| MacUpdate Weekend Sale | :This weekend MacUpdate has slashed prices on Painter 12 and Painter Lite. Painter 12 retails for $429, but has been reduced by 54% to $199. Painter Lite has seen a 58% price cut from $69 to $29. Hurry, because these deals are only available until May 19th 2013. |
Asus is making a number of changes to its Fonepad, increasing a number of core specifications for customers in Taiwan. The 7-inch phone-tablet, seen by Electronista earlier this year at Mobile World Congress, will receive a processor upgrade from the current 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2420 to the faster 1.6GHz Z2460, also from Intel.
Asus managed to sell 3 million tablets in the first quarter, offsetting a drop in sales of notebooks and computer parts, according to the company's latest quarterly results. Overall, the company managed to earn $3.5 billion in revenues for the quarter, with its $202 million quarterly profit an improvement compared to both year-on-year and the previous quarter by 5.8-percent.
Apple's iPad is the best tablet on the market in terms of consumer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power and Associates' new 2013 U.S. Tablet Satisfaction Study. The survey looked at the opinions of 1,857 tablet owners who've had their devices for less than a year, and Apple's bestselling tablets came out on top for the second time in a row. Apple devices hold the top spots in J.D. Power rankings for both tablets and smartphones.
Asus has announced a new 24-inch monitor for professionals looking for high levels of color accuracy. The PA249Q ProArt Series LCD monitor has been pre-calibrated the display, which offers native 99 percent Adobe Wide Gamut RGB support for optimal color accuracy. The display also uses Advanced High-Performance In-Plane Switching (AH-IPS) for enhanced brightness and vibrancy along with 178-degree wide viewing angles.
Asus is shipping a larger version of its dual-screen ultrabook. Following on from the 11.6-inch Taichi 21, the Taichi 31 has two 13.3-inch Full HD touchscreens with optional stylus input, with one on either side of the lid, allowing its to be used as a tablet when closed or as a standard notebook with an extra external display for presentations or for multiple users.
Asus has put its combined all-in-one desktop PC and tablet on sale in the United States. The Transformer AiO runs Windows 8 while docked, for use as a computer, which then switches to an Android-powered slate. This in theory would allow users to just use one device for two completely different purposes.
Asus’ first foray into the Google TV space, the Qube, is set to debut on April 23, reports GTVSource. The Qube first appeared at CES 2013 and is a relatively diminutive device that offers the full interactive Google TV experience. It ships with a complex remote control that includes a full-QWERTY keyboard found on the rear side, a microphone for voice control and gyroscope, although it can also be controlled using tailored software for the Nexus 7.
As it promised in January, Asus has started shipping its 7-inch MeMO Pad for just $149. The device takes many of its design cues from its stable mate, the Asus Nexus 7, while it also retains the 16GB of on board storage in that device. However, where the Nexus 7 is limited to either 16GB or 32GB of storage, the Asus MeMO Pad also supports microSD cards up to 32GB.
Say what you will about Windows 8, but it has succeeded in yielding the most interesting crop of PC hardware that we have yet to see on the market. The Asus VivoTab Smart is a shining example of an innovative design that has been directly spawned to take advantage of the dual user interface in Windows 8. It is also one of the best value full Windows 8 tablet propositions out there, powered by a dual-core Intel Atom (Z2760) clocked at 1.8Ghz and all for as little as $450.
Asus has revealed a shortened graphics card designed to work in small form factor PCs. The GeForce GTX670 DirectCU Mini measures 17 centimeters (6.7-inches) long, much shorter than the reference GTX 670 at 24.13cm (9.5-inches), yet is still clocked at 928MHz and houses 2GB of GDDR5 RAM despite its small size. It uses the Asus DirectCU cooling system with vapor chamber and cooling fan, and also uses Direct Power technology to bridge power delivery components and the GPU for a cleaner supply of power. Asus has yet to reveal a release date or price for the pint-sized graphics card.
LG is building their own smartwatch, according to reports. A source of the Korea Times claims the South Korean electronics manufacturer was developing such a device, though did not reveal if it would operate under Android, Firefox OS, or another operating system. The report follows other claims that Apple, Google, and Samsung are working on their own versions, in order to catch up with the Kickstarter-funded Pebble and the Sony SmartWatch.
Asus has taken the wraps off its first ‘hardcore’ gaming mouse, the Republic of Gamers GX1000. The new mouse is clad in aluminum and incorporates a wide range of programmable functions to help ensure optimal gaming control, while its shape is also designed to reduce fatigue during long sessions. Users can customize dpi switching and indication on the fly, while also being able to program six different macros.
