Update: ASUS Eee PC T91MT was confirmed a few weeks ago and is now up for purchase on Amazon.

An industry insider has just leaked the roadmap for the upcoming line-up of ASUS Eee PC products for the next year. Apart from several new Eee PCs, it contains news on the future of the ASUS Eee PC T91.

Apparently ASUS has not decided to scrap the T91 altogether but instead follow it up with a multi-touch version, called the T91MT (not the T91A as reported before). It sports a 32Gb SSD (solid state drive) and its price will be at $549 or around EUR 399.

Additionally, the roadmap also contains the Asus Eee PC T101P. This is the first time we hear it being called P instead of H. Does the P stand for the Intel PineTrail spec? We’ll hear later. The T101P will be released in 2010. Under the hood, it will sport a standard Atom N450 processor, Pine Trail and running Windows 7. That sounds like a winner to us!

[Via Netbooked]

Yesterday we told you about the T101H release date supposedly being in September of 2009.

Without any news today, we like to focus on what you are thinking.

How do you think the two mobile tablets match up?

First of all for a fair comparison, let’s look at the two side by side:

Specifications for the T101H

• Screen: 10.1″ LED Backlight / Resistive Multi-Touch Panel
• Enabled for Microsoft Windows 7
• Resolution: 1024 x 600 (WSVGA)
• Battery: Li-polymer, 5.4 hours runtime
• Processor: Intel Atom Z520 – 1.33GHz
• OS: Windows 7
• Memory: 1Gb (DDR2); 2Gb Maximum
• Storage: SSD 16Gb + 16Gb SD Card (included)
• Online Storage: 20Gb (free for 18 mos.)
• Audio: HD / Stereo Speakers / Digital Array Mic
• Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Camera: 0.3 Megapixel Built-in
• Color: Black / Silver
• Weight: 1.50 kg
• GPS: Yes
• 3G Module: Yes
• Digital TV Tuner: Yes

Specifications for the T91

• Screen: 8.9″ LED Backlight / Resistive Touch Panel
• Resolution: 1024 x 600 (WSVGA)
• Battery: Li-polymer, 5.4 hours runtime
• Processor: Intel Atom Z520 – 1.33GHz
• OS: Windows XP Home
• Memory: 1Gb (DDR2); 2Gb Maximum
• Storage: SSD 16Gb + 16Gb SD Card (included)
• Online Storage: 20Gb (free for 18 mos.)
• Audio: HD / Stereo Speakers / Digital Array Mic
• Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Camera: 0.3 Megapixel Built-in
• Color: Black / Silver
• Weight: 0.96 kg

Which device are you more interested in? The T91 or the T101H? Do you think they match up or will they be used for different applications? Let us know, in the comments.

It probably did not pass you without notice when today an entirely new consumer computing segment was born out of nowhere. ASUS did its trick it before with creating the netbook sgement, and now they are doing it again by launching the world’s first touchscreen tablet netbook.

The ASUS Eee PC T91, as it is called, was launched today in stores worldwide and reviews were all over the place.

ASUS Tablet gives you a wrap up of the day. Opinions were divided around the internet today. As per usual, Engadget was one of the first to hit it with a complete in-depth review.  Followed by Gizmodo, Liliputing and CNET.

Design

Starting with the design of the device, most reviews agreed on one thing: this is a good looking and well thought-out product. Engadget called it attractive and very slim, Liliputing felt it had a definite sex-appeal, CNET agreed, but Gizmodo complaint about the size of the dimly-lid screen. In addition, with its barely 1 kilogram , the device feels light.

[ + + – + ]

Hardware

The performance of the device is a concern however. Engadget noticed the device sometimes responding slowly and hanging in the touch interface. Gizmodo agreed that it had sub-par hardware under the hood, even for a netbook, which are usually low-specced any way. Liliputting called its processor “sluggish” and said it ocassionaly slowed down the software interface; watching HD video on it was not recommended, as the display of the video quickly became choppy. CNET agreed that the T91’s processor was not powerful enough.

[ –  – –  – ]

Software

All reviews agreed on the fact that Windows XP Home is by far not able enough to be used with this device. It is simply not prepared for touch, Liliputing agreed. However, Engadget and CNET appreciated the Touch Gate software layer, ASUS installed on the device to make XP usable with touch. Gizmodo felt it to be confusing and annoying at times and called it a “glorified app launcher”.

