14 DAY TRIAL // Taiwan-based netbook maker ASUS is reportedly planning to update its Eee PC lineup with the introduction of an upcoming model, dubbed Eee PC 1002HAE. Packing a similar design to the company's previously released Eee PC 1002HA, the new Eee PC 1002HAE is equipped with the newer and slightly faster Intel Atom N280 processor and an aluminum chassis. The system sports a 10-inch form factor and is expected to become available later this month, for a price tag that should be around the $500 mark.
Since the release of ASUS' first Eee PC netbook, the market for small-sized, ultraportable PCs has exploded and is now considered the most popular PC category. Unlike most of its competitors, ASUS has adopted a rather different strategy, by releasing a considerable number of different models, part of its Eee PC lineup. The latest addition makes no exception to the rule and provides users with yet another 10-inch nebtook that is only slightly different from a previously-released model, namely the Eee PC 1002HA.
On the inside, the Eee PC 1002HAE is powered by the aforementioned Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz processor, combined with 1GB of DDR2 memory and the now usual 160GB hard drive, with additional 10GB online Eee Storage. The system also boasts a 10-inch LED backlit display, capable of outputting a maximum resolution of 1024 by 600 (WSVGA) pixels, powered by the integrated Intel graphics chip. Packed with a 1.3MP webcam, a memory card reader and a 3.8-hour-capable Li-Polymer battery, the 10-inch netbook has already been launched in Japan, according to the company's website.
There are no details available at this time regarding the possible release of the Eee PC 1002HAE on a worldwide scale. However, in Japan, the netbook has been priced at ¥49,800 or about US$506.
