Asus took advantage of the CeBIT tradeshow in Germany today to announce a version of its low-cost micro laptop with a wider screen.
Like the current models, the Eee PC 900 series will have a clamshell design and run a version of the Linux operating system. In addition, Asus says it will be ready to have Microsoft Windows installed on them if the user wants to.
The most obvious change in the upcoming version will be the 8.9-inch display, up from 7 inches.
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.
Coming Soon
These new Eee PCs will cost 400 Euro each, and will be available in the summer of this year to select countries on the first wave of launch.
When the second generation of this device will be released in the United States, and will cost in this country, is not yet known.
Specifications
As the Eee PC 900 is still a few months away from its launch, some of the specifications of this model are still tenative:
Processor: Intel Celeron M ULV 900MHz (may be changed to newer processor)
Storage: 12 GB of Flash-based storage (SSD)
Memory: 1 GB of RAM
OS: Linux (Asus customized)
Screen: 8.9-inch screen with 800 x 480 resolution
Ports: 3 USB, 1 monitor, headphone jack, microphone input, SD card reader (SDHC compatible), Kensington lock slot, Ethernet 10/100
Webcam: 0.3 MP resolution
Battery: 4-cell 5200 mAh (rated at 3.5 hours)
Wireless: 802.11b/g Atheros
Input: Keyboard and Touchpad