Asus readies iMac attack with all-in-one Eee
Hello, Steve...
Asus' attempt to conquer the world with its Eee family continues with the appearance this week of an iMac-alike all-in-one desktop model.
Asus' Eee Monitor: iMac styling
The original desktop Eee, the Eee Box, will be joined by the dully named Eee Monitor - as a variety of sites are dubbing the new machine - which is essentially an big screen with an Eee PC built into the back. Credit where it's due: the pics first appeared on French-language-site Blogeee.net.
Not that the move should surprise anyone - Asus said it had such a desktop in the works back in January.
The screen bezel incorporates the customary webcam and a pair of speakers that sport the Denon hi-fi brand.
Asus Eee PC and friend: eyeing up Apple
It's not the first time Asus has 'borrowed' from Apple's design book: its Eee PC 900 was quick to support MacBook Air-style multi-touch gesture input.
Around the back are all the usual Eee ports - Ethernet, three USB 2.0 ports and 3.5mm audio sockets - joined by an internal modem ports, an extra USB 2.0 port and a 3.5mm video-out socket to replace the usual VGA port.
There also appears to be some extra USB portage and the memory card reader on the right-hand side of the machine.
OS? Windows XP, we'd say, but we wouldn't be surprised if Linux support came late.
There's no word on the internals - presumably the same 1.6GHz Atom CPU, 1GB DDR 2 memory and 80GB hard drive as the Eee Box - when this Steve Jobs worrier will hit shop shelves, or how much it'll cost when it does.
Next page: Eee Monitor Picture Gallery
COMMENTS
Denon speakers.
It looks OK. It has a nice set of speakers. No Firewire though. It looks like it comes with a power brick. I would not call it a 'rip-off design'; just progression in style. So you're going to say 'Hoblot self-winding watches are a rip-off from Rolex that also self-wind'. Apple jumps up-&-down about how everyone builds beige, square PC's. No sooner that someone comes out with something of a different shape and style, 'WA ,WA, WA ,WA, WA! They're copying Apple!'
Hey, made ya look didn't it.
iMac... one too many all-in-one.
Why Acer wants to emulate a naff idea like an iMac beats me.
Personally, as an Apple user, I would like to see Apple produce a conventional, tower or desktop shaped box, with standard components inside, but well built like the Mac Pro. This, along with their superb design ethic and OS, at the iMac price point (either end), would be a PC killer.
If it looks like a prick, and sounds like a prick...
...then 'it' probably owns an Apple.
Just like Patrick.
@Patrick
Yes, you're probably right, it probably will flop, but not because of user experience alone.
I declare an interest, I use XP and Ubuntu, but my OS of choice is OSX. I reckon the iMac sells in numbers not because of it's form factor but in spite of it. It may make some sales to the uber-trendy Notting Hill crowd because of it's all in one design, but frankly, as joe average (and not a millionaire), I'd prefer a mini tower that isn't priced like a MacPro. Apple's big growth area is notebooks, which again kinda bears this out.
Unfortunately uncle Steve thinks that's a bad idea, so if I want to continue to use OSX it's basically an iMac or MacMini with a USB hub for me. In the Windows/Linux market there's a load more choice and always someone stepping up to provide new hardware choices.
If the Eee does flop, it's simply because the form factor doesn't compete well.
