As Asus launches its 8.9″ Eee PC today, there’s news that Asus is planning on a 10″ Eee PC for later this year. I’m sure the news will be welcome by many.
In a comment to a post about the news on Gottabemobile, someone asks if there’s going to be a Tablet PC version of the larger Eee PC. There isn’t any indication of this, but I wish it would be the case. I’m not talking about a resistive touch overlay here; I mean I’d like to see a true, low-cost Tablet PC along the lines of an Eee PC.
The market I see for a device like this would be in education and as a companion device for large-form-factor notebook and desktop users. The price has to be low here though–something in the under $500 range. A clone of the TC1100 would be a killer design, but there are many other possibilities. Now wouldn’t that be something?
What’s funny here is that a Tablet version of the Eee PC would be everything that the UMPC was supposed to be–primarily a low-cost Tablet that can be used as a companion device. And what’s especially funny is that the original Eee PC is essentially a UMPC with a keyboard and the resitive digitizer removed. I know, it doesn’t make sense.
Currently I’m looking to MIDs as my future companion device, but a 10″ Tablet might fit the bill nicely too. Is it time for me to hold my breath? Hmmm.