The day we’ve all been waiting for—as hardware vendors, software developers and consumers—is finally here! And no one is more excited than all of us at ASUS, as it marks the culmination of the collaborative and proprietary work we've been putting into developing Windows 7 products.

Our product development team has been keeping close pace with our counterparts over in Microsoft ever since the inception of the Windows 7 project. Our mission from the outset was simple: to deliver a unique Windows 7 experience. We’ve stayed true to that purpose throughout, and our customers can be assured that ASUS products aren’t just seamlessly compatible and in perfect synergy with the new operating system, they are also designed to enhance and extend the overall Windows 7 experience.

As an example, I’d like to call some attention to the key innovations we’ve introduced to ASUS notebooks running Windows 7: FastBoot and Turbo33. Available on many of ASUS’ notebook lines, such as the new UL Series and ROG (Republic of Gamers) Series, these features work in perfect concert with—and build upon—the functionality and capabilities in Windows 7.

FastBoot is an exciting feature on ASUS notebooks running Windows 7. Through our close collaboration with Microsoft, we’ve managed to tweak our hardware such that notebooks with FastBoot can boot up to 40% faster* than similarly-spec’ed notebooks without the technology. Boot up times can be as low as 30 seconds*.

The other technology I’d like to highlight is called Turbo33. I’m not at liberty to reveal the ‘secret sauce’ behind this remarkable technology, but ASUS notebooks with Turbo33 will allow users to enjoy exceptionally smooth video playback and online video streaming, as well as rock-solid stability when engaging in processor-intensive multitasking.

These technologies have been an absolute joy to design and implement, and it has been particularly rewarding witnessing how effectively they enhance the overall Windows 7 experience. But rest assured, we won't be stopping here. If there's one thing ASUS is known for, it’s our constant desire to improve the status quo. The promise of innovation is something that customers can always count on us to deliver upon—and the same will be true for all ASUS products that run on, or support, Windows 7.

We also expect the launch of Windows 7 to usher in a new golden age of gaming on the PC platform, and are poised to provide the best hardware for all types of gamers. Over the years, our ROG brand has forged a formidable reputation in the gaming arena, first with our top-performing gaming motherboards and graphics cards, then our aggressively spec’ed gaming notebooks.

ROG products stand apart because we’ve designed them around the needs, preferences and gameplay styles of the best gamers today. We’ve gained these insights by engaging gamers at many levels and on many fronts. ASUS, for example, supports some of the biggest eSports and LAN party events in the world. Just this year, we participated in 62 World GameMaster Tournament (WGT) events around the world, reaching 4,004,892 gamers in total. We were also involved in DreamHack Winter, Sweden; ASSEMBLY, Finland; GamesCon, Germany; and Campus Party, Spain which drew over 10,000, 3,500, 245,000 and 6,500 gamers respectively.

We are also strongly committed to supporting online gaming communities. We have an ongoing collaboration with ESL, the biggest online game portal in the Europe with over 35,000 active players. We cooperate closely with top game publishers worldwide as well, including Blizzard, Ubisoft and EA. We were a Platinum Sponsor at Blizzcon09 earlier this year—a two-day event that drew 30,000 visitors—and had a solid presence at Quakecon09 which saw over 7,000 attendees.

Through the stress testing, surveys and focus groups we conduct through these events and initiatives, we are able to take away a wealth of useful and actionable knowledge—knowledge that we’ve used to make our products better. Our ROG Windows 7 solutions are the ultimate realization of all the gaming expertise we’ve accrued to date.

I’d like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Microsoft. Windows 7 is an amazing operating system, and things will only get more exciting from here on. On ASUS’ part, you have our assurance that we’ll keep racking our brains to conceive the most meaningful and relevant products, technologies and features for today’s savvy consumers and avid gamers.

