The Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101 Tablet won't stand on its very own. But when paired with its matching keyboard dock, the Transformer morphs right into a tablet that strikes an admirable balance in between productivity and amusement. At $399 with the 16GB Wi-Fi product (or $499 for your 32GB Wi-Fi design, costs as of May possibly 6, 2011), the Transformer will be the minimum pricey Android three.0 tablet up to now; as well as the smaller-capacity version bests Apple's iPad two by $100.
None of that is to say that the Transformer's implementation is perfect. The hardware has some tough spots, and so do the Android OS along with the $149 Mobile Docking Station selection. But even taking these patches into consideration, the Transformer carves out a reliable niche for alone in an progressively crowded market.
Transformer's Hardware: Style Wins and Flubs
In its style, the Transformer shares some attributes with other current tablets. The front encounter is dominated by a 10.1-inch display, with numerous buttons, ports, and slots distributed along the edges. The Transformer has familiar-sounding guts, as well: It runs Nvidia's 1GHz dual-core Tegra two platform, carries 1GB of RAM, and utilizes Google's Android 3.01 (Honeycomb) OS.
Like numerous of today's tablets--the superslim Apple iPad 2 currently being the notable exception--the Transformer measures 0.5 inch tall. It's longer than other tablets, besting the Acer Iconia Tab A500 by half an inch, the Motorola Xoom by nearly a complete inch, and also the Apple iPad 2 by one.2 inches. The extra length tends to make for an extra-wide bezel in landscape mode; in addition, it enables the Transformer's physical size to match the Mobile Docking Station's, so the two can link as a clamshell laptop would. (By by itself, the Transformer actions 10.seven inches by 6.nine inches by 0.five inch.) Designwise, this strategy is actually a win.
What I discovered most disappointing about the Transformer was its bodily construct. In the beginning blush, it feels durable enough, but I didn't like the flex developed to the textured plastic back again. The flex created the Transformer experience chintzy, as did the minute gaps amongst the metal body as well as the scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass display screen. But a minimum of the Transformer's plastic design and style lowers its fat. At 1.5 pounds, it really is heavier than the one.3-pound iPad 2, but the Transformer rewards from excellent component balance on the inside which makes it experience lighter than it really is.
In other respects, the tablet's design and style is well executed. When held in landscape orientation, the power button and volume rocker sit at the higher proper corners; and the one.2-megapixel front-facing camera is at the best center. Along the right-hand edge certainly are a 3.5mm audio jack (which doubles as a headphone output along with a microphone input), the Mini-HDMI port, along with the microSD card slot. Towards the bottom corners from the left and appropriate edges are stereo speakers, but they aren't the one source of audio. Even when my fingers blocked the speaker grilles, I could hear audio plainly.
Asus explains that the Transformer's style also transmits audio with the same openings at the bottom from the tablet that serve as the connection points for that Cell Docking Station. The tablet has SRS audio enhancements built-in, but there is certainly no equalizer or related app for adjusting sound, and there's absolutely nothing to alter within the Android OS settings. The integrated SRS Wow High definition audio does contain help for virtual 5.one surround sound in videos. In use, the speakers appeared superior to most tablet speakers I've listened to, although not practically as excellent as being the finest ones I've heard on the tablet--those on the RIM BlackBerry PlayBook. Audio sounded fairly total and unique, with crisp even though considerably tinny vocals.
Managing along the bottom edge of the Transformer will be the 40-pin dock connector. The tablet arrives that has a power adapter and a USB-to-dock connector cable. The dock connector can cost in the adapter or by means of the cable, when connected to some Pc (to get a trickle cost only). The cable could also manage information transfers from a Laptop. Asus says that equipment will likely be obtainable for the dock connector, like an SD Card reader as well as a USB-A port; however, the organization hasn't indicated no matter whether individuals components will ship while in the United states whenever they turn into offered later on this summer season.
At back can be a 5.0-megapixel digital camera for even now image capture and video capture at 720p; but there's no LED flash, as several competing tablets have. As on other Android three.01 tablets, pictures seem disappointing (for stills and movies equally).
The Transformer uses a 1280-by-800-pixel IPS show, and includes a widescreen sixteen:10 factor ratio. As in Apple's iPad sequence, the use of IPS engineering helps the tablet attain exceptional viewing angles (Asus says the range is 178 degrees, and I noticed no colour shift plus a apparent image as I shifted to excessive angles), enhanced coloration, and deeper blacks. Shades appeared much better than on other Android 3.01 tablets, but that can be simply because Asus modified Android's default colour temperature and white stability to match its IPS screen. Still, the Transformer can not match the colour accuracy with the Apple iPad two.
