Tech in Style Summer 2013 [UK Edition]

ISSUE 21 SUMMER 2013

BRINGING INNOVATIONS TO LIFE

ASUS recommends Windows 8.

6-7

Inside

Viva la Vivo!

ASUS’ range of touch screen devices are set to impress this Summer.

Dual Screen

One device, two displays, several ways to share information.

8-9

ASUS VivoBook S400

ASUS VivoBook.

TOUCH • The World at your Fingertips

NEWS & CONTENTS

Devices designed with you in mind

Modern life demands modern devices; this mag is full of them!

Incredible Starts with a Touch What do you get when you cross beauty, power and practicality? That’s right, the ASUS Zenbook Touch.

The Worlds’ first full HD touch screen is complimented

by Windows 8, giving you instant access to your apps, people and sites through live tiles on the brand new customisable Start screen. Looking for the best computing experience money can buy? You found it!

04 06

Viva la Vivo!

The ASUS VivoBook range (pg 6) is in store now and they’re the most affordable and comprehensive Windows 8 touch capable range out there! With Microsoft’s new operating system allowing you to organise your life right there on your home screen, however you like, the Vivo range are quickly becoming the centre of users lives.

The Touch Laptop Revolution is coming.

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ASUS recommends Windows 8.

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Contents 04 Incredible Starts with a Touch Zenbook™ Touch UX31A is the World’s First Full HD touchscreen Ultrabook.

06 The World at your Fingertips Touch capable notebooks are here, and they’re changing the way we think about computing.

08 One device, two displays

ASUS Fonepad

™

If you’re like the majority of people, you use your smartphone for everything; Web browsing, sending emails, texting, social networking, note taking, watching videos and of course making calls. It turns out we spend very little time doing that last one...

An affordable 3G capable, call making tablet might be just the thing!

ASUS Taichi™ - The Ultraportable With a Split Personality.

10 The Tablet that lets you talk to the World

ASUS Fonepad™ brings smartphone functionality to the 7-inch tablet.

12 Getting to know Padfone™ 2 The perfect compromise between Tablet and Phone.

14 Simple. Beautiful. Beyond Smart.

When it comes to Android Tablets ASUS has you covered, no matter what your needs.

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PadFone™ 2 Finally arriving in the UK is another of ASUS’ famous innovations. Like the idea of a ‘Phablet’? How about a real Tablet & Phone Hybrid? Convert your 4.7” PadFone 2 (pg 12) into a fully-fledged Android™ 4.1 Jelly Bean running, 10” Tablet in literally two seconds, without stretching the screen. It has to be seen to be believed. The best part? One phone tariff gets you two 3G capable devices. Genius!

ASUS won 5 awards at the T3 Awards 2012 with the most nominations ever received by a single brand.

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INSPIRED

ZENBOOK™ Touch UX31A & Zenbook™ UX32A

Incredible Starts with a Touch Zenbook™ Touch UX31A is the World’s first full HD touchscreen Ultrabook - Bringing breath-taking visuals to life.

A

SUS’ latest Zenbook™ is its best yet; taking the already excellent UX31A into 2013 with the addition of a full HD touchscreen, allowing you to make the most of Windows 8 with hundreds of apps, available on the Windows Store, built for touch and at your fingertips in the blink of an eye.

The Zenbook™ Touch maintains the beautifully slender profile with an Aluminium hairline spun chassis that has become the ASUS Ultrabooks trademark. Open it up, and the incredibly vivid Full HD IPS touchscreen is astonishing; bringing to life even the dullest of images with an incredible spectrum of colours, illuminated

by LED backlighting. This screen brings photographs to life and gives users an incredible movie viewing experience, with exceptional audio to match.

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All the Zenbooks feature ASUS’ unique features, enhancing the users experience regardless of budget.

With smartphone-like response, the Ultrabooks start up in 2 seconds or less, perfect for a truly on-demand lifestyle. No matter which Zenbook™ you choose portability is guaranteed, with the heaviest weighing in at just 1.45Kg, you’re certainly not going to be dragged down on the go!

The ASUS Zenbook™ is a truly exceptional machine in performance and appearance, making it the perfect choice for the discerning, modern user.

ASUS recommends Windows 8.

