ASUS NX90Jq is Bang & Olufsen designed, has dual, turntable-like touchpads
By Joanna Stern 
posted January 5th 2010 5:10PM
posted January 5th 2010 5:10PM
It seems ASUS has been spending some time with Bang & Olufsen's Chief designer to create a heck of a laptop. There's no denying this is one sleek looking lappie with a polished aluminum exterior, but it's got some pretty cool tricks too -- including dual touchpads that supposedly gives you a DJ turntable-like experience. The high-def, 18.4-inch display is flanked by B&O ICEpower speakers and is clearly meant to live in your living room. It's not all looks here, though. It's got a Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GT 334M graphics, support for up to 1280GB of storage (with dual drives), a slot-in Blu-ray drive and USB 3.0. We've got no idea what this thing is going to cost ya, but we're hoping to dig up some details and get a hands-on look so stay tuned.
Wow, they should sell that at the Apple Store
It's a B&O design? It's going to cost at least $5k then. Check out the B&O Stores people. You think Bose is overpriced for the quality you get, try B&O !
;-)
@jeremymc7
I would be stunned if B&O's influence will allow this to be under $2000.
Everything they touch magically grows two extra zeros on the price tag.
@jeremymc7 In my experience, there is no formula for determining the price of something by B&O. No matter how high I guess, the real price is always multiples higher.
@cobaltage I bet they just come here and look at what we're predicting and at 50% to that.
@yulebellow Wait a sec.. just got this from the liveblog.
"5:42PM We just heard the word "megatrend" twice in one sentence, walking on thin ice here! One more question left: how do the dual touchpads work on conjunction? "People can adapt very easily." And the cost? $2499."
@yulebellow B&O design over performance
@jeremymc7
Saying "for the quality you get" is redundant. Just say 'overpriced.'
According to a major danish newspaper, B&O denies any involvement in this project.
So whats going on?!
I forgot to post a source, but here it is:
http://translate.google.dk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fepn.dk%2Fteknologi2%2Fcomputer%2Farticle1938079.ece&sl=da&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8
@TMC - B&O has NOT been directly involved with this laptop, no. It is B&O's subdivision ICEPower, which technically is a company on its own, that has been hired by Asus as a consultant to help improve the audio of this device. Much like the Samsung two-sided phone a couple of years back.
And coincidentally, or, more likely planned by Asus, it's also designed by designer Davis Lewis who works at B&O.
So this is not at all an official B&O Product, and therefore, do not expect to its price as outrageous as usual B&O products :-).
"Bang & Olufsen says that they have nothing to do with the product, other than the subsidiary ICEpower on a consultancy basis has solved the challenge with the speakers."
Translated from http://ing.dk/artikel/105310-asus-baerbar-tegnet-af-bos-husdesigner
@Taijitu
Ah thanks for sorting that out :-)
@yulebellow lol.. iProbably wouldn't recommend that. So, here are some things you should know about this sleek Asus lappy: The 18.4-in 1080p screen is LED backlit, it has a Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce GT 335M graphics under the hood, it supports up to 1280GB of storage (with dual drives), it has a slot-in Blu-ray drive, and this lovely laptop is USB3.0 read. More details: http://bit.ly/asus-nx90jq-more-details
I'll pass.
@Monkeytofu Seconded. Somehow they managed to combine the negative aspects of AIOs (not very portable) and laptops (not very ergonomical position of keyboard).
What has me puzzled: what are the dual touchpads for?
@dancingwhenyouregone
why 2 touchpads? Well, if one breaks, you have a spare!
@(Unverified) It's just... when both are still working... two cursors, or what..? Will people actually be able to control their hands enough to move two cursors at the same time? Is dual-touchpad the new dual-core, if so, will we see quad-touchpads anytime soon?
@(Unverified) The makes me wonder if you can plug in 2 mouses and control them both separately. It's like a multitouch screen, but without the whole touch thing! Kinda cool actually, and it might make some tasks easier when you're repeating something, and you can just leave one of the mice in the same spot until you need to click there again.
