I’m a bit gobsmacked by the cheek of ASUS. I wrote recently about the R2E and the possibility that it doesn’t actually have HSDPA installed and yesterday I had it confirmed. Anyone ordering the R2E thinking that it has HSDPA installed should double check!
As I write this, you can buy an R2H for 780 Euros. The R2E is 250 Euros (30%) more. (minimum online prices. Germany) For that you get a slower processor, 20GB more disk (half of which will be taken up by the Vista install) 250MB extra RAM (which won’t be enough for Vista to run optimally) an external DVD writer and the 4-cell battery in addition to the 2-cell battery. No-one has actually tested the R2E yet so I guess it’s possible that they’ve slipped in a LED backlit screen and improved the battery life but I doubt it. I’ll be testing the R2E soon though so we’ll find out the truth then. In the meantime, check the specs carefully before you buy an R2E.
Update: There is an R2E with HSDPA available in Germany but only for ‘projects’ (read: bulk orders.) Contact TheTabletStore if you have ‘project’ requirements in Germany. Thanks TTS.
Update2: R2E appeared naked for the FCC. With HSDPA. See the news at TGDaily. (Thanks JKK)