Those of you who’ve had the chance of spending at least a bit of time with an ultrabook will admit to the fact that its InstantOn feature can be listed among the major selling points of this type of portable system, and it would seem that ASUS is keen on spreading this technology to its other offerings as well.
Microsoft’s decision to bring its Kinect motion-sensing technology to PCs is no secret (especially since hackers/developers already successfully ported it), but it seems that the company might actually have something even more ambitious in mind, namely bringing the Kinect to portable systems as well.
So, a recent leak points out the fact that the Kinect, originally developed for Microsoft’s own Xbox 360 gaming console, is now heading to the notebook world, perhaps ushering in a whole new evolutionary era.
What we’re apparently talking about here are ASUS netbooks running the Windows 8 operating system that, instead of the usual webcam, come equipped with a couple of motion sensors reminiscent of the Kinect. Plus, they also featured a couple of LEDs placed right underneath the display, although there’s still no info on their specific purpose.
Plus, a Microsoft official has allegedly confirmed that, in fact, the Windows 8 netbooks are powered by Kinect technology, rather than ASUS‘ own Wavi xtion motion sensing tech.
Naturally, the range of applications for the Kinect technologies is quite extensive, and although gaming might also be involved, on more advanced models, we’re guessing that basic and multimedia controls will be the first to become gesture-based, in the near future.
ASUS has presented quite a large number of new products over the past couple of weeks (including at CES 2012), and now, it seems that the Taiwan-based outfit has yet another one ready for us, namely their Eee PC R051BX netbook.
For the time being, it seems that this 10.1-inch netbook has only become available on Amazon’s German branch, but since it’s available in stock there, it’s likely to hit other markets as well.
The new ASUS Eee PC R051BX netbook is built around the 1.0GHz AMD C-60 CPU, accompanied by 1GB of DDR3 RAM and a 320GB HDD unit.
Since the C-60 APU powering the new ASUS Eee PC R051BX netbook is powerful enough to support 1080p output, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that a HDMI interface has also been provided.
And since we’ve reached the topic of connectivity options, we’ll also have to mention that the device comes equipped with 2 USB 2.0 ports, VGA out, audio jacks, SD card reader and an Ethernet port.
Additionally, it’s also important to mention that the ASUS Eee PC R051BX netbook is powered by a 2200mAH three-cell battery that should last for around 4-5 hours. Pricing has been set at around 260 Euro.
Beside the info provided thus far, we’ve also come across a video of the device in action (not exactly tip-top framing and quality, but it will do for a leak).
Beside all of the tablets Asus brought forth at CES 2012, the Taiwan-based company also showcased its latest additions to the netbook segment, namely the brand new Eee PC Flare 1025C, 1025CE and X101CH models.
Each netbook targets a fairly different market segment, the first we’ll tackle being the top-range 10.1-inch 1025CE, set to be available in several color options, including gray, blue, red, pink or black, all for around 320 US dollars.
The device is powered by an 1.86GHz Atom N2800 dual-core CPU and also sports 1GB of DDR3-1333 memory, a 5,400RPM hard drive, built-in Altec Lansing stereo speakers and plenty of some rather standard connectivity options. Additionally, it also offers a 56WHr battery, apparently capable of functioning for up to 10 hours on a single charge.
Next in line comes the $299, 1025C, sporting a slightly inferior processor, namely the 1.6GHz Atom N2600 dual-core unit, followed by the 1225B model, built on an AMD platform (1.6GHz AMD E-450 dual-core chip).
The 1225B also sports two USB 3.0 ports, 2GB of DDR3-1333 Mhz RAM memory, WiFi, a 0.3 megapixel webcam, Bluetooth 3.0 and a 2-in-1 media reader.
Last, but certainly not least, comes the entry-level $269 Eee PC X101CH, a 10.1-inch model featuring built-in graphics and most of the standard ports.
All in all, Asus presented a pretty good netbook assortment on this occasion, and we’re eagerly looking forward to testing at least a couple of these “petite bad boys” for ourselves.
Since Intel decided to officially unveil its latest-generation Atom CPUs, the Cedar Trail family, right before the end of 2011, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that, as CES 2012 approaches, more and more products based on this platform are starting to make their way into the spotlight, one of the latest being the new Asus Eee PC Flare series of netbooks, set to be revealed at CES 2012.
According to NotebookItalia, who’ve managed to get some interesting info on the topic, it seems that the new Flare series is meant to replace the Taiwanese company’s elegant Seashell series. For this reason, it features a redesigned exterior, some of the most noteworthy features including a new chiclet keyboard with spaced keys, as well as a set of smaller, less intrusive hinges.
In terms of hardware, the new Eee PC Flare series will sport not only the aforementioned Intel Atom Cedar Trail processors, but also a couple of AMD variants, plus plenty of connectivity options on the side. Of course, it’s still a bit too early to say what’s what, but we’re eagerly looking forward to CES 2012 in order to see these products get an official launch.
Asus is on a roll this year and CeBIT 2011 seems to be the perfect place to launch new products. This time we are talking about the EEE PC 1015PN – a netbook with muscles.
Netbooks used to be underpowerd, small and generally office focused products. Times have changed and now we get to see remarkable performances and specifications on a netbook device. As I’m sure you remember, Asus started it all with the first EEE PC and it has come a long way since we get to see dual core processors in one of the models.
This time we are talking about the EEE PC 1015PN, a netbook unveiled at CeBIT 2011. The main attraction of this unit is the Intel Atom N570 1.6GHz dual-core processor. It may be a processor designed to save as much energy as possible but it can handle more tasks and that’s a good thing for a customer who needs to multitask. Speaking of multitasking we have to mention the 2GB DDR3 memory which can be equipped on this unit and the 250GB storage unit. The screen will satisfy outdoor customers since it’s anti-glare and is big enough (10.1-inch) for general tasks that only require 1024×600 pixels.
The 6-cell battery is supposed to be really good but it will surely won’t do great with the WiFi and Bluetooth 3.0 turned on. The OS of choice is Windows 7 Home Premium and this completes a very well packed little computer that will surely rest in your backpack without you noticing it and will help you whenever you need to work or watch a movie on the go.
Ever wondered what you get when buying an overpriced product? Asus clears that up with an official unboxing.
ASUS Eee Slate EP121
It’s been a long time since Computex 2010 and the Eee EP121 kept us waiting on our toes. Asus finally launched it during CES 2011 and now we finally get to see an official unboxing.
For those of you who might not know, the Eee EP121 is the most powerful tablet out there, packing a dual core Intel i5-470UM, up to 4 GB of DD3 RAM, 32 or 64 GB SSD, a 12.1 IPS capacitive LED-backlit display with 1200*800 pixel resolution, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi, SD slot, USB 2.0, mini-HDMI and a battery life up to 5 hours (with WiFi turned on).
The Eee EP121 is priced between 1000$ and 1.100$ and it may seem a bit expensive, although the video below shows us a catch:
