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Asus Eee PC gives Sony the willies

Daniel Fleshbourne
28 February 2008 - 13:14
21 Comments
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It's official: Sony fears the Asus Eee PC. It worries the elfin notebook's low price, low spec approach could cut the bottom out of the laptop business. "If [Asus' Eee PC] starts to do well, we are all in trouble," Mike Abary, a senior VP with Sony US' IT products operation, told Cnet.

"That's just a race to the bottom... if mainstream buyers buy it then whoa..."

Abary's fear is clear: let punters know they can do what that want to do computationally on a small, very cheap machine, they won't want to pay out for expensive upgrades sporting the latest processor, graphics and screen technology.

View: The full story @ The Reg

Comments (21)

  1. Foub - 28 February 2008 - 13:36

    Good, let them live in fear..... Its about time.

  2. eilegz - 28 February 2008 - 13:46

    with the world economy going down, people are start saving money and getting cheaper stuff to get the job done. That will become a trend in a following years.

    Sony should focus or try to give more options to consumers in general, the series SZ and TX are very good but so its expensive they try to be apple and overprice their hardware

  3. PatrynXX - 29 February 2008 - 05:27

    yeah when one actually says there's a free operating system out there... which do you pick if your broke? free verses $200. hmmmm

  4. RealFduch - 29 February 2008 - 05:59

    (PatrynXX said @ #2.1)
    yeah when one actually says there's a free operating system out there... which do you pick if your broke? free verses $200. hmmmm

    OEM OS for $200?
    Proof or GTFO!

  5. Mkvos - 01 March 2008 - 07:27

    Not everybody can get a hold of OEM and even on eBay it's still expensive.
    You both have a point though.. not particularly taking sides

  6. cork1958 - 28 February 2008 - 14:07

    "with the world economy going down, people are start saving money and getting cheaper stuff to get the job done. That will become a trend in a following years."

    Nah, to many brain dead "keep up with the Jones" wanna be techno geeks around for that!!

    This may be my chance for a new notebook, as I'm NOT one of those keep up with the Jones' just because I can, type guys!

    May have to look into this.

  7. Foub - 28 February 2008 - 18:38

    Its a really good deal. MY mother got one of them and it runs perfect, though you may have to get use to the Linuxs they come with.

  8. Flae_qui - 28 February 2008 - 14:56

    i want one... i've had two people come in our store looking for them, we don't sell it but i told them how to get one.

  9. Shibby - 28 February 2008 - 15:00

    There seems to be major supply problems at the moment for Europe.
    A load of people are trying to get hold of them. I myself would love one as a cheap alternative to a full blown lappy.

  10. Foub - 28 February 2008 - 18:42

    Here is an alternative that is coming out soon in the UK for around 99 pounds.

    http://www.elonexone.co.uk/

  11. Hak Foo - 28 February 2008 - 15:11

    I think the selling point is the SSD-- it should make the EEE comparably rugged versus a standard laptop-- and has never been offered in one at the price level.

  12. REM2000 - 28 February 2008 - 15:15

    I love competition, it makes buying stuff so much easier.

  13. boho - 28 February 2008 - 15:55

    Personally I think a huge part of "personal computing" will go this way. There are millions of people who are scared of the PC and O/S as it is now. Though I bet the quality and spec. of all the early models will pittyful. Eventually every PC manufacturer will have to produce this type of entry level device. When they are made to a decent quality, and spec. they will be able charge reasonable prices too. First though we will have to go through the panic stations **** quality first attempts. This has been a long time coming 8) . Sony, where have you been? :suspicious:

  14. WolfDV - 28 February 2008 - 18:45

    If asus gives me an eee with a 9'' display that uses the full lid, and has a higher lcd resolution ... then Im in, heck i'd probably buy one for my friends and family too

  15. +Shadrack - 28 February 2008 - 18:59

    My roommate just purchased an ASUS laptop (not this particular one), and we all think it is awesome. It was an awesome price for the specs/warranty when compared to other manufacturers. I've always had good luck with ASUS motherboards. I'd definitely recommend the ASUS name brand.

  16. +Shadrack - 28 February 2008 - 19:08

    After looking at it, it does look tempting as a nice portable device. I wish it came with more storage, however. I would like to see the same form factor with at least 40GB rather than 8GB (max currently). The SD slot is nice, but 8GB SD cards are still not very affordable IMO. If it had more storage it would be a good portable jukebox/video player as well.

  17. Ogmius - 28 February 2008 - 21:34

    awww, sony is sad that they arent going to be able to rip off their customers with overpriced, under powered flimsy vaios... /cry

  18. Aahz - 28 February 2008 - 23:25

    Sony seems to have learned nothing from Eee PC, the Wii, the DS, or WoW.

    The largest potential userbase is not those who spend tons of cash on bleeding edge tech.

  19. TC17 - 28 February 2008 - 23:36

    Laptops are extremely overpriced as it is. You can't upgrade them like you can a desktop, and any kind of repair costs and arm and a leg.

  20. Shiranui - 29 February 2008 - 03:15

    Japanese laptops suck - overpriced and often chock full of pointless gimmicks - do not quite as badly as crApple.
    When I want a laptop, I look to Taiwanese manufacturers: Clevo, Asus, etc.

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