Digitimes reports ASUS not taking anymore Eee PC 900 orders

Believe what you want, but we are going to take this with a bucket of salt. Digitimes is reporting that its sources have said ASUS is no longer taking orders for its Eee PC 900 in anticipation of the upcoming 901-series launch at Computex on June 3. They even go as far to say that the Eee PC 900 "based on an Intel Celeron processor, was a transitional product launched to compete with Hewlett-Packard's (HP's) VIA Technologies C7-M-based Mini-Note PC, while Asustek waited for Intel to start deliveries of Atom CPUs". Ouch.

We are still waiting for ASUS to comment on this report. What's certain for now is that the company will launch its 901- and 1000-series of Eee PCs on Tuesday, June 3, at Computex in Taipei.

Via Digitimes

ASUS to launch 901 and 1000 series Eee PC at Computex

Mark down June 3 on your calendar. According to an invite from the Taiwan-based computer manufacturer, it is expected to launch its new Eee PC 901 and 1000 series at the annual Computex show.

Information is scant at the moment, though the email invite did mention about the availability of more options including "shockproof SSD design for stable and reliable computing on-the-go, long battery lifespan, exclusive Web storage and high-speed connectivity, and large displays for view".

We'll soon find out in just a few more days!

Update: According to Crave UK, ASUS will launch a 10-inch version of its Eee PC on Tuesday and it should be on sale in the UK in November.

Michael Dell's got a Dell Netbook, and you don't

We didn't think we'd miss much by skipping All Things D, the conference hosted by grandfatherly tech journalist Walt Mossberg, but we were clearly wrong.

Head Gizmodo guy Brian Lam ran into Dell founder Michael Dell at the show and caught a glimpse of what appears to be a not-so-top-secret prototype laptop. With a bright red shell and a body that reminds us of the ASUS Eee PC and the HP 2133 Mini-Note, this mystery laptop is very intriguing.

Does it have an Intel Atom CPU? Is it a surprise back-to-school model, or is it just a prototype that may never be released? Will it hit the sub-US$700 price tag of other Netbooks? All excellent questions...

Via CNET Crave

Via opens up its mini-notebook design

Chip designer Via Technologies unveiled its OpenBook Mini-Note reference design on Monday, in a move that throws some open source into its core business of developing chips for mobile devices.

The OpenBook design aims to aid PC makers in creating ultra-small notebooks based on Via's Ultra Mobility Platform. Last year, the company trotted out its Via NanoBook reference design, a prototype designed to compete against rivals in the small-computer market but at a lower cost.

"By making the CAD files of the external panels for the OpenBook available for download, Via has simplified design customization. You can now download these open-source files from the (Via) Web site and individualize the look and feel of your OpenBook devices," Via states.

Via, in providing the source files for download, aims to deliver local Wi-Fi, long-range WiMax, and speedy data delivery via 3G mobile connectivity.

With its Via OpenBook design, the Taiwanese company is hoping to ride potential growth in the mini-notebook market, which currently ranks in the small niche category. But as 3G becomes more pervasive and users become more adept using smaller devices to carryout computing and communications functions, demand for mini-notebooks may rise.

Via CNET News Blog

Intel now launching Centrino 2 in July

Intel doesn't just make and market CPUs--the company builds "platforms", which is a fancy way of saying it likes to bundle together a set of specs for a particular combination of CPU, motherboard chipset, and Wi-Fi interface, and slap a sticker on it.

The Centrino brand has been a big success, while other attempts, such as AMD's Live and Intel's Viiv, have not. Naturally, we've all been eagerly awaiting the launch of Centrino 2, expected at Computex Taipei 2008 (which will take place June 3-7), with the new platform followed by updated laptops from pretty much every vendor under the sun.

TG Daily now reports that the Centrino 2 launch (originally codenamed Montevina) won't happen until at least mid-July: "Sources close to Intel have confirmed to TG Daily earlier reports that Intel's Montevina notebook platform, referred to as Centrino 2, will see a substantial delay. Montevina will not make it to Computex next week and will miss its originally planned debut date later in June."

The reason for the delay is reportedly two-fold--a problem with the FCC certification for the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard used in the platform, and also reports of problems with the integrated graphics used in lower-end system that lack discrete graphics chips.

As many around the Web are quick to point out--this probably means no new MacBooks at WWDC.

Update: Intel tells us the Centrino 2 platform will now officially begin its launch on July 14, including new Core and Extreme CPUs, with some chipsets rolling out over the following few weeks, into August.

Via CNET Crave

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