Tony Chen
Vice president of ASUS System Business Group

* System performance is subject to system configuration. This data is based on a comparison between a FastBoot-optimized ASUS notebook running 64-bit Windows 7 and an identically-spec’ed notebook without FastBoot running 32-bit Windows Vista. For detailed test results, please visit http://event.asus.com/2009/nb/disclaimer/win7/.

Many of you may be on the market for a new Windows 7 PC. Our partners are delivering new PCs we think you will love and just in time for the holidays! Below are hot and slick looking Windows 7 PCs in categories we think will be big for holiday 2009.

Please note that many of the PCs with features mentioned below are just one of many configurations these PCs come with. Many of these PCs can be configured and customized to your liking.

All-in-one PCs:

• Sony VAIO L Series: Features a Quad Core processor, 24” widescreen touch display, discrete graphics, lots of memory and storage.
• Dell Studio One 19: Features a Quad Core processor, lots of storage, a Blu-ray combo drive and an 18.5" multitouch HD widescreen display.
• HP TouchSmart 300z Series: Features discrete graphics, an optional built-in TV tuner and a 20" multitouch widescreen display.

Ultra-thin PCs:

• Acer Aspire 4810T: Offers a 14" screen, good battery life, and weighs only 2.4 lbs.
• Dell Adamo 13: Features a slick looking aluminum chassis, 13.4" edge-to-edge HD display, ultra-slim .65" profile, Bluetooth and optional Mobile Broadband.
• Toshiba Satellite T135: Features a 13.3" HD widescreen display, full size keyboard, 1.5" profile and weighs 4.7 lbs.

Touch PCs:

• Lenovo ThinkPad T400smt: A lightweight Laptop PC with a 14.1" multitouch display, integrated webcam, and dual-channel digital microphone.
• Toshiba Satellite M500: Features a lightweight, 14.1" touch screen and specializes in mobility. Note that not all M500 models feature Windows Touch however.

Netbook PCs:

• HP Mini 110 by Studio Tord Boontje: Features both style and mobility with its 10.1" HD widescreen – and just 2.35 lbs.
• Toshiba mini NB205: Weighs 3 lbs., has 3G Mobile Broadband and good battery life.
• Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2: Features a multitouch pad, and a 10.1" LED backlit screen.

But wait! There’s more! Here are some other great PCs that really show off some of things customers do on their PCs everyday (yes, some people game every day):

Great Gaming PCs:

• Falcon NW Fragbox: A portable desktop PC with a Quad Core processor, discrete graphics, lots memory and storage.
• Alienware M17x: Features Dual GPUs, a Quad Core processor and 12GB of DDR3 memory (that’s a lot of memory!).
• Asus G51Vx: A 15" gaming laptop PC featuring NVIDIA graphics with dedicated 1GB of memory, and a backlit gaming keyboard.

More Multimedia PCs:

• Dell Studio XPS 16: Features premium ATI graphics, optional Intel Core i7 processor configuration, and your choice of either a 15.6" LED or 16" RGBLED seamless display.
• HP Pavilion dv8t: Features an 18.4" HD widescreen, Blu-ray drive, TV tuner, and premium sound system with subwoofer and Dolby audio.
• Toshiba Satellite A505: Features discrete graphics (certain configurations), a dual-core CPU, and premium surround sound speakers, and a HD 16" screen.
• Lenovo IdeaPad Y650: A very stylish, thin, and light notebook at only 1 inch thick and weighing only 5.6 lbs.

All Around Great Everyday PCs:

• Dell Studio XPS 13: Features a 13.3" edge-to-edge display, backlit keyboard and NVIDIA graphics.
• Toshiba Satellite U500: Versatility, power and style and touch capable. A 13.3” mobile do-it-all machine.

Work from Anywhere (Mobility):

• HP Pavilion dm3: Features a 13.3” ultra wide screen display and NVIDIA graphics, under 4 lbs. and 1 inch thin with great battery life.
• Lenovo ThinkPad X200T: Features a lightweight form factor, Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and is a Tablet PC (great for taking notes during meetings!).

