ASUS Eee PC 901, 1000 & 1000H officially official

Although most of the specs and other details have already leaked, ASUS has finally pushed out the official press release for the new Eee PC 901, 1000 and 1000H.  The three machines will all be offered in Windows XP and Linux variants, with a choice of black or white casings.  While the Eee PC 901 has an 8.9-inch display, the 1000 and 1000H have 10-inch screens; their keyboards are also a claimed 92-percent of the normal keyboard you'd find in a standard notebook.  All three are powered by Intel's 1.6GHz Atom processor, meaning aside from the display the main difference across the range is the onboard storage.

Where the XP 901 has 12GB of SSD capacity and the Linux 901 has 20GB, the Eee PC 1000 boosts that to a 40GB SSD.  The 1000H promises more capacity – 80GB in fact – but using a traditional platter-based hard-drive which lacks the shock resistance of SSDs.  Each will also come with 20GB of online storage, which could be used for remote backup or everyday access assuming you have regular network connectivity (for instance the WiMAX option ASUS have also been demonstrating).

Most interesting is battery life; ASUS are claiming up to 7.8hrs courtesy of a larger battery and its "Super Hybrid Engine" technology.  This system offers three GUI modes to easily adjust CPU frequency, voltage, and LCD brightness; both system noise and power consumption are apparently minimized, with potential savings on power demand of up to 15-percent. 

What we still don't know is official pricing.  It's obvious that they'll slot in above the current Eee PC 900, which uses a Celeron-M processor and costs $549; that puts the machines into territory that cheap "normal" notebooks occupy.  We'll let you know actual figures when we get them...

Edit: According to JKKMobile:

Eee PC 1000(H)with XP and 80GB HDD: NT$18,988 or about $625

Eee PC 1000 with Linux and 40GB SSD: NT$19,988 or about $658

Press Release:

Embrace Easy, Excellent and Exciting Computing with the New Eee PC™

Eee PC™ 901, 1000 and 1000(H) Unveiled at Computex 2008

Upon reaching the milestone of surpassing 1 million Eee PC™ sets sold in just 6 months after its launch, ASUS has provided yet another wave of anticipation with its release of the new Eee PC™ 901, 1000 and 1000(H) models. These new iterations of the ever popular electronic gadget add even more options to users. With its shockproof Solid State Drive (SSD) design, users will be able to enjoy stable and reliable computing on-the-go – making it the ideal and travelling companion for outdoor activities. This new range of Eee PC™ are also equipped with the exclusive Super Hybrid Engine technology that can provide longer battery lifespans of up to 7.8 hours*, exclusive web storage and high speed connectivity**, and large displays for easy viewing. Available on both Windows and GNU Linux platforms – this range expands upon the original 3 'E's to further its "Easy" concept to cater to even more discerning users.

* Exact battery life subject to actual usage and model.

** 3.5G concept sample will be displayed at Computex 2008.

"With constant innovations and implementation of the latest technologies in the new Eee PC™ range, we have since expanded the original 3 'E's into 'Easy', 'Excellent' and 'Exciting'. 'Easy' will still encompass the core value of Easy to learn, work and play, 'Excellent'will highlight the Eee PC's™ role as an Excellent mobile Internet device and 'Exciting'entails utilizing the Eee PC™ for Exciting multimedia enjoyment." said Jerry Shen, CEO of ASUS.

Solid State Drive for Shockproof and Reliable Computing

With mobility being one of the key factors that contributed to the Eee PC's™ overwhelming success, the new range of Eee PC™ continues in this trend and utilizes the built-in Solid State Drive (SSD) technology. This technology is shock proof, quiet, produces less heat and is energy saving for reliable and stable computing on-the-go. Traditional hard disk designs spin at 5400 RPM (Revolutions per Minute) – creating more chances of data loss or damage in the event of shocks or bumps. The Eee PC™, on the other hand, are able to safeguard against such incidents – making them the perfect solution for outdoor computing and ideally suited for reporters, wildlife photographers and other like-minded outdoor enthusiasts.

Exceptional Features for User Convenience

The new Eee PCs™ are also equipped an expanded battery that provides up to 7.8 hours* of battery life; while the exclusive Super Hybrid Engine technology provides three GUI modes to easily adjust CPU frequency, voltage, and LCD brightness to minimize system noise and power consumption to save up to 15% power consumption, or to maximize system performance according to individual needs. What's more, the addition of exclusive 20GB Internet storage makes data backups simple and convenient.

* Exact battery life subject to actual usage and model.

Enjoy Easy Viewing with Large Displays

The new Eee PCs™ will integrate large 8.9" to 10" displays – allowing users to view more screenspace and enjoy easier viewing of A4 documents and online webpages – without the need to scroll left or right. Furthermore, the Eee PCs™ pair a built-in 1.3M Pixel webcam with high speed wireless Internet connection capabilities for easy web communications anywhere, anytime – increasing work efficiency or just making it easier to chat with friends and family. What's more, the keyboard is 92%* the size of generic notebooks – making it more comfortable to type for more relaxed usage.

* Only available on the Eee PC™ 1000 models

Exciting New Covers to Suit Your Trendy Lifestyle

The new range of Eee PC™ also makes its mark with trendy and colorful Infusion cover patterns inspired by various elements. The Infusion technology utilizes a unique manufacturing process that is inlaid into the chassis itself – forming an integral part of the Eee PC™. It is also extremely resilient – resisting scratches and scrapes, and thus will not fade with time. Additionally, these new cover designs are tastefully designed and provide vibrant colors to suit the user's individual personalities – making the new Eee PC™ the ideal companion for your computing needs.

ASUS will also be showcasing several new Eee Family products like the Eee Box and the Eee TV at our Computex booth. This new range of products embody the "Easy" concept synonymous with the Eee PC™, and will provide allow users to easily enjoy new digital experiences.

ASUS Eee PC™ Achievements

ASUS has sold more than a million Eee PC™ sets since the official launch in October 2007. On April 19th 2008, at the Eee PC™ 900's official launch in Hong Kong, ASUS sold 1,000 sets in 1 day. In Taiwan, the Eee PC™ 900 was placed on Yahoo's front page on the 16th of April, and in just 1 hour achieved 20,000 hits – creating a brand new blogging record.

ASUS at Computex 2008

For more details about our highlighted products, please come visit us at TICC (Taipei International Convention Center), Booth no. TF1L & 101B from June 3 – 7!

About ASUS

ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era. With a global staff of more than 8000 and a world-class R&D design team, the turnover for 2007 was 6.9 billion U.S. Dollars. ASUS has been ranked in Business Week InfoTech 100 for 10 consecutive years, and has been ranked No.1 by the Wall Street Journal Asia for best quality products in Taiwan.