The Asus Eee PC S101 is thinner and lighter than other Eee PC models. And it comes with more storage capacity thanks to a 32GB or 64GB solid state disk. That’s all pretty sweet. But it also has a starting price of $699, which is more than $200 more than the Eee PC 1000H, which has nearly identical specs. Is a 32GB SSD and thinner, lighter case worth that much? Who exactly is the target market for this netbook anyway? It turns out a leaked sales kit for the Eee PC S101 provides some hints.
Apparently Asus expects pilots and martini drinkers, among others, to be interested in the S101. Social Elites, and “free writers” also make the list. If free writer means freelance writer, I feel comfortable telling you that I’m a freelance writer and I don’t plan to drop $700 on an S101. Perhaps they mean people who write for free because they have so much money they don’t need to work for pay?
Some of the other slides in the sales kit are a bit more informative. For example, it appears that the Eee PC S101 uses MLC flash memory, which is typically slower than SLC solid state disks. But Asus claims that thanks to a new controller, the MLC disks in the S101 peerform faster than some SLC disks.
The S101 also has a significantly thinner battery than other Eee PC models, which helps keep the profile of the computer down. Another slide shows just how much thinner the S101 is than other netbooks, including the “MSI Wing” notebook. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume they mean Wind. Either way, the S101 is certainly thinner. But in my humble opinion, hardly $200 thinner. You can check out that slide after the break.
You can also read more about the Asus Eee PC S101 in the Liliputing Product Database.
thanks Ivan!
The S101 and its Target Market were leaked back in July this year on the Eee PC RoadMap. https://www.electricvagabond.com/2008/10/eee-prophecy-is-eventuating.html
Nice to know that a company like Asus actually has strategic planning despite their slapdash marketing efforts. The MSI Wing is going down.
The target market is truly hilarious though!
I’m their customer. A middle aged woman. Their customer is also a middle-aged guy who bought an Asus 1000 and swapped out the hard drive for a chip, so he basically built himself one of these, for the same price. We’re far from rich but we’ve worked hard, been modestly successful and now can indulge ourselves within reason.
I bought the Asus 701 when it came out because I wanted a light net-thing to check email, blog, review photos, listen to music and watch AVIs during vacations. I want the smallest, lightest one possible, at a cost within reason, to go with my Sony eReader. My electronics weigh more than my clothing when I travel so I’m after every bit of weight and bulk. I upgraded my 9 ounce rain jacket to one that weighs 3 ounces so I’m also the ultralight camping customer. But I don’t buy expensive handbags or shoes.
I just wish this was even lighter. The Raon Digital Everun S16S which is due out in November was mentioned on UMPCPortal the other day so I’ll wait and compare. I don’t care that it has a 7″ screen, since that screen is much higher resolution than mine, which is fine for routine things.
And if someone had a really light one with the right shift key in the correct place, a network card that ccould connect to WPA and a decent battery length, I’d be first in line, as I was for the 701, which was WAY cheaper than a Viao and met my basic needs.
You can consider Fujitsu U1010. or in the US, U810. The cheapest U series. 0.61kg. My favourite part.
The only two “Downsides” – 5.6 inch screen, 2hrs battery life.
But the capablities on that machine made it a very good mobile device with touchscreen, 3G, tablet functionalities, dedicated handheld buttons, and cost less than the S101 in my place here, and a bit more than acer aspire one.
I also only have basic needs. My deal is if there is a manufacturer that can comes out with something BIG and LIGHT and CHEAP and LONG battery life, i will go for it. Of course those 4 components are contradictory to each other.
I like the Sony VAIO TZ series, and MacBook Air. They have bigger resolutions, bigger screen, ultraslim and light and have long battery life but they are super expensive.
Asus eee series are great and cheap, i prefer a bigger screen without compromising the weight. but as they get bigger, they get heavier. (1000H weight 1.45kg?!?!) Weight is really important to me. And all the netbook i have seen, S101 seems to fit me, on the plus, it looks executive and nicer and is thinner than most netbooks. It comes with a few hundred dollar increase but is still within budget. the best thing is that it is thinner and is at a winning 1.1kg and has a 10 inch screen.
Currently S101 fits me, big screen, super light, thin is a plus, if they can be big and fat but light, i will take it too, and the price is fine by me although i know everyone is saying add a few hundred more and you get a normal notebook with bigger screen and a DVD drive. But those things are heavy man…
If netbook can fit a DVD multi drive in, that is going to be way cool. the Asus U2E did that with 11 inch and is light, but it is as expensive as the cheapest Sony TZ at my place. of course their performances are way better but basic needs can be met with the performances of netbooks.
Asus S121 is coming out. Everything looks very good but it will be definitely be expensive. 512 SSD?? the S101 has 16 GB only.
Ok, I’ll bite. The target market?
How about the person who dropped $3500 on a Sony Picturebook, several years ago, and can’t find a good replacement for it.
How about the person who dropped $1500 on a Sharp MP30 not that many years ago, and thinks that they could really use something a bit smaller and slimmer?
How about the person who was going to pull the trigger on the Panasonic R7 when the price hit $1800, but didn’t because weakness of the dollar pushed the R7 back to $3000?
How about anybody at all who has been watching ultraportable prices for more than a year, and knows that $700 is a smokin deal for such a slim and light computer?
The target market? It’s me.
why do you even care? They obviously don’t even care about this sales kit. Yet here you are, picking apart this sales kit that some joe schmo was paid by ASUS to put together.
The guy who made the sales kit is in the same boat as you.
His assignment is: Come up with some crap we can put into a sales kit. Put some stock photos in there, and write some crap about it being “elite.”
Your goal: Write an article about anything, so that you can have some new content on this site. People will assume that this site is updated often, and visit more often. Content has ZERO substance, or basically PLAGIARIZED crap, just like 90% of the blogs out there, yet you have to “sellout” and push this BS so that you keep a stream of steady visitors to get some of that ad money.
No need for the flame, I enjoy reading the information here.
wow hate bloggers much?
i enjoy reading it, thanks for posting.
Plagiarized? It appears to me that everything is attributed and linked for your convenience in case you want more information. (Was he supposed to go out and photograph his own brochure?) Maybe you’ve got time to scan scores of netbook and gadget sites daily for news about this fascinating subject, but I sure don’t. I really appreciate having somebody else do that for me. As far as I know, this is the only site that seems comprehensive, so, if I come here first, I’m not likely to miss much.
As for the brochure, a lot of Asian advertising seems sappy and funny to me, like Asus saying that the housewife can easily carry an Eee PC from room to room with her so she can type up her grocery list while vacuuming and laundering. I think their target market is really the average Asian businessman who would like to be a pilot, explorer, freelance writer, etc.
To me the S101 seems a little too glitzy, with its “crystals” and glossy finish (reminds me of my Duncan yoyo, Yo ;), for the average western businessman, but we have a lot of businesswomen, and maybe some geeks who like funky stuff. But it sure is light and trim.
msi wing….OMG