Asus

Legal
December 22, 2011
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Hasbro sues Asus for naming its tablet the ‘Transformer Prime’

By on December 22, 2011 at 7:45 PM.

Hasbro sues Asus for naming its tablet the ‘Transformer Prime’

Toymaker Hasbro recently filed a lawsuit against Asus for naming its new convertible Android tablet the “Transformer Prime.” According to The Verge, Hasbro has a pending trademark for “Transformers Prime,” which it used in 2010 for an animated television series. The company also owns four other trademarks related to the “Transformers” name. Hasbro said in a statement that it filed the lawsuit to “aggressively protect its brands,” but it doesn’t appear that the company is seeking an injunction against the Asus Transformer Prime tablet just yet. Asus has 21 days to respond and it has not yet issued a statement on the matter. More →

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Rumor
December 13, 2011
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Notebook market may rebound as PC makers shift from tablets to ultrabooks

By on December 13, 2011 at 4:30 PM.

Notebook market may rebound as PC makers shift from tablets to ultrabooks

Are PC makers starting to give up on tablets? Manufacturers Asus and Acer are shifting focus to Intel-powered ultrabooks instead of tablets to improve gross margins, DigiTimes said on Tuesday. The site’s report suggests that the notebook market may soon begin to rebound after declining in 2011. Both firms are seemingly drawn to the wider margins achieved on sales of notebook computers, and are also gravitating away from developing low-cost netbooks. Asus and Acer aren’t alone; other reports have suggested that Dell and HP may also abandon the tablet market next year despite rumors both would launch Windows 8 tablets during the third quarter. In addition, Asus and Acer are eyeing opportunities in emerging markets such as China, Indonesia and India as opposed to the United States and Europe, where the firms typically spend the most effort trying to sell devices. Asus has previously denied reports that it might abandon Android tablets. More →

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Tablets
December 12, 2011
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ASUS Transformer Prime launch delayed indefinitely, report says [updated]

By on December 12, 2011 at 5:15 PM.

ASUS Transformer Prime launch delayed indefinitely, report says [updated]

ASUS has reportedly delayed the launch of its highly anticipated Transformer Prime convertible tablet. ASUS’s new tablet was expected to launch this week but Wi-Fi issues have seemingly set things back. ”The WiFi range on the TF201 did not meet our quality standards,” a spokesperson from ASUS Canada reportedly told Engadget in a statement. The spokesperson continued, saying that ASUS will not launch the slate until the wireless performance issues are fixed. The Transformer Prime will be among the first quad-core tablets to reach market when it finally hits store shelves, though ASUS did not indicate how long its solution for these wireless issues would take to implement. Pre-orders are still being taken for the Transformer Prime, which starts at $499.99.

UPDATE: ASUS has stated that the Transformer Prime is on schedule for release next week. More →

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Computers
December 9, 2011
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ASUS to debut Windows 8 ultrabook with swiveling touchscreen at Computex 2012

By on December 9, 2011 at 6:00 PM.

ASUS to debut Windows 8 ultrabook with swiveling touchscreen at Computex 2012

ASUS reportedly has plans to unveil a convertible ultrabook running Microsoft’s next-generation Windows 8 operating system at the annual Computex trade show in Taiwan next June. DigiTimes’s anonymous industry sources claim that the super-slim notebook computer will feature a swiveling touchscreen display, allowing the computer to be used like a standard laptop or like a tablet. No other details are available at this time. The report claims that ASUS’s new convertible ultrabook will launch in September alongside Windows 8, though Microsoft has not yet confirmed a launch timeframe for its new operating system. More →

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Tablets
December 1, 2011
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Quad-core Transformer Prime tablet launches December 12th, starts at $500

By on December 1, 2011 at 5:30 PM.