Asus is set to launch an Intel Atom-powered smartphone, joining Lenovo and Motorola who have both also experimented with Intel’s Clovertrail x86-based chips in their devices. The smartphone will be the second mobile device from Asus in recent times that has adopted an Intel chip, following the debut of the 7-inch Asus Fonepad at Mobile World Congress earlier this year. According to Digitimes, the earliest the new Asus smartphone will arrive is in the month of June.
Asus has added two new 15-inch Windows 8 touchscreen notebooks to its VivoBook line up. The new VivoBook S500 and S550 adopt a relatively thin .85-inch profile, but still weigh 4.6-pounds each. However, each builds on its ultrabook looks by incorporating hybrid storage options with combinations including a 24GB flash memory for quick booting and a 500GB spinning hard drive for expanded storage.
Confirming recent rumors, Asus has unveiled a new seven-inch tablet, the Fonepad, that is powered by Intel's Lexington Atom processor. Consistent with its name, the Fonepad is a tablet but doubles as a smartphone with 3G voice-calling functionality. We met with Asus at Mobile World Congress to check out the hybrid device and see how it performs as a tablet and as a phone.
Asus' PadFone has maintained a unique strategy in the mobile market, acknowledging that smartphones and tablets are now essentially powered by the same components. The PadFone infinity is the latest extension of the concept, pairing a high-end Android phone with a dock that converts the pair into a 10-inch tablet. We stopped by Asus' low-key meeting room at Mobile World Congress to see the Infinity in action.
The first Intel Atom-powered ‘phablet’ is set to debut at Mobile World Congress, according to Digitimes. The rumored 7-inch Asus device is set to be dubbed the ‘Fonepad, ’ which is a reversal of the PadFone name that Asus has previously used for a different smartphone/tablet hybrid device. This device would not integrate a discrete smartphone where the tablet component acts as a dock as with the Padfone, but instead would double as a self-contained super-sized smartphone.
Although the iPad remains the best-selling tablet, Apple's share of the tablet market dropped 8.1 points year-over-year during the last quarter -- albeit based on shipments rather than actual sales to end users, according to new iDC numbers. Shipments rose from 15.1 million to 22.9 million, but the company's marketshare dipped from 51.7 percent to 43.6 percent. Much of the lost ground was claimed by Samsung, which saw share rise from 7.3 percent to 15.1 percent, and shipments rise from 2.2 million to 7.9 million. ASUS also made large strides, advancing from a two percent share and just 600,000 shipments to a 5.8 percent share and 3.1 million tablets shipped.
ASUS has rolled out its new 7-inch MeMO Pad for just $150. The device undercuts its own co-branded Google Nexus 7 by around $50, but it comes at a cost, including a reduction in storage to 8GB. However unlike the Nexus 7, which only comes with built-in storage, the MeMO comes with a micro-SD slot and support for up to 32GB of additonal storage space.
The dock for the Google Nexus 7 will be shipping in the US in the next two weeks according to reports. If true, the Asus-manufactured official accessory for the tablet will finally go on sale six months after the Android-based slate went on sale, but is overshadowed by reports it will also cost far more than anticipated in the United Kingdom compared to the United States, something the company denies.
Leap Motion, the company behind the Kinect-like motion control technology module that debuted last year, has announced a partnership with Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Asus that will see Leap modules bundled with select notebooks and desktops shipping later this year. The agreement will cover Asus' All-in-One PCs, as well as the manufacturer's high-end notebooks. Leap is still making separate motion control units for preorder, but mid-2013 will mark the first time the units are available for purchase with a computer.
The dock for the Google Nexus 7 is going on sale later this month in both Europe and the United States, according to reports. Originally leaked during the summer alongside a travel cover, the Asus Dock for Nexus 7 is said to be priced at $40 in the US and 30 euros ($40) in Europe, and is open for pre-orders through various online retailers.
Asus has launched its Atom-powered Vivo Smart Tablet. Unlike the Asus Vivo Tab RT, the Vivo Smart Tablet runs Windows 8 on x86 and is backwards compatible with Windows desktop software. The device can be paired with an optional TranSleeve Keyboard that does triple duty as a cover, keyboard and stand, adopting a similar approach to the Microsoft Surface.
Asus has updated its website to include details of an unannounced notebook, though not accompanied with the usual marketing fanfare. The 15-inch U500VZ Zenbook Touch is listed in the online product catalog with specifications that seem relatively similar to that of recent Zenbook Prime iterations, but includes a touchscreen.
