Hobbiton Movie Set receives Guinness World Record for largest purpose-built film set
Peter Jackson's Waikato film set has claimed a big record. 
© 2025 NZ Herald Tue 5:15am Wellington man gets on a swing for 48 hours straight for new world record
Patrick Cooper, 21, swung for two full days straight over the weekend in a bid to set a new Guinness World Record.
© 2025 Stuff.co.nz Tue, 1 Apr 7:35pm CNMI can earn up to $12M from untapped coco-peat industry
A privately-owned global import manufacturer of high-quality coconut materials wants to export coconut peat from the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.
© 2025 RadioNZ Tue, 18 Mar 7:05am Asus’ newest monitors are also air purifiers, for some reason…
Okay, is someone messing with me? This is the second day in a row I’ve spotted a company putting weird crap into their newest monitor designs. Yesterday it was Lenovo, who put an AI NPU into a monitor. But at least that one matches up with current tech trends. Now I’m seeing that Asus has stuck an air purifier into a PC display. What?
According to the press release, the VU Air Ionizer series of monitors comes in 24-, 27-, and 34-inch sizes, all of which include an air ionizer in the back. Maybe I should let Asus do the talking here, since I’m way out of my depth when it comes to copy that reads like it was lifted from Sharper Image… but I digress.
The screens themselves are pretty basic, with IPS panels, 100Hz refresh rates, and standard 1080p resolution on the smaller models. The 34-inch VU34WCIP-W has a slight curve and a USB-C connection. More detailed specs weren’t provided, but in keeping with the general feel-good vibe, the monitors’ retail packaging can be re-folded into cardboard phone and laptop stands, a file holder, and a desk organizer box.
A box that can be repurposed as a box. Will wonders never cease?Asus
Incongruous combinations seem to be a trend with Asus, who recently released a mouse that doubles as an air freshener. And unlike Lenovo’s weird motorized AI monitor, these screens appear to be headed for sale, though the press release doesn’t mention a release date or price.
Alright, I’ll be generous and consider how this might make sense. I suppose if you live in a small apartment and you want an ionizer, but you can’t spare even a cubic foot or two for it, then integrating it into your desk setup might appeal. Just don’t expect an OLED panel or a super-fast gaming refresh rate at the same time — after all, convergence devices always come with compromises. (I think I’d prefer one of these OLED monitors with a fancy Wi-Fi antenna.)
Let’s go for a three-peat. Tomorrow I want to write about an Acer monitor that doubles as carbon monoxide detector. Fingers crossed.
© 2025 PC World Wed, 12 Mar 5:05am  
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