Big Gets Bigger: Asustek to Release 10-Inch Eee PC Later This Year

Taiwanese conglomerate Asustek has just announced another version of Eee PC to follow up the introduction of its 8.9-inch Eee PC 900 model. The new notebook will come with a 10-inch LCD display screen, along with other goodies.

The tiny Eee PC 900 comes with a significant boost in screen resolution and effective work space, and early company reports claim that the device has sold over 1,000 units within a few hours of its launch in Hong Kong, but the number is expected to dramatically increase when the notebook launches on the UK market.

The 10-inch version of the popular sub-notebook was announced during the official launch of the Eee PC 900 in Taiwan. "The feedback we've received from users has been great. Many have asked us for bigger screens and better usability. That's what made us start developing the Eee PC 900," said Jerry Shen, CEO of Asustek, during a news conference in Taipei.

Despite the fact that the company did not nail the launch date for its upcoming model, the 10-incher is expected to arrive later this year. "People are asking for bigger keypads and more software as well, issues the company continues to work on," claimed Shen. "It will be the biggest screen an Eee PC will ever get," he continued.

According to the company, bigger screens make all the difference on an already saturated UMPC market. Most companies followed Asustek on the market with low-cost, low-performance ultra-mobile computers, but they offer the same 7-inch LCD display paired with other cost-effective hardware components.

The Eee PC 900 model is expected to sell more than any other device of its kind, and will likely account for 50 percent of the overall Eee PC units shipped by June. Shen also said that the 9-inch version would represent 60 percent of the company's sales in the second half of the year.

However, Shen did not disclose either the release date or pricing information for the bigger Eee PC model, given the fact that the Eee PC 900 is not done with the UMPC market.