According to DigiTimes, ASUS is blowing out 7- and 8.9-inch Eee PCs over in Taiwan and China. According to me, those same savings may trickle into US markets too!
Per the article:
“Prices for 7-inch models in the Taiwan market have been lowered from NT$6,999 to NT$4,999 (US$153) while prices for the 8.9-inch 900A in the China market have been cut to 1,499 yuan (US$219), according to sources in the retail channel.”
Here in the US, you can get a new 8.9-inch Eee starting at around $229 to $249 and Toys R Us, for instance, has been selling the 7-inch versions for around $150 for a while now.
Netbooks generally cost a bit more in Taiwan than they do here so the fact that prices are falling over there may mean that they’ll fall here as well. That, or they’ve fallen as low as they’re gonna go here and Taiwan and China are now finally adjusting.
If you look real hard the 8.9″ ASUS EeePC900HA goes for $250 USD in the U.S., that price includes WinXP Home. I suspect the 900A mentioned in the CG post is the same machine with Linux instead fo WinXP Home. So no bid deal.
Unfortunately prices are actually going up in my opinion as stock is limited and demand is very high at this price point.