The BenQ Joybook Lite netbook won’t be the last of BenQ’s products in the netbook scene. A recent report from Economic Daily News in China says the company is planning to launch several all-in-one PCs as well as new netbooks within the next few months. There’s no detailed info about the new BenQ netbooks, but it is said that the very first nScreen-series models will be launched in February at the earliest. We’ll update you with more info about these devices once they become available.

Via DigiTimes

For us consumers, the more netbooks that enters the market, especially the good ones who are out to rival the company which is dominating, the better for us. Why? It’s plain and simple fair competition/trade. The more netbook choices that are made available, the lesser the price of netbooks become.

Such is the case of Asustek which has recently reduced the price of the Eee PC 1000 series to around $30-60. This has caused its rival companies to reduced the prices of their netbooks too.

According to a Digitimes report, MSI has reduced the price of its 10-inch Wind netbook to around $436 and BenQ which reduced the price of its Joybook Lite U101 to around $480. Both price reductions were made in the Taiwan market.

Relatedly, Asustek has also been reducing the prices of its 8.9-inch netbooks every week, as a way to clear its inventory to give way for future netbook models.

Will other netbook manufacturers follow suit? We are pretty sure they will, soon.

BenQ are to release a netbook dubbed the JoyBook Lite U101. BenQ’s netbook has two features that you won’t find on other netbooks. The U101 will be a shock resistant netbook, similar to the G-Shock watches, tested to withstand drops of up to 76cm and also has a 16:9 ratio display, which BenQ claims is the first netbook to have a 16:9 aspect ratio.

The netbook features a 10.1 inch screen, 1GB of RAM. Intel Atom processor, 160GB hard drive, wifi and bluetooth. The U101 will be available during the upcoming SITEX event in Singapore and is available for S$888. The netbook will become available at the end of November in other Asian markets.

Via: GamezandGadgetz

Look who is the latest company to join the netbook fray, BenQ more popularly known for making digital cameras and mobile phone was reported to be planning on releasing their own netbook dubbed, Joybook Lite. Target launch date is sometime around the fourth quarter, and the Joybook Lite will in two models – an 8.9-inch version and 10-inch version with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Benq is also projecting to ship around 3,000 units of the 8.9-inch version which will launch in October and 5,000 units of the 10-inch sometime in November.

The Joybook Lite will have an Intel Atom processor, Windows XP and a built-in 3.5G module. Pricing is expected to be around $468.

Update: Added a photo and the specs below. Thanks Sascha!

• 10.1 inch 1024 x 600 screen
• Intel 1.6Ghz Atom Intel 1.6Ghz nuclear
• 1GB RAM 1GB of RAM
• X GB 5400rpm HDD X GB 5400rpm HDD
• LAN, Wifi, bluetooth and 3G option LAN, wireless, Bluetooth and 3G option
• 1.3-megapixel webcam 1.3-megapixel Webcam
• 3 x USB, VGA out and 4-1 card reader 3 x USB, VGA out and card reader 4-1
• 3-cell Battery 3-Cell Battery
• XP Home /Linux XP Home /

It looks like BenQ’s soon to be released MID is becoming more and more like the Asus Eee PC. ITechnews is reporting that the BenQ MID which was previewed during the IDF in Shanghai would have:

• 800 MHz Intel Silverthorone processor
• Poulsbo chipset
• 512 RAM
• 4GB SSD
• HSDPA support
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• Bluetooth EDR connectivity
• Voice command
• GPS feature (optional)

Hmm, yeah. except for the voice command and the HSDPA support, the BenQ MID does seem like the Asus Eee PC after all.

Via Slashgear