Asus: 10-inch Eee PC due next year

When we reviewed the Asus Eee PC 4G a couple weeks ago, our chief complaints of this otherwise excellent and affordable laptop had to do with its small, low-resolution display, miniscule hard drive, and cramped keyboard. The 7-inch screen with its 800x480 resolution means horizontal scrolling on most Web pages, the 4GB flash drive (of which only 1.3GB is available) means keeping an external drive on hand, and the tiny keys mean adjusting your typing style or suffering more than the occasional typo. Looks like next year's model will address two or our three gripes.

A German spokesman for Asus stated recently (in German) that the company plans to release a 10-inch, 8GB model next year. It'll reportedly use the same chassis as the current model, however, which offers no relief for the fat-fingered among us. I'd happily trade the thick screen bezel on the current model, however, for 3 more inches of display while remaining at or near the trim 2-pound weight. Thing is, I bet others would, too. Curious that Asus would make this announcement so soon after the Eee PC's initial release. Why give people a reason to hold off buying the 7-inch model? How about you, dear Crave reader, would you postpone purchase plans for a 7-inch Eee PC for the promise of a larger screen next year? Or would you wait for the 8GB hard drive to get added to the 7-inch model? While we're on the topic, any interest in the rumored Eee desktop?

[Via I4U News]