Asus CEO Jerry Shen says that the company will launch a smartbook during the first quarter of 2010. There are no details other than that the device will cost around $184. The company did briefly however demonstrate a Google Android-powered netbook this summer before deciding it wasn’t ready for the world to see and hiding it away.
The prototype was based on a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor which enables long battery life along with integrated GPS, 3G, WiFi, and graphics capabilities. It’s not clear whether the upcoming Asus product will be built on the same platform as the early prototype, but for this price it seems like it is very likely.
You might recall the snapdragon processor as being used in mobile phones, specifically the HTC HD2, which we review on our smartphone review site.
Shen says the new device will run about NT 6,000 which is roughly $184 US.
Related posts:
- Asus Eee Pad in the works?
- Lenovo smartbook to run on AT&T
- Asus smartbook delayed
- The “Oak Trail” processor in the works?
- Which Linux netbook version is best?
The Google translation is hilariously bad but it’s clear Shen is talking about the upcoming Asus eBook reader — *not* a netbook.
yeah that’s good for a laugh