Posted in Commentary with tags Asus on December 21, 2022 by itnerd
I got pinged by a reader while I was dealing with a client this morning. I couldn’t look into it then, but when I got home I did. When I logged into my ZenWifi XT8 mesh WiFi system I say that an update was available. I clicked on it and saw this:
I also checked the ASUS website and didn’t see anything on this firmware. That was odd because ASUS usually updates the website with new firmware releases pretty quickly. Unless this slipped out by accident which I have seen a couple of times. In that case, ASUS usually releases a newer firmware to replace it. The other theory that I have is that ASUS felt that they had to roll out this firmware four days before Christmas because this firmware fix couldn’t wait until after the holidays. I point that out because companies don’t typically roll out stuff like this a week or two before Christmas due to not having staff on hand to answer phone calls or fix something if it goes off the rails. Making this an unusual release.
After updating I do a factory reset of the router using these instructions.
Using a computer and a web browser, connect to the router and using the advanced options in the setup wizard, upload the backup of the configuration that I saved in the first step.
I do this because I have found that simply upgrading to the latest ASUS firmware can create problems. For example, one firmware upgrade broke HomeKit for almost a day until I figured out that doing factory reset it followed by setting it up from scratch was the fastest and best way to resolve the issue. Since then, this has been my upgrade process and it has never failed me.
After walking through those steps I was back online and I started doing some testing. Right away I noticed that TimeMachine backups were way faster from all the Macs in the home. I also noted that when I had to do a VPN connection to fix something for a client, that was way faster as well. The reason why I put the words “way faster” in bold is because it was truly much faster than what I had been used to. I tried to run Speed Tests from my iPhone 14 Pro and didn’t find a difference in terms of WiFi speed. So my best guess is that besides what little is in the release notes, ASUS must have done something to make device to router connections faster. Other than that, I have noted no stability issues like I have seen previously. Nor have I noted any other improvements.
I’ll be running this for about a week and I will report back as it takes about that long before any serious issues become apparent. Also, if release notes do appear, I’ll be sure to link them here.
UPDATE12/22/2022: ASUS just posted release notes for this firmware update on their website. It has more details than the screenshot above:
So these release notes explained why I am seeing the better VPN performance. But it doesn’t explain the improved WiFi performance that I am seeing. In terms of my observations, it’s the same as what I reported above. It seem stable and reliable thus far.
UPDATE #2: I have an update on this firmware here.
Posted in Commentary with tags Asus on November 27, 2022 by itnerd
You might remember that a few weeks ago I put out a public service announcement for owners of The ASUS ZenWiFi XT8 to not install firmware 3.0.0.4.388.21099 as it was incredibly unstable. In fact, it was so unstable that I recommended rolling back to the previous firmware and provided instructions on how to do so. Earlier this week, ASUS released an updated firmware which is listed as version 3.0.0.4.388.21617 that claims to optimize memory usage and improve stability among other things. You can read the release notes here. Since I suggested to people that they shouldn’t try the previous firmware, I decided to try this firmware. Now first, let me describe how to update the firmware as for whatever reason, if you don’t follow this method you will have issues. More on the issues that you will have in a minute. But here’s my process:
Log into the router using a computer and a web browser
After updating do a factory reset of the router using these instructions.
Using a computer and a web browser, connect to the router and using the advanced options in the setup wizard, upload the backup of the configuration that you saved in the first step.
The reason why I recommend going this route is that for whatever reason, ASUS routers do not cleanly update the firmware. And that leads to all sorts of weird issues that are hard to track down. In my case, it breaks HomeKit unless I go through the steps above. Going this route avoids all of that.
Now I have been testing this firmware for a few days, and so far it has been stable for me. And it has been stable for others based on reports from places like SNB Forums. Thus I am cautiously optimistic that you should be okay to update your ZenWiFi XT8 to this firmware. Though I would wait another week or maybe two to see if any issues appear by monitoring the thread in SNB Forums just to be safe.
If you have any feedback about this firmware, please share them in the comments below. And if I notice anything that is a deal breaker, I will will post an update.
