Asus took some time out to soup up the Eee PC and announced a next generation model at CeBit going on this week in Deutschland. The main new features include a larger 8.9″ display with a expaned 1280×600 pixel resolution, more memory and an improved trackpad.

The new Eee PC 900 is due to be released in mid-2008 with a €399 pricetag for the 12GB version. Engadget has posted a gallery of pics of the new unit.

Linpus has developed and released a new mobile Linux distro aimed at low-cost PCs like UMPC’s, Asus Eee PC, OLPC, Classmate PC, MID and other consumer mobile devices. Linpus Linux Lite is designed to run smoothly and reliably on a lower-end hardware with processing power as low as 500 MHz, 128MB of DRAM and 512MB of storage space.

It features a UI optimized for 4 - 7″ inch screens, power management on lower grade hardware, a simple and advanced user mode and built in networking support for Wi-Fi, WiMAX, HSDPA, HSUPA, Ethernet, BT, IR and UPnP. You can grab a live CD here.

A interesting new 1src editorial has been posted that revisits not only the bygone days of standalone PDAs and their various peripherals but the industry’s newfound focus on slim, subnotebook-type devices. The piece is definitely a must-read for both long-term PDA fans as well as users who might be considering a jump to a large-screened device devoid of a physical keyboard such as the iPod Touch or a miniaturized subnote such as the EEE PC.

“My Mobile Companion” is written by long-time Palm aficionado Alan Grassia. The editorial discusses Alan’s previous years using dedicated handhelds, managing to stay productive despite having to tote an array of accessories, snap-on modules and assorted gear. Grassia theorizes that despite the huge improvements in connectivity and storage capacity offered by a modern-day Treo over a Tungsten or Visor handheld from years ago, easy data input is still the Achilles heel of all mobile devices. With the industry turning its attention to miniaturized QWERTY integrated into smartphones and sub-notebooks, the glory days of larger, folding travel keyboards such as those popularized by Palm, Targus, and ThinkOutside appear to be coming to an end.

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eeeXubuntu is a custom version of the Xubuntu 7.10 Live CD with fully-integrated hardware support, including native wireless drivers, functioning Ethernet support, tweaks for low-resolution desktop environments, and other miscellaneous fixes designed to run on the Asus Eee PC. Wherever possible, these changes are incorporated using custom .deb packages rather than spewing assorted files all over post-install. The goal of the project is to maintain a easy-to-install Xubuntu Live CD image for the eeePC, allowing for a reliable base Xubuntu install.

Tablet PC geek Thoughtfix has put together a nice comparison of the Asus Eee 701 and Nokia N810.

Dynamism now has a 8GB version of the Asus Eee PC available for pre-order. Black and white case versions are available and include 1Gb ram, an 8GB ssd hard drive and ships mid-to late December for US $499.

(via MobilityBeat)

DownloadSquad has put together a nice introduction to Linux for the new Asus Eee PC user.

So you’re an early adopter and you’ve run out to buy yourself Asus’s $400 Eee PC because it seemed like a great price for a fully functional 2 pound computer that’s about the size of a typical hardcover book.

If you’ve got a bit of Linux experience under your belt, it’s pretty simple to add some programs, enable an advanced desktop, and tweak the Eee PC to your heart’s content. But it turns out that even if you’re a Linux noob, the learning curve isn’t that steep. Here are some of the most useful Eee hacks/tweaks we’ve discovered in our first half week of playing with it.

ASUSTek has introduced the P5E3 Deluxe motherboard, which in addition to using Intel’s new X38 Chipset also features a soon-to-be-announced technology by DeviceVM. SplashTop is an instant-on Linux desktop environment that is embedded onto this motherboard. Within seconds of turning on the P5E3 Deluxe motherboard, you can boot into this Linux environment that currently features a Mozilla-based web browser and the Skype VoIP client. Browser and VoIP settings can be saved and there are plans for the device to provide new features and support via updates. At Phoronix is a review of this $360 motherboard embedded with Linux and a web browser.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.