Asus Eee $199 UMPC ships next month

There have been a lot of rumors about this Asus Ultra Mobile PC but today it was officially announced that the Eee will ship in the middle of September with four different models. The eye-catchers of the Eee are probably its size and its price. With the simplest model being sold for $199,- it's hard to find a cheaper alternative. Asus stripped this PC down to its bare essentials to get to the attractive price but it will still be enough for simple media, internet and office software use. By default it runs a customized version of Linux, obviously for price reasons but also to use the hardware most efficiently. It will be possible to install your own copy of Windows XP on it (the keyboard even has a Windows key) if installing an operating system is not a problem for you.  But keep the hardware specs of the Eee in mind; it might not run that fast.

The $199,- price tag is amazing and revolutionary and keeps you from comparing it to other UMPCs or notebooks with better hardware. The Eee sounds perfect for kids, students or as an extra mobile PC for travelers (in a camper or boat). Below are all the specs and a demonstration video.