# The iPad Killer (Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201)



## Zabo (Dec 1, 2011)

Yeah, really.

Beautiful piece of engineering.

http://www.netbooknews.com/40609/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-tf201-with-docking-station-review/


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## editor (Dec 1, 2011)

I don't think it's even an iPad bruiser, let alone a killer. It is nice though.
I'd love one.


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## TitanSound (Dec 1, 2011)

Want!!


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## Crispy (Dec 1, 2011)

There is already too much killing in this world


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## TitanSound (Dec 1, 2011)

And generally if something is branded as an "XXXX killer", it generally isn't.


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## dessiato (Dec 1, 2011)

I like it and will consider buying one.


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## editor (Dec 1, 2011)

dessiato said:


> I like it and will consider buying one.


I'm a little tempted.


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## cliche guevara (Dec 1, 2011)

I've got the original tranformer, and its a great bit of kit. The new one is a bit better looking, and has a much better processor, but I've never really found mine lacking. The huge issue with Android tablets is that developers never got excited about Honeycomb, and as such there aren't many tablet specific apps. I expect this to be remedied as ICS matures, at the very least we should be over the old compatability issues.


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## yardbird (Dec 1, 2011)

The Asus netbook I have is ace, but I fancy one of these.


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## editor (Dec 1, 2011)

Hands on preview here:

















Video and full specs here:
http://www.wirefresh.com/asus-eee-p...-quad-core-tablet-looks-awesome-video-review/

18 hours battery! HDMI! SD card reader!

I think I want one. Very much.


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## editor (Dec 1, 2011)

The Verge love the hardware, but say it needs Android 4.0 sharpish:


> The Prime is an incredible piece of hardware. It has a marvelous display, form factor, the best camera on any tablet yet, and it’s new quad-core internal organ puts more graphics and gaming power in your hands than you’ll know what to do with (quite literally in fact, until the games start appearing). And then there’s also the added keyboard dock that adds over 10 hours of battery life and really does transform the tablet into a highly-usable laptop.
> 
> But a true laptop replacement isn't about raw power; it's about the productivity that power enables, and Honeycomb just isn't up to the task. The operating system hasn't been optimized for that ridiculous processor or that beautiful display, the app selection remains pitiable at best, and it's just not that intuitive to use. Asus may have produced a brilliant piece of engineering at a price that's competitive with the iPad, but Android hasn't yet matched iOS when it comes to unlocking all that potential. Android 4.0 (or even Windows 8, which we expect to run on this very sort of hardware) might just rectify some of these issues, but one thing is for sure: the laptop of the post-PC world needs the software to match it.
> http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/1/2601558/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-review


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## editor (Dec 1, 2011)

Video:


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## editor (Dec 2, 2011)

You can use wireless game controllers with the tablet, and this review describes the gaming effects as "cutting edge".



And the earlier version has won Tablet Of The Year here:
http://www.trustedreviews.com/tablet-of-the-year-2011_round-up


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## FridgeMagnet (Dec 2, 2011)

Shadowgun is one of the flagship examples of Unity mobile gaming, and also looks very impressive on iOS; not much different really. (I am writing iOS apps using Unity at work at the moment, so I try to keep track of this stuff a bit.)


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## editor (Dec 2, 2011)

It's the combo of the wafer thin tablet and battery packing keyboard that makes this one a far more interesting proposition than most. Having a USB port and a SD card slot on board also means it's a combo that I could actually justify buying.


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## cliche guevara (Dec 2, 2011)

Having the keyboard dock on my Transformer is an absolute lifesaver, I have sixteen hours of usage on the go. That's easily a whole weekends worth.

E2A: not only that, but every time you dock it, the tablet charges from the dock. Battery life is transferred from the keyboard to the tablet, so you'll always have battery life in the part you need most.


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## Crispy (Dec 2, 2011)

It's a very neat design indeed. How well does the touchpad integrate with the UI?


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## cliche guevara (Dec 2, 2011)

TBH I thought that would be a bodge job, as I'd not really heard about it on Android before using the Transformer, but it works perfectly. A recent update changed the standard arrow curser to a much clumsier looking circle, I guess in an effort to simulate finger input, but it still works just as well.


