Recently bought a cheap as chips old laptop off eBay to tide me over until they announced something like this - and there we go. So long as they can keep this with the same pricing philosophy and Linux, you might even see me placing a pre-order.

One in the face for all those who insisted that the reputed 8.9" would have the same screen resolution as the 7" - based on photos known to have been of pre-release samples when Asus hadn't finalised the screen size for the original version. Yeah, the same photos with a MacBook in the background that the brain-dead assumed was the apocryphal 10"...

Got my 701 as an emu PC at the moment running zsnes and pj64 - runs sweet but I have to clock to stock speed to run some n64 titles...hopefully this will have more cpu/gpu grunt taking away the need for the upclock - also bigger screen *may* look better plus might even have an a go at running a GC emu...fun fun fun

Good to see El Reg is joining the fashion industry's campaign against size-zero models.

is it still running linux? must be. if so, then i'm having one for a handy intro to all things linux...

Whilst linux would satisfy all the penguin lovers, if this came with XP on it, I would buy one.

for a second there I thought someone had crudely 'shopped the original image to represent the larger device, but then I remembered that the original image is itself a crude 'shop

How many bulgarian airbags is the new model going to be bigger than the old one?

Could you show us a model with the increased assets please.

If this thing could run adobe software, they could use photoshop to get rid of it.

Will there also be a 'bigger', 'upgraded' eee girl?

I have a seven-incher already and really the only thing I want is for a slightly bigger screen.

Well maybe a faster processor too. And I upgraded the RAM to 1 gig myself. And a bigger SSD. (Oh, a SIM card slot for mobile network access would be brilliant too.) But that's it.

And there's the problem - you end up morphing into a "normal" laptop if you're not careful.

The key thing is the price point - if they can keep it to £250 or less it'll clean up. Scoff at the low specs if you want, but as a go-anywhere carefree device it's fantastic.

And will they issue a photo of a "larger" blonde girl to go with the larger device? We should be told.

I was nearly going to but a 4GB EeePc the other day, but I want to wait and see if ASUS are bringing out the desktop version so I can use a web browser on my TV without needing a big tower or unsightly box!

...as long as it's =<£300.

Very nice, but where did the speakers go?

We need more pictures...

... so we do not have to read all of the way down before we see her.

Asus have clearly got rid of the speakers to facilitate the larger screen can anyone see where they've been moved to?

or am i just gonig blind?

with an atom cpu. thank you.

I'll have two please

The Asus 5315-101G08 is currently on sale in my local Carrefour here in Spain for €399 including an offer to get €75 back in store credit. Granted, the Eee doesn't seem to have surfaced yet but that seems to wipe out the price advantage that's one of the Eee's biggest selling points.

"Asus Eee PC 701 and friend: bigger model imminent"

I presume that is referring to the laptop. The persistent reuse of that photo is approaching the "Generalissimo Fransisco Franco Is Still Dead!" level of abuse.

How interesting. The first one never existed (I've been looking on DABS for 3 months and it's always 4 weeks away). So here's another one we can never actually buy.

Oh and throw in one of those new larger screen Eee's while you're at it.

"scaled up slightly to accommodate the bigger screen"

Looks to me like all they've had to do is remove the ugly black bezel from around the screen which, imho, is probably the best thing they *could* do to it. Obviously it remains to be seen but I'd imagine the physical dimension are the same.

Doesn't look like the beach-babe has had her assets upgraded similarly.

I'd hope that people complained that Asus were encouraging people to eat poorly with their current advert model, so a bigger model was obviously imminent.

Mika - Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) ? Can we have a new Eee photo too?

At least DABS are more honest than LaptopsDirect, who have said the 4Gb eee is "2-7 days" away, continuously for the last 5 weeks, during which time they've failed to send me mine. Cash taken, naturally.

I think I'll buy that when it gets out instead of the "normal" EEE that I was waiting for (the 701 is supposed to be released in Belgium in April).

My main concern with the EEE was that the screen would be too small / low resolution for proper surfing / work, but a screen 1024 pixels wide will be enough to view pretty much all websites and video content (beside HD, but then who want to look at HD on an EEE).

Now, don't we get a new EEE girl to go with the new model :-)

No, it really is bigger. It's almost exactly (perhaps even exactly) the same width, but slightly deeper, with an enlarged track-pad arrangement to match. If you'll excuse the French you can see the two side-by side (in various alluring poses) here:

http://www.blogeee.net/2008/03/03/eeepc-900-premieres-analyses/

"I have a seven-incher already and really the only thing I want is for a slightly bigger screen. [...] The key thing is the price point - if they can keep it to £250 or less it'll clean up."

Exactly. I have plenty of kit in my server so I don't need a space heater on my lap. All I need is a decent resolution screen, a usable keyboard (and maybe a headphone jack), a wireless connection and a battery with a longer attention span than my three-year-old.

Ideally, there'd be no fan. It's not just the noise. If you have a fan, presumably you have a hole in the case. If you have a hole in the case, you don't want to be on the beach.

I like it. I hope this means a price drop in the smaller screen model - it would do fine for my purposes but I need at least three of them. The eee I mean.

