14 DAY TRIAL // The Taiwanese PC manufacturer Asustek failed to impress its audience with the 10-inch Eee sub-notebook, although it has been announced since early December. The company stated that the next-generation Eee PC will become available in the second quarter of the year, and rumor has it that Asustek is waiting for Intel's new WiMax chip.
The PC maker confirmed during the Consumer Electronics Show that it will start production of larger versions of the popular sub-notebook until the end of the year. The new versions will include 8- and 9-inch LCD screens, a significant size improvement to the current 7-inch LCD the Eee PC comes with. Asustek is also determined to add WiMax to all the upcoming Eee models as well as to other notebooks it will produce.
Asus managed to sell more than 350,000 units during November and December alone. While children, the primary consumers, are extremely satisfied with the 1-kilogram PC, adults keep complaining that the Eee keyboard is just a little too small for comfortable typing. Moreover, the new Eee sizes will allow users enjoy screen resolutions up to 1024x600, as compared to the current 800x480.
The bigger models will help Asustek attract adult buyers and enter the market of much more expensive ultramobile PCs (UMPCs) from mostly Asian manufacturers. The higher screen resolutions the Eee will be able to adopt are alleged to pave the way for the Windows operating systems.
The 10-inch Eee model has been showcased last June, but since then, the company failed in providing further informations about its capabilities. The new 8-, 9- and 10-inch models will come in two flavors: either with a pre-loaded distribution of Windows XP on the solid-state drive, or with its Xandros Linux, native operating system.
Asus CEO Johnny Shih refused to give additional details about the upcoming models, such as pricing or case colors.