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## editor (Dec 2, 2011)

cliche guevara said:


> E2A: not only that, but every time you dock it, the tablet charges from the dock. Battery life is transferred from the keyboard to the tablet, so you'll always have battery life in the part you need most.


That's pretty smart, that.


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## cliche guevara (Dec 2, 2011)

Yup, it's pretty simple but a shockingly good idea.


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## editor (Dec 2, 2011)

That 16 hour battery life + full keyboard + SD card slot + USB port is causing something of an involuntary commotion in my wallet department.


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## cliche guevara (Dec 2, 2011)

I'm sure I saw the original Transformer with keyboard dock going for £299 very recently...


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## Crispy (Dec 2, 2011)

Is there a UK price for it?


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## TitanSound (Dec 2, 2011)

Not yet. But I'm keeping a close eye for one!


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## editor (Dec 2, 2011)

Looks like the 32GB model bundled with the keyboard dock is going for £499 - on sale in January. Not a bad price that.


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## TitanSound (Dec 2, 2011)

Gah. New TV or awesome Inspector Gadget type laptop? Such a hard choice


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## sim667 (Dec 2, 2011)

Does it come with carrier iQ?

Im not interested if it doesnt, a phone would be better value for money


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## elbows (Dec 2, 2011)

editor said:


> The Verge love the hardware, but say it needs Android 4.0 sharpish:



Not just android 4.0, also apps, which is something I've been saying for a long time. And now that Ive actually got an android phone I can see that the apps issue is actually worse than I had feared.

Of course this may not matter much depending on what you plan to use it for.


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## editor (Dec 2, 2011)

elbows said:


> Not just android 4.0, also apps, which is something I've been saying for a long time. And now that Ive actually got an android phone I can see that the apps issue is actually worse than I had feared.
> 
> Of course this may not matter much depending on what you plan to use it for.


What apps are you short of? I really can't think of many areas where I'm finding app shortcomings on my Android phone.


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## elbows (Dec 2, 2011)

I'm not particularly short of anything for my phone, but when I look at the android market I don't see much that has an ooh wow factor, I don't see all that much depth, but perhaps Im missing something. Half the fun of the iPad was the amount of stuff thats come out which seems to showcase tablet potential nicely, and Im concerned that this isn't quite the case on android. I want to be wrong though, and tablets can still be bloody useful without this wow factor, but after shelling out for a decent tablet I've appreciated having multiple chances to feel like a kid on christmas day.


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## mrs quoad (Dec 3, 2011)

elbows said:


> I'm not particularly short of anything for my phone, but when I look at the android market I don't see much that has an ooh wow factor, I don't see all that much depth, but perhaps Im missing something. Half the fun of the iPad was the amount of stuff thats come out which seems to showcase tablet potential nicely, and Im concerned that this isn't quite the case on android. I want to be wrong though, and tablets can still be bloody useful without this wow factor, but after shelling out for a decent tablet I've appreciated having multiple chances to feel like a kid on christmas day.



That was kinda my experience of Android. Though admittedly that's outdated now. I never found anything that felt as if it was actually making use of a 1ghz processor (or the touch screen, tbh), when one of the WOW selling points of the Desire was (apparently) that it had the first 1ghz processor.

Like I say, I'm kinda outdated on that front though  I hear there are LOTS more apps out there now


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## Zabo (Dec 4, 2011)

editor said:


> I don't think it's even an iPad bruiser, let alone a killer. It is nice though.
> I'd love one.



You may be surprised. The previous model TF101 came second in various polls to the ipad. This is a great improvement. It'll certainly wipe out the need for a netbook.

I like the USB and sd cards on the dock.


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## Bob_the_lost (Dec 4, 2011)

After playing with my Transformer my sister and a friend both went out and bought one. The original was an excellent item, the new one looks better.


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## editor (Dec 4, 2011)

Zabo said:


> You may be surprised. The previous model TF101 came second in various polls to the ipad. This is a great improvement. It'll certainly wipe out the need for a netbook.
> 
> I like the USB and sd cards on the dock.


I think it's a fantastic device but the notion that it's going to "kill" the most popular tablet on the planet is nonsense.


