Asus launches scented laptops

It's a fact that Asus – creator of the Eee PC - has recently been flooding the market with a range of cheap and oft-times bizarre products, but this most recent reveal has to take the cake: scented laptops. I kid not.

Launched in Taiwan last week, the new Asus F6 range comes in a variety of colours – each of which has its own individual scent. Purchasers sick of laptops smelling of plastic, solder, and occasionally flaming burny death can chose Floral Blossom, Musky Black, Morning Dew, or Aqua Ocean – which promises an "invigorating aquatic scent" that presumably does not involve dead fish.

Leaving aside the colourful designs and nose-pleasing odours, the F6 series is pretty capable if not exactly stunning: based around Intel's Centrino 2 platform, you get a choice of Core 2 Duo T9400, P8600, or P8400; 802.11a/g/b/n networking; up to 4GB of DDR II RAM; a 13.3" WXGA screen powered by a ATI Mobility Radeon HD3470 with 256MB dedicated graphics RAM; and a SATA drive ranging from 120-320GB depending on budget. Each laptop will be provided with a version of Windows Vista depending on how much you spend. Extra toys include an in-built webcam and, interestingly, a fingerprint scanner.

But what of the smells? Well, the first thing to note is that it is not permanent. Asus notes that "the lifespan of fragrance depends of actual usage." Additionally, you can't mix 'n match: the fragrance that comes with the design you've chosen is what you're stuck with. Fancy a black laptop that has a floral scent? Tough luck, buddy: you're stuck with a "musky scent."

Unfortunately, Asus has failed to provide a scratch 'n sniff plugin for its website – so I am unable to report on how strong the scents are. Still, if you have a tendency to skip bathing on odd-numbered days, a nice scent of morning dew (which Asus say offers the chance to "return to the embrace of Mother Nature for a crisp and refreshing awakening of the senses") just might see people sitting next to you on the train again.

Would any of our readers be in the market for a smelly – in the good way – laptop, or is it something that will only appeal to a very select minority? Share your thoughts over in the forums.

New capabilities for prism 200

Dell extends warranties for Nvidia flaw

Asus upgrades the Eee PC

Virus-ladened laptops aboard ISS