14 DAY TRIAL // Earlier this year, the first rumors regarding the possible release of a new ASUS-made netbook that was supposed to be priced in the $200 range emerged. Since then, the company has kept quiet about such a product, saying only that it was planning a new low-cost Eee PC model set to debut sometime in the first quarter of 2009. Coming to keep the rumor mill turning, yet another company representative is now reported to have mentioned a $200 Eee PC that is slated for Q1 next year.
Ever since ASUS first released its Eee PC netbook, about one year ago in Tapei, the netbook market has considerably grown, and we are constantly seeing more PC makers releasing their own 8.9-inch and 10-inch netbook systems. The first Eee PC to be launched boasted a 7-inch display, but the 8.9-inch and 10-inch models have quickly become more successful than the 7-inch ones, as they provided better specs and a larger screen size, ideal for Internet browsing. Unfortunately, the 8.9-inch and 10-inch Eee PCs were also priced higher than the initial model, approximately double the US$241 Surf Eee PC, which came with a 7-inch display.
It is for this exact reason that the company is now planning to release a much more affordable version of its highly successful Eee PC netbook. Unfortunately, up to this moment, ASUS hasn't been very generous with technical details, so we don't really know what form factor to expect, or even which processor is going to power the upcoming model.
Some rumors indicate that the $200 Eee PC might make its debut at next year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, but that is yet to be confirmed by the company. The one thing that is certain is that ASUS is planning to expand its already vast Eee PC family with the addition of new models coming to provide new features, such as a Windows 7 operating system, touchscreen, and the blend of performance and accessibility of the $200 Eee PC that some users have long been waiting for.