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## editor (Dec 5, 2011)

This is nice:


> Add in that Nvidia has added support for popular game controllers, including those from the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Wii and even USB gamepads, and the Transformer Prime looks primed to be a leading contender for those chasing the ultimate Android gaming experience.
> http://review.techworld.com/personal-tech/3322606/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-tf201-review/


Here's another review:


> Verdict
> Click to EnlargeThe $499 Eee Pad Transformer Prime is not only the fastest tablet we've tested, but also one of the best-looking, most functional, and--because of its AppLocker--the most family-friendly. We were wowed by its brilliant IPS display, razor-thin design, and remarkably comfortable keyboard dock.
> 
> Users looking for a large choice of apps may still prefer the iPad 2, and those who need a tablet for business/note-taking may prefer the ThinkPad Tablet with its pen and security features. However, if you're looking for the most powerful, portable 10-inch Android tablet on the market, look no further.
> http://www.laptopmag.com/review/tablets/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime.aspx


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## Kid_Eternity (Dec 5, 2011)

Don't know many gamers that will be doing that tbh...


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## editor (Dec 5, 2011)

Sure looks a better way for serious gamers to play games than sticking things on the screen or trying to use virtual controls.


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## FridgeMagnet (Dec 5, 2011)

Anyone who designs tablet games to be used with game controllers has utterly lost it.


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## editor (Dec 5, 2011)

FridgeMagnet said:


> Anyone who designs tablet games to be used with game controllers has utterly lost it.


It's optional. If hard core gamers want more control then they have the choice of plugging in a controller they've already got.

And that's got to be a better choice than stick-on suction pad shite like this:


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## FridgeMagnet (Dec 5, 2011)

What I mean is that it's a retrograde step to write tablet or phone games that use standard D-pad type controllers. It indicates that the game designer is just trying to replicate games that were made for entirely different UIs, and not trying to do anything different.

If it's specifically for a retro effect, fair enough, but that's not the way forward. You should write for a specific UI environment, and not try to just retrofit things. There's been some discussion on this issue on the iPad/iPhone threads, and for that matter on the Skyrim thread, where people are talking about the problems of trying to jam console controls onto a PC.


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## editor (Dec 5, 2011)

I don't think the games are being written _specifically_ for controller use and they all work fine via touchscreen controls.
It's just an optional extra for people who are into that kind of thing. And more choice and options for users is surely a good thing, yes?


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## FridgeMagnet (Dec 5, 2011)

If a game supports external D-pads, it must have been written to use D-pad-type controls, which are otherwise simulated on the touchscreen - and lots of games use D-pad-type controls, certainly, but they shouldn't. We're not writing for Gameboys any more. We can do a lot more than that these days.


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## Bob_the_lost (Dec 5, 2011)

FridgeMagnet said:


> If a game supports external D-pads, it must have been written to use D-pad-type controls, which are otherwise simulated on the touchscreen - and lots of games use D-pad-type controls, certainly, but they shouldn't. We're not writing for Gameboys any more. We can do a lot more than that these days.


We can but if i can get Super Mario on there or any of the console classics i'm buying it. Please tell me i can...


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## DotCommunist (Dec 5, 2011)

download emulators and play Mario on them.


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## editor (Dec 5, 2011)

Well, if I was a serious gamer, I'd very much like the option of being able to use a game controller. It sure beats smudging finders around onscreen.


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## fractionMan (Dec 5, 2011)

It also means they could port games between platforms


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## FridgeMagnet (Dec 5, 2011)

Developers have to stop thinking of tablets as screens which you can also (badly) simulate hardware controls on!


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## fractionMan (Dec 5, 2011)

FridgeMagnet said:


> Developers have to stop thinking of tablets as screens which you can also (badly) simulate hardware controls on!



oh, I totally agree with that.  Which is why the hardware controller support makes sense imo.  Especially on android which will support a ton of emulators.


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## FridgeMagnet (Dec 5, 2011)

fractionMan said:


> oh, I totally agree with that.  Which is why the hardware controller support makes sense imo.  Especially on android which will support a ton of emulators.


But that _is_ thinking of a tablet as a screen etc. If you write tablet software designed for D-pad type controls, that's what you're doing, even if you then also allow people to also plug in hardware.

