"Asustek computer has stopped taking orders for its Eee PC 900, launched just one month ago, in order to prepare for the upcoming launch of the Intel Atom-based Eee PC 901, according to industry sources." – Digitimes (link added).
The TeleRead take: The 900 apparently was more or less a placeholder—to keep Asustek competitive while it awaited deliveries of the Atom CPU from Intel. The Atom could be a big boost for small, portable devices that can do justice to e-books, including the multimedia variety of the future.
More on the Eee PC 900: Trusted Reviews.
Price comparisons: Here. Let’s see if the $550 floor drops. Anyone able to do better?
Related: Intel CEO’s thoughts on the Atom and WiMax, at Physorg.com. Excerpt: "A centerpiece of the strategy is the Atom processor, which packs the power of a PC-class processor from six years ago into the smallest space yet—25 Atoms will fit on a square inch. It’s intended for Mobile Internet Devices—iPhone-like tablets that provide a ‘full’ Internet experience, better than that available on cell phones." Atom chips can run faster and use less power than current kind-of equivalents.
Correction: Google’s shopping service came up with the wrong model when I used it for the price comparison. I’ve plugged in a better proper link.
In the price comparison, that’s comparing prices of the 701, not the 900.
Moderator: We’ve plugged in the right link. Thanks for noticing! – D.R.