computex

Dual-screen Taichi leads lineup of unique Asus Windows 8 PCs

TAIPEI, Taiwan--Windows 8, we've been told, is going to move Microsoft into the post-PC era. And a bevy of new PC designs that Asus debuted here at the Computex trade show is bringing that vision to reality.

The Taiwanese PC manufacturer has take the wraps off three new product lines -- a dual-screen ultrabook, a semiportable all-in-one desktop, and a convertible laptop with a removable keyboard -- that build on the lessons of the company's Transformer line of Android tablets.

Taichi: Tablet, ultrabook, or both? First up from Asus was the Taichi hybrid notebook/tablet, which was … Read more

First look: Acer Aspire 7600U and 5600U all-in-one touch screens

TAIPEI, Taiwan--While all-in-one touch screens have never lived up to the promise, the launch of Windows 8 later this year will mean a rash of new devices hitting the market. Will compelling touch-screen Windows apps for the desktop finally happen?

The bigger 7600U comes in at 27 inches and has a full HD resolution. Here, you can spot a slot-loading optical drive.

The touch screen allows up to 64 simultaneous inputs, which could have fascinating implications for multiuser programs. It can also be tilted flat like a table, and rotated for easy access.

Screen quality was excellent at first glance, and the Metro aesthetic translates really well to the large screen. We're looking forward to seeing if usability is up there as well. The product manager joked that vertically oriented, it's the world's biggest e-reader. From the sharp text we saw, he may not be far off the mark.… Read more

Acer unveils bevy of Window 8 devices at Computex

With four months to go before the final version of Windows 8 is expected to land, the parade of devices putting its faith behind Microsoft's next operating system has officially begun.

Acer got the ball rolling Monday at the Computex 2012 trade conference in Taipei, unveiling a bevy of Window 8-enabled devices. The company unveiled a pair of ultrabooks running Windows 8 -- considered a key combination to sparking growth in the PC market.

The Aspire S7 series includes two touch screen models: a 13-incher as well as the company's first 11.6-inch Ultrabook. The company was light … Read more

Asus to bring Android to Windows with BlueStacks

Asus has revealed a new partnership at Computex today to make its computers more Android-friendly. By teaming with BlueStacks (download), which makes an "app player" for running Android apps on Windows, the company will make Android apps available on 30 million Windows computers around the world.

"Asus has always been an innovator, and this is a big move for the space," BlueStacks' Chief Executive Officer Rosen Sharma wrote in an e-mail to CNET. "Thirty million computers running mobile apps is a lot, but it's just the beginning."

Asus will include BlueStacks in its … Read more

Diskeeper ExpressCache halves Windows boot time

If you hate waiting for what seems like an eternity for your PC to boot Windows, Diskeeper's ExpressCache might get it going a little faster than molasses.

Recently shown off at Computex Taipei, ExpressCache has been demoed with an 8GB SanDisk SSD to cut program launch times as well.

In the demo below, the Windows desktop appears 15.5 seconds after the OS starts, compared with 33.4 seconds on an identical machine that isn't souped up (BIOS time isn't included). The times it takes for the toolbar to appear are 1.9 and 23.8 seconds, respectively.

In simultaneous launches of Adobe Photoshop, the times are 5.9 and 11.8 seconds.

The SSD acts as a cache for the HDD, and either component can be of any capacity and still work with ExpressCache. … Read more

Seeing what's next, at Computex (roundup)

CNET brings you all the latest from the Computex computer expo in Taipei.

Asus UX21 ultraslim hands-on Take a close up look at the Asus UX21, which is being touted as a serious competitor to Apple's MacBook Air. Asus UX21 ultraslim up close (photos) (Posted in Crave by Philip Wong) June 1, 2011 3:49 PM PDT

HP Touchpad surfaces at Computex The long-awaited tablet from HP still hasn't hit the market, but a sneaky SanDisk rep doesn't mind showing it off at Computex Taipei.(Posted in Crave by Christopher MacManus) June 1, 2011 11:09 … Read more

Asus UX21 ultraslim hands-on

Asus has released a serious competitor to Apple's MacBook Air, which has been the ultraslim laptop to beat in the mobile computing world. The Asus UX21 is the world's first Ultrabook (read more about Ultrabooks here), and it's broken new ground in terms of design, features, and performance. We met up with Asus' product manager at the company's Computex booth in Taipei to bring you this quick hands-on. Click on the gallery below for a close-up look at the Asus UX21 and its specs.

Asus Padfone in the flesh

As we reported yesterday, the upcoming Asus Padfone has two personalities. On the one hand, it's a regular smartphone that looks just like any of its competitors. On the other hand, by docking it, it can be converted to a tablet with a much larger screen. This rather unusual design allows users to upsize their displays on the fly, while allowing one SIM card to be shared in either mode. Other major benefits include elimination of the need to transfer data between devices and a handy battery charging for the phone.