No mention was made of a smartphone that could morph into a tablet and supersize into a computer during Asus’ IFA address. Instead the company unveiled a flagship ZenBook, a couple of tablets and then resurrected its ‘Ee’ brand of small notebooks with the EeeBook.
Asus’ senior product manager, Derek Yu, introduced the new notebooks at Asus’ IFA briefing. The most powerful device of the trio is the ZenBook UX305, which features a 13in, 3200x1800 resolution display. Yu compared the ZenBook, which measures 12.3mm thick and weighs 1.2 kilograms, to Apple’s notebook by repeatedly saying “it’s thinner than Air”, and “it’s lighter than Air”.
The ZenBook 305 will be powered by Intel’s Core M processors and Windows’ 8.1 operating system. Yu said the notebook’s battery can last 10 hours before needing a charge and will come with either a 128GB or 256GB solid state drive.
Two years after retiring the ‘Ee’ moniker, Asus has brought it back with the EeeBook X205. The 11.6-inch notebook has a quad-core Intel Atom processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, which is supplemented by 500GB of Asus’ webstorage at no cost for two years.
PCWorld US claims the notebook’s Windows 8.1 with Bing operating system, coupled with its inclination for cloud storage, positions the EeeBook as a rival to Google’s Chromebook computers.
The EeeBook’s connectivity repertoire includes two USB 2.0 ports, a Micro-SD slot, Micro-HDMI and Wi-Fi. Yu claims the EeeBook’s battery can last ten hours without charge and 14 days when on standby. The notebook will continue to receive application updates with its “connected standby” technology.
The 980 gram EeBook will be released in four different colours, Yu said, and will be priced at 199 euros when released.
A new 7in MeMO Pad tablet was also launched at the event. “Asus is number three in worldwide tablet market share,” Yu said, and the company hopes to retain the position following the news it won’t be making the next Google Nexus tablet.
The MeMO Pad 7 measures 8mm thick, weighs 269 grams and draws “inspiration from metropolitan clutch bags and wallets”, Yu said. The 7in tablet’s 1920x1200 IPS display gives it a high 323 pixel-per-inch density.
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A 64-bit Intel CPU will power the Android tablet, which will come in Wi-Fi and 4G variants. Asus will offer the MeMO Pad in three colours — Burgundy Red, Champagne Gold and Gentle Black — at 199 euros when it launches.
Asus did not reveal local availability and pricing. Good Gear Guide will update this article with relevant updates.
