Asus going big(ger) with 11.6-inch Eee PC later this month

If you like the idea of the little laptop that started it all, but need a little more workspace to keep your eyes from going all aesthenopia on ya, hold on to your wallets for a few more weeks. According to DigiTimes, ASUS is planning on releasing an 11.6-inch Eee by the end of the month, following up on its pledge made last year to do just that -- while simultaneously breaking Jerry Shen's promise to never surpass the 10-inch mark without creating a spin-off, "premium" netbook brand. But, with the 7-inchers relegated to their place in history, perhaps now the company has a little extra room on its production lines. No further information is available on the forthcoming model at this point, but we're hoping that new screen will get a few more pixels to fill out its new-found girth.

[jaydee @ May 4th 2009 8:44AM]

ahaha loving the (honest)

[inteller @ May 4th 2009 12:56PM]

Needs more bezel.

[Bob @ May 4th 2009 1:22PM]

Needs a bigger right Shift key!

[RoboDan @ May 4th 2009 5:46PM]

So it's now a subnotebook or ultraportable like the Lenovo X200/X60 series? Except it has a crap CPU, crap monitor, built of cheap plastic, and is overpriced?

Umm... I'll take two

/cough, sarcasm, kick in face

[Oli D @ May 4th 2009 8:50AM]

As long as they are light its cool.

Funny, one day were going to end up with 15" notebooks running ARM chips and android...

[superhobo @ May 4th 2009 9:47AM]

Which is what most people really need.

most people are noobs

[Baz @ May 4th 2009 8:51AM]

More proof that ASUS (and 'netbooks' in general) have lost their way....

One of the appealing features of the original Eee 700 and 900 series netbooks was their size - one could almost forgive their tight keyboards and meagre hardware specs (especially when running XP) for the sheer convenience of having a truly portable device that one could toss into the smallest sachel or bag.

Then it appears that vision-challenged touch typists became the market to play for and netbooks from all manufacturers started to creep up in size - the 10.x" models in much larger bodies now the norm.

But taking netbooks to 10, 11.6 (as per the above) or 12" the truly begs the question as to whether these devices are maintaining the original vision and convenience - and whether these units are simply now just underpowered and under-spec'd notebooks.

[Homeboy @ May 4th 2009 9:19AM]

Size was the Eee 700's biggest strength and weakness. Although portability was of world class and changed the way people think of computers, the usability was incredibly crippled.

It's not worth wasting your time and energy carrying a small laptop if you don't enjoy using it. Customers and focus group have most likely vented their opinions to Asus and begged for netbooks with higher usability. I've got a 10 inch HP Mini 1000 and even that one stretch my patient tot he limit and could impossibly type on anything smaller but don't want anything larger as it fits perfectly into my everyday bag. But I can see the appeal for a 11 and 12 inch netbook as they are more suitable for computing sessions longer than 60min which is the mark where a netbook starts to take a toll on the body and brain. This is as long as they don't cost more than €500, after that mark I don't see the point in buying a weak 12 inch netbook with the same footprint as a full fledged laptop.

[deanb @ May 4th 2009 9:38AM]

I agree. 10" I thought would be the absolute max, but at this size an extra 2" more wouldn't hurt to get a full sized laptop.
7" may have been a tad small, and when that launched you didn't have netbook remixes, Atom or Win7. And a touchscreen 7" with Win7 would probably be pretty good.

[Baz @ May 4th 2009 12:24PM]

Maybe I just don't get it?

People get all moist about their Blackberry or iPhone - with their limited and tiny screens, keyboards and hardware - and then complain that netbooks aren't as large and functional as notebooks.

Netbooks weren't intended to be primary computers, but as a basic, small additional device in a familiar and more functional layout. Heck, when ASUS first released the Eee, their intended market (if you went by the marketing material) wasn't even adults.

Footprint creepage while keeping the (Microsoft imposed, as long as they run XP) hardware specs is catering to those who want a cheap notebook, not a convenient, portable and, more importantly perhaps, secondary device - like a Blackberry or iPhone.

[Pip @ May 5th 2009 5:01PM]

Right with you. Netbooks were meant to be small and portable. They've gone the wrong way, and I hope the lack of sales kicks them in the nuts for it. They need to be working on devices that are inbetween iPhones/Blackberrys and normal laptops. The origina 7" netbooks were the start, and we were expecting them to get to 5" and maybe 4" screens. They should all be looking at the OQO and doing everything they possibly can to offer a device like that for $300.