The rumored $99 version of the ASUS-built and Google-branded Nexus 7 tablet may be nearing release as some alleged performance benchmark scores for the device have been released online. The GLBenchmark results show a device called ME172V that runs on Android 4.1.1. Hardware specs include a 1GHz CPU and 400MHz Mali GPU.
Asus is putting off US shipments of its dual-screen ultrabook-slate hybrid until December. The Taichi ultrabook, with its main selling point of a screen on both sides of the notebook's lid, was debuted at Computex in June and expected to be shipped in November, but delays have pushed the release date further back in the calendar, and possibly into 2013.
The Nexus 7, a joint venture between Google and Asus, debuted to favorable reviews and solid initial sales, and now it appears that Google is ordering even more units of the 7-inch tablet than it had previously anticipated. Strong demand for the Nexus 7 reportedly has Google going back to Asus to produce more units. According to estimates, Google may wind up shipping twice the units it had expected to move in 2012.
Google and Asus are distributing vouchers and refunds to Nexus 7 owners burned by the recent price drop. Buyers in the US that ordered the 16GB version of the tablet after the 14th of October are eligible to request Price Protection from the search giant, with affected customers receiving a refund within two weeks.
Owners of Google's Nexus 7 tablet will have to wait until the middle of November in order to receive an update to the latest version of Android, version 4.2 Jelly Bean. The Search giant initially promised the update for the 29th of October, but Asus tells CNet that they are still waiting on Google to deliver the code for the update. Version 4.2 will make its official debut next week with the release of the Nexus 4 from LG and the Samsung manufactured Nexus 10 tablet.
Asus announced yesterday the launch of two new additions to its line of Designo displays. The displays come in 27- and 23-inch models, and each features Bang & Olufsen ICEpower-derived dual 3W stereo speakers coupled with Asus' SonicMaster technology. The 23-inch MX239H measures 14.5mm at its thinnest point, while the 27-inch MX279H measures 17.5mm thick at its thinnest point.
Asustor today launched four models of the new AS 6 Series, the first network attached storage device (NAS) which features System Sleep Mode (S3). The new app-based NAS combines performance features with low power consumption. The Intel-based technology also makes it possible for the devices to sport HDMI outputs which allows for the playing of HD video and multimedia directly to HDMI-ready displays.
Asus released its earnings figures for the third quarter today, surprising investors by posting its largest quarterly profit in more than four years. Buoyed in part by solid sales of the Nexus 7 tablet it built with Google and continuing growth in its PC and convertible tablet sales, Asus saw its profits rise 43 percent year-over-year to $229.1 million. The Taiwanese electronics manufacturer forecast continuing growth for the next quarter, raising its estimates of shipments for both tablets and PCs.
Rescuecom has published its new computer reliability ratings for the third quarter of 2012, and Lenovo has returned to the top spot among manufacturers. The report, based on data collected from the market shares of PC manufacturers and computer support provided by manufacturers, found the Chinese company's products to be the most reliable, followed by Asus, Samsung, Apple, and Toshiba. For the first quarter of 2012, Lenovo topped the ratings but lost the position to Samsung in the second quarter.
Pricing information on Asus' PadFone 2 smartphone-tablet hybrid has leaked thanks to two Swedish Asus-recommended resellers. The PadFone 2 will retail in Sweden for 6,000 kronors for a 64GB model without tablet dock. A 32GB version with tablet dock will retail for 7,000 kr, and a 64GB model with tablet dock will sell for 8,000 kr. While Asus has not yet released official pricing for the device, today's pricing leak would seem accurate, given the reseller's Asus-recommended status.
Google's October 29 event will see a slew of new and upgraded Nexus devices, as well as a new upgrade to the search giant's Android operating system. This according to sources with knowledge of Google's plans, who say that Google will be officially revealing an LG-made Nexus phone and a 32GB Nexus 7, both of which have been leaked in considerable detail. Google is also said to be planning to release a 10-inch tablet to compete more directly with Apple's iPad.
ASUS has announced a follow-up to its PadFone Android smartphone and tablet dock. The PadFone 2 has a number of upgrades compared to its predecessor, the biggest of which being its larger 4.7-inch screen that docks into a slimmer and lighter 10.1-inch tablet, complete with 1,280x800 IPS display, though it does notably lose the extra keyboard attachment.