Quad-core Transformer Prime tablet launches December 12th, starts at $500

The long-awaited sequel to ASUS’s Eee Pad Transformer tablet finally has an official release date: December 12th. The Transformer Prime became available for pre-order last week and if the sentiment shared by our readers via email and comments on the site is any indication, this could be one of the most eagerly anticipated Android tablet launches to date. The convertible Android tablet features a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, Android 3.2 Honeycomb with an upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich due in the near future, a 10.1-inch display, 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera, a microHDMI-out port and SD card support. A 32GB model is available for $499.99 and 64GB of storage will cost $599.99, and while December 12th marks the start of the tablet’s availability online, it won’t reach retailers’ shelves until the 19th. ASUS’s promotional video follows below. More →

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General
November 30, 2011
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More than 50 ultrabooks expected to debut during CES

By on November 30, 2011 at 7:15 AM.

More than 50 ultrabooks expected to debut during CES

Last year more than 100 tablets were unveiled during the Consumer Electronics Show and this year it appears the focus could shift to Intel-powered ultrabooks. Demand for ultrabooks — devices defined as powerful thin and light notebooks with long-lasting battery life — is expected to begin to heat up following the holidays and January’s Consumer Electronics Show. More than 50 new ultrabook models will be displayed during CES and the category is expected to be one of the hottest consumer electronic segments on the show floor, Taiwan Economic News said Tuesday, citing insights from a show organizer. Intel, which invested $300 million in the utltrabook platform, also said that there will be more than 60 different ultrabook models available during 2012, and the chip maker’s upcoming Ivy Bridge processors will power many of them. Initial reports suggested that ultrabooks are off to a slow start, with just 50,000 units shipped so far from Acer, ASUS, Lenovo and Toshiba combined. Additionally, weak sales of the first models from Asus and Acer forced both firms to scale back production by as much as 40%, another report suggested. More →

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Tablets
November 28, 2011
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ASUS Transformer Prime said to launch on December 8th

By on November 28, 2011 at 10:15 AM.

ASUS Transformer Prime said to launch on December 8th

Android fans could have a big day coming up next week as three sought-after devices are rumored to be launching on December 8th. According to a recent report accompanied by what was claimed to be a screenshot of an internal memo, Verizon Wireless plans to launch both the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Motorola DROID 4 next Thursday. Now, according to online retailer Newegg, ASUS plans to launch its Eee Pad Transformer Prime convertible tablet on the same day. Currently available for pre-order, the Transformer Prime is set to be the first tablet to tout a quad-core Tegra 3 processor when it launches next month. Other spec highlights include a removable QWERTY keypad, Android 3.2 Honeycomb, a 10.1-inch display, 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera, a microHDMI-out port and SD card support. The tablet retails for $499.99 (32GB) or $599.99 (64GB) and it is available in gray or champagne. More →

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Tablets
November 23, 2011
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Quad-core ASUS Transformer Prime tablet now available for pre-order

By on November 23, 2011 at 12:05 PM.

Quad-core ASUS Transformer Prime tablet now available for pre-order

The highly anticipated sequel to ASUS’ convertible Android tablet, the Eee Pad Transformer, is now available for pre-order in North America. Set for release some time next month, the Transformer Prime features a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, Android 3.2 Honeycomb, a 10.1-inch display, 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera, a microHDMI-out port and SD card support. ASUS has also promised that an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t far off. The tablet will cost $499.99 for the 32GB model and $599.99 for the 64GB model, and it is available in gray or champagne. ASUS had trouble keeping the original Transformer on store shelves for quite some time after it was released, so pre-orders are definitely recommended for those who hope to snag a tablet out of the first batch to ship. More →

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Business
November 18, 2011
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Asus denies rumors that it may abandon Android tablets

By on November 18, 2011 at 5:45 PM.

