The T91MT has an 8.9-inch 1024×600 screen with a 256-level pressure sensor, runs on an Atom Z520 processor with 1GB RAM, a 32GB SSD and all the standard wireless and connectivity. It weighs 960 grams with the battery, which is pretty sweet, and comes preloaded with Windows 7 Home Premium.

Multitouch does come at a bit of a premium though, with the T91MT set to set you back $999.

[Asus]

Maybe all the interest in Android 2.0 got them interested again.

As a reminder, Smartbooks are just Qualcomm’s name for netbooks that use ARM-based processors, which are needed to run Android. (Acer actually ported Android to Atom processors for its Aspire One netbook). Nvidia is also pushing its ARM-based Tegra chip for Smartbooks. [Shanzai (translated)]

The leaked 12-inch Eee PC 1201N apparently has Nvidia Ion graphics (GeForce 9400M chipset) along with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N330 Dual Core processor. That along with 3GB RAM, and a 320GB HD should make it one of the most powerful Atom netbooks around.

There is also the rumoured Eee PC 1201HA which will have the same 12-inch chassis but is said to have less powerful guts with the standard Atom processor and chipset. Since both will be running Windows 7, don’t expect to see these guys to get all official until October 22. [EeePC.IT via Liliputing]

There was speculation that many netbook vendors wouldn’t choose Windows 7 Starter because of its limitations, including the inability to change the wallpaper and run Areo, and opt to go with the similarly priced, yet outdated Windows XP. However it appears that ASUS is betting on Win 7.

According to the road map most of its upcoming 10-inch netbook line, which includes its 1005HA and 1008HA series will run Windows 7 Starter (which IMHO kinda sucks).

We have heard from a source that ASUS will focus on Windows 7 on netbooks and has been working with Microsoft to tweak the BIOS of the Eee PCs. That still won’t fix Starter’s limitations, however.

The roadmap also reveals that a $US499 12-inch ASUS 1201N which will pack Nvidia’s Ion solution (Intel’s Atom N270 and GeForce 9400M graphics) and run Windows 7 Home Premium is set to release sometime in October. It will have a six-cell battery and a 250GB hard drive.

It also looks like ASUS will slap some multitouch on top of the Eee PC T91 and put on Windows 7 Home Premium.[Eee User Forum via NetbookNews]

Seriously. What are they selling here? [moko via NetbookReviews - Thanks, Matt!]

Starting at midday today, the online deal site has 100 Wii consoles up for $199, 100 Red Mario Nintendo DS Lites, and 2000 Eee PCs, plus eight other mystery products up for grabs. Those numbers mean that stocks are going to fly off shelves, and if the last time COTD had a big sale is anything to go by, you should probably prepare yourself for disappointment.

Still, if you do manage to pick up one of these bargains, all the frustration will be worth it…

You need to be a member to be eligible for the deals as well, so you should probably sign up now if you want a chance in hell of getting through.

[Catch Of The Day]

I haven’t played with it, but the fact The T91 runs XP Home and not XP Tablet Edition is enough to make me steer clear. Sure, Asus have thrown some of their own software on top to make it better, but that’s not enough to keep me interested, I’m afraid.

ASUS Adds a New Touch to Eee PC™ Lineup
Eee PC™ T91 with Swivel Touchscreen Opens Up New Tablet Usage Possibilities
ASUS Australia today added the Eee PC™ T91 to its highly-successful Eee PC™ line-up. This new model is the first to sport an 8.9” swivel touchscreen and a suite of touch-optimised software that enables users to get the most out of finger or stylus input. Transcending other models in its class, the Eee PC™ T91 is yet another example of ASUS outstripping its competitors in terms of being the first to market with cutting-edge innovations.

Touchscreen and Convertible Tablet PC Form Factor for Flexibility of Use
A key benefit of the Eee PC™ T91’s touchscreen and tablet PC form factor is the flexibility they afford users. No longer must the device be used on a flat plane such as a table. With the Eee PC™ T91 folded flat like a slate, users will be able to use it comfortably while standing up. Users will be able to read notes, sketch ideas directly onto the screen, chat on IM, surf the Internet, and play games while walking. Furthermore, the Eee PC™ T91 accepts fingertip input and handwriting, ensuring that scrolling through documents and keying in text are simple affairs.

