I'd say these prices are totally bogus because a) the eee isn't available anywhere yet, and b) the article linked above clearly states that the 10" model has been abandoned and only 7" versions will be available this year...

That article was written from a very US-centric POV but I believe the same logic (protecting Asus sales of traditional laptops) will prevail in European markets too: select the topmost configuration(s) to attain a price point (and margin) that's agreeable to the local marketing dept. The mythical 199$ version will only be seen in third-world markets, if ever.