Netbooks were for ultra portability. To bring along on vacations without having to have a whole dedicated laptop bag. You could simply toss a 7" netbook in your shoulder pouch, or purse. If they got them down to 4 or 5" we could put them in our pockets on the flight across the country.

To me, all these new machines are just cheap LAPTOPS. Not netbooks. Not in the slightest.

[troyvanwinkle88 @ May 4th 2009 8:58AM]

Wow, now THAT is like MAJOR cool stuff!

RT
18a9dc59

[Postal Dude @ May 4th 2009 9:12AM]

Oh it's going to be a netbook?

[Rebajas @ May 4th 2009 9:18AM]

It doesn't seem to me that the 10" netbooks are any less portable than those with a 7" screen - I mean, look at the bezel on the image above! :)

Not particularly fussed about any other size than 10" on a laptop/netbook - haven't had anything bigger in 7 years, but I bet there are peopke out there who want a bit more real estate... and it's not like the 10" screens are going anywhere.

[THizzle7XU @ May 4th 2009 11:43AM]

Exactly, even on the 10 in models, the bezel is still pretty large. they could easily fit more screen on there. But like the article says, the resolution (at least vertical) needs an upgrade. 600 pixels wouldn't be so bad if it didn't cut off the bottom of some modal dialog boxes (namely the OK and Cancel buttons).

[Jon @ May 4th 2009 9:28AM]

Looks like they are putting a 11.6" display in a 14" case. Either use a smaller case or just go for a 14" display.

[Patriks7 @ May 4th 2009 10:22AM]

You obviously don't get this. Thats the original 7" Eee in the picture.

[Adderz @ May 4th 2009 10:23AM]

Are you being serious?

[Rob @ May 4th 2009 9:40AM]

I agree, they seem to have lost there way. I have a EEE901 and its size is just right for what I need. I would maybe tolerate the 10" screen if the bezel wasn't atrociously large, but that would be as large as I want. Larger than that and I'll bring my 17" gaming machine with me.

They should focus on the internal components, GIVE US ION! GIVE US A DUAL CORE ATOM OR CULV! and maybe a multi-touch screen. then we will talk :)

[Michael @ May 4th 2009 9:58AM]

Just buy a regular laptop. Don't you see what's going on here? These companies are trying to screw us all by slowly but surely selling underpowered machines for the same price full powered laptops were yesterday.

Give it two years and you'll have 15" Netbooks for $600

[Trevsweb @ May 4th 2009 10:01AM]

i love the look of the super small UMPC/netbook Mbook just wish a decent company like asus or acer tried to do small scale versions of their hardware like the Mbook or sonys vaio efforts that would be awesome... obviously keeping the eeepc pricing tho :P

[Albert Voss @ May 4th 2009 10:10AM]

I am waiting for bigger screens for quite some time now: My main purpose for a netbook on the road (or even in the house) is its ability to show web pages as good as possible. And here the mini height of 576 pixel or even the 600 standard is simply not big enough. Keyboard size and feel are much less important for web surfing than Pixel height. It is therefore a pity, that "wide" screen displays are used more and more. They suck more than traditional formats in this respect. Especially as netbooks are ridiculous anyway for movies as small as they are.

[idiscuss @ May 4th 2009 10:14AM]

I think 11.6" screen is perfect for a netbook.
The biggest shortcoming of the otherwise very satisfying 1000HE is the tiny 1024X600 screen, and it is not like there is no room for a bigger one, the bezel can easily accommodate a 11.6" screen with 1280X800 resolution. So do it, Asus!

[pablito @ May 4th 2009 11:12AM]

I'm tired of hearing "too big for a netbook, buy a regular laptop". Regular cheap laptops weight too much and their battery don't last more than 4 hours, most of them are mere desktop replacements.
Most brands reserved the really portable sizes to the bussines megaexpensive range of prices. That doesn't make sense.
The 12" size of the iBook was good for a lot of people. And now it will be better with better screen resolutions.
Netbooks are growing because laptops grew too much years ago (14->15"->15.6"->16"->17"!), specially when they adopted 16:9 screens and started to have blank space on the sides of the keyboard (I never understood that, why don't they put a wider keyboard?)
The fact is that most consumer laptops are not made to be carried in a bag all the day.
Manufacturers are just building what the market demands: light, not very expensive and hi-res screen, call it what you like, netbook, laptop or tomato.