Tech Specs ZENBOOK™ Touch UX31A

ZENBOOK™ UX32A

CPU 3rd Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor

CPU 3rd Gen Intel® Core™ i5/i7 processor

Operating System Windows 8

Operating System Windows 8

Screen 13.3” 16:9 Full HD IPS Multi-touch

Screen 13.3” 16:9 HD

Storage 256GB SSD Memory 4GB DDR3 1600 MHz

Storage 500GB HDD & 24GB SSD Memory 4GB DDR3 1600 MHz

Connectivity USB 3.0, HDMI & Bluetooth 4.0

Connectivity USB 3.0, HDMI & Bluetooth 4.0

Dimension & Weight 32.5 x 22.3 x 0.3 ~1.8 cm (WxDxH) Weighs 1.3kg

Dimension & Weight 32.5 x 22.3 x 0.3 ~1.8 cm (WxDxH) Weighs 1.45kg

Battery 50 Whrs Polymer Battery

Battery 48 Whrs Polymer Battery

Where to buy

ZENBOOK™ Touch PC World, Currys,

John Lewis & Amazon

ZENBOOK™ UX32A PC World, Currys, John Lewis & Amazon

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STYLISH

ASUS VivoBook S200, S400 & S550

The World at your Fingertips

Touch capable notebooks are here, and they’re changing the way we think about computing.

T

ablet computing has been around for a while now, but until recently the touch screen experience was yet to effectively transition to Notebooks. That’s all changed with the coming of Microsoft’s newest operating system. The ASUS VivoBook S200, S400 & S550 make the most of Windows 8, offering users the ability to organise their start screen to show what they find most important, giving a true, life enhancing, hands on computing experience for the first time.

The smallest VivoBook, the 12” S200, is perfect for portable computing. Weighing a feather-light 1.3Kg and boasting a tapered edge reminiscent of the ZENBOOK™, the S200 is as attractive as it is practical, with a sophisticated brushed metallic lid providing a gorgeous finish. ASUS’ unique features such as Sonic Master Audio Technology and Instant resume from sleep come as standard. All supported by Intel® Core™ technology, providing plenty of power for the VivoBook S200.

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The S200’s bigger brothers, the 14” VivoBook S400 and 15” S550, provide the ultimate touchscreen laptop experience. With a similar brushed metallic finish and tapered edges the increase in screen size does nothing to diminish the looks of the two larger models.

The brand new S550 features the addition of an optical drive, for enhanced multimedia consumption.

The VivoBook range offers intuitive and affordable touchscreen Notebooks that enhance the user’s lifestyle at a price for everyone!

Where to buy

S200 PC World, Currys, John Lewis & Amazon S400 PC World, Currys & Amazon S550 PC World & Currys

ASUS recommends Windows 8.

Tech Specs

ASUS VivoBook S400

S200 CPU 3rd Gen Intel® Core™ i3 processor Operating System Windows 8 Screen 11.6” Touch screen Storage 500GB HDD Memory 4GB DDR3 Connectivity 802.11BGN, USB 3.0, HDMI & Bluetooth 4.0 Battery 2-cell Li-Polymer

S400

S550

CPU 3rd Gen Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processor

CPU 3rd Gen Intel® Core™ i3/i5/i7 processor

Operating System Windows 8

Operating System Windows 8

Screen 14.0” Touch screen

Screen 15.6” Touch screen

Storage 500GB HDD Memory 4GB DDR3

Storage 500GB HDD Memory 4GB DDR3 1600MHz

Connectivity 802.11BGN, USB 3.0, HDMI & Bluetooth 4.0

Connectivity 802.11BGN, USB 3.0, HDMI & Bluetooth 4.0

Battery 3-cell

Optical Drive Super-Multi DVD Battery 4-cell

®

™

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LATEST TECH

The Ultraportable with a Split Personality One device, two displays, several ways to share information.

A

SUS is always looking for innovative new ways to share information and the TAICHI is the culmination of an idea that first came to light as a concept computer. At first glance, the TAICHI appears to be a slim and stylish ultraportable PC with ZENBOOK good looks, but look closer and it’s clear that what would be the lid on any normal laptop is actually nothing of the sort — it’s a second screen.

Squeezing two screens back-to-back into an ultraportable isn’t just a way for ASUS to demonstrate its engineering prowess, however. Windows 8 allows you to put the apps and sites you love on your Start screen, and access them instantly. Just like a standard laptop with an external secondary display, the TAICHI’s outer screen can also operate in both Mirror and Dual Notebook mode

Lift the lid with one smooth motion and TAICHI™ becomes a fully featured notebook.

Tablet mode

Close the lid and TAICHI instantly be becomes a tablet with an 11.6” Full HD display.

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Screen modes. This makes it ideal for demonstrations, where the audience needs to see what the user is doing, and for presentations, where the speaker’s notes can be kept out of sight.

The outer screen is a full 10-point multi-touch display that can be used independently of the inner screen, which means two people can sit face-to-face and use Windows 8 at the same time. With the lid closed, however, the TAICHI can also be used as a Windows 8 tablet, yet can be converted into a full ultraportable PC with a backlit keyboard at a moment’s notice.

