14 DAY TRIAL // One of the biggest surprises at this year's Computex computer show, which is just hours away from the official debut, will be seen at ASUS' booth, where the Taiwanese company will display a couple of Eee PC computer systems featuring the recently announced Snapdragon platform. These new systems appear to borrow some of the design features that have made the Eee PC 1008HA famous. With a small and lightweight form factor, as well as the power specifications of Qualcomm's Snapdragon platform, these Eee PCs are slated for market availability before the end of the year.
There are no specific details on the technical specifications of the showcased models, but according to a recent post on German-language netbooknews.de, they run on both Android and Xandros, providing users with a general perspective on the features that will be available on these systems. In addition, the machines adopt a design similar to that of ASUS' Eee PC 1008HA Seashell netbook, featuring an ultralight, slimline chassis.
The exact specifications and features of ASUS' first Snapdragon-based netbooks could change before the Taiwanese company will officially take the wraps off them. However, it's nice to see that the system vendor is currently toying with the idea of releasing a considerably different line of Eee PC netbooks from a hardware point of view. These systems will provide users with an alternative to the successful Intel Atom platform, consequently creating a more competitive market.
Late last week, Qualcomm shared its view on the mobile computing market, stating that an upcoming wave of new portable PC devices would be based on the company's new Snapdragon platform. These new devices are to be called smartbooks and essentially turn out as a combination between a smartphone and a netbook. Expected to become competitors of the netbook market, smartbooks will make way for a wider range of devices, capable of providing the end-user with the basics in computing experience.
