Asus EEEpc at Myer

AUSTRALIANS: The Asus EEEpc is going to be launched at Myer on December 2nd. Unfortunately, the thing is going to be released at a price of $499. For comparison, I paid $560 for the desktop computer sitting next to me. For comparison, one of the big electrical chains here was selling a Compaq notebook for $550, I believe, after cashback.

It's great that Aussies will be able to get this computer, but it's not great that it's overpriced. Teaming up with Myer was a bad idea - somebody should have told Asus that Myer makes money through marking up, not through rapid sell-through (the two are mutually exclusive).

Sure, at $500 I'm sure Myer will sell a good number of them. They might even sell one to me; I don't know for certain yet. But Asus will sell fewer units per head of population here than probably anywhere else.