Asus introduces the Eee PC 900
The Eee PC 900, the successor to Asus’ first highly successful line of sub-notebooks, should start selling in local stores now at P24,990 after its media debut last week.
The new version of the Eee PC gives a choice of operating system that dictates the size of storage space. The Linux model features a 20GB storage capacity, while the Windows XP variant has only 12GB.
Both the Linux and Windows XP models are priced the same. Asus executives said their company intentionally trimmed the storage capacity for the Windows XP model to make up for the cost of the Microsoft Windows user license. On the other hand, they were also able to offer more storage for the Linux edition because the open source’s cost is practically zilch.
The Eee PC 900, regardless of the operating system, brings in several improvements, including a high-resolution 8.9-inch wide-screen, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, a new multi-touch mouse trackpad called FingerGlide, built-in Solid State Disk (SSD) technology, and 1GB DDR 400 RAM.
The older Eee PC 70x series, particularly the 4G 701 and 8G 701 models, only had a seven-inch TFT LCD display, a 0.3-megapixel webcam, a touchpad with buttons that function as a desktop mouse, an SSD that is either soldered to the board or connected to an internal PCI Express mini card, and a 512MB memory.
Several things, however, stayed the same between the old and the new Eee PC. For one, the Eee PC 900 still uses the 900MHz Celeron M CPU. The small-sized keyboard is also left unchanged, making speed typing that requires the use of all fingers still quite a challenge.
The array of input-output ports on the Eee PC 900 also consists of the same ones found in the 701. It has ports for USB and Ethernet, jacks for mic and headphone, and video output and SD card reader as well.
Also, just like with the old model, the Eee PC 900 will remain available here only in black and white, although some markets have the choice of more “fun” colors.
Notable changes
The larger display and higher resolution of 1024 x 600 are the most obvious aesthetic improvements in the latest Eee PC model. The bigger display that allows users to completely view a single A4 page is made possible by removing the stereo speakers that used to flank both sides of the screen in the older model. Asus relocated the speakers to the underside of the Eee PC 900 to make room for a larger display that now covers almost the whole lid.
This enhancement results in an Eee PC 900 that is slightly bigger — 225mm x 170mm — and heavier — 990g, than the earlier 701 models which only measured 225mm x 165mm and weighed 895g. Simply put, the latest Asus sub-notebook is at least 6mm longer and about 100g heavier than the old one. Still, the Eee PC 900 weighs below 1kg, making it so easy to carry around.
Meanwhile, some hackers have already posted online their efforts to fit the larger screen of the Eee PC 900 on an Eee PC 701. They reported that their attempts worked to some extent by hacking the BIOS to use the full screen but they’ll still need the right size of case to house the bigger screen. The hackers expect third-party kits may become available to let owners of the Eee PC 70x series to upgrade their displays.
To make upgrading to the Eee PC 900 more tempting and easily justifiable, Asus preloaded it with extra goodies. The Linux version, for example, comes with 40 built-in applications such as OpenOffice productivity suite, Firefox browser and other multimedia ware. The Windows XP edition, meanwhile, is Windows Live Suite, Microsoft Works, Skype and instant messaging ready. The online applications are complemented by the Eee PC 900’s 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi adapter.
The battery life of the new Asus machine could last for three hours, or 30 minutes longer than its predecessor, officials said.
Millions
Ever since Asus announced the first two EeePC models at Computex Taipei last year, sales have gone through the roof.
Ethan Hung, regional marketing manager for Asus Technology Pte Ltd., reported that over one million units have been sold worldwide. At the press conference to launch the Eee PC 900, he showed photos of people from key cities around the world who lined up to buy their Eee PCs. Such is the growing craze created by the incredibly small and ultra-functional “Netbook,” as it is also called, that Asus now targets its unit sales to reach five million within the next six to seven months.
“We have 2007 revenue of $22.3 billion; 51 percent came from sales of notebook and 25 percent from motherboard. So, please, don’t call Asus (just) the motherboard company,” said Leon Yu, country manager of Asus Technology
Nicknamed the “Jonney Machine” after Asus’ current CEO and chairman Jonney Shih, the Eee PC, according to Yu, was created with the help of 1,000 research and development staff, which is half of Asus’ R&D team in Taiwan, and a quarter of its entire workforce.
Meanwhile, Asus may be the current leader in the sub-notebook market but it is not alone. Rival brands have started to introduce their own ultra-mobile computing devices designed for the same demographics — students, women, young executives — that the Eee PC caters to.
Just last month, the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC was unveiled in the
A full-function mini notebook, the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC is specially designed for the education market and has a starting price of under $500. It is luggable enough by weighing only slightly more than two and a half pounds and being a bit smaller than most textbooks. It also includes a suite of wireless, multimedia and security capabilities.
But, for now, the Eee PC 900 appears to be the best replacement to its older brother that completely changed the sub-notebook game. Being pitched primarily to women and students, the Eee PC 900 would be a “fantastic purchase,” according to Vivian Hung, product manager of Asus in
Of course, men can buy themselves an Eee PC, too.
- Latest
