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ASUS' Eee PC roadmap leaks: Ion-boasting netbooks, multitouch T91 coming soon?
If two slides leaked to the Eeeuser.com forum are to be believed, ASUS has some pretty interesting -- though not terrifically surprising -- netbooks on the horizon. The slides, which are apparently the company's roadmap for US products for the next two quarters, are chock full of refreshed product information. It looks like we're going to be seeing a brand new Eee PC, the 12-inch 1201N, which will bring NVIDIA's Ion platform to the line for the first time, with an Atom N270 CPU, 2GB RAM, a 250GB HDD, Bluetooth and 802.11n WiFi, running $499 for release in mid-October. Other than that, we can expect to see the 1005HA-P with the N280 processor and a 250GB HDD option running Windows 7 also arriving in October for $399, and the 1005HA-M with the N270 processor, a 250GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Starter Edition for $349. Finally, Netbook News is also reporting some new 1008HA models not listed on the slides, as well as a multitouch, Windows 7-running T91 convertible tablet with a 32GB SSD priced at $549. There's no timeline mentioned for this one, but we'll keep our ears to the ground expectantly. The other slide is after the break; hit the read link if you want the full details on each model. [Via Netbook News]
ASUS to launch Eee-book reader this year?
According to DigiTimes, ASUS president Jerry Shen says he plans to launch an Eee-branded ebook reader by the end of 2009 at the earliest. That's a tasty nugget of news all on its own. However, what would DigiTimes be without adding some good ol' Taiwanese rumor-mongering? As such, they add that MSI is investigating the reader market as well. But that's just common sense, we don't need "industry sources" to tell us that manufacturers are looking for ways to make money in new markets now do we?
ASUS puts Snapdragon smartbook on hold, breaks hearts of Androids everywhere
It was but a few months ago that we were lusting after a svelte little fanless Snapdragon Eee PC running Android and being demo'd at Computex. Now, ASUS is letting us all down softly, saying that project has been put on the shelf -- presumably to make room for another string of cookie-cutter netbooks. CEO Jerry Shen says "I don't see a clear market for smartbooks," which is true enough, but we're guessing the big laptop players didn't see a clear market for netbooks at first, either. So, not exactly great news for those looking for even cheaper and even more portable portables, but don't lose all hope: it wasn't that long ago that Western Digital said the SSD market didn't exist, and now look at 'em.
Disney Netpal finally up for pre-order, ships this week
We've waited... oh, how we've waited! After two long, torturous months of anticipation, Disney is finally letting the "Magic Blue" and "Princess Pink" Netpal netbooks out to play with us. Featuring the zaniest paintjobs this side of the RilakKuma, customized XP themes, shell control for parents and no shortage of magic dust, the two machines are available to order now for $350 with deliveries likely by next week.[Via Netbooked]Read - Toys R UsRead - Amazon
Eee PCs rumored to ship with Moblin in October, Chrome OS on the horizon
How about a minor spy story to kick-start your weekend? According to our man Sascha at netbooknews.de, a "safe source" who shall remain nameless but who most certainly has ties to Stasi (or, at the very least, owns a trench coat) has divulged some choice nuggets: The first Eee PC pre-installed with the open source OS will hit the market in October, and the company is currently considering the possibility of making this an option for all its notebooks at some point in the near future. And if that weren't enough to stoke your dreams of an Operating System Renaissance, the company is also reportedly working "closely together" with Google to deploy the Chrome OS on its machines at some point in the not-too-distant future. All rumors and innuendo, sure, but interesting -- and, as we've seen the company play with Moblin in the past, certainly not a shocker. As always, we'll keep our ears to the ground, and we'll keep you posted.
