Back when the first Eee PC was released, the purpose of such a device was simple: to provide users on a budget with the computing power of a low-priced, low-power, small-sized portable computer system. Since then, the idea behind the Eee PC concept has changed significantly, as current Eee PC models bring better performance, more storage and, consequently, are priced higher. Well, it looks like the Eee PC is going to change even more.

Two days ago, a leaked slide of the Eee PC roadmap surfaced on the Internet. According to it, the Taiwanese manufacturer was preparing to release a number of new models, some of which would come as part of the company's high-end segment - a rather unusual fact, given the initial purpose of the Eee PC. Despite that last part, the upcoming Eee PC models have just been confirmed by the company's CEO, Jerry Shen.

According to his statement, ASUSTek is planning to launch more Eee PCs, designed to address different market segments. They will be part of the company's Ultimate and Pro Fashion categories and are due to arrive sometime before the end of this year. Featuring dual-core Atom processors and larger storage (120GB HDD or 32GB SSD), they will be priced somewhere in the range of US$700-$900. Even more, as Shen stated, the company is on track to achieve its targeted annual shipments of five million units.

Shen also added, in regard to a launch schedule, that an Eee PC with 32GB of SSD storage would be introduced in late September, as part of the company's new S series. This model will feature a 10.1-inch 16:9 ratio LED backlit panel and a 4-5-hour battery life. This will be the company's first model designed for the high-end market.

Currently, ASUS has a total of 11 Eee PCs, but the launch of the new high-end models will extend the Eee PC family by 23 new members.