As I said it makes sense for emulators, which are emulating things designed to use controllers. And it is quite hard to make games in a way that means they don't use trad controls - it means thinking of entirely new game structures, rather than just tweaking an established format, which is a lot more popular with dev studios. But it needs to happen (and to be fair it _is_ happening, just slowly).


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## editor (Dec 5, 2011)

Physical controls will always win over virtual, screen-smudging ones - which is why the clattering old QWERTY keyboard isn't going anyway any time soon - so I fail to see what's wrong with game developers electing to use the best possible system for users to interact with their games.


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## FridgeMagnet (Dec 5, 2011)

Hardware controls will always win over _simulated_ hardware controls. There is no reason that games have to use that sort of control - there's nothing objectively brilliant about them, they're just what has been available in the past and so what people have designed games to use. They're certainly not the "best possible system", except for controlling games designed for them, which is just circular. Why not take advantage of what touch screens are _good_ for rather than handicapping software?

There are certainly already games that would be completely impossible to control with peripherals (particularly anything using multitouch for instance).


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## editor (Dec 5, 2011)

Not everyone, for example, likes waving a large tablet around as a game control mechanism, so having the _option_ to use physical game controllers on some games can surely only be a good thing. I can't see what your objection is, to be honest.


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## fractionMan (Dec 5, 2011)

The great thing about playstation type controllers is you can achieve very complex things with them. Tons of buttons + button combos. This is very hard to do with touch I'd imagine. You've only got one big button, the screen.

Isn't multitouch pretty bad for tablet games, given that you can only multi touch a large tablet when you're hunched over it?

I can see what fridge is saying - design games for the format, which makes sense. I think the ability to have controller input games just adds to the things you can do with a tablet and takes away nothing. You don't have to play the controller input games, but if you want to, you can.


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## editor (Dec 5, 2011)

fractionMan said:


> I think the ability to have controller input games just adds to the things you can do with a tablet and takes away nothing. You don't have to play the controller input games, but if you want to, you can.


That's what I've been saying. If users want it, it's there. If they don't, they can still enjoy the game using the onscreen controls.


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## fractionMan (Dec 5, 2011)

Ah, but that's the thing.  The on screen controls are beyond crap ime.  At least on a phone.  Not tried it on a tablet.


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## editor (Dec 5, 2011)

Incredible graphics!


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## fractionMan (Dec 5, 2011)

I'm really liking this transformer btw.  I've recommended it to my dad who couldn't make up his mind between a tablet and a laptop.


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## editor (Dec 5, 2011)

And more:


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## editor (Dec 16, 2011)

It's just picked up another rave review. Pricing look set to be £499 including the keyboard dock. The lack of 3G is no problem for me as I'd just hook it up to my phone.



> With potent graphics, the ability to play any game on the market at the moment easily, HDMI out, and USB gamepad support, you’ve got to ask yourself whether really you are buying a games console in disguise.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## siramone (Dec 16, 2011)

The water splashing on the screen is impressive attention to detail.
FPS = motion sickness.
So many toys...so little money


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## Zabo (Dec 23, 2011)

This didn't take long:

"Hasbro, the company behind the hugely popular Transformers toys, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles asking for an injunction banning the tablets and requesting damages.

Asus unveiled the Eee Pad Transformer earlier this year and its successor – the Transformer Prime – is set to launched next month having already become the most pre-ordered Android tablet ever.

Hasbro claims in its lawsuit that it contacted Asus and asked for the Transformer name not to be used with the tablet, but 'Asus refused to comply'."

What a bunch of fuckwits. Maybe Hasbro should consult a good dictionary to find out the original meaning of the term 'transformer'. Nothing to do with silly toys. Hopefully Asus will give them a good fucking over. The patent and brand laws in the U.S. are becoming a joke.

http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/885737-toy-maker-hasbro-sues-asus-over-transformer-prime-tablet-name


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## editor (Dec 23, 2011)

It's a spectacularly hopeless lawsuit. Who's going to mistake a tablet with a fictional robot in toy form?


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## FridgeMagnet (Dec 23, 2011)

It is funny though  Actually, it's odd that they would call it the "Transformer Prime" - I bet that's part of the lawsuit.


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## elbows (Dec 23, 2011)

Yeah, like certain aspects of Samsung vs Apple I can see why people find it very silly, but at the same time corporations can do plenty to minimise the risk and in this case using Prime with the word Transformer is hardly playing it safe.


