Asus plans Eee PC 904, 905: same screen, larger keyboard
Is it me or is Asus taking the whole Eee PC concept a little too far? I was all for some welcome updates on the original 701, like a bigger screen with higher resolution added to a larger keyboard. I’m just not getting the latest news coming out of Digitimes. They indicate that Asus plans two new models in the 900-series (shown), the 904 and 905.
Each of these will use the sam 8.9-inch display of the current 900s, but it sounds like they’ll be on the 10-inch chassis of the 1000-series. That will get you a bigger keyboard, but also has the potential to bring back the ugly, oversized bezel we saw in the first models. I suppose they can make good use of that extra space somehow, but I’m not hopeful.
Where I’m really lost is in the vision. What was once a ground-breaking device in terms of size and cost appears to have become a giant test lab for Asus and consumers alike. Maybe I’m over-reacting or this is what the market is becoming: quick moving and in constant flux in terms of choice? Perhaps, but Digitimes says that the new models will replace the 901. There’s just something unsettling to me when notebook models last a few short months…
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This might have something to do with the MSI Wind.
As I understand it, the Wind model that is available now (or very soon will be) has a 10-inch screen, but there will be a later model on the same chassis with an 8.9 inch screen.
Why anyone would go for an 8.9 inch screen without a corresponding reduction in device size is a bit of a mystery to me – unless you get a really significant improvement in the battery-powered time.
Anyway, it seems that Asus and MSI will have almost identical product lines.
Kevin — “There’s just something unsettling to me when notebook models last a few short months…”
I think what is unsettling is that they then become the same as cell phones, essentially disposable as the whims of fashion and ever progressing technology move forward at a rate way faster than when people actually NEED to upgrade.
Just a thought.
-olly
Asus has an inchorent marketing strategy. It looks like their skill is design and manufacture, but they are clueless about marketing.
Getting first out of the gate with the EEE was great; it enabled them to gobble market share. MSIs response was to up the ante and not just create a me too product.
Asus is now stumbling badly. EEE should be “small” and “cheap”. They should focus on smaller and cheaper.
Personally, I kinda like how Asus is innovating at such a rapid rate. Don’t know about u guys, but its nice to see that Asus is trying to fill any gaps in their range so as to have something for almost everyone. I guess the plan is to have a spectrum of EEE lappies at every pricepoint, so that they have an answer for any budget, to which people can decide on which aspects of the EEE (screen size, keyboard, HD space) they are willing to compromise on in order to get one at the price they want to pay.
Just another thought: the 904-905 probably is Asus’ answer to the HP mini-note which has a large keyboard, an 8.9 inch screen with a large bezel surrounding it. I believe the Acer Aspire one and the Dell mini inspiron also have this spec.
Thanks a lot, you just cost me $499!!!