Apart from the new ZenFone 3 lineup, ASUS also introduced 3 new 2-in-1 PCs under the Transformer series, a brand new ZenBook, and its very own robot, called Zenbo, at the Zenvolution press event (30th of May, 2016) that was held at Computex 2016.
ASUS ZenBook 3
ASUS now claims to have completely redesigned the new ASUS ZenBook 3. Its aerospace-grade aluminium alloy makes it 50% stronger than other standard alloys, and contributes heavily to its slim 11.9 mm chassis and 910 g weight. It also comes with a slim bezel that increases the screen-to-body ratio up to 82%, that also helps to keep the overall footprint small.
With up to an Intel Core i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and 1 TB of PCIe Gen 3 x4 SSD, the laptop is capable of delivering where it’s needed. Those specification are backup-up further with its USB Type-C port, quad-speaker audio setup by Harman Kardon, and a 12.5” high resolution display, which by the way is capable of covering 72% of the NTSC colour gamut and is covered edge-to-edge with Gorilla Glass 4. Keeping the device powered-up is a long-lasting battery that lasts for up to 9 hours, and can be brought back from zero to 60% capacity in 49 minutes with the built-in fast charging technology.
To keep it running smoothly, ASUS has employed a cooling system that uses a 3 mm fan design which it claims to be the world’s thinnest. ZenBook 3 also has a full-sized backlit keyboard that comes with a 19.8-millimetre key pitch and 0.8 mm key travel. The touchpad is covered with a glass panel, that also incorporates a palm-rejection technology and is enhanced further with Smart Gestures feature. The built-in fingerprint reader adds on to the security aspect of the device.
ZenBook 3 comes in Royal Blue, Rose Gold, and Quartz Grey colour options, and features the ZenBook spun-metal finish, as well as golden highlights on the diamond-cut edges. Prices are said to start at US 999 (~RM 3,942).
ASUS Transformer 3 Pro
At the apex of its series sits the new ASUS Transformer 3 Pro. This 2-in-1 PC has been touted as having great structural strength and rigidity even though its chassis is only 8.35 mm thick.
On the inside, Transformer 3 Pro packs an Intel Core i7 processor and can have up to 1 TB of PCIe x4 SSD storage as well as up to 16 GB of RAM. USB 3.1 with Type-C connector comes standard, as is the Thunderbolt 3 port. These are in addition to the USB 3.0 and HDMI ports, 13 MP rear camera, and a front-facing camera (to make use of the Windows Hello facial recognition technology). The 12.6” display (2880×1920, with 275 dpi) covers 121% of the sRGB colour gamut, and can be adjusted to any angle up to 170 degrees by way of the integrated kickstand and its step-less hinge. Included with the device is the ASUS Transformer Cover Keyboard, which features backlit keys and 1.4 mm key travel. For multimedia, a pair of Harman Kardon speakers provide for, what’s been promised as, an “incredible listening experience”.
ASUS Transformer 3 Pro’s abilities can also be extended with a number of accessories. There’s the ASUS Pen, that provides up to 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity; the ASUS Universal Dock, that further adds USB 3.1 Type-C, USB 3.0, HDMI, VGA, and LAN ports, as well as a 3-in-1 memory card reader; ASUS Audio Pod, with 4 speakers that provide a 360-degree surround sound experience with a virtual 5.1-channel configuration; and finally the ROG XG Station 2, which is an external graphics card dock (covered briefly in the last section).
ASUS Transformer 3 Pro and its diamond-cut finish come in Icicle Gold and Glacier Gray colour options, while the ASUS Transformer Cover Keyboard comes in 4: Stone, Charcoal, Taupe, and Amber. Prices start at US 999 (~RM 3,942)
ASUS Transformer 3
For a more affordable option, the ASUS Transformer 3 could be an obvious pick for a 2-in-1 device that also provides the same expansion capabilities as the Pro model (ASUS Pen, ASUS Universal Dock, ASUS Audio Pod, and ROG XG Station 2). Weighing in at 695 g and rising only 6.9 mm from its base, the device has a footprint that’s smaller than a sheet of A4 paper.
ASUS Transformer 3 is powered by 7th Gen Intel Core processors, and comes with up to 512 GB of SSD storage and 8 GB of RAM options. Also standard on this lesser variant of the Pro are the same USB 3.1 with Type-C connector, Thunderbolt 3 port, fingerprint reader, and the 13 MP camera at the back. Transformer 3 comes with the same 12.6” display (complete with the same resolution, dpi count, and sRGB colour gamut) as the Pro, that’s complemented by the ASUS Tru2Life Video technology, and is framed by a thin bezel that delivers a screen-to-body ratio of 80%. Entire tablet is propped up by way of the integrated display stand and allows for 2 levels of adjustments.
