Asustek to Unveil the Eee PC Sequel

Who would have thought that low-price, low performance notebooks would sky-rocket sales figures, since PC users are obsessed with performance? Well, it seems that Asus did, and their Eee sub-notebook line sold gold last year and was the most wanted present to be found under the Christmas tree. Asus has greater plans for the new year and is determined to sell over 5 million units of their "next-generation" sub-notebook.

The new Eee PC Linux-based sub-laptop has been announced for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week. Although the exact specifications have not been disclosed yet by the producer, the Eee is alleged to come with WiMax wireless broadband connectivity, as well as other "goodies" to keep it on top.

Rumors have it that the next Eee will feature a 8.9-inch screen to replace the current 7-inch model. The display was the biggest shortcoming, as many users complained that the 800 x 480 resolution is not enough for comfortably browsing the web, since all the webpages are optimized for the 1024 x 768 standard.

The larger 8.9-inch display will also make it possible to run the operating system at a higher native resolution. The 800 x 480 resolution is enough for the unit's specialized Linux-based GUI, but proves inefficient when it comes to Windows or standard Linux user interfaces.

Asustek, Intel and US carrier Sprint are financing an event focused on WiMax, inside the Consumer Electronics Show. The companies will present wireless devices that are compatible with WiMax, including "next-generation mobile solutions (such as the next-generation Eee PC)", as the CES invitation reads.

The new model will feature increased prices, mostly because of the wider display, but the company is determined to keep the price as low as possible, since this seems to be the most appealing feature of the Eee sub-notebook.