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Zotac cut battery life to make its VR backpack smaller
PC virtual reality means that you are always tethered to a desktop, limiting your motion and how much you can suspend your disbelief. Companies like Zotac, HP and MSI thought the solution was to put the PC in a backpack, the only limit being the life of the batteries you could carry with you. But all three were heavy and clumsy, with an understandably short lifespan. Two of those issues Zotac is hoping to remedy with its VR GO 2.0, the third? Not so much.
The rise of 'Fortnite' means gaming phones might make sense
When ASUS announced the ROG Phone this week, I thought it was ridiculous. A gaming smartphone with a vapor-chamber cooling system? An external fan just in case the phone runs extra hot? As my colleague Dan Cooper said to me following the announcement, how far do you go before you give up and just buy a Switch? But the more I learned about the phone, the more I became enthralled by it. I realized that the very fact that it was so over-the-top is what made it weirdly appealing, especially to an ever-growing niche of hardcore mobile gamers. As strange as it may be, the ROG phone could be the latest sign that gaming phones are finally finding their audience.
Watch Intel's Computex keynote in under nine minutes
Intel had a surprising amount of news in store for Computex. The chip giant announced the special edition 8086K processor, which is its first desktop chip to reach 5GHz boost speed. It also formed a new partnership with Sprint to sell 5G PCs next year, and revealed new technology for low power LCD displays. Giving us a glimpse of what's ahead, we saw a preview of Lenovo's Yoga Book 2, and a demo of Intel's 28-core 5GHz CPU (which it plans to release by the end of the year). Click here to catch up on all the latest news from Computex 2018!
How the new ZenBook Pro compares to the MacBook Pro
With its thin build, UHD screen and new ScreenPad, ASUS' latest ZenBook Pro is firmly aimed at creative professionals. Of course, it'll have to contend with Apple's own Pro machine and its contextually adaptive TouchBar. While your ultimate buying decision may lie in whether you'd prefer the secondary display replace either your function keys or touchpad, it's worth taking a look at the table below to see what each machine packs on the inside — especially with this year's WWDC not bringing us anything in terms of updated hardware.
The trackpad-touchscreen laptop is back, but I'm not sure why
ASUS' new ZenBook Pro has launched with one big new standout feature: a touchscreen in place of the traditional laptop trackpad. The ScreenPad uses a Windows Precision Touchpad floating over a 5.5-inch FHD IPS display. These two technologies mean that people can both push their cursor around and interact with their laptops in a whole new way.
ASUS’ new ZenBook S is thin, light and rugged
ASUS has announced the ZenBook S (UX391), a 13.3-inch ultraportable that is designed to be tougher than your average laptop. Built to military specifications, the company claims that the S has proved its mettle in a series of endurance tests in tough conditions. But, unlike most rugged devices, the ZenBook S is light and thin enough to make you think it's a delicate piece of gear.
ASUS stuffed a screen into the ZenBook Pro 15's touchpad
Remember Razer's Switchblade UI? Remember Windows SideShow? If you ever dreamt of a computer with its own secondary display, then ASUS' New ZenBook Pro is the device for you. In place of a traditional touchpad, the company is adding the ScreenPad, a 5.5-inch touchscreen that can even run its own apps. That's the headline feature, at least, of the company's latest flagship laptop aimed at creative professionals.
What to expect at Computex 2018
Computex marks the midpoint of the technology calendar, an oasis of new hardware in an otherwise barren summer. In the first week of June, Taipei plays host to PC makers and startups showing off what they think is the next big thing. Just before team Engadget sets off to sample everything the show has to offer, here's what we're expecting to see.
Computex was a reminder that the age of the eSIM is upon us
Nestled inside your cellphone is a teensy sliver of plastic you almost certainly never think about. That's your SIM card -- the bit that basically stores your phone's identity and passes it along to whatever wireless carrier network you pay for. It's absolutely crucial to the way your phone operates, but wireless carriers and network companies have been plotting its demise for years. As far as they're all concerned, the future belongs to what's called an eSIM -- short for "embedded SIM" -- woven directly into the silicon fabric of a device's modem. Now, thanks to some crucial announcements made at Computex, we're getting a better sense of just how pervasive these things are going to be.
The Eve V came from nowhere to challenge the Surface Pro
The Eve V convertible has become something of a media darling lately, mostly because it claims to be the first PC to be developed by consumers, not a massive corporation. The idea of the populist PC was intriguing enough that Microsoft and Intel both worked with Eve to make the V happen, but c'mon -- we've seen countless, less ambitious projects fail after building loads of hype. (Especially on Indiegogo, where Eve raised over $1.4 million last year.) After spending a little time with the V at Computex, though, the hype is starting to seem warranted.
VR arcades need to be social to succeed
Viveland, HTC's VR arcade, opened in Taipei eight months ago, with the Taiwanese company calling it the "world's first premium VR arcade." It has three jobs: make money, sell people on VR and serve as a testbed for future arcades that HTC plans to build around the globe. Since Engadget was in Taipei for Computex, it made sense to take the short cab ride across town to sample its charms. Now that I've seen Viveland and experienced what it has to offer, it's clear what these facilities need in order to succeed. High-end PCs and VR headsets are important, sure, but it's the social experience that will determine Viveland's success.
