Asus

Computers
April 29, 2013
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New Chromebook Models

2013 is shaping up to be the year of the Chromebook

By on April 29, 2013 at 6:40 PM.

2013 is shaping up to be the year of the Chromebook

A handful of companies are said to be preparing new Chromebook models that will launch later this year. According to a report from Digitimes, both Acer and ASUS are optimistic about the long-term prospects of Google’s Chromebooks and are working on low-priced computers that will debut in the second half of 2013. Acer is reportedly planning to target students with a new 11.6-inch model to be released in July, while new Chrome OS-powered computers are expected from ASUS, HP, Samsung and Lenovo later this year. Of note, ASUS never planned to enter the market but has apparently rethought its strategy. Google is also said to be working with ASUS, Acer, HP and Samsung on so-called “Androidbooks” that could debut in the near future.

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Computers
March 7, 2013
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ASUS Market Share CEO

ASUS CEO sets goal of topping touchscreen notebook and tablet market

By on March 7, 2013 at 8:40 PM.

ASUS CEO sets goal of topping touchscreen notebook and tablet market

The CEO of ASUS (2357) has set an ambitious goal for his company: To become the largest vendor for touchscreen notebooks, and the second-largest for all notebooks and tablets in 2013. Digitimes reports that CEO Jerry Shen set the goal at a recent meeting with investors, adding that the company also plans to launch new smartphones in August. In the most recent quarter, ASUS generated a majority of its profit from sales of its notebook computers, which totaled 59% of revenue, followed by the success of its Transformer line of tablets. The company recently announced two new hybrid devices, the PadFone and FonePad, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and look to increase its smartphone market share around the world.

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mobile
February 26, 2013
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Preview
Asus Fonepad Hands-on

Asus Fonepad preview: Decent tablet, terrible phone

By on February 26, 2013 at 2:00 PM.

Asus Fonepad preview: Decent tablet, terrible phone

Why? Seriously, Asus (2357). Why? This question bears asking, as going hands-on with Asus’ new Fonepad truly requires some big hands. Single-handed operation is a thing of the past. Remember when diminutive phones were the latest trend? When iPod grew smaller and smaller and RAZRs got thinner and thinner? Wave goodbye, dear friends. That age is long gone. More →

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mobile
February 26, 2013
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Preview
ASUS Padfone Infinity Hands On

Asus PadFone Infinity preview: You’ve gone too far this time, Asus

By on February 26, 2013 at 8:45 AM.

Asus PadFone Infinity preview: You’ve gone too far this time, Asus

I admit it: I’m normally a sucker for hybrid devices that cleverly combine form factors or integrate functionality between smartphones, laptops and tablets. I really liked how Microsoft (MSFT) implemented the Surface Touch Cover, for instance, and I was also a fan of Motorola’s Webtop software that let you plug your smartphone into a laptop dock. There’s just one problem with many these hybrids, however: There’s no evidence that most consumers want to buy them even if they’re well implemented, as Motorola discontinued the Webtop platform last fall and Microsoft has reportedly sold well under 1 million Surface RT tablets. More →

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Tablets
February 19, 2013
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Nexus 7 Sales

Nexus 7 sales soared in 2012, but still fell short of iPad mini and Kindle Fire

By on February 19, 2013 at 5:50 PM.

Nexus 7 sales soared in 2012, but still fell short of iPad mini and Kindle Fire

Google (GOOG) doesn’t reveal sales figures for its Nexus smartphones and tablets, however that hasn’t stopped people from speculating and trying to figure out just how many devices the company has sold. Mobile industry analyst Benedict Evans crunched numbers from ASUS (2357), the manufacturer of the Nexus 7, and found that Google likely sold between 4.5 million to 4.6 million units of its flagship 7-inch tablet. The estimates were derived using overall tablet sales reported by ASUS and various statements from the company’s CEO. While sales of nearly 5 million units is respectable, it falls significantly short of the competition. Evans estimates that despite being released in November, Apple (AAPL) may have sold around 10 million iPad mini tablets and Amazon’s (AMZN) new Kindle Fire likely “outsold the Nexus 7 as well.”

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Tablets
February 4, 2013
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ASUS MeMo Pad Specs

Asus to undercut Google with new 7-inch Android tablet

By on February 4, 2013 at 2:28 PM.

Asus to undercut Google with new 7-inch Android tablet

It has been long rumored that ASUS (2357) was working on a new low-end Android tablet, and earlier reports were confirmed on Monday when Asus announced its new 7-inch MeMo Pad. The device looks nearly identical to the Nexus 7 Asus launched with Google (GOOG) but will likely cost 25% less than Google’s entry-level slate. The MeMo Pad is equipped with a 7-inch 1024 x 600 pixel resolution display, a 1GHz single-core VIA WM8950 processor, 8GB or 16GB of internal storage, 1GB of RAM, a 1-megapixel front-facing camera and Android 4.1. Unlike the Nexus 7, the MeMo Pad also includes a microSD slot for additional storage. ASUS did not reveal pricing or availability although it has been widely reported that the MeMo Pad will be offered for $149.

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mobile
January 17, 2013
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ASUS Windows Phone 8

ASUS in talks with Microsoft to develop a Windows Phone 8 smartphone

By on January 17, 2013 at 9:16 PM.

ASUS in talks with Microsoft to develop a Windows Phone 8 smartphone

The PC industry is in shambles and manufacturers have begun to explore new options to increase revenue. According to The Wall Street Journal, ASUS (2357) is in talks with Microsoft (MSFT) on a licensing deal to offer Windows Phone 8 device. This makes sense for ASUS since smartphone shipments increased by nearly 50% in 2012, compared to a mere 3.2% growth in computer shipments, and the company already has experience in the mobile world after developing a variety of Android tablets. More →

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Tablets
November 30, 2012
by
Rumor
Google Nexus 7 Global Shipments

Specs surface for alleged low-end $99 Nexus 7 tablet

By on November 30, 2012 at 4:44 PM.

