Asus Eee PC gets Windows XP upgrade - and pretty colours

The manufacturer of last year's hardware phenomenon, the ultra-small Asus Eee PC which came with Linux and Open Office already installed, has added Windows XP to the mix with its latest model the EeePC 900. John Stokdyk reports.

The original models came in white, then black, but the new edition will be available in pink, blue and other colours designed to appear to the "fashion conscious youngster".

More interestingly, customers can choose between Linux and Microsoft Windows XP as the operating system for the latest models. The bundled open source Linux system and Open Office were one of the ways in which the costs were kept down on the original Eee PC.

But the miniature computer has been such a success that Asustek Computer now feels it can make an adequate margin on Windows machines, which will probably sell in larger volumes than the Linux versions. However, this move may disappoint fans such as Simon Hurst, who saw the EeePC as a blow against technology bloat. Since the EeePC's launch last autumn, more than 1m units have been sold, with growth projected to double this year.

The EeePC 900 measures 230mm x 170mm x 30mm, 5mm wider and taller than its predecessor, but 5mm thinner and comes with a bigger screen - 8.9in compared to 7in (sorry about inconsistent measurements, computer monitors have yet to adapt to the metric system).

The 900 range now includes a built-in camera, and more memory than previous models - ranging from 4GB to 20GB of solid state storage. As with the older versions, the new EeePCs have solid state card readers (the kind you get with digital cameras), VGA output connectors and three USB expansion slots, plus WiFi and Bluetooth wireless capabilities.

The Eee PC 900 is available for £329 - the same price for Windows XP or Linux - on 1 May from PC World. A lower spec, 7in, 4GB version is also available with Windows XP for £249, according to vnunet.com.