Interesting little tid bit to add here: with the dock, you can charge the tablet. This may be common knowledge now, but I got asked a lot if that was the case whenever I use my transformer in public. The doc plugs into the power port at the bottom of the tablet and gives twice the battery life than it has on it's own. Fully charged with dock attached, I get about 12 hours.
Thanks so much for the quick return. It will probably come with 3.0. I will upgrade to the 3.1 when it comes in. I expect it to come in on Wednesday. Looks like about another month for the keyboard, but that's ok. I will be using it in school and school doesn't start until September. Gives me plenty of time to get familiar with the Transformer. Again, thanks for the quick response and the great review. I will also try to find a stylus like you have. Can you get those anywhere?
@bossxii IC! Great, thanks for letting me know:) Seems like the USB port only work with the dock, which is shame.. Anyway, on the side note, I heard some folks manage to enable USB host capability to work on Xoom via rooting, some hack, and a micro USB to USB adapter. I think we might get to see them for the Transformer eventually.
@duke3oh8 I have used the iPad, iPad 2, Xoom and now the Transformer for reading PDF's as I deal with lots of them for work. I don't know about reading books long term, but one to consider is the Nook color now that you can download Honeycomb on it. Super lightweight, great screen for reading, games, video and while not the most powerful tablet out.. the price is very nice at $200 to $250. I pretty much replaced my laptop with tablets, but for lighter work, the Nook may fit the bill.
I own the iPad 2, Nexus 7 and going to try out the Surface if one ever shows up at a local store. The Nexus 7 and JB OS for android eliminates many of the lag issues I was experiencing with the TF. I am a technology fan in general and love all the new gadgets. I find the iPad enjoyable for most uses but the Nexus 7 size and weight are very nice for reading such as ebooks, magazines etc.. To many people let their "fandom" get int the way of enjoying the variety of good tablets on the market.
@phlameson There is no micro USB or any USB port on the Transformer itself. You can however charge the device in a USB style car adapter with the cord that comes with it, at least it works with the one I have. I'm using a cigarette style charge for my phone that has a USB port on it. I plugged the Transformer in and it showed charging. Granted I didn't leave it hooked up very long so not sure how fast this will charge it but appears to be pulling juice from the charger.
@iTooob This somewhat can, as much as an iPad can, but I still don't consider tablets to be laptop replacements yet. You can, however, use a remote desktop application like SplashTop or LogMeIn which would allow you to use your home computer via the tablet and internet connection.
@Baloo1415 lol, pretty sure it's ok, considering I returned it to Asus due to the light bleed issues and if it was sold again most likely they chose a different swipe code :)
Awesome review :) Your videos are doing the best to convince me so far :) Would you be able to tell me if you can play flash games and if they function alright if you have tried this? Thanks
@GeneralMufinMan You have lots of choices on both. The built in office app works great for many formats of documents. The Google books, Kindle apps etc... all work as an ereader, but I can't really say how good it is as I don't read books on it. Based on my sisters use of a Kindle device, it really looks to be suited for long term reading over a tablet like the TF. As for media, several free (Rockplayer lite) media players. So far they have worked well, with very few files that cause any issues.
@sketchpunkness I'll see what I can do. My TF is actually in the shop atm. The light bleed issue needed dealing with so I sent it off to Asus to get it fixed or replaced. It was shipped to CA shop Monday, hopefully see it back soon. They told me could be a few weeks. As for the stylus though, it work pretty well but I"m no artist so not sure how "exact" it really is. It seems to be easier than using my finger for simple drawings I do like a blueprint of a house or quick sketch for directions.
@JOJORDA I am going to figure out the MyNet program today and I will post a quick video on it later. I also plan to load up some 720p movie rips as well. Cloud programs I can tell you one I purchased (which is now free in a update from Asus) is Splashtop Remote. It works perfect over wifi, and from what I have read on Splashtop's website 3G support is available, although with a few bugs. No real issues as of yet, but as I find them I'll report back. So far solid device and solid build of HC.
