Android tablets are being released regularly now and so to stand out they need a unique feature. The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer impresses as it differs from other Android tablets by offering a keyboard dock that gives you an option to turn your tablet into a netbook PC. It has a very competitive price given it's feature range too.
The multi-touch screen provides a sharp image, a good picture even from extreme viewing angles and bright colours. You also get a strong processor, front-facing and rear-facing cameras, a great web browsing experience, eBook functionality and an impressive battery life.
It's let down slightly by Android 3.0 which isn't quite as finished as the iPad operating system. It also lacks the USB ports that other tablets have (unless you buy the keyboard dock).
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Full spec details:
Storage Memory - 16 GB - this is on the low side for a consumer tablet pc that generally have up to 64GB of storage but you have the facility to expand this memory using a microSD card.
Screen Type - capacitive multi-touch - the screen is responsive, doesn't lose contrast when viewed from the side or top and has a good screen resolution so the images are sharp.
Screen Size - 10.1 inch - 10-inch tablets give you more screen space than 7-inch tablets but the trade-off is that they're less mobile than a 7-inch tablet that are light and fit in a jacket pocket.
Operating System - Android 3.0 - Google's latest version of their operating system is optimised for use on tablet PCs rather than smartphones so the operating system makes better use of the screen real estate than Android 2.x tablets. It's a good operating system but not quite as slick as the iOS operating system on the iPad - expect this to improve as new versions are released.
Processor - NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processor - a strong processor that's quick and happy to deal with HD video, speedy web browsing and complex apps/games.
Connectivity - WiFi Only - this means you can't get on the 3G network with this tablet - you're limited to finding a Wi-Fi signal at home or find a Wi-Fi hotspot when out.
USB Ports - this tablet doesn't have a USB port unless you buy the keyboard dock so this limits the ability to add a USB keyboard or mouse.
Video Out - HDMI - you can hook this tablet up to your HD TV.
Cameras - 5MP Rear Camera / 1.2MP WebCam - cameras give the option to shoot video or set up video chats.
Battery Life - 9 hours - this is a pretty decent battery life for a tablet.
If you're reviewing tablet PC reviews then compare the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer reviews against the Motorola Xoom and Acer Iconia reviews as these are also current tablets available on the market with similar specifications. Ted Summs runs and writes for the What Tablet PC website - check out http://whattabletpc.com for more tablet reviews.