Accompanying the device is the detachable ASUS Transformer Sleeve Keyboard, together with its glass-covered precision touchpad and keys which have a 1.4 mm key-travel. The device itself comes with 4 high-quality speakers from, who else, Harman Kardon, with each speaker getting its power from a smart amplifier. Transformer 3 will even automatically adjust the direction of the sound depending on the orientation of the device.
With diamond-cut edges and spun-metal finish, the ASUS Transformer 3 comes in the same Icicle Gold and Glacier Gray colour options that the Pro model has. The same goes for the ASUS Transformer Sleeve Keyboard too which comes in the same Stone, Charcoal, Taupe, and Amber colour options as the ASUS Transformer Cover Keyboard. Prices for this model starts at US 799 (~RM 3,153).
ASUS Zenbo
Borne from ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih’s ambition to put a robotic computer in every home, ASUS Zenbo was designed to be a friendly and useful robot helper. Zenbo is said to be able to provide assistance, entertainment, as well as companionship, and it comes with the ability to move independently and to understand spoken commands.
Zenbo is being promoted as a hands-free household helper with a range of useful abilities. For one, it can connect and control many smart home devices, including lights, TVs, air-conditioners, and more. Owners can also use it as a security system to check their houses when they’re away, as well as to check if there’s someone at the door using the built-in camera and even unlocking the door for them when the permission is granted. In the kitchen, Zenbo can be used to search for recipes and then have it read it out loud, as well as to function as a voice-controlled timer.
Although it has been designed for everyone, Zenbo is particularly useful for senior members of the family. It can proactively provide spoken reminders of important events such as a doctor’s appointment, schedules for medication or exercise, birthdays, and everything else that can be associated to a calendar. Handling emergency situations are another facet of the robot’s abilities. It will be able take note of accidents or falls, for which it will respond by notifying other family members on their smartphones. Family members will then be able to control of Zenbo remotely, move it closer to the injured person and maintain visual and voice contact with them using the robot’s camera and speakers while help is on the way. Zenbo can also connect the older generation to the digital world by making online tasks much more accessible, by helping them to make video calls, use social networks, shop online, as well as to stream videos; and it can do all this with just voice commands.
Kids are another target group that Zenbo will be able to handle. It is able to entertain them with interactive games, play songs using its built-in high-quality stereo speakers (and even dance along with them), and telling them stories from its onboard library using a variety of entertaining voices; all through which it displays accompanying images on its built-in screen, and even controls the lighting to set the right atmosphere. Education games and interactive encyclopedia are some of the other features it carries.
For now, the number of custom apps that Zenbo supports are limited but the list is continuously expanding. The free Zenbo Developer Program provides access to the Zenbo SDK and members/developers can use the library to bring their own ideas to the device.
Additional products
On top of the items mentioned above, ASUS also introduced several other devices as well:
There was the ASUS Transformer Mini, claimed as the world’s lightest 2-in-1 PC, with premium magnesium-aluminium alloy build. The tablet alone weighs 530 g while the keyboard attachment brings this up to 790 g. Transformer Mini comes with a quad-core Intel x5 ‘Cherry Trail’ processor, up 4 GB of RAM, up to 128 GB of flash memory, and is able to run for up to 11 hours on a single charge. It also has a host of connection ports that include USB, micro-USB, and micro HDMI, which come together with its microSD slot, a headphone jack, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and a built-in fingerprint reader. An integrated kickstand with its step-less Smart Hinge allows the 10.1” display to be opened up to 170°. Colour options for the ASUS Transformer Mini includes the combination of a Quartz Gray tablet and keyboard, or it can be matched up with a splash of colour by getting the Pearl White tablet and a choice of either the Amber, Mint Green, or Icicle Gold keyboards.
Next is the ASUS Designo Curve MX34VQ, which is a 34” curved monitor (1800R curvature) with an ultra-wide UWQHD resolution (3440×1440). It comes with a 21:9 aspect ratio and is incorporated with ASUS SonicMaster audio; using acoustic technology from Harman Kardon and a pair of 8-watt stereo speakers. The monitor also features a frameless design and its base is a wireless charging pad that supports the Qi charging standard. At the ASUS showroom at Computex 2016, the ASUS Designo Curve MX34VQ was shown together with the ASUS Transformer 3 Pro, and the ROG XG Station 2, which is coming up next.
Following up on the original XG Station, the successor now comes with a Republic Of Gamers badging and bump-up on the version number. The new ROG XG Station 2 external graphics-card dock is able to turn a laptop into a VR-gaming rig. With its 680 W power supply, the dock is able to support the latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX as well as the AMD Radeon graphics cards. For connections, it is equipped with Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.0 ports, a gigabit LAN socket, as well as a proprietary connector that is said to improve performance by up to a further 15%.
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