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## Cid (Dec 27, 2011)

elbows said:


> Yeah, like certain aspects of Samsung vs Apple I can see why people find it very silly, but at the same time corporations can do plenty to minimise the risk and in this case using Prime with the word Transformer is hardly playing it safe.



 Completely different product in this case though



editor said:


> It's a spectacularly hopeless lawsuit. Who's going to mistake a tablet with a fictional robot in toy form?



Why do you persist in this belief that every lawsuit hinges on customers mistaking one thing for another? Even in the Apple case it only formed a part (the main part admittedly) of the US case, wasn't part of the German one iirc, may have been in Australia, but not sure. There'll be an element of it here I imagine - apparently there was a series last year called 'Transformers prime' so it'll seem like the official Transformer's prime tablet or some nonsense - but i doubt they'll be arguing that someone's bought an Eee pad instead of an Optimus Prime toy. Although stranger things have happened I suppose.


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## Kid_Eternity (Dec 27, 2011)

Brand association can provoke powerful emotions which can be a determining factor in people's consumer choices...


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## mitochondria (Dec 27, 2011)

I reckon it is just a PR stunt, Asus has probably already paid Hasbro for the hassle.

eta: wrong brand


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## Kid_Eternity (Dec 27, 2011)

LOL!


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## wtfftw (Dec 27, 2011)

want.

I'm still struggling to justify tho as my phone does everything and it's not even like I turn my netbook on anymore.


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## Kid_Eternity (Dec 27, 2011)

Personally wouldn't bother with a netbook in this day and age. Would just get a tablet like the Galaxy Tab or wait for the iPad 3...


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## editor (Dec 27, 2011)

It's all about a physical keyboard for some. There is no way on earth I'd want to try and write articles on a flat screen, and I'm not really interested in lugging about bolt on extras either - that's way the Transformer is so appealing.

Netbooks are still fine for some folks though, although mine proved a compromise too far in the end (what with higher quality machines becoming cheaper).


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## ViolentPanda (Dec 27, 2011)

FridgeMagnet said:


> It is funny though  Actually, it's odd that they would call it the "Transformer Prime" - I bet that's part of the lawsuit.



I'd have been more impressed if they'd called it the "Transformer Optimus".


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## ViolentPanda (Dec 27, 2011)

Cid said:


> Completely different product in this case though
> 
> Why do you persist in this belief that every lawsuit hinges on customers mistaking one thing for another?



Because Transformers are, after all, robots in disguise, you muppet!


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## Cid (Dec 28, 2011)

editor said:


> It's all about a physical keyboard for some. There is no way on earth I'd want to try and write articles on a flat screen, and I'm not really interested in lugging about bolt on extras either - that's way the Transformer is so appealing.
> 
> Netbooks are still fine for some folks though, although mine proved a compromise too far in the end (what with higher quality machines becoming cheaper).



Yep, just can't get round the fact keyboards are a lot more practical for anything longer than entering an address, and if I can have one that folds up neatly with the device and provides backup battery without even making it more expensive than competitors that's what I'll go for. I'd like a tablet for various reasons (client meetings, exhibitions, note taking), can't really afford it at the moment but when I can this looks like a very good option.

Even _without_ the keyboard it looks like it's right at the top of the tablet market, definitely onto a winner. Well, if ASUS ever get round to sorting their marketing out.


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## editor (Jan 3, 2012)

There's talk of a 7" version being announced at CES next week.

*gets very, very interested


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## fractionMan (Jan 3, 2012)

The keyboard on a 7" is going to be rubbish though.  Can't see the point.


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## fractionMan (Jan 3, 2012)

Transformer bootloader locked down: http://www.reghardware.com/2012/01/03/asus_asked_to_unlock_eee_pad_transformer_prime_bootloader/

but it looks like they're going to unlock it: http://twitter.com/#!/AsusFrance/status/154232413894090754


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## cliche guevara (Jan 3, 2012)

I haven't bothered rooting my Transformer, don't really see the point as custom builds of 3.x don't add anything.


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## han (Jan 4, 2012)

editor said:


> There's talk of a 7" version being announced at CES next week.
> 
> *gets very, very interested



If there was anything that rivalled the iPad that was Android, I'd get it. But at the moment, no Android pad can compare to the iPad in terms of the sheer number of apps available....


