Asus Eee PC as 'hard to get your hands on as a Wii'
Meanwhile, Japan's getting a 16GB version
Asus' elfin Eee PC is coming to Japan and it's going to get 16GB of solid-state storage, it has been claimed. Meanwhile, in the UK availability has reached Wii-like limits, according to insiders.
A report by Akihabara News today claimed Asus' Japanese operation said that the Linux-based sub-laptop will be released over there soon.
Interestingly, while Asus has talked before about offering a version of the Eee PC with Windows XP pre-loaded, the site claims it's finally going to happen with the Japanese launch.
Asus Eee PC and friend: turning Japanese
With some pruning, Windows XP works rather well on the Eee PC, but our Asus moles say Microsoft really wants to see Windows Vista running on the little laptop. While that's tricky given the machine's 600MHz processor - it's underclocked from 900MHz - integrated graphics and limited storage capacity, perhaps that boosted 16GB SSD is a sign of a more powerful Eee PC to come.
Maybe, but right now British buyers would just like to see the 4GB model become rather easier to get hold of. Many suppliers are listing both the white and black versions of the machine, but few have stock.
An Asus spokesman told Register Hardware that new machines are arriving in the UK on a weekly basis, but a source familiar with the situation compared Eee PC availability with that of the Nintendo Wii - a console notoriously hard to buy here at any given time.
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COMMENTS
Wii dumping ground
odd, every day thiis week there have been wii available in croydon, usuall at the electronics shop next to east croydon station and at a nmber of high street retail chains..... what i couldnt tell or be bothered was wehter they were cynicall bundled with other "value added" products?
i was almost tempted to pick some up for a quick profit on ebay!
but, i thought no, at least those poor miserable souls who inhabit Croydon and have saved sufficient benefits cash should at least have something to lookk forward to this christmas (and i'd wager the 'cash convertor' store will be full of them by end of januarary)
ASDA have them
..in stock if anyone is still looking for one?
http://www.asda-electricals.co.uk/shop/product/asus/epc701.html?
I might get one if I can ever think of a reason why I need it...
vista on eee
Apparently, someone managed to run some flavour of vista on it:
http://www.modaco.com/content/Asus-Eee-PC-http-www-EeEasy-com/261965/Installing-Vista-on-the-Eee-ive-done-it-and-it-works/
@Elijah // Way off topic, but ....
Got put on to this by my semi-Luddite father, of all people...
http://www.saynoto0870.co.uk/
Now I can waste my "free" mobile minutes calling useless call centres, rather than my work phone or work supplied home phone. Hmmm, wait a minute...
why moan at the price?
Don't you realise what this machine is made for - yes it costs a whopping £219 rather than £100/£150, but what on earth would you buy instead?!
You're not gonna get a decent ultraportable for anywhere near that, although granted you could buy an under-specced 15.4-inch 3kg machine made by a retail store for twice the price..
The eeeeee is ideal for the commuter, it's light, it's particularly robust and the lack of Windows really isn't a problem for most users. True, at some point Vista will probably get stuck on it, as with a larger screen, more memory, faster processor, and you're back to paying a hell of a lot more money again.
Look at anything in its league - some of the UMPCs cost up to 2k, 11-inch machines like Sony's TZ cost well over a grand. You might be too tight to fork out £219 for an ultraportable laptop, but the sales success suggest most other people - me included - disagree.