Posted in Commentary with tags Asus on October 24, 2022 by itnerd
I’ve only done this once before with Linksys routers, but I am being forced to do this again as ASUS has put out a firmware version for their ZenWiFi XT8 router that will cause you problems. Specifically the firmware version is 3.0.0.4.388.21099 which was released on October 3rd. This firmware appears to have some sort memory leak issue. Meaning that it consumes all available RAM memory on the router until it runs out and crashes. When this happens, you will see the following:
The router will work fine for four or five days.
The child node will suddenly disconnect and you will see a blue flashing light.
The primary node will look fine with a white light, but there is no WiFi available.
A reboot will bring everything back online. But only for four or five days where the above will repeat. This has been reported in a couple of places like Reddit and SNBForums. What’s interesting is that UKTechHub has posted that ASUS has released a new firmware to a user on that forum that seems to address this issue. That implies that ASUS knows that this issue exists. Why ASUS hasn’t widely released a newer firmware that addresses this problem that they seem to know about remains a bit of an open question.
Until ASUS formally addresses this, your best bet is to stay on firmware 3.0.0.4.386.49873. If you have already upgraded to 3.0.0.4.388.21099, then your best bet is to do the following:
Download and install firmware 3.0.0.4.388.21099 using method 2 from these instructions.
After updating do a factory reset of the router using these instructions.
Using a computer and a web browser, connect to the router and using the advanced options, upload the backup of the configuration that you saved in the first step.
The reason why I recommend going this route is that for whatever reason, ASUS routers do not cleanly update the firmware. And that leads to all sorts of weird issues that are hard to track down. In my case, it breaks HomeKit unless I go through the steps above.
Now you could just stay on 3.0.0.4.388.21099 until ASUS decides to fix this. But you’ll have to reboot your router every four or five days which is a pain. Thus I would hope that ASUS decides to step up to the plate and addresses this with a firmware fix. But I am not holding my breath as based on my recent experience with them and how they support their customers, ASUS doesn’t seem to be that sort of company. Though they are free to prove me wrong.
UPDATE: ASUS has released a newer firmware to address these issues. More info here.
For the last month or so I’ve been writing about QNAP devices being hit by various ransomware strains. Most recently, I said this when news filtered out that QNAP was extending support to end of life devices to fight these sorts of attacks:
The company admits that this is a “special effort to help users protect their devices from today’s security threats”. Which is likely true. But it also is likely an attempt to keep people like yours truly from dumping their QNAP NAS devices and moving to competing brands such as Synology as I don’t hear about such widespread pwnage with those devices, or other devices that QNAP competes against.
Well, I may have to eat those words as there’s news that Asustor devices are now being hit by Deadbolt ransomware. If that name sounds familiar, it should. It’s one of the strains that has hit QNAP devices:
Asustor NAS owners on Reddit and the official Asustor forums have reported that they’ve fallen victim to a DeadBolt ransomware attack. DeadBolt has been in the wild for some time now, infecting unprotected NAS systems connected to the Internet. The same ransomware previously wreaked havoc on QNAP devices, and it would appear that Asustor was the next target.
DeadBolt’s modus operandi hasn’t changed much. The attacker remotely slips into the victim’s NAS, encrypts the latter’s information, and consequently asks for a ransom in bitcoins. Each victim receives a unique Bitcoin address to send the funds. Once the payment goes through, the criminal sends the victim the decryption key to decrypt the files on the infected NAS system. The perpetrators are asking for 0.03 bitcoin, which by today’s exchange rate is around $1,154. It’s the same sum that the hijackers had demanded from their QNAP victims. Surprisingly, the gang didn’t make Asustor any offers. With QNAP, the group had offered to share the vulnerability details with the company for five bitcoins ($184,000) or sell it the universal decryption master key for 50 bitcoins ($1.85 million)
So it seems that the playbook is the same. Which is that the threat actors go after NAS devices that are exposed to the Internet. Which means that if you don’t have your Asustor NAS exposed to the Internet, and you stop using Asustor’s EZ Connect utility, you don’t have a problem. Or at least as much of a problem.
It does make me wonder if Asus shares some of its NAS hardware and software with QNAP. After all, it does seem kind of weird that two different companies got pwned in this manner. Watch this space for more as I keep an eye on this.
