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Ricoh nails Quanta and Asustek for patent infringement
Looks like Ricoh is the latest firm with the need to flex its legal muscles a bit, in this case getting litigious with Quanta Storage and Asustek over four of its supposedly-violated patents relating to CD-RW and DVD+RW technologies. The legal proceedings were recently filed at a US District Court in Wisconsin, although Quanta and Asustek both apparently refused to make an assessment of the case -- saying they hadn't yet received notification of the lawsuit (ever hear of FedEx, Ricoh?) -- and have also refused to negotiate at all before the case reaches court. For its part, Ricoh is looking for royalties dating back to 2004, when it stopped producing optical disc drives altogether. But don't worry, Q and A, you can at least take some consolation in the fact that you're in pretty good company when it comes to alleged patent infringement.[Via TG Daily]
Asus unleashes Core 2 Duo F2, V1 and R1F portables
The fine folks at Asus are dropping three new portable series to serve professionals with Core 2 Duo speeds and snazzy design. For starters we have the V1 widescreen laptop, with a 15.4-inch display and the full range of Core 2 Duo processors, from the 1.67GHz T5500 to the 2.33GHz T7600. Graphics are provided by ATI's Mobility Radeon X1600, with 256 or 512MB of RAM. Hard drives range from 80 to 120GB, with a dual HDD option, and the V1 features gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 for connectivity. There's also an ExpressCard slot, fingerprint reader, S/PDIF audio and a card reader to round out the 0.98-inch thick, 6 pound laptop. The F2 series is only slightly more modest, with processors from Core Solo all the way to the Core 2 Duo T7400, and a 15-inch XGA or SXGA+ display. There's no digital audio, but the F2 does have TV-out and an optional 1.3 megapixel webcam. Graphics are a Radeon X1400 card running 128MB or 512MB of memory, and specs are otherwise similar to the V1. The R1F Tablet PC keeps the trend going, keeping pace with its siblings on specs for the most part, but featuring a 13.3-inch WXGA LCD and most likely integrated Intel graphics. There's no word on price or availability for any of these models, but we're liking where Asus is headed with 'em so far.[Via Laptoping]
Asustek busts out new ASmobile laptop brand
If you weren't quite following along with the whole Asus/Asustek dual-identity thing, this latest news from Asustek might really throw you for a loop, so try and keep up. Asustek is developing a new brand, titled "ASmobile," to denote a new line of "open architecture" laptops. ASmobile computers will be aimed at DIY types and desktop replacers, and will be built to accommodate off-the-shelf parts while featuring supposedly "light and slim design." Asus is planning on bypassing budget buyers with these models, and instead hopes to milk cash from their brand-loyal enthusiast base, with plans to ship 100,000-200,000 of the laptops this year. So, yeah, this whole brand thing might not be so confusing after all, but it's not like we're going to let something silly like being reasonable stand in the way of a bit of Friday morning drama.[Via Laptoping]
ASUS P525 wins FCC approval: US release possible?
We know durn well that an FCC nod means absolutely nothing for a handset's chances of stateside release, but doesn't this seem like a no-brainer for ASUS? The quad-band P525 fills a niche that no other manufacturer has in the States, offering the versatility advantage of Pocket PC Phone Edition with the usability advantage of a traditional keypad. Granted, the device lacks EDGE or any form of 3G, but built-in WiFi makes the situation (arguably) bearable. Ah well, wishful thinking; we're sure we'll this thing'll ultimately be destined for import shops at prices that leave only ASUS fanboys' mouths salivating.
Asustek and Gigabyte hold hands for joint motherboard venture
Apparently the world of motherboard manufacturing is a whole lot more political than you'd guess, and this new joint venture between motherboard giant Asustek and its smaller competitor Gigabyte has more twists and turns in it than an episode of The West Wing. They're going halvsies on a new company to produce lower-end motherboards in competition with rising star Hon Hai, which recently shot to number 2 in the motherboard world. The NT$8 billion venture ($244 million USD) is simultaneously an effort by Asustek to drop a competitor (Gigabyte) and a method of cost savings for Gigabyte, since production will likely be outsourced to Asustek. Gigabyte's motherboard and graphics card biz will be wholly swallowed by the new venture, and they'll hold 51 percent of the company, while concentrating on phones and other such devices with their Gigabyte brand. There, confused yet?[Via The Inquirer]
IBM says Cell processor coming along fine
Remember a while back when we reported that cell processors weren't being produced very satisfactorily? Well, according to an article at the Inquirer, IBM executives are now claiming cell processor yields are on or above their targeted average yield. Good thing, too. No one wants to send their newly bought PS3 back to the manufacturer for repairs or end up with a defective system. Happens to every system (red circle of death (360), disc read error (PS2)) except GameCube, really. Has anyone had trouble with their 'Cube? ...Does anyone have a 'Cube? Why not? It's a great non-online party system. Nothing beats a round of Super Smash Bros. Melee.Getting back on track, IBM released statements that translated somewhere along the line as "yields for a large, complex part like the Cell are expected to be low at the start of production and improve steadily thereafter". So the bad yield rumor reported earlier was indeed true and accurate, but not unexpected by IBM. We may want to try to steer clear from the Asustek manufactured PS3's though, since they have connections with the cell processors with lower yields. Might be difficult, with 4 million units on their way to Sony. Still, Sony has said they only use the highest yield processors created, so perhaps the junky ones are in a landfill, next to the E.T. game for the Atari 2600.
