Asus's Netbook May Sport Google's Open Source OS 'Android'

Asustek Computer planning to releases its netbook sporting Google's open source Android operating system.

In an interview, head of Asus's Eee PC division, Samson Hu, said that the company has allotted a group of engineers to create an Android netbook which is expected to get complete later this year. Thou, it is not clear that company will make it commercial, Hu added.

Asus has a lot of experience over netbook field. Company also carries a good knowledge with Android, since it is working with its Garmin to develop a line of smartphone, and some of them will run on Google's Android.

Way back in 2007, when Android was introduced, it was said that search giant is trying to expand its reach in mobile phone technology. Till date only T-mobile G1 is a handset which runs on Android, but things are going to change soon because later this year many smartphones companies like HTC, Motorola and other major cell phone manufactures are expected to carry Android in their handset.

Currently smartphones are ruling the market, and it is Google how wants to get its OS in this wild run. Google also wants to get its OS in other machines like set-top boxes, mobile Internet devices and netbooks. Archos is already prepping to put the Linux-based OS on an Internet-connected tablet, Nvidia will support Android on its Tegra chipset, and Freescale Semiconductor recently added support for Google's OS to its ARM-based processors

Asus's Xonar HDAV 1.3 with Dolby TrueHD Support

Yet another Asus product is all set to hit market, this time a high-end sound card dubbed as the Xonar HDAV1.3 series boasting HDMI 1.3a compatibility and Dolby TrueHD bitstream support. The Xonar HDAV 1.3 series sound solution comprises of a AV200 audio processor customized by C-Media as well as by a TotalMedia Theater player by ArcSoft. The same processor is previously used in Asus Xonar D2X, the PCI-Express sound card.

Thou there is on official information about pricing and availability by Asus, but many hardware stores are already the newly out processor ranging between $240(means Rs. 11,600 approx.) and $263( means Rs. 12,700 approx.).

Asus promises bit-to-bit lossless Blu-ray audio output via the AV200 audio processor and the TotalMedia Theater player. The streaming capability of the sound card output at a lossless compression rate of 24bit/192KHz, and can be received at AV receivers all thanks to Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. With the help of HDMI port, a 7.1 channel 24bit/192KHz Linear Pulse Code Modulation (multi-channel) audio out can be received through this sound card.

Advanced Access Content System and Protected Audio Playback System (PAPS) certification for content protection is there in Asus Xonar ADAV1.3. The EAX 5.0 and 3D gaming audio in Windows Vista will be enabled with DS3D GX 2.0, which automatically enables the latest EAX and DirectSound hardware post installation without the use of any driver patches, OpenAL, or game modifications.

Asus is expected to launch it Xonar HDAV1.3 sound card in mid-July. Another, Asus product is making its way in hardware market, its Asus's AM3 Motherboard.