14 DAY TRIAL // As mentioned in a number of our previous articles, Taiwanese manufacturer ASUSTeK is expected to release a new lineup of Atom-powered portable computer systems that will not be part of the company's Eee PCs. The new lineup is meant to provide users with a highly portable computer system with enhanced computing features, compared to the small-sized, low power netbooks that have been recently launched.
According to famous industry sources cited by Digitimes, ASUS is preparing to launch a 10.2-inch notebook powered by an Intel Atom processor. The new N-series notebooks are expected to be launched in September and set an impressive impact on the netbook market, as they will provide a potential catalyst for medium-size panel demand. Unlike all the other Atom-powered portable computer systems in ASUS' portfolio, the new N-series isn't meant for entry-level consumers, but rather for the mid-range market users.
For the time being, there aren't enough details to outline a specific design, but cited sources indicated that the new notebook would be different from any other Eee PC. It will sport a 10.2-inch display that is claimed to be supplied by Chunghwa Picture Tubes, it will be priced at NT$15,000-20,000 (477 USD -637 USD) and will boast a high-capacity hard disk drive of up to 320GB. Furthermore, unlike the netbooks and nettops, the new Atom-powered notebook will be capable of running Windows Vista.
It is yet uncertain which Atom processor ASUS will decide to feature in its upcoming notebook, but given the fact that Intel is expected to release a new dual-core Atom 330 processor in September, we might be looking at the first Atom 330-powered computer system to be released. There are no details regarding any future launches of dual-core Atom-powered Eee PCs either, but ASUS is likely to extend its vast Eee family with the newly announced processors.