Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101: A Tablet In Disguise

[acku]

The Eee Pad Transformer is aptly named; there's more to this thing than meets the eye. Asus is the first to market with a tablet that pulls double-duty, attempting to replace your notebook, too. We put it through the paces to see how it really stacks up.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101: A Tablet In Disguise : Read more

 

[americanherosandwich]

If only some of them sold for $99... but a chance to win one of four for free = just plain awesomeness!

 

[compton]

Having recently tried the Transformer in person, I can say that it doesn't feel cheap and the novelty of the docking system could be awesome in future iterations. But as I recently found out with my $99 HP TouchPad, tablets have a long way to go in some areas. In the TouchPad's case, many of it's problems seem to go away when overclocking it's processor from 1.2Ghz to 1.8Ghz +. Of course, it's battery life is already less than compelling so you don't really notice the higher power usage. Like so much in life, better and faster hardware makes all the difference. Higher clock speed overcomes many of the problems HP could have ironed out had they given WebOS more time.

The Transformer is a not-insignificant step forward for Android tablets. As an optimist, I believe the next iteration will be pretty damn good. But like the TouchPad, who knows how much longer it's going to be around?

 

[Dangerous Beans]

[citation][nom]americanherosandwich[/nom]If only some of them sold for $99... but a chance to win one of four for free = just plain awesomeness![/citation]

Yeah, if you are American. Hey Toms, how about you find some way to only display the comp if the reader is on an American IP address.
Or better yet, find a way to let us enter.

What is the point of a 32gb model when the tablets has a micro sd slot? I can get 2 32gb mSD cards for the extra $100 bucks.

 

[clonazepam]

I went to the verizon store to get help choosing some decent headphones for my bionic. While I waited for him to go in the back of the store and get a few models, I started playing pinball on the galaxy tab 10.1. When he came back there was that brief moment I couldn't decide to keep playing and ignore him, or set it down. win win here.

 

[clonazepam]

[citation][nom]Dangerous Beans[/nom]Yeah, if you are American. Hey Toms, how about you find some way to only display the comp if the reader is on an American IP address. Or better yet, find a way to let us enter. What is the point of a 32gb model when the tablets has a micro sd slot? I can get 2 32gb mSD cards for the extra $100 bucks.[/citation]

They could do international possibly, if any international persons agreed to help pay shipping (I bet). A UK site I won't name allows international entries and lets them know up front they'd try to work with you on the shipping costs, etc.

Wanted to add. I bought a transformer and dock for my mother. She's in her 60s and loves it. She takes it to work, to the coffee shop. I set it up for her, my first time with Android, and it definitely has its uses.

 

[Geef]

Well the first thing I think of when I'm looking at a tablet is NOT watching a movie in the park or playing around like most commercials show. I actually think of when I get up off the computer chair to head to the toilet. I don't read the newspaper here so where else am I gonna get my up to date info? Only bad thing I can think of for that is needing to wash hands and Tablet.

 

[ps3hacker12]

BTW WARNING ITS A US ONLY COMPETITION : (

 

[siege_templar]

i am so sad, i cant enter comp due to:
under 18
and i live in aus
isnt tomshardware from germany?

 

[anonme]

On the other side of the screen argument it seems to be one of the few that does not need closed curtains.
Heavens forbid, it sounds decent outdoors too thoug OLED is probably better.

 

[anonme]

On the other side of the screen argument it seems to be one of the few that does not need closed curtains.
Heavens forbid, it sounds decent outdoors too thoug OLED is probably better.

 

[anonme]

On the other side of the screen argument it seems to be one of the few that does not need closed curtains.
Heavens forbid, it sounds decent outdoors too thoug OLED is probably better.

 

[Device Unknown]

I have been a loyal follower since Thomas first had his site up. I remember reading your BIO, you had this pic of you up, and how amazed I was at your dedication from leaving the medical field as a Doctor to taking technology to new heights with overclocking etc. Thomas always impressed me and I could not be happier with his success in life and with Thomshardware. Been a long road, many years. (I overclocked my first 486 DX2-66 thanks to you)
I have entered every contest I could, haven't won, but will always be a loyal follower!
To the other posters about this being US only. It's not the shipping costs, it's the laws and regulations on sending US hardware to other countries. Not impossible but too much of a bureaucratic pain to try to send anywhere in the world.

 

[Lyrick]

Is there any way to test the OpenGl and other video benchmarks at the same resolution? Maybe through the use of a video out or downscaling the other products to apple resolution. It seems unfair to bench Apple products at 1024 x 768 and others such as the asus transformer at higher resolutions like 1280 x 800.

 

[cknobman]

While I understand the position of the articles author I think the ASUS Transformer fills its niche perfectly.

I purchased my ASUS Transformer for only $299(that was my ceiling price for a tablet) on sale and did so knowing that this tablet was not meant to replace my notebook for content creation.

I can say since my wife and I have owned this tablet (2 months now) we have only used our laptop 1 time (and it was very frustrating using it that 1 time). The tablet is the perfect utility for doing couch surfing, social networking, light casual gaming, and QUICK information lookup on the web (which is what we do most often). This tablet was the perfect escape from the 5+ minute bootup and 3 minute shutdown of our laptop for situations where all we wanted was to hop on the internet and look up some information real quick.

We never turn the tablet completely off and the touch of the power button and it is ready to go instantly. The battery will literally last an entire day (even with heavy usage), we stream netflix, and stream movies-pictures-videos straight from my server.

All in all we are 100% happy with our Asus transformer and dont regret the purchase in any way.

 

[Au_equus]

the tf 2 iteration will be priced at tf 1's current price levels with the tf 1 price dropping. a tegra 3 tablet for $400 in november? it'll beat out the competition for the next few months, that is if it is no longer delayed

 

[jabliese]

No stupid facebook, hooray!

 

[Guest]

the newest version of Glbenchmark has an off screen test at 720p which can be used to compare devices with different resolutions

 

[JohnA]

Got to play with an Ipad 2 for a good while this weekend. Can't see a good reason to pick this over it, unless price is your only concern. The Ipad beats it in every other way.

 

[megamanx00]

I have the 16GB version and I like it. It's great as a tablet, but it's not replacing my i7 laptop for doing any kind of work

 

[randomstar]

I bought a 10 inch tablet, but I just could not get away from needing to be able to do remote desktops and handle office doc, outlook. so i bought the Acer W500 - and could not be happier. I had purchased the A500 and took it back. note- it has a dock base similar to this one, but as it is a generic USB connection, you can use a USB extension cable to get keyboard to work from a vehicle mount!

 

[dmitche3]

I just bought an Acer netbook. After touching and seeing the screen of the Eee PC I couldn't lower myself to buy the Asus. I had thought that Asus was pretty good as I've bought their MOBOs for years. But I was wrong.

 

[dmitche3]

This is plain STUPID! Why are they requiring the keyboard to be attached to the screen? Why not use wireless communications and allow the two to be separate?

Is anyone still alive and using their gray matter at ASUS or are they just stupid?

 

[WyomingKnott]

at its thickest point, which is .05".

That's really, really skinny (or a typo)

 

[randomstar]

[citation][nom]dmitche3[/nom]This is plain STUPID! Why are they requiring the keyboard to be attached to the screen? Why not use wireless communications and allow the two to be separate? Is anyone still alive and using their gray matter at ASUS or are they just stupid?[/citation]

You can use a Bluetooth keyboard. the atachable keyboard is to give you a place to stand the display while you type. I use mine thiis way, or with a vehicle mount I made. both have advantages..