ASUS showcases new laptops at CeBIT

Darius Chang | Mar 04, 2008

If the annual CeBIT consumer show is a race, then ASUS has made an explosive start with a series of new product announcements.

For those seeking a portable that is light on the shoulders (but certainly not light on the wallet), there are the ASUS R50, R70 and Lamborghini VX3 to consider. The first two are UMPCS, with the R50 claiming to be the smallest and lightest 5.6-inch model seen so far. Despite its size, this device attempts to throw in everything but the kitchen sink under the chassis. From GPS and TV tuner to HSDPA and fingerprint sensor, this model comes with a solid-state drive which would surely drive the appeal and price up. Its larger brother, the 7-inch R70, is a little less ambitious but still a serious contender with GPS, HSDPA, Webcam and fingerprint sensor under the hood.

If your pockets are really big, the Lamborghini VX3 is one notebook to splurge on. Smaller than the previous iterations, the 12.1-inch luxury laptop comes in yellow or black. The hinge is made from sturdy titanium-alloy material, while the palm rest is wrapped in leather. For some reason, the Webcam panel is covered with sapphire crystal. We do not know if that area is really all that prone to scratches, though more than a few will be scratching their heads trying to justify this additional expense. It is even more impressive under the hood, with a Penryn Core 2 Duo T9300 processor and Nvidia GeForce 9300 driving the machine. There's onboard HSDPA connectivity.

So what about those on a budget? The popular Eee PC, which broke new ground by offering a laptop for under S$600 (US$432.53), is gaining a bigger brother. The new addition sports an 8.9-inch display which is 1,024-pixels wide, finally putting an end to side scrolling for most Web pages. Though it does away with the side speakers next to the LCD, this model is thicker and larger than the original. Under the hood, there is 1GB memory and 12GB of flash storage available. It will retail in Europe for 399 euros in Q2 this year, with worldwide availability to be announced at a later date.

Filed under: Notebooks
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sylclh

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sylclh says...
lookin 4wards 2 new Eee...

Mar 05, 2008 11:06

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4755omitofu

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4755omitofu says...
I have owned the Eeepc 701 (4G) since December 2007 and have become my primary emailing machine!It boots up much quicker than my desktop, although I'd prefer the Asus to come preloaded with Windows xp OS.Since almost all other softwares & hardwares on the market are all built round the Windows platform.You can bet when the new Asus reaches these shores I'd get one! It is economical for its size,features & performance!Can't complain.

Mar 12, 2008 16:25

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