Asus Announces ZenBook 3, a Retina MacBook Lookalike That is Thinner, Lighter, and Faster

[lars666]

Well if your biggest worry is that someone will check your browser history or gain access to your bank account and steal the 45 Euros in there, then I see why you don't get it. Some people have corporate secrets on their devices, sensitive business or personal info that can be stolen and exploited, sensitive contacts, financial info, etc. It doesn't matter why you want to secure your data. With touch id, someone could lift a fingerprint from a surface you touch and make a fake "finger" that can unlock whatever you've secured with that print. If you use encryption with a passcode, then you either have to tell someone the passcode or they have to crack it by some means, i.e., brute force, dictionary, etc.

If you really have "secret agent" level worries that somebody will take the efforts to lift your fingerprint from a surface and create a latex replica of your finger within the X hours of not login in until you have to re-type your password (AND stealing your computer at the same time as I imagine that the first-time activation on a device could need a second authentication like an SMS code for even more safety) – you probably should be even more worried that somebody installs spy cameras to secretly record you while you type in your password or standing in front of your house in a van with a high sensitive device measuring the radiation of your monitor and recreating its picture from it ...

 

[mj1108]

who gives a hoot how "Thin" stuff is

Apple seems to. In many respects it seems as though that's all they care about.

 

[kyleh22]

I'm pretty impressed this this notebook TBH. I think it looks very cleaning it's specs are good for a laptop that's so small. Good work ASUS.

 

[krazifour]

It only took about a year for them to beat Apple. This is unacceptable.

 

[Rigby]

I guess you don't understand how it works then. Have a read on the system behind Apples Touch ID in iPhones/iPad. It's more secure than any of your passwords, how complex they may be.

In fact, Touch ID was broken with "rubber fingers" within weeks after it was first released, and can still be fooled in the latest models. See e.g.:

http://arstechnica.com/security/201...ols-iphone-6-touch-id-why-its-not-so-serious/

or

A good password, on the other hand, is almost impossible to break if a proper key derivation function is used.

 

[CEmajr]

I'm sure they didn't copy Apple. Of course this was just the natural progression of laptops.

 

[lars666]

In fact, Touch ID was broken with "rubber fingers" within weeks after it was first released, and can still be fooled. See e.g.:

http://arstechnica.com/security/201...ols-iphone-6-touch-id-why-its-not-so-serious/

or

A good password, on the other hand, is almost impossible to break if a good key derivation function is used.

You really want to tell me with a straight face that the possibility of somebody going through the efforts to steal my finger print (and device) and recreating a latex fake finger out of it is more of a risk than – as already happened in the past – the servers of Spotify, Last.fm, Sony etc. are getting hacked and your credentials are stolen? That this theoretical vulnerability (for those of us who don't have "secret agent" kind of valuable data for our enemys) outweights the other one?

Please tell me you're joking.

 

[kodos]

Download Windows 10 ISO from MS, make bootable usb drive, wipe the current Windows and install Windows from the bootable usb drive that you made. No more manufacturer bloat.

Which is fine if you want to do that - and I probably would have done that in the past. I just don't have time for that right now where I am in life (especially since I get paid hourly as an independent software developer - I could spend that time making $$$). Or if I enjoyed doing such things, I'd do it as well. But I have other hobbies I would rather spend the time on

But for many, many other people, what you propose is a very reasonable option. Good idea!

 

[sero]

If you really have "secret agent" level worries that somebody will take the efforts to lift your fingerprint from a surface and create a latex replica of your finger within the X hours of not login in until you have to re-type your password (AND stealing your computer at the same time as I imagine that the first-time activation on a device could need a second authentication like an SMS code for even more safety) – you probably should be even more worried that somebody installs spy cameras to secretly record you while you type in your password or standing in front of your house in a van with a high sensitive device measuring the radiation of your monitor and recreating its picture from it ...

Funny, but this isn't mission impossible level stuff. You can bypass touch ID with a fingerprint on clear tape. And you don't need to get the print at the same time you steal the device, although you can probably just get the print right off the device anyway.

 

[Rigby]

You really want to tell me with a straight face that the possibility of somebody going through the efforts to steal my finger print and recreating a latex fake finger out of it

In some cases hackers were able to lift a working fingerprint directly from the device that they wanted to crack. And as someone mentioned, once your fingerprints are out there, they are impossible to revoke. This is a big flaw in all biometric authentication methods.

outweights the possibility that the servers of Spotify, Last.fm, Sony etc. get hacked and your credentials are stolen (like already happened in the past)?

If you choose a good password (that cannot be guessed using tools like Hashcat etc.) and the service uses a proper key derivation function, it's definitely harder than fooling Touch ID. Of course leaks of hashed passwords can still be devastating since many people do not use good passwords.