Users can switch between notebook and tablet modes through the TAICHI key, providing the most expansive computing experience yet.

Mirror mode

TAICHI is more than just a mere table or notebook — mirror mode offers a unique way to share information.

Dual-Screen mode

In Dual Screen mode, TAICHI is no longer one computer — it’s two.

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1 2

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ASUS recommends Windows 8.

Tech Specs TAICHI™ CPU 3rd Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor Operating System Windows 8 Screen 11.6” FHD IPS screens Storage 256GB SATA3 SSD Memory 4GB DDR3 RAM Connectivity 802.11AGN, USB3.0 & BT Accessories Included Bag Battery 6-cell

Where to buy

Available from PC World, Currys, John Lewis & Amazon

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STYLISH

ASUS Fonepad™

The Tablet that lets you talk to the World ASUS Fonepad™ brings smartphone functionality to the 7-inch tablet.

A

SUS is fast getting a reputation for creating quality, affordable devices that bring together technology categories; the TaiChi and PadFone 2 are two such devices. Following their success ASUS recently announced the release of a new hybrid device – the Fonepad. A 7” Android Tablet which is not only 3G capable, but has the ability to make and receive calls!

This no doubt conjures up images of Dom Jolly shouting down an oversized cell-phone on a crowded train; however the Fonepad has been designed following research suggesting that smart phone users spend only a fraction of their time making calls on their phone. The rest of that is spent browsing the web, playing games, social networking, emailing and texting. All of which are better experienced on a larger screen.

with up to 9 hours* of battery life. This is encased in a durable, rubberised, premium metallic Titanium Grey finish that is fits comfortably in the palm of the hand without the risk of slipping around. The dual mic and speakers cancel out echoes and background noise and the 1.2MP front facing camera is perfect for video calling.

All this for under

£180 – ASUS really is spoiling us.

And it’s quite a screen; the Fonepad features a beautiful high definition 1280x800 resolution screen.

With IPS technology and LED backlighting packed in, on screen images, video and web content are brought vividly to life.

The inner workings feature a high powered Intel® Atom™ processor that gives the Fonepad the legs to provide a full tablet and smartphone experience

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Capture extraordinary moments in your life, as well as enjoy video calls.

ASUS recommends Android™

Handset

32 GB Micro SD Storage

Hands-free earphones

Bluetooth

178º IPS LED-backlit screen

Tech Specs CPU Intel® Atom® Z2420 1.2GHz Operating System Android™ 4.1 Jelly Bean Screen 7” WXGA (1280 X 800) LED Backlight IPS panel with 10 finger multi-touch Memory 1 GB RAM Storage 16GB storage / 5GB ASUS WebStorage** / Micro SD slot for up to 32GB cards Talk Time 32.5 hours (3G) Connectivity WLAN 802.11 b/g/n / Bluetooth V3.0 Camera 1.2 MP Front Camera / 3 MP (Auto Focus) Rear Camera Battery 9 hours; 16Wh Li-polymer Battery* Dimensions 196.4 x 120.1 x 10.4 mm (LxWxH) Weight 340g

*Battery life varies according to use. Test conditions playing 720p video on loop brightness set at 100nits, external microphone and WLAN on with Gmail logged in. **Complimentary 5GB lifetime ASUS WebStorage. Please visit www.asuswebstorage.com for more details.

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STYLISH

ASUS Padfone™ 2

Getting to know two Introducing the ASUS PadFone 2 The long awaited PadFone™ 2 is finally in the UK and it’s the perfect compromise between Phone and Tablet.

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he trend for larger and larger phones, or ‘Phablets’, is well documented, but they’re not for everyone. For some, their Tablet and Phone needs still differ. But why have two devices and two bills, when you can have two devices and one bill?

The tech-specs stack up impressively too. Featuring a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S4 processor and 2gb of RAM. Coupled with up to 36 hours of talk time when docked, the Padfone 2 is hard to match for technical capability.

The PadFone 2 cleverly solves this by housing the ‘brains’ of the tablet in the phone. Not only does this mean there is only one SIM card (and contract), it also means there is no time consuming ‘sync’ process between your phone and tablet.

If you’re not quite ready to join the ‘Phablet’ movement, but still want a comprehensive Tablet and Phone experience, then the ASUS PadFone 2 is the perfect device for you.

All it takes for the transformation from smartphone to tablet is simply sliding the handset into the back of the tablet. The rest is left up to ASUS’ exclusive DynamicDisplay technology which automatically optimizes the on-screen content from the PadFone 2’s 1280 x 720 4.7” display to the PadFone 2 Station’s 10.1” screen. Made with scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass, the two screens can handle their fair share of scrapes and bumps.