Safeguard Your Work:

• Lenovo ThinkPad X301: Features GPS, Bluetooth and Unified wireless capabilities.
• HP ProBook 5310: Features a 13.3” HD LED display with integrated mobile broadband and a thin and lightweight design.

We are also making it easier for customers to choose which Windows PC is right for them with an updated version of Windows PC Scout (previously known as Windows Laptop Scout).

Windows PC Scout has been completely updated with new PCs and new ways of helping customers better identify the PC they want based on their needs. Essentially Windows PC Scout “Simplifies your search” for the right PC. There are a couple of ways Windows PC Scout will help you find the PC you want:

• Laptop 101: Educates you on Laptop PCs.
• Usage: Discover how certain Laptop PCs are used for specific needs.
• Recommend: Match your needs with quality-checked Laptop PCs by Microsoft. Windows PC Scout provides clear recommendations on Windows PCs at a variety of price points.
• Buy: Once you’ve found a PC, Windows PC Scout makes it easy to click through to purchase the right PC for them through major retailers, the online Microsoft Store or PC manufacturer websites.

If you’re looking for a new Windows 7 PC – give Windows PC Scout a spin!

As you can see, there is such an amazing variety of Windows 7 PCs for you to choose!

In 2008, the global PC game software market reached $12.7 billion in revenue from a combination of retail sales, subscriptions, virtual item sales, advertising and digital distribution revenue according to the PC Gaming Alliance Horizons Software Report (click here to download the report). This was up 18% from 2007! PC gaming is hotter than ever!

So today we are announcing that we are revamping the Games for Windows Program. This revamp includes new technical guidelines, a self-certification option, and a set of 22 technical requirements which are designed to:

• Create an easier game installation experience.
• Support both 32-bit and 64-bit Platforms.
• Support Ratings and Parental Controls in Windows 7
• Game titles populated in the Game Explorer.
• Enhanced game update notifications for game titles.
• Stability, security and compatibility against commonly known issues.

The idea is to have more game developers participating with more game titles that pass a standardized set of technical requirements. Games that go through and pass these technical requirements will offer consumers a better gaming experience. Gamers can expect awesome high-quality gaming with Games of Windows titles going forward.

The new requirements for Games for Windows will also allow developers to take advantage of Windows 7 features and compatibility when Windows 7 is released on October 22^nd. 

You get some of these improvements today with Games for Windows – LIVE titles. When you install the Games for Windows – LIVE 3.0 client on Windows 7, Games for Windows – LIVE is added to Game Providers in Games Explorer.

As you can see, I can receive the latest news on Games for Windows – LIVE in the right-hand pane directly within the Games Explorer in Windows 7. When I click on Street Fighter IV (which is a Games for Windows – LIVE title) I can see whether or not the game is up to date directly from Games Explorer.

You can download the Games for Windows – LIVE 3.0 client here.

I posted about many of the brand new enhancements to Games Explorer (and the gaming experience) in Windows 7 several months ago.

Starting today, the program will be available to all PC gaming developers and publishers.

Over the past few years, we have worked to improve the quality of PC gaming in Windows for consumers through the Games for Windows. We hope that the revamp of the program we are announcing today makes gaming in Windows and on a PC even better!

As we discussed in our earlier blog, at the core of Windows 7 for the first time is the inclusion of the graphics processing unit (GPU) for computing. The GPU is no longer just for graphics. In Windows 7, the CPU and the GPU create a co-processing environment. As a result, Windows 7 PCs with the right balance of CPU and GPU offer a faster, more visual Windows 7 experience.

NVIDIA’s President and CEO, Jen-Hsun Huang talked about GPU Computing in Windows 7 during a keynote presentation at Computex 2009.

What makes this co-processing possible is one of the most significant additions Windows 7 brings: DirectCompute. DirectCompute enables applications in Windows 7 to take advantage of GPU Computing to accelerate applications. DirectCompute will be distributed as part of the DirectX 11 API and is fully supported by NVIDIA’s current lineup of DirectX 10 GPUs. Murray Vince, General Manager of the OEM Division at Microsoft was at Computex to discuss the new DirectCompute API in Windows 7.

