ASUS LAUNCHES $200 EEE PC X101 WITH WINDOWS 7 OR LINUX

The Eee PC X101 that Asus introduced at Computex this week can run both Meego Linux and Windows 7. The new Eee PC X101 is thinner and lighter than previous models. It measures just 0.7 inches in thickness and weighs 2.1 pounds.

Asus doesn't usually offer its netbooks with Linux these days. But because Linux is open source it will help to drive the cost down. The Eee PC X101 is expected to sell for just $200. MeeGo Linux, by the way, is supported by Intel. It is optimized to run on Atom powered netbooks and has its own app store.

The Asus Eee PC X101 has a 10.1 inch display and Atom N435 processor. It looks like the $200 model will only have a 3-cell battery and 8GB SSD. A Windows configuration with a more powerful battery and more storage will cost me. Meanwhile Asus has announced that there will be another model called X101H with a hybrid SSD/hard drive option.