Asus' Eee Slate EP121: A Windows 7-Based Tablet PC

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I had indeed heard they were somewhat hard to get hold of - I guess my wife and I lucked out when we walked into the Microsoft store over here in Bellevue, WA and they had them in-stock back in April. I'd already been considering one for a couple of months at that point, as they were going in and out of stock on Newegg and Amazon even before that.

I also agree in part, though - the batter life of x86 hardware really limits the portability of such a unit compared to 'normal' tablets. However, in my wife's case she needed to be able to use Word, Publisher, and other Windows-based programs that she is used to rather than the apps an Android tablet would offer. I do think she could have been fine with a laptop, as she had previously, but something about the touch interface drew her attention in the store.
 


It looks like pre-orders were available in Feb, but shipping in small quantities didn't occur until early April and even that was limited quantity.

FYI, the Microsoft always gets first dibs when they want to showcase a product. For example, the Dell Duo tablet PC was available at the Bellevue store for almost a month prior to Dell.com

Make no mistake. I still enjoy tablet PCs. My last one was the ST6012 and before that it was the 5000 series. Nothing is perfect in this world. You pick the deficiencies. We're just pointing out the weak points (as well as the strengths).

Cheers,
Andrew Ku
TomsHardware.com
 
[citation][nom]clonazepam[/nom]You can buy an Asus Transformer (substitute with most tablets / netbooks / some notebooks), and build a custom desktop PC for less than the cost of a single Asus Tablet PC. I think it's a no brainer.[/citation]

Not the same thing. the EP121 has an active digitizer, which allows you to take notes, and draw precisely on it. Very few tablets can do that, and the EP21 is one of the least expensive: HTC Flyer, HP 500, then it's on to Fujitsu and Motion Computing pro stuff. The EP121 is not only one of the cheaper ones, but also not only runs Windows, but runs it convincingly, as opposed to the Atom ones.

Where I work, we've bought Wacom tablets that cost as much as the EP121. Since we don't need much precision, we're thinking next time around we'll just buy the EP121, and get a computer for free with the digitizer !
 
[citation][nom]Andrew Ku[/nom]I continue to believe that tablet PCs are facing extinction or at least a much smaller market given their price premiums.[/citation]

I'm really not sure about the medium-term, with Windows 8 supposedly being a lot more touch-friendly, and newer Atoms more powerful, and newer Cores less power-hungry.

Even in the short term, the very high price of other tablets make x86 ones somewhat competitive. I'm in the market for an active digitizer one right now, and my choice are:
- HTC Flyer, $500 for 16GB, 7"
- HP Slate 500, $800 for 64GB, 9", Atom, 2GB RAM
- Motion Computing CL900, $1.000 for 10"/1GB/30GB/Atom, semi-rugged
- Fujitsu Stylistic Q550, $700 for 2GB/30GB/Atom/10"
- Asus EP121

$200 extra compared to Android/iPad2 can be justified in some cases: you get Windows, regular ports, active pen input, better security, enough RAM... I'd expect Atom's performance to be on par, but App launches to drag thanks to Windows. Battery life sucks though, 4hrs typically.

Also, the Thinkpad Tablet (next month), and probably the HTC 10-incher (later this year) will offer all of that except Windows: regular ports, security, 10", office apps (though not THE Office), w/ the required ative pen.



 
Many excellent points. Like I mentioned previously, nothing is perfect. Or at least very rarely are things perfect. Usually, you have to pick the deficiencies.

Only time will tell if tablet PCs can weather the storm well.

Cheers,
Andrew Ku
TomsHardware.com
 
You should be able to put the start menu/taskbar on the secondary monitor. Right click on the taskbar, uncheck "Lock the taskbar", and you can drag it to any edge of any monitor.
 
You should be able to put the start menu/taskbar on the secondary monitor. Right click on the taskbar, uncheck "Lock the taskbar", and you can drag it to any edge of any monitor.
Click to expand...

As I recall, when I tried that, the toggle button still brings up the Input Panel on the monitor with the taskbar.
 
