Computex 2013: Top 5 Devices Launched by Acer and Asus

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Computex or Taipei International Information Technology Show is actually a computer expo held annually in Taiwan. According to the BBC reports, it is expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors and 40,000 buyers. They also reported that PC makers showcasing their new devices in an attempt to offset decline in sales of personal computers.

 

IDC reports suggested that the shipments of personal computers including both desktops and laptops - would fall by 7.8% over the course of 2013. The firm had previously predicted a 1.3% decline. However, the firm stated the tablet shipments growth by 58.7% over the same period, putting them on course to overtake PCs by 2015.
Regardless of all the other brands present in this year's fair, it seems the Computex 2013 show is just for Acer and Asus. The long time rivals Asus and Acer both seems to come up with their latest devices and amuse the audiences along with their deep seated rage to beat one another.

Acer kicked off the announcements with launch of an 8.1inch tablet capable of running the full Windows 8 operating system - Acer Iconia W3. The device has been claimed by the company to be the first that lets Microsoft's desktop OS to be used comfortably with "a single hand."

Further, the Taiwanese company also announced a 5.7 inch Android handset Liquid S1 which offers slots for two SIM cards - allowing consumers to use it with both their business and personal accounts. However, its 720p resolution screen and a lack of 4G support may limit its appeal to buyers wanting a high-end device.
Asus on the other hand which is also based in Taiwan announced the Transformer Book Trio. The device is marketed as a three-in-one device which can be used as a desktop, laptop or 11.6 inch tablet. Its key feature is that it can run on both, Android Jelly Bean and Windows 8.

Other news from the firm included the Fonepad Note - a 6 inch phablet featuring a stylus and 1080p resolution display. The Computex 2013 also saw other launches like the first PCs to feature Intel's new processor, codenamed Haswell.

Nevertheless, talking about the Acer-Asus competition, here is a brief rundown on on the specs of their devices showcased in Computex 2013.

Asus FonePad Note FHD6

Asus FonePad Note FHD6

Asus FonePad Note FHD6 sports a 6-inch, 1080p Super IPS+ display along with 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor. It packs in 2GB of RAM. Like the devices from Samsung Galaxy Note series, Asus FonePad Note too comes with a stylus. It will run on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) out of the box. As per the company Asus FonePad Note FHD6 comes with an "incredible narrow frame", which makes it easy to use with just one hand. There is an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 1.2 megapixel front facing camera. The Asus FonePad also packs in front facing stereo speakers with SonicMaster sound. Asus FonePad Note FHD6 supports 3G and HSPA+ connectivity options but does not have LTE support.
As of now there is no news in regards to when this tablet will start retailing and at what price.

Acer Liquid S1
 

Acer Liquid S1

Acer has officially announced the Liquid S1. This is Acer's first such device that comes with a 5.7-inch 1280 x 720 display and running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
Going by the specs, aside from a 5.7-inch display and Jelly Bean, the Liquid S1 will be powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz processor with 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, 2 megapixel front-facing camera and an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash. The handset will also be sporting a 2400 mAh battery, which according to Acer will be able to provide "a day's worth of battery power."
The handset will also be available in two colors - matte black and white. In addition to Jelly Bean, the Liquid S1 will have the Acer Float User Interface which will allow for some multitasking. Other apps include camera, maps, calculator and notes as well as a Float Caller notification. Some of the Acer specifics include Auto Profile and Voice Unlock as well as Wide Front Shot which means users will be able to capture wider and taller visuals. There is also a Voice Shot to capture images by saying cheese, Smile Shot to detect smiles in images and Studio Sound which should serve to improve the audio quality. Acer has further said that the Liquid S1 would have dual-SIM support in select regions. The handset will be priced from €349 (Rs. 25,758).

Asus MeMo Pad HD 7

Asus MeMo Pad HD 7

This is the first 7-inch Memo Pad from Asus which has a resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels. The latest MeMo Pad HD 7 sports a 5-megapixel and 1.2-megapixel cameras, SonicMaster audio and an ARM Cortex A7 quad-core CPU. The MeMo Pad HD 7 adds a microSD slot and a micro-USB socket, two things the Nexus 7 doesn't have. Although the Tablet is said to said to run on older version of Android 4.0, and ASUS hasn't yet said when the tablet will be available for an update. Asus MeMo Pad HD 7 comes in a two variants- 16GB and 8GB. They are priced at $149(Rs. 8,450) and $129 (Rs. 7,308) respectively.
Although the availability remains a mystery as of now, but the price and specs suggests that the Asus Memo Pad HD 7 incorporates more features in it than its predecessors.

Acer Iconia W3

Acer Iconia W3

Launched this week at Computex, the Acer Iconia W3 runs a full version of Windows 8, meaning all your standard Windows apps will be supported, such as Photoshop, Steam, iTunes and more. It also comes pre-installed with the Microsoft Office Home 2013 suite, containing Word, Excel and so forth.
The Acer Iconia W3 sports an 8 inch screen with the resolution of 1280x800 pixel and is powered by dual-core 1.8GHz Intel Atom processor supported by 2GB RAM. The tablet house the internal storage capacity of 32GB or 64GB of storage, front and rear facing 2 megapixel cameras, micro-HDMI output for connectivity to monitors or TVs, and its wrapped in an 11mm-thick chassis weighing 540g. Acer Iconia W3 can be docked with a keyboard and mouse for desktop use as well. Connectivity features such as HDMI and Wi-Fi, are pretty much standard.
A European launch is expected this month, with prices landing at €329 (Rs. 24,353) and €379 (Rs. 28,055) for the 32GB and 64GB capacities respectively.

Asus Transformer Book Trio

Asus Transformer Book Trio

Transformer Book Trio is a three-in-one device and has 11.6-inch display with a 1080p resolution. The screen has a 16:9 ratio and a full HD IPS multi-touch display. A ten-point multi-touch function is also available as an option. Transformer Book Trio runs on Google Android when it's being used on its own, but dock it with a keyboard and it can be transformed into a Windows 8 laptop. However, if you'd rather carry on using Android, the Google OS is a press of a hotkey away. This also works when the tablet is connected to an external monitor, where the Transformer Book Trio becomes a desktop computer.
For Windows 8 an Intel Core i7 runs the show, while a second, Intel Atom Z2580 chip takes care of Android. There is a 1TB hard drive, plus 64GB of flash memory too. The dock, which runs on a 31WH Li-polymer battery, also acts as battery bank for the tablet and Asus says that this, combined with the 19.5WH Li-polymer battery in the tablet, results in an impressive 15-hour battery life when running in Android and a not quite so impressive-sounding 6 hours on Windows 8. The chassis has the now classic Asus concentric brushed-aluminium finish. The availability and price of the Hybrid device Transformer Book Trio has not been mentioned so far but it is likely to come soon.

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