the AI7 is already out in the stores here in Singapore - preliimary reports are just so-so and yes, it is priced at a premium. Costs around the same as the IC7 here (slightly more actually).
And over the weekend, I bought the new version of the IS7-E, v1.2 with minor changes from the v1.1. Supposedly tougher NB anchoring wire and an additional component under the S478 socket. Same Realtek LAN chip though, pity.