$1300?? Now we know why the ipad took off, and ms-tablets never did... Toshiba and LEnovo has been making them for years (and still do) as convertibles that typically cost about $1500-1800.
 
I like this because of the pressure sensitivity. That is ESSENTIAL for a digital artist. I just cant seem to find many tablets that offer this.....if anyone knows of a good "digital sketchpad", besides this, please let me know.
 
Way to be late to the party, the EP121 has already been discontinued!

They were limited to a small production run (to gauge consumer interest). I have talked to several retailers and no one is receiving new shipments. Rumor mill has it that they (Asus) have something else on the way, but who knows.

As a side note there are quite a few tablets out there competing for the consumers money, but most of them are geared towards execs and those with large budgets (HP, Lenovo, Fujitsu to name a few).
 
[citation][nom]jghidotti[/nom]I own an Asus EEE Slate and love it. A tablet, for me, has never been anything more than an additional tool. My dual-monitor workstation is still my primary.As an engineer, I use the tablet for written meeting notes .BikeAR[/citation]

I do that too... but my meeting notes are on an 8 1/2 x 11 notePad using either an Ink or Lead "stylus". I got a steal of a deal at Staples BOTH were just $4.00
 
[citation][nom]hardcore_gamer[/nom]Intel HD graphics..that ruined everything[/citation]
For a slate, that's probably the only way to keep power draw in check... A full-blown x86 CPU sucks enough power as it is, if you were to add a dedicated GPU, you'd be looking at ~1h tops on battery alone...

Also, I have an HP convertible (TM2-2150) with switchable graphics, and let me tell you most of my HD video viewing is done with the IGP, not the GPU. These PCs are NOT for high-end video decoding.

Now, one last thing: the article is wrong when talking about you absolutely *NEEDING* Windows 7 Ultimate to use non-English pen input dictionaries. ASUS might have not done it, but it is perfectly possible to have Home Premium with other pen input languages.

I'm from Portugal, and HP sells the TM2-2150ep (380UM, HD5450) with Home Premium and both English and Portuguese pen input languages. Voice recognition is another thing altogether, though, I haven't seen a Pt-Pt voice recognition pack available yet...

This was actually the PC I wanted to have. However, it reached the market about 9 months too late (as usual with tablet PCs...), so I went with the HP, and I don't regret it.

Hopefully, though, we'll see tablets not lagging one generation in CPU power and power consumption in the future... the 1.33GHz ULV 1st-gen Core i3/i5s are NOT that interesting anymore. Or W7 is just too big of an elephant to be used on a tablet (as the screenshots clearly indicate) 😛

Cheers.
 
For me, this tablet is quite interesting as I would be getting it as an alternative to a 12" Wacom Cintiq which is just the monitor and tablet and not the computer. It also isn't very portable with it's heavy brick power cord and separate VGA and USB connectors. The real interesting angle is that the Cintiq is the same general price as the EeePC. The resolution is the same. So you buy a 12: Cintiq and get more levels of sensitivity or you get the EP121 with a more portable low-end notebook along for the ride. From that angle, it becomes a much more intriguing option.
 
[citation][nom]Random Consumer[/nom]Way to be late to the party, the EP121 has already been discontinued!They were limited to a small production run (to gauge consumer interest). I have talked to several retailers and no one is receiving new shipments. Rumor mill has it that they (Asus) have something else on the way, but who knows.As a side note there are quite a few tablets out there competing for the consumers money, but most of them are geared towards execs and those with large budgets (HP, Lenovo, Fujitsu to name a few).[/citation]

BB is still getting shipments. Asus tells me they're still making them. And we already know what's coming down the pipes. :)

And based on the factory output, definitely NOT just a curio to gauge consumer interest. From an economic perspective, Asus has much better ways of doing consumer research. It's not a company that throws a product at the market simply for the hell of it.



Half right

http://media.bestofmicro.com/X/D/300577/original/upgrade_writing.png

Look at the screenshot. Your regional language + English are provided in Home Premium. In the US + UK, this means ONLY English. If you're in Portugal, try adding Russian, Japanese, or Chinese. It will ask you for an upgrade license.

