asustek
Latest
Asustek / Gigabyte call off joint venture
It's not uncommon to find two corporations with nothing better to do than join forces and fight the world together, but even we didn't expect the joint venture between Asustek and Gigabyte to be so short lived. Just seven months after the honeymoon began, the two have agreed to break off the partnership due to "confusion of clients and suppliers, together with the changes of both internal and external factors," which honestly doesn't tell us a whole lot. Nevertheless, both firms seem to agree that "the necessity of forming the joint venture is no longer as strong as expected," and while a bitter breakup would've been so much more fun for everyone not directly involved, Asus is actually being exempted from penalties relating to the separation, further proving that this decision actually does seem mutual in nature. Notably, the Gigabyte United spinoff seems to still be on track, but unless we see yet another change of heart, the original partnership is officially dead.[Via Inquirer]
Aries rising: ASUS M530w at CeBIT
ASUS had the Aries on the show floor and we just couldn't resist asking it to say "cheese" and give us a big smile. Reminiscent of devices like the HTC Excalibur and just about every Blackberry, the M530w has a full QWERTY keyboard for your typing pleasure, a huge d-pad and scroll wheel for Blackberry-style play. For connectivity, this half inch thick wonder has triple-band (900 / 1800 / 1900) GSM, 2100 MHz (can you feel the pain? can ya?) UMTS / HSDPA, and of course EDGE. What self-respecting Windows Mobile 6 powered device would be complete without WiFi and Bluetooth to round out a fairly sweet set of features. As a bonus, the placard boasts that the 2 megapixel camera can add contacts using a "business card recognition function" -- cool beans. Click yonder linky to get a peek at its other sides. %Gallery-2150%
More details surface for Asus' XG Station
Gaming-inadequate lappies will soon have the chance to grace their ExpressCard slots with Asustek's performance-enhancing XG Station to run (something) like a legit gaming machine. Between our own first impressions and Asustek's newly loosed set of deets, this external GPU should give laptops a sufficient boost, as they'll be bundled with a varied selection of ASUS PCIe graphics cards -- barebones enclosures aren't an option. Aside from the heightened graphical processing and Dolby Headphone-supported simulated 5.1 surround, the XG Station's sizeable screen displays vital system info including the system's master volume, GPU clock speed, current GPU temperature, Dolby Headphone feature status, current actual Frames Per Second (FPS) information, and GPU fan speed Indicator. You can also tweak GPU core overclocking with the hard-to-miss control knob. Pricing on XG-specific graphics cards and XG Station bundles are still unknown, but units are planned ship soon to OEMs and channel partners, with availability to eligible customers sometime next month. [Via Notebook Review]
ASUS Aura concept handset called a fake -- by ASUS
We admit, we were a little perplexed to see that ASUS is not "officially" endorsing this super-svelte and touchably beautiful Aura handset. Alas, the Aura was supposedly a design prototype ordered by ASUS from Hungarian design company Egy Studio. The problem is that ASUS claims the entire Aura handset is, well, a complete fake. If so, why are official-looking images of the device posted on Egy Studio's website? This makes little sense except for ASUS possibly trying to take back information on a leaked prototype that, umm, exists at the website of an alleged design partner of the Taiwanese company. We'd all love to see this killer Aura concept come to life -- but maybe it's just not to be after all.
ASUS Aries
Either we're dreaming a lovely dream, or phone manufacturers are finally starting to embrace the concept of tri-band UMTS; for the sake of speed-loving Americans everywhere, we're hoping it's the latter. The "Aries" from ASUS will come bearing all the sweet, sweet fruits of Windows Mobile 6 Standard (that's like Smartphone, for you WM5-toting gals and gents) combined with UMTS on the 850, 1900, and 2100MHz bands for global coverage. Other features include a true scroll wheel (none of that Excalibur-style touch strip action here), 2 megapixel camera, front facing secondary cam for video calls, 520MHz XScale processor, and -- in the event you couldn't deduce it from the pictures -- a QWERTY keypad. We're told the Aries clocks in just a hair wider and thicker than the Excalibur, and if we're going to get global 3G in exchange, well, we're just fine with that. If in-the-flesh shots of phones aren't your thing, peep a decidedly more conceptual view of the Aries after the break!
