Eee PC with Larger Screen Gets U.S. Price, Release Date

Since Asus announced plans to launch a version of its low-cost micro laptop with a wider screen and more built-in storage last week, many in the United States have been eagerly awaiting the news on when the Eee PC 900 series will debut in this country.

The wait is over; Asus CEO Jerry Shen has told Laptop Magazine that this model will debut in the U.S. in April, and that prices will start at $500.

The price is good news for those who are interested in this product. In Europe it is going to cost 400 Euros, which is equal to over $600 in the U.S., and many were concerned that the Eee PC 900 series would be too expensive.

More New Details

According to Shen, a version with an 8 GB SSD hard drive running Windows XP will be available, while a version running Xandros Linux will have either an 8 GB or 12 GB SSD drive.

This will run on a new Intel Atom processor, not one from VIA like the current mode.

An Overview of the Eee PC 900

Like the current models, the Eee PC 900 will have a clamshell design.

The most obvious change in the upcoming version will be the 8.9-inch display, up from 7 inches. The upcoming model will also have a higher-resolution screen: 1024 by 600 pixels.

In addition, versions of the Eee PC 900 will have up to 1 GB of RAM and storage capacity of up to 12 GB, much more than in the current versions.

To make room for the new features, the newest model will be a bit larger: from about 2 lbs. to about 2.2 lbs, and the device will be slightly thicker.

However, many things will not change in the upcoming version. It will still have Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), three USB ports, and an SD card slot, for example.

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