ASUS' Zenbook Lineup: The First Ultrabooks Arrive October 12, Starting at $999

ASUS just announced its first line of Ultrabook PCs under the new Zenbook brand at a press event in NYC. There are a total of five models in the Zenbook lineup ranging in price from $999 to $1499 and available in both 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch display configurations. Based on specs alone, the Zenbook lineup is very similar to Apple's 2011 MacBook Air. Dimensions are almost identical, although ASUS' 11 is a little heavier than Apple's while its 13 is a little lighter. The entire Zenbook lineup ships with 4GB of DDR3 memory and all of the systems use the same ULV Sandy Bridge parts that Apple uses in the MacBook Air. Battery capacities are identical to the Air models at 35Whr and 50Whr depending on the chassis size. ASUS does claim lower standby numbers than Apple (up to 10 days vs. up to 30 for the MBA), but that's likely an OS limitation. The Zenbooks typically give you a larger SSD than Apple (and 6Gbps on top of that) as well as a single USB 3.0 port to complement its USB 2.0 port. ASUS claims a 2 second resume time for all of the Zenbook models, presumably from a suspend-to-RAM state.

ASUS Zenbook Lineup UX21E-DH52UX21E-DH71UX31E-DH52UX31E-DH53UX31E-DH72CPUi5-2467Mi7-2677Mi5-2557Mi5-2557Mi7-2677MOSWindows 7 Home Premium 64-bitDisplay11.6-inch 1366 x 76813.3-inch 1600 x 900Memory4GB DDR3Storage128GB 6Gbps SSD256GB 6Gbps SSDWireless Connectivity802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0Battery35Whr (5+ Hours)
up to 7 day standby50Whr (7+ Hours)
up to 10 day standbyCamera0.3MPAudioBang and Olufsen ICEpower & ASUS SonicMaster TechI/O1 x USB 2, 1 x USB 3, 1x audio/mic, 1x microHDMI, 1x miniVGA1 x USB 2, 1 x USB 3, 1 x audio/mic, 1 x microHDMI, 1 x miniVGA, 1 x SD Card readerDimensions11.7 x 7.7 x 0.11-0.67"12.8 x 8.8 x 0.11-0.71"Weight2.43 lbs2.86 lbsUSA MSRP$999$1199$1099$1349$1499Gallery: ASUS 2011 UX Series

The first Zenbooks will be available for order in the US starting October 12th. I've included some head to head comparisons between the various Zenbook models and their MacBook Air counterparts below. For the most part the specs aren't all that different. I don't expect that there are a ton of users who cross-shop similarly priced Macs and PCs, the Zenbook simply looks like a good option for those users who want a MacBook Air but prefer Windows 7.

ASUS' 13-inch offerings do have a higher resolution display than their Apple counterparts (1600 x 900 vs 1440 x 900). We're still waiting to hear back on the panel technology used in the Zenbooks, but I would be surprised if it was anything more than plain-old-TN like the Macs. Compared to the upgraded MBAs however, ASUS' Zenbooks do offer higher clocked CPUs at the same price point.

ASUS Zenbook U31E vs. Apple 13-inch MacBook Air UX31E-DH52UX31E-DH53Base 13-inch MBACPUi5-2557M 1.7GHz/2C/3MBi5-2557M 1.7GHz/2C/3MBi5-2557M 1.7GHz/2C/3MBDisplay13.3-inch 1600 x 90013.3-inch 1600 x 90013.3-inch 1440 x 900Memory4GB DDR34GB DDR34GB DDR3Storage128GB 6Gbps SSD256GB 6Gbps SSD128GB 3Gbps SSDWireless Connectivity802.11 b/g/n802.11 b/g/n802.11 a/b/g/nBattery50 Whr50 Whr50 WhrCamera0.3MP0.3MP0.3MPI/O1 x USB 2, 1 x USB 3, 1 x audio/mic, 1 x microHDMI, 1 x miniVGA, 1 x SD Card reader1 x USB 2, 1 x USB 3, 1 x audio/mic, 1 x microHDMI, 1 x miniVGA, 1 x SD Card reader2 x USB 2, 1 x audio/mic, 1 x Thunderbolt, 1 x SD Card readerDimensions12.8 x 8.8 x 0.11-0.71"12.8 x 8.8 x 0.11-0.71"12.8 x 8.94 x 0.11-0.68"Weight2.86 lbs2.86 lbs2.96 lbsMSRP$1099$1349$1299

 

