Kevin Lin, vice president of ASUSTeK's sales department confirmed today that the second-generation Eee PCs will include 8.9-inch touchscreen panels. Some systems may also incorporate GPS support for navigation, Lin added, also noting that the local price for the systems is expected to reach $500. The 8.9-inch Eee PC will adopt Intel's low-cost notebook platform, up to 1GB memory and upgraded SSD drives up to 12GB. Reports indicate that next-gen Eee PCs will possibly become available in May or June.

ASUS has quietly released a Software Developer Kit (SDK) for the Eee PC. The SDK comes as a 1.2GB disc image that can be downloaded from the ASUS support site, and includes the following components:

• Xandros Desktop Open Circulation Version 4.5
• QT
• Eclipse
• QT plugin for Eclipse
• Debian packaging wizard developed by Xandros

Detailed instructions for creating applications, icons and more are included in the user's manual.

PC sound card maker Creative Labs said in a e-mail message today that rival hardware manufacturer ASUS is misleading its customers by claiming that new drivers for ASUS sound cards support EAX 3,4 and 5, a set of environmental enhancements for sound in games. Responding to an announcement by ASUS that newly released drivers for its Xonar line of sound cards support EAX, Creative communications VP Phil O'Shaughnessy said that the drivers effectively trick games into outputting EAX-capable sound, but they don't actually fully support it. "There are a small number of PC game titles that specifically query the audio device on the system to see if EAX 5 is available before they will attempt to render more than 64 3D simultaneous audio voices," O'Shaughnessy said. "The new ASUS drivers are falsely reporting EAX 5 capabilities in order to get these games to output 3D audio on ASUS sound cards. ASUS customers are not getting a genuine EAX Advanced HD experience with this driver update. Furthermore, the several hundred games that support EAX 3 or EAX 4 for delivering in-game effects will not provide those effects from ASUS sound cards." he added. ASUS representatives are still awaited to comment on the story.

With emphasis on providing quiet computing environments to users, ASUS has today introduced the ASUS EN9600GT SILENT/HTDI/512M graphics card. This ingenious piece of hardware incorporates the latest thermal solution - the V-Cool Heatsink, which features the V-Engine concept and Intercooler technology. This exclusive innovation guarantees absolutely quiet operations, and an efficient means of heat dissipation for the most stable performances. The unique design of the V-Cool Heatsink will lower GPU temperatures by 10ºC in comparison to reference designed boards with 0dB noise generation; while the integrated SmartDoctor feature provides users with the option to overclock the Shader Clock for even better graphical performances.

Here's what happens when two GPUs aren't enough. The latest ASUS EAH3850 Trinity works with three mobile RV670 chips in CrossFireX and is cooled by a combination of aluminum heatsinks, copper heatpipes and an enclosed water cooling system. The three 55nm GPUs all have their dedicated memory and make use of a 256-bit memory interface. Featuring one 8-pin power connector, the Trinity also has four DVI connectors. The card's clocks and actual availability haven't been decided yet.

TechConnect Magazine has acquired some pictures and specs of ASUS' upcoming EN9800GTX/HTDP/512M graphics card, which is expected to be released on April 1st. It will run at what are thought to be NVIDIA's reference clocks of 675MHz core and 2200MHz memory, with 128 stream processors at 1688MHz. This version will come equipped with 512MB GDDR3 memory, with a price tag somewhere below $350.

Catering to the new era in multimedia technology, ASUS, producer of high quality audio and visual solutions, has announced the new ASUS Splendid HD1 video enhance card. This astounding piece of hardware is able to increase picture quality for HD content to deliver sharper, more vividly colored visual outputs. It can even enhance lower resolution inputs by recovering image clarity when viewing legacy content for viewing on LCD TV or monitors; as well as provide true HDMI with audio and HDCP.

Previewed during the latest Mobile World Congress, Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) has spilled new details on their ASUS Eee PC competitor, the G10IL. Based on the Intel Atom (Diamondville) microprocessor and Intel 945 GSE + ICH7M core-logic, the G10IL will be offered with glossy 8.2-inch or 10.2-inch display, up to 2GB of memory, optional solid-state drive and preinstalled Windows XP or Linux OS. ECS G10IL will be the first ultra-portable laptop to be available, with new models set to follow soon. Multimedia and network features include built-in 1.3MP webcam, tri-band HSDPA and HSUPA connectivity, three USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet networking, a 56Kb/s analog modem, WLAN and Bluetooth, and a 4-in-one card reader. "In response to the demanding requirements of notebook offering advantages unattainable by others, Elitegroup Computer Systems today unveiled Simply Smart ECS G10IL notebooks where we made a giant stride possessing the power and features that is undoubtedly a winner in its class for today's sophisticated customers," a statement by ECS reads. The release date and pricing of the first ECS G10IL are still unknown.