@JogBird It is.. and no checkerboard to stare at. Honestly 60 days ago you couldn't convince me that Honeycomb was gong to be as smooth as the iPad. I have used the iPad from it's launch April 2010. I however am open to all new things in technology and as an IT professional I need to learn and know my way around lots of tech. I gave HC an honest run and it frankly blew me away with it's flexibility. The UI on the Asus is, imo, smoother than the Xoom, but both are excellent to browse the web.
@SnapbackHaven I have to say I preferred the Asus, but it was with the KB dock and more or less served as my laptop replacement for several months. Moto imo was simply to slow to bring updates, enable key features and the Xoom was rather heavy in comparison the TF. People can say it's only 2lbs, but hand on to it for a few hours and then tell me it's not a bit heavy by comparison to the TF, iPad or Galaxy tab. Every bit counts.
@Skidmarkish The bottom of the tablet are two slots, the "dock" to a keyboard base. It then looks like your basic netbook form. It "Transforms" from tablet to "net tablet" easy and you get the added bonus of the keyboard base having a battery in it to charge your tablet back to full. Not to mention all the great functionality the keyboard dock brings. I posted a video on just the KB dock if you wish to know more about it's features.
@becoming17000027 Yes, it is a Dual core 1Ghz Tegra 2 SOC (System on a Chip). It can also be overclocked to 1.5Ghz if you choose to root the device. Lots of help on the topic over at the XDA developers forums.
@fanfinmiami Yes you can on the Asus, not on the iPad. Apple's iOS does not allow you to download any file directly from the web. You would need to be on laptop/desktop, download the file and then sync the iPad to import the PDF. Hence... why I chose to not use the iPad. I don't want to deal with all the extra steps to get a simply PDF on my tablet.
@wouldtoo On Android 3.1 I believe it works in the stock browser. If you get a pre 3.1 software, goto settings, "Lab" and it will be called "Quick Controls". Really nice way to control a browser on a tablet.
Really great video. I was hoping to see the streaming capabilities on the MyNet app. I almost purchased an Acer Iconia A500 because the Transformer was out of stock but it has problems playing local HD files. Any trouble with 720p files on this? Have you tried any 1080P files? What about the Cloud programs? Any problems there? Any negatives you can think of?
I live in the UK, have access to an iPad2 (wife's) & own a Transformer with the Dock. I used to love the Apple, now I can't keep my hands off the Transformer - it's the best, the dock makes it even better. I have now changed my iPhone to Android. Never again will I worship at the Church of Apple (or iStore as it's commonly known ;)
@siamsttr I ended up returning my TF a while back due to the light bleed issue and the fact Asus would not replaced it with a new unit stating the light bleed was within "acceptable" limits. I haven't jumped in on the prime so far, probably check it out once they go on sale a bit. Aside from the light bleed, great tablet and with the dock the battery life was incredible!
@thejessie6828 yes because you have to pay an extra $40 to have an hdmi out adapter for the galaxy tab and another $20 for the usb adapter. same os and everything else is pretty similar.
@LuyangLiuable You can use it for that if you want, but I think it would be easier to just use a sharp stick or ask someone else to scratch your back for you.
@SnapbackHaven If you have a laptop already... I think I would just use it as a tablet. While I had it I didn't have a laptop, I went full on TF w/Keyboard and loved it. Small, light and amazing battery life.
Great review. Just bought one and it comes in on Wednesday. Quick question. How do you get the sidebar to operate while on the web? I noticed you used your thumb on the right side to have a half-circle pop out? I can't get it to do that at the store.
@bobbcowart The Transformer comes with an "office" program called Polaris that is compatible with MS office files. There is a TH-camr Andyxover that covers it in a very nice video. Polaris Office handles PDF's and everything Goodreader deals with. The built in file system eliminates having 4 apps as the iPad needs to deal with basic office work. Polaris has it all in one tidy package, and it's FREE unlike paying 10 bucks a pop the Apple apps.
@FDBarrY I have not used the Galaxy tab 10.1 so no idea on it's performance or features. I wanted the KB dock and extended battery so the Asus made sense for me. I"m sure plenty of new Honeycomb tablets will be coming out this year, it's going to really come down to personal preference on the hardware and what specific features each manufacturer brings to the tablet. I really couldn't say one is better than the other in that respect. Sorry I'm not much help there.