ASUS Zenbook U31E vs. Apple 13-inch MacBook Air UX31E-DH72Upgraded 13-inch MBACPUi7-2667M 1.8GHz/2C/4MBi5-2557M 1.7GHz/2C/3MBDisplay13.3-inch 1600 x 90013.3-inch 1440 x 900Memory4GB DDR34GB DDR3Storage256GB 6Gbps SSD256GB 3Gbps SSDWireless Connectivity802.11 b/g/n802.11 a/b/g/nBattery50 Whr50 WhrCamera0.3MP0.3MPI/O1 x USB 2, 1 x USB 3, 1 x audio/mic, 1 x microHDMI, 1 x miniVGA, 1 x SD Card reader2 x USB 2, 1 x audio/mic, 1 x Thunderbolt, 1 x SD Card readerDimensions12.8 x 8.8 x 0.11-0.71"12.8 x 8.94 x 0.11-0.68"Weight2.86 lbs2.96 lbsMSRP$1499$1599

 

ASUS Zenbook U21E vs. Apple 11-inch MacBook Air UX21E-DH52Base 11-inch MBACPUi5-2467M 1.6GHz/2C/3MBi5-2467M 1.6GHz/2C/3MBDisplay11.6-inch 1366 x 76811.6-inch 1366 x 768Memory4GB DDR32GB DDR3Storage128GB 6Gbps SSD64GB 3Gbps SSDWireless Connectivity802.11 b/g/n802.11 a/b/g/nBattery35 Whr35WhrCamera0.3MP0.3MPI/O1 x USB 2, 1 x USB 3, 1 x audio/mic, 1 x microHDMI, 1 x miniVGA2 x USB 2, 1 x audio/mic, 1 x ThunderboltDimensions11.7 x 7.7 x 0.11-0.67"11.8 x 7.56 x 0.11-0.68"Weight2.43 lbs2.38 lbsMSRP$999$999

 

ASUS Zenbook U21E vs. Apple 11-inch MacBook Air EX21E-DH71Upgraded 11-inch MBACPUi7-2667M 1.8GHz/2C/4MBi5-2467M 1.6GHz/2C/3MBDisplay11.6-inch 1366 x 76811.6-inch 1366 x 768Memory4GB DDR34GB DDR3Storage128GB 6Gbps SSD128GB 3Gbps SSDWireless Connectivity802.11 b/g/n802.11 a/b/g/nBattery35 Whr35WhrCamera0.3MP0.3MPI/O1 x USB 2, 1 x USB 3, 1 x audio/mic, 1 x microHDMI, 1 x miniVGA2 x USB 2, 1 x audio/mic, 1 x ThunderboltDimensions11.7 x 7.7 x 0.11-0.67"11.8 x 7.56 x 0.11-0.68"Weight2.43 lbs2.38 lbsMSRP$1199$1199

 

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iOS 5 Releases on October 12

Apple has announced that the newest version of its mobile operating system will be released on October 12.

Apple first discussed iOS 5 in depth at WWDC 2011 (read our coverage here), and the features discussed there still constitute the bulk of iOS 5. Most prominent among them: a new less disruptive notifications system and the Notification Center, PC-free capabilities for syncing with iTunes and performing software updates, iCloud sync and backup capability, and a new iMessage protocol that allows for free SMS-style messaging between all iOS 5 devices.

In addition to the new iPhone, iOS 5 is supported on all current iOS devices: the iPhone 3GS, the AT&T and Verizon iPhone 4, the iPad and iPad 2, and the third and fourth-generation iPod Touch. You should expect a full review from us soon.

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iPhone 4S Launches October 14th

