Asus: 10-inch Eee PC due next year
(Credit: CNET Networks)When we reviewed the Asus Eee PC 4G a couple of weeks ago, our chief complaints about this otherwise excellent and affordable laptop concerned its small, low-resolution display, the minuscule hard drive, and a cramped keyboard. The 7-inch screen with 800x480 resolution necessitates horizontal scrolling on most Web pages. The 4GB flash drive (of which only 1.3GB is available) necessitates keeping an external drive on hand. The tiny keys necessitate adjusting your typing style or suffering more than the occasional typo. Now, it looks like next year's model will address two of our three gripes.
A German representative for Asus stated recently (in German) that the company plans to release a 10-inch, 8GB model next year. It'll reportedly use the same chassis as the current model, however, which offers no relief for the fat-fingered among us. I'd happily trade the thick screen bezel on the current model, however, for 3 more inches of display while remaining at or near the trim 2-pound weight. I bet others would, too.
It's curious that Asus would make this announcement so soon after the Eee PC's initial release. Why give people a reason not to buy the 7-inch model? How about you, dear Crave reader: Would you postpone purchase plans for a 7-inch Eee PC for the promise of a larger screen next year? And, would you wait for the 8GB hard drive to get added to the 7-inch model? While we're on the topic, any interest in the rumored Eee desktop?
[Via I4U News]
I would buy the desk top no questions asked if it is a super power saver. I constantly have the fit-pc in the back of my mind
www.fit-pc.com
How awesome is a pc that uses 3-5 watts and can run windows as well as linux?
If Asus can make something similar and low power consuming, I am all over it. How about twice the specs of the fit-pc and twice the power would still be ultra low!
I might entertain the thought of an Eee PC desktop as a green Internet portal. (I've already halted my "always on" practice with my current 500 Watt system in favor of turning it on when needed and leaving on for downloads and manually initiated updates.) It has to meet certain minimum capability standards, though, to be of any use. Still, if I need a hefty media server, they're coming out with those as stand alone units as well.
Taking something that is just right and Super Sizing it is never a good idea ( cf. Britney Spears ).
ASUS should stick to the knitting and work on bringing the cost for the 7" back down to $300 or lower.