Catering to gamers who want the ultimate in overclocking and gaming platforms, ASUS has released the ROG Striker II Extreme series of motherboards. Supporting NVIDIA's nForce 790i Ultra SLI chipset for exceptional overclocking speeds, this powerful series of motherboards is also equipped with innovative technologies for enhanced graphical and thermal performance, versatile overclocking options; as well as a vast array of features that include device protection - making it the overclocker and gamer's first and best choice.

Catering to avid users who require exceptionally fast graphical solutions, ASUS has today introduced the overclocking version of the latest generation of AMD dual RV670XT GPUs with the ASUS EAH3870X2 TOP/G/3DHTI/1G graphics card. Equipped with the fastest DRR3 0.8ns memory modules, the EAH3870X2 TOP provides peak performance with GPU memory clock boosts of 6%; while both the EAH3870X2 TOP/G/3DHTI/1G and EAH3870X2/G/3DHTI/1G utilize specially designed dual fansinks for efficient heat dissipation compared to reference designed single fansink solutions. The EAH3870X2 TOP/G/3DHTI/1G also comes exclusively with two extra DVI outputs for a maximum of four-display video output; as well as the hottest DX10 game: Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts.

ASUS, producer of top quality graphic solutions, has today introduced a new way for effective and simple overclocking with the ASUS EAH3850 SMART OC/HTDI/1G. This new Smart OC Series will allow users to increase voltages only when needed with the simple push of a button - providing them with up to 12% performance upgrades. The EAH3850 SMART OC also comes with a patent-approved luminant LED DVI output and stylish back sustainer; while the exclusive Glaciator Fansink will keep the GPU 20ºC cooler than reference designed fansinks. On top of all this, the ASUS EAH3850 SMART OC incorporates a large onboard memory size of 1GB - designed specifically to provide feature-rich DirectX 10 gaming and the best multimedia playback at ultra-high resolutions and maximum quality settings.

ASUS' Eee PC met with surprising success when it was launched last year, offering users a small, simple and cheap notebook to perform basic tasks such as browsing the internet and creating office documents. The company is now planning to try and build on that success by launching a desktop variant of the Eee PC, currently being called the Digital Home System EP20. Unfortunately there are very few confirmed details - all that's known is that it will be smaller than a typical desktop PC and come equipped with the same Linux operating system as the Eee PC (based on Xandros Linux). The system is also expected to feature one of Intel's new Atom processors, which could allow for both single and dual core versions. ASUS commented that prices should start around $199, although DailyTech speculates that the real figure may be closer to $299.

ASUS, producer of high quality chassis and components, has today released the new ASUS VENTO A1 series gaming chassis. This aluminum chassis incorporates an exquisitely handcrafted design, and features exceptional ventilation for performance and stability, hassle-free installation and optimized scalability - making it the gamer and power user's number one choice.

Laptop Magazine scored an hour-long interview with ASUS CEO Jerry Shen, and while most of the details they got out of him were already unveiled at CeBIT this week, they did manage to squeeze some new info about the future Eee PC 900:

• The US pricing for the Eee PC 900 will be around $499 at launch, with plans to drop the price within a few months
• While initial reports have suggested that the Windows XP model will sport a 8GB of flash memory and the Linux version will have 12GB, Shen says the Linux model might have as much as 20GB of storage
• ASUS is looking into offering a hard drive option, but any units the company releases between now and June will have SSD only
• ASUS is not abandoning its custom Xandros operating system
• Units with built-in WiMax and HSDPA could be released in Q3 2008
• Future models could use Intel's Diamondville processor
• More color options are coming in a few months

The huge numbers of visitors present at ASUS' booth during CeBIT 2008 were treated to a dazzling display of innovative technology that included the ever-popular Eee PC, the ASUS-Lamborghini PDA handphone, and the exclusive EPU energy saving technology in the motherboard range. In addition to these new product lineups, ASUS has also included new concept products at this year's CeBIT 2008 exhibition. A leading company in the new digital era, ASUS has brought forth a new concept line that focuses on alternative material design aimed at helping save the earth. ASUS is committed to green computing, and this new lineup of concept products serves to keep users in touch with the future of environmentally friendly technology.