As expected, Apple unveiled its new iPhone 4S at its media event this afternoon. It’s available for pre-order on October 7th, and will begin shipping on October 14th. Availability on the 14th will be restricted to the US, Canada, Australia, UK, France, Germany and Japan. Twenty two more countries will get the phone by the 28th, and 70 by the end of the year. The 4S will be available on Sprint, AT&T and Verizon networks in the US. Contrary to rumors that indicated a complete overhaul of the phone, the 4S is a predictable progression from the iPhone 4. It uses the same Apple A5 SoC as the iPad 2 (though, as usual, Apple didn’t reveal its clock speed or the amount of on-board RAM) and is now universally compatible with CDMA and GSM networks (making it a "world phone), but is visually similar to the iPhone 4 and uses the same 3.5” 640x960 “Retina Display” as its predecessor. It will be available in 16GB ($199), 32GB ($299), and 64GB ($399) capacities in both black and white with a 2-year contract. The iPhone 4 will remain as an 8GB phone for $99, while the 3GS will also stick around for free with contract. Antenna diversity, a feature originally introduced in the CDMA iPhone 4, is now standard on all models of the iPhone 4S. As we found in our review of the Verizon iPhone 4, antenna diversity fixes the infamous antenna issue with the iPhone 4's design. The wireless stack has been upgraded to support HSPA+ 14.4, likely courtesy of Qualcomm's MDM6600. As was widely predicted, the iPhone 4S sports a new 8MP camera sensor with a five element f2.4 lens. The new lens is apparently 30% sharper than the previous iteration. The camera subsystem itself supposedly has better color accuracy and more color uniformity. Apple talked about their custom designed Image Signal Processor (ISP) on the A5 SoC, however previous versions were also Apple designed. Apple claims 1.1 seconds to the first photo and 0.5 second shot-to-shot latency on the iPhone 4S. The camera can now shoot 1080p video due to the ISP upgrades in the A5 SoC.  Wireless display mirroring via AirPlay is also supported on the iPhone 4S. The new iPhone will debut with iOS 5, which will also be available to users of older devices on October 12. Exclusive to the new iPhone is iOS 5’s Siri voice assistant, which promises to bring new precision and utility to voice commands on the phone. The iPhone 4S with Siri will be able to understand natural language requests (e.g. "Wake me up tomorrow at 6AM) and act accordingly (e.g. create an alarm for 6AM tomorrow). 

Expect a full review from us as soon as possible, and in the meantime you can always re-read our in-depth iPhone 4 review to get a better idea of what has changed since last summer.

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ASUS to Launch UX21, UX31 Ultrabooks on October 11

ASUS' new 11" and 13" Ultrabooks, the UX21 and UX31, were shown off earlier this year at Computex, and now they're ready to come to market: an ASUS teaser site cites October 11 as the big day.

Both laptops sport 6Gbps SATA SSDs from Sandisk, as we reported earlier this year, a USB 3.0 port, and Sandy Bridge processors. Pictures from the Computex model also show one USB 2.0 port, a Mini DisplayPort, and a mini HDMI connector. The UX21's 11" display has a resolution of 1366x768, while the 13" display on the UX31 ups that to 1600x900.

As for price, the new laptops have apparently been priced in France: the UX21's starting price is said to be €799 (about $1100), with the UX31 starting at  €999 (about $1350). This is roughly in line with what Apple and others are charging for machines in this form factor, though we'll have to wait to see what the official prices are in all territories.

Source: ASUS, Maximum PC

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T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S 2 Available October 12

This morning, Samsung officially announced the last set of details surrounding the relatively enigmatic T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S 2, which we have been following pretty closely. First up, Samsung has for a second time officially confirmed that the T-Mobile variant includes a 1.5 GHz dual core Qualcomm SoC by making note of it in its press release, with the line:

Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 Processor with 1.5 GHz dual CPUs

In addition, DC-HSPA+ 42 Mbps support is still also officially on the spec list. We can also round out our table with the last of the details of all three USA-destined SGS2 variants. Interestingly enough, the T-Mobile variant also has quad-band WCDMA support, including the 850/1900 bands that would make it work on AT&T in the states. The reason for these bands being included is apparently to add support for Telus, which supposedly uses the same hardware. 

USA Samsung Galaxy S II VariantsCarrierT-MobileSprintAT&TNameSamsung Galaxy S II on T-MobileSamsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G TouchSamsung Galaxy S IISoCDual-Core Snapdragon 1.5 GHzExynos 4210 1.2 GHzExynos 4210 1.2 GHzNetwork Support

DC-HSPA+ (MDM8220)
GSM(850/900/1800/1900)
WCDMA(2100/1900/1700/850)

WiMAX + CDMA2000 1x/EVDO

HSPA+ GSM(850/900/1800/1900)
WCDMA(850/1900/2100)

Display Size4.52" SAMOLED+ WVGA4.52" SAMOLED+ WVGA4.3" SAMOLED+ WVGASize5.1" x 2.7" x .37"2.7" x 5.1" x 0.38"? x ? x 8.89 mmStorage16 GB Internal, up to 32 GB microSDCameras8 MP Rear Facing w/LED,AF, 2 MP Front Facing. 1080p Video RecordingWiFi/BT/NFC802.11 a/b/g/n, BT 3.0, NFC802.11a/b/g/n, BT 3.0802.11a/b/g/n, BT 3.0, NFC(?)Battery1850 mAh1800 mAh1650 mAh

One of the most surprising things is that the T-Mobile variant now officially includes NFC support, and will launch running Android 2.3.5. The device will go on pre-order October 10, then for sale at select stores and dealers October 12. The Galaxy S II is expected to cost $229.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with a two-year service agreement. 

Source: T-Mobile/Samsung (PDF)

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