JKK and I are working on a couple of nice videos that will go out later. The first is a hands-on with the Eee PC 900 that was launched today and the second is one of the Gigabyte M528 MID.

In between the rendering, we’ll try and do a 10-15 minute live podcast at http://www.umpcportal.com/live Feel free to join us in the chat channel there.

JKK and myself are in the ASUS press conference where we’re expecting a formal launch of the Eee PC 900, the XP version of the Eee PC and the R50 and R70. JKK is blogging on an ASUS Eee PC with XP!

I’ll update a few times below when I get info…

From the press notes:
T-Mobile (Germany) will offer the Eee PC with 300 WLAN hours for 299 Euros and next month, T-Mobile will also offer the Eee PC with a HSDPA stick with purchase options for ‘pre and postpaid customers’ in the ‘next few weeks.’

From the press release:
“The ASUS R70 is the corporate warrior’s stealth fighter”
WTF!!

16:40: Eee PC 900 is shown on a presentation slide as available in ‘Q2’ with bigger storage, larger memory size, bigger screen (8.9″) No real news there.

Thomas Bauer (Microsoft) now on stage…

…talking about Windows Live….died a bit of a death on stage…no one was interested!

T-Mobile on stage….talking about growth in mobile internet. Nice graphs… Web ‘n Walk…

As I mentioned earlier, T-Mobile will offer a 300 hour ‘voucher’ for use in Germany. Could be good for a year. T-Mobile have a huge WLAN coverage here. Information also given about HSDPA for postpaid (contract) and prepaid customers.

Q&A session:

Question: Eee PC 900 – ‘Will it be Linux and Windows XP?’ Answer: Yes there will be two versions at different prices.

Interesting point made from ASUS: Windows Easy Mode will be available for the Eee PC. Its not clear what this actually means.

Question: Will the Eee PC be offered with HSDPA built-in in the future? The answer from ASUS was not clear but it sounded like they will offer it in Q2. This is not clear.

Question: Whats the resolutiion of the new Eee PC 900. A: 1024×600

Question: Bluetooth enabled in the future? A: Webcam will be improved. (Yes, they didn’t answer the question)

Question: Power consumption of 900: A: ‘1W more’ than 701

Conference is over now. We’re of to play.

I’ve just posted a few images of the Inventec UMPCs from CeBIT. They were behind glass in a design area and there was no real info available. I guess that these are prototypes still looking for a customer.

See the database for more

Myself and JKK had a good 30 minutes in private with the M528 this morning and I am very happy to say that it impressed us. Running Ubuntu Mobile on an Atom 800Mhz with 4GB flash and a very nice thumboard (read, better than the N810) it seems to perform as well as it looks. Its more pocketable, more powerful, better looking and will be priced very competitively.

Later today we will edit up the interview videos and videocast and post them up.

New images in the M528 Gallery.
Updated specifications in the product portal.

Here’s the EEE 900 in all of its 8.9″ glory. From what I can see my number one issue is resolved – they updated the touchpad. Its now bigger and has two buttons, not the painful two way piece of plastic on the current EEEs. Pricing for the 12GB version will be 400 euro, though there will also be an 8GB one. No word on the pricing for that version but I’m guessing around 300-350 euro. The hinge is also bigger and sturdier, making it a tad bigger. In my opinion it also looks less cheap than the previous EEE.

Gallery comparing it to the old EEE over at engadget.

I don’t think this is the only Eee PC related press release we will hear at CeBIT

I have just been on the ASUS stand and there are at least 20 Eee PCs running windows there! No sign of the 900 though.

It seems that the nearer we get to the aunch of Atom-based devices, the less we see. At the Intel stand there’s only the LG (looking very nice in the flesh) the EB prototpe and the Inventec and Quanta prototypes.

You’ll find more images in the gallery.

I have a meeting with Gigabyte tomorrow but I did managed to have a quick chat today and get some of the specs of the new M528 MID

Menlow (Atom) CPU
2 or 4GB Flash storage.
800×480 touch (i’m told)
Built-in GPS
Built-in HSDPA
Running Ubuntu (not sure which version. I assume Ubuntu Mobile)
300gm
Available in silver, Black or white
Expected early Q3
Battery life in the 3-4  hours range.

I asked about price and suggested that it would be cheaper than the U60. The response wasn’t negative so we’re talking 500-600 range I guess. If it comes with HSDPA and GPS, that will be very nice indeed!

Images and videos tomorrow.

As for the M700, its an interesting device. It runs Vista and comes with VIA inside. The PCI express slot is an externaly accessible card slot. There a nice stand available with it with a lot of media connectors that i’ll need to investigate!

I’m now going to the Intel stand tour but I sneaked in earlier and didn’t see an MIDs at all. I hope they were hidden away somewhere!

Asus stand tour and Microsoft/T-Mobile announcement at 1700.