Asus has reached a turning point, or perhaps point of realization, with their release of the Eee PC 1000(H) Netbook. With this release Asus has breached the middle-range baseline of the netbook market and once again attained breakthrough specs for the market’s first and favorite netbook PC.

The launch event on July 29, 2008 had the Eee PC 1000 and the Eee Box as the centerpieces – both evolutionary designs from the original genre-defining 7-incher Eee PC. Let us focus first on the Eee PC 1000(H).

                                             Asus executives were as excited as the assembled press with the newest additions to the Eee line.

The most obvious changes center on the screen and the hard drive choices. A 10.2 inch (measured diagonally) LCD now grace the diminutive frame of the Eee, while hard drive options have been expanded, now consisting of a large 80 mechanical HDD as standard on the XP version in addition to the 40GB SSD option for Linux units. Asus combines these new storage options with an additional 20GB of online storage in a move that mimics the offerings of other players in the notebook market, such as Dell.

                                             The new 10" Asus is the biggest, and most capable, Eee PC yet.

Asus has also made significant strides under the hood with the implementation of the Intel Atom processor, same as the majority of its newer netbook competitors. A new battery promising a minimum of 3.2 hours and a maximum of up to 7 hours is along for the ride – helped along by Asus’ Super Hybrid engine – with 6 cells and 6600mAh, this is one monster of a battery, which unfortunately also translate to an overall porkier Eee. For comparison, the MSI Wind has a 3-cell, 2200mAh battery, but of course is much, much lighter than the 1000(H). Weight is up at 1.45kg with the battery, 1.1kg without. This weight, plus the size increase all around, encroaches on ultraportable territory – but only in size and capability and definitely not in price.

                                             The version on-hand for the launch is the actual retail version that can be bought by consumers.

Other improvements were made on the keyboard, with bigger keys for the more-commonly used and overall a bigger area reserved for the keyboard. Additionally, the touchpad is multi-touch capable, proving a boon to browsing and productivity work. In the looks department Asus now offers a choice of six custom styles created using Infusion casing technology – an integral part of the cover designed for scratch resistance and fade-resistant motifs. The Eee PC 1000(H) will soon reach retail channels within the week, at an SRP of P29,999.

                                             Simple and space-saving, the Eee Box is the Eee ethos in desktop form.

The Eee Box is the desktop interpretation of the Eee, and remains faithful to its formula – its ease of use. With what basically amounts to the removal of the LCD, keyboard and other associated paraphernalia of a laptop PC, the Eee Box is impossibly tiny, consuming a grand total of only 1 Liter of volume. It is VESA mounting compatible, with the capability to attach, wart-like, to the rear of the (recommended) 16” Asus LCD included in its retail package. It also boasts of the same Express Gate feature that can be found in premium Asus motherboards like the X48 based P5 series – providing instant access to regular desktop tasks – a huge advantage over other bulky and ungainly computers. SRP is P24,999 with a 16” Asus LCD.

                                             While small, the Eee Box is very versatile, with features like Express Gate for instant access.

These two breakthrough products put Asus squarely back into the middle of netbook fray, now awash with admittedly very capable products that overshadow the original Eee PC offerings in usability, features, and performance. Asus is once again in the running for the title of the best netbook, provided its bigger size and heavier chassis doesn’t turn off potential buyers. Then again, with this much added usability and performance, this should be a more than acceptable tradeoff. The Eee Box provides buyers with a super-agile option for the desktop space, with a power-sipping, easy-to-use, space saving unit for consumers tired of traditional products. The next few weeks will be interesting ones for Asus and eager buyers. Watch this space for more detailed reviews and specifications of these products!

                                                Clean and functional from all angles, the Eee Box is set to make a splash in the small desktop arena.