UPDATE: Saumitra Das, CTO and Cofounder, Blue Hexagon provided this commentary:
“Attackers have been targeting a lot of non-PC devices like storage and other IoT type devices (routers, camera) which tend to be less easily patched and not well maintained to gain access to consumer and enterprise networks. In the case of storage devices which today are full-fledged desktops running Linux or Windows or even multiple VMs, lot of unpatched vulnerabilities may exist and remain unpatched specially on the consumer side. Users should keep such devices off the network or create a secondary air gapped or cloud backup of their important data.”
Posted in Commentary with tags Asus on November 22, 2021 by itnerd
Tech lovers are sometimes difficult to buy for. Fortunately ASUS has a few different products for your consideration. They are suited to a variety of users, from the tech enthusiast to the casual internet browser, and everyone in between:
ProArt Display PA329CV : Designed for the serious creative, the ProArt Display PA329CV features a 32” 4K UHD display, ProArt preset ProArt Preset, USB-C connection, and calman verified display. With a 3840 x 2160 resolution – 4X more than full HD – users will find crystal clear visuals even in the finest details of photos and text. $1449 @ Amazon
AC1750 Dual Band Gigabit WiFi 5 Router: Powered by 5G Wi-Fi and 256QAM technology, this router is perfect for the household managing multiple WFH workers. On a 5GHz band it blazes to 1300 Mbps letting users connect multiple devices without sacrificing speed. $79.99 @ The Source
ZenBeam Latte : A wireless mini projector that will take movie nights anywhere. Sitting at the size of a coffee mug, this projector holds three hours of projection or 12 hours of audio playback, projects up to 300 LED lumens output and 720p native resolution and can connect through wireless connectivity, bluetooth, or a USB-A port. 549 @ Canada Computers
Chromebook Flip C433 : A super versatile laptop designed for work and play. The Chromebook Flip features an Intel® Core™ m3 processor, 8 GB RAM, and a 14” touchscreen. It has 360 degree hinge lettering users use it as a laptop or tablet. $499 @ Amazon
ASUS ROG Gladius II Wireless: Co-designed with Pro gamers for ultimate comfort, this mouse features right-handed ergonomics and ROG-exclusive socket design enabling easy switch-replacements to customize click force. $155.78 @ Amazon
If northing on this list strikes your fancy, check out ASUS.com for even more gift ideas.
Posted in Commentary with tags Asus on October 13, 2021 by itnerd
ASUS today announced ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3, a laptop that empowers the way users work and play. This elegant 14-inch laptop offers an exquisite blend of powerful performance and versatility for doing more from anywhere, featuring up to an Intel® CoreTM processor, an ultra-quiet fanless design and WiFi 6 connectivity. Also, a garaged stylus, dual cameras and a 360° ErgoLift hinge spice up entertainment experiences and expand capabilities, while military-grade durability keeps ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 protected when on the go.
Powerful performance and connectivity
ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 is powered by up to the latest 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and features up to 16 GB of memory and 512 GB of storage, delivering performance and responsiveness for incredible productivity. Thanks to a fanless design, this laptop keeps work spaces ultra-quiet while delivering powerful performance.
For ultrafast WiFi 6 connections, ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 is tested and certified with ASUS WiFi Master for Chrome OS. Connections are further improved by exclusive ASUS technologies that enhance speed, stability and range.
Stunning style and visuals
With an eye-catching new color — AI Blue — ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 offers an elegant, stylish aesthetic. The precision-crafted chassis features a dual-tapered design, in which the body and lid converge to form a V-shaped edge that facilitates opening the device.
ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 also pleases the eye with its seamless visuals. The four-sided NanoEdge display maximizes screen area with an 80% screen-to-body ratio, making viewing experiences more immersive. The 14-inch Full HD IPS panel also offers wide, 178° viewing angles and exceptional color reproduction for incredibly vivid, true-to-life imagery.
Versatility and ergonomics for doing more
ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 offers a variety of features that expand user capabilities and maximize ergonomics. An included stylus1 quickly and automatically charges when garaged — only 15 seconds of charging provides up to 45 minutes of use — keeping it ready for use and providing a safe place to store it. The intuitive stylus is a quick, precise way to unleash creativity and productivity. For further creative pursuits, ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 has two cameras: one standard webcam and a special world-facing camera. The standard HD webcam has a shield that simply slides over it to ensure privacy, while the 5 MP world-facing camera is located beside the keyboard and allows users to easily capture photos and videos in tablet mode.
