Asus officially announces Eee Box details

Asus new Eee Box super small form factor desktop.

(Credit: Asus)

Word got out a little early this morning regarding Asus's small Eee Box, so we can share what we saw in a preview in our offices a few weeks back. The small, Wii-looking PC will hit the U.S. via online retailers (and perhaps a few specialty brick-and-mortar shops) later this year.

The listed dimensions of the unit are 8.5-inches high, 1-inch wide, and 7-inches deep, standing upright on its included stand. It can also lie down flat.

Official specs are as follows:

• Operating system: Linux System/ Hardware Compatible with Windows XP
• CPU: Intel Atom N270 (1.6 GHz, FSB 533)
• Memory: 1 GB / 2 GB DDR2
• Hard drive: 80GB / 160GB 5,400 rpm
• Chipset: Intel 945GSE + ICH7M
• Integrated graphics chip: Intel GMA 950
• Networking: 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN, 802.11n WLAN, Bluetooth optional
• Media card reader supporting: SD, SDHC, Mini SD, (Micro SD through adapter) ; MMC, MMC plus, MMC4.x, RS MMC, RSMMC4.x (MMC mobile through adapter);MS,MS PRO

For its rear ports you get two USB 2.0, one Gigabit LAN, a DVI output, left and right audio line out with S/PDIF, and an input for a WiFi antenna. There is no optical drive, but the Eee Box does feature a user removable hard drive to simplify upgrades and repairs.

Asus is selling a variety of other Eee Box configurations around the world, but it will have three available in the U.S. One for $269 comes with 1GB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, and an unspecified version of Linux. Another Linux-based model comes with 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive for $299. Finally, a Windows XP-based version with 1GB or RAM and an 80GB hard drive will sell for $299.

When it comes out later this summer, the Eee Box will complement Asus' much-talked about Eee PC laptops, and it will compete directly with Shuttle's KPC K-4500 Linux desktop. While none of those systems are exactly mainstream, they're all known for low prices and a surprising amount of features for the dollar.

[solitare_pax]

Very neat - just like a Mac Mini, but without an optical drive.

[Alex_nb185]

BOOO!! I heard all this stuff that today was the day.. and of course.. today was the day for canada and all that crap.. BRING IT TO THE U.S.

[Alex_nb185]

BOOO!! I heard all this stuff that today was the day.. and of course.. today was the day for canada and all that crap.. BRING IT TO THE U.S.

[Arthur Belle Dent]

1 inch wide and it looks like a Wii and priced the same? I'm sold.
Its cute to browse Youtube with the Wii browser but its still clunky so this will be perfect for the living room and maybe the kitchen too which are the two places our old laptop travels between.
Ive read recently that all Asus boards will eventuallty have the Splashtop instant boot so you can access browser, Skype, IM and Photoviewer as soon as you start it, my big question is:
Will it be in this machine too or in the next gen?
This is an option weve been waiting for 20 years and that no one talks about.