ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih has unveiled the highly-anticipated Padfone along with the latest ASUS innovations, which include new UX Series notebooks, redesigned N Series notebooks, the Eee Pad Memo 3D, ultra-thin Eee PC X101 netbooks and the 27" All-in-One high-definition ET2700XVT desktop PC.
With "Break the Rules, Innovation Beyond Expectations" as the dominant theme of Asus at this year's Computex show, Mr. Shih has reiterated the company's strength in cutting-edge designs and engineering skills.
Padfone
The Padfone is a smartphone that's dockable into a tablet. It combines a smartphone and a tablet computer into one gadget that allows users to choose the screen size that best fits their activities while sharing data and 3G internet access.
The Android smartphone device comes with a tablet it can dock into. Display switching (dual interfaces for the pad and phone) is done dynamically, so that reading emails or browsing the web on the phone portion expands itself seamlessly once it's connected into the pad. Also expanded will be battery life, with an extra cell included in the slate. Asus showcased a mockup Padfone device, which features a 4.3-inch smarpthone and a 10.1-inch tablet dock.
ASUS didn't announce anything on availability, internal specs or even what OS it would run.
UX Series ultraportables
The new UX Series, developed in close cooperation with Intel, are thin ultraportables (weigh 1.1kg ) made by aluminum alloy shell with a 'spun' finish on polished surfaces.
Measuring a mere 17mm at its thickest point, the needle-thin UX Series packs impressive specifications, with the latest 2nd generation Intel Core mobile processors up to the powerful i7, SATA 6Gb/s solid-state drives, USB 3.0 connectivity, Mini HDMI, Mini DisplayPort and the Instant On feature, which resumes the notebook in seconds. The notebook's trackpad is also made out of glass, while the keyboard keys are all metal.
ASUS projects the launch of its shiny new UX21 in September.
N Series notebooks and All-in-One PC with SonicMaster
The same SonicMaster technology that ASUS first developed with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower for the NX90 can now be enjoyed on the new N Series, where high-gloss designs meet the very latest mobile technology. This latest N Series, co-designed by ASUS and designer David Lewis, comes with the addition of a dedicated external subwoofer for deep bass extension that would otherwise be impossible to replicate on a notebook.
Desktop PC users can also experience the same luxury with the 27" HD All-in-One ET2700XVT desktop PC, which offers ultra-wide 178-degree viewing angles, optional 10-point multi-touch, HDMI-in ports and a digital TV tuner and SonicMaster audio.
Eee Pad MeMO 3D adds depth to tablet devices
ASUS has introduced a fourth tablet to go alongside the recently announced Eee Pad Transformer, Eee Pad Slider and Eee Slate. Powered by the latest version of the Android operating system, the Eee Pad MeMO 3D has a 7" multi-touch screen that can also be used with the supplied stylus for note taking in portrait orientation, plus a glasses-free 3D display mode for entertainment on the go.
The Eee Pad MeMO 3D is designed to be an alternative take on the 10" tablet that is fast becoming a standard size. This portrait-oriented device uses a screen that can also be used more traditionally with all Android Honeycomb applications, should users choose to do so.
Eee PC evolved
The new Eee PC X101 has been designed from the start with its Intel MeeGo operating system incorporating support for social networking services. Eee PC X101 Series netbooks are also offered with the Windows 7 operating system, and models ship with both solid state and mechanical hard drive storage configurations.
The ASUS Eee PC X101 packs a 10.1" screen, QWERTY keyboard and the latest Intel Atom N435 processor. Users can get online with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi.
The Eee PC X101 weighs 950g weight and it is just 17.6mm thick. In addition, the MeeGo version of the device will come out at the price of just $200.
Asus will also relesad the X101H model, which has all the same features of the Eee PC X101 but comes with a hybrid hard drive and choice of Window 7 or MeeGo.
Wireless home entertainment with WAVI Xtion
Drawing on its research and development foundations, ASUS has worked with PrimeSense in crafting the first and only open-source, controller-free gesture-based device for PC. WAVI Xtion promises to offer limitless enjoyment for consumers, upscaling PC fun onto big screen TV. The technology represents total integration of multimedia, social networking and gaming. The Xtion Browser affords internet usage with hand and body movements for an interactive experience, expanding web content with larger fonts, icons and graphics for livelier navigation. The Xtion Portal acts as an app store where users can purchase new games and utilities designed for WAVI Xtion, while social networking becomes more intuitive with a controller-free interface and exciting gesture input, also using an attractive visual style. WAVI Xtion ships with a game bundle that includes MayaFit, Beat Booster, and DanceWall. The Xtion Engine also incorporates gesture-based controls into many existing PC games.