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Video review
With the iPad 2 available for less than £400 and full of apps for all occasions, Android needs a hero tablet, and it needs one now. After a few false starts, in the netbook/tablet hybrid Asus Eee Pad Transformer, it's finally found one.
With a 10.1in screen and a healthy bezel around the edge, the slate part is slightly longer and narrower but exactly the same depth as the original iPad. It's well built, too: the retro brown colour may look as if it’s been modelled on a 1970s Casio calculator, but the metal chassis is designed to last. The only weak part is around the back, which is covered with a textured plastic that we imagine will be the first part to show signs of wear.
The tablet transformed
It would be almost foolish to buy the Transformer without the keyboard, though: that's what makes it unique. Attach the two together and it's as comfortable to type on as any netbook with the added advantage of instant start-up and well over a day’s worth of battery life.
The Transformer actually has two power cells, one in the slate and one in the keyboard, and Asus claims a total of 16 hours usage when they’re combined. We got more than 13 hours of heavy use out of it before plugging it in.
The Transformer’s screen matches that of the iPad 2 on colour reproduction but beats it on brightness and resolution. However, Honeycomb, the tablet-specific flavour of Android, is still in its early stages of development and is a little quirkier than iOS. It’s easy to overload a home page with widgets than can cause the Transformer to stutter once in a while.
Review continues after the break...
But it’s the multitasking sidebar which really stands out. Call it up by pressing an on-screen button and up to five recent apps can be restarted instantly in their last state. Switching between them is just as fast as, if not faster than multitasking on a netbook. Unlike iOS, you can’t control which apps are held in the background, but that’s the trade off for the speed at which they're recalled.
It's this, as much as the keyboard, that makes the Transformer a true workhorse with all the convenience of a tablet.
Megatron or Optimus Prime?
There are a few reasons the Transformer won’t supplant the iPad 2 just yet. The biggest weakness is video. The Tegra 2 processor can cope with HD playback, but only a few codecs are supported in the default player (meaning that currently it simply won’t play a lot of video file types), and we couldn't find a third party media app which didn't crash. The rear facing camera, meanwhile, is capable of shooting 720p but the video quality is terrible, even though the stills quality is relatively good.
However, set that against Flash support and add in the extra software that Asus bundles for free, and what you’re left with is something better than an 'iPad beater’. The keyboard does more than give an improved text entry option – it really does transform this from a tablet into a netbook. With all popular memory cards supported, you can use it to create and move documents, not just in the cloud but from one device to another, and the bonus of being able to type properly while surfing the web is not to be underplayed.
You’ve finally got a choice: a valid alternative to Apple’s ubiquitous tablet that won’t leave you feeling like you’ve settled for second best.
The First Hour
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1
Slim, solid, bright screen, looks good
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8
Oops. Dock didn't catch properly
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15
It uses a proprietary charging cable... that's too short
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21
Honeycomb is fast and looks gorgeous on this screen
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45
Spotify, Evernote and most of our favourite apps are already Honeycomb compatible
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60
A touchscreen netbook-tablet hyrbid that actually works? Unbelievable
Tech Specs
- Battery life
- 16hrs (claimed)
- Built-in flash memor
- 16GB
- Dimensions
- 207x77x18mm
- HDMI
- Yes
- Memory card type
- SD/SDHC//microSD/MMC
- Operating system
- Android Honeycomb
- Processor
- Nvidia Tegra 2, 1GHz dual core
- RAM
- 1GB
- Screen resolution
- 1280x800
- Screen size
- 10.1in
- USB 2.0
- Yes (x2)
- Wi-Fi
- Yes
Comments
ellatlex
1 year ago
This requires two or more separate sound inputs such as a computer or CD player, all connected to a mixer that relays sound to a set of external speakers. With the advent of music mixing software, you can perform basic DJing with a computer and a single sound card. bitdefender review
JeremySawyer
1 year ago
I have been using Photoshop for quite a while now and I admit I only know how to use about half of its features. This editing software is huge. This is why I always try to read as many tutorials as I can in order to improve my know how and maybe one day become a specialist. Recently, I met difficulties in running the program and I don`t know it`s something coming from Photoshop itself or I simply need to get a clean registry program in order to make things work. I would like to give it a try and see how the program works on an Asus Eee Pad Transformer.
clean registry
inter4522
1 year ago
This definitely makes things so much easier. I definitely recommend getting this if you can. You will get so much out of it. zoloft lawsuit
messele
1 year ago
Antivirus already installed, and that's a boast?! Really?!
Welcome back to the 90's.
NikolasJosh
1 year ago
I was really amazed by the Asus Eee Pad Transformer. It comes with all the gadgets and tricks of the iPad 2 and a few of it's own. I liked that it has the operating system already installed along with a free antivirus software. It's very practical and if they can fit it with a battery that last longer, it can be a serious opponent for the iPad 2 tablet.
ArlinePortia
1 year ago
Ah yes the ZX81 and a 16k memory pack that wouldnt stay in place and the stick on high rise keyboard...... typing in programs from magazines....glory days !!
felixmaynard
1 year ago
It really feels good to hold, mine should be here before the end of the month!
lewo
1 year ago
I have to agree with parallelsteve. I've not been that interested in tablets simply because I want the freedom to control my own applications, media etc. There is no denying that the iPad is lovely but I am not impressed with a company that appears to be obsessed with copyright and controlling what people can do with their gadgets?
The EeePad really does impress me though! I love the flexibility of a standalone Pad or a netbook. I have an Android 2.2 smartphone which is fabulous. Great software and more than enough apps to satisfy. I understand that many Android 2.2 apps will work with Honeycomb in addition to the rapidly expanding choice that Android 3.1 has to offer So I will definitely be going down the Asus EeePad route.
Strozzapreti
1 year ago
Played with this yesterday at a shop w/o keyboard. Feels heavy in the hand, screen not as good as an iPad and had no trouble getting it to freeze. VERY disappointing.
Patrick Kamau
1 year ago
Absolutely Wicked Gadget...Definitely want one.
jm1967
2 years ago
I want one!
sclowry
2 years ago
This is a great rival to the iPAD2 even though doesn't beat on all counts it is a very capable machine. If you do not fall in to the Mac camp then this one is for you. Like many i am a Mac fan with a close watch on security, so will stick with them for now.
bharmer
2 years ago
Want one of these, looks great.
r1ch1e
2 years ago
Played with one of these (without the keyboard) in Carphone Warehouse today.
Felt really, really good. Whack the screen brightness up to 100% and it's truly stunning - felt solid in the hands.
Gonna be buying it from the first place that has stock of the tablet+keyboard dock in the UK.
bunjiweb
2 years ago
As soon as I can source some stock in a local high-street retailer I am bagging one of these!...
iPad who?
parallelsteve
2 years ago
I have been looking at the iPad for an age now but for me it's simplicity is a drawback. For a majority of users it will meet & satisfy their needs completely but after having an android phone (Desire) I've come to love the live data & customisation abilities of it. My ideal tablet would be an iPad running Android.....Until now. With Transformer I think I've found my ideal Tablet. On paper it meets all my needs, productiviy meets fun. The deal breaker with the iPad was everything having to sync with iTunes & the lack of flash support. No such worries with the Asus. Add to that the keyboard, the ability to mount as a removable drive. It's time to ditch the netbook & possibly even your laptop if you just do lesure computing.
iPad is still probably the best on the market so far but for someone who wants that little bit more control over what they do the Eee Pad Transform is going to take a lot beating. I'd pay the extra & I'm a Mac fan.