@jcarey26 I personally find the stylus rather handy when taking notes, drawing etc... it's nice to use for video's as well since it doesn't require my hand/finger to block the view of what i'm suppose to be touching. As for worth buying, I can't answer that as it's a personal choice if you prefer writing with your finger or a pen type device. Good Luck!
@fightmeaboutit Yes you can play Flash based games. However it's hit and miss on which ones work good with touch controls and which ones really need a keyboard. Obviously if you do buy the KB base, your set for many flash games.
@NJMevec2 If you want flexibility and the option to do whatever you wish, then yest Honeycomb is they way to go. I've only used the Xoom and this model of android tablet and for me, I prefer having a KB/dock that physically hooks up and has the additional battery built in. iOS has tons more apps, but my usage is more Polaris (office), PDFs, downloading PDF type research for my IT classes and once home movies and web. iOS is great for it's huge pool of apps. I however prefer the options HC gives
@wildreams I will check that out and let you know later today. I have a 2.5" HDD case that I can plug directly into. Will let you know my results later today.
@Nachoman990 I do agree that the Android tablet market is pretty limited, however have to disagree on the "hard to use" topic. Really no more difficult to use than the iPad or any other computing device after a few minutes exploring the settings menu. If you want apps as your main content, then yes the iPad has the advantage by a wide margin. If you want to customize your UI, have the ability to run flash sites that you may use, go the Android route. Each OS has it's own strengths and weakness.
@wildreams Update on this topic. I purchased a USB adapter that allowed me to plug in the TF's cord into a USB external drive. No go, it simply won't supply enough power to run the HDD. The KB dock will based on what I've read but directly from the tablet doesn't appear to work.
@fanfinmiami (Part 2) So the bottom line for me was to find a tablet that not only was able to play movies and such, but one that gave me the great battery life tablets do and allow me to deal with email attachments and get some work items done that I simply could not do on the iPad. I have however recommended the iPad to several family members and it works perfect for their needs. The iPad is very good at what it does, but it's not without limits. Figure out which works best for you is the key
@wueeeeey You don't need to "jailbreak" anything to get paid apps for free. You can just download the cracked instalation file and use them right away (there's an alternative market app that can do that or you can download them from a website and put them in the android device). Rooting will allow you to do a tad more, but you probably won't need it that much.
@thangpham If the Xoom was lighter, had working SD support and a KB dock such as the TF I would have kept my Xoom. However I prefer functioning vs dead ports and waiting on Moto to get things working. I do agree the Xoom feels nice with alum construction and better sounding speakers, but the TF gets the job done and everything works out of the box. That overrides anything else.
@JOJORDA I posted up two video's showing the TF play 720p and 1080p clips off TH-cam here. Used Big Buck Bunny, after a slight hesitation in the beginning (which could have been download/wifi lag) the 1080p played back no issues. Looks amazing, just as the clip did on my iPad 1 and 2. The IPS screen is very nice. Happy I waited around for a HC tablet with an IPS screen.
@gentle991 Under the language settings it has probably 20 or so different options. The last 3 or 4 look to be Chinese or Thai? Sorry it's not in English and I do not know what the last 5 or 6 say as some look Arabic and Chinese or Japanese. I'd have to show a quick video later so you could confirm.
Someone probably said this. The defaulting to mobile, I wonder if that is something fixed on Android 3.0.1. I returned my XOOM to get a transformer, and I only had the 3.1 update for a few days and never tested if the UAString had been fixed.
@XxKOLOHExX General use of email, web, Polaris office during the day, I don't know exact numbers but from 7am till 5pm I usually have 40% or more left. Obviously watching movies etc.. will burn battery quicker but I have had no issues with the batter on the tablet alone. On the dock, I never even touch the battery in the tablet during the day. Unfortunately I don't have a way to track the battery in the dock as of yet.