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## editor (Jan 4, 2012)

han said:


> If there was anything that rivalled the iPad that was Android, I'd get it. But at the moment, no Android pad can compare to the iPad in terms of the sheer number of apps available....


Not so many apps_ yet_, but far, far more options when it comes to hardware.


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## han (Jan 4, 2012)

It's probably only a matter of time before Android pads have as many apps for them as the iPad. Give it a couple of years, maybe.


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## fractionMan (Jan 4, 2012)

Slightly different model on android.  I think people with iPads are more prepared to pay for software, meaning people will actually develop decent apps for it.


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## editor (Jan 4, 2012)

fractionMan said:


> Slightly different model on android. I think people with iPads are more prepared to pay for software, meaning people will actually develop decent apps for it.


Not so sure if that logic follows seeing as the Android app total - currently at 200,000 apps - looks set to overtake iOS apps eventually. Besides, there's already more than enough apps on both platforms.

Android app downloads are going through the roof.







The Android tablet app total will explode with the release of Android 4.0 OS.


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## Crispy (Jan 4, 2012)

fractionMan said:


> Slightly different model on android. I think people with iPads are more prepared to pay for software.


Yep.






Caveats: Ad revenue for ad-supported free apps is not included. Apple don't provide separate iphone/touch/pad app store revenue figures, so exact like-for-like comparison is impossible.


> meaning people will actually develop decent apps for it.


This graph is from an approximate sample of 25% of all apps.






which shows that the increased revenue from developing for iOS does indeed encourage development for that platform, despite its no.2 status.


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## editor (Jan 4, 2012)

Not so sure why consumers be concerned about the revenue for developers: what really matters is the amount and quality of the apps available, and there's no shortage of superb apps available on both platforms. There's currently something like 25k apps being developed for Android every month now.

Besides it's a fairly meaningless stat to throw around because it's not just the platform that brings a developer revenue: it's the quality of the app and the amount of competition. With so many similar apps competing in a hugely crowded market place, there's no shortage of app developers struggling to make much cash on either platform.


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## Crispy (Jan 4, 2012)

I made no claims as to the quality of apps on either platform.


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## fractionMan (Jan 4, 2012)

I'd say it's generally easier to find _high quality_ apps on apple. This doesn't mean there's not loads of high quality android apps, just that there's more on apple.

The only reason this is about developer revenue is that high quality software takes time and resources to make. Development houses are more likely to do it for a platform they can make money from.

I'm far from some paid software fanboy here btw, but if you look at freeware games and compare them with paid for games over the last ten years you'll see what I'm getting at.

When evaluating app markets, the number of apps is pretty meaningless.  What matters to me is _the number of apps I actually want_.


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## Idaho (Jan 4, 2012)

It's true. The android market requires extensive wading through shite to find the good stuff.

But then this is always the case with open source (ish) versus the closed model. And no matter how many times people argue the toss about it, it comes down to whether you like a limited range of well designed, expensive and approved software, or whether that irritates you and you'd rather wade through the crap.


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## editor (Jan 4, 2012)

To be honest, I found wading through Apple's App Store a bit of a grind too because of the sheer number of apps available, but there's plenty of websites and magazines around to help you separate the wheat from the chaff.

I generally tend to browse/install apps on my desktop at https://market.android.com/  and find that interface helps highlight the good stuff. Being able to sort searches by relevance/popularity helps too.


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## Idaho (Jan 4, 2012)

I wonder how long it will be when the idea of seperate apps becomes obsolete. When we just have an intelligent device which customises and embellishes it's core functionality on request.

I'm sure more intelligent people than me have long been considering such things and given the concept a snappy title.


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## Crispy (Jan 4, 2012)

Idaho said:


> I wonder how long it will be when the idea of seperate apps becomes obsolete. When we just have an intelligent device which customises and embellishes it's core functionality on request.
> 
> I'm sure more intelligent people than me have long been considering such things and given the concept a snappy title.


The concept's been around for a long time. You know how in Windows, you can copy and paste some Excel cells into a Word document, then double click them to edit them in a full Excel environment? That was how everything was going to work. No separation between data and software, and no monolithic applications. Just conglomerations of software units and chunks of data, arranged by the user and intelligently interacting.

