ASUS releases Eee PC T91 touchscreen netbook

[Kevin O'Brien]

Today at Computex ASUS announced the new Eee PC T91 touchscreen convertible netbook. To integrate Windows XP with the touch interface ASUS brings a collection of software called the TouchSuite to the T91, allowing users to quickly edit photos, create photo albums, make handwritten memos, or even make a quick sketch. The T91 also includes an integrated TV-tuner, 3G connectivity, and GPS, making it one of the most versatile netbooks on the market.

Eee PC T91 Specifications:

• Windows XP Home
• 8.9" LED-backlit Display/ Resistive Touch Panel
• CPU Intel Atom Z520
• Intel US15W Chipset
• LAN Onboard 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet controller
• Wireless Data Networking WLAN: 802.11b/g/n
• Bluetooth V2.1
• Memory 1GB (DDR2)
• Storage Total 82GB (16GB Solid State Drive + 16GB SD Card + 30GB Portable Hard Disk Drive* + 20GB Eee Storage)
• Camera 0.3 M Pixel
• Reader 3-in-1 MMC, SD, SDHC flash card slot
• Audio Hi-definition audio CODEC
• Built-in high quality stereo speakers
• Up to 5Hr Battery Life with Li-Polymer battery
• Dimensions 225mm (W) x 164mm (D) x 25.2 ~ 28.4mm (H)
• Weight 0.96kg
• Optional GPS, TV Tuner, 3G plus (HSUPA)
• Casing Colors / Infusion White, Black

Stay tuned for more news on this very impressive new touchscreen convertible netbook. For additional information on the Eee PC T91, check out the ASUS website.

[KenK]

Actually the T91 was announced 5 months ago. As far as I know, there's still no word on when it will be available in the US (if ever).

[NamelessPlayer]

Although I've known about it for a long while, this is more like it-a netbook with tablet functionality! (The pen probably isn't Wacom, but asking for an EMR digitizer in a cheap netbook is a bit of a stretch.)

The question is, how much does it cost? Something tells me it's closer to 500 US$ than 300 US$, which will still put people off just because there's still a premium involved for tablet functionality. Others are driven away just because the battery isn't user-swappable.

[KenK]

Originally Posted by NamelessPlayer

Although I've known about it for a long while, this is more like it-a netbook with tablet functionality! (The pen probably isn't Wacom, but asking for an EMR digitizer in a cheap netbook is a bit of a stretch.)

Actually even that "tablet functionality" is suspect - note where it says "XP Home", not "XP Tablet Edition." This means no handwriting recognition, and no inking support in Microsoft Office applications (including OneNote).

As for price, I believe the UK list price is 449 GBP, which is about $730 US.

[NamelessPlayer]

Originally Posted by KenK

Actually even that "tablet functionality" is suspect - note where it says "XP Home", not "XP Tablet Edition." This means no handwriting recognition, and no inking support in Microsoft Office applications (including OneNote).

As for price, I believe the UK list price is 449 GBP, which is about $730 US.

Well, isn't that just peachy? They get the form factor right, but install the wrong OS and price it way too high. (730 US$ can easily buy something much more powerful and capable, like the original Dell Latitude XT!)

Why can't anyone get this right? Back when I first learned of the Tablet PC initiative several years ago, I foresaw tablet functionality becoming standard on notebooks and large, thick paper books being replaced with a single tablet loaded with e-books. No one would fiddle with paper anymore-everything would be done digitally, on the tablet.

Fast-forward to today. The future I envisioned has not yet come. People are still impressed by my aged TC1100 that I finally own after so many years of not being able to afford one, like they didn't even know that something like it even exists. The few that do know about tablets are driven off by the associated price premiums, especially in an age where dirt-cheap netbooks with no tablet functionality at all have taken off.

I'm especially furious because I see a clear opening with the rise of the netbook that tablet manufacturers squandered. If they brought down tablet prices to netbook ranges and made them about as portable as the smaller ones in some cases, even if that meant Atom and no Wacom, consumers in general would be more likely to see the benefits that tablets offer. They'd also realize that tablets don't have to entirely abandon the keyboard for when a physical, touch-typable one is needed.

Asus, Gigabyte, and a few others have given me hope with netbooks that also happen to be tablets. Those models could lead the way for mass-market tablet adoption, if they price them right and install either XP Tablet or a touch-and-pen-optimized version of Ubuntu or something like that. Don't let my hopes be in vain, OEMs-get it down to 400 or even 350 US$, and install the proper OS. Show them what you can do on a convertible tablet netbook that you can't with the standard clamshell form factor.

(Sorry about that rant possibly de-railing this thread, but I don't want to see an opportunity like this wasted.)

[KenK]

Originally Posted by NamelessPlayer

Well, isn't that just peachy? They get the form factor right, but install the wrong OS and price it way too high. (730 US$ can easily buy something much more powerful and capable, like the original Dell Latitude XT!)

Keep in mind though, that things like this are usually more expensive in the UK. My guess is it'll sell in the US for around $600 list price and close to $500 street price.

Don't let my hopes be in vain, OEMs-get it down to 400 or even 350 US$, and install the proper OS.

Gigabyte does the same, unfortunately - the T1028 comes with XP Home.

I suspect Microsoft is to blame here - I think they charge very little for the XP Home installed on netbooks, and much more for the Tablet edition (and the tablet-capable versions of Vista, which I think means Home Premium and up).

[NamelessPlayer]

Originally Posted by KenK

Keep in mind though, that things like this are usually more expensive in the UK. My guess is it'll sell in the US for around $600 list price and close to $500 street price.

Why are computers and gadgetry more expensive over there, anyway? It seems that Americans like myself get better deals on computers. (Smartphones seem to be the glaring exception, however.)

Originally Posted by KenK

Gigabyte does the same, unfortunately - the T1028 comes with XP Home.

I suspect Microsoft is to blame here - I think they charge very little for the XP Home installed on netbooks, and much more for the Tablet edition (and the tablet-capable versions of Vista, which I think means Home Premium and up).

That's what I'm thinking. It's already well-known that MS offers massive discounts on XP licenses for netbooks if they fulfill a few guidelines (such as having no more than 1 GB of RAM), all to keep Linux from getting a foothold in the market.

If MS is going to make things more expensive than need be, then a tablet-optimized Linux distro can't come soon enough. (Maybe Moblin's sleek interface can be tweaked for portrait orientation as well as touch and pen use?)

[adam.mt]

I believe XP Home for netbook use only costs the OEM about $15 hence why it's so prevalent. Windows 7 Starter will cost the same.

Of course there's nothing to stop the OEM offering the customer an upgrade to XP Tablet or Vista HP for whatever it actually costs them; so, perhaps consumer pressure should be on them to do so?

[dower]

I have to agree with NamelessPlayer in regard to the state of TabletPC's... The trend they started was squandered by the overly high price of the hardware. The tablet features were overshadowed by the lower cost alternative regular laptops. Sadly, it seems more people are paying more attention to the iPhone and touch technology now, which is nice and all, but really lacks the power that a pen can give you (try drawing a nice picture in painter with your finger, that is, without it looking like a 5 year old scribble). HP seems to be the only one that's aiming their tablets at the right price point. If these smaller Tablets were a little less expensive, hitting the $500 mark, they would be more attractive. I guess it'll take Apple to come out with their tablet to spark this market segment (if that'll ever happen), but if it's Apple, so you know the price won't be cheap.

[KenK]

Well, Engadget is reporting that it's shipping today. No idea where it's shipping from, or to whom. I can't find it listed on any online stores.