Here’s a closer look at ASUS’ Zenfone line
At today’s ASUS press conference here in Las Vegas, chairman Jonney Shih unveiled a new line of low-cost Android smartphones, dubbed Zenfones. The devices, which come in a range of 4-, 5- and 6-inches, have dual-core Intel Atom processors inside and run a skinned version of Android 4.3 that ASUS is calling Zen UI. Apart from a focus on imaging software, Shih didn’t elaborate too much on what users could expect from that interface. But it’s clear from our brief time with the handsets that the sleek UI emphasis simplicity by means of cleaner fonts and larger icons. The real kicker, however, for these newly announced Zenfones is their pricing: $100 for the Zenfone 4, $150 for the Zenfone 5 and $200 for the Zenfone 6. And that’s all off-contract.
Developing…
At the top end of this Zenfone spectrum, we have the Zenfone 6. As you can tell from the device’s name, it sports a 6-inch, 720p IPS display that supports stylus and glove input — the latter of which should prove helpful in the winter months. Despite costing only $200 outright, the Zenfone 6 doesn’t come across as a cheap play for consumers’ dollars. To the contrary, it feels solidly built; more like something that could withstand daily wear, tear and general abuse. Though the handset is outsized — it proved nearly too wide for our hand — it’s also incredibly light, which should help to mitigate any issues operating it. Plastic is the material of choice here, but ASUS has crafted the Zenfone 6 in a way that gives it a soft touch, blunt edges and rounded back that fits snugly in the palm.
As far as storage goes, the Zenfone 6 will come in either 8GB or 16GB versions though users will have the option to expand that via microSD. It also features a 3,230mAh battery, 13-megapixel/2-megapixel cameras and support for Bluetooth 4.0 and WiFi b/g/n.
The Zenfone 6 and Zenfone 5 not only share the same 2GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2580 CPU, so performance on both handsets is quite close, though the additional gigabyte of RAM on the 6 gives it a bit more edge. That said, navigation throughout the UI was brisk and most input actions were effected nearly immediately. It was only with the Zenfone 4, which has a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2520, that we noticed a depreciation in performance. But that spec drop is to be expected from the budget-minded Zenfone 4.
Coming in as the mid-ranger in the series, the Zenfone 5 is a slight step down from the 6. The overall construction and body is reminiscent of its larger sibling, but pixel density on its 720 panel is much higher owing to the (relatively) smaller 5-inch display. The reduction in pricing (this device retails for $150) doesn’t necessarily distance it much from the Zenfone 6. The chassis is similar, but shorter and retains an impression of durability and understated elegance.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, ASUS
Live from ASUS’ In Search of Incredible event at CES 2014
3PM ET is the time to set your alarm for ASUS’ time in the CES spotlight. The Taiwanese electronics giant is set to reveal several products, including the dual-OS laptop/tablet combo the company teased late last month. We’ll be bringing you the action live from Caesars Palace in Sin City, so tune in right here for everything ASUS at CES 2014.
Filed under: ASUS
ASUS’ Transformer Book Duet can switch between Android and Windows as a laptop or tablet
If you’re looking for a dual-booting convertible but find ASUS’ Transformer Book Trio a little too clever, you’ll want to check out the company’s just-unveiled Transformer Book Duet TD300. The 13.3-inch PC is really a dual-OS tablet that bundles a keyboard dock with its own hard drive and ports — whether you’re in laptop or tablet mode, you can switch between Android 4.1 or Windows 8.1 on the fly. The slate includes up to a 1080p display, a Core i7 processor and 128GB of solid-state storage; attach the dock and you’ll get up to 1TB in disk space alongside USB, Ethernet and HDMI. ASUS plans to ship the Duet to Asia and Europe late in the first quarter of the year, and to the US by late in the second quarter. When it does ship stateside, the system will start at $599 for a Core i3 model with an “HD” (read: 1,366 x 768) screen, and $699 for a 1080p unit.
Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, ASUS
Source: ASUS
ASUS unveils ZenFone line packing Android, Intel chips and a simple interface
It’s been a while since we’ve seen an ASUS smartphone that wasn’t meant to be used with (or as) a tablet, but the company is making up for that absence by launching the ZenFone line. The ZenFone 4, 5 and 6 all sport dual-core Intel Atom processors and a range of exotic color options. They also tout a new interface layer on top of Android 4.3, ZenUI, that promises both simplicity and a What’s Next feature for tracking your daily schedule. Differences between models largely boil down to screen size and performance. The ZenFone 4 starts things off with its namesake 4-inch 800 x 480 LCD, a 1.2GHz Atom chip, a 5-megapixel rear camera and a front VGA shooter. Move to the ZenFone 5 and you’ll get a larger 720p display with pen and glove support, a 2GHz Atom, an 8MP back camera and 2MP at the front. The ZenFone 6 builds on this with an even bigger (though still 720p) screen and a 13MP rear camera. ASUS hasn’t said when the ZenFone series hits shops, although the absence of LTE suggests that the handsets won’t reach 4G-obsessed US carriers in an official capacity. They’ll definitely be cheap to buy off-contract, however — the ZenFone 4 starts things off at $99, while its 5- and 6-inch counterparts will cost $149 and $199.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, ASUS
Source: ASUS
ASUS reveals the VivoTab Note 8, an 8-inch Windows tablet with Wacom pen input
ASUS’ VivoTab Note 8 has been one of CES’ worst-kept secrets, but we’re still glad to see that it’s finally official. The 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablet is a direct foil for Dell’s Venue 8 Pro, and includes a familiar-sounding 1,280 x 800 IPS display, 2GB of RAM, a 5-megapixel rear camera and an HD-capable front cam. Most of the differences revolve around its namesake pen input; the VivoTab includes a Wacom stylus that can handle 1,000 pressure levels, arguably trumping Dell’s less sophisticated (and purely optional) approach. An ever-so-slightly faster 1.86GHz Bay Trail Atom chip doesn’t hurt, either. The tablet should ship either late in the first quarter or early in the second, with prices starting at a frugal $299 for a 32GB model and climbing to $349 for a 64GB edition.
