ASUS Eee PC 1201N Ion-based Seashell ready for $500 Amazon pre-order
![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/0GKiOjGCyykzXTh_X8GqYA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTI3Nw--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/7QLieSOArwHBLtEXdeAvjg--~B/aD0xNzM7dz02MDA7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/12/amazon.com_-asus-eee-pc-seashell-1201n-pu17-bk-12.1-inch-netbook--black_-computer-&-accessories.jpg)
It's a bit later than the mid-December target heard previously, but ASUS' 12-inch Ion-packing Eee PC 1201N is up for pre-order with an anticipated January 15 release. A penny short of $500 takes home a dual-core N330 processor clocking 1.6GHz on the Atomic clock, 2GB of DDR2 memory with room to expand to 8GB, a 250GB 5,400 RPM hard disk, Bluetooth, 802.11n WiFi, webcam, and fancy new 32-bit Windows 7 Home Premium OS -- none of that Starter Edition netbook nonsense. Here's the rub: are you really going to pull the trigger for a legacy Diamondville-class Atom lappie now knowing that the big CES event in January will likely be flooded with Intel's latest Pineview-class machines sporting new N450 Atom processors, of which, at least a few will offer HD video acceleration? Pre-order now if you want but we'd wait until January 11th to see what might get announced.
[Thanks, Luke F.]
Update: We've been in touch with ASUS' UK team and can confirm that Blighty will be getting its chance at Ion-infused nirvana at a similar time, "mid-January" they say, and at the slightly higher price of £399 ($663).