computex2014
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ASUS crams 4K gaming into a sleek and distinctive laptop
What should a company do immediately after unveiling an incredible 4K laptop that's only 19 mm thick? Why, repeat the feat while throwing in some gamer-level GFX from NVIDIA on the way. You might have heard that we were particularly impressed with ASUS' Zenbook NX500: Besides the specifications, it was quite the looker too. However, if brushed-metallic finishes aren't your thing, maybe the moody black and red undertones of the ROG GX500 will be more to your liking. Has the Razer Blade finally got competition in the slimline gaming laptop market? We prodded and poked ASUS ROG's new beast earlier today, and we reckon it's a yes.
Intel's Windows 8.1 Pro Broadwell tablet is thinner than the iPad Air
When Intel announced the new 14nm Core M (Broadwell) processor to enable thinner, fanless convertible devices, I knew the "Llama Mountain" reference design would be impressively svelte. But hearing a spec is different than seeing it; this laptop-tablet hybrid is insanely skinny. At 7.2mm (0.28 inch), the slate is thinner than the iPad Air (7.5mm), and it's also significantly lighter than two-in-one devices already on the market; it's a notebook-class PC running Windows 8.1 Pro, yet it weighs just 1.47 pounds, compared to 1.76 pounds for the Surface Pro 3.
ASUS' Chromebook C300 is yet another well-made budget laptop
Lenovo, HP and other big-name laptop makers are on board; now ASUS is embracing the Chromebook movement with its first two laptops running Google's browser-based software. The 11.6-inch Chromebook C200 is already available for pre-order, but its larger sibling, the C300, has yet to receive a launch date. Still, the 13.3-inch laptop is here at Computex, and I spent a few minutes playing with the $249 device.
With seven different use modes, Toshiba's Kirabook is a Lenovo Yoga on steroids
Lately, Toshiba's all about multitasking laptops -- at CES, the company showed off a "5-in-1" laptop concept with a detachable keyboard, and here at Computex, we're getting a look at the "7-in-1" Kirabook L93. Like Toshiba's Satellite Click, the L93 includes a detachable keyboard base, so it works in standard laptop and tablet modes. The L93's flexible hinge also lets you use the device in display mode, with the base either attached or separated. While it's arguably another iteration of Toshiba's Lenovo Yoga-style devices, you do have more modes than ever to flip through.
Intel launches Core M processors for even thinner 2-in-1 PCs
At Intel's keynote presentation here at Computex, President Renee James is set to show off Intel's mobile future: a 2-in-1 reference PC powered by the company's new 14nm Intel Core M processor. (Note: it's actually a fifth-generation Core processor, even though the slide shown below says "fourth.") Intel's 14nm processors mean less energy use and, when the buck stops, longer battery life -- something we can never get enough of. We're still waiting to see what that design will look like exactly, but we do know it'll be a hybrid tablet-laptop, measuring in at 7.2mm thick (keyboard detached), while a companion media dock will apparently offer extra cooling (and a performance burst). Update: As teased, in the flesh it's a very thin tablet, with no fans to see. Intel's president also teased the companion docks, although we only saw a glance of the keyboard add-on. Thankfully, it looked at least thick enough to handle a bit of typing.
Intel doubles down on tablets, says it will power 130 models this year
It's obvious Intel wants to be inside your next tablet. But odds are, it isn't: Revenue for the company's mobile division was down an alarming 61 percent in the first quarter. And while the future still doesn't look too promising for Intel-based smartphones, the outfit thinks it can at least make some progress on the tablet front. The company has just announced that it expects 130 Intel-based Android and Windows slates to debut this year, with at least a dozen launching here at Computex. If that sounds like a big number, it is: At last year's keynote, Intel promised just 30 tablets for 2013. Whether Intel reverses its fortunes in the mobile space remains to be seen, but hey, more devices can't hurt, right?