The Transformer has 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR connectivity in this version. Asus expects to release 3G varieties through cell carriers (to become announced) afterwards this summer.
(Continue to be tuned to this room; we'll update the assessment with full testing from the PCWorld Labs.)
Transformer's Software package, Personalized
When I very first turned the Transformer on, I discovered quickly some pleasurable user-interface advancements that Asus made to stock Android three.01.
For starters, the core navigation buttons are substantially greater. Asus changed the normal Honeycomb nav buttons (a few light-blue outlines that serve since the principal navigation aids with the reduce left from the display screen) with 3 white, sound button formations which can be crisp and distinct. Specifically, the back/exit button, much better represents its perform having a looping return arrow--an enhancement around the stock Honeycomb's chintzy back arrow that appears a lot more like a bookmark symbol.
An additional big adjust requires the Asus keyboard. The stock grey Honeycomb keyboard is accessible as an selection, but by default the Transformer utilizes Asus's personal keyboard, which capabilities a lighter grey qualifications and dark, well-defined letters and numbers. The redesigned keyboard has a row of number keys up top; and keys in both the quantity row as well as the first letter row are slightly taller than the ones on rest from the keyboard. The keyboard appears to occupy regarding the identical depth since the stock Honeycomb keyboard, but using the added benefit of the quantity row (a native very first amid the Android 3.0 tablets). The keyboard incorporates Google's predictive text, too, one more native first for an Android three.0 tablet. Regrettably, this function behaved a bit unpredictably in my testing. As an example, it failed to perform consistently when filling in fields within the Web browser. Also, the keyboard sacrifices a number of its QWERTYness--by having its Z and S keys stacked, by way of example. On the total, the keyboard was responsive.
In addition to introducing these changes, Asus provides a tiny selection of its own Android widgets to utilize in customizing the front face to dictate the way you accessibility your info. As an example, you are able to obtain a big, friendly climatic conditions update; or select My Zine widgets that current your images, climatic conditions, and just lately accessed World wide web, new music, and book content inside a clean way. The strategy is comparable to--but not as far reaching as--Acer's handling of its Iconia Tab A500, exactly where widgets seem as further app icons mainly to produce a sense of categorized folder hierarchy to your applications (Android 3.0 won't have folders, as Apple's iOS does). Asus's strategy isn't really as far-reaching as Samsung's TouchWiz interface around the 7-inch Android two.2 Galaxy Tab or HTC's Sense UI overlay planned for its 7-inch Flyer. According to Asus, by omitting an additional overlay, the company can react more rapidly to OS updates because they come offered from Google.
Asus also provides a couple of custom wallpapers, such as the interactive MyWater wallpaper that reacts to your motions from the built-in gyroscope, and exhibits the battery degree by modifying the h2o degree within the wallpaper. Exciting touches, to become confident, but detrimental to battery life.
In use, the Transformer felt about as zippy (and as sluggish) as I've arrive to assume from your present crop of Tegra 2 tablets, according to the activity. Its camera was in fact slightly quicker around the bring about than the ones on other Android 3.01 tablets I have used--but nevertheless pokey as molasses. This edition of Android has picture and text rendering troubles, too, as its predecessors did. Photographs aren't rendered sharply and with excellent detail in the Android Gallery, and text seems to get insufficiently antialiased. Android 3.01 has not however acquired a serious update; one can only desire that these issues and other individuals will probably be fixed inside the potential.
The Transformer comes preloaded with useful software program. Some apps are special to Asus: Asus's MyNet DLNA media sharing app; MyCloud for accessing Asus's Webstorage (2GB no cost for one yr; unlimited storage for $5 regular monthly) or for connecting remotely for your desktop via the Splashtop-powered MyDesktop; MyLibrary for accessing newspaper, .Epub, and PDF book content material. Also on board: Infraware's Polaris Office 3.0 for viewing and editing (and conserving as Company 2003 files) Microsoft Workplace documents, spreadsheets, and presentations; Layar; Fuze Meeting; along with a file manager (which, like ones I have seen on other tablets, confusingly interprets the inner memory as a mounted SD Card). To acquire Adobe Flash 10.2, you'll must down load it on your own.
For that desktop, Asus provides downloadable utilities to finish the Transformer: Laptop Sync and Asus Webstorage.
