Asus Unveils New Windows 8 Slates, Desktop And Devices At Computex
Windows 8 is all the rage at Computex this year, just as Windows 7 was in years prior. With Microsoft major OS overhaul pinned for an autumn release, most of its partners are choosing now to showcase what's just around the corner. Asus is obviously in that group, and it's showing off a load of new gear in Taiwan. For starters, there's the 11.6" Tablet 810 and the 10.1" Tablet 600, also known as the Windows RT. Pushing the boundaries of what is possible the ASUS Transformer Book, ASUS Transformer AiO and ASUS TAICHI have been rolled out.
Let's break it all down a bit, shall we? The TAICHI is a slim, sleek Ultraportable with two screen options: an 11.6" version and a 13.3" version. Each one ships with a double-sided LED-backlit IPS/FHD display, and there's a touch screen on the outside of the lid. Basically, it's a wild combination of Ultrabook and tablet. There's also a full-size QWERTY keyboard (which is backlit), and a trackpad. With the lid closed, however, the TAICHI becomes a multi-touch tablet computer with stylus support, bringing a degree of flexibility that we haven't yet seen in the Ultrabook class. Better still, while they provide access to the same hardware, the two screens are completely independent of each other and can also be used simultaneously, which means the Taichi can be shared with two users for a host of innovative new applications. It's as thin as the Zenbook, and will ship with an SSD as well as dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi.
Now, onto the Transformer Book. It's said to be the world's first convertible Ultrabook, boasting a Core i7 CPU, discrete graphics, SSD / HDD options, 4GB of DDR3 RAM and USB 3.0. There's also an HD front-facing cam and a 5MP rear-facing camera. This lightweight ultraportable is available with an 11.6", 13" or 14" Full HD IPS display with multi-touch capabilities. This can be detached from the full-size QWERTY keyboard to create a highly portable tablet to give the best of both mobile worlds.
The Tablet 801 is a Windows 8-based slate that brings a next-gen Atom into the mix with 2GB of RAM, a 64GB eMMC, and it supports a mobile dock that transforms the tablet into a compact clamshell ultraportable, complete with full QWERTY keyboard, track pad, two USB ports and second battery for extended use away from a power socket. There's an 11.6" IPS panel with a 1366x768 resolution, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and a built-in NFC sensor. The Windows RT (Tablet 600) boasts NVIDIA's Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and a 32GB eMMC. It boasts the same Transformer design, with a mobile dock providing a QWERTY keyboard, track pad, USB port and second battery. This one's boasting a 10.1" display (1366x768), making it a bit more "typical" in terms of slate size.
Finally, on the desktop front, there's the Transformer AiO, which is a wild new all-in-one PC geared to work with Metro and Windows 8. There's an 18.4" display, 10-point touch LED-backlit display, height and tilt adjustments and the ability to be removed from its base and used as a wireless display. Wilder still, the same wireless display can also be converted into an Android-based 18.4" tablet with a press of a button. In addition, users can instantly access their data through the Android operating system without having to turn on the PC.
Pricing and options remain unannounced, but all of those should be revealed as Windows 8 draws nearer.
Let's break it all down a bit, shall we? The TAICHI is a slim, sleek Ultraportable with two screen options: an 11.6" version and a 13.3" version. Each one ships with a double-sided LED-backlit IPS/FHD display, and there's a touch screen on the outside of the lid. Basically, it's a wild combination of Ultrabook and tablet. There's also a full-size QWERTY keyboard (which is backlit), and a trackpad. With the lid closed, however, the TAICHI becomes a multi-touch tablet computer with stylus support, bringing a degree of flexibility that we haven't yet seen in the Ultrabook class. Better still, while they provide access to the same hardware, the two screens are completely independent of each other and can also be used simultaneously, which means the Taichi can be shared with two users for a host of innovative new applications. It's as thin as the Zenbook, and will ship with an SSD as well as dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi.
Now, onto the Transformer Book. It's said to be the world's first convertible Ultrabook, boasting a Core i7 CPU, discrete graphics, SSD / HDD options, 4GB of DDR3 RAM and USB 3.0. There's also an HD front-facing cam and a 5MP rear-facing camera. This lightweight ultraportable is available with an 11.6", 13" or 14" Full HD IPS display with multi-touch capabilities. This can be detached from the full-size QWERTY keyboard to create a highly portable tablet to give the best of both mobile worlds.
The Tablet 801 is a Windows 8-based slate that brings a next-gen Atom into the mix with 2GB of RAM, a 64GB eMMC, and it supports a mobile dock that transforms the tablet into a compact clamshell ultraportable, complete with full QWERTY keyboard, track pad, two USB ports and second battery for extended use away from a power socket. There's an 11.6" IPS panel with a 1366x768 resolution, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and a built-in NFC sensor. The Windows RT (Tablet 600) boasts NVIDIA's Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and a 32GB eMMC. It boasts the same Transformer design, with a mobile dock providing a QWERTY keyboard, track pad, USB port and second battery. This one's boasting a 10.1" display (1366x768), making it a bit more "typical" in terms of slate size.
Finally, on the desktop front, there's the Transformer AiO, which is a wild new all-in-one PC geared to work with Metro and Windows 8. There's an 18.4" display, 10-point touch LED-backlit display, height and tilt adjustments and the ability to be removed from its base and used as a wireless display. Wilder still, the same wireless display can also be converted into an Android-based 18.4" tablet with a press of a button. In addition, users can instantly access their data through the Android operating system without having to turn on the PC.
Pricing and options remain unannounced, but all of those should be revealed as Windows 8 draws nearer.