For excellent ergonomics, a precision-engineered 360° ErgoLift hinge smoothly adjusts the display at any angle and lifts and tilts the keyboard into the most comfortable typing position. The laptop has a full-sized keyboard with 1.4 mm key travel for greater typing comfort, and the backlighting on the keyboard lets users type effortlessly in dark environments.
Tough, flexible design for on-the-go use
With structural reinforcements to boost chassis strength, ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 is built to provide toughness for on-the-go lifestyles. It also meets next-level and industry-leading U.S. MIL-STD 810H durability standards, which are more rigorous and demanding than ever before. Additionally, the device undergoes stringent in-house testing — including panel-pressure, shock and drop tests — to ensure maximal toughness.
For flexibility when traveling or moving around, ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 offers up to 11 hours of battery life on a single charge. It also features two full-function, reversible USB-C® 3.2 Gen 1 ports for charging devices, streaming media or connecting with peripherals, and two USB Type-A ports for even more connectivity options. In addition, a microSD slot enables extra storage for maximum convenience and compatibility.
The best of Google
For work and play, ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 unlocks the very best of Google. Users can enjoy full access to Google Play, and Google Assistant is always ready to help. Chrome OS offers the full power of Google Workspace, including Google productivity apps such as Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, Meet and more, allowing users to collaborate quickly and to seamlessly stay in sync with favorite apps. Also, a 12-month Google One trial subscription with 100 GB of cloud storage is available with purchase of an ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 laptop.
Automatic updates and built-in virus protection seamlessly keep ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 safe, secure and always up to date. The laptop is also built around the rock-solid security of a personal Google account, so all private documents, emails, photos and confidential data are kept safe at all times.
AVAILABILITY & PRICING
ASUS Chromebook Flip CX3 will be available in Q4 in Canada at a suggested MSRP of $999 CAD.
Posted in Commentary with tags Asus on September 28, 2021 by itnerd
There’s no better way to transition into sweater weather than to curl up and catch up with your favourite TV shows and movies. With new shows being added to Netflix in October (You: season 3, Love is Blind Brazil, Kim’s Convenience: season 5) along with a range of spooky movies, why not cozy up in style with ASUS?
ASUS currently has two portable projectors to view your fall favourites on:
ZenBeam E2: The recently launched ZenBeam E2 is ASUS’ latest portable projector model featuring up to four hours of playback time, wired and wireless projection, and an Auto Portrait feature allowing the viewer to change its orientation while in use. Coming in a flat compact form and weighing just 410 grams, it’s perfect for a quick indoor or outdoor setup.
ZenBeam Latte: Sitting at the size of a coffee mug, the ZenBeam Latte doubles as a bluetooth speaker and projector; its battery holds three hours of projection or 12 hours of audio playback, and projects up to 300 LED lumens output and 720p native resolution. It can connect through wireless connectivity, bluetooth, or a USB-A port.
Posted in Commentary with tags Asus on September 10, 2021 by itnerd
ASUS today announced that it has achieved its best-ever performance at the prestigious 2021 Red Dot Brands & Communication Design Awards ceremony, picking up a total of five accolades across multiple disciplines — including Digital Solutions, Brand Design & Identity, Film & Animation, Packaging Design and Interface & User Experience Design.
Each year, companies globally are invited to take part in Red Dot’s Brands & Communication Design Awards. All entries are assessed by the expert Red Dot judging panel with regard to their design and creative performance. Specifically, for the Brands aspect of the awards, the jury assesses vision and brand values, design and brand communication, and brand identity and differentiation. For Communication Design, the core criteria are originality and creativity, design quality and innovation, and comprehensibility and emotional significance.
In being awarded winning status in five out of 18 categories, ASUS has built on its year-on-year success at the Red Dot Brands & Communication Design Awards — notching up more accolades than ever before — and sent a strong signal that is now a leading force in both branding and communications design. This leveling-up of our success is also recognition of the fact that ASUS is committed to designing every detail of its products, packaging and customer experiences.
