For those of you crazy for a rotating webcam, you know the W5, I've shown you the S7, and introducing the F5!

The F5 model line will compliment the F3 line... The styling is more like the A8 than the F3, and the size is about identical to that of the F3 series... so I'm not 100% where this actually fits in. However, I noticed it and since everyone and their brother seems to be asking about rotating webcams of late (including a post I made yesterday), I thought some would enjoy. Other than the rotating webcam, it seems like a rather ho-hum model - much like the F3 series. I really wouldn't want to speculate any further though.

(Click to Enlarge)
F5m


S7fm (as shown in an earlier post)

 

Pretty nice, though I wonder what spec's it'll have. I'm pretty sure nothing high end as that will threaten F3 sales, perhaps something mid like 7300/7400?

 

I'm not sure I like the look of the rotating cams. It takes away from the clean design--especially on the w7 models.

 

Is there any practical purpose for having a rotating webcam? Unless of course its comes with a fancy rotate button!

 

If your too lazy to actually move the laptop to get a shot it might be practical, but it always sounded gimicky to me.

 

um

when you are actually using a web chat you have to both see the screen and the webcam point where you want it.

So its very useful. You can change the other persons view and still see the screen

otherwise you have to move the screen lol.
honestly, the next step is obviously side to side. needs to rotate like your car dome light so you can point it anywhere.

 

Defintely a gimmick - especially when you can pick up a good Creative webcam for 20$

 

Will it help achieve the newsreader look e.g. look as though you are looking right at them. I always find webcams strange as the people you are talking to are always looking like they are looking away from you

 

yes thats what im talking about. It will help. makes the thing much closer to useful. However your external cam still being much better point is true.

 

anyone know how big the screen is on that one? I'm puzzled

looks a bit like a built-on asus model.... a bit blah like my z92

Insane

 

Ok... I really love the misconceptions people have about the webcams on some of Asus' notebooks... Someone above said the rotating cameras take away from the design of models like the W7 series... Not sure if you meant it, but the W7 doesn't have rotating camera........ If you're commenting on the S7 (the picture below the F5 above), then I certainly agree..... I'd rather a thinner bezel and a stationary camera if it HAD to have a camera. What they did on the W7 was to make the camera stationary and that allowed them to put the 13.3" screen on the 12" W5 chassis..... which made much better used of the space provided.

Now, the rotating cameras have their place.. trust me.. Find the thread I from yesterday when I mentioned where it would be good. First, webcams may be thought best used for video conferencing, but as the megapixels get higher, they're almost better suited to take quick clips and shots of passerbys (maybe like a camera phone), but with instant editing capabilities... One thing that's nice in this situation is that you can control the camera settings and see what it's seeing - while it's facing the other direction. Regardless of the physical cost of the camera, if you're always on the move, and you NEED a something like this, $20 for a logitech isn't going to work. For other people - yes it would - but you can't say that if you want a camera, something built-in isn't worth more than something you'd haul with you.... can you honestly?

Be we jump the gun and call the F3 "high end", the A and F series are the bottom of the barrel - when it comes to the high end of notebooks that are Asus........ Sort of reminds me of the opposite of a Darrel Hammond sketch on SNL as Trump doing a Domino's commercial where he improv'd

"Dom-in-i-o's - the best quality pizza's - of the low quality pizza's"

The F and A series are the low quality laptops - of the high quality laptops...

Now - don't forget that after Asus slipt up, the custom side now has it's enitrely own designs and will not share any with the ensemble side.... The Z92 is an old A6 based system -- which is currently spending it's twilight days as the current G1p gaming system........ but the F3 series looks much fresher than the A6 chassis and it's a build (by a little bit).... but it certainly replaces it in the lineup.

 

The F5 isn't so bad... the rotating camera adds a little spunk to it, but I agree with Justin in that it seems like a "ho hum" model.
The S7 looks promising though...

 

F5, just like the G1, shares much resemblence to the A6. Not that its bad, but personally I would have liked to see the F5's basic design based off an another model other than the A6 _or_ being a new design altogether.
Pity that the Ctrl key switched positions with the Fn, unlike the F3.

 

Most of the built in cameras in Asus' notebooks are comparable to a $50-100 logitech webcam. Nothing for ~$20 is even going to be comparable to a built in one. Especially, the 3MP one that is going to be built into the V2.

 

Oh.. about the webcam... I don't know if it will really be 3mp.. but it's a possibility. They're phones and pocket pc's have had 1.3mp cams from back when the notebooks had 0.3mp cams - if they had one at all. Their phones have had 2.0mp cams for the last 9 months or so..... so I can see them pushing the limit with something higher end... just don't know if that 3mp was accurate or not.

When you're talking about physical size and the value of being built-in.... you're looking at $100 in value regardless. You can get better external cameras without a doubt...... but you have to put a value on convenience.