Looks a bit like that crappy Vaio PC that Sony did a few years ago where you couldn't detach the keyboard...
If it's half the price of the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh, it'll still be too expensive.
They could have just called it BeoNet or something short (and classy), instead of ASUS NX90jq. Nobody is going to remember it.
"It's got a Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GT 334M graphics, support for up to 1280GB of storage (with dual drives), a slot-in Blu-ray drive and USB 3.0."
Is there any 'laptop' (albeit an 18 inch monster) that comes close to those specs?
@GeekPI
Yes, but ironically enough it too is an Asus laptop that they just announced at CES.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/05/asus-rog-g73jh-launches-with-core-i7-radeon-hd-5870-bragging-r/1#c24458621
@GeekPI Well that's not really fair, since this thing is also 18 inches. But the specs are really impressive though.
@Henzapper Oh, misread your post. Sorry about that.
@GeekPI There are many that come close for a lot less coin.
Here's roundup of i7 laptops with 1GB discrete graphics all for less $1400.
http://www.techbargains.com/news_displayItem.cfm/192226
the speakers ruin the design
That is pretty sexy. Except for how strange it looks when folded.
@Solidstate89
I also just realized, that despite the fact it's an 18.4" laptop, it has no number pad. Seriously? How can you NOT have a numb-pad on a laptop that large?
@Solidstate89 Well, it might be because they shoved TWO touchpads next to the keyboard...
It's beautiful.
This or MBP 13", that is now the question...
@Stoichiometry
Pretty sure you'll be able to purchase from 3 to 10 13" MacBook Pros for the price of this thing.
@Theblindman2
"Look at the price of that thing!" -Mac Antilles
Yeah, I saw a few B&O gadgets here and their prices are high. However, I have the hope that ASUS can lower the price.
Oh this is just getting way to lovely. Now the world just needs an OS as pretty as some of these sexy machines. Hate to say it, but nothing out there currently cuts the mustard. Star Trek OS anyone? Actually...
well ... the speakers look odd, they destroy the image of this thing
I have never understood the need for "great speakers" on a laptop. At any rate, this is still a kick ass design. Nicely done.
it's beautiful :)
its a same that when you turn it on your greeted with ugly MS windows
@dancingwhenyouregone ... Pretty sure, Hinduist gods would like that.
@dancingwhenyouregone
Where to start....?
Reply to yourself?
Hinduist?
Put down the pipe man.
*facepalm
Wow, that's a nice laptop. I wonder how dual-pads work. Two mice, or just a strange way to control one? Etch-a-Sketch style? >
Well that looks absolutely stunning. Will be a whopping 3k I guess.
Dual 640GB HDD, impressive
Well I think it's pretty darn nice looking. I wish the speakers weren't sitting out to the sides, though. And The dual touch pads are a little weird. I think someone wanted to put the touchpad to the right of the keyboard, but then a left-handed manager got involved and this was their compromise.
Funny thing is; Asus might just make dual touchpads ... cause they can. B&O wouldnt if it didnt have a real purpose.
Im thinking there might be something in it.
@dancingwhenyouregone I currently use a Griffin Powermate in my left hand (for scrolling) and a regular optical mouse in the right (for moving the curson) when surfing the web. Perhaps the dual touchpads work in a similar way?
Tips for version 2:
- Dump the dual trackpad and put a nice big multitouch under the keyboard. Something about the size of the existing pads side-by-side would be awesome.
- Use the freed up space to add a numpad ffs. Anything over 17" should have one. No excuses.
Other than that, it's about time a non-Apple manufacturer started using their whole ass in the design department, even if it did mean outsourcing.
@Treefingers
Given the size they could have fit a touchscreen with virtual keyboard on there as well as the regular one - best of both worlds.
Pretty amazing looking!! As for you guys always nagging about price; you will never get it and you are probably not even in the targetgroup, so why care?
I think I speak for everyone when I say wat
What the hell do I need two touchpads for?