Details of future generation Eee PCs from ASUS have been trickling out even before the first generation shipped. Now that sewing circle of Taiwanese component makers have whispered a few secrets in the direction of DigiTimes. We already heard directly from ASUS at CES that 7-, 8-, and 8.9-inch models are in the works. Now DigiTimes claims a "9-inch" (we'll assume that's just the 8.9-incher rounded up) and new 10-inch version is also on the way. Notably, the 9-inch versions will feature "four-wire resistive" touch-panels. Great, right? Sure, at first blush what's not to like about an Eee with a touchscreen. However, a good chunk of the Eee's appeal is its low cost even though it never quite delivered on that early $200 promise. Adding bigger displays and now, a touch-screen, is just going to drive the price higher until there's no difference between an Eee and a Wal-mart Inspiron. Still, adding touch-panel functionality is expected to add just $15 to the manufacturing cost of the device. We only hope that ASUS can refrain from milking the Eee's success dry... RAZR anyone?

[Via jkkmobile]

Nokia's back with another USPTO filing. This time, they're vying for rights to this dual-display flip -- aka, a "foldable electronic apparatus." Open at say, 160-degrees and the bottom panel is readied for touch-screen input. Open fully and the display extends across both panels. This filing, like the new S60 interface, shows that Nokia's done a 180 themselves. Remember, it was only 5 months ago that they were questioning the value of touch-screens for consumers.

[Via Unwired View, thanks Pdexter]

Granted, everyone expects the next gen iPod to mimic the iPhone's device-wide, touch-interface design metaphor, right? However, there's no guarantee it's coming 'till Jobsie-boy sings. No worries, TEAC's 3.5-inch touch-screen toting MP-600 is available now for €169 / $230. For that price, you get 4GB of flash storage, MP3/WMA/DRM9 and JPG/AVI playback, FM tuner with recording function, built-in speaker, and up to 10-hours of audio (5.5-hours video) off battery. Better yet, the little 73 x 43 x 9-mm player is thinner than the current disk-based iPods (at the expense of capacity) yet can still be expanded via SD/MMC memory cards. Shaaaweet.

[Via Anything But iPod]

For all you obsessive-compulsive types out there who need to keep track of every single box of paper clips and old Popular Mechanics magazines crammed into your overstuffed desk drawers, Max's App Note Blog has posted an easy way to categorize your useless swag with a do-it-yourself touch-screen barcode scanner. Little more than a standard commercial touch-screen attached to a Metrologic Voyager scanner with a RS232 null-modem cable (instructions for building your own are included), this project has all sorts of practical applications, from making sure the nano you just bought isn't some cheap knockoff to giving your kids a head start on the technology they'll need to master in order to become successful grocery store cashiers. And if for some reason you fall upon hard times and are forced to sell off most of your possessions, the touch-screen barcode scanner will make your fire sale look that much more professional to the folks snatching up your treasured gear at insultingly low prices.

[Via Make]