@sterlingman I personally use my phone's camera for quick photo's as it it much better quality than any of the tablets I've used (iPad 2, Xoom and Transformer). The Xoom is honestly the best quality for both stills and video I've used of the three. The Xoom also had a decent camera flash for low light/dark shots. Again, I find my phone much easier to use and better quality than any of those.
@fanfinmiami Honestly it comes down to what you want to use the tablet for. If your into games and apps. Using it as a entertainment device vs a creation device. I would say the iPad or iPad 2. Excellent tablets, but as with both the Asus and the Apple tablets, both have limitations. I chose the Asus and Honeycomb OS because of work and the fact I can deal with files and email attachments much easier in HC than iOS. The Asus also allows me to download PDF's from websites when I need. iPad can't.
I wish that these android tablets would just ditch the attempt at orientation rotation animation. I have yet to see one do it smooth like the iPads do. And even though the Android tablets attempt the animation they end up blanking the screen and redrawing the entire thing anyway so whats the point ? Do like the Kindle Fire.. skip the animation and just redraw the screen already until you can animate as well as the iPad does.
@OjaiRoy iSwifter plays many, many flash enabled sites. Don't let lack of research skew/bias your opinions. I have both Android and iDevices, both are great for certain purposes. Flash works on the TF w/3.1 much better than before,and it's still very buggy with some sites. Crashes, locks up etc... it's not perfect by any means. Adobe has a long way to go to make a quality product for mobile devices.
@wildreams I plugged in a USB thumb drive and searched all through the File Manger, can't seem to locate any directory showing what's on the USB stick. Nothing happens on the home screen when plugging it in either. Not sure it's picking it up, and if it is, where to find the files. Looks like a no go atm.
i have the transformer, its pretty good i like the over all features, but my internet crashes once a while and my youtube app has problem loading some video has that ever happen to you
@Bl0oDBliz69 Yes, I didn't do much customizing before the review though. Mainly learning all the different features of Honeycomb 3.0 and the water/ice background is one of the stock ones. There are thousands of different backgrounds you can use.
Nice video. Can you run like gmail and google docs like to see if I actual works well and like can u get Microsoft word and stuff and there and how does it look
@madansr Honestly...flip a coin. It really depends on what your doing. I can list off area's that iPad is better are various tasks and then list off features that Honeycomb does that is simply not possible on iOS. I think as Honeycomb becomes "more polished" as far as overall stability it is becoming very much an equal to iOS. I can't deny how well Apple ties everything together, but sometimes it's just a bit to controlled for my personal taste.
can you post a video drawing with that stylus you have with sketchbook express? Curious how it performs since most android tablets have been kinda crappy for sketching with the screen not reacting well enough with a stylus.
@binsleepin okay.. nvm. i watched your other video. any capacitive stylus will work. gotcha. however, are there any handwriting recognition programs? or better yet, something closer to the HTC flyer notes app? unfortunately the flyer doesn't seem to have any compatibility with office docs and such, which would've been great if i could directly annotate on the docs.
@yeomandroidify This is due to RAM, or lack of when dealing with a device like this. Android chooses to let you have "true" multi-tasking and if you do not clear out the ram/cached programs you will encounter lag. Android fans will claim you should restart Android phones/tablets daily etc.. I find that rather annoying, but it's how Android OS deals with memory that you as the user must deal with memory management. 1gig memory is not near enough for what they want/hope to do.
Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I am without a TF as the one in the review was sent back due to the light bleed issue. I am waiting to find one in a local store so I can check out the issue before purchasing my next one. Asus service center was less than helpful to say the least. Sorry that I cannot do additional TF video for now.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 88 | คู่เอก "ป้อมเพชร vs อัสลามจอน"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ZqTVVbMgbo/mqdefault.jpg)
Great video review for what seems to be a great tablet.
I just ordered the Asus Transformer, and can't wait to get it.
Just wanted to say you've done a great review on the TF! Good job, keep up the good work! ;)
Interesting little tid bit to add here: with the dock, you can charge the tablet. This may be common knowledge now, but I got asked a lot if that was the case whenever I use my transformer in public. The doc plugs into the power port at the bottom of the tablet and gives twice the battery life than it has on it's own. Fully charged with dock attached, I get about 12 hours.
