asus
Design
1:00PM Kym Weathersten | Notebooks with cases that aren’t some variation on grey/black have become more prevalent in recent years, but most still sport fundamentally the same materials on the outside. Asus’ Bamboo series is a definite exception, using bamboo for a design approach that also claims a greater level of environmental friendliness than your typical hard-case machine.
The laptops are covered in “artisan-grade Moso bamboo panelling”, a light, and durable, non-flammable and petrochemical-free material. Apparently, the design “is a cutting edge creation that incorporates innate, ornate aesthetics, each Bamboo Series notebook is organically unique and radiates a divine spirituality” — those are Asus’ words, not mine, obviously.
The notebook range actually looks better than the hyperbole makes it sound. Bear in mind that the machines are only partially degradable, with much debate about whether bamboo really is greener than plastic, and you’ll still want a PC-friendly recycling centre at the end of its life. But anything that improves the green quotient for what’s still a fairly toxic industry is a good step. The laptops — which come in 11.1in and 12.1in models, sporting Core 2 Duo processors and Windows Vista — should hit stores in December, with pricing starting at $3,499.
More »
Asus Goes Green With Bamboo Series Laptops
1:00PM Kym Weathersten | Notebooks with cases that aren’t some variation on grey/black have become more prevalent in recent years, but most still sport fundamentally the same materials on the outside. Asus’ Bamboo series is a definite exception, using bamboo for a design approach that also claims a greater level of environmental friendliness than your typical hard-case machine.
The laptops are covered in “artisan-grade Moso bamboo panelling”, a light, and durable, non-flammable and petrochemical-free material. Apparently, the design “is a cutting edge creation that incorporates innate, ornate aesthetics, each Bamboo Series notebook is organically unique and radiates a divine spirituality” — those are Asus’ words, not mine, obviously.
The notebook range actually looks better than the hyperbole makes it sound. Bear in mind that the machines are only partially degradable, with much debate about whether bamboo really is greener than plastic, and you’ll still want a PC-friendly recycling centre at the end of its life. But anything that improves the green quotient for what’s still a fairly toxic industry is a good step. The laptops — which come in 11.1in and 12.1in models, sporting Core 2 Duo processors and Windows Vista — should hit stores in December, with pricing starting at $3,499.
More » 
New Eee PC
2:27PM Sarah Stokely | We’re not sure when it’ll arrive in Australia, but David Flynn over at APC has written up the next gen of the ASUS Eee PC which was on show at CeBIT recently. For around $650, the new Eee will boast up to 12GB of flash memory, and they’re aiming for 8 hour battery life. The new 900 series will pack a 9 inch screen with 1024×600 resolution into the same tiny format as the current model. Nice. More » Eee PC
3:52PM Sarah Stokely | ASUS will release a Windows XP version of its mini-laptop, the Eee PC, later this month. The XP Eee PC will be available through “special tender” for educational institutions and through computer resellers, but the exact release date and price have yet to be confirmed. The Linux version of the Eee PC, which runs Xandros, rocked our socks when we reviewed it last year. More » ASUS drops warranty void on Eee PC memory upgrade
10:23AM Sarah Stokely | ASUS’ Eee PC just got a little more awesome – Gizmodo reports this morning that the company has dumped its draconian “warranty void if removed” sticker on the Eee PC’s access panel in favour of a more reasonable policy. Further details over at Gizmodo AU.
ASUS Eee PC is no longer voided by memory upgrade [Gizmodo]
More » 
