ASUS Eee Pad Transformer offers Honeycomb and a convertible form factor

Tablets

Ahead of a planned launch event next week, ASUS on Friday made its latest tablet official. The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer is a device we may not see much of stateside, but it seemingly has it all. The unique design marries a standard 10.1-inch tablet with a QWERTY-equipped hinged dock. When combined, the result is a full-sized touchscreen laptop experience that can afford up to a staggering 16 hours of battery life on a single charge. When apart, the Eee Pad Transformer becomes a regular Honeycomb tablet. Spec highlights include a dual-core 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, a 10.1-inch Gorilla Glass-covered display with 1280 x 800-pixel resolution and 10-point multitouch support, 1GB of RAM, up to 32GB of storage, dual cameras and an HDMI-out port. ASUS has not yet provided any details regarding pricing, launch markets or a release date. Hit the jump for specs and the full press release.

ASUS Introduces the Eee Pad Transformer

– Innovation meets Versatility as ASUS launches the Eee Pad Transformer TF101 tablet with a unique expandable keyboard docking station –

Fremont, CA (March 25, 2011) – ASUS is excited to announce the launch* of the Eee Pad Transformer, the best tablet choice for users looking for media consumption and mobile productivity in an elegant yet versatile design. The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer features the powerful and responsive Android 3.0 operating system, an optional expandable keyboard docking station, and ASUS’ intuitive Waveshare user interface that results in an exciting portable tablet for content creation, social communication, high-definition media playback and smooth realistic game play.

Exciting mini-cinema entertainment on-the-go
Powered by the NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 dual-core processor, the Transformer browses the web at blazing speeds, providing snappier response times and excellent multi-tasking performance. An IPS (in-plane switching) Panel made from durable and scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass is viewable at angles up to 178°, perfect for sharing your favorite photos, web pages, work documents and more with co-workers, friends or family next you or across the room. The 10.1” IPS panel features LED backlighting that provides brilliant and vivid colors at a 1280×800 resolution, perfect for viewing high-definition movies and other media content.

Built-in SRS Sound technology provides a dynamic 3D stereo audio experience, with maximum bass response and a wide sound field from the discrete speakers housed in a thin 0.51” thick chassis that only weighs 1.49lbs. A 1.2MP front-facing camera is perfect for video conferencing while the rear-facing 5MP camera can shoot and record HD video, which can be played back on HDTVs via the mini HDMI output port, making the Eee Pad Transformer a true mobile entertainment device.

Transform from pad to notebook mode with optional keyboard docking station
The Transformer sets itself apart from other tablets on the market by featuring an optional docking station. This unique docking station provides access to a full QWERTY keyboard along with unique Android Function keys, instantly turning the Transformer into a mobile content creation device.

A touchpad, 3.5mm audio jack, two USB ports as well as a built-in SD Card reader for easy file sharing and storage expandability makes the Transformer a versatile media hub. The docking station also extends the Transformer’s 9.5 hours** of battery life up to 16 hours**, so users can use it all day for work or play. In addition, the ultra-convenient ASUS WebStorage* with one year of unlimited storage space provides worry-free cloud computing.

Android 3.0 OS melds with ASUS’ Waveshare UI for a unique user experience
Google’s Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) is a revolutionary operating system specially designed and optimized for tablets, which enables users a rich web experience for on-the-go web browsing, social media activities, video playback and casual gaming. Supporting Adobe® Flash® 10.2*** and the ever growing Android Market, media entertainment is just a finger swipe away. The convenient ASUS Launcher also allows users to easily launch software, manage content and access online services and connect devices with a few simple taps, while ASUS’ Waveshare Interface hosts a variety of unique applications* such as MyNet, MyLibrary, MyCloud and more.

MyNet easily streams digital media wirelessly within home network devices so HD videos or music can be played on devices such as an HDTV or desktop PCs for an even better experience from the Transformer. MyLibrary consolidates downloaded books, magazines and newspapers in to one easy to browse profile while MyCloud is a total cloud solution, providing access to digital content such as music, videos and files from the cloud anywhere, anytime. Users can even use MyCloud to remotely access and control any PC or Mac system and access applications or files to extend the versatility of the Eee Pad Transformer experience.

27 Comments
  • http://twitter.com/imhike London Snoward

    So what’s the OS when its on the keyboard dock.. if its STILL honeycomb, its basically a tablet that comes with a keyboard dock, nothing we haven’t seen

    • Senor Chang

      Name 5 tablets with keyboard docks (The Atrix does count, 3rd party docks don’t count) along w/ where they are immediately available.

