Asus squeezing out netbook channel partners?

Reports are surfacing that Asus’ is trying to avoid competition from its partners in the netbook space by squeezing them out. The manufacturer is being accused of holding onto its netbook printed circuit boards (PCBs) rather than shipping it through to system integrators. “Sorry, these boards will not be available to our customers. You can buy the machines from us already built, but the mainboards will not be for sale“. This was Asus’ reply when a major UK system integrator enquired about buying its next-generation mainboards. A close source to The Inq said that Asus is trying to “choke the life out of the channel in order to survive the economic storm more or less in tact.” MSI and Gigabyte are apparently waiting on the wings to pick up the pieces.