Asus Eee PC 1008P (Karim Rashid Seashell Collection)

ASUS melds function with form & fashion 

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte 

Since the introduction of the first Eec PC, global brand Asus has inched high technology ever closer to high fashion. With the Eee PC Karim Rashid Seashell collection (1008P), it has taken a decisive leap unto the catwalk. Co-conceived by one of the world's leading designers, the 1008P is the realization of Karim's vision of computing – one that's more sensual, more human, and more hip. Completely contemporary, these netbooks are more daring, more intersecting and designed to appeal to young, mobile trendsetters while remaining an accessible luxury to everyone. Karim's inspired touch is imbued in every inch of the 1008P netbook.

It is encased from top to bottom in an organic Digi-Wave chassis that's as pragmatic as it is stylish; offering striking looks and robust protection. The ripping lines- which convey a sense of forward motion – adhere perfectly to the golden ratio, bearing testament to the extreme precision required to produce the subtle waves and retain color consistency across the crests and troughs. The in-mold cutting was measured and tested with unprecedented precision by their designers, resulting in a gadget that boasts the prestige of a handcrafted product. The perfection of each wave can be perceived with the gentlest of touches. The 1008P manifests Asus' commitment to designing products that appeal to the five human senses, with an emphasis on vision and touch. To achieve this, Asus' industrial designers have had to pioneer a plethora of material, production and textural innovations such as the combination of rubber paint, in-mold roller (IMR) and metallic materials to create thoroughly unique finishes. 

The 1008P reflects Karim and Asus' view that material, performance, texture, color, and ease-of-use are inseparable in any object of beauty. It is designed to stimulate all five human senses, particularly the sense of touch, which is often overlooked in the PC domain. It thus sets itself apart from other netbooks through its innovative finishes that pampers users' palms and fingertips. The 1008P also stands out prominently through its colors: glossy hot pink and classic matte coffee brown. The latter hue is subtle, mature and understated yet elegant. Coffee brown is classic and timeless; bringing to mind a gentleman sipping coffee at a cafe whilst enjoying a relaxing afternoon by reading. On the other hand, hot pink is the new black in fashion and a shock of punchy pink is just the thing to brighten any ensemble. This positive and very orgulous color clearly communicates the idea of immateriality, entropy, and energy of a strong optimistic presence; conjuring images of a fashionable woman strolling down New York's Fifth Avenue! 

“The 1008P is an accessible luxury; making waves and ripples in the industry. It is inspired by the Greek mythology figure Pegasus, who lorded over art and learning. Its high quality solutions has married innovation with aesthetics. In 1997, Asus came up with notebooks of ground-breaking design. In 2008, our netbooks carried 8-hour battery lives. This year, Karim's design works with the finger flow, not to mention a 500 GB on-line storage feature. As of today, Asus is the 2nd top netbook brand worldwide,” declared marketing specialist Jamie Anne C. Ysrael, during the Manila launching ceremonies. 

The specific hues, tints, and saturations were carefully selected to appeal to tech fashionistas. It features the new power-saving Intel Atom N450 CPU, that works in tandem with Asus' exclusive Super Hybrid Engine technology to deliver 12 hours of battery life on a single charge. The 1008P also offers near-instant access to the Internet with the inclusion of Express Gate, an anciliary operating system that boots up in seconds; allowing users to make Skype calls, Web surfing, photo browsing, on-line gaming, instant messaging, and a whole lot more. 

Thus, to showcase their pioneering spirit, Asus teamed up with local clothing brand Plains & Prints' R.A.F. Collection in launching the 1008P Seashell collection. Veejay Bianca Valerio, who hosted the event, looked fab wearing a peridot mini-dress with floral-patterned side ruching; and so did the other models who donned the designs. Created to appeal to the human senses as well, the R.A.F. trunk came in an eclectic mix of bubble skirts, lapel shirts, shorts, pleated blouses, zip-front patterned dresses, uni-sleeved shifts, caped little black numbers as well as khaki trousers, jackets, and cardigans for the men's line. Other eye-catching distaff silhouettes included a dressy blouson over colored hosiery, peplum dresses, lantern-sleeved tops, flounced lace minis, tie-dyed sabrina dresses and black-and-white corporate ensembles while the men's line showcased striped shirts over acid-treated jeans or button-fly pants that went well with contrasting body bags. The Plains & Prints R.A.F. Collection is available at the racks starting this April. 

With Karim Rashid's Seashell collection, Asus simultaneously unveiled the brand-new Designo series LCD monitors MS236, astounding users with its perfect combination of exceptional style and picture quality. Its design concept is inspired by the binary state; incorporating a series of contrasting elements like the numbers 1 and 0, straight lines and circles, as well as black & white into an ultra-slim monitor with a 16.5mm profile. The unique spherical ring stand features Ergo-Fit technology that lets users adjust the monitor's tilt angle with just one finger. Its ergonomic design puts the screen at eye level for a comfortable and productive dual-screen computing experience when deployed as a notebook's supplementary monitor. It further delights with its crisp visuals in full HD 1080p, 50,000:1 contrast ratio, 2ms respond time and the Splendid Video Intelligence (SVI) technology, along with an extra 40 percent in power savings. 

An amazing interface in a head-turning package, it is manufactured with 50 percent less hazardous materials while reducing power consumption to lower electricity bills and help save Mother Earth. The MS236 monitor is the perfect partner to your netbook with its sleek piano-black bezel finish. Asus is a leading company in the new digital era, with an extensive product portfolio that includes notebooks, netbooks, motherboards, graphic cards, displays, optical drives, desktop PCs, servers, wireless solutions, mobile phones and networking devices. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, it designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today's digital home, office, and person. The company won 3,268 awards in 2009 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the Eee PC. 

With a global staff of more than ten thousand and a world-class R&D design team, the company's revenue for 2008 reached US$8.1 billion. Asus ranks among Business Week's Info Tech 100 and has been on said listing for 12 consecutive years now. The Asus Eee PC 1008P Karim Rashid design is available only in selected dealer stores: Octagon (SM Megamall), Complink (Mall of Asia), Villman (SM North Edsa) and Accent Micro (Park Square Makati) while the Asus Designo series 236H monitor, on the other hand, is available in all Asus concept shops and authorized retailers nationwide. For more information, simply get in touch with Jamie Ysrael through mobile nos. 0928-5025762 and 0917-5787873 or email jamie_ysrael@asusph.com.