ASUS Announces Open Cloud Strategy and New Mobile Devices at MWC

Complete suite of online services provides seamless integration across smartphones, tablets and PCs

ASUS today opened its press event at Mobile World Congress with technical illusionist Marco Tempest to illustrate the company’s transformation and introduce the ASUS Open Cloud Computing platform.

“At ASUS, we have been incubating this exciting idea for several years,” said Jonney Shih, ASUS Chairman. “We believe that an open and balanced architecture can provide the best, ultimate solution for the new ubiquitous cloud computing era.”

Two new mobile devices to complement the ASUS Open Cloud Computing platform were also announced. Fonepad™ is a competitively priced handheld with 3G voice and mobile data for all the features of a smartphone, with the versatility of a 7-inch tablet. PadFone™ Infinity is a powerful LTE smartphone with a sleek metallic design that becomes a full-size tablet when docked to its companion PadFone™ Infinity Station. PadFone™ Infinity features groundbreaking mobile performance, thanks to its next-generation Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600 processor with quad-core CPUs.

Qualcomm Incorporated Chairman and CEO, Paul Jacobs said: “With something as powerful as the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, we want a partner who pushes the boundaries to take advantage of its strengths. ASUS is a leading innovator who revolutionizes the way consumers interact with technology and PadFone Infinity is the perfect device to exploit the new processor’s potential,” as he joined Jonney Shih on stage.

Making the cloud more personal with ASUS Open Cloud Computing

Compatible with a variety of operating systems, ASUS Open Cloud Computing (AOCC) aggregates cloud storage from different providers into a unified virtual service, drastically simplifies sharing photos and other media with multiple devices, and offers a wide range of online help and troubleshooting tools to solve all manner of technical problems. AOCC provides a seamless and simplified cloud experience across a range of different devices with a combination of four distinct services: AOCloud, AOLink, AOStream and AOHelp.

AOCloud aggregates cloud storage services from both ASUS and other providers into a single virtual service with a single login to make accessing files stored online much easier. AOCloud also supports personal cloud storage via ASUS AiCloud and compatible ASUS routers, so files stored on home network-attached storage (NAS) can be accessed just as easily as those stored in the cloud.

AOLink works seamlessly with AOCloud to stream audio, video and images between devices and services. AOStream is a personal journal for photos and web clippings with lightning-fast local synchronization across connected devices, and unlimited uploads to dedicated cloud storage.

AOHelp is a suite of troubleshooting tools designed to take the headache out of solving common computer problems. The service features automatic optimization and diagnostic software, and secure remote assistance for ‘hands-on’ fixes from ASUS technical support representatives.

PadFone™ Infinity — next-generation two-in-one mobile flexibility

With slender unibody design crafted from aerospace-grade aluminum, ASUS PadFone™ Infinity is both beautiful and durable. 64GB of storage complements the class-leading Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600 processor with quad-core CPU for a smooth and responsive premium Android experience, while LTE and DC-HSPA+ ensure super-fast web browsing and downloads.

ASUS PadFone™ Infinity features a high-performance 13-megapixel camera with an f/2.0 five-element lens that captures incredibly detailed images, with no shutter lag. A dedicated image signal-processor enhances low-light image quality and enables PadFone™ Infinity to capture up to 100 sequential photos at 8 frames-per-second, while simultaneously recording 1080p Full HD video.

The unique two-in-one nature of ASUS PadFone™ Infinity removes the tedious need to synchronize data between smartphone and tablet. Data and settings on PadFone™ Infinity are available instantly on PadFone™ Infinity Station upon docking, and running apps are smoothly reformatted to fit the larger display. Mobile data bills are also reduced, since a single data plan can be shared between both devices. PadFone™ Infinity has up to 19 hours of 3G talk time, which increases to up to 40 hours when docked into PadFone™ Infinity Station.

Fonepad™ — the flexibility of a tablet with the features of a smartphone

ASUS Fonepad™ is designed for people who value both the voice communication features of a smartphone and the entertainment opportunities afforded by a tablet, but prefer the convenience of carrying just one device. Fonepad™ is a sleek and compact tablet with a metallic design that can be held comfortably in one hand, thanks to its light 340g weight and slim 10.4mm profile. Powered by the new Intel® Atom™ Z2420 processor, Fonepad™ features a perfect balance of performance and energy efficiency, with hardware-accelerated 1080p Full HD video decoding and up to nine hours of battery life.

Built-in 3G with HSPA+ mobile data means ASUS Fonepad™ is an always-connected mobile device for seamless web browsing and fast downloads. Thanks to its full 3G telephony support, Fonepad™ can also be used for voice calls using the built-in noise-cancelling digital microphone or an optional Bluetooth headset. With just one mobile data plan to pay for, running costs are also much lower than those of a separate smartphone and 3G tablet.

Fonepad™ is available in 8GB and 16GB capacities, and has an SD card slot for up to 32GB of additional storage. All models feature a front 1.2-megapixel camera for easy video chat and an optional rear 3-megapixel autofocus camera with 720p HD video recording. ASUS SonicMaster audio technology with MaxxAudio 3 processing by Waves ensures clear, well-rounded sound quality.

Other products on show at MWC include the PadFone 2 Android smartphone and tablet combination device, the MeMO Pad Smart 7-inch Android tablet, ASUS Transformer AiO and two new 10.1-inch Windows 8 tablets — VivoTab Smart and VivoTab Smart LTE.