ASUS G50 prototype with additional 4.3-inch Tegra-based PC

We have a few more details on that prototype ASUS laptop we caught on video last night. Essentially two computers in one chassis, the modified M50 sports a separate Tegra APX-based 4.3-inch touchpad PC below they keyboard, for an effect somewhat reminiscent of (but nothing like) good 'ol SideShow. More than a second display, Tegra's "system on a chip" architecture allows for lightning fast boot times and excellent picture quality -- and since it runs off the same power source as its Atom-based host, the little guy should get up to 12 hours battery life when playing back video.

[Fara @ Jan 7th 2009 6:06PM]

Is it G50 or M50? And since when does either have Atom?

[Evan Brower @ Jan 7th 2009 6:07PM]

Who cares about this thing? I want the Eee Tablet.

[Jeff @ Jan 7th 2009 6:07PM]

It's an M50 and I have no idea where the Atom came from.

[L @ Jan 7th 2009 6:08PM]

Because we can, that's why!

[GioNYC @ Jan 7th 2009 6:09PM]

My Toshiba laptop has that feature. The touchpad lights up in blue and you get other features on it. It gets annoying because when u double tap by accident, it comes up and you can't move the pointer around. It gets fustrating especially when you are in a rush to finish a job.

[Les @ Jan 7th 2009 6:22PM]

This is not like your toshiba.
You have hotkeys on your touchpad, this is another computer

[roomtek @ Jan 7th 2009 6:11PM]

hello world 2.0

[Levi @ Jan 7th 2009 6:15PM]

This is completely pointless unless the second smaller PC actually interacted with the main one. But the last article I read about this thing says that they share nothing in common with each other aside from a power supply. That's just stupid.

[Tonicboy @ Jan 7th 2009 6:54PM]

I agree with you that it needs to share the host computer's file system to be of any use, but I don't know that that's not true. I'm not sure what you've read, but everything that I read says that it shares the battery with the main computer, not that it shares nothing but the battery. That's a big difference.

[Ruben @ Jan 7th 2009 6:54PM]

This is a hardware concept. Not a fully working system.

The idea is to have full integration. As it is, they are showing you that they can make a laptop with an extremely powerful track pad, and it has no effect on the hardware (runs completely independently).

[Boards of Canada @ Jan 7th 2009 7:16PM]

stupid? you can watch 12 hours of movies when flying, you can boot in sec for send your mails, can browse the web without booting, without worrying about battery life... its really a good idea. Im sure you can run a writing software too.

And I bet the touchscreen can be custumized to bring shortcuts and stuff when you use the big cpu.

If its add less than 300$ to the price, its a great innovative feature.

[Levi @ Jan 7th 2009 8:02PM]

http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/06/asus-features-modded-g50-with-4-3-inch-secondary-computer-oh-my/

It runs separate from the main computer, only sharing a power supply. This means that no, it is not a powerful track pad. The prototype is planned for production, which means, no, they aren't changing it. Finally, for the person who says it's not dumb, all this is is a PMP embedded in a laptop. There's nothing special about this. It's like paying for an iPhone to be embedded in your computer. Why not just buy a NORMAL laptop and a NORMAL PMP?? It's dumb.

Although it would be cool if it interacted with the laptop.

The only thing I found cool about this, is that it's the first model of anything I've seen with a release window that runs Tegra. I really want Tegra out on phones right now.

[The Dude @ Jan 7th 2009 6:16PM]

Can't they just give us the Tegra-based PC inside without introducing the cost of a miniature touchpad display? Have the Tegra PC always use the laptop's main display, in other words, and just give us a regular old touchpad to keep the price down. Or at least give that option in addition to having the miniature touch-enabled display. I don't see myself using the mini display for too long.

[Boards of Canada @ Jan 7th 2009 7:16PM]

I think it will come in a near future.

[neodorian @ Jan 7th 2009 6:58PM]

Still waiting for a Tegra phone.

[bjay @ Jan 7th 2009 7:26PM]

Same boat with you here. I wonder why i would want to squint at a 4 inch screen when a bigger is on the same device; pls dont start with the battery life . Personally i am not yet thrilled by dis (yes i know, that is just me)

[neodorian @ Jan 7th 2009 7:29PM]

If that thing was a dockable device with a cell radio it would be pretty sweet. I'd buy the phone on day one and later on maybe a laptop it could dock in. Probably not though. I just want the phone.

[Richard @ Jan 7th 2009 7:06PM]

So... this is kind of like the next level of Sideshow? We know how that one turned out...

[Boards of Canada @ Jan 7th 2009 7:10PM]

wow thanks!

[rudy @ Jan 7th 2009 7:30PM]

For a second there I thought it was a full fledged tegra mid.

[Shinigami @ Jan 8th 2009 1:20AM]

I'm a bit disappointed.
First Nvidia promised "first products by the end of 08", then I found out good old 08 suddenly ended, and no devices were found.
I found out that Nvidia simply updated their page - "H1 09".
And now I find that this device features Tegra APX - little system-on-a-chip, which was supposed to be installed into mobile phones, not Tegra 600, meant for MIDs, UMPCs ect. Means this little thing has a weaker Tegra "APX", and thus cannot play FullHD at 30fps while being connected to TV via HDMI, unlike its "600" series brother.

Too bad. I was expecting this to be in my phone by now and more powerful version being in my pocket PC somewhere in 09. Was I expecting too much?

[Arun Demeure @ Jan 8th 2009 5:50AM]

It's funny how this news has got way worse feedback than the other where there is video, just because some of you don't seem to realize you can use the main screen for video playback via Tegra... :) The 12 hours is for video being played back on the MAIN display, not the 4.3" display. This is COMPLETELY different from having a PMP and a Laptop, where you have low battery life on your Laptop and low screen size on your PMP. Here you've got the best of both worlds.

The only likely catch is how do you transfer the movies to the Tegra, and how much if any transcoding will be required. Either way this technology is moving in the next 18 months towards being able to play everything, including Blu-rays, natively - so even if transcoding was required this generation, that'd only be a very temporary problem.