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Asus VivoBooks, Zenbooks and All-in-One primed for Windows 8 announced
Asus busted out all the stops at a Windows 8-themed event in New York City Tuesday.
Not only did the company reveal pricing and availability for the Taichi and Vivo Tab RT, it threw some new devices into the mix as well.
First up was the Asus VivoBook S200, S400 and S500, a crackling combo made up of 11.6-, 14- and 15-inch laptops with touch-capacitive screens.
The models incorporate the same tapered design found in products like the Zenbook (more on that series later) but with a Vivo feel, including availability in "vibrant colors."
Viva VivoBooks
The compact S200 runs an Intel Core i3 processor while the S400 can carry the same or an i5 or i7 variant.
Asus also let the S200 get bigger than its britches: though it's only 11.6-inches, yet it packs speakers intended for a 14- or 15-inch device plus runs a touchpad sized for 14-inch models.
Pre-orders start Tuesday with release expected near the end of October.
Asus is releasing the S200 for $499 (UK£312, AU$484), the S400 for $599 (UK£375, AU$581) and the S500 for $649 (UK£406, AU$630).
All come with 32GB of WebStorage for three years, though it's worth noting that upgrades beyond the standard configurations will up the cost.
ET, phone home
Also up for Asus Tuesday was the ET2300 All-in-One PC Series, a 23-inch multi-touch displayed desktop.
Running Intel's i7 processors, the ET2300 incorporates "lifelike audio and user ergonomics" in a sleek design.
What's really extraordinary about the ET is a double-hinge feature that lets users switch it from a traditional desktop display to a "digital canvas" mode that folds flat and parallel to a table top.
The 178 degree wide-view IPS display provides crystal clear imagery that all can view.
Asus said this is the first All-in-One PC to feature a built-in array speaker and subwoofer, external subwoofer and Asus' own SonicMaster Technology.
The tech gives the ET2300 "incredible acoustic fidelity unheard from in other PCs."
Two Intel Thunderbolt, Intel Wireless Display and four USB 3.0 are also part of the ET2300 package, as is HDMI input.
Throw in a third-generation Intel Core i7 processor with discrete Nvidia GT630M (1GB/2GB) or Intel HD 2500.4000 graphics, and the ET2300 is ready to perform.
Asus is staying mum, however, and when and for how much consumers can pick up ET2300 and take it home.
Feeling so Zen
The company also broke out two additions to its Zenbook Ultrabook line: the 14-inch UX42Vs and the 15-inch UX52VS and U500VZ.
The books go on sale next month and should price between $600 (UK£376, AU$582) and $2,000 (UK£1,253, AU$1,942) depending on the model specs.
Weighing 4.19 pounds, the UX42VS has a thin, tapered chassis that's 6 millimeters at its thinnest. It has an optical drive, Nvidia GT645M graphics and 1GB of dedicated video memory.
Asus is offering it with either Core i3, i5 or i7 processors with up to 6GB of ran and a top out of 1TB hybrid hard drive capacity.
The UX525VS comes with either a Core i5 or i7 Ultrabook-grade CPU and can handle up to 10GB of memory.
Hybrid hard drive storage can hit 1TB, though it shares the same 645M graphics card as the 14-inch version.
Finally, the U500VZ comes with quad-core Core i7 processor, 8GB of memory and a 1080p display.
It's filled up with a GT650M GPU and 2GB of video memory and despite the hefty innards, weighs only 4.4 pounds and measures 6 millimeters thick.
One last note: Asus also plans to sell touchscreen versions of its Zenbook Prime Ultrabooks, which come in either 11- or 13-inch flavors, but there's still no word on availability for those devices.
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Pricing for Asus Vivo Tab RT announced, coming Oct. 26
As the Oct. 26 Windows 8 release date draws near, more and more companies are confirming release dates for devices supporting the much-touted OS.
Case in point: Asus announced Tuesday the anticipated Vivo Tab RT would arrive day and date with Windows 8.
The tablet will come in 32GB and 64GB varieties, and both include a keyboard dock with purchase.
The Vivo Tab RT 32GB retails for $599 (UK £370, AU $679), and the 64GB costs $699 (UK £430, AU $789), which is awful identical to pricing for the Microsoft Surface.
4G LTE at AT&T, 3G at Vodafone
While there are standard Wi-Fi versions of both Vivo Tab RTs available, those hoping for a cellular support will find a few options.
We already knew AT&T would get the Vivo Tab RT in the U.S., with limited exclusivity and 4G LTE support, and Asus confirmed that again Tuesday.
Asus also confirmed Vodafone would carry a 3G version of the tablet in select European markets, but didn't elaborate specific locales.
With Nvidia's quad-core Tegra 3 TE, a 10.1-inch screen with 1366 x 768 resolution and HD video-recording capabilities, the Vivo Tab RT should appeal to plenty of customers.
Just how many consumers will choose the Asus over Microsoft's own proprietary tablet, however, remains to be seen.
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