W1 Carbon, anyone?

W1 Carbon model, now on Asus's Global site:
http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?modelmenu=2&model=966&l1=5&l2=22&l3=0

W1 Carbon Specification

CPU: Intel® Pentium® M processor 760, 2.0GHz, 533MHz, 2MB L2 Cache
OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional,
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home
Display: 15.4" WSXGA+ ZBD LCD; ASUS Splendid Video Intelligent Engine
Memory: DDR2 533MHz, up to 2G
TV: Hybrid TV (Analog TV / Digital TV)
Chipset: Mobile Intel® 915PM Express Chipset
Graphic: ATI Mobility™ Radeon™ X700 128MB
HDD: 100 GB
Sofware: ASUS Mobile Theater III or Microsoft® MCE 2005; Instant Fun
Interface: 3 x USB, 1 x TV-Out, 1 x Card Reader, 1 x remote control, 1 x Bluetooth
Dimension & Weight: 36.4 x 26.4 x 3.2 cm, 3.2Kg

 

hmm..this is odd..i thought justin kept saying this would never happen due to its competitiveness with the W2v....well...either way..i hope its 2 grand or under..cuz if so...SIGN ME UP! :asus:

 

Wow that looks great, widescreen, w/ color shine and crystal shine, and its thin and light!
Any news on when and where to get this? I need a lappy by Jan. And I was decided on the V6va until i saw this.

 

It most likely wont show up in America at all...it's on the global site, just like the W1vc that isn't coming...Also, that model would be theoretically $2400-2500 US, because it contains all of the components of a w2v, only in a slightly smaller chassis, so costs would be very similar.

 

Yeah i think its a European model only. Oh well, I need to quit pussy footin around and buy the V6Va.

 

Gotta admit though...this W1 Carbon looks sweet...
I love carbon fibre

 

That's what I saw a YEAR ago...... I asked again if it could be brought in for a small promo at least and I don't think it's going to happen. I've said this before and no one in Europe seemed to agree with me (even though it's true)..... it's a proven fact that Asus is at a point there almost like bigger names are here.... as well as having more people who aren't just waiting for the newest technology as they are here. So, they can release "new models" within a couple months of a new chipset coming out and they'll still sell... Asus doesn't want to bring those here now because by time word gets out about them, they won't sell because something new will be out.... To keep costs down they need to bring in a certain minimum and that is still too high to make it worth it for them.............. even though there are plenty of peoplep who would die for you, it's not quite enough.

 

The only funny thing is that....even though Asus claims it's "60% lighter"... they didn't change the weight specification - it still says 3.2 kg.
Those Asus guys are lazy and need to stop coping and pasting so much...

 

That's BS... the ONLY thing that is CF is the lid... well I shouldn't say that. All W1/W2's main chassis' are CF, but the palmrest and lid are thick pieces of brushed aluminum....... this model is supposed to just change to a CF lid and leaves the brushed aluminum palmrest......... the lid itself is most likely 60% lighter..... the system on a whole would be 60% lighter than if it were entirely aluminum...... I mean, i'm not sure how to answer that but smart people can see what's really up.

 

I just bought the W1, great machine, its about 6 lbs and is identical to the w2. The battery life is around 4 hours.

 

I looked online and its only available here in the UK. I dont understand why they wont have it in america because it would sell very well over there.

 

.... again, two fold.... First, if ordered it would take a month to get here and then we're looking at only a month or two before yonah is out...... That doesn't leave enough time to actually market it. Second, the whole reason they didn't want to bring the w1 back into the states is because of it's cost compared to the W2... for the same specs it would be virtually the same price and with the W2 only being about a 1/4 pound heavier, the W1 would simply stress the sales of the W2, if there was even much interest in the W1 (given the little weight and price difference)...... I believe 100 of these would sell with little problem if I took a poll today.... however, when they came in, half of those people would back out and want to wait for something else....

..... This is exactly how things have played out the last couple years and right now it just wouldn't be a good move.

 

Hey folks,

If you're in the states you can only get this at one place:
http://www.microanvika.com/product.asp?TXT=INFO&PNO=ASU14329

It's on preorder for UK£ 1,399.00 = 2,418.5912 U.S. dollar
International customers have to pay by bank transfer
Total cost will include any additional bank charges and delivery charge.

I'm not sure I find it worth the money but it sure is sexy

 

I wouldn't really consider that as "Available in the states" since you still have to go through international shipments and that can be a hassle sometimes.

 

Had my hands for a few minutes on a new W1 recently. Don't know if it was a 'new' chassis, though, but it felt pretty much like the W2 and it was *sweet!*.

I agree with Justin, though. Asus should *not* bring whatever to wherever just for the sake of it. They make f***ing brilliant systems (for the most part), but they have still *a lot* to learn about focus and about building 'a brand'.

Currently they have the enthusiasts on board, which is good, but that won't win you world domination. Around here their sales are increasing exponentially, model turnaround and marketing efforts are increasing as well.