ASUS has two Steam Machines and one is incredibly compact
Computex has a heavy PC gaming flavor to it in places. Between the likes of NVIDIA and ASUS' ROG brand, it acts as a gentle primer to PC-based gaming hardware ahead of E3 -- which is next week, if you forgot. Alongside a frankly ridiculous 4K gaming laptop, ROG's announced two new Steam Machines with varying footprints and specifications. The GR8 takes up just 2.5 liters of space, and ASUS ROG is talking up the size/power ratio as the best it's ever made, with a Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti inside. Meanwhile, 4K output and Miracast support could well make this a plausible, portable "console" PC -- you'll just need to provide the screen.
With three SIM slots, Acer's Liquid E700 is a phone for frequent travelers
Not that you'd know from its formulaic product name (seriously, Acer, you've gotta switch things up), but the 5-inch Liquid E700 Android smartphone has an interesting feature geared toward travelers: three SIM slots. Dual-SIM phones are one thing, but why would anyone need space for three? Acer envisions you having separate work and personal cards, with trips abroad requiring one more. And though it's mostly a matter of convenience -- you can keep your home SIM in the phone while also popping in one at your international destination -- the setup has the side benefit of preventing you from losing any cards as well.
Up close with ASUS' quirky Windows laptop/Android phone hybrid
Computex hasn't even officially started, and we're already blown away by ASUS' rather eccentric Transformer Book V from this morning. The name doesn't tell the whole story; it's actually a Windows 8.1 hybrid laptop that lets you dock an Android phone on its back -- a bit like the PadFone concept, except the tablet has its own brain. That's right, you can use both the 12.5-inch tablet and the 5-inch LTE phone simultaneously with their own brains. When docked, you're shown the phone's live Android phone interface within Windows (as pictured above), but you can also toggle the full Android tablet interface. It's easily the most versatile product we've seen of late, but is it practical?
ASUS' new Fonepads are solid tablets, but still awkward for making calls
ASUS' new Fonepad 7 and 8 are sleek, well-built Android tablets equipped with 3G connectivity and dual SIM slots, along with a speaker and mic. Whether making calls on a gigantic slate is something you're into is another question, but if you're at all interested in a tablet that can pull double duty as your handset, ASUS' products are the best ones you could ask for. And they work quite well as tablets, too.
There's no such thing as too many antennas for ASUS' high-end router
Six antennas, apparently delivering up to 3,200 Mbps. Those are some impressive credentials, especially from the typically sleepy world of wireless routers. ASUS reckons its new six-pronged WiFi brick is not at all sleepy either: The RT-AC3200 will come with an adaptive Quality of Service feature that allows users to manage their bandwidth and traffic, working on tri-band 802.11ac. Meanwhile, AiRadar will apparently intelligently strengthen and tweak your wireless coverage. ASUS is promising that this will give improved signal stability, range and optimal speeds. If it sounds like something that could need technical support and a lengthy troubleshooting phone call, rest assured, ASUS is promising a 30-second set-up time that's friendly to router rookies. There's no pricing alongside the technical specifications, but we reckon it could well be the kind of router you'd likely need to make the most of Google Fiber and similar high-speed internet connections.
ASUS' 20-inch 'portable' all-in-one PC has gesture controls and a carrying handle
"Portable" can mean different things to different people, and ASUS is also severely stretching the definition of the word with its new 20-inch all-in-one PC. The built-in battery will apparently go the distance, as long as said distance takes five hours, while a fold-out handle ledge offers a way to carry it without getting finger smudges on the screen. The unit weighs in at 3.2kg, and when we gingerly picked it up to carry, we were left wishing for a handle that was a little more substantial.
Acer shows off 'Extend' app allowing you to control your phone from your PC
For every promising concept we see, there's one that gets scrapped before ever making it to market. That's what happened with Acer's "Extend" dock, an accessory that would have allowed you to connect your smartphone to a clamshell-style dock with a display, keyboard and a spare battery to recharge your handset. Turns out, lots of people already carry laptops, and don't necessarily need to transform their phones into a de facto tablet or netbook. What they do need, though, is to move stuff on and off their phone, or pick up on their PC where they left off on their handset.
Acer claims its €79 Liquid Z200 is the cheapest branded Android phone
The Acer Liquid Z200, an Android phone with a 4-inch WVGA display and a plastic design, is nothing if not budget-friendly. What makes it special is that it's the cheapest Android phone -- at least excluding any off-brand devices you might come across in electronics markets, Acer says. It costs just €79, and while its specs are at the low end of the spectrum, it does what it says on the tin.