Asus denies rumors that it may abandon Android tablets

Taiwan-based Asus has denied rumors that it is considering an exit from the tablet market next year. A recent report from industry watcher DigiTimes cited unnamed sources from within component suppliers in stating that several PC vendors such as HP, Dell and Asus might abandon tablets next year in light of the poor sales performance seen with most models. ”As usual, the rumors and reports from DigiTimes are incorrect,” Asus spokesman Gary Key told CNET on Friday. “ASUS is not exiting the Android Tablet business.” The Asus Eee Pad Transformer is among a handful of Android tablets that have been well received by consumers according to reports. Shipments of the convertible tablet were said to have surpassed 400,000 units per month during the summer, and the slate’s quad-core sequel is scheduled for release later this year. More →

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Business
November 17, 2011
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Tablet market to thin as failures drive PC vendors back to PCs

By on November 17, 2011 at 10:00 AM.

Tablet market to thin as failures drive PC vendors back to PCs

A number of recent entrants in the tablet space may make quick exits as their tablet offerings go largely unnoticed in a market seen to be dominated by the likes of Apple, Amazon and Barnes & Noble moving forward. A new report from DigiTimes on Thursday cites unnamed sources from within component suppliers in stating PC vendors such as HP, Acer, Asustek and Dell may abandon the tablet market next year. These companies have gained very little traction in the tablet space according to the report, as they lack competitive advantages. Read on for more. More →

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Computers
November 10, 2011
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Asus and Acer scale back Intel Ultrabook orders by 40%

By on November 10, 2011 at 11:15 PM.

Asus and Acer scale back Intel Ultrabook orders by 40%

Weak sales of the Acer S3 and Asus Zenbook series Ultrabooks have forced both Acer and Asus to scale back orders by 40%, DigiTimes reported on Thursday. The two companies are said to have slashed orders from between 250,000 and 300,000 units to between 150,000 and 180,000 units. The high-end Ultrabooks, which are priced around $1,000, are not faring well in a PC market that has seen decreased global demand. Sources said to be familiar with Acer’s shipment plans said the company is still confident in Ultrabooks as a whole, and that shipments were on a par with its original expectations. Reportedly, notebook manufacturers are waiting for Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system to ship in October, when demand is expected to increase. Intel introduced Ultrabooks in May, and has invested $300 million in the powerful thin and light products that it expects will compete directly with Apple’s MacBook Air. Intel hopes the new products will gain 40% of the global notebook market by the end of 2012.  More →

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Tablets
November 9, 2011
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Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime will land in early December with Tegra 3 for $500

By on November 9, 2011 at 11:30 PM.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime will land in early December with Tegra 3 for $500

Asus confirmed on a recent conference call that its Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet will be available in stores in early December. The device will be among the first on the market with NVIDIA’s brand new quad-core Tegra 3 chip. It measures just 8.3mm thick but Asus says it is capable of offering up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge. The convertible tablet is equipped with a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800-pixel display, an 8-megapixel camera, a 1.2-megapixel camera for video chat, a microSD card slot and a microHDMI port. Asus’ Eee Pad Transformer Prime will initially run Android 3.2 (Honeycomb), although the company said an over-the-air update will be issued shortly after launch with Ice Cream Sandwich in tow. The Eee Pad Transformer Prime will be available in 32GB and 64GB flavors for $399 and $499, respectively. Asus will also sell a $149 keyboard dock accessory that can turn the tablet into a netbook-style computer.  More →

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Tablets
October 11, 2011
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Quad-core Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 tablet may be set for November 7th launch

By on October 11, 2011 at 6:15 PM.

Quad-core Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 tablet may be set for November 7th launch

Asus’s followup to the popular Eee Pad Transformer tablet maybe be set for a launch early next month. The LambdaTek Component Shop currently lists the Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2, referred to as model number TF201-1I020A, for £537.85 including VAT. Other details on the retailer’s site are limited, though the Transformer 2 listing mentions a quad-core Tegra 3 processor from NVIDIA, 32GB of storage, 1GB of RAM, a 10.1-inch display and Android 3 Honeycomb. LambdaTek also lists an in-stock date of November 7th, suggesting we might finally see an official unveiling in the coming weeks. Asus CEO Jerry Shen reportedly said recently that the Eee Pad Transformer 2 will launch by year-end and will retail for $499, about 40% below the slate’s listed price on LambdaTek’s website. More →

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