[Wolfticket @ May 4th 2009 11:17AM]

An 11.6 inch netbook isn't a netbook. It's a low powered cheap ultra portable notebook.
Not saying that is a bad thing. Just a thing.
Hell, Asus already make an 11.1 inch model (the U2E) and it is referred as an Ultra-Portable Notebook.

[idiscuss @ May 4th 2009 11:39AM]

Who are you to say what is or isn't a netbook?

As the inventor of the whole category, Asus certainly has earned the right to evolve their product line as they see fit to meet the market demand.

As a consumer, I think a 11.6 in screen with higher res is terrific!

[THizzle7XU @ May 4th 2009 11:46AM]

Sir, will you please present these apparent netbook defining specs you have?

[Wolfticket @ May 4th 2009 11:58AM]

All I am saying is that 11 inch + light weight notebooks already have a name, they are called ultra portables and have been around for ages.

However, you are right, Asus can call it what they like.

[Pip @ May 5th 2009 5:05PM]

Netbook defining specs are making a portable computer as small as possible. If your brand is going from 7" -> 11" then it's not a netbook. It's a laptop. If it's going from 11"->7" then it is a netbook. If you started at 7", then they should be at 4" by now. Not 11".

Size going smaller, rather than larger is the defining spec of all netbooks. Going the opposite way we already have a term. It's called a laptop.

[Peter @ May 4th 2009 12:41PM]

11.6" is way too big!!!

11.1" please!
11.1" please!
11.1" please!
11.1" please!
11.1" please!
11.1" please!
11.1" please!
11.1" please!
11.1" please!

[Jayayess1190 @ May 4th 2009 7:54PM]

That's what she said. ;)

I agree, I want something Vaio TT size.

[wolf @ May 4th 2009 1:14PM]

what's the point? you can get a much better machine for the size and rough pricepoint, the draw of the netbooks is small, light and cheap

[NOB @ May 4th 2009 5:06PM]

Can you get a machine that lasts 6-8 hours on a 6 cell battery that weighs less than 4 pounds? I don't think so. They reserve those laptops for the 1.5-2k price range. That is where the atom comes in. A 500 dollar ultraportable with a usable keyboard is what alot of people want.

[John @ May 4th 2009 1:19PM]

Here's hoping that Intel GMA950 graphics are on board again so as to make an OSX86 install a LOT easier.

[NOB @ May 4th 2009 5:07PM]

Um, no. I want the 4500HMD. I don't want to install some crappy OSX on it. I want a netbook with the perfect processor to chip ratio.

[John @ May 4th 2009 5:16PM]

Suit yourself. But OSX runs great on my MSI Wind. I just wish I had a little more screen space.

[Bob @ May 4th 2009 1:23PM]

I'm holding out for the 17" netbook.

[maveric101 @ May 4th 2009 2:50PM]

later this month? when are they going to release the T91 and T101H?

[Ghatid @ May 4th 2009 3:13PM]

I don't care about the nomenclature...if they make a 11.6 (or 12) inch laptop that has the same specs as the netbooks do now, I'll get it. Something like the dell mini 12 that doesn't suck and cost as much...

[DjFIL @ May 4th 2009 11:09PM]

When do the Ion powered Netbooks arrive?

[Snappy! @ May 5th 2009 1:21AM]

Actually, whether it is 7" or 10.1" or 15", if they can still keep it at US$399, have 5hrs batt life and < 3 lbs weight, I don't really care. I'll just choose the size that fits my needs.

And please, keep bezels thin, like 5mm~10mm thin.

[Alzheimers @ May 5th 2009 11:49AM]

C'mon, I know it's not impossible to squeeze a 1366x768 into an 11 inch screen, and with a kick to the pants in the video processing dept (damn you, Flash!) these would make excellent mobile HD stream viewers.

Of course, I'm STILL waiting on any news about the T91/T101H. I think they're destined to become the netbook equivalent of Duke Nukem Forever.

[John @ May 12th 2009 11:34AM]

Yes! If they can keep the battery life above 7 hours (which I think they can do) and manage to put a screen in there that is ~1200x800 I will buy one within days of the announcement.

My biggest gripe with netbooks is that the screen real estate, (not size, but actual pixels on the screen) makes me feel like I'm back in the late 90s. I know they are COMPLETELY capable of packing 1200x800 on the current 10 inchers so they better AT LEAST do this on this model. I got good eyes Asus, I can handle it....