Asus Eee PC 701

The initial reported specs of the Asus Eee PC701 include:

Intel Mobile CPU, 802.11b/g WiFi, Ethernet, modem, webcam, 512MB of RAM and a 4, 8 or 16GB flash drive for speedy, reliable storage, with a weight of 2 lbs.

But what got me interested was the price. At a reported USD200, it would be cheaper than a high-end Nokia phone! Or a high-end portable DVD player.

Now Engadget Chinese reportedly has managed to get its hand on a unit and has dug up a few more details on it. Windows XP has been successfully tested but the final product will likely come with Linux, with XP driver support thrown in for good measure. In addition it could eventually pack as much as 32GB of SSD storage, and possibly either an optional built-in or dongle 3G module. Asus also reiterated that seemingly too good to be true USD200 starting price, with a version for "English speaking countries" available as early as August this year.

Hmmm, this might just replace my old trusty Fujitsu P7010 as my portable surfing machine. Well, hopefully it will do more than that but at USD200, I shouldn't really be complaining, especially if it comes with a built-in 3G module. I guess we will see.