Posts Tagged ‘Asus’
Eee PC maker Asus goes gadget
September 18th, 2009 | 
Author: It made a splash with the Eee PC. Now Asus, once known chiefly as a components maker, is looking to make the leap to consumer gadget maker.
One of the largest manufacturers of motherboards for two decades, albeit it a largely unsung one, the Taiwanese company finds itself smack in the middle of a transition from components maker to serious contender in PCs and accessories. Asus (pronounced “ah-soos”) is attempting to establish itself as a brand name worldwide while making new forays into software and design.
The original Eee PC, launched in 2007.
(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET)
In addition to creating a new line of consumer products like TVs, VoIP phones, e-readers, and streaming Web video gadgets, the company’s leadership has its sights squarely set on being the third-largest notebook manufacturer in the world by 2012, while remaining the world’s largest supplier of motherboards. While it sounds somewhat ambitious for a company known more for nuts and bolts, there’s precedent: Fellow Taiwanese company Acer was in a very similar position a few years back and was able to transition from microchip maker to one of the largest laptop producers in the world.
Could Asus could be another Acer in the making?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10356079-92.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
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Asus Eee-reader to open like a book
We’re getting more details about that upcoming Asus Eee-book reader we told you about last month.
The company is looking at two versions: budget and premium, a spokesman for Asus in the U.K. told the Times of London.
But most intriguing is that at least one version of the reader, the higher-end one, would have a hinged spine, opening like a traditional book and closing into tablet form. This design would let users view the text of their book on one screen (turning its pages using the touch screen), while browsing a Web page on the other.
One screen could also act as a virtual keypad, according to the Times report, which would move the device into laptop territory.
The Asus e-reader would have a full color screen, and it may also feature speakers, a Webcam, and a mic for Skype, enabling cheap phone calls over the Internet, the Times reports.
As for price, we don’t have hard numbers for you yet, but Asus is known for low-cost products like the ultraportable Eee PC, and speculation has the budget e-reader going for around $163 (Sony’s Reader Pocket Edition, in comparison, runs from $200 to $300; Amazon’s Kindle 2 also goes for around $300).
Expect to meet the Eee-readers by the end of the year if all goes according to plan.
Full story :
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10346194-1.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
