ASUS presented on Monday a home robot capable of moving independently and understanding commands, at the Computex 2015 in Taipei. The hardware company also unveiled the new line-up of ZenFone smartphones, Zenbook laptops and Transformer PCs, powered by Intel processors.
ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih said the robot Zenbo is the product of his ambition to bring robotic computing to homes. The device is built to offer “assistance, entertainment and companionship” to families, added the company.
Zenbo is capable of moving alone and helping elderly adults with health tasks. For instance, it gives alerts about exercise routines, medication and doctor’s appointments. The robot is also prepared for emergency situations, including falls.
If someone has an accident at home, Zenbo will contact family members via their smartphones. When people receive a notification, they can guide the robot to observe what happened, through a built-in camera.
Zenbo can also understand voice commands to make video calls, post on social media, make online shopping or search for TV shows and movies. It includes a built-in stereo sound system capable of playing on-demand songs, said ASUS in a press release issued Monday.
Zenbo would be also helpful for kids, since it includes a library of stories and several different voices to play roles. It can be synchronized with the home’s lighting system, to create effects while telling a story. It also includes educational games and encyclopedia content.
ASUS new smartphones revealed
ZTE presented a smartphone with 6 GB of RAM last week called Axon 7. Tech analysts suggest that it would become the new trend for devices such as the Galaxy Note 6, to presented in the coming months.
The new ZenFone lineup also includes the ZenFone 3 with more modest characteristics, such as a 16-megapixel camera and 4GB RAM. It can be acquired from $249, said ASUS via twitter.
The Taiwanese company has updated its ZenFone 3 Ultra phablet, which comes with a 6.8-inch screen, a 23-megapixel camera, and a 4,600 mAh battery. As the ZenFone 3 Deluxe, it includes a fingerprint sensor and quick-charging technology.
New laptops and Transformer devices seek to redefine the PC market
Company chairman Jonney Shih unveiled the new generation of Zenbook laptops. The Zenbook 3 weighs 910g and is available in “Royal Blue, Rose Gold and Quartz Grey.” Inside its aluminum body, it includes an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, 1 TB of storage and USB Type-C port.
The 12.5-inch laptop now comes with a built-in cooling system, a backlit keyboard and a touchpad capable of supporting handwriting. Tech analysts suggest that this device could be the Macbook killer, since it offers 9 hours of battery life and quick-charging technology.
Intel and the Taiwanese company have been jointly developing products for more than thirty years, said Intel’s Corporate Vice President Navin Shenoy in a press release issued Monday.
“We are excited to continue that collaboration on the new ZenBook and Transformer 3 family powered by Intel Core processors, and we look forward to working closely with ASUS on expanding beyond traditional clients into new, emerging markets like robotics,” added Shenoy.
The company also presented the new Asus Transformer 3 Pro, which is described as a 2-in-1 PC, since it can be used as a laptop or as a tablet. The Taiwanese hardware giant has continued the aluminum trend with this device, which is 8.5 mm thin.
It comes with a 12.6-inch display, 16GB RAM, USB 3.0 and a 13-megapixel rear camera that supports Windows Hello facial recognition technology.
Source: ASUS Press Release