Jay Chou designs ASUS N-series Laptop!

03 July 2011

Jay Chou fans alert!!!

ASUS held a media conference in Taipei on 29 June (Wed), noon, to announce the launch its latest limited edition N-series notebook.  Jay Chou, one of my all-time favourite singer-songwriter, was appointed by ASUS as Chief Designer for this limited edition notebook, and the special collaboration was unveiled during the conference.

With this collaboration, how can I not be excited?  This event has to be part of my blog man!  :)

+++Jay Chou holding ASUS special edition N series notebook (N43SL) together with ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih in the launch at Taipei's W Hotel on 29 June 2011+++

Available in two colour accents, gold and fuchsia, the circular motif on the cover of the laptop brings together various elements of Jay Chou's music such as, piano keys, notes and even icons like nunchakus from the lyrics of his songs.  A hand-drawn "J" selected from numerous calligraphy brush strokes completes the cover design of the laptop.  Opening up the laptop unveils Jay Chou's signature on the palm rest as well as a stylised "J" key on the keyboard with Baroque influence. 

The special edition laptop runs on the 2nd generation Intel Core processors Nvidia GeForce GT 540M graphics and a 14-inch LED display.  SonicMaster audio technology developed in collaboration with experts from Bang & Olufsen ICEpower delivers the top-of-the-line audio through its speakers. 

Fans of the Green Hornet star will be happy to note that the start-up and shut down music for the N43SL was also composed by Jay Chou.  Leveraging on his popularity in Asia, ASUS will also be preloading this edition with several songs handpicked by Jay Chou.

+++Circular motif on the cover+++

+++Hand-drawn "J"+++

+++Stylised "J" key+++

+++Jay Chou's signature on palm rest!+++

+++Model with special edition N43SL+++

More details via the media release below:

ASUS announced the launch of a special edition of the N Series notebook designed by renowned artist and songwriter Jay Chou at a press event in Taipei today.  The event opened with a symphony conducted by ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih and an orchestra consisting of notebooks along with piano by Jay Chou.  The combination of classical music with digital remix demonstrates the latest breakthrough in ASUS SonicMaster Audio technology.

“Design inspiration has always been a part of ASUS’ DNA, and we’re honored to appoint a talented singer and songwriter like Jay Chou to infuse new elements of design into our N series notebook.  But design is not all we have to offer.  This special edition of the N series notebook is powered by the latest Intel innovations. I believe this strong partnership will continue to bring more exciting products to our customers”, said Jonney Shih, ASUS Chairman.

“The audio experience delivered by the N3 is truly remarkable and it’s made even better by the stunning visual experience delivered by Intel’s 2nd generation Core processors.  The combination of superior sound and sight is what I call an incredible experience”, added Sean Maloney, Chairman of Intel® China.

Unique design inspired by traditional and modern motifs

Jay Chou transformed his passion and devotion for music into innovative notebook design by using music notes, sheet music, piano concepts and other musical icons as inspiration for a truly unique notebook.  The combination of modern “J-style” text-wrapping with a classical Chinese blue and white porcelain finish infuses the notebook with strong and diverse Asian aesthetics.  “It has been a tremendous pleasure to work with the ASUS Design Center.  They were able to translate and transform my musical inspirations onto the N series notebook product design and functionality.  Every detail on the N series perfectly portrays my personal taste and multimedia lifestyle,” said Jay Chou.

Intel® Core™ technology for better notebook experiences

ASUS and Intel® have cooperated closely on this campaign, creating all-new branding for N Series notebooks using the 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processors and Sandy Bridge architecture which enhance both graphics and multitasking performance.  These portable PCs upgrade graphics and boost flexible multitasking performance while optimizing power consumption for a perfectly balanced and rewarding computing experience.

Setting new standards in notebook audio

Last year, ASUS redefined top-of-the-line audio with N Series notebooks with the development of its exclusive SonicMaster audio technology.  Co-developed by a dedicated ASUS team and leading sound experts from Bang & Olufsen ICEpower®, SonicMaster incorporates grand, theater-like acoustics with the constrained physical dimensions of a notebook PC.

ASUS has also worked with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower® on creating the SonicMaster sound certification, which also debuted on N Series notebooks.  SonicMaster is now available on all N Series notebooks and presents enhanced audio technology that delivers the clearest treble and most resonant bass on any portable PC.  SonicMaster also enables the widest-reaching and most powerful surround effects, creating theater-grade and highly lifelike audio.  Combined with exclusive design by Jay Chou, the special edition N Series notebook is a genuine collector’s item.

Specifications

Model: N43SL
Processor: Intel Core i5-2410M (2.3GHz)
Operating system: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Chipset: Mobile Intel HM65 Express chipsets
RAM: 4GB DDR3 RAM
HDD: 640GB SATA HDD (5400rpm)
Display: 14.0” LED-Backlit (1366×768)
VGA: NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M with 2GB dedicated VRAM
ODD: SuperMulti Double Layer
WLAN: Integrated 802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth
Audio: Audio by Bang & Olufsen ICEpower & SonicMaster technology
Weight: 2.4Kg (with 6-cell battery)
Dimension: 35.0(W) x 24.0(D) x 3.30 ~ 3.70 (H) cm

RSP: $1,298 (GST Included)
Availability: Estimated to hit SG retail stores by 1st – 2nd week July 2011