Sensational Software Suite
The Eee PC™ T91’s unique software applications, collectively known as TouchSuite, allow users to perform a myriad of fun tasks with their fingertips, such as touching up photos, creating photo albums, leaving handwritten desktop memos for loved ones, and sketching cartoons or custom emoticons. Programs of particular note include:

FotoFun
FotoFun allows users to flip through, organise and edit their photos via a customisable photo album interface. With just the flick of a finger, users can perform tasks such as adjusting image brightness, zooming in and out, and adding beautiful overlays such as frames. Users can even upload their edited pictures to popular photo-hosting websites conveniently via FotoFun.

Memos
Forgetting important appointments is a thing of the past with Memos. Memos allows users to jot down handwritten notes which can then be ‘stuck’ on the desktop. Users can even send interactive memos across Eee PCs™*. For example, a memo sent from a son’s Eee PC™ T91 reminding his father to see the doctor will appear on the father’s Eee PC™ T91.

Touch Gate
Touch Gate takes ease of use to a new dimension by enabling users to switch between different user interfaces on the fly. Users can choose from XP Mode, which is the standard Windows XP interface with the addition of a convenient application dock; Widget Mode which displays a plethora of information in neat, easily-organized widgets; and Touch Mode, a streamlined interface featuring large icons that makes it extremely easy for users to launch programs with their fingers.

The programs above represent just a fraction of the software specially designed to add a touch of convenience to computing.

Ensuring easy on-the-go usage, the Eee PC™ T91 measures just 225cm by 164cm, and weighs a mere 0.96kg—making it one of the smallest and thinnest gadgets with an 8.9” display in the world today. It also features Wi-Fi 802.11n and Bluetooth® connectivity, providing quick and simple wireless connections to the Internet and personal devices. At the flick of a convenient switch, users can change from the traditional landscape mode to a hand portrait mode.

Completing the portable package, The Eee PC™ T91 features ASUS’ exclusive Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) which reduces energy consumption up to 15%, letting users enjoy up to 5 hours of continuous use per charge*. Additionally, users can also choose to upload up to 20GB of media and documents to the free online storage facility known as Eee Storage** for access to files anytime, anywhere.

The Eee PC™ T91 is available from August at major retailers and computer resellers with an RRP of $999.

Now bear in mind this is the single-touch, XP-based model that was shown back at CES, not the multitouch version that’s been buzzed about as of late. In other words, it’s a touchscreen netbook with a versatile hinge. The specs, according to BuyDig, include an Atom Z520 processor clocked at 1.33GHz, a 16GB SSD (plus 20GB of “Eee storage, which I assume to be an SD card), 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth and 802.11n Wi-Fi. You could do worse on a tablet, spec-wise—and really, for $US500, I’m not sure you could do better. [Portable Monkey via Slashgear]

Our goal is to provide products that are better than Apple’s.

I actually find this quote refreshing. It’s rare that any company admits shortcomings of their products, and it’s even rarer that a company points to another company who is doing things better, who can serve as a model.

Of course, Asus probably sees Apple as less of a competitor than Acer, the king of netbooks. More on that little rivalry over at the NYT. [NYT via Engadget]

One of the early surprises of Computex was this delightful little Android netbook from ASUS, based on the ultra-efficient Snapdragon platform. Acer has since responded with a full-throated commitment to Android netbooks, but now ASUS is backing off.

Addressing questions about the device, Asustek’s chairman said:

Frankly speaking, the first question, I would like to apologise that, if you look at Asus booth we’ve decided not to display this product… I think you may have seen the devices on Qualcomm’s booth but actually, I think this is a company decision so far we would not like to show this device. That’s what I can tell you so far. I would like to apologise for that.

This sounds like typical backpeddling, as if their hardware partner just let the cat out of the bag a bit early. Not so, apparently:

For the time being this project is not a priority because our engineering resources are limited.

Since we’ve seen the device already, I assume this means that the software challenge at hand isn’t something that the company is ready to tackle. And really, that’s fair—overhauling a smartphone interface so that it behaves naturally with a non-touch, keyboard-and-trackpad-based netbook is a huge undertaking. [PC World]