Second Generation EEE pc

What do we know for sure about the next generation eee? Seems like info is hard to come by and most of it is nothing more than rumors.

Rumored Release: 3Q 2008 (July - September)
Expected Price: $400-600

Hardware
Screen Size: 7", 8.9" and possibly a 10" version
Resolution: 800x480 or 1024x600
CPU: Menlow Class (low power consumption - 7w)
Memory: 1 GB
Hard Drive: 8GB SSD
OS: Windows XP

Features
WiMax
Fanless

News
Touchscreen has been removed from the list of features.

Anyone have additional information?

 

pretty sure the touch screen is only going to be on the 9" model

 

Do we have any idea on a release date? Anything would be helpful.. month, quarter.. year..

 

All reports I've seen around indicate for late 2008 at minimum. Asus isn't known for meeting their earlier projected release dates on new models, so we'll see.

 

hope you're wrong clearskies but you're probably right.

I'm trying to be patient and wait for the next EEE to be released. I really hope they can improve the battery life.

If anyone sees any new articles on the 2nd gen EEE, then please post as info seems scarce so far.

 

I would think that a lot of the issue could be Intel rather then Asus. They are usually always slow/late to market when it comes to the low voltage chips seems like.

 

Dang that is a long ways away... but I suppose it makes sense, the current EEE is not really that old yet so rushing the 2nd gen is not great business practice.

 

I have a feeling that they arent gonna be making them cause of the competition of the other UMPCs :S

 

I would think that Asus would be quite interested in making the second generation Eee as they are selling quite well and it seems to be the general direction of the market.

Walmart will now carry a cheap ultraportable of it's own based on the VIA chipset and processor. They should be in stock this week. I believe it will be marketed as an Everex cloudbook and will run gOS.

 

I will go to Walmart to check it out. BTW, any local retail store carry the EEE? thanks

 

It's supposed to be running Intel's menlow platform (HP, Dell, and Acer's use Shelton) and is coming in April.


http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2008/01/asus-eee-pc-with-8-inch-screen.html


Can't remember the site I got this from:

 

Costco carries it.

 

The resolution is a real shame. I would have really liked to see a more web-friendly resolution in the second generation if they are going to offer the larger screen.

The touchscreen seems really cool, but it also seems a bit too good to be true.

 

The 8 inch mockup with the 800X600 resolution is an old prototype. No one knows yet, the new larger screen versions may have bigger resolutions.

 

I couldn't wait, but I did order it from Costco. If push comes to shove I now a couple of people that would by a modified EEE off me when the new ones come out. If a touch screen version comes out, I will buy it.

Isn't there some kind of a res scaling hack for Windows XP on the EEE?

I just ordered a 4GB EEE 701 from Costco, 2GB of RAM and a 8GB SDHC card from Newegg.com and dug up one of my old old OEM copies of XP (non service pack). I used nlite to slip in SP3, add the CD Key and remove some crap programs (didn't feel to confident to strip it to much and tweak it using nlite, can do that later when its installed). I then found a link which I used to create a thumb drive I could install the modded copy of XP from. I tested it out on an extra PC I had. Heres the link on how to make the thumb drive for installing XP:

http://www.eeeguides.com/2007/11/installing-windows-xp-from-usb-thumb.html

 

I'm debating whether to wait of to not wait. I need a laptop for classes (thin and light) that can last at least 3 hours. My x41t is just not cutting it anymore and it has a motherboard fault too. But.... that second gen EEE just looks so nice. :|

 

The real advantage of Costco is the really spiffy return policy. I guess an option would be to buy an Eee... and return it when the 2nd generation is ready; assuming that the 2nd generation comes out on time.

However, for non costco members and poor college students like me, who really don't need to buy a 100 gallon jug of tomato puree, you have to add 50$ for a membership fee.

 

I think there is a $15 non member fee for buying off Costco.com, I think thats worth a 90 day no questions asked return.

 

Hmmm.. didn't know that. I just usually buy the membership at the store, go online and use it, then return the membership. I guess 15$ is worth saving yourself the trouble. Thanks.

 

Is Asus prepping a bigger Eee PC?/

This article says the next EEE will cost between $600-700.

If so, then it's going to lose it's cost advantage over other notebooks.

 

I think that would be a terrible mistake for Asus, who is just really making their intro into the mainstream consumer market with the Eee. If the Eee loses it's cost advantage, there is not much more going for it besides portability. After all, the basic 14-15 in variants from Dell and company would be far more economical for those looking for a basic entry level laptop.

 

it's got me contemplating just pulling the trigger on the current one.

 

Hmmm.. I see the point now. If it does have a touch screen though, it would probably be competitive still.

I think the costco buy would be best. But, I think that Asus is always a bit tight lipped about their releases.

 

I really wonder how useful a touch screen would be on a personal computer.

I've seen them at stores and businesses and see them being useful there but most of my interaction with my computer is pointing, clicking and typing. I wouldn't think touching the screen could replace a mouse given that my finger is too big to be as precise as a mouse cursor (i would be hitting multiple links at a time with my finger lol).

I can see the benefits in stores, etc as they can make a user interface that can best utilize the feature but I'm not too big on the feature on a personal computer. I'm probably missing something though.