Looking forward to this. I sold my iPad because browsing was such an unbelievable pain in the ass.
@newfun1304 That is the default background and widget, you just go into the settings and choose by City, State and/or Zip code.
@KongPhengThao Screen lock, is a simply on/off switch when you touch by the clock and the basic settings menu pops open.
looks nice. I already bought a Xoom wifi, which I am very happy with.
@Drewballz00 you made my day with this post, i wonder how many people are scratching their head like "what?"
Great ideo probably gunna buy it tonight what background is that it looks awesome!
Thanks so much for the quick return. It will probably come with 3.0. I will upgrade to the 3.1 when it comes in. I expect it to come in on Wednesday. Looks like about another month for the keyboard, but that's ok. I will be using it in school and school doesn't start until September. Gives me plenty of time to get familiar with the Transformer. Again, thanks for the quick response and the great review. I will also try to find a stylus like you have. Can you get those anywhere?
@DelosFive This is, thx for stopping by.
@bossxii IC! Great, thanks for letting me know:) Seems like the USB port only work with the dock, which is shame.. Anyway, on the side note, I heard some folks manage to enable USB host capability to work on Xoom via rooting, some hack, and a micro USB to USB adapter. I think we might get to see them for the Transformer eventually.
@duke3oh8 I have used the iPad, iPad 2, Xoom and now the Transformer for reading PDF's as I deal with lots of them for work. I don't know about reading books long term, but one to consider is the Nook color now that you can download Honeycomb on it. Super lightweight, great screen for reading, games, video and while not the most powerful tablet out.. the price is very nice at $200 to $250. I pretty much replaced my laptop with tablets, but for lighter work, the Nook may fit the bill.
@mollybros Yes, you can transfer data via the USB cable that comes with the TF.
I own the iPad 2, Nexus 7 and going to try out the Surface if one ever shows up at a local store. The Nexus 7 and JB OS for android eliminates many of the lag issues I was experiencing with the TF. I am a technology fan in general and love all the new gadgets. I find the iPad enjoyable for most uses but the Nexus 7 size and weight are very nice for reading such as ebooks, magazines etc..
To many people let their "fandom" get int the way of enjoying the variety of good tablets on the market.
@phlameson There is no micro USB or any USB port on the Transformer itself. You can however charge the device in a USB style car adapter with the cord that comes with it, at least it works with the one I have. I'm using a cigarette style charge for my phone that has a USB port on it. I plugged the Transformer in and it showed charging. Granted I didn't leave it hooked up very long so not sure how fast this will charge it but appears to be pulling juice from the charger.
@iTooob
This somewhat can, as much as an iPad can, but I still don't consider tablets to be laptop replacements yet. You can, however, use a remote desktop application like SplashTop or LogMeIn which would allow you to use your home computer via the tablet and internet connection.
@Baloo1415 lol, pretty sure it's ok, considering I returned it to Asus due to the light bleed issues and if it was sold again most likely they chose a different swipe code :)
You can do about:debug on the Xoom then go to settings and change the UAString to get the Desktop effect :D
Awesome review :) Your videos are doing the best to convince me so far :)
Would you be able to tell me if you can play flash games and if they function alright if you have tried this? Thanks
@GeneralMufinMan You have lots of choices on both. The built in office app works great for many formats of documents. The Google books, Kindle apps etc... all work as an ereader, but I can't really say how good it is as I don't read books on it. Based on my sisters use of a Kindle device, it really looks to be suited for long term reading over a tablet like the TF. As for media, several free (Rockplayer lite) media players. So far they have worked well, with very few files that cause any issues.
@sketchpunkness I'll see what I can do. My TF is actually in the shop atm. The light bleed issue needed dealing with so I sent it off to Asus to get it fixed or replaced. It was shipped to CA shop Monday, hopefully see it back soon. They told me could be a few weeks. As for the stylus though, it work pretty well but I"m no artist so not sure how "exact" it really is. It seems to be easier than using my finger for simple drawings I do like a blueprint of a house or quick sketch for directions.