The problem is: They seem to have trouble keeping up. When the Asus customer was an 'elite' that got a brilliant system for the price of a plastic-fantastic dell they all put up with whatever that entailed. Joe A3N or A6K buyer, however, isn't going to put up with (once word gets around) the fact that Asus haven't finished 'building its support and service network yet' (their words) so his notebook will have to go to The Netherlands for a month. He'll then get a HP Pavilion, Acer, or Dell where the salesperson will be more than happy to offer him a three day turnaround extended warranty package (which actually works as advertised) even if the system itself is definitely poorer than the competing Asus. Not to talk about business purchasers! I know first hand of cases where people who are Asus owners themselves would have liked to go Asus for big orders but can't due to the uncertainty coupled with such a purchase.

Kudos to Asus NA for not falling into that particular trap (even though they seem to have other growing pains of their own). I hope that the reversal of the plan to spin off the ODM part of the company to instead spinning off the retail 'brand' business will lead to an increased awareness about what it is to have actual 'customers' without sacrificing the boutique quality of their systems compared to the competition.

Oh, and I’m very sorry for the long off-topic rant.

Please ignore me completely...

 

.... right again.... The US office makes choices which I don't like some times and obviously people in here like to complain about some times... but it's all in the interest of their company and moving their brand forward. If there brought in some of the "newer models" at this point.... they would simply flood the niche market they have right now, which would make people choose between even more models. This would simply cut the sales of what's already out there and would create a problem in terms of getting rid of the current chipset models when the next generation is ready. What they would do is simply put off the importing of the new models till they could get their stock of the current stuff down to a reasonable level. So, in the end people would complain that the next generation systems are out in europe and asia and not here......

... I think the best way for all of us to get what we want, would be to actually get family and friends to get Asus systems... That would obviously help me, but in terms of Asus on a whole, the more they can sell, the more they can bring in, and the more options we'll all have....

 

Just curious. The specs say WSXGA with Colorshine. Is this the same screen the W1 has now in the US? If so it is the only 15.4 inch WSXGA glossy screen available anywhere from anyone. Can you confirm or deny Justin?

Cheers

Steve

 

No it is not....... the last US model which hasn't been sold in 5-6 months had the screen that is on the Z70va now.. it's a matte type display. Now, the around the world, the colorshine screen should be the only one available but every country still have their choice.

 

The Asus Germany site http://www.asus.de/news_show.aspx?id=1838 shows the weight as being 3.15kg. So the 60% weight saving means 50 grams! Every little helps!

A supplementary issue is that if carbon fibre is better / lighter than metal, then the W3A / Z63A is superior to the W3V in this respect!

John

 

justin, um sry to ask.. i feel dumb already, but please explain little more abotu the carbon fibre and it lightness on the W1 CE

Um, i did ask and inquire about the W1 CE, and i was acutally thinking of getting it because its relatively like around 7lbs according to the ASUS site, but i guess i should call them to get the actual weight. But yah this is thing is decently thin to for a multi-media notebook .

Thanks in advance,

MysticGolem

 

What are you talking about? I don't understand what you're comparing with Samsung.

Carbon Fiber is going to be lighter than Aluminum....... plain and simple. However, the only part that actually changes from the normal w1 model is the lid... the chassis is still carbon fiber like it always was... the i believe the palmrest is still brushed aluminum, so that doesn't change. You're looking at carving 40% from the weight of the lid (which is really like a couple ounces at best)........ the W1 is basically 7 pounds and basically will stay the same weight.

 

oppse!!! i meant ASUS website LOL!!, im stressed got exams... im a fix it right now LOL!!!.

and thanks for the explanation, now i understand what you mean

Thanks,

MysticGolem

 

hmm, on the aSUS website, the W1 CE was suppose to have a remote?? im confused... the site don't show it.
http://www.microanvika.com/product.asp?TXT=INFO&PNO=ASU14329

But this site seems like it has been copied and pasted from the W1vc (but i am not sure)

I see the W1 CE does coem with mouse, case, and headset =\, but i really would like to see that kool pcmia slot remote hehe.

Thanks,

MysticGolem

 

the pcmcia remote - like with the W2 only works with asus' mobile theater........ and that only works with the digital tv tuner....... and the digital tv tuner doesn't work in the states...... or with Media Center Edition... so it's a toss up on what is even offered and if it's offered, will it come with it. I've got a ton of those pcmcia remotes that we had to take out of the original w2 shipment..... we had to purchase the microsoft remotes for that shipment ourselves because asus didn't have them..... they also told us to take out those pcmcia remotes and the other large asus remote..... we can't do anything with them, and they aren't going to do anything with MCE systems.... but the MS remotes cost a fortune, so i guess if we could sell them it sure would help.

 

so is the remote basicaly useless? or is it actually usefull? and how much would it cost for one in USD?

Thanks,

MysticGolem

 

Um.... well it only works in Asus' Mobile Theater, which is software that I don't really like, but if you do, it's useful.. I don't know.

Like $30

 

oh ok kool, thanks Justin, that's some very helpfull info and quick responses .


Thanks,

MysticGolem

 

I know this is moving off topic, but it is something i have been curious about. Does the PCMCIA remote only work with with mobile theater or does it also act as general media controls for the laptop - ie volume, play pause etc. I understand it does not work with MCE.

 

like I said... it's for mobile theater...... it's controlling the actions within that program. I'm sure they could be programmed for something else, but it's meant for AMT and that's it.