I’m not exactly sure why. But for some reason, I got Stan Bush’s “The Touch” stuck in my head right now. Whatever could the reason be?
Anywho, it’s time to take a look at another entry in ASUS’ line of transforming tablets (i.e. tablets that can be docked to a keyboard to function more like a laptop). This time, we’re checking out the — take a deep breath — ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime. Talk about a mouthful. But hey, so are two scoops of ice cream on a cone and that’s actually a good thing. So is this transforming Android tablet just as good? Let’s take a look at the vitals of one of the more anticipated Android tablets, shall we?
Tale of the tape: The Transformer Prime measures 263 millimeters or 10 inches wide and is 81 millimeters or 7 inches tall. Thickness is about 8 millimeters or a third of an inch. The tablet part of the Transformer Prime weighs 586 grams or a little over a pound. The keyboard dock alone weighs 537 grams or just a smidgen over a pound. Obviously, the device weighs more than 2 pounds when combined.
The brains: Running the Transformer Prime is an NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad-core CPU with 1GB of DDR2 RAM and the Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system. For those not in the know, Honeycomb is the first version of the Android operating system designed specifically for tablets. For those in the know, well, you’ll be happy to know that the Transformer Prime can be ugpraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which is the first Android OS unviersally designed for all mobile devices whether it be smartphones or tablets.
Storage: The tablet comes in two storage configurations: 32GB and 64GB. Both are based on flash memory. Transformer Prime users also get 8GB worth of ASUS Webstorage.
Display: The Transformer Prime comes with a 10.1 inch Super IPS touchscreen. The screen is 10-finger multi-touch capable and uses Corning’s tough Gorilla Glass. Resolution is 1280 x 800.
Wireless connectivity: The Transformer Prime can connect wireless via Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) or Bluetooth (2.1 + EDR).
Hardware: The tablet features a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera and an 8 megapixel rear camera with flash. It also has an internal mic with sound generated via built-in stereo speakers with SonicMaster Technology. Other tablet features include a 2-in-1 audio jack (headphone and mic-in), one micro HDMI port, one microSD card reader and a 40-pin connector port that can be used to connect the device to a charging adapter or computer for syncing data. Sensors in the device comprise of an accelerometer, electronic compass, a light sensor, gyroscope and GPS.
The Eee station: The Eee station is one of the key features that makes the Transformer Prime attractive. Basically, it’s a docking station that also serves as a keyboard for easier, laptop-like typing. Besides the Chiclet keyboard, the Eee station also comes with a multi-touch touchpad, a 40-pin connector, USB 2.0 port, SD card reader, and a built-in battery that further extends the connected tablet’s battery life.
Battery life: Battery life is rated up to 12 hours for the tablet alone. Connect the tablet to the Eee station and battery life goes up to 18 hours, according to ASUS.
So there you have it, the — take a deep breath — ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime. Toy maker Hasbro may not be thrilled with the name, but the tablet alone is shaping up to be one of the better Android devices out there. Meanwhile, the flexibility provided the Eee station makes the Transformer Prime even more attractive. For more details, you can visit the official ASUS Transformer Prime site.
For information about tablets, visit our Tablet channel. For more on the competing Apple iPad, check out our iPad Central hub.