 

I'm considering getting the 8GB model EEE PC, but is this second gen really going to be released in April, and it'll come with a touch screen? If so, I'll probably wait for it. Also, is the new 2nd gen EEE PC going to be bigger (physically) than the current one? I really like the smaller form factor of the current mdel. And it would seem like they can put the 8.9in screen in and still keep the current physical dimensions. So, any info on this? Thanks in advance.

 

From what I have read is that it will be coming in April and only the 8 inch will be the same size as the current 7 inch, probably so that the speakers can still fit. And only the 9 inch will be a touch screen.

 

Thanks for the info, I guess I'll wait till April for the 8" model. I plan to run the litest version of XP on it, so having a faster cpu and 1gb of ram will help. Even though no touch screen on the 8" model is a bummer.

 

The EEE will no longer have a touchscreen in any model according to the new engadget article:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/30/asus-extending-eee-brand-to-desktops-tvs-and-all-in-one-pcs/

Short version: They are releasing E-TV in September (linux based software in a 42 inch + TV for 200-300$ more than normal TVs), E-DT in April / May (a cheap desktop in the 200-300$ range), and E-Monitor in September (an all-in-one projected to cost around 499$) to continue the Eee branding. Their market research shows limited demand for a touchscreen; thus, they are not going to use touchscreens.

 

If it came down to price versus screen resolution, I'd go with price. It'd be nice to have a more standard screen resolution so I don't have to deal with vertical scroll but I'd rather learn to browse that way then spend $600-$700 on an Eee PC.

At those prices I'd rather just get a Vostro 1400 or something and deal with the extra bulk.

 

If it's $600-700 with a touch screen, it would sell like hot cakes. The problem with normal laptop and taking notes in certain classes is that if the professor draw something on the board you have no way of entering it. A touch screen would fix that problem.

Seeing the next gen EEE PC won't have a touch screen, I'm considering getting the Fujitsu LifeBook U810, the lowest price I've found is $925, so it's still quite a bit more expensive than the 2nd gen EEE PC's projected price. Anyone have any experience with the Fujitsu? Thanks.

 

well you can hook the first generation eee to a external monitor and output a max resolution of 1280x1024

 

With newer bios the can handle upto 1900x1200 (8804), reported on Eeeuser.com

http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=12641

I'll wait for a newer Bios before switching.

 

Here is a photoshop from blogeee.net that shows the 9 inch, yet still fits the speakers:

 

Yea.. but I would love it to be widescreen..

 

if that pic is of the 2nd gen EEE (ie not a fake) then it definitely looks nicer than the current EEE.

 

I totally agree that the second generation looks better. Obviously, the second generation would tend to be more refined, but I just really wish they would axe that rocker mouse button.

 

what's a rocker mouse button and what's wrong with it?

 

The rocker mouse button is the single button left and right click the Eee has. You press on the left side for the left click and on the right for a right click. However, because both buttons are a single piece of plastic, it rocks and sometimes causes false clicks.

 

oh ok. i agree. hope they axe that.

 

wish they'd just release the next gen already or at least give a firm release date.

 

Firm release dates aren't ASUS strong point as far as I gather...

 

I have never had a problem with the rocker button. No false clicks here.

It's pretty simple to use. If you want to left click, you push the left side. If you want to right click, you push the right side.

As long as you know your right from your left, you should be OK.

I think Asus would be nuts to release a new Eee, at this point. They can't even keep the original in stock.

They should ride this thing out. Besides, the Eee is excellent as it stands.

Same here. As it stands, releasing an Eee with a proper resolution would make a much bigger difference than the actual size.

All that would do is kill their current Eee sales. This would be a bad idea.

 

Please keep consecutive replies in a single post, for readability. Thanks.

 

Lack of stock is already killing their sales. They might as well just start producing the next gen eee and start putting those on that market. It's not like they'll have the old ones sitting on the sidelines collecting dust. They are already bought up.

 

I realize that there have been stock issues. But, that isn't always a bad thing.

These things have only been out for four months. I don't think they're going to, but if I were them, I'd ride out the first gen until October.

Since when was four months considered to a life cycle for a product run?

 

Doesn't intel release new processors fairly frequently? Seems like a 6th month cycle there but they also do periodic price drops.

With the cloudbook coming out and other competitors trying to join in the action, Asus might be smart to blow them out of the water by taking another step forward in the cheap, ultraportable laptop niche. Nothing like killing the competition by releasing a better version. Makes it that much harder to keep up (sort of like what Intel is doing to AMD lately).

 

Apples and oranges.

You and I just aren't going to see eye to eye on this one.

 

Hardly apples and oranges. It's just a different strategy that companies might employ in order to keep a foothold in an industry. You're probably right that Asus will continue to delay the 2nd gen EEE but I don't think it would hurt them to bring it out and blow out their competitors.

 

If they were to release it soon, I wouldn't view that as a problem.

My original comments were directed more at the announcement of a release date, than the release itself. My argument is that this would result in the Osbourne effect, which it would. Frankly, I think they've already been a bit loose lipped about the situation.

Unless the launch is imminent, they would be absolute fools to announce anything.

When it comes to releases, I really don't think it matters when they release the next Eee, as long as they don't announce it in such a way that it undercuts the current line.

 

Cloudbook... i see smoke in the cloud...