Amidst great expectations, ASUS today launched the ASUS Eee PC pre-installed with Microsoft Windows XP. This new offering of the ever-popular Eee PC promises to let users enjoy an efficient online and work management experience with the incorporated Windows Live and Microsoft Works features. This will help create additional opportunities for students and other personal PC users who desire a portable and affordable PC to easily access the Internet virtually anywhere.

Catering to users who require functionality as well as efficient cooling, ASUS has released the latest Square Series CPU Cooler - the Lion Square. Inspired by the Sword Lion shield, the Lion Square borrows the character of the shield - the impressive face of lion totem, and its spirit, symbolizing strength and courage, to represent the outstanding efficiency of the new launch. The Lion Square incorporates several innovative features that include: double-sided high density wave fins, dynamic fan speed control and four copper heat pipes to deliver quiet and high-performance heat dissipation from the Intel Core2 Extreme / Core2 Quad Quad-Core CPU and AMD Athlon64 FX/X2 Dual-Core processors.

In the ever-evolving world of computer gaming, gamers need top-notch solutions to keep up with current trends and requirements. This is where the ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) steps in. With a goal and promise for gamers to experience the finest in terms of gaming, ASUS ROG unveils the latest hardware geared for the future of gaming at CeBIT 2008.

The nForce 790i-powered Pinot Noir motherboard, part of the latest ASUS Republic of Gamers series, is now being showcased at CeBIT. What's uncommon about this motherboard is the unique water cooling solution for its major components. Furthermore this board can work with the latest Intel 45nm CPUs and utilize 4x DDR3 modules, three PCI-E 2.0 x16 slots and six SATA 3.0 Gbps connectors.

Blog site Eee Site uncovered today details of the next generation Eee PC that will sport a larger display, more RAM, and more storage space. Here are some hints:

• The new model will be named the Eee PC 900
• 1GB of RAM will be standard (up from 512MB)
• SSD storage capacities of up to 12GB will be available
• The overall size should remain the same since the Eee PC 900 will use the same case as the current 700 series
• The base price will jump from 299€ to 399€, not sure what that means for the US prices as computers usually

Expect official press release very soon.

In celebrating a milestone of High-end CPU coolers, ASUS is proud to announce the new release of 3,200 sets of limited-edition Triton 79 AMAzing CPU coolers to commemorate its popularity among global gaming enthusiasts.

Catering to users who require quiet computing environments, ASUS has today introduced the latest thermal solution - the V-Cool Heatsink, which will be incorporated with the EAH3650 SILENT/HTDI/512M and EAH3650 SILENT/HTDI/256M graphic cards. Featuring the V-Engine concept and Intercooler technology, the V-Cool Heatsink guarantees an absolutely quiet and efficient heat dissipation that enables the most stable performance.

In order to provide an alternative to flat and murky sounding onboard audio, ASUS has today released the new ASUS Xonar DX audio card. Impeccably designed for fine-tuned audio quality with 116dB SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio), it is equipped with innovative technologies like Dolby Home Theater Technologies and DS3D GX to provide crisp and clear audio quality and rich gaming sound effects.

Taipei, Taiwan, February 26, 2008 -Catering to users who need a powerful motherboard with high speeds and great expansion slot interface support, ASUS, worldwide leader in motherboard design and production, has today released the Z7S WS workstation motherboard. This innovative motherboard is equipped with dual socket 771 and utilizes the latest Intel 5400 chipset for vigorous performance. It also supports fully buffered DDR2 800MHz dual-channel memory, dual PCI Express 2.0 x16 lanes; and comes in the compact CEB form factor. With this innovative motherboard, users will enjoy convenient slot expansion and enjoy fast and efficient work efficiency.

Following the huge success of the EN8600GT OC GEAR, ASUS, producer of exceptional graphical solutions, has once again introduced the world's first hardware based real-time overclocking device for graphics cards - the OC GEAR, this time bundled with AMD graphics cards in the form of the ASUS EAH3850 OC GEAR/HTDI/512M. This new version of the OC Gear will allow users to overclock both the memory clock and GPU clock for greater graphical enhancements. Additionally, the ASUS EAH3850 OC GEAR incorporates the fastest DDR3 0.8ns memory modules, and as such, will provide users with over 12% enhanced overclocking performance and gaming experiences. This powerful graphics card also utilizes the latest thermal solution - the Glaciator Fansink; that utilizes a unique fansink design to keep GPU temperatures cool.