ASUS Eee PC 'Shell' ultra-thin netbook launching in April?

Between the Commercial Times and DigiTimes, no secret is safe within ASUS. The former is reporting (via the latter) that ASUS will launch its second generation ultra-thin Eee PC in April as followup to the Eee PC S101. The Eee PC Shell, as it's supposedly called would mark a welcome departure from ASUS' staid alphanumeric naming convention and is said to be easier to carry than the S101 while bringing higher specs and a longer battery life for just NT$17,000 - 20,000 ($486 - $571) -- that's well below the S101's $699 suggested retail price. The name Shell, of course, would seem to imply a curved, clamshell design. Now, with one of ASUS' favorite events, CeBIT, starting next week, we'd expect an announcement to be days away if the rumor is true -- a high probability what with the launch of yesterday's Eee PC firesale and Intel's new CULV processors for ultra-slim laptops prepped for a March launch.

[kash @ Feb 27th 2009 7:06AM]

No!

[strider_mt2k @ Feb 27th 2009 7:08AM]

Two more models and we can ALL try to figure out what to do with the three shells.

[L @ Feb 27th 2009 7:13AM]

+1 LOL


Ultrathin cheapo laptop? Looking forward to that.

[Bill Ody @ Feb 27th 2009 7:15AM]

It will be a flop it looks anything like a shell.

[Zunavio @ Feb 27th 2009 8:56AM]

iBook G3 ?

[Brianyman @ Feb 27th 2009 7:49AM]

i love the sand brown colour for laptops. The S101 is one of the best among the EEE series.
S101 Unboxing Video-
http://www.techreviews4u.com/2009/02/27/asus-eee-s101-hands-on/

[Major4Play @ Feb 27th 2009 7:52AM]

"Shell" probably refers to a mother of pearl style finish.

[Sublimewulf @ Feb 27th 2009 8:58AM]

I was thinking maybe like a clam shell cellphone, maybe it refers to how the top and bottom taper and meet.

[rodney.ha @ Feb 27th 2009 7:53AM]

I wish they'd make a good looking netbook without the eeepc logo... I'm thinking of getting a 1000HE and putting a sticker over the logo, haha........I'm so sad. I wish I wouldn't get so caught up in aesthetics, but I can't help it.

[L @ Feb 27th 2009 8:04AM]

Yeah, that Eee logo needs to go. Now.

[rodney.ha @ Feb 27th 2009 8:22AM]

Yeah... and if they don't want to get rid of it, at least change the font, haha, and maybe position it better...

[Cory @ Feb 27th 2009 11:11AM]

They do, why don't you go to ASUS's website and see what laptops they have to offer? They make plenty of great looking notebooks.

http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=5&l2=64

[Frenchman @ Feb 27th 2009 9:00AM]

when you say clamshell, i cant help but think of the 1st-gen iBook. that was kinda the opposite of ultra-slim

[Hackettman @ Feb 27th 2009 10:33AM]

ASUS is emerging so fast with products I almost dont wanna get a netbook too early..... I havent quite found one that really suits what I want.....