[ –  + +  – ]

Battery

Time registered was around 3 hours with high performance and 4 hours with maximum battery and low performance, according to all four reviews.

[ –  + +  – ]

Swivel functionality and touch screen

And now, on to its greatest selling point, the swivel screen. The T91’s screen can be turned around 180 degrees and put flat on the keyboard to form a tablet with only a touchscreen. All reviews agreed that the swivel screen feels solid and the movement happens natural and moves smoothly.

There was some discrepancy about the brightness of the screen, Engadget reported it to be brightly-lit, while Gizmodo said the opposite; it was “typically ASUS-like” dimly-lid. Did they receive different models?

All reviews mentioned the touchscreen itself worked well and was precice enough to take notes with. However, Engadget mentioned that when putting your palm on the device while writing, it registered touch there. Meaning it is not possible to write completely naturally, as you would on a notebloc.

[ + + + + ]

Price

The Engadget reviewer felt it hard to justify the cost of $499.99 for the device. Gizmodo did not mention the price. Liliputing mentioned that it was about the same for competing small touch screen tablets. While CNET appreciated ASUS’s efforts to keep the price in the netbook range (below the famous $500 netbook mark).

[ –  = +  + ]

Videos

With 10 negative and 13 positive reviews, it seems as though the receival of the ASUS Eee PC T91 went quite well for a first-time device in a new consumer computing segment. Remember that, except for the ASUS Eee Top, this is the first actual touchscreen personal computer device ASUS has launched. It is obvious that there will be kinks in the cable that need to be worked out. Especially the software. With the release of the touch-enabled Windows 7 yesterday however, we are sure these software problems will be ironed out.

We are looking forward to seeing its bigger brother, the ASUS Eee PC T101H hit the streets soon. It is obvious that ASUS is testing the streets with this device. Being the company that it is, it will take all the pointers reviewers and customers give them, and implement these in the T101H.

What about you?

The question that remains…are you going to get it? How did these reviews make you feel about the T91? Leave your answers in the comments as usual.

Via Engadget, Gizmodo, Liliputing and CNET.

Online retailer BuyDig is showing the ASUS Eee PC T91 for sale and in-stock (“Usually ships in 1-2 business days”) on their website. It includes Windows XP and free shipping for a total price of $499. If this is true, then the culmination and wait is finally over and right here we have the first sale of the product.

The T91 has not appeared at other retailers such as Amazon, Amazon UK, BestBuy or NexTag.

The T91 model offered is ofcourse the base version including an Intel Atom Z520 1.33GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB SSD (and a 16GB SD card) and 1024 x 600 resistive touchscreen.  Wireless connectivity includes WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, but no integrated 3G.

Will you wait for the T91go with its 3g, GPS and TV-tuner, th eT91A with its multi-touch screen, or are you going to get the base model? Leave your answer in the comments!

An anonymous source told AsusTablet.com that Asus will release three versions of the Asus Eee PC T91. We already knew about the T91GO which enables 3G, GPS and a digital TV features. In addition to the standard T91 (with a single-touch screen) and T91GO (or T91go), there will be the T91A. This model will be the only one to hold a multi-touch screen. It is not clear if this last version will or will not include the options of the T91go too or if there will be a fourth model (T91Ago), which includes both a multi-touch screen and 3G, GPS and a TV tuner.

An interesting point to note is that the T91A will weight about 0.06 kg more than the standard T91. This is because of the chips installed.

Here’s a line up of the specifications for the different models:

ASUS Eee PC T91A (Multi-touch)

“The Eee PC™ T91A 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. The Eee PC™ T91A is the one of the first mini laptops to use a full multi-touch interface, supporting Microsoft Windows 7.”

