Intel and Asus jointly launch the WePC.com website, allowing consumers to design their own PCs.

Intel and Asus have teamed up to let consumers personally design their PCs, and some creative users have already put their ideas into practice. Examples include waterproof laptops and automatic selection of digital photos.

On Wednesday, Intel and Asus launched a new site called WePC.com, through which consumers can collaborate with each other or with high-tech companies to co-design netbooks, laptops, or gaming laptops.

Intel and Asus are famous for launching low-cost laptops. They stated that their goal is to create the world's first group-designed PC. In a joint statement, the two companies said: "Users visiting the site can share ideas, vote on submitted ideas, and discuss the qualities of their 'dream' PC with other community members."

WePC.com users can participate in three 'discussion groups' focused on three product categories. The two companies will offer prizes to users who have played a creative role in project discussions. According to Intel and Asus, specific details about the prizes will be disclosed later. The site has already posted some suggestions, including waterproof laptops.

Many of the ideas on the site are quite quirky, such as netbooks with thumb cursors.

Market analysis firm IDC analyst Crawford Del-Prelle said this plan is "very creative." He said: "This plan allows customers to directly input their ideas for future designs, helping to reduce the prevalent wait-and-see behavior in PC design. I think this plan will open up some new possibilities."

Another user suggested that an "alluring media PC" should be able to automatically detect CDs without manual insertion; automatically detect digital cameras and load photos. This user described: "Once the photos are loaded onto the PC, they will be automatically processed by Photoshop to make me look very attractive, and these most eye-catching photos will be automatically posted to Facebook."

According to market analysis firm Endpoint Technologies Associates analyst Roger Kay, Intel and Asus shouldn't expect to get truly useful ideas through this site, but he believes this plan is still very creative because it introduces social networking into PC design.