 

[AndyUnderscoreR]

The Windows-based notebook is powered by up to an Intel Core i7 processor

That's odd, I was expecting it to be powered by a battery.

 

[jerrystover]

ASUS today at Computex 2016 in Taiwan announced a wide range of new products, including the ZenBook 3, its third-generation ultraportable notebook that is thinner, lighter, and faster than Apple's lookalike 12-inch Retina MacBook.

The 12.5-inch ZenBook 3 has an ultra-thin 11.9mm aerospace-grade aluminum alloy chassis that weights just 2 pounds and is "50% stronger than the standard alloy" used in competing notebooks. Comparatively, the Retina MacBook is 13.1mm thick and weighs 2.03 pounds.

ZenBook 3's display is crafted from edge-to-edge, scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 4, with a 1,920x1,080 pixels resolution and wide 72% NTSC color gamut. The notebook has a slim bezel design that provides an 82% screen-to-body ratio for a maximum viewing experience with a minimal footprint.

The Windows-based notebook is powered by up to an Intel Core i7 processor and features 16GB of 2133MHz RAM, up to 1TB of PCIe 3.0-based flash storage, and quad-speaker audio by Harman Kardon. Like the Retina MacBook, the ZenBook 3 has a single USB-C port for charging and connecting peripherals.

ASUS includes a dongle with USB 3.0, USB-C, and HDMI ports in the box, while a larger universal dock is available with additional connectivity options.

ASUS sacrificed a fanless design like the Retina MacBook has in favor of increased performance, but the ZenBook 3 has an innovative cooling system that features the "world's thinnest fan design" at just 3mm. The notebook delivers up to 9 hours of battery life with fast-charging technology for recharging up to 60% capacity in 49 minutes.

ZenBook 3 is available in three spun-metal finishes, Royal Blue, Rose Gold, and Quartz Grey, based on a two-phase anodizing process that creates golden highlights on the diamond-cut edges. Whereas the Retina MacBook's keyboard is always black, the ZenBook 3's keyboard matches the color of each finish.

The full-sized backlit keyboard also has 19.8mm key pitch and a slightly deeper 0.8mm key travel, compared to 0.5mm on the Retina MacBook's ultra-thin butterfly mechanism keyboard that some have contested. Next to the keyboard is a glass trackpad with palm-rejection technology, Smart Gestures, and handwriting support.

An optional built-in fingerprint reader with Windows Hello support enables users to sign in and unlock the ZenBook 3 with one finger tap, in lieu of having to type their password or PIN. Similarly, the 2016 MacBook Pro may feature Touch ID as Apple works on an unlocking-via-iPhone feature for OS X 10.12.

ZenBook 3 will be available in the third quarter of 2016, starting at $999 in the U.S. for the base model with an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. A 512GB SSD model will sell for $1,499, while the top-range Intel Core i7 model with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD will cost $1,999.

ASUS also announced the Zenbo home robot, the ZenFone 3 Series, the ASUS Transformer 3 Series, and multiple other new products.

Article Link: Asus Announces ZenBook 3, a Retina MacBook Lookalike That is Thinner, Lighter, and Faster

[doublepost=1464636022][/doublepost]I was interested until I read that it was windows based. Sorry!

 

[HiRez]

Basically this is just this week's "OMFG look at this hotness, better in every way than Apple's offering, they've been lapped and are really in trouble, can't innovate" thing.

We've seen this dozens of times before and like all the others this will quickly be forgotten just like all the rest.

Doesn't mean the ASUS is bad or that people won't buy it, but it's not going to kill Apple MacBook/MBP sales either. I'm sure Apple hasn't been working on any improvements behind the scenes as well...

 

[thingstoponder]

I wish these companies could be sued of of existence. Just a blatant clone. ********.

 

[dnewkirk]

Wow. Apple just got served on the hardware side. Simply blows away the MB line. Seems like we are back to the old days where Apple is left behind again and again.

What?!? It's slightly thinner, but uses a processor with a much higher TDP and tiny fan. I guarantee you that there will be a lot of throttling (precluding a significant performance improvement) and that the machine will get quite warm. It also has a screen that has lower resolution, color accuracy, etc. Not to mention that to get to a similar amount of ram and other specs (aside from screen), the price ends up similar. The only real benefit that this machine has over the Macbook is the color and case design. If you want something that looks like the ASUS, then thats fine. If you want a Mac, then you get the Macbook (without a huge trade-off in specs). I don't understand how people say things like this. There are definitely times when other manufacturers release computers that are more powerful or have nicer features, but there are always trade-offs, and the gap is never as big as people make it out to be. Comparing Macs to other PCs is just fine, but lets leave the hyperbole at the door please....

