ASUS considering closing divisions responsible for LCDs, Eee Stick?
By Donald Melanson 
posted January 1st 2010 10:07AM
posted January 1st 2010 10:07AM
ASUS has seen its share of restructuring over the years, and it looks like it could be about to go through another fairly significant shake-up -- at least if some of the leads DigiTimes has picked up actually pan out. The first (and seemingly more likely) of those is that the company is supposedly considering shutting down its division that builds "opto-mechatronics products" like the Eee Stick, which itself was formed from the remnants of the company's old optical drive department, and has reportedly already seen its size shrink from one hundred team members to just twenty. Potentially even bigger than that, however, is talk that ASUS might possibly be thinking about getting out of the LCD business. Not surprisingly, however, there's even less hard evidence for that -- just some word that the division is facing "fierce competition" that's inflicting some losses. For its part, ASUS is flatly denying that it's considering any such shutdowns -- and don't worry about the Eee PC, it seems that ASUS is actually increasing its investment in that division to develop more Pine Trail-based netbooks.
No! I really like my Asus monitor. It was the best deal at the time. :(
@Dafrety
+1
I really like my 19" Asus VW192T, one of the rare one these days with 16:10. But I guess they aren't really catching on with the bigger brands.
I saw the newer version VH196T on a fire sale for 99 bucks the other day, so tempted to get a second one for a dual monitor setup.
@Dafrety
I know! My Asus VH226H is absolutely amazing, a full 1080p monitor for $170! I can't believe they would get rid of their LCD devision, that makes me really sad.... :(
Must be nice to find out you may lose your job on the first day of the new year. Great job Asus management and kudos DigiTimes.
Man, I'm glad I put my glasses on this morning. The default font of this new layout is absolutely microscopic. I like white space as much as the next guy, but please, Engadget, take up a few pixels and get the font bigger than 3pt. Please.
@Devilstower
use firefox, get greasemonkey and this userscript : http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/62407
@technognu
This updated version is pretty good. I don't understand why Engadget's web editors made the username/time of post font bigger than the actual font of the comment.
It makes a pleasure to read when there the reading block is uninterrupted by stuff like username/time of post. If they could move these interruptions to the side, that would be great. I think digg's comment system is pretty good (in terms of flow and readability).
@technognu it works in chrome too. it has script support built in.
@Devilstower What you need is a larger monitor from ASUS... oh... wait...
i don't understand 2 things: why does hitting the sign in link at the bottom dump you at your profile? why, when you hit "back" so that you can make the comment, does it sign you out again?
whats with the nunchucks?
Like we need more netbooks...
they might not be good at playing crysis, but the netbook is perhaps the perfect note taking computer for students. i am so happy that i don't have to lug around a 6 pound laptop anymore. thank god for asus and their crazy ideas.
@SlaterGS ASUS pretty much invented the Nnetbook with the EeePC 700 series. as far as im concerned they deserve a lot of credit for that and can do whatever the hell they want from now on. ASUS makes awesome stuff.
They're monitors are cheap and they're very good, high quality monitors. What they should do is start selling them more in big box stores (futureshop, bestbuy, etc.) instead of mostly online retailers.
@writeinC
Maybe that's why they want to close it down? It doesn't matter how many you sell if you're not making any money off it. If their monitors are so good, then selling it for so cheap is the wrong thing to do. They should do what Apple does and sell less for higher margins.
It's not necessarily a bad move by ASUS. In this economy you can't spread your product line too thin and I'd hate to see them go under for that. Plus, netbooks will surely be "the shizzle" this year and I'll probably pick one up come tax season. Yay rebate!
This is awful. I have a 23" monitor by them and it's gorgeous, cheap, and has HDMI. :E
Asus LCDs look like a whole bunch of crap to me
I have a 25.5 inch LCD from Asus and I'll tell you first hand how much of a damn shame it would be if they closed that division. I absolutely love it.
@AlexKnutson i think i have the same one. i love it. perfect pixel density at that size. 25.5" is way bigger than it sounds. especially placed next to a 19". i've been drooling over the idea of getting two more but Newegg can't keep them in stock. that and i couldn't afford it if they did.
it would be a real shame if ASUS stopped making desktop displays. the Eee Stick not so much...
asus us the only lcd manufacturer that has a zero bright pixel guarentee granted it just on their higher end models but if you read the fine print on say dell lcds up to 5-8 dead/bright pixels is considered acceptable in their book. asus makes a great middle level monitor i think dell produces higher end with nice sound-bars and usb hubs but asus makes a solid lcd at least the 21 inch that i have has held up for a year now.
ASUS is an awesome company and I like there products.
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