Specs surface for alleged low-end $99 Nexus 7 tablet

It’s been rumored for a while that Google (GOOG) and ASUS (2357) are working on a $99 Nexus tablet. Although benchmarks can easily be faked, a new GLBenchmark for a tablet identified as only “ME172V” and reportedly built by ASUS has popped up with specs well below those of the Nexus 7. According to the GLBenchmark, the entry-level Nexus 7 could have a 7-inch display with a 1024 x 600 pixel resolution display, 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, a 4270mAh battery and Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. Interestingly enough, the purported low-end Nexus 7 also has a micro SD card slot, which the original Nexus 7 does not. It’s possible that the entry-level tablet could be an entirely new Nexus product, or even not a Nexus-branded tablet at all. In September, ASUS denied it was working on an entry-level Nexus 7 for Google.

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Computers
November 28, 2012
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Asus CFO Windows 8

Windows 8 demand is ‘not that good right now’ according to Asus exec

By on November 28, 2012 at 3:05 PM.

Windows 8 demand is ‘not that good right now’ according to Asus exec

Microsoft (MSFT) may have sold an impressive 40 million Windows 8 licenses so far, but that doesn’t mean OEMs are seeing the same strong demand for new computers and tablets. The Wall Street Journal reports that Asus CFO David Chang is less than pleased with how Windows 8 devices have sold so far and says that overall “demand for Windows 8 is not that good right now.” This doesn’t mean that Windows 8 is doomed, however: Daiwa analyst Christine Wang tells the Journal that she expected early demand for Windows 8 to be sluggish since early component costs have resulted in higher-than-optimal prices. Once OEMs get these costs under control in 2013, she says, demand for Windows 8 machines should ramp up.

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Tablets
November 9, 2012
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ASUS Nexus 7 Voucher

ASUS is now handing out vouchers to early Nexus 7 adopters in Europe

By on November 9, 2012 at 10:04 PM.

ASUS is now handing out vouchers to early Nexus 7 adopters in Europe

Google (GOOG) announced last month that it was discontinuing the 8GB model of its popular Nexus 7 tablet and reducing the price of the 16GB model by $50 to make room for a larger 32GB model. The Internet giant’s announcement didn’t sit well with early adopters who essentially felt duped. ASUS (2357), the tablet’s manufacturer, has now stepped in to make things right, at least for European buyers. For those who bought a Nexus 7 directly from ASUS or Google before the October 29th price drop, the Taiwanese manufacturer is offering customers a €25 voucher after they give a proof of purchase. The offer is available for all of Europe and runs through November 30th, while the voucher, according to The Verge, is valid through December 31st.

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mobile
October 16, 2012
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ASUS announces Padfone 2 with quad-core processor, 13-megapixel camera, LTE

By on October 16, 2012 at 5:37 PM.

ASUS announces Padfone 2 with quad-core processor, 13-megapixel camera, LTE

Asus Padfone 2 Release Date

ASUS (2357) made its Padfone 2 official on Tuesday. As the leaks suggested, the Padfone 2 is an all-around spec boost that includes a 4.7-inch Super IPS+ display (1280 x 720 resolution), quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB of RAM, up to 64GB of internal storage, 13-megapixel rear camera with f/2.4 aperture capable of 100 continuous full-resolution shots at six frames per second, 1.2-megapixel front camera, NFC, LTE connectivity and a 2140mAh battery. On the software side, the Padfone 2 feels a bit outdated running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but ASUS says it’ll be updated to Jelly Bean very soon.

More →

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mobile
October 15, 2012
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ASUS Padfone 2 images leak out ahead of October 16th announcement

By on October 15, 2012 at 11:31 PM.

ASUS Padfone 2 images leak out ahead of October 16th announcement

ASUS Padfone 2 Leak

ASUS (2353) isn’t giving up on the smartphone/tablet hybrid dream just yet. Ahead of its official October 16th announcement in Italy and Taiwan, the reliable Evleaks has dumped several images of ASUS’s Padfone 2 on  its Twitter account. From the looks of it, the Padfone 2′s tablet portion exchanges previous models’ rear door flap for a easy slide-in dock mechanism. The tablet dock also sports a tapered wedge design. Rumored specs for the Padfone 2 smartphone include a 4.7-inch display (1280x 720), 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 13-megapixel camera with LED flash, 2GB of RAM, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and LTE connectivity. Evleaks’ Padfone 2 images follow below. More →

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mobile
October 4, 2012
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Leaked ASUS Padfone 2 specs point to big hardware boosts across the board

By on October 4, 2012 at 11:20 PM.

Leaked ASUS Padfone 2 specs point to big hardware boosts across the board

Asus Padfone 2 Specs Leak

ASUS’s (2357) Padfone was an interesting hybrid that tried to bridge smartphones and tablets, but it failed to catch on due to an expensive price tag. Newly leaked specs from EEEPC.it suggest ASUS’s successor, the Padfone 2, will sport a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm processor, 2GB of RAM, a 4.7-inch display with a 1280 x 720 resolution, 13-megapixel rear camera, and a 2,140mAh battery. Other rumored specs include GSM 1900/850 MHz, WCDMA 2100 MHz and NFC. ASUS sent out invitations to the media indicating it will announce the Padfone 2 on October 16th in Milan, Italy and Taipei, Taiwan. For ASUS’s sake, we hope it has managed to lower the price. More →

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