ASUS announces P735 with 3G
If only ASUS made that GPS-packin' P535 with a 3G radio... well, by George, they do! (Sorta.) The P735 takes the P535's winning formula (for folks that consider a keyboardless design a "winning formula," anyway) but trades GPS for some glorious UMTS data in a 19mm-thick package. Other features include 256MB of onboard Flash, 2 megapixel primary and VGA front-facing cams, 802.11b / g, Bluetooth 2.0, and miniSD expansion. Conspicously missing from the spec sheet, though, are Crossbow and any form of 3G usable this side of the pond. Maybe next time you'll think of us, ASUS.[Via NaviGadget, thanks Dimitris]
Asus intros SideShow-ready motherboards
While CES graced us with laptops aplenty touting SideShow capabilities, Asus is bringing the secondary display love over to the desktop realm with its latest lineup of motherboards. The M2N32-SLI Premium Vista Edition and P5B Premium Vista Edition each come Vista-ready and support Asus' own ScreenDUO technology, which "provides a second display panel to enable the user to conveniently view important information without having to start up the PC." Users purchasing the boards actually get the secondary display in a bundled package, but there's no word on if (or how) you can connect your own screen in the future. Nevertheless, the boards also feature AI Remote, AP Trigger, TPM support, and the firm's Accelerated Propeller to reportedly "shorten boot times and program initiation" while in Vista. Asus is lookin' out for both the Intel and AMD camps, as the M2N32-SLI provides socket support for AMD Athlon 64 FX processors, while the P5B plays nice with Intel's Core 2 Quad chips, and although pricing information isn't readily available, these mobos should be hitting shelves shortly to coincide with the Vista release.[Via 64-Bit-Computers]
Asus A8Jr 14.1-inch laptop features new ATI X2300 graphics
With the kind of elaborate cooling schemes and power supplies now demanded by top-of-the-line desktop graphics cards, we've rather given up hope of having a truly "cutting edge" graphics experience stuffed into an even somewhat portable laptop. That said, we do the best we can, and ATI's new X2300 Mobility Radeon graphics that Asus is featuring in its new A8Jr laptops sound promising, even if the main thrust of the card is enhanced performance-per-watt. Otherwise, the A8Jr looks to be well specced, but not a lot of surprises: there's a full range of Core 2 Duo processors, the Intel 945PM Express chipset, 802.11 a/b/g Intel PRO WiFi, optional Bluetooth 2.0, an ExpressCard slot, and a nice complement of video outputs, including TV-out, DVI and VGA. The computer measures 1.4 to 1.5-inches-ish thick and weighs 5.3 pounds with a 6 cell battery pack. Unfortunately, no word on display resolution on that 14.1-inch LCD, or any specifics on release date or price -- though it better be soon, 'cause this little guy is packing Windows XP, and that's not going to look so hot a week from now.[Via 65-bit-computers]
Asus revamps GPS-PDA offerings, kicks out A686 / A696
With the overall PDA market slowly dwindling into oblivion, Asus is attempting to keep the PDA kickin' for just a bit longer, and the company's latest duo actually isn't half bad considering the GPS functions and relatively slim enclosure. The A686 / A696 units ditch the MyPal moniker from days past, and rather than adding that bulky GPS antenna the side, Asus has bumped up the style points by crafting a stainless steel frame with a non-protruding GPS antenna. Both units pack Windows Mobile 5.0, 802.11b/g, a SiRF Star III receiver, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, 64MB of SDRAM, 3.5-inch 320 x 240 resolution touchscreen, integrated speakers / microphone, audio recording capability, rechargeable battery, and it comes in at just 1.57-centimeters thick. The A686 is powered by an Intel XScale 312MHz processor with 128MB of Flash ROM, while the A696 picks up a 416MHz CPU and double the Flash ROM, and both units should be making their way onto store shelves soon for currently undisclosed prices.[Via MobileTechReview]
Asustek's XG Station brings external audio, video processing to laptops
Deets are slim, but we like where this is headed. Asustek is prepping its new "XG Station" for next week's CES, which will provide external audio and video processing power to laptops, plus a spiffy volume knob and car stereo look-alike visuals. With laptops getting ever slimmer -- and we're sure this year's batch at CES won't be breaking that mold -- discrete graphics cards are getting to be quite the space-hogging luxury. The XG Station helps out on that front, plus throws in some Dolby surround sound and USB 2.0 ports. No word on how exactly this thing will hook up to you lappy, or if it's some sort of Asus-only operation, but PCMCIA/ExpressCard compatibility seems like a reasonable guess at this point. Luckily, we won't have to wait too terribly long to find out.[Via Laptoping]
Asus goes HSDPA with new V2 lappies