@JOJORDA I am going to figure out the MyNet program today and I will post a quick video on it later. I also plan to load up some 720p movie rips as well. Cloud programs I can tell you one I purchased (which is now free in a update from Asus) is Splashtop Remote. It works perfect over wifi, and from what I have read on Splashtop's website 3G support is available, although with a few bugs.
No real issues as of yet, but as I find them I'll report back. So far solid device and solid build of HC.
@yaucopr15 Not on the tablet. Two (2) full size USB ports on the KB dock + a full sized SD card slot on the KB dock.
@Baloo1415 all depends on what you need and want from a computing device. Both bring unique features, both have limitations.
@JogBird It is.. and no checkerboard to stare at. Honestly 60 days ago you couldn't convince me that Honeycomb was gong to be as smooth as the iPad. I have used the iPad from it's launch April 2010. I however am open to all new things in technology and as an IT professional I need to learn and know my way around lots of tech. I gave HC an honest run and it frankly blew me away with it's flexibility. The UI on the Asus is, imo, smoother than the Xoom, but both are excellent to browse the web.
@SnapbackHaven I have to say I preferred the Asus, but it was with the KB dock and more or less served as my laptop replacement for several months. Moto imo was simply to slow to bring updates, enable key features and the Xoom was rather heavy in comparison the TF. People can say it's only 2lbs, but hand on to it for a few hours and then tell me it's not a bit heavy by comparison to the TF, iPad or Galaxy tab. Every bit counts.
@Skidmarkish The bottom of the tablet are two slots, the "dock" to a keyboard base. It then looks like your basic netbook form. It "Transforms" from tablet to "net tablet" easy and you get the added bonus of the keyboard base having a battery in it to charge your tablet back to full. Not to mention all the great functionality the keyboard dock brings. I posted a video on just the KB dock if you wish to know more about it's features.
i have this tab and on amazon you can grab the transleeve keboard for this hope this helps and it works perfect
@becoming17000027 Yes, it is a Dual core 1Ghz Tegra 2 SOC (System on a Chip). It can also be overclocked to 1.5Ghz if you choose to root the device. Lots of help on the topic over at the XDA developers forums.
Nice review. Can you please show the pinch and zoom function. I have heard it is not as good as Ipad. Thank you
@fanfinmiami Yes you can on the Asus, not on the iPad. Apple's iOS does not allow you to download any file directly from the web. You would need to be on laptop/desktop, download the file and then sync the iPad to import the PDF. Hence... why I chose to not use the iPad. I don't want to deal with all the extra steps to get a simply PDF on my tablet.
@wouldtoo On Android 3.1 I believe it works in the stock browser. If you get a pre 3.1 software, goto settings, "Lab" and it will be called "Quick Controls". Really nice way to control a browser on a tablet.
Really great video. I was hoping to see the streaming capabilities on the MyNet app. I almost purchased an Acer Iconia A500 because the Transformer was out of stock but it has problems playing local HD files. Any trouble with 720p files on this? Have you tried any 1080P files? What about the Cloud programs? Any problems there? Any negatives you can think of?
I live in the UK, have access to an iPad2 (wife's) & own a Transformer with the Dock.
I used to love the Apple, now I can't keep my hands off the Transformer - it's the best, the dock makes it even better. I have now changed my iPhone to Android.
Never again will I worship at the Church of Apple (or iStore as it's commonly known ;)
thumbs up for the video..
I'm getting this in the next few weeks.
@siamsttr I ended up returning my TF a while back due to the light bleed issue and the fact Asus would not replaced it with a new unit stating the light bleed was within "acceptable" limits. I haven't jumped in on the prime so far, probably check it out once they go on sale a bit. Aside from the light bleed, great tablet and with the dock the battery life was incredible!
@thejessie6828 yes because you have to pay an extra $40 to have an hdmi out adapter for the galaxy tab and another $20 for the usb adapter. same os and everything else is pretty similar.
@bossxii i heard it works because hulu reading firefox on android as it is on a desktop. U can't do that with ipad 2.
@LuyangLiuable You can use it for that if you want, but I think it would be easier to just use a sharp stick or ask someone else to scratch your back for you.