It didn't come to pass, because without a strong unifying control over software behaviour and data formats, it quickly turns into an incoherent mess. Apple could feasibly pull off such a "stateless" platform, as they have that tight control and rooms full of talented engineers to write the software for all conceivable tasks, but there would be no 3rd party apps for it.


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## editor (Jan 4, 2012)

Doesn't Windows Mobile take on board some of these concepts?


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## Crispy (Jan 4, 2012)

editor said:


> Doesn't Windows Mobile take on board some of these concepts?


To a limited extent, yes - multiple apps/views of the same data, linking between apps etc. But I don't think the Grand Idea of componentised software will ever truly happen, because a good user experience requires consideration of the whole, not just the parts. By allowing arbitrary combinations of parts, you gain flexibility but lose out on usability. The concept is going strong on the developer side, though. Componentisation of functionality has all sorts of reliability and efficiency benefits for the developer.


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## editor (Jan 4, 2012)

According to this report, there's now 400,000 active Android apps available, with two thirds of those apps being free.
http://www.androidtapp.com/android-market-surpasses-400000-android-apps/


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## Idaho (Jan 4, 2012)

editor said:


> According to this report, there's now 400,000 active Android apps available, with two thirds of those apps being free.
> http://www.androidtapp.com/android-market-surpasses-400000-android-apps/


I bet 90% of them are shit. And of the remaining - most are inferior versions of the handful of "best in class" apps.

Although don't get me wrong. I think that it's preferable to have it this way.


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## editor (Jan 4, 2012)

Idaho said:


> I bet 90% of them are shit. And of the remaining - most are inferior versions of the handful of "best in class" apps.
> 
> Although don't get me wrong. I think that it's preferable to have it this way.


There's more shite on the Android platform than iOS, but there's fucking _*tons*_ of shite for the Apple App Store too.

While there's no doubting that iOS holds the edge for the top of the range stuff, some of the best Android apps are easily as good as some of the best iOS ones - and a few are better too.

I've got 180 apps on my phone and they're all of a decent/very high quality.


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## Idaho (Jan 4, 2012)

I have about 20 on my desire and it's full! Might need to do the rooting thing.


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## fractionMan (Jan 4, 2012)

Idaho said:


> I have about 20 on my desire and it's full! Might need to do the rooting thing.



I can't be arsed. Hence I use about 3 apps, the web and gmail.  Oh and sometimes the phone bit.


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## Idaho (Jan 4, 2012)

Yeah I can't be arsed either. My interest and enthusiasm for tinkering has waned rapidly over the years. Give it another 5 years and I will probably be shelling out vast quantities of cash for sealed box Mac products.


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## fractionMan (Jan 4, 2012)

Idaho said:


> Yeah I can't be arsed either. My interest and enthusiasm for tinkering has waned rapidly over the years. Give it another 5 years and I will probably be shelling out vast quantities of cash for sealed box Mac products.



I've started with a nintendo DS and I'm liking it.


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## wtfftw (Jan 4, 2012)

I've rooted my desire but I've not sorted out my partitions so I've still got space issues. :fail:


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## Crispy (Jan 19, 2012)

Glowing review from the reg: http://www.reghardware.com/2012/01/19/review_asus_eee_pad_transformer_prime_tf201_docking_android_tablet/page1.html


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## fractionMan (Jan 19, 2012)

If were to buy a tablet, that's the one I'd get.


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## editor (Jan 19, 2012)

fractionMan said:


> If were to buy a tablet, that's the one I'd get.


Me too. It's a lovely machine.


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## 2hats (Jan 19, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Glowing review from the reg: http://www.reghardware.com/2012/01/19/review_asus_eee_pad_transformer_prime_tf201_docking_android_tablet/page1.html



'tis a thing of beauty. Just need to see it running a full Linux and my wallet is open.


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## fractionMan (Jan 19, 2012)

Are there any decent word processors on android?


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## editor (Jan 19, 2012)

fractionMan said:


> Are there any decent word processors on android?