• Screen: 8.9″ LED Backlight / Resistive Multi-Touch Panel
• Enabled for Microsoft Windows 7
• Resolution: 1024 x 600 (WSVGA)
• Battery: Li-polymer, 5.4 hours runtime
• Processor: Intel Atom Z520 – 1.33GHz
• OS: Windows 7
• Memory: 1Gb (DDR2); 2Gb Maximum
• Storage: SSD 16Gb + 16Gb SD Card (included)
• Online Storage: 20Gb (free for 18 mos.)
• Audio: HD / Stereo Speakers / Digital Array Mic
• Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Camera: 0.3 Megapixel Built-in
• Color: Black / Silver
• Weight: 0.96 kg

ASUS Eee PC T91go (GPS, Digital TV and 3G enabled)

“The Eee PC™ T91Go measures just 225cm by 164cm, and weighs a mere 1.02kg—making it one of the smallest and thinnest gadgets with an 8.9″ display in the world today. The Eee PC™ T91go is a device for on the road. With its built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) and 3G connectivity, it supports advanced navigation capabilities on the go and enables you to connect to the web through a cellular connection. The DVB TV tuner makes watching television on your device a possibility for extensive entertainment options.”

• Screen: 8.9″ LED Backlight / Resistive Touch Panel
• Resolution: 1024 x 600 (WSVGA)
• Battery: Li-polymer, 5.4 hours runtime
• Processor: Intel Atom Z520 – 1.33GHz
• OS: Windows XP Home
• Memory: 1Gb (DDR2); 2Gb Maximum
• Storage: SSD 16Gb + 16Gb SD Card (included)
• Online Storage: 20Gb (free for 18 mos.)
• Audio: HD / Stereo Speakers / Digital Array Mic
• Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Camera: 0.3 Megapixel Built-in
• Color: Black / Silver
• Weight: 1.02 kg
• GPS: Yes
• 3G Module: Yes
• Digital TV Tuner: Yes

ASUS Eee PC T91 (Standard)

“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.The Eee PC™ T91’s tablet PC functionality makes it easy to cradle in one arm, enabling users to read documents, scribble ideas into digital notebooks and surf the Internet while traveling on foot. ”

• Screen: 8.9″ LED Backlight / Resistive Touch Panel
• Resolution: 1024 x 600 (WSVGA)
• Battery: Li-polymer, 5.4 hours runtime
• Processor: Intel Atom Z520 – 1.33GHz
• OS: Windows XP Home
• Memory: 1Gb (DDR2); 2Gb Maximum
• Storage: SSD 16Gb + 16Gb SD Card (included)
• Online Storage: 20Gb (free for 18 mos.)
• Audio: HD / Stereo Speakers / Digital Array Mic
• Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Camera: 0.3 Megapixel Built-in
• Color: Black / Silver
• Weight: 0.96 kg

An interesting take on the development that netbooks are becoming featured with tablet like features. The small convertible tablet netbooks have limitations that make it hardly impossible for it to be used as a note taking, inking or other handwriting type of device. They work great when using the touch functionality with hands and fingertips but it becomes cumbersome when using it to write notes.

The reason for this according to jkOnTheRun is that most professional tablets use active digitzers. You might know these from your typical standalone Wacom tablet designers and artists use. The digitzers connect to the pen by radio and detect only the touches made with the pen but not touches by fingers or other objects. This immediately is also their advantage. Leaning on the screen with your hand palm or wrists will not create a touch.

However, the Asus Eee PC T91 uses passive digitzers. Just like the upcoming Asus Eee PC T101H and other upcoming netbook tablet offerings by MSI and Gigabyte. The reason? Cost ofcourse. And because the target demographics for netbook buyers is not design professionals but consumers with a low-budget. They don’t care. The touch idea seems to be a great selling point but it is good to see the critical side of it in terms of actual touch functionality when you go passed the ‘gimmick’ phase. The GUI video played by AsusTablet.com before did show some note taking though, it did not look all too bad. But the video is made by ASUS in a set up environment, thus possibly not being a very realistic perspective.

Still, even without note taking and inking the T91 is useful. Imagine students quickly sliding through Powerpoint slides while having the T91 next to their notebook. Or your parents using it because the touch interface feels so much more natural to them than a keyboard. Or media consuming young people who dislike the idea of working with a keyboard when playing their music and watching videos on YouTube. Apart from being the first, the T91 still has enough selling points even if it does not take notes best.

We also need to consider the relative age of this new market of netbook tablets. ASUS again pretty much single-handedly created a new market segment (just as they did with the netbooks). This is the first model in that market. There will be kinks in the cable and they will be resolved in future models. The costs of touch screens are rapidly decreasing and the quality of them is increasing. In any way, it is good that it happens eventhough there is criticism to be made on the first few models. It will change the way users interface with their computers forever.