EeePad Transformer...

**zach_alt** · 04-04-2011, 05:02 PM

is looking better and better. I had planned on picking up my Xoom last week for my birthday, but decided to save the cash for an upcoming trip to Dallas. Now it looks like the Transformer might be coming out sooner than even the May 7th date Amazon had up. It looks to be exactly like the Xoom, only, a better screen and beautiful dock. Anyone else planning on holding out or returning their Xoom for this?

**wynand32** · 04-04-2011, 05:17 PM

Seems to me the Asus has a few advantages and disadvantages:

Potential disadvantages:

1. Custom UI and apps may mean waiting longer for updates.
2. Uncertainty around unlocking/rooting.
3. Wider and deeper dimensions may mean typing on the tablet itself is less comfortable (e.g., for me, the Xoom is JUST not too wide for comfortable thumb typing in landscape).
4. Asus's lack of Android experience.
5. Lack of a USB port on the tablet itself.

Potential advantages:

1. Nifty keyboard dock with battery means productive form factor and greatly extended battery life.
2. Asus apps and cloud services seem to add some real value.
3. More expansion options via the keyboard dock.
4. Lower price.
5. IPS screen may be brighter with better colors.

I think I'm going to wait to see reviews showing its overall build quality before making my decision. At this point, if the Asus shows up at Costco or Sam's Club, and in particular if it comes in a bundle with the keyboard dock, I might have a hard time at least not giving it a try.

**zach_alt** · 04-04-2011, 05:23 PM

If it's not too hard to root, hopefully someone will figure out how to load a pure honeycomb rom on it to get rid of the ASUS overlay. That would be fantastic.

**Suntan** · 04-04-2011, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by zach_alt

If it's not too hard to root, hopefully someone will figure out how to load a pure honeycomb rom on it to get rid of the ASUS overlay. That would be fantastic.

But then you would lose the capability of the keyboard dock most likely.

-Suntan

**zach_alt** · 04-04-2011, 06:53 PM

Eh, never underestimate the power of Android hackers. haha

**gregg37** · 04-04-2011, 07:00 PM

Have fun with that. Their forum is that way. ----->

/wave

**zach_alt** · 04-04-2011, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by gregg37

Have fun with that. Their forum is that way. ----->

/wave

Someone **** in your cheerios this morning?

**Wintergon** · 04-04-2011, 08:02 PM

"Asus's lack of Android experience."

If this mean that its not going to have the Android market then I may pass and think about the Xoom again. I'm just waiting to see what it really has when its released.

**zach_alt** · 04-04-2011, 08:17 PM

No no no. He means they dont have much experience building Android products.

It will have the market.

**Arun01** · 04-04-2011, 08:20 PM

No thanks I'll stick with my Xoom.The only tablet Asus makes that I wanted was the EP121 but has a horible battery life just like the Dell Streak 7 did..

**stray** · 04-04-2011, 08:25 PM

I was messing around with the Moto keyboard on my Xoom before I returned it (the keyboard not the Xoom) and was pretty unimpressed. Good for typing long documents, not good for much else.

I'm a big fan of Asus motherboards, and I'm kind of curious to see what price point the Asus ends up at (I seriously doubt $399 with an IPS) but it seems kind of neutered if you don't spring for what I'd expect will be a relatively pointless dock.

I might consider it if further if the Xoom lets me down, I kind of doubt it though.

**zach_alt** · 04-04-2011, 10:49 PM

How is it neutered? And the original iPad is $399 with an IPS display...

**stray** · 04-05-2011, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by zach_alt

How is it neutered? And the original iPad is $399 with an IPS display...

That $399 is a closeout price...

Anyway so far I can't seem to get a clear picture of what the Transformer can do with and without the dock. Claiming 16 hours battery life... with dock. Claiming 2 USB ports... with dock. Is there even a microUSB on the tablet itself? What about 'Waveshare'? It's a cool concept if you wanted a netbook... except for the IPS screen, though, it's kind of meh to me as a tablet.

**zach_alt** · 04-05-2011, 01:37 AM

It has a 8-9.5 hour battery life without the dock, same as Xoom. It has micro USB, and it has the SD slot on the device. right, closeout price, but it's the same screen as in the ipad2. IPS displays that size are not expensive at all. And by waveshare you mean the cloud storage, or is that what they are calling their overlay?

**zach_alt** · 04-05-2011, 01:38 AM

**Bossxii** · 04-05-2011, 07:15 AM

After using the Xoom and knowing other manufactures will overlay skins and delay or prevent updates it an easy choice for me. The price may force Moto to drop the Xoom's pricing sooner than they want but it still the beast out there. I'd rather wait for the Xoom 2 to get an IPS display and stick with a stock android experience than deal with a hobbled Asus tablet. I bought a tablet for portability and having everything in one small, lightweight package. I don't want to carry a dock just to have a USB or other ports with me. Seems like it defeating the purpose of a tablet.

If I really needed a keyboard I'll but a BT keyboard for the Xoom. Already have a nice case/stand, and I keep all the ports on the device. Not forced to carry a KB for connectivity.

**codered18** · 04-05-2011, 09:35 AM

But it is windows.....

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

**codered18** · 04-05-2011, 09:42 AM

Never mind. That look hot.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

**bigslam123#AC** · 04-05-2011, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by codered18

But it is windows.....

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

Um, no..... The Transformer is Android 3.0, just like the Xoom. That being said, I still prefer my Xoom.

**Senaca** · 04-05-2011, 11:40 AM

My problem here in Germany is that we still do not have a release date for the XOOM (rumors are "not before june").
But since the Transformer will be released in UK arround mid of April I assume it will be the same in Germany or at least we may be allowed to order from amazon.co.uk.
I am not able to order the XOOM from amazon.com ("unable to ship to your address blablabla)

So for me the Transformer is more attractive simply because I desperately want a 10" tablet with Honeycomb!

**codered18** · 04-05-2011, 04:32 PM

I wouldn't mind checking it out. It look pretty slick.

**Visual360** · 04-05-2011, 05:16 PM

The screen and built quality - If the transformer can achieve both in comparison to the xoom, then my xoom will just have to go back.

Built quality of the xoom is top rated, but the screen is not something I'm happy about. It's not the worst, but it could've been better. I'm confident that the IPS screen on the Transformer will already make it better than the xoom, but I'm not sure about the built quality. I'll have to see it when it's out.

**zach_alt** · 04-05-2011, 05:47 PM

Everything I've read says it feels fantastic, and I like what I've seen of the back. I just want a firm price and release date so I can decide!

**AtomicAge** · 04-05-2011, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by zach_alt

Everything I've read says it feels fantastic, and I like what I've seen of the back. I just want a firm price and release date so I can decide!

Well supposedly the Canadian release date is May 7 and the US was slated for a release a couple of weeks before then. I'd be surprised if the price for the 16GB version was not $399 since that same price was leaked from both a couple of different retailers.

I returned my Xoom before my 2 weeks were up (figured if the Transformer bombed for some reason I could always just buy the Xoom again). I think I read somewhere that the Asus UI could be disabled to get a vanilla HC experience. So I really don't see a much of a downside to it unless you absolutely need a microUSB. The Xoom might be a more attractive device because Asus put a stupid second bezel on the Transformer, but this difference is not worth $200 for me.

**zach_alt** · 04-05-2011, 06:39 PM

It has microUSB on it. I don't get where people are seeing that it's gimped without the dock...

The dock just adds two full size USB ports, a full size SD card reader, and another 8 hours of battery.