When it comes to taking pictures, the PadFone™ 2’s camera is unparalleled. With a 5-element lens, 13 megapixels, and HD high speed recording. It also comes with auto-focus and an LED flash to boot meaning it has the potential to replace your current digital camera entirely.

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ASUS recommends Android™

Tech Specs CPU Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S4 Pro Krait (Cortex-A15 class) quad-core CPU @ 1.5GHz Operating System Android™ 4.1 Jelly Bean Screen 4.7”, HD 1280x720, Super IPS+ with Capacitive touch panel (Phone) / 10.1”, WXGA 1280x800, IPS with Capacitive touch panel (Pad) Memory 2 GB LPDDR2 RAM Storage 32GB storage Connectivity WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n / Bluetooth V4.0, NFC Dynamic Display

13MP Camera (Phone)

Up to 16 hours 3G talk time (Phone)

Where to buy

Quad-core processor

SonicMaster Audio

Camera 13-megapixel camera (Phone) / 1.5-megapixel camera (Pad) Battery 2140 mAh Lithium (Phone) / 5000mAh Lithium (Pad)

Available now from

Carphone Warehouse, Amazon John Lewis & Selfridges

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DESIRED

ASUS MeMo Pad ME172 & Memo Pad ME301

Simple. Beautiful.

Beyond Smart.

When it comes to Android Tablets ASUS has you covered, no matter what your needs.

I

t’s fair to say that no single tablet can cater for everyone’s mobile needs. ASUS knows this and consistently releases a variety of tablets across a range of budgets, meaning every Tom, Dick and Harry can find the right device for them!

Following the ground breaking Nexus 7 by ASUS, 7” tablets are the must have computing companion and ASUS has released the MeMo Pad to fulfil such a demand. Designed to be a first tablet that anyone can afford, the MeMo Pad ME172 features an LED Backlit screen with IPS technology; perfect for browsing and casual gaming. With the latest Android Jellybean Operating system as standard and retailing at just £129, the MeMo Pad ME172 is a great tablet, for a great price!

If you prefer your tablets a bit larger the brand new MemoPad ME301 will be right up your street.

Running on the much praised NVIDIA® Tegra™ 3 processor, the 10” MemoPad provides users with a slick browsing experience. Games are incredibly vivid on its LED backlit screen and with 16GB of

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storage, and a Micro SD slot allowing expansion up to 32GB, you’re sure to have enough space to store all your favourite games, movies and music. The MemoPad ME301 is an excellent all-rounder and can be yours for just £249!

32 GB

358g Weighs only 358g ME172V

SRS Sound ME301T

Up to 8.5 Hours battery. ME301T

MicroSD Storage

Where to buy

MeMo Pad ME301 Dixons, Currys, PC World,

Tesco & Sainsbury’s

MeMo Pad ME172 Tesco & Sainsbury’s

ASUS recommends Android™

Tech Specs MeMo Pad Smart ME301T CPU NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 T30L Quad-core @ 1.3GHz Operating System Android™ 4.1 Jelly Bean Screen 10.1” WSVGA (1024 x 600) LED backlight IPS 140° wide-view, 10 finger multi-touch Storage 16GB user storage with micro 32GB SDHC slot Memory 1GB RAM Camera 1MP front (1280x800) Battery Life 8.5 hours Dimensions & Weight 263 x 180.8 x 10.5 mm (WxDxH) Weight 580g

MeMo Pad ME172V CPU VIA WM8950 Operating System Android™ Jelly Bean 4.1 Screen 7” WSVGA (1024 x 600) LED backlight IPS 140° wide-view, 10 finger multi-touch Storage 16GB user storage / Micro SD slot for up to 32GB cards Memory 1GB DDR3L Connectivity WLAN 802.11 b/g/n Camera 1.0MP Camera (front) Battery Life Up to to 7 hours Dimensions 196.2 x 119.2 x 11.2mm (WxDxH) Weight 358g

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ASUS recommends Windows 8.

Transform to Incredible

A Brand New Start for Stylish Mobility ASUS TranSleeve Keyboard**

SMART PRODUCTIVITY

STYLISH PERFORMANCE

SMART PORTABILITY

Windows 8 Intel® Atom™ Z2760 dual-core CPU Combined cover and stand with wireless keyboard**

Brilliant 10.1” high-definition display 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video recording Multi-touch screen with intuitive gesture control Optional 4G models available***

Just 9.7mm thin and 580g light Scratch-resistant glass Up to 9.5 hours battery life*

*Battery life is measured under power saving mode, playing 720p video playback, 100 nits brightness, default volume with headphones & Wi-Fi associated. **ASUS TranSleeve Keyboard sold separately. ***The ME400 is also available with 4G from selected network providers.