The ASUS Eee PC line may well be bolstered by the introduction of an electronic book reader by the end of this year, if reports are correct.

e-book readers have gained increasing public awareness with the likes of Amazon's Kindle and Sony's Reader e-book. ASUS certainly has the technological small form-factor know-how with its long line of Eee PCs, so it wouldn't be a reach to an 'Eee-reader' in 2009.

MSI, too, is said to be considering entering the e-book reader market. No hard-and-fast specifications are available, but we reckon that the Taiwanese giants will need to undercut present pricing and have a compelling content-delivery system if they're to be successful.

Sony's Reader e-book currently costs around £220, whereas the Amazon Kindle etails for $360 (£275).