Full details of the Red Dot Brands & Communication Design Awards achieved by ASUS and Republic of Gamers (ROG) in 2021 are as follows:
ROG Citadel XV: Digital Solutions Award
During CES 2021, we unveiled ROG Citadel XV — a new, innovative and joyful way to discover more about ROG products. ADC collaborated closely with third party animator studios to develop an ambitious virtual experience unlike any other. The result is an exciting interactive experience that includes stories from the ROG visual universe, a gallery tour of the latest ROG devices, and an FPS-style minigame.
ROG Brand Book: Brand Design & Identity Award
ROG has designed a brand book that both explores and frames the history, design, technologies and innovations of the ASUS gaming sub-brand, from its inception to now. The unique design of this brand book outlines ROG’s brand values, core vision and product aesthetics.
ROG Flow X13: Film & Animation Award
The product video for ROG Flow X13 is unique, envisioning a futuristic world out of space where viewers are immersed into the universe of product innovation and design. It also explores the incredible performance and features unleashed by the remarkable ROG Flow X13 gaming laptop.
ASUS Zenfone 8: Packaging Design Award
ASUS has long understood that in order to deliver the incredible experiences, every step of the customer journey is essential – and that’s why the Red Dot judging panel appraised the packaging of Zenfone 8 as worthy of its Packaging Design Award. The sleek packaging has a premium feel and finish to deliver a heartfelt unboxing experience. The package even includes a color-matched case for Zenfone 8, ensuring that the product is protected and ready to use, right out of the box.
ROG Phone 5 Ultimate: Interface & User Experience Design Award
The Red Dot jury also recognized the unique nature of the packaging that enrobes ROG Phone 5 Ultimate. Specifically, the unboxing experience provides access to a unique chronicle rendered on the phone’s display via augmented reality (AR). When firing up ROG Phone 5 Ultimate for the first time, the user is invited to scan the book-like interior of the packaging. This in turn triggers an immersive AR experience that builds into a story that forms the start of their gaming journey. Storytelling is at the center of the user experience, deepening the unboxing experience to help the user become immersed in gaming from the get-go. At every step of the unboxing, the user discovers more content and story behind ROG Phone 5 Ultimate.
AVAILABILITY & PRICING
ROG Citadel XV is available to download from Steam. The ROG Flow X13 and ASUS ZenFone 8 are now available in Canada. The ROG Phone 5 will be available in Q4 2022 in Canada.
Posted in Commentary with tags Asus on September 2, 2021 by itnerd
I wanted to share some of the exciting new products revealed by ASUS that you might have missed. ASUS revealed the Zenbook Pro, ProArt Studiobook, and Vivobook Pro lineups, a series of powerful laptops geared to creators at any level.
The Zenbook Pro: A recipient of the CES 2021 Innovation Award, the Zenbook Pro Duo 15 OLED is perfect for advanced creators on the go. The 15.6 Inch laptop brings the ASUS ScreenPad Plus, a 14 inch secondary touchscreen to allow effortless multitasking. It features up to an Intel Core i9 processor with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 to easily run demanding applications.
ProArt Studiobook Pro 16 OLED: This laptopis equipped to display professional grade videos with a 16 inch 4k OLED HDR display, an AMD Ryzen 5000 H-Series Processor or a 3rd Generation Intel Xeon workstation processor, and an NVIDIA RTX A2000 or A5000, allowing users to seamlessly run visualization, simulation, or photorealistic rendering applications.
Vivobook Pro: Perfect for hobbyists and aspiring creators alike, the 15.6 Inch Vivobook Pro 15 OLEDweighs just under 3.64 lbs, has an FHD OLED display, ultrafast WiFI 6, and a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050. It’s a perfect, budget friendly yet highly capable laptop for those looking to break into the creative world.
Posted in Commentary with tags Asus on March 10, 2021 by itnerd
ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced ROG Phone 5, ROG Phone 5 Pro and ROG Phone 5 Ultimate, the latest and most powerful incarnation of the world’s most advanced gaming smartphone.
The ROG Phone 5 series is powered to win by the flagship Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 888 5G Mobile Platform featuring advanced 5G communications and premium Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite Gaming™ features. The upgraded GameCool 5 cooling system along with the all-new performance manager in Armoury Crate ensure maximum performance is available for any gaming scenario.
For ultra-smooth and ultra-responsive gaming visuals, the ROG Phone 5 series is equipped with a Samsung-built 144 Hz / 1 ms AMOLED HDR10+ certified display with an industry-leading 300 Hz touch sampling rate and ultra-low 24.3 ms touch latency.