So sue us, there just aren't that many specs in the tech world that can warm our hearts quite like a blessed HSDPA chip snuggling inside of a laptop. Add a little bit of teh sexay, plus maybe a 3 megapixel webcam or something, and we're as good as sold. Asus has all of this goodness inside of its new V2 laptop lineup, along with a full complement of Core 2 Duo procs, a WXGA+ 14-inch LCD, ATI Mobility Radeon X1450 graphics with 256 or 512MB of memory, 80-160GB HDDs, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, DVI, and a fingerprint reader. Best of all, Asus has somehow managed to include "Instant Fun PLUS," which we're sure is just like Instant Fun, but better -- or maybe it just lets you enjoy your media without fully booting the laptop. Tapering from 1.1 to 1.4-inches, and weighing 5 pounds, we could've done with a teensy bit more portability, but we're picky like that. Overall it looks like a pretty good offering from Asustek, though we'll reserve final judgement for when we've got a price and release date.[Via Laptoping]
ASUS' new motherboards convert PSTN to VoIP
If you still haven't pulled the trigger on setting up a VoIP system in your domicile, and you're looking to build a new rig from the ground up anyway, ASUS is handing over the perfect excuse to do both. While the firm has already teamed with Gigabyte for a bit of motherboard collaboration, the M2N/TeleSky and P5B/TeleSky boards will now include a "telecom adapter" to convert your standard PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) lines to VoIP. Moreover, the adapter touts the ability to "to switch the house phone connection between PSTN and VoIP networks" depending on call-to-call preferences. While we aren't certain on how much ASUS plans on charging for the limited edition units, we do know that 60 SkypeOut minutes will be included "while supplies last," so you may want to make haste on picking one up if this combo suits your fancy.
Asus and Planex unveil snazzy new WAPs
With all this 802.11n hubbub going on, it's refreshing to see a trio of new 802.11b/g wireless access points that have set out to make the WiFi goodness we're used to even better. Planex Communication's GW-AP54SP-P (pictured after the jump) is a two-port WAP that supports automatic power-on functionality when detecting wireless activity, bridge / repeater capability, WPA2 support, and of course, up to 54Mbps transfer speeds. Meanwhile, Asus' latest power duo -- the WL-320gE and WL-320gP -- reportedly provide "up to 850 meters" of open space coverage thanks to their 5dBi high-gain antennas; they also sport SNMP to allow system administrators to manage multiple APs from remote locations, and somehow managed to pass the FCC's oh-so-restrictive transmission guidelines as well. The WL-320gP goes one step further by incorporating power over ethernet (compliant with 802.3af) to "eliminate the hassle of locating a power source." While pricing and release date information wasn't readily available, it's probably safe to assume these WAPs won't demand the same premium as those 802.11n-compatible alternatives -- and at least this trio operates on a standardized protocol, eh?Read - Planex Communication's GW-AP54SP-P Read - Asus' WL-320gE / WL-320gP
Asus rolls out leather-clad W6 and S6 notebooks
Asus has unveiled a leather-clad duo of notebooks today -- the W6 and upgraded S6 -- to presumably tackle that oh-so-lucrative "luxury computing" market. While the S6 has donned the leather outfit for some time now, Asus is releasing it in a "limited run" of hot pink, which is sure to take top priority on your lovely lady's wish list. Also boasting camel / black colors, the S6 is powered by an Intel Core Duo L2300 / L2400 processor, sports an 11.1-inch WXGA display, 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth, S-Video out, five USB 2.0 inputs, and an ExpressCard slot to boot. The mightier W6 loses the pink shade, but gains options for Intel's T5500 / T5600 / T7200 Core 2 Duo processors, and a 13.3-inch WXGA screen. While there's no word on pricing or availability, we expect these tastefully decorated machines to demand a stiff premium when they hit stores. [Via Laptoping]
Asus R2H UMPC reviewed
After Asus "announced" the forthcoming availability of its R2H UMPC, and eventually gave us all the go-ahead to place our orders, we still had our reservations about the less-than-revolutionary platform. The crew over at OnlyUMPC subjected the R2H to its barrage of tests, and couldn't help but dub it "awesome" based on "first impressions alone." As we expected, reviewers were thrilled with the overall design, control layout, and expansive 7-inch screen, but did find room to gripe about the meager 900MHz Intel Celeron processor and the bevy of pre-loaded applications that bogged the system to a crawl. Frankly, they felt the initial setup was about as responsive as your average "386," but removing a bit of the unnecessary software provided a zippier experience. Unfortunately, the UMPC's biggest dig rang true yet again on this unit, as the battery only delivered 2 hours, 12 minutes of usage with the bells and whistles in full effect, while switching into battery-saving mode mustered a barely adequate 3 hours, 26 minutes. Nevertheless, the "clean design" and impressive "bundle of hardware / software" landed the R2H four out of five golden stars, but we'd recommend a slightly different option if battery longevity is even of mild concern.[Via UMPC Buzz]
Apple has a 15.4-inch MacBook in the oven?