The Keyboard Docking Station: The way it Functions
The Transformer will get its identify, obviously, from its companion piece, the $149 Cellular Docking Station. And Asus obtained this vital component in the equation correct. The Cell Docking Station transforms the Transformer right into a netbooklike clamshell that weighs just beneath 3 pounds when mixed (the docking station by itself weighs 1.41 kilos). The bottom surface is composed of textured brown plastic, matching the layout with the Transformer tablet by itself. The 2 elements in shape collectively seamlessly and quickly, not like keyboards which are of separate sizes and patterns in the tablet (as is true of Bluetooth keyboards with the iPad two); and also the solution is far more integrated and stylish than even the very best designed iPad instances I've seen that consist of a keyboard. The 2 pieces are of matching dimension, and once you attach the tablet towards the hinged dock, the dock flips across the front in the tablet, equally as in the event the combination were every other clamshell laptop computer. I failed to have any problems aligning the tablet and snapping it into position; a slider lock beneath the tablet conveniently locks it into area.
When assembled as 1, the Transformer and also the Mobile Docking Station appear smart and act clever: The touchscreen is fully operational whilst plugged in, preserve for access to the on-screen keyboard; but additionally, some essential buttons--including Android back/exit and residence buttons, and media playback and quantity buttons--are integrated in to the keyboard. The island-style keys on the 92 percent of full-size keyboard are unique and easy to press, and they created precise touch-typing a breeze. For its component, the silky touchpad supports easy mouse manage inside the Android environment.
The docking station has two USB two.0 ports, every single tucked behind a flap door, and 1 SDHC card slot. The ports flaps give the dock a clean seem along the edges, plus they felt sturdily built, nonetheless they strike me as currently being an bothersome impediment nonetheless.
The dock dealt with the a variety of SD Cards and flash drives I plugged in, as well as the USB port can accommodate input units including an exterior mouse. However, Android three.01 appeared to get puzzled easily when I repeatedly attached and detached USB drives--especially if I unplugged the push without having appropriately unmounting the media first.
When I plugged in a very USB drive, the Android OS took several moments to mount the media. On recognizing the merchandise, the OS displayed a USB push icon within the position bar tray at the appropriate. You faucet the icon to pop up a tab confirming that external storage continues to be acknowledged. At the tab's appropriate are two, far more subtle, functions: a folder icon that can take you right to the USB drive's contents through the integrated file supervisor; and an obtusely made icon for unmounting the generate without having to dig to the Settings/Storage menu.
The folder icon jumps you directly in to the file supervisor is really a great thing; or else, you need to hunt about within the file supervisor with the USB generate (that is buried beneath the Detachable directory inside the root directory). Obtaining the USB drives manually was an inefficient encounter, provided Android's plethora of files and folders. And however, as rough as that component of the presentation was, the Transformer deserves props for allowing users to access and manipulate files around the tablet.
Here's a real-world productivity illustration. I could pop inside a USB flash generate, open a Phrase .docx inside the Polaris Company three.0 computer software, edit the document, then help save it using a new title right to the directory of my selection to the flash drive or inside the tablet. Having resaved the document towards the tablet, I opened the Gmail app and connected the newly edited file to an outbound e-mail message. The operation was nifty, convenient, and never doable while in the same way with some other tablet shipping nowadays.
A couple of occasions when I pulled the tablet from its nest, it popped up a single of Android's infamous "Force Close" mistakes. On other occasions, the mouse pointer stopped working and I needed to unplug and reattach the tablet to obtain it to resume. And now then I needed to try many times to realize success in using the mouse pointer to pick out some thing. One more oddity: Using web page up and down on the Web page often brought on it to navigate among HTML fields, instead of scrolling the whole web page as I predicted.
Nevertheless, these strike me as software package glitches that Asus could repair in potential firmware updates. For any very first salvo, the expertise was smoother than I anticipated, and also the modern design and style is a large phase past other dock setups I've seen. I cherished having the ability to tap away quick e-mail messages, navigate the tablet whilst it stood upright, as well as alternate among keyboard, touchscreen, and touchpad navigation.
By marrying the 2 parts in the mixture device, you may get extra battery life (which Asus estimates will enhance by about 72 % about the battery life for your tablet on your own). Plus, should you need to grab the Transformer and its Mobile Docking Station around the run--as when I did when passing through airport security--you can do so with a single hand, a comfort for cellular professionals.
Bottom Line
Despite my minor grievances about its design, this tablet is worthy of consideration. Asus's aggressive pricing, coupled with its above-average exhibit, make the Transformer a significant contender. Even when you consider the additional value from the docking station, the costs are offset by that module's expandability and functionality. The big query, just like all early-round Honeycomb tablets, relates towards the unknowns of Android 3.x's evolution and its thus-far slow-to-grow app setting. If neither of these issues can be a deterrent, the Transformer + Cell Docking Station could be a successful mixture of productivity tool and entertainment demon.
