Technology without Costing the Earth

ASUS EcoBook points the way forward with nature-inspired aesthetics and environment-friendly design and construction

Taipei, Taiwan, June 27, 2007 – For all the modern miracles that electronics and Information Technology has brought us, there is a cost to the environment, in the materials and processes used to manufacture computers and electronics, and increasingly, in their disposal. In the light of this, ASUS has undertaken a bold initiative that could point the way forward for the rest of the industry. Its groundbreaking concept notebook – the EcoBook, is unique as the first notebook to be made using bamboo; it is built according to environmentally friendly principles, reconciling the world's reliance on computers with the need to preserve the Earth.
EcoBook
On the surface, the EcoBook represents yet another triumph in a longstanding tradition of materials innovation by ASUS. Evolving from the use of polycarbonate, aluminum-magnesium alloy, carbon fiber and leather in earlier notebook models, each material bringing its own unique combination of physical and aesthetic properties that enhance the look, feel and durability of ASUS notebooks, the EcoBook is a concept notebook that is the world’s first to use bamboo paneling.

Bamboo has great significance for Asia; it is a beautiful material and a natural choice for evoking the Asian Zen minimalist design that informs the EcoBook. As a natural material, each piece is unique, making each EcoBook distinct from another. It can undergo several treatments to achieve a variety of colors or even laser etched with designs limited only by the imagination. It is also tough and resilient. Moreover, bamboo is found in abundance, grows very quickly, and as opposed to plastic, it is biodegradable.

Design Flair
Beyond its environmental soundness, the EcoBook sparkles with design flair that not only enhances its look, but its usability as well. With the right treatments, bamboo is a beautiful natural material with a personal, warm touch that industrial materials can hardly replicate.

Real World Robustness
That the EcoBook successfully accompanied a Mount Everest expedition is litmus proof for the EcoBook's robustness, even under extreme conditions. This success is also symbolic to the dedication that ASUS puts in developing technologies and IT solutions that not only enhances the daily operations but also with care for the environment in mind.