@SnapbackHaven If you have a laptop already... I think I would just use it as a tablet. While I had it I didn't have a laptop, I went full on TF w/Keyboard and loved it. Small, light and amazing battery life.
good review keep up the good work
@wueeeeey It's called Rooting... and yes it's possible on the TF. I'd check out the XDA developers forums, lots of info there.
Great review. Just bought one and it comes in on Wednesday. Quick question. How do you get the sidebar to operate while on the web? I noticed you used your thumb on the right side to have a half-circle pop out? I can't get it to do that at the store.
@bobbcowart The Transformer comes with an "office" program called Polaris that is compatible with MS office files. There is a TH-camr Andyxover that covers it in a very nice video. Polaris Office handles PDF's and everything Goodreader deals with. The built in file system eliminates having 4 apps as the iPad needs to deal with basic office work. Polaris has it all in one tidy package, and it's FREE unlike paying 10 bucks a pop the Apple apps.
@FDBarrY I have not used the Galaxy tab 10.1 so no idea on it's performance or features. I wanted the KB dock and extended battery so the Asus made sense for me. I"m sure plenty of new Honeycomb tablets will be coming out this year, it's going to really come down to personal preference on the hardware and what specific features each manufacturer brings to the tablet. I really couldn't say one is better than the other in that respect. Sorry I'm not much help there.
@jcarey26 I personally find the stylus rather handy when taking notes, drawing etc... it's nice to use for video's as well since it doesn't require my hand/finger to block the view of what i'm suppose to be touching. As for worth buying, I can't answer that as it's a personal choice if you prefer writing with your finger or a pen type device. Good Luck!
Nice review. Do you think its user experience and features match or are better than the ipad2?
@fightmeaboutit Yes you can play Flash based games. However it's hit and miss on which ones work good with touch controls and which ones really need a keyboard. Obviously if you do buy the KB base, your set for many flash games.
@NJMevec2 If you want flexibility and the option to do whatever you wish, then yest Honeycomb is they way to go. I've only used the Xoom and this model of android tablet and for me, I prefer having a KB/dock that physically hooks up and has the additional battery built in.
iOS has tons more apps, but my usage is more Polaris (office), PDFs, downloading PDF type research for my IT classes and once home movies and web. iOS is great for it's huge pool of apps. I however prefer the options HC gives
@wildreams I will check that out and let you know later today. I have a 2.5" HDD case that I can plug directly into. Will let you know my results later today.
@Nachoman990 I do agree that the Android tablet market is pretty limited, however have to disagree on the "hard to use" topic. Really no more difficult to use than the iPad or any other computing device after a few minutes exploring the settings menu. If you want apps as your main content, then yes the iPad has the advantage by a wide margin. If you want to customize your UI, have the ability to run flash sites that you may use, go the Android route. Each OS has it's own strengths and weakness.
@wildreams Update on this topic. I purchased a USB adapter that allowed me to plug in the TF's cord into a USB external drive. No go, it simply won't supply enough power to run the HDD. The KB dock will based on what I've read but directly from the tablet doesn't appear to work.
@fanfinmiami (Part 2) So the bottom line for me was to find a tablet that not only was able to play movies and such, but one that gave me the great battery life tablets do and allow me to deal with email attachments and get some work items done that I simply could not do on the iPad. I have however recommended the iPad to several family members and it works perfect for their needs. The iPad is very good at what it does, but it's not without limits. Figure out which works best for you is the key
@wueeeeey You don't need to "jailbreak" anything to get paid apps for free.
You can just download the cracked instalation file and use them right away (there's an alternative market app that can do that or you can download them from a website and put them in the android device).
Rooting will allow you to do a tad more, but you probably won't need it that much.
@thangpham If the Xoom was lighter, had working SD support and a KB dock such as the TF I would have kept my Xoom. However I prefer functioning vs dead ports and waiting on Moto to get things working. I do agree the Xoom feels nice with alum construction and better sounding speakers, but the TF gets the job done and everything works out of the box. That overrides anything else.
This is great...if only I could find one somewhere!
