Eee PC Gets WiMAX
The new Eee PC will have a bigger 8.9-inch screen, not the current 7 incher. The resolution of the larger screen is 1024×600, which will address one of the most common complaints on the current Eee. A WiMAX-powered EEe PC is expected to be announced by Asus and Intel at the CES show in Las Vegas next week. Pricing may be closer to $499 versus the $399 of today’s Wi-Fi only version.
According to the Commercial Times, the current 7″ panels used in the Eee PC cost $40 USD. The larger 8.9″ panels are estimated to cost between $55 to $60 USD. The current Eee PC uses a 90nm, 900MHz Celeron M processor running at 630MHz. But this year, Intel’s Menlow platform with a 45nm Silverthorne processor promises ten times the power efficiency of first generation UMPCs using Intel Celeron M, Pentium M and A100/A110 processors.
The Eee PC is currently available in a variety of models including the 4g and 8G, 2G Surf and 4G Surf . Pricing ranges from $299 USD for the Eee PC 2G Surf on up to $499 USD for the Eee PC 8G.
| Model Name | Eee PC 8G | Eee PC 4G | Eee PC 4G Surf | Eee PC 2G Surf |
| Display | 7" | 7" | 7" | 7" |
| Intel CPU & Chipset | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Operating System | Linux Windows XP compatible |
Linux Windows XP compatible |
Linux Windows XP compatible |
Linux Windows XP compatible |
| Ethernet Communication | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| WLAN | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Memory | 1G (DDR2) | 512 MB (DDR2) | 512 MB (DDR2) | 512 MB (DDR2) |
| S.S.D. Storage (Solid-State Disk) | 8G | 4G | 4G | 2G |
| Camera | ? | ? | - | - |
| Audio | Hi-Definition audio
Stereo speaker |
Hi-Definition audio Stereo speaker Microphone |
Hi-Definition audio
Stereo speaker |
Hi-Definition audio Stereo speaker Microphone |
| Battery | 4 Cells: 5200 mAh, 3.5hrs* | 4 Cells: 5200 mAh, 3.5hrs* | 4 Cells: 4400 mAh, 2.8hrs* | 4 Cells: 4400 mAh, 2.8hrs* |
| Weight | 0.92 kg | 0.92 kg | 0.92 kg | 0.92 kg |
| * Specification changes are subject to different models * Actual battery life will depend on actual operations and other settings. * Product contains software under GPL license agreement |
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Microvision’s “pico” projector is handheld, stand-alone video projector is capable of projecting a 12-inch to 100-inch, 848 x 480 WVGA image for up to 2.5 hours on a single charge.
The device is made for media-rich mobile devices.
Microvision claims it can replace TI’s million-mirror MEMS chip with its own single-mirror MEMS chip, which Microvision claims can be produced cheaply enough to become standard equipment on future cell phones. No focusing lens is required, because the lasers render razor-sharp points without external optics.
The company expects the unit to be initially offered in stand-alone portable projectors you attach to an iPod during 2008. It plans to embed its PicoP chip projector in a variety of consumer electronics.
Why not project real-time transit information on every bus stop?
Hook it up to a WiMAX-powered Eee PC and solar power the whole thing.
Sam Churchill and Don Park run the DailyWireless.org website which summarizes the news from Community Lan and other industry related sectors with detailed updates from around the world. It is full of sausy talk, viscious rumors and tantilizing tidbits.