Gamers can play longer with the ROG Phone 5 series thanks to the monster 6000 mAh battery, and the phones come with a 65-watt HyperCharge adapter that tops up the battery in the shortest possible time.
The ROG Phone 5 series continues the ROG built-for-gamers design philosophy with ROG Vision, a never-before-seen rear matrix display — available exclusively on ROG Phone 5 Pro and ROG Phone 5 Ultimate — that shows customizable animations in response to a variety of system and in-game events.
There are also massive enhancements to the pioneering and still-unrivaled AirTrigger 5 control system, and the powerful GameFX audio system has also been overhauled to deliver even more immersive sound.
Dare to win
The ROG Phone 5 series harnesses the massive power of the latest flagship Snapdragon 888, which packs industry-leading innovations in 5G, AI, gaming, and camera technologies. Snapdragon Elite Gaming allows gamers to harness the power of ultra-smooth play at the highest possible HDR quality levels, with desktop-level capabilities. It also debuts Qualcomm Game Quick Touch, so players can experience up to a 20% increase in touch responsiveness and lower latencyi. With up to a stunning 35% increase in GPU performance and 25% in CPU performanceii, even the most demanding 3D mobile games run smoothly with maxed-out settings.
To enable maximum sustained performance, the GameCool 5 cooling system in the ROG Phone 5 series now has an optimum thermal structure featuring a centered CPU with the battery split into two parts, one located on each side of the CPU. This ensures that the heat generated by the CPU is transferred to all the edges and corners of the chassis simultaneously for higher thermal efficiency. The reshaped 3D vapor chamber and extensive graphite sheets also help to spread the heat evenly across the device to reduce heat build-up in the middle.
The completely revamped AeroActive Cooler 5 now intakes and expels an incredible amount of air directly onto the center of the phone — right where the CPU is — to deliver an amazing 10°C drop in the CPU temperature.
The all-new performance manager in Armoury Crate now includes X Mode, with multiple system profiles to give gamers even more performance settings and performance tuning tools, so they can instantly adapt the phone to the task at hand.
Additionally, ROG Phone 5 Ultimate is the world’s first smartphone to use 18 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, which dramatically increases the overall gaming performance and takes the user experience to the next level.
Dare to see
Cutting-edge displays have been a signature ROG Phone feature since its inception, and the ROG Phone 5 series continues this tradition. Boasting an industry-leading 300 Hz touch-sampling rate, the 144 Hz / 1 ms AMOLED display — built by Samsung — delivers a super-smooth gaming experience, with an ultra-low touch latency. Tuned in collaboration with leading visual-processing company Pixelworks®, the supreme visuals are enhanced even further with world-beating Delta-E <1 color accuracy, the new always-on HDR technologyiv that improves non-HDR visuals, and a screen that’s protected by the toughest ever Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus™. The ROG Phone 5 series is built to endure — and built to win.
Dare to play
To extend both screen-on time and the lifespan of the monster 6000 mAh battery, ROG Phone 5 series is optimized using new software optimizations and power-saving mechanisms, including a charging upper limit, steady charging, and enhanced scheduled charging. There are also passive power-saving mechanisms to limit inactive apps and deliver up to 67% more power savingsv. The ROG Phone 5 series always optimizes itself for the best power efficiency, however it’s being used.
Rapid charging is assured by the bundled 65-watt HyperCharge adapter, which gets gamers up and running again in the fastest possible time.
Innovative ROG Vision
ROG Phone 5 Ultimate and ROG Phone 5 Pro let gamers make their presence known to the world with the exclusive ROG Vision, a pioneering rear matrix display that’s never been seen on any phone until now. ROG Phone 5 Pro features a color ROG Vision display, while ROG Phone 5 Ultimate has a monochrome version.
ROG Vision can display a variety of cool animations that show whether the phone is charging, if there’s an incoming call, whether X Mode is enabled, and more. Owners can even create custom animations to make their phone even more personal.
Built for gamers
Total control is the name of the game for the ROG Phone 5 series, and the massively upgraded AirTrigger 5 control system now gives gamers up to four distinct ways to interact with their ROG Phone 5, delivering an unrivaled level of game control. The AeroActive Cooler 5 now also features two extra physical buttons to allow a genuine console-like gaming experience.
