Review by Ceri Wheeldon
Since setting up Fab after Fifty I am constantly looking for ways to make running the site and creating and delivering content easier, which is why I seem to be permanently attached to my laptop, phone, ipad etc. The Asus T100 Chi has really helped me transform how I work.
My laptop is too cumbersome for taking out and about to continue to work – I love my ipad but find it difficult to work seamlessly between it and my laptop. The touchscreen is great for doing research but I personally find it less than ideal for creating documents and manipulating images – I prefer my keyboard! I also find it easier for making quick updates to the website ‘on the go’. When travelling I found myself taking my ipad and laptop with me for weekends – not great for travelling light and taking up most of the space (and weight) in my handluggage. The Asus Chi solves that problem. It is all I need to take with me.
The Asus Chi is a laptop with a detachable keyboard – combining the ease of the touchscreen for browsing and the convenience of the keyboard when in ‘work’ mode. It is superslim with a 10 inch screen and weighs less than a kilo, making it ideal for travelling.
I was excited about charging it up and getting started – at first I thought there was a problem as I couldn’t get it to switch on – but then I realised that the keyboard and the tablet had to be charged separately.
Once started it was a pleasure to start using – it came with one year’s free Office 365 – so great to be able to launch into creating documents , slides etc. I work a lot with videos and so it was good to see that the editing suite I use had a ‘light’ version installed as standard. It had familiarity of windows 8 – with a free upgrade to windows 10 when available.
Unlike the ipad the Asus Chi has a micro USB port and a micro HDMI port- I bought a USB adapter so that I can use and access the accessories I have for my laptop- and to transfer files onto an external hard drive – great for when you don’t have access to the internet ( working on trains and planes!)
I loaned my Asus Chi to my friend’s daughter when she went down to Cornwall – it was also good to get a more tech savvy perspective on it – she loved it!
She and her mum also loved the Spandau Ballet concert at the Eden Project sponsored by Asus – a venue I will have to investigate for next year – especially as Elton John was also playing there this year.
Concerts aside, I love the simplicity and convenience of the Asus Chi 100 – it also made me realise how much I had changed in recent years – I was becoming as excited about a laptop now – a few years ago that excitement would have been reserved for new shoes. How life after 50 has changed!!
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