ASUS' Tango-powered ZenFone AR will hit the US in July
We already knew from Google I/O earlier this month that ASUS' ZenFone AR, the second-ever Tango phone (and the first to also support Daydream), was getting close to its official launch, and that it's coming to the US as a Verizon exclusive this summer. Thankfully, we now know when people will actually be able to buy one. Right after ASUS' pre-Computex keynote today, I sat down with CEO Jerry Shen who revealed that this device will finally be launching in Taiwan in mid-June, followed by a US launch as soon as late June or early July.
What to expect at Computex 2017
We're pretty much halfway through the year, which means it's Computex time. As usual, you'll find a handful of us running around the Taipei show floors next week, where we'll be getting our hands dirty with the latest PC products and components. Last year was relatively fruitful, thanks to what was then a recent VR explosion. Several PC brands introduced high-end GPUs or affordable ones capable of running VR. Even Intel surprised its hardcore users with its first 10-core desktop CPU. ASUS topped it all off with Zenbo -- an adorable $600 home robot that went on sale in Taiwan earlier this year. This year, however, is bound to be quieter. For one, Microsoft already stole some of Computex's thunder with its own events earlier this month, so we're not expecting anything major from it next week. Intriguingly, HTC Vive has no official presence at Computex this year, which means less VR. Still, based on recent leaks and launches, we have at least a rough idea of what to expect.
Computex highlighted VR's growing pains
This is the year of virtual reality. In 2016, consumer versions of three major VR headsets -- the Oculus Rift, HTC's Vive and the PlayStation VR -- have or are about to hit store shelves, while smartphone-based models like the Gear VR are growing in popularity. But even as VR gains momentum, it's still an enigma for most people. This was never more apparent than in the halls of this year's Computex in Taipei. VR was front and center, but instead of traditional game demos, we saw examples of curious and niche applications that suggest the use case for VR is still evolving.
ASUS' Zenbo proves our robot butler dreams remain just that
Another robot wants to join your family. Announced earlier this week, ASUS' Zenbo is aimed at providing "assistance, entertainment and companionship." Like numerous home robots that have (literally) rolled out before Zenbo, it involves voice-activated commands, cameras, an internet connection and a touchscreen. It can't wash your clothes or clear the table and you still need separate robots to vacuum your house, or get you from A to B. ASUS says Zenbo can help with cooking, but that just means it can read out recipes. It's not chopping onions for you -- it doesn't even have arms. Let's take a look at the promo video.
MSI's Backpack PC is an imperfect solution to VR wires
One of the problems with the current crop of non-smartphone VR headsets is that they need to be connected to PCs via thick, heavy cables. These might hamper your movements when you're busy playing a game, or worse, you could trip over an errant wire and fall face flat on the floor. Well, a few companies have come up with an interesting solution: VR backpacks that carry a full-fledged PC, enabling you to move around unencumbered. MSI's version is called the Backpack PC. Since it was on display here at Computex 2016, so I took a few minutes to try it out for myself.
A combination standing desk / PC is the ultimate all-in-one
Standing desks are the latest trend in office furniture and for good reason; sitting for hours a day can be pretty bad for your health. Lian Li, a case manufacturer that has built PCs into desks in the past, has taken that idea and incorporated into the DK-04, a PC chassis / desk combo that can be lowered and raised for both sitting and standing positions.
Computex's most excessive PC mod is a cotton candy machine
Asia's biggest tech show regularly delivers on the PC case mods. If they're not labors of love courtesy of international case-modders, then it's a company producing the case mods itself. MSI possibly went too far commissioning this blood sugar-baiting monstrosity. PC modder Mike Petereyns was responsible for the MSI "Cotton Candy," made to coincide with the company's 30th anniversary, pairing the state fair diabetes trap with the PC producers' own GFX (GTX780Ti), camouflage motherboard and white liquid cooling system. Oh and someone was making cotton candy for everyone. Which always helps draw a crowd. Elsewhere,there was a vibranium-tinged Marvel tribute. Have a look at that in the gallery below.
VR rowing turns a workout into a vacation
Playing VR games can be surprisingly good exercise -- ducking your head behind artificial barriers or waving your arms around to shoot enemy robots can work up a sweat. But what if you wanted a genuine workout? Well, VR fitness appears to be a rising trend, with several applications designed to alleviate the tedium of indoor gyms. Here at Computex, I tried out yet another VR fitness apparatus that had me rowing through a tropical oasis while burning calories at the same time.
Plug this dongle into your Android phone and it records 3D video
The latest Android phones continue to cram more camera tricks up their unibody sleeves, but what about your current smartphone that's barely a year old? That might be where the Eye-Plug comes in. Hidden inside a humble stand deep within Computex here in Taipei, the USB-C accessory plugs into your (currently Android-only) smartphone, adding another camera sensor to your phone for front- and rear-facing dual camera frivolity. (That's where you need that handy reversible connection.) I tested out a prototype, with full production set to begin later this year. 3D selfie videos could be a horrifying reality.