Yep.
Docs to go: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dataviz.docstogo
Quick Office: https://market.android.com/details?...1bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLnFvLmFuZHJvaWQuYW0zIl0.
OfficeSuite: https://market.android.com/details?...zeXN0ZW1zLmVkaXRvci5vZmZpY2VfcmVnaXN0ZXJlZCJd


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## wtfftw (Jan 19, 2012)

want.


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## 2hats (Jan 19, 2012)

Ah. Had someone mention that the new improved version has already been announced, and the Prime hasn't even started shipping here yet:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5324/...-for-improved-wireless-adds-1920-x-1200-panel

Improved display, front camera, wireless and possibly GPS reception (?). So worth waiting 3-4 months yet.


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## wtfftw (Jan 19, 2012)

ok. want.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jan 21, 2012)

Perhaps the title of this thread should be changed as it's a little misleading.


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## Garek (Jan 26, 2012)

So why this instead of this Samsung?


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## TitanSound (Jan 26, 2012)

Garek said:


> So why this instead of this Samsung?



Versatility. Laptop and tablet all in one rather than just a tablet.


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## Garek (Jan 26, 2012)

Ah, ok.


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## editor (Mar 27, 2012)

Hasbro have failed miserably with their dodgy legal claim. 
http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/27/2906106/hasbro-transformer-prime-lawsuit-denied


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## FridgeMagnet (Mar 28, 2012)

Some more details emerged during this, mind.



> It’s not entirely fair, of course, to compare a fragmented and developing ecosystem like Android tablets to the world leader, the iPad. After all, you don’t look at a new local restaurant and say “yeah well, McDonald’s has served billions.” Selling at that volume is by far the exception, not the rule. At the same time, Asus is a big company with lots of ambition in the tablet and mobile computing space, so we can at least hold them to the standard of a large and established company.
> 
> So when court filings reveal that pre-orders for this poster child for Android 4 tablets (and it does look great) total a whopping 2,000 units as of a month ago, it’s kind of a letdown. That and 80,000 going to retailers worldwide make the device seem rather minor even in comparison to other Android products like the Nook Color and Kindle Fire. Is there a space for “premium” Android devices running just plain Android? The market seems smaller than big players like Asus would like to believe — or at least it is not growing as quickly as they expected.


http://techcrunch.com/2012/03/27/ju...rk-and-asus-reveals-embarrassing-sales-stats/


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## editor (Mar 29, 2012)

Just because something hasn't sold ten zillion units, that doesn't necessarily mean it's not any good.

Most of my favourite cameras didn't sell that many units.


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## Kid_Eternity (Mar 29, 2012)

FridgeMagnet said:


> Some more details emerged during this, mind.
> 
> 
> http://techcrunch.com/2012/03/27/ju...rk-and-asus-reveals-embarrassing-sales-stats/


 
Wow that's embarrassing...guess there aint much iPad killing happening from this device...!


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## Garek (Apr 17, 2012)

How easy is it to stick DVD rips on it? Bit annoying you can't connect an external DVD drive to it.


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## Kid_Eternity (Apr 17, 2012)

Drag n drop on to SD card?


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## elevendayempire (Apr 19, 2012)

Got one of these a month back. I love it - kit it out with a Bluetooth mouse and OfficeSuite Pro and you have a full-on netbook replacement. Love that it has a proper file/folder structure and microSD, SD and USB ports too. So much better than Apple's walled-garden approach.


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## elevendayempire (Apr 19, 2012)

Only criticism - the aluminium is VERY easy to scratch. But that's just an aesthetic thing, really.


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## nuffsaid (Apr 25, 2012)

Got one about a month ago and it is superb. The main driver for me was be able to watch Blu-Ray rips via the HDMI out on my HD TV and a HD sloted into the USB port. It rocks  My laptop just couldn't handle 5gb film files.


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## editor (Apr 25, 2012)

They've released a cheaper version of this with a plastic back.

*tempted


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## nuffsaid (Apr 25, 2012)

editor said:


> They've released a cheaper version of this with a plastic back.
> 
> *tempted


You won't be disappointed it ticks all the boxes for me and is a nice hybrid of tablet and laptop.


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## Garek (Apr 26, 2012)

After months of uhming and ahing and weighing up all options I have decided to go for one. 

Better be good! Damn hard to buy as well. I've ended up buying from Carphone Warehouse which is not something I would ever normally do.


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