2008 4:58PM]

thats pretty fly

[skeptical @ Oct 29th 2008 5:00PM]

The first model should ultimately be an Open PC so that Psystar can create something better than Apple's latest design FAILS.

[Icchan @ Oct 29th 2008 5:04PM]

hackint0sh support ;D

[StalematE @ Oct 29th 2008 5:04PM]

I guess asus got tired of releasing the Eee 36 times.

I dig the Hokusai style wave, i have one tattoo-ed on my arm.

[Lowest Ranked @ Oct 29th 2008 5:54PM]

They compliment your original dragons, japanese symbols, koi fish, and tribal barbed-wire tattoos with flames very nicely.

[Boarderwoot @ Oct 29th 2008 5:08PM]

I'm not the creative type, so i'll just click on this link in the corner of their website and buy my dream pc NOW since they did all the work for me and don't really care what I have to say anyways.

[Gleb @ Oct 29th 2008 5:19PM]

did you see the site? couple impractical ideas but at the bottom "BUY A DREAM PC NOW" with the link to Asus webstore....got it!
ok..how about - keep the specs but make a price tag of $100 with 64 different colors!

[Hellios @ Oct 29th 2008 5:24PM]

Taking crowdsourcing way too far. I honestly see no point in this, since the only thing wrong with most netbooks is the price (when it exceeds $400, it's hardly a netbook anymore) and users have no say in this.

[Benson @ Oct 29th 2008 7:13PM]

Well, you can make a resolution argument for high-end netbooks; 10" models should be available with a 1280x800 option rather than 1024x600. Touchscreen options would also be nice, though including either of those in a base model moves to questionable prices.

But other than that, they're pretty much where they seem to belong. Oh, and launch with 6-cell batteries, boneheads!

[Wwhat @ Oct 30th 2008 8:40AM]

Perhaps the plan is that people will design an apple copy, but asus didn't do it so they can't be sued.

[Wwhat @ Oct 30th 2008 8:43AM]

A related question: can a company do an inverse class action? one entity suing everybody.

[DirtyVegas @ Oct 29th 2008 5:29PM]

Oh I know

1) Screen washers and wipers done in the style of windscreens
2) Retractable chainsaw - never know when zombies attack...
3) Ability to shoot anvils at a-holes who say "but can it run crysis?"

[Reader @ Oct 29th 2008 6:08PM]

Beware of the anvil coming your way.

[Backlin @ Oct 29th 2008 5:31PM]

So this means they fired their designers, right?

[blahblah @ Oct 29th 2008 5:36PM]

I entered my netbook idea as the Asus xxx. The triple-x is xceptionally easy to use, xceptionally easy to learn and xceptionally easy to play. Plus it connects wirelessly to your teledildonics hardware.

[Lowest Ranked @ Oct 29th 2008 5:55PM]

Little xcessive don't you think?

[Lowest Ranked @ Oct 29th 2008 7:10PM]

One more thing before I go. Is 'teleDILDOnics' what I think it is?

[Benson @ Oct 29th 2008 7:14PM]

Now, that all depends what you think it is... but I assure you it's quite appropriate for the Xxx PC.

[maveric101 @ Oct 29th 2008 8:12PM]

@Lowest Ranked

yes. yes it is.

[coffee @ Oct 29th 2008 5:38PM]

I'm still stuck on that "slice" concept from a few years back. You know, the real talented designers, not some kid in his basement with a Gears of War fetish.

http://2006winners.nextgendesigncomp.com/ViewEntry.aspx?EntryID=411&EntrantID=955

[Jinto @ Oct 29th 2008 5:39PM]

This website is a good idea, but right now it is simply, "I wantz a loptop that gots 1 bagillion Gig SSD that plays Crysis on a 17 in screen for $200 with a two day battery life."

[iEye @ Oct 29th 2008 5:52PM]

Oh come now, you know you can only get 2 day battery life playing crysis with a 15.4" widescreen,

17" you are just being redicuous

[digitallysick @ Oct 29th 2008 6:23PM]

Seems easy to me, how about a 12 inch notebook, a slighty faster atom with overclocking options, maybe break the 2gb ram limit, blue tooth, wireless N, decent ssd/normal hard drive options. And a really strong battery maybe beat the 9 or 10 hour batter life mark. And a slighty better webcam, thanks - consumer

[dzhiurgis @ Oct 29th 2008 8:54PM]

MacBook Air

~Happy User

[qrius @ Oct 29th 2008 6:51PM]

just a page out of the Dell IdeaStorm website.

[decapitor @ Oct 29th 2008 6:56PM]

First step = change the eee logo. That is the worst font in the history of fonts.

[Ladderless @ Oct 29th 2008 7:04PM]

How about the minimalist approach?

There are netbooks, and notebooks... Then there's this:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/28/caption-contest-naked-man-who-is-also-a-computer-eye-bleach-no/

[Vander @ Oct 29th 2008 7:28PM]

Let it go man! too many people is now on rehab cuz of "that" article.

[Jesse S @ Oct 29th 2008 8:02PM]

If someone submits the "I R SO EXPENSIVE" Macbook picture I will love them.

[Atropos @ Oct 29th 2008 8:22PM]

The only one that matters.

http://www.wepc.com/vote/view/dream/126/Sharkbook_Pro

Awesome.

[Rudiger @ Oct 29th 2008 10:48PM]

I'm holding out for the Sharkbook Air. Now THAT would be frightening.

[Wolfticket @ Oct 29th 2008 8:50PM]

Design your own PCs, you lazy ****s.

[dzhiurgis @ Oct 29th 2008 9:14PM]

No stickers, no leds, no card readers, no stupid useless ports (esata, hdmi, firewire, vga, expresscard,rj-11), no fingerprint reader, no extra function buttons, no places for dust and dirt to collect, no cdrom, definetly no gps/tv-tuner/dildo.

Yes really big touchpad, yes optical audio output, yes easy to repair.

Choice 3g modem, choice glossy/matte screen, choise pony included.

[Atropos @ Oct 29th 2008 10:23PM]

I LOVE this idea. Just a small, low cost SOLID laptop with a single USB port for attatching an external CD drive. That would be incredible. The netbook market needs to create this immediately. The absolute pinnacle of simplicity. I'd be SOLD.

[Luke D @ Oct 30th 2008 8:29AM]

You more or less described the MacBook Air. And ironically the Air is derided for its pursuit of simplicity...

[Frogboy @ Oct 30th 2008 3:03PM]

@dzhiurgis

That's because of its price point. I think the idea is to halve the costs instead of doubling them.

[Frogboy @ Oct 30th 2008 3:06PM]

Actually that was supposed to be directed at Luke D. Sorry, brain isn't working today.

[x223433kk @ Oct 29th 2008 9:55PM]

http://www.wepc.com/vote/view/idea/440/Asus_Touch
I want this badly . . .!

[Mac Uder @ Oct 30th 2008 10:01AM]

Or, they could walk into an Apple Store and discover how completely useless their project has become...