 

[satchmo]

While Apple is the only OSX game in town, competition is good.
The best thing about this Asus is that maybe, just maybe, it'll light a fire under Apple's ass to update their laptops.

 

[jamezr]

Hmmmm....looks like Asus has better implementation

ASUS today at Computex 2016 in Taiwan announced a wide range of new products, including the ZenBook 3, its third-generation ultraportable notebook that is thinner, lighter, and faster than Apple's lookalike 12-inch Retina MacBook.

 

[dombi]

Wow. Very nice configurations, and good pricing.
The high end model with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD seems like the perfect laptop for $1,999.

It seems that Apple does not care about us, the Mac users anymore.
Everything is about iPhones, and iPads now.

They could do so much...
I would love to have a 15" Macbook Pro with 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD at a reasonable price.
Why not make the machine a bit thicker, but with good cooling and a really long battery life (12-14 hours).

I actually loved the non-retina Macbook Pro's housing. Because I could easily upgrade the HDD myself.
Why not make that same house again, but with dual SSDs in it. At a reasonable price or course.

 

[Rigby]

I use Windows 10 and have Classic Shell installed to replace the Tile Menu. But I did a search and found no Candy Crush. I'm on the current stable build.

Maybe I already uninstalled it?

Or maybe Candy Crush is a new feature of the upcoming "Anniversary Update" in July.

I just remember all the anger of "ads" appearing in the tile menu. That's why I thought these games were just icons/tiles to download and are not actually installed.

This is actually one of the most annoying aspects of Windows 10: All the pre-installed crap. It's not just ads like "Candy Crush", "Get Office", "Get Skype" etc., but also useless apps such as "Phone Companion" and "Xbox" that I don't want on my desktop. To make matters worse, some (like Xbox) can only be removed via command line. And when you create a new user account, they get preinstalled again. Not to mention that you need to spend half an hour disabling things after installation if you value your privacy. Windows 10 could be a really good operating system ... if Microsoft wasn't so pushy and invasive.

 

[ardchoille50]

Thinner, light and faster mean nothing to me. Does it run Continuity, Handoff and Slideover? Does it integrate iCloud and Airdrop? Hardware isn't everything.

 

[flottenheimer]

Competition. Gotta love it.
Personally, I can't wait to see the new MacBook Pros.

 

[intopieces]

I'd trust the vendor as my vision is, of course, that the Touch ID is directly integrated into the trackpad/magic mouse/wherever by Apple – exactly the same thing like in the iPhone/iPad, only now in MacBooks, iMacs and Mac Pros – and working with every login in Safari, App Store, Apps etc. A backup system is not needed, in my opinion, as we wouldn't even deal with passwords anymore – the other site is checking if your personal digital fingerprint fits – but they won't have it stored on their servers, no chances for hackers, you always need the "real" other side like with HBCI banking chip cards. This needs to happen, it's totally overdue.

Every encryption failure begins with the individuals believing their particular system has 'no chance for hackers.' All systems have a chance for hackers, and the American government is actively attempting to sabotage encryption to make it even easier. I say this entirely without pretension: your ignorance is your peril. Trust in systems is an invitation to infiltration.

I know it sounds like I'm being combative, but the serious misinformation surrounding the security of devices is a big, big problem that can become very expensive for individual users.

A backup system is always necessary. You don't value your data but one day (heaven forbid) you have your identity stolen, you will.

 

[CFreymarc]

Sounds like they pulled someone out of the North American sales office to voice over. The annunciation is far from professional.
[doublepost=1464639720][/doublepost]

I'd trust the vendor as my vision is, of course, that the Touch ID is directly integrated into the trackpad/magic mouse/wherever by Apple – exactly the same thing like in the iPhone/iPad, only now in MacBooks, iMacs and Mac Pros – and working with every login in Safari, App Store, Apps etc. A backup system is not needed, in my opinion, as we wouldn't even deal with passwords anymore – the other site is checking if your personal digital fingerprint fits – but they won't have it stored on their servers, no chances for hackers, you always need the "real" other side like with HBCI banking chip cards. This needs to happen, it's totally overdue.

Suggest you look over the patent suite that covers fingerprint scanning on laptop computers. For whatever reason, Apple is not closing a deal.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

who gives a hoot how "Thin" stuff is

Apple Inc.?

 

[robeddie]

Basically this is just this week's "OMFG look at this hotness, better in every way than Apple's offering, they've been lapped and are really in trouble, can't innovate" thing.

We've seen this dozens of times before and like all the others this will quickly be forgotten just like all the rest.

Doesn't mean the ASUS is bad or that people won't buy it, but it's not going to kill Apple MacBook/MBP sales either. I'm sure Apple hasn't been working on any improvements behind the scenes as well...

Right, just like alll those incredible improvements they've rolled out for the mac pro in the past 2.5 years