Package Contents and Design
Inside the Box
The Asus W5F laptop comes in a simple white box which matches the understated laptop contained within. The box is sturdy and the laptop secure inside. Shaking the box didn’t yield any big shifts in weight which means it will be safe for transporting across long distances.
Inside are all the materials you need: software CDs (drivers, recovery, MS Works and more), manuals, power adapter, and a telephone cable for the modem.
Left to right: Power adapter, global service center contact card,
S-Video to Composite video adapter, phone cable, blue tooth mouse,
and power adapter cable.
Unlike other laptops, there is also an S-Video (male) to Composite (female) adapter to help in those situations where you need to show something on a different display but the display doesn’t support S-Video or VGA.
Asus goes one step further and includes a Bluetooth optical mouse in the bundle. Just put in two AA batteries and turn it on – the W5F will detect it and automatically configure it for your use. Batteries aren’t included.
The documentation that comes with the Asus W5F is well written with concise language that is not overly technical. A Quick Installation Guide takes you through 4 steps to getting the W5F running and is well illustrated with diagrams. The User’s Manual is a bit lengthier at 68 pages and contains all the information you will need in owning the W5F from selecting different power options to emergency shut-off. There is even a glossary of terms to help less experienced users.
Design
When you look at the Asus W5F you can tell it’s as much a statement of style as it is a functional tool. The ivory white body is reminiscent of Apple’s iBooks and iPods though the finish is more matte than Apple’s products. Blue LEDs light up when powered on which give it a very cool appearance.
Looking at the screen, the most obvious feature is the integrated web camera Asus has built into the W5F. This camera can swivel 180-degrees to face you or away from you.
The 12.1″ screen is mounted on a slender lid that’s really pretty thin for a laptop. Framing the LCD are controls for the integrated web camera which we will examine in more detail later in this review. Along the bottom are the speakers hidden behind an attractive chrome grill.
The LCD is covered with a glossy anti-glare screen which Asus calls “Color Shine”, and if you’ve used any modern LCD you will know that this kind of coating has different names depending on the company. The Color Shine coating helps improve the colors of the LCD screen while reducing glare. I find this kind of coating does create better color, but at the expense of a smaller view angle and increasing reflections from surrounding objects.
On the back of the lid are two LEDs that indicate power-on (blue) and battery charging (orange).
Continued…
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