ASUS intros 2-megapixel candybar with autofocus
After adding a slider and flip to its stable of autofocus camera phones, ASUS is turning its attention to the candybar form factor, showing the V80 last week. Other than the autofocus 2-megapixel shooter with macro, there's not much to write home about -- though the FM recorder is kinda nifty. Other features include a QR code reader, Bluetooth 1.2, 220 x 176 display, and EDGEless Class 10 GPRS. ASUS is making a big deal about the V80's 16mm thickness, but we're not entirely sure why, considering that Samsung's 9.9mm D830 alleges autofocus capability just the same. No word on availability or pricing, but thanks to quadband GSM, we might just keep an eye out for this sucker stateside.
Taiwanese PS3 producer shakes fist at media
Recently, Next-Gen.biz wrote up a snippit relating to the Taiwanese manufacturer, Asustek, who are major producers of the Playstation 3. Relating to the leaked reports of completed PS3 units being shipped to Sony, Asustek gave a mighty wag of its finger to the media for leaking such information. The report may damage their clients, they say. But, how would the report of shipping completed units before deadline be damaging? Perhaps other clients were supposed to have projects completed first but Sony got dibs? Asustek refused to comment on the actual shipping of units. If they did start shipping retail units to Sony, who would want to grab one right now? Not much to do with it... perhaps display it on a shelf, play a Blu-Ray movie or two, or test its endurance. Perhaps Asustek's shipped units are for use at the Tokyo Game Show, since no actual numbers were released, it could have been a handful.
PlayStation 3 delay meme part IX: are the delays over?
About the last thing Sony wants at this point is to see yet another disappointed PlayStation 3 delay meme post here on Engadget, which is why it's heartening to hear -- however uncorroborated -- that Asustek (Sony's supposed component partner in manufacturing PlayStation 3 motherboards) is said to be shipping 200,000 units per month now, and is ramping up to as many as 2m in October in preparations for that November launch. We have to voice a little skepticism though. No, not about the source of the information, but the causes of the delays. Despite Sony's variety of problems developing the PS3, it was never the Cell or the console's innards that seems primarily responsible for the delays to date; the finger we must point, dear readers, is to that Blu-ray drive, which has plagued product after product. Still, we have no way of proving the validity of the information to begin with, nor figures on these units or Asustek's supposed ramp-up schedule, so anyone taking heed is apparently trusting the reportage of Chinese newspaper Commercial Times on this one.[Thanks, CoreyTheGent]
PS3 begins production in Taiwan
According to Chinese-language outlets Apple Daily and Commercial Times, Taiwanese manufacturer Asustek Computer began shipping PlayStation 3 consoles in "small volume" in early July. The papers report Asustek recieved 200,000 component sets in June, inferring Asus could have produced as many as 200,000 consoles. As production ramps up, additional manufacturers (FoxConn) will be added to receive the more than one million component sets suppliers hope to deliver per month in September and October.Sony plans to deliver 2mln PS3 consoles during the "launch window," 4mln by the end of 2006, and 6mln by March '07. In comparison, Microsoft had hoped to sell 10mln Xbox 360 consoles within the first 12 to 16 months giving them a 2.5x larger install base by the beginning of next year. Sony's numbers are looking good if they can meet the torrent of demand this holiday.[Thanks to everyone for the tips; via X-bit Labs]
Asustek PW201 20-inch widescreen display with 1.3 megapixel webcam
Just in case you're looking to do some high-res video conferencing while working, Asustek has rolled out a 20-inch LCD display with built-in 1.3 megapixel webcam. The rest of the specs for the display are respectable, if not inspiring: 1680x1050 resolution; 800:1 contrast ratio; all the usual inputs, including DVI and component video. We just hope the included software lets us adjust the webcam's resolution downward, for those times we don't want our callers to see what we really look like. [Via TG Daily]
MacBooks said to get Core Duo, iSight
Information (or totally baseless and unfounded rumors, depending on how you look at it) is starting to flow about Apple's upcoming consumer laptops, which we previously learned would sport 13.3-inch displays and would be manufactured for Apple by Taiwan's Asustek. According to AppleInsider, the new MacBooks (and, yes, it looks like that will almost certainly be the name, as Apple continues to consolidate all of its computers under the "Mac" brand) will indeed have that 13.3-inch widescreen display, along with Core Duo processors running at 1.67 GHz or higher. That should be good news to those who speculated that, like the entry-level Mac mini, the MacBooks would be limited to Core Solo chips. Other specs are expected to include a built-in iSight camera, magnetic latch and MagSafe power adapter. AppleInsider also says that the computers are due to be announced sooner than the June timeframe claimed in earlier rumors. One thing we can confirm is that the new laptops won't include Lenovo's patented armor and hoverjets, so be sure to keep them away from Hummers. ("MacBook" design by William W from our WWJD 3 contest.)
Apple has 13.3-inch MacBooks on the way?
It's always hard to judge these leaks from Apple suppliers, but according to AFX news, Taiwan's Asustek Computer has supposedly just won a bid for an initial run of around 1.2 million "iBook" computers with Intel processors and 13.3-inch LCDs. We've been operating under the assumption that Apple will call their new consumer line of laptops MacBook, as opposed to the pro line of MacBook Pro. Maybe we just spend too much time thinking about Apple's naming schemes, and this probably doesn't change anything. We should hopefully know for sure before long, though, since it is claimed that Apple will start selling these new laptops in June. (Image by William W from our WWJD 3 contest.)
