14 DAY TRIAL // After having surfaced on the Internet on numerous occasions, ASUS' first netbook to boast an integrated optical drive, the Eee PC 1004DN, has finally been made official by the Taiwanese company. The new Eee PC will become available for purchase next month and will provide interested users with the performance capabilities of the same Intel Atom platform that is powering almost every other netbook currently available on the market. However, the Eee PC 1004DN will easily distinguish itself from the crowd thanks to the integration of the optical disk drive.
The new netbook from ASUS comes to complete an extensive range of netbooks, part of the company's Eee PC lineup. The system has been featured with an Intel Atom N270 processor, running at 1.6GHz, and the new Intel GN40 graphics chipset. The netbook offers support for up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM memory and comes equipped with a 1.8-inch PATA 4200RPM hard drive, ready to provide you with as much as 120GB of storage space. The 10-inch display can deliver a WSVGA resolution of 1024 by 600 pixels, much like most netbooks out there.
Additionally, the Eee PC 1004DN boasts a 1.3MP webcam and array microphone, integrated Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi b/g/n connectivity. Users will be glad to hear that this netbook has also been designed with a fingerprint reader and an ExpressCard slot. The machine measures 277 x 194 x 27.4-34mm, and it weighs in at 1.45kg, including a 6-cell battery and the noteworthy ODD.
According to ASUS, the battery of its new Eee PC 1004DN can deliver up to 5.9 hours of runtime, which is actually quite impressive, given the overall specifications of the netbook. However, that number will be significantly higher when using all of the netbook's features, including the DVD burner.
ASUS hasn't announced any details on the system's specifications but, according to early reports the Eee PC 1004DN should sell for about $531-$590, when it hits the streets next month.