Eeexpansion plans: Asus announces more low-cost Linux products

The Asus Eee PC will soon welcome new family members.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Looking to capitalize on the popularity of its $400 Linux laptop, the Eee PC, Asus announced it will release three products under the Eee banner later this year: a desktop, an all-in-one PC, and an LCD TV. I can't see any of these forthcoming Eee products matching the Eee PC's early success--a compelling form factor and significant cost savings over similarly sized laptops helped it out of the gate--although the all-in-one PC may have a shot. Let us run through the newly announced products.

Confirming earlier rumors, Asus said it will release a desktop version of the Eee PC, which it will call the E-DT. The E-DT will cost between $200 and $300 and it will use an Intel Celeron processors. It is scheduled for an April or a May release. Later versions of the product will be based on Intel's Shelton platform with single-core Diamondville CPUs on the 945GC chipset.

Despite its dull name, the E-Monitor looks like it has the best chance to succeed among the announced products. At $499, this all-in-one PC will be priced much lower than Apple's iMac, Dell's XPS One, or Gateway's One. It's scheduled for a September release, and will use Intel's Shelton platform and include a TV tuner. It'll feature a smallish display in the 19- to 21-inch range. Design plays a huge role in an all-in-one's appeal--much more than a tower you tuck under your desk--so hopefully Asus is given its product designers the resources they need for the E-Monitor.

The E-TV will also be released in September and is somewhat of a departure from the Eee strategy of undercutting competing (Windows-based) products on price. This 42-inch LCD TV will cost $200 more than similarly sized units, but it will include Linux, lending it PC functionality should you want that. I would say let me keep my $200, just give me an LCD TV and I'll put that chunk of change toward an Eee PC. So that I can watch TV on my TV and browse the Internet on my lap. At the same time. I'm a bit of a multitasker that way.

While announcing the new products, Asus did mention one Eee PC-related tidbit: plans are on hold for bringing a touch screen to the laptop.

Source

[ArtInvent]

Hoped for more and better laptops

These new products I think mean that Asus are taking their eyes off the mark. Everyone knows that desktops are going the way of the dodo, and others are already exploiting the super low cost desktop anyway. I would think that the micro-laptop area would be the one to concentrate on, and broaden and refine their offerings in just that area. It's an untapped market, and UMPC's are way overpriced. The original eee is a nice size but could easily fit a larger screen into the same case. More memory and storage would also be nice as they are facing competition from the CloudBook and these components are getting cheaper all the time. Better battery life. Also, a slightly larger model like 10" would be logical for those that want a little bigger keyboard and display, but still want a very affordable model. Finally, go with straight Ubuntu and forget the Windows XP model.

[C433Z]

I completely agree

Yup, i definately hope that asus offers more screen sizes among other things.

[cyberDJ-2038765336053745013836]

New frontier

While people are "geeking" over the lame $2000.00 Macbook Air, the "real deal" is in the sub-$500.00 computer market.<br /><br />Asus and the OLPC Project are on to something; cheap computers that can hold their own against the $1000-$2000 competition.<br /><br />Apple, Dell and Lenovo take notice. You're about to be schooled by harsh reality.

[C433Z]

Yeah, why not more notebooks?

Personally I would want a Eee that has at least a gig of RAM. They could also do what the person below me said and create different screen sizes because i'm sure there are lots of people (including me) who would really like the idea of sub-$500 laptops that are capable.<br /><br />The only reasons i don't one an Eee right now are the fact that i don't want to get something that has 512mb of RAM (the 8g is too expensive at $500) and i feel that a 7" screen might be a tad too small.<br /><br />Small hdd memory is fine because flash memory is getting really cheap (about $75 for a 16gb SD card on newegg).