Asus Sets Eee PC 900 U.S. Launch for May 12th

Asus informed us this evening that the Eee PC 900 will hit the store shelves in the U.S. on May 12th.  The Linux and Windows XP loaded version of this 8.9" version of the Eee PC will both cost $549.

The Eee PC 900 has already been released in both Europe and Asia, the U.S. is left as the second fiddle in this release party.  The basic specs for the Eee PC 900 are as follows:

• Display: 8.9" 1024 x 600
• Color: Pearl White, Black
• CPU: Intel Mobile CPU
• Chipset: Intel Mobile Chipset
• Memory: DDR II 1GB
• Graphics: Intel UMA
• Storage:
  • Linux sku:20GB (4GB on board + 16GB flash module)
  • XP sku:12GB (4GB on board + 8GB flash module)
• Web Cam: 1.3 M
• Dimension: 8.86"(W) x 6.69"(D) x .79"mm~1.33"(H)
• Weight (kg): 2.18 lbs

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At $549 the Eee PC 900 bumps up against the price of a budget 15.4" screen notebook, but it is still far lower in price than other ultraportables out there, which typically start at around $1,000.  Of course, some sacrifices are made such as with the build quality and keyboard quality to get the price down, but reviews so far from Europe and Asia indicate the Eee PC 900 is worth a look and should be equally as popular as its smaller brother, the 7-inch screen Eee PC 701.