The long-rumored follow up to Asus' PadFone has shown up on camera, as a recently released video shows the versatile smartphone in action. The forthcoming device is set for an October 16 unveiling, but Asus CEO Jerry Chen showed off the PadFone 2 for Bloomberg India. The new PadFone sports a bigger HD screen than the original and reportedly has a bigger overall footprint as well as improved internals.
Asus' Vivo Tab RT has shown up as available for preorder at a number of online retailers. The Windows RT tablet is now available at Staples, Newegg, TigerDirect, and FutureShop, and gives consumers an early idea of what they might expect from Windows RT devices in terms of pricing. The Vivo Tab RT is listed at those retailers for $600 -- about the price of a comparably-equipped 2012 iPad -- though some show it with a list price of $630.
Google may be preparing to release a 32GB variant of its Nexus 7 tablet, as images of just such a device appear to have emerged online. A Twitter user in Japan posted evidence of a 32GB model of the Nexus 7 to his account today, The new model, should it exist, would have double the storage capacity of the largest current Nexus 7.
Just a day after rumors surfaced that Asus was planning a $99 Nexus tablet with Google, the company has reportedly come out to deny those claims. DigiTimes, the source that initially broke the $99 rumor, now claims that Asus has refuted the claim. Asus' current Nexus tablet, the Nexus 7, appears to have been selling solidly since its release, and reports of Asus' expected tablet shipments for the quarter would seem to indicate that it continues to sell apace.
Owners of Asus' Transformer Prime TF201 will now be able to receive an update to the latest version of Google's Android operating system, version 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. The roll out is part of a larger string of upgrades on the part of the Taiwanese manufacturer, one that will see the TF700 upgraded to version 4.1.1 as well. Users looking to upgrade can initiate the process by going to the About tablet section section under settings and selecting System updates.
Rumors suggest Google is going to launch a $99 Nexus 7 by the end of this year. According to industry sources of DigiTimes, both Google and Asus will make two new versions of the tablet, both of which will be thinner and use TN panels from HannStar Display in Taiwan. The rumor also suggest HannStar has entered the supply chain for the iPad, although this has yet to be confirmed.
Asus will be revealing the follow-up to its PadFone next month. Invitations sent to media outlets for the PadFone 2 show a partial shot of the smartphone's display, alongside a request to book the 16th of October into calendars, and will apparently be debuted in simultaneous events in Milan, Italy and Taipei, Taiwan.
Google’s Nexus 7 manufacturing partner Asus is said to be prepping a 3G variant of the currently Wi-Fi-only device. The report comes courtesy of MoDaCo, which claims to have received the information from a “very well placed insider.” The launch is expected in “around six weeks,” with hardware remaining essentially unchanged barring the addition of the 3G radio – a GPS module is already included in the current model.
At the currently ongoing IFA show, ASUS took the wraps off a pair of tablets running on Windows 8. Called the Vivo Tab and Vivo Tab RT, they both dock with hardware keyboards to turn them into netbooks of a sort. Each was seen before, with the former carrying the Tablet 810 name when it showed up undergoing FCC testing while the latter was called Tablet 600.
The Droid 4 has had its build of Android 4.0 approved, and the update is now available for users. The update brings improved battery management, better multitasking, and better camera functions. Users can check to see if the update is available in their area by checking System > About Phone > System Updates. [via Droid Life]
Apple continued to cement its position as the dominant tablet vendor in China during the second quarter, according to new data from Analysys International. The 2.34 million iPads sold in the region gave Apple a 72.66 percent marketshare; units were up 7.8 percent quarter-to-quarter, and 63.4 percent year-over-year. Notably Apple managed the feat despite only launching the third-generation iPad in the mainland on July 20th.
Several tablet makers grew worldwide tablet shipments year-over-year in the second quarter, even as Apple continued its dominance, according to new IDC numbers. As a whole the tablet market reached 25 million units, rising 66.2 percent over Q2 2011. Apple's 17.042 million iPads represented a growth of 84.3 percent, giving it a 68.2 percent marketshare, up from a previous 61.5 percent slice.
Asus, the company that manufactured the Nexus 7, appears to be preparing to release a line of dedicated accessories for the hot-selling tablet. Mobile Fun Blog has gotten ahold of several images showing off a range of covers and other accessories for the Nexus 7. Asus has yet to release details on when the accessories will become available.
Apple products accounted for about one-fifth of all global PC shipments in the second quarter of this year. This according to a new report out from Canalys, which saw the iPad maker with a sizable lead over the competition when iPads are taken into account. The report also noted sluggish sales in the general PC industry, a reality stemming from the global economic environment as well as the effect of mobile devices on the traditional PC market.