The word in Taiwan circles is that Foxconn (yeah, that Foxconn) has an order from Apple for some 15.4-inch MacBooks, which are due to ship in May 2007. Apparently all it takes to get Apple to stop their exclusive use of Asustek for MacBook orders is a few human rights violations and a couple of ensuing investigations. It seems like a 15.4-inch MacBook could put a significant dent in MacBook Pro sales, so hopefully Apple has something fancy up their sleeve to please the aluminum-lovers among us. In other news, Foxconn is also signed up for some PS3 production next February (though the article says February 2006, which seems unlikely), since it's pretty clear by now that Asustek isn't quite hacking it on that front.[Via TG Daily]
FCC spills beans on O2 Xda Graphite
If we were to play a game of word association and you said "Windows Mobile," we'd be likely to blurt out "HTC" in response. That appears to be just the kind of attitude ASUS is looking to adjust -- at least in Europe, anyway. After the VDA IV popped up via the FCC a few days back, its O2-branded sibling followed hot on its heels, bringing all that same 3G Windows Mobile Smartphone joy in a candybar form factor. Stand-out features include 128MB of Flash with 64MB of RAM (a lot of modern Pocket PCs get by with those kinds of numbers), a legit 3.5mm audio jack, front-facing cam for video calling, and of course, those UMTS data speeds. Hey ASUS, any chance you folks would mind investing in some 1700MHz radios?[Via CoolSmartPhone]
ASUS goes Hermes style with Mars II
If imitation is truly the sincerest form of flattery, HTC must be turning beet red right about now. The Mars II from ASUS follows the HTC Wizard / Hermes formula down to the letter, featuring that fabulous side-opening QWERTY keypad we'd now be lost without, an Intel Xscale PXA270 core making haste at 520MHz, 128MB of ROM, 64MB of RAM, UMTS, 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.0, 2-megapixel shooter, and a 2.8-inch QVGA display (why no love for the VGA?). As you may recall, we were able to correctly call all the specs out last month with the exception of the name and the ODM, which we'd heard would be HTC -- and given the Hermes-esque dimensions and feature list, who could blame us? Look for the Mars II to grace O2's networks before too long as the "Xda Zinc," but thanks to the old-skool tri-band GSM radio sans 850 support, we're going to be putting our import plans on hold.[Via phoneArena]
ASUS provides compatibility guarantee for draft-n products
Despite the disappointing speed and range improvements we've seen from draft-n products so far, there's no denying 802.11n is the future of WiFi, and that means consumers looking for a speed boost who join the draft-n bandwagon do so at their own peril, risking hundreds of dollars on a wireless router that could very well prove incompatible and obsolete in a year or so. Well, router manufacturers have to sell something while they wait for the WiFi Alliance to get off its butt and approve a draft of the 802.11n spec, and ASUS is taking the draft-n game to a new level by guaranteeing future compatibility with the final 802.11n spec "whether in the form of firmware or hardware updates." ASUS is covering their WL-500W and WL-100W routers, both powered by "Intensi-fi" tech and claiming speeds higher than 100Mbps. The upgrade program covers all units purchased before the end of '06, and will last for 3 months after the ratification of the final spec -- which should happen sometime this century.
Asustek R2H UMPC now available
We previously told you a couple weeks ago that Asustek had made its R2H UMPC official. Well now the R2H gets officially doubly real-deal official, given that DigiTimes reports that it's hit the streets for over $1,000. To recap, this little guy has a 7-inch screen, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR, 802.11a/b/g, fingerprint reader, a 900MHz Celeron M ULV, and can store up to 60GB worth of whatever it is that you so badly need to carry around with you. We're not going to lie, we can definitely say that as usual, Asus delivered one of the single best designs in this form factor we've yet seen.[Via TG Daily]