      • Anonymous

        Hey PFChangs. You are right. I can’t think of 2 more. But the power of Android will take care of that soon enough.

    • Honeycomb_FTW

      Really? Show me the tablet that docks to a keyboard & MOUSE into a netbook/laptop clamshell.

      I’ll wait. . .

    • Honeycomb_FTW

      I’m still waiting. . . seriously I’ll get one if you can show it to me.

    • IceBeam

      And? You failed to make a point.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Edmond-Chou/598254704 Edmond Chou

    Asus needs to license the dropbox software to use with the unlimited webstorage..if they do I’ll definitely buy this tab.

  • Anonymous

    Sweet. I don’t need a tablet when I am sitting on the couch browsing and shopping online – I’d rather have a laptop, but I do need a tablet when walking around taking notes. Ever tried to use a laptop or one of those heavy “tablet” PCs while walking around working or taking notes/measurements? This so far looks like the best of both worlds. Price? Price will be a deal-killer for me, I suspect.

    • Anonymous

      Latest US rumors put it the dock at $100 and the tablet at $399-$599 depending on options. Coming in early April to the US. (all rumor at this point)

      • Mn543

        With SD card reader inplace, I’d say it’s probably OK to take the lowest 16GB model.
        One does need to choose very carefully between 16/32/64 GB version when buying IPad.

      • Betelgeuse Orion

        if it has an SDXC slot the internal memory will mean fuck all,

        SDXC can provide 2TB of storage and you can upgrade it whenever you feel like or when funds roll in

  • Anonymous

    Another beautiful and sexy google product for my desk and pocket! I am buying a 3rd desk in office depot this week to hold all my Android sweetness. It’s awesome to be a Goofan (aka Apple Hater!) How many Apple things can you have on your desk? In my case? NONE, NOT ONE. My hands burn if I touch them, like the rest of us Goofans (aka Apple Haters.)

  • Anonymous

    The weight must be without the keyboard. It will have to be double the weight for the keyboard to keep it upright. it’s an interesting concept, but anyone can make a bluetooth keyboard dock for a tablet so the price shouldn’t be more than $100 more than a tablet.

    • Mn543

      Except that a keyboard dock does not double your battery life.

  • Anonymous

    Some one needs to figure out how to make an adjustable keyboard dock that fits any 10″ tablet.

    • http://twitter.com/ryusen Zarli Win

      that would be near impossible, because of all the different sizes, shapes, bevels, etal. Not to mention, this one also contains an extra battery and USB ports.

      • kmarshba

        yet another use arises for duct tape, sweet!

  • Anonymous

    “The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer is a device we may not see much of stateside, but it seemingly has it all. ”
    Why won’t we see this device stateside????

  • http://twitter.com/alexistechblog Marc Corredera

    Its here, and it seems not to be just another Tablet. One thing make the Eee Transformer not only a Tablet, but also a some kind of NetBook, the docking station: up to 16 hours battery life, 2xUSB ports, and a complete keyboard is the perfect choice to someone who want to enjoy only with an screen, and also wants to get much more productivity thanks to the docking station.

    Oh! And we cannot forget the micro SD memory expansion, and the Asus in the cloud storage we can get too.

    It can become an interesting product to test and analysis. Well done Asus!

  • No

    So, it’s a Honeycomb tablet, but the keyboard has a Windows key?

    • Honeycomb_FTW

      That looks like the prototype setup. The Windows key is now a home key with the little house icon.

  • http://twitter.com/CallingBubba Bubba GotPassport

    The addition of USB ports and SD card slot will make travelers happy, as transferring photos will be a snap. If one is using cloud and/or external HD backups, the small internal flash memory should not be an issue. Looks very promising, and ASUS laptops got top marks for long term reliability, so hopefully the build quality will be top notch as well.
    I teach online classes, so a robust web browser is a must. Might be the closest ‘netbook replacement’ tablet out there, yes?

    • Betelgeuse Orion

      you forgot having a file browser helps too

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000722296108 Herman Guerra

    Make one with Meego!

  • zps

    i so want this.

  • IceBeam

    So it seems it has the Google Market on it, meaning a high end device. Early prices from the UK suggests this is less expensive compared to the Xoom – which is bound to be a plus as well.
    And of course you don’t have to buy it with a dock, which will reduce the price further.

  • http://koowie.com Koowie

    I like it a lot. And a good price!

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