Windows Help: "To use handwriting recognition for a language other than your display language or English, you'll need to upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate. (The handwriting recognizers for English and your display language—if available—are included in Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional.)"


For me, this tablet is quite interesting as I would be getting it as an alternative to a 12" Wacom Cintiq which is just the monitor and tablet and not the computer. It also isn't very portable with it's heavy brick power cord and separate VGA and USB connectors. The real interesting angle is that the Cintiq is the same general price as the EeePC. The resolution is the same. So you buy a 12: Cintiq and get more levels of sensitivity or you get the EP121 with a more portable low-end notebook along for the ride. From that angle, it becomes a much more intriguing option.
Click to expand...

I still like this one. If the Motions weren't so bloody expensive, I would recommend them for the average consumer. The other tablet PC all feel way too under powered imo.


Cheers,
Andrew Ku
TomsHardware.com
 
[citation][nom]acku[/nom]Half righthttp://media.bestofmicro.com/X/D/3 [...] riting.pngLook at the screenshot. Your regional language + English are provided in Home Premium. In the US + UK, this means ONLY English. If you're in Portugal, try adding Russian, Japanese, or Chinese. It will ask you for an upgrade license. Windows Help: "To use handwriting recognition for a language other than your display language or English, you'll need to upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate. (The handwriting recognizers for English and your display language—if available—are included in Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional.)[/citation]
Well, that seems kind of reasonable, if you ask me... If you're in Portugal, Portuguese input language is expected (actually, mandatory, you can't really sell full hardware configurations without Pt-Pt support...). Other languages, not really, it's an add-on, and you might be expected to pay for those, like Russian or Chinese, which are not even common languages in Portugal (heck, even Spanish is only taught either with a tutor or on very few private schools), English being the most used second language, followed by French and German, and these three are the only ones taught in more than 90% of all public and private schools).

Anyway, I totally get UK/US buyers are in a disadvantage here. A second input language pack shouldn't be too bad of an offer in those cases...

Also, I haven't dug around too much on it, but I think Microsoft sells MUIs separate from Ultimate, you shouldn't need to upgrade to Ultimate just to get the language pack... At least that was my impression when I briefly Googled it a few months back - the MUIs are actually available for download standalone.

Cheers.
 
I think... don't quote me on this. That MUI allows you to read foreign languages. But to get handwriting recognition of other languages, you have to upgrade to Ultimate.
 
The 64GB EEE Slate price of $1299 is incorrect. The MSRP is $1099 as confirmed by the sale price at various online computer shops. Only some shops (namely 3rd-party Amazon sellers) are selling it for $1299 because it has been sold out nearly-constantly since February.
 
I'd like to see another review of Windows 7 tablets from 10 to 12 inches. I own a Gigabyte S1080 with an SSD in place of the hard disk and I think it's pretty damm good.
 
The vent covered by the left hand is an intake vent. I own the EP121. If you hand covers it the large bottom vent will allow air to flow in. I have never had an issue using the machine with it lying on my stomach and holding it with my left hand.
 
My EP121 had an issue with what people are calling screen burn. Yellow spots on the display caused by bad manufacturing. I had to pay to ship it to support! I sent several requests for updates on the repair and received no reply. They returned the tablet, it does not have the yellow spot any more but the digitizer pen will not go into it's holder any more. Seems like they have it stuck in the up position and it will not go down. This is the worst service I have ever received. I will never buy another ASUS product again.
 
[citation][nom]JMackieSr[/nom]My EP121 had an issue with what people are calling screen burn. Yellow spots on the display caused by bad manufacturing. I had to pay to ship it to support! I sent several requests for updates on the repair and received no reply. They returned the tablet, it does not have the yellow spot any more but the digitizer pen will not go into it's holder any more. Seems like they have it stuck in the up position and it will not go down. This is the worst service I have ever received. I will never buy another ASUS product again.[/citation]

Please contact me at advocate@bestofmedia.com, and we'll try to help you.
 
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