ASUS rolls out B series laptops with Boston-Power's Sonata batteries

Well, it looks like HP is no longer your only option to get Boston-Power's "game-changing" Sonata batteries -- ASUS has just announced that it will be offering the long-life lithium-ion batteries as standard equipment on its new B series laptops. Those come in both 14.1-inch and 15.6-inch versions -- the B43 and B53, respectively -- and are available with your choice of Core i5 or Core i7 processors, ATI Mobility Radeon 5470 or integrated Intel graphics, 2GB or 4GB of RAM, a standard 320GB hard drive, and ATI Eyefinity support to accommodate two additional displays. As for those Sonata batteries, while they won't last much longer in day-to-day use, they do promises to work at 80% of their capacity for three years, which is backed up by a three-year warranty. Look for the B53 to hit retailers immediately starting at $1,099, while the B43 is said to be coming "in the near future" for an unspecified price.

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ASUS Selects Boston-Power's Sonata Lithium-ion Battery for New Line of Notebook PCs

ASUS B Series Models Come Standard with Sonata-enabled, Green-certified Battery Featuring a Three-Year Warranty

WESTBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boston-Power's Sonata® – the game-changing lithium-ion battery platform credited with setting a new benchmark for portable power performance – is now available as the standard battery for a new line of commercial notebook PCs from ASUS, the B Series models. Among the world's premier providers of netbooks, notebooks and other consumer electronic devices, ASUS is the number one brand for quality and service in Windows-based portables.

Shipping this month, the ASUS B Series notebooks offer an unprecedented package of newly introduced technologies, a comprehensive set of business features, and best-in-class warranties for the demanding business user. These features deliver industry leading efficiency, reliability and security along with excellent durability.

Unmatched Performance Paired with Industry's Best Warranty

Branded as the Sonata Long Life Battery, Boston-Power's next generation lithium-ion technology platform provides triple the lifespan of typical notebook batteries – thus increasing productivity, lowering the total cost of ownership and supporting the environment. This enables ASUS to offer a three-year warranty on the battery, matching the industry-best three-year warranty on the B-Series notebooks.

"Our customers look to ASUS to provide cost effective solutions that include innovative features such as the Sonata Long Life Battery, which offers not only long term dependability but is also environmentally friendly," said Rudy Magna, Director of Sales, ASUS Computer International.

Boston-Power and ASUS: Shared Commitment to the Environment

Boston-Power and ASUS share a commitment to 'green' computing. The ASUS Green Initiative is overseen by a steering committee led by ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih and encompasses a best-practices approach to green design, green manufacturing, green procurement and green services and marketing. Boston-Power Founder and CEO Dr. Christina Lampe-Önnerud is an environmentalist who based her break-through battery technology on a promise to combat climate change and global warming. Boston-Power recently celebrated the third anniversary of its rechargeable lithium-ion batteries earning the esteemed Nordic Ecolabel accreditation and remains the only lithium-ion battery maker worldwide to hold this designation. The company's products have also earned a similar industry-first certification from the China Environmental United Certification Center (CEC).

"Today, our portable computing devices are an extension of ourselves and integral to our work and leisure-time activities," said Boston-Power Vice President of Marketing Sally Bament. "To fully capture the benefits of mobility, users are seeking dependable, high-performance, safe and environmentally sustainable batteries. Boston-Power has established a global reputation for leadership in delivering those solutions. Teaming with ASUS is a tremendous endorsement of Sonata and our lithium-ion battery platform."

The ASUS B53 is available immediately. The ASUS B43 will be available in the near future. For more information, please contact: Gary Key, Technical Marketing Manager, ASUS Computer International, Gary_Key@asus.com

About ASUS

ASUS, the world's top 3 consumer notebook vendor and the maker of the world's best selling and most award winning motherboards, is a leading enterprise in the new digital era. ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today's digital home, office and person, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, displays, desktop PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia, wireless solutions, networking devices and mobile phones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 3,268 awards in 2009, and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the Eee PC™. With a global staff of more than ten thousand people and a world-class R&D team of 3,000 engineers, the company's revenue for 2009 was US$7.5 billion.

About Boston-Power

Boston-Power, Inc. is an award-winning provider of next-generation lithium-ion battery technology. Designed to fuel a wide range of applications, its flagship offering, Sonata®, serves as the foundation for a new era of longer lasting, faster charging, safer and environmentally sustainable notebook computer batteries. The company's Swing™ product delivers unmatched capabilities for Plug-In Hybrid and Battery Electric Vehicles (PHEV/BEV), and utility energy storage. Founded in 2005 and with more than 120 patents filed, Boston-Power is led by Founder and CEO Dr. Christina Lampe-Önnerud, an internationally recognized innovator, entrepreneur and technology advisor with regard to portable power, energy storage and climate change. To date, the company has raised $191 million in venture funding and has earned numerous awards for its leadership and technology from high-profile organizations that include the World Economic Forum, The Wall Street Journal, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA). Boston-Power is headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, and has Six Sigma-level mass manufacturing operations in Asia.

Boston-Power®, Sonata® and Swing™ are trademarks of Boston-Power, Inc. Other brand names or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.