Acer claims the Liquid Jade is the world's 'most compact' 5-inch smartphone
As an American site, we tend to ignore devices that have zero chance of making it to the states. That said, we're making an exception for Acer's new Liquid Jade phone. For one thing, it's going to come bundled with Acer's new Liquid Leap smartwatch in select markets (Asia, mostly), and will initially be the only phone that's compatible with it. In addition, though, Acer claims this is the world's "most compact" 5-inch smartphone. And you know we love us a good superlative.
Hands-on with the Liquid Leap: Acer's first wearable tries to be everything to everyone
Thanks to a quick tease a few weeks back, we already knew Acer was on the verge of revealing its first smartwatch. Until today, though, we had all talk -- It's a smartwatch! It's a fitness tracker! -- but virtually no details. Now, at Computex, we're getting our first look at the Liquid Leap, due out later this year. The best way to think of this (other than as a "me too" device) is that it's a wristband trying really hard to be a jack-of-all-trades. In addition to doing typical smartwatch things (call and SMS notifications), it tracks your sleep, steps, distance traveled and calories burned. It can also pause, play and skip music tracks. Like other fitness trackers, it's waterproof, though it's far more discreet than your average sports watch. For now, Acer is being coy about the price, except to say it'll cost less than €99 in Europe. Without a price, then, it's hard to say how good a value this will be when it goes on sale in Q3. That doesn't mean we can't tell you more about how it works, though. So join us, won't you?
Hands-on with ASUS' Zenbook NX500: The MacBook Pro meets its match
Before you yell at me for putting the word "MacBook" in the headline, hear me out: The new ASUS Zenbook NX500 really is one of the closest things I've seen yet to a Retina display MBP competitor. For all of you who ever wanted something as thin and powerful as the MacBook Pro, something just as high-res, the NX500 is it. Only, you know, it runs Windows! If you're just catching up (the news broke overnight, while our American readers were asleep), the NX500 is a 15.6-inch Ultrabook with a 3,840 x 2,160 IPS display, a Core i7 processor, 2GB NVIDIA GTX 850 GPU and up to 16GB of RAM under the hood. Wowza. Oh, and all of this fits inside a package that's just 19mm thick and weighs 4.85 pounds. That's technically thin and light enough to be considered an Ultrabook, though ASUS would prefer you not call it that -- whatever this is, "Ultrabook" is probably too wimpy a name.
ASUS Transformer Pad refreshed with front speakers, lighter keyboard
It's been a while since we last heard about ASUS' Transformer Pad series, so today's announcement of two new 10.1-inch models was a nice surprise. Starting from the higher end, we have the TF303CL, which not only features Intel's 64-bit, 1.86GHz quad-core Atom chip (Z3745), but also supports LTE for Europe and Asia-Pacific. Otherwise, the plastic tablet packs the usual set of goodies for a decent Android tablet: a 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display, 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of storage with microSD expansion, 5MP/1.2MP cameras (a downgrade from the old 8MP main imager) and a 25Wh battery. The TF303CL is also enhanced with stereo front-facing speakers, as opposed to the old single-channel speaker (but with two drivers) on the back.
Dell's new Inspiron 20 is a giant tablet for work and play
Dell's new all-in-one is a sleek option that can travel with you from room to room. Starting at $450 (or $350 without touch), the Inspiron 20 (3000 Series) is by no means a high-end product, but its thin design and adjustable stand make it attractive as a family PC for group movie-watching sessions and the like.
Dell aims for the mainstream with its two new Windows convertibles
Here's the thing about Computex, the big computer show going on in Taiwan this week: Though lots of PC makers are announcing products here, they're almost all focusing on the low end. It's almost as if computer companies realize PC sales are on the decline, and have to slash prices! Take Dell, for instance: The company is here in Taipei showing off two Windows convertibles, which run the gamut from budget-friendly to solidly mid-range. Both devices -- the Inspiron 11 3000 series and the Inspiron 13 7000 series -- have a Lenovo Yoga-like design, with a screen that flips back 360 degrees into tablet mode (and Tent mode, and Stand mode -- you know the drill).