I just bought this i hope i enjoy it :D
Dock showing up tomorrow, will have a full review on the dock this weekend.
@27131king With headphones it's just fine. Good as any other device and yes comparable to either gen iPad, iPod or iPhone.
@JOJORDA I posted up two video's showing the TF play 720p and 1080p clips off TH-cam here. Used Big Buck Bunny, after a slight hesitation in the beginning (which could have been download/wifi lag) the 1080p played back no issues. Looks amazing, just as the clip did on my iPad 1 and 2. The IPS screen is very nice. Happy I waited around for a HC tablet with an IPS screen.
very good review thanks.
@gentle991 Under the language settings it has probably 20 or so different options. The last 3 or 4 look to be Chinese or Thai? Sorry it's not in English and I do not know what the last 5 or 6 say as some look Arabic and Chinese or Japanese. I'd have to show a quick video later so you could confirm.
Do you by any chance know what that stylus is called? If so, please tell me. Thanks! BTW great video!
great vid how visibleis the screen is outdoors can you aee it fine or is it a reflectig effect
Someone probably said this. The defaulting to mobile, I wonder if that is something fixed on Android 3.0.1. I returned my XOOM to get a transformer, and I only had the 3.1 update for a few days and never tested if the UAString had been fixed.
@XxKOLOHExX General use of email, web, Polaris office during the day, I don't know exact numbers but from 7am till 5pm I usually have 40% or more left. Obviously watching movies etc.. will burn battery quicker but I have had no issues with the batter on the tablet alone. On the dock, I never even touch the battery in the tablet during the day. Unfortunately I don't have a way to track the battery in the dock as of yet.
i got the dock but i was lucky that a site got a batch in
The wallpaper is called AsusMyWater.
I want to see the box.
Can you try something, use the USB cord to proprietary connector, attach a usb to micro USB adapter, and check if there is USB host capability?
How is the battery? I really need to know this before I buy. Please and thank you :D
@sterlingman I personally use my phone's camera for quick photo's as it it much better quality than any of the tablets I've used (iPad 2, Xoom and Transformer). The Xoom is honestly the best quality for both stills and video I've used of the three. The Xoom also had a decent camera flash for low light/dark shots. Again, I find my phone much easier to use and better quality than any of those.
does oovoo and skype work great review
@fanfinmiami Honestly it comes down to what you want to use the tablet for. If your into games and apps. Using it as a entertainment device vs a creation device. I would say the iPad or iPad 2. Excellent tablets, but as with both the Asus and the Apple tablets, both have limitations. I chose the Asus and Honeycomb OS because of work and the fact I can deal with files and email attachments much easier in HC than iOS. The Asus also allows me to download PDF's from websites when I need. iPad can't.
@DJTEVAdotCOM Hulu blocks all mobile devices, so unless you download a "modified" version of Flash it's not going to play natively with Flash 10.2.
I wish that these android tablets would just ditch the attempt at orientation rotation animation. I have yet to see one do it smooth like the iPads do. And even though the Android tablets attempt the animation they end up blanking the screen and redrawing the entire thing anyway so whats the point ? Do like the Kindle Fire.. skip the animation and just redraw the screen already until you can animate as well as the iPad does.
Should I get this or an Ipad 2 ? I like both.
change the useragent in the browser to a desktop one and youll alwys get the desktop pages!
nice review.. do you know how i can tether a blackberry torch to the tablet? ideally without rooting it
@OjaiRoy iSwifter plays many, many flash enabled sites. Don't let lack of research skew/bias your opinions. I have both Android and iDevices, both are great for certain purposes. Flash works on the TF w/3.1 much better than before,and it's still very buggy with some sites. Crashes, locks up etc... it's not perfect by any means. Adobe has a long way to go to make a quality product for mobile devices.
very good video thanks for this
@wildreams I plugged in a USB thumb drive and searched all through the File Manger, can't seem to locate any directory showing what's on the USB stick. Nothing happens on the home screen when plugging it in either. Not sure it's picking it up, and if it is, where to find the files. Looks like a no go atm.
i have the transformer, its pretty good i like the over all features, but my internet crashes once a while