DirectCompute will enable great consumer visual and interactive experiences such as new high-quality video and photo entertainment, simplified ways to interact with your devices, faster, more responsive PCs, and even new realistic gaming effects. DirectCompute is accelerated by today’s 200 million+ DirectX 10 GPUs and future DirectX 11 GPUs.

Below is an example of the co-processing environment (CPU + GPU) in Windows 7 for applications that operate primarily on sequential (or serial) codes, such as email, office applications (like Word), and basic web browsing. In this case, the CPU does the majority of the application processing and the GPU is used to display the graphics on the screen.

The second example below demonstrates the co-processing environment (CPU + GPU) in Windows 7 for applications that take advantage of parallel  processing, such as video playback, video editing, video conversion, and PC gaming. In this case, DirectCompute is used to leverage the processing power of the GPU to dramatically accelerate the application processing speed.

Windows 7 is also well positioned to be the new ultimate power gaming platform. Next generation PC Games are moving towards much more dynamic and immersive worlds that literally come to life: walls can be torn down, glass can be shattered, trees bend in the wind, and water flows with body and force. The ability to transform static environments into dynamic, physical worlds is powered by GPU computing. By performing the physics calculations on the GPU, game developers can offer real-time effects that have never been seen before. The following is an example of next generation game effects using DirectCompute to perform a real-time dynamic ocean simulation demo.

The incredible looking wave crests are made possible by using DirectCompute to perform the Fast Fourier transform calculations on the GPU and bring this demo to life. This is a great example of new realism that GPU Computing will bring to next generation games for Windows 7.

DirectCompute will be distributed as part of the DirectX 11 API and is fully supported by NVIDIA’s current lineup of DirectX 10 GPUs.

Windows developers who are interested in learning more about developing with DirectCompute and NVIDIA GPUs can get more information here. Consumers already running a GeForce GPU with Windows 7 can download the new WHQL-certified drivers supporting DirectCompute directly from www.nvidia.com/drivers.

We look forward to showing more examples of the power of GPU Computing and DirectCompute.

Chris Daniel
Product Manager for Software at NVIDIA

I’m between video games right now, so I thought that I’d take a look at what’s available in the Xbox Live Arcade.  There was one game that caught my eye, simply because of the name.  As you may have guessed from the title of this post, that game is ‘Splosion Man.

Ladies and gentlemen – let me be clear:  If you have not yet played this game, stop doing whatever you’re doing and go play the demo.  All the way through.  I’ll wait.

Done yet?  Ok, now buy the game and play the rest of it.  Seriously.

This is one of the best games I’ve played in the last 5 years – and I’m completely serious about that.  For me, this game is right up there with Portal, with the wonderfully odd plot and the amazingly quirky music.

What a fantastic game!

With a great price at $299, here is a small form factor PC that can hold all your HDTV decoding and PC gaming needs. The AspireRevo is based on the Nvidia ION graphics chip platform and the Intel ATOM 230/330 processor. Nvidia’s ION platform is based upon the GeForce series 9400M G graphics chipset — a low-cost, low-power GPU capable of HD video decoding and DirectX 10-compatible PC gaming graphics power.

NVidia’s ION enables the AspireRevo play 1080p HD movies, play DirectX 10 games, and run Windows Vista Premium with all 3D capabilities. It’s small, sleek, space-saving, and can be used as a fully functional home office PC or as a living room PC for casual gaming on your television.

Besides being equipped with the Intel Atom 230 processor and NVIDIA ION GPU, the AspireRevo comes with a choice of a Serial ATA Hard Drive or Solid State Drive and up to 4GB of DDR2 memory. A Mini PCI Express slot offers the possibility of expanding memory capacity to make space for continuously growing multimedia files.

(Source) Examiner