Source: ASUS
ASUS PadFone Mini coming to the US for $249
ASUS is giving American tablet fans more than the PadFone X — it just revealed at its CES event that the PadFone Mini will also be coming to the US for $249. The 4-inch smartphone and 7-inch tablet combo that will reach the US isn’t quite the same as what surfaced in Taiwan, though. This version touts a phone with 1.6GHz dual-core Atom Z2560 chip, 8GB of storage and an 800 x 480 display rather than the Snapdragon, 16GB of space and 960 x 540 display from before. ASUS hasn’t said exactly when we’ll see this new Intel-powered PadFone, but we’ll keep you updated.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, ASUS
AT&T scores exclusive Asus Padfone X
ASUS Padfone series is really famous among Android fans – as it is first of its kind tablet and smartphone hybrid. Well, the Padfone’s are around from a long time, but they never made it to the US, and if someone wanted to buy one, the only solution was to import it from overseas, but now there’s a solution. AT&T has decided to release the ASUS Padfone X in the US, and it will come with AT&T’s blazing fast 4G LTE network.
However, not much is known about the Padfone X, but it will have a 5-inch smartphone and a 9-inch tablet station with full HD display. Price and release date is unknown at the moment, but it is rumored that the smartphone will come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, Adreno 300 graphics, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and Android 4.4 KitKat software, so we can take all this with a grain of salt.
Are you planning to grab one? Tell us in the comment box below.
The post AT&T scores exclusive Asus Padfone X appeared first on AndroidGuys.
ASUS brings PadFone X to AT&T with LTE-Advanced support and Voice over LTE
You can count the number of ASUS devices that have been carried by AT&T on two fingers, but the GSM network is ready to show off the duo’s third collaboration. Dubbed the PadFone X, this is the first in the series to be sold in the US, which ASUS CEO Jerry Shen teased to us last month. The concept is exactly the same as previous PadFones sold in other parts of the world; the hybrid setup consists of a 5-inch smartphone that docks with a 9-inch tablet shell (or “station”), and your smartphone info carries over to the tablet when it’s docked. In addition to its unique place as the first of its kind in the US, the X also boasts support for a couple of network features that haven’t yet been activated on AT&T’s network: Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and LTE-Advanced with Carrier Aggregation. Since pricing and availability for both the device and its unique features are still unknowns at this point, we have a strong suspicion that it’ll launch as soon as AT&T is ready to activate its LTE-A network.
Specs are relatively scarce at this point (AT&T tells us that we can expect more details at ASUS’ press conference shortly), but we know that the device will feature Android 4.4 KitKat, full HD displays and a “large battery” of unknown size. We’ll update the post as we hear more, and we expect to get some hands-on time with it soon.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Wireless, Mobile, ASUS, AT&T
Get your CES 2014 liveblogs right here
We realize that not everyone can be at CES this year – after all, that Las Vegas Monorail only holds so many people at any one given time – but here’s the next best thing. As per usual, we’ll be liveblogging the week’s biggest press conferences, so you can follow the action from the comfort of your own computer. Speaking of making things a bit more comfortable for you, the reader, we’ve compiled links to all of our liveblogs for this year’s show just after the break.
Monday January 6th
- 11:00AM ET: LG CES press event liveblog
- 3:000PM ET: Live from ASUS’ In Search of Incredible event at CES 2014
- 4:00PM ET: Live from Intel’s CES 2014 press conference
- 5:00PM ET: Samsung CES 2014 press event liveblog
- 8:00PM ET: Sony CES 2014 press event liveblog
Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Laptops, HD, Mobile, Samsung, Sony, ASUS, LG, Intel
ASUS Padfone X Announced for AT&T Tomorrow? [CES 2014]
ASUS Padfone X launching for AT&T tomorrow.
— @evleaks (@evleaks) January 6, 2014
ASUS has been teasing us like crazy with their little brief videos, with the date of their CES 2014 live stream. Obviously this just means they have new devices that are going to be unveiled, and not too long ago, the ASUS Padfone X showed up in a benchmark. Now it seems that leak king, evleaks, has confirmed that they will announce the Padfone X, and that it will be exclusively for AT&T. He is usually right about leaked information, but we will have to wait until tomorrow to see if he is right. We will try to keep you posted on what is unveiled tomorrow at their event.
Source: @evleaks
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