The ROG Phone 5 series supports an unprecedented total of 10 different motion controls, so gamers can easily pick the moves to fit their game. In a racing game, for example, they can swivel the phone to steer or pull it towards them to brake. Game control has never been so easy.
ROG Phone 5 Pro and ROG Phone 5 Ultimate additionally features innovative hidden rear touch sensors on the back cover, which provide L2/R2 trigger functions, just like a game console controller. These also work together with the ultrasonic sensors, the AeroActive Cooler 5 buttons and the motion controls to provide full control for a total gaming experience.
The GameFX audio system in the ROG Phone 5 series now incorporates symmetrical seven-magnet dual speakers for truly balanced stereo sound effects. Optimized in collaboration with audio specialist Dirac, the projected sound quality will grab the user’s aural senses and take them to a different world. There’s also a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and a hi-fi-grade ESS DAC for lossless audio processing. The AudioWizard audio-tuning app has also been completely revamped to optimize sound for different audio styles, including Game, Cinema, and Music settings. GameFX audio on ROG Phone 5 series delivers the crystal-clear in-game sound effects and powerful aural soundscapes that gamers never dared to hope for in a phone.
For the ROG Phone 5 series, ASUS has teamed up with some of the most popular game titles to give owners a series of different theme packs for customizing their device with their favorite characters and screens. Gamers can also share, discuss, and interact via ROG Connect, an online community that’s built into the ROG Phone 5 series.
ASUS held an early morning launch event for the ROG Phone 5 series that you can watch here:
ASUS Slips Out A New Firmware For The ZenWiFi XT8 Four Days Before Christmas….. That’s Odd
Posted in Commentary with tags Asus on December 21, 2022 by itnerdI got pinged by a reader while I was dealing with a client this morning. I couldn’t look into it then, but when I got home I did. When I logged into my ZenWifi XT8 mesh WiFi system I say that an update was available. I clicked on it and saw this:
I also checked the ASUS website and didn’t see anything on this firmware. That was odd because ASUS usually updates the website with new firmware releases pretty quickly. Unless this slipped out by accident which I have seen a couple of times. In that case, ASUS usually releases a newer firmware to replace it. The other theory that I have is that ASUS felt that they had to roll out this firmware four days before Christmas because this firmware fix couldn’t wait until after the holidays. I point that out because companies don’t typically roll out stuff like this a week or two before Christmas due to not having staff on hand to answer phone calls or fix something if it goes off the rails. Making this an unusual release.
Since I have told you not to upgrade in the past due to serious issues with their firmware, as well as telling you when it was safe to upgrade, I decided to install it and report back to you my early impressions. And I also will follow up with you in a week’s time with longer term impressions. My upgrade process for ASUS routers is as follows:
I do this because I have found that simply upgrading to the latest ASUS firmware can create problems. For example, one firmware upgrade broke HomeKit for almost a day until I figured out that doing factory reset it followed by setting it up from scratch was the fastest and best way to resolve the issue. Since then, this has been my upgrade process and it has never failed me.
After walking through those steps I was back online and I started doing some testing. Right away I noticed that TimeMachine backups were way faster from all the Macs in the home. I also noted that when I had to do a VPN connection to fix something for a client, that was way faster as well. The reason why I put the words “way faster” in bold is because it was truly much faster than what I had been used to. I tried to run Speed Tests from my iPhone 14 Pro and didn’t find a difference in terms of WiFi speed. So my best guess is that besides what little is in the release notes, ASUS must have done something to make device to router connections faster. Other than that, I have noted no stability issues like I have seen previously. Nor have I noted any other improvements.
I’ll be running this for about a week and I will report back as it takes about that long before any serious issues become apparent. Also, if release notes do appear, I’ll be sure to link them here.
UPDATE 12/22/2022: ASUS just posted release notes for this firmware update on their website. It has more details than the screenshot above:
So these release notes explained why I am seeing the better VPN performance. But it doesn’t explain the improved WiFi performance that I am seeing. In terms of my observations, it’s the same as what I reported above. It seem stable and reliable thus far.
UPDATE #2: I have an update on this firmware here.
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