Just to keep up the innuendo (Re: "I've a seven incher already,"), eight point six inches would be great, but I'd settle for seven. :)

If the price is £300 then it's probably too much for me, I was disappointed at the > £200 for the 7" 4G model when it was originally billed as a $200 machine. For £300 you're into normal sized laptop territory so here's less incentive to splash the cash.

If they just added the larger screen and left the 4G spec as is and charged £250 I might go for it, otherwise I'm too tight!

New game anyone - who's ripping off their customers with the most overinflated price for a 7" model? PC World have the 2G model on display in my local store for £229, but that's a feeble attempt compared to a local PC shop which is proudly displaying a 2G model in their window for the paltry sum of £316. Can anyone beat that?

I have a 701 right now and the larger screen and trackpad would be welcome. I've put XP on mine and don't miss the Linux install at all. It's much more useful to me with Windows.

I'm curious if it has a larger battery too, as that bigger screen will surely eat more juice. If they haven't changed that it could be a major booboo. They should really put bluetooth in it as well, it's makes using wireless mice and connecting to phones much easier.

I can't work out where they've relocated the speakers, I assumed maybe they moved them to the front but I can't see any grills anywhere? Perhaps on the bottom?

"I can't see any grills anywhere? Perhaps on the bottom?"

I've had a good look at the bottom and what I assume to be a speaker grill could just be cellulite...

For a split second i thought this is cool.

But then i remembered i originally thought i might get an eee because it could fit into my pockets (i still have none because they said "probably sometimes in march", apparently the demand is there). A5 is a great size for such a thing, anything more and it needs its own bag to carry around, anything less and i imagine it's becoming hard to type on.

So, no. Either the small one or none (I feel no need for a new "real computer").

F Seiler, I have a 30x25x6cm "manbag" which holds my phone, wallet, keys, Blackberry, paperback book, tissues... and an eeePC. So if you want something that fits in your pockets, buy a PDA. But for something you can type on that *doesn't* need its own bag to fit in, the eee works fine.

As for the speakers, have any of you heard the sound quality of those things? They take up all that real estate in the original eee and sound like the crappiest 1x1.5cm laptop speakers, except not as good as some. Whether they've been moved or got rid of entirely, who cares? I use headphones anyway. But the usual laptop-style speakers in the usual location won't be any drawback, I can tell you.

I'm already saving parts of my measly student budget for this. The only gripe I had with the old one was the screen & speaker layout. Headphones and monitor real-estate all the way! For those complaining about the price hike too, if the spec update is fairly accurate it should be worth it, especially for the size of the device. A 10" laptop by everyone's favourite Sony would set you back a good few times more than the eeepc.

because it does what I need it to do for less than £200. Given my experience with it, I would definitely buy the 8.6" model, but not at over £300. As has been pointed out, to spend that kind of money you are heading towards low-end laptop prices which was not the market the original was aimed at. Keep it below £250 and they have another sale.

If they manage to fit a touch-screen, then I'll buy one to sit next to my 701 for sure.

> I have a seven-incher already and really the only thing I want is for a slightly bigger screen.

Why didn't you just buy a laptop then?

They aren't that much more expensive and one of the advantages you get is...tada....a usable screen, as well as a host of other features that are more than worth what is, actually, if you look at the UK price rather than the hype which refers to the US price, only a small price difference.

This new model emphasises it even more. It still has an undersized screen and lacks storage and RAM, but now the cost is even closer to a typical, ordinary laptop, making it actually one of the most overpriced and underpowered wastes of space I've ever read the hype about IMO.

Oh for crying out loud! not ANOTHER fricken person going on about how they (or someone else) could have bought a 'real' laptop for the price of an Eee and how the 'real' laptop can do more because it's faster/bigger hd/bigger screen etc.

Well you COMPLETELY MISSED THE POINT OF THE EEE, it's very lightweight compared to a 'real' laptop of the same price and more importantly it's literally pocket sized (I can easily fit it in my coat pocket, sideways orientated), no spinning drive inside so it's more rugged etc. etc. and if I could be botherd I'd list more reasons but I don't think you'll listen.

http://www.haku.co.uk/pics/wall.gif (if only something like this could be a posting icon)

> I have a seven-incher already and really the only thing I want is for a slightly bigger screen.

>Why didn't you just buy a laptop then?

Well I originally wrote that because the thing I want is... a slightly bigger screen.

I've already got a laptop and it's fine for being a LAPTOP - a portable computer which is a desktop replacement. I have on occasion lugged it around and it's not fun, not least because I don't want to break it.

The eee is NOT a desktop replacement. I didn't expect it to be. If I do break it (unlikely, it's pretty sturdy) I will just buy another one. It sounds w@nky but you really have to think of it as a whole new class of computer.

When this one gets retired (probably within six months) it will end up as a webcam server, or an always-on 15W torrent peer or, well... anything. It might even manage to be a Media Centre PC, with an external tuner and HDD.

9" model is expected to be £300 - that's list so past experience with the 7" model suggests that sel price will become inflated by suppliers and be next to impossible to get. Expect to pay £350+

For that amount you can get a very nice laptop these days.

Yes I know that small is beautiful but Advent do a very nice range of 12" models - 9912 - physically small enough to be properly portable without being too small and much more powerful.

Besides if you really want to give your kids eyestrain why not just order the Elonex One - http://www.elonexone.co.uk/ - at a much more appropriate price £99