ASUS' 11.6-inch 1101HA netbook finally on sale in America
Call it coincidence or call it fate, but just as soon as we saw Samsung's 11.6-inch N510 netbook go on sale across the pond, ASUS' long-awaited 11.6-inch Eee PC 1101HA has netted itself a date with UPS here on US soil. The machine is the first in the Seashell range to boast a display larger than 11 inches, though the atypical WXGA (1,366 x 768) panel is about the only thing that'll turn heads. Within, you'll find an exceedingly bland array of parts: an Atom Z520 processor, 1GB of RAM, GMA 500 integrated graphics, a 160GB hard drive (still with us?), three USB 2.0 sockets, a 1.3 megapixel camera, WiFi, Ethernet, Bluetooth and audio in / out jacks. If you aren't down with waiting to see what kind of netbook revolution coincides with the launch of Windows 7, you can order yours up from the links below for $429.99.[Via Netbooked]Read - BuyDig.com order pageRead - NewEgg.com order page
DIY Eee Keyboard is big, beautiful, and highly coveted
The ASUS Eee Keyboard is thin, sleek, and has a touchscreen pad. This do-it-yourself is bulky, uses a green backlight, and has instead a wireless mouse and numpad. Still, there's something magical and all kinds of wonderful about this home project, essentially an Eee PC 900 shoved into a Sven Multimedia EL 4002 keyboard. All you need is a VGA cable hooked up to a monitor and you're officially good to go. Itching to recreate this beaut for yourself? Hit up the read link for a plethora of in-process screenshots and some commentary from its maker. [Via Liliputing]
ASUS Eee PC 1004DN lands in Taiwan, gives the netbook a serious identity crisis
Sure, an optical drive isn't going to explode the definition of netbooks as we know it -- we'll have to wait for Windows 7 to do that -- but perhaps we can all learn to live lives of greater peace and harmony now that you can spin up a plastic circle of ones and zeros inside an Eee PC. The new 1004DN is now available in Taiwan for NT$19,988, about $609 US.[Via Liliputing]
ASUS Eee PC T101 tablet reportedly facing uncertain future
Last we had heard, ASUS' Eee PC T101 tablet (or T101H) still had a place on ASUS' massive Eee PC roadmap, and was on track for a late August / early September release after being pushed back from its original June launch date. According to DigiTimes, however, the device's future now looks to be even more uncertain, with it supposedly set for release this September "at the earliest." Some unspecified "industry sources" further go on to say that the T101 (and other future ASUS netbook tablets) could either be pushed back further or scaled back on shipments if the company's current Eee PC T91 doesn't meet expectations, or possibly even canceled altogether.[Via Electronista]Update: Looks like the T101 and T101H are one in the same. Sorry for any confusion. Post has been corrected to reflect this.
ASUS' Eee PC 1101HA netbook gets unboxed on video, shown in black
Unlike ASUS' Eee PC 1005HA, which seemed to ship just days after debuting, the company's 1101HA is taking its sweet time in going from "real" to "really available" here in America. This next member in the expanding Seashell range boasts a larger-than-usual 11.6-inch display and can be ordered with optional 3G (eventually, anyway), and the good folks over at NewGadgets managed to get ahold of one and unbox it for the cameras. Better still, they undressed a glossy black unit, which is noticeably different than the shiny white version we've seen thus far. Care to have a look? It's all there just after the break.
How would you change ASUS' Eee PC Seashell line?
In the past month and change, ASUS has found time to issue not one, but two new Seashell netbooks. Originally shown to the adoring public at CeBIT in Germany, this fresh take on the Eee PC was a welcome change to the drab netbooks we were accustomed to falling asleep on. We managed to have a look at both the ultraslim 1008HA as well as the more business-oriented 1005HA, but now we're eager to hear your opinions on the matter. What would you do differently with the Eee PC Seashell line? Would you beef up the battery? Add a few ports? Swap in a different display or processor? We know Microsoft's Windows XP limitations are holding PC makers back, but who says your imagination has to abide by those same guidelines? Detail your dreams in comments below.
ASUS Eee PC T91 review
We've had our eye on ASUS' first full touchscreen tablet netbook, the Eee PC T91, since way back in January, when the hardware was on display while the software had yet to appear. Since then, we've seen quite a lot of the T91, and now it's finally making its way onto the US retail market. We've spent the last few days giving it the once over, to see how this netbook -- which is a true departure for ASUS -- stacks up. Touchscreen tablets have been, in many ways, an oft-repeated mix of excitement and disappointment -- great ideas coupled with mediocre hardware, or nice-looking hardware coupled with bad implementation of the touchscreen. Has ASUS managed to sidestep these issues with its own tablet PC? Read on for our impressions.
Shadowy modder gives Eee PC a risky back alley trackball implant
Remember that guy who uber-hacked his Eee PC with a GPS, Bluetooth, draft-n WiFi, FM transmitter, SDHC card reader, modem, USB hub, 2GB RAM? Well, we got one more for him. This enterprising gentleman, fed up with suffering through the three-finger scroll of his Eee PC 901, integrated the trackball of his Apple Mighty Mouse into the netbook's palm rest. Of course, this took some time and effort: in the end, the trackball leads had to be unsoldered from the mainboard, the trackball itself soldered to the mainboard, and the whole shebang installed under the surface of the netbook itself. But you know what? It works. That is, until the Mighty Mouse itself craps out -- as they have been known to do. Still, it's all in a day's work for a heroic modder. Right? Hit that read link for the step-by-step, but not before you peep the vid after the break.
ASUS' Eee PC Seashell 1101HA gets hands-on treatment ahead of European launch
Make no mistake, ASUS knows it's onto something with the sleek new Eee PC seashell form factor. We've seen the 1101HA and its 3G-equipped fraternal twin 1101HGO before, and now Trusted Reviews has managed one more glimpse before the netbook goes on sale in Europe later this month. The biggest selling point for this over the other seashell models like 1008HA or 1005HA is gonna be the 11.6-inch screen, but beyond that, it looks like you're getting slightly gimped right shift key, but on the bright side, there's also a removable battery. As the site notes, this particular model happened to have the ASUS logo displayed on the back of the lid, which is in stark contrast to the typical Eee branding we see in its place. Still no word on an US release, but we're holding out hope it'll follow suit pretty quickly after the overseas launch.
ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005HA available for pre-order, shipping July 1st
Looks like those of you interested in ASUS' newest little netbook, the Eee PC Seashell 1005HA, won't have to wait very long to have your dreams fulfilled. In fact, it's popping up for pre-order right now. The 1005HA (which we just played with extensively) is nearly identical to the already available 1008HA, but with a longer-lived, swappable six-cell battery, and without those little port doors we found to be somewhat troublesome in our review of the unit. It runs $389 and is expected to ship on July 1st. Hit the read link to check out the pre-order good times.[Thanks, Nate]
ASUS Eee PC 1005HA hands-on and impressions
ASUS has certainly changed the netbook game a bit with its Eee PC Seashell line, aesthetically-speaking, anyway. Slimmed down and sleek, the Seashell's one of the handsomest netbooks we've seen. When we reviewed the 1008HA just a few weeks back, we had just a few minor issues with it, but overall, found it to boast a solid user experience. The Eee PC Seashell 1005HA is nearly identical to its elder brother, but presents some small changes for the better without sacrificing these now famous looks. Read on for our full impressions and hands-on photo gallery.
Disney and ASUS announce Netpal netbook for kids
Past Disney gadgets may have been heavier on the Disney than the gadget, but we're guessing there'll be at least a few parents out there a little envious of ASUS's new Disney-branded Netpal netbook for kids, which will be available in your choice of "Princess Pink" or "Magic Blue" colors (the latter replete with tiny Mickey Mouse icons). In addition to that eye-catching exterior, each netbook also packs a custom, kid-friendly Disney interface, along with a range of built-in parental controls, and some customizable themes based on Mickey Mouse, Toy Story, Wall-E, and other Disney properties. As you might expect, however, the netbook itself is just a standard 8.9-inch Eee PC, but it is at least available with either a 16GB SSD drive or a standard 160GB hard drive. No word on a release date just yet, but it looks like this one will set you back $350.[Via GadgetMix.com]
Video: Asus 11.6-inch Eee PC 1101HA to ship in Europe this month
We caught wind of this one way back in May, and even got to see the mythical beast in the flesh at Computex, and now Netbook Italia is reporting that Asus' Eee PC 1101HA, the hulking 11.6-inch notebook, will be shipping in Europe at the end of the month for €399 (that's roughly $560). Part of the Seashell family, this guy will be available in black or white, and packs a 1.33 GHz Intel Atom Z520, Intel GMA graphics, 1GB of memory, a 160GB hard disk, and Windows XP. We've also seen a 3G version of this bad boy, but we're not sure when or where that one will see the light of day. Check out the hands-on video after the break.
Swiveling ASUS Eee PC T91 does multitouch in Windows 7
Like so many other dodgy things in life, ASUS' Eee PC T91 has been around the block a time or two. It wasn't until this week, however, that ASUS finally came clean with a full specifications list for the swivel-screen netvertible. The 3G-equipped machine also packs a GPS module, Bluetooth, WiFi, an 8.9-inch LED-backlit touch panel, Intel's Atom Z520 CPU, Ethernet, a multicard reader, VGA output, twin USB 2.0 sockets and audio in / out ports. Sadly, there's still no definite US release date, but we suspect it can't be too far off now. In related news, this very machine was caught showcasing its elite multitouch skills with Windows 7, and if you're interested in seeing exactly how that went down, hop on past the break and mash play.Read - Official Eee PC T91 specificationsRead - T91 multitouch on Windows 7
NVIDIA strikes gold with Ion: 21 new products at Computex
We had a hunch that Computex would be a massive show for NVIDIA, and while we already caught a glimpse of what the GPU manufacturer had in store, we had no idea it'd come out with guns this big a-blazin'. Showing absolutely no mercy for those other integrated graphics sets of the world, NV's today unveiled 21 new Ion-based products in Taiwan, with all but a handful being completely unheard of. Of course, there's the AspireRevo, Ion 330 and IdeaPad S12, but outside of that select few, everything else is all new. Asus is introducing its C2N7A-I motherboard and all-in-one Eee Top ET2002, Colorful is busting out its iHTPC, ECS is pushing out a new desktop and MSI is showcasing its Windtop AE201. And that's just to name a few. Hop on past the break for the full spill, and don't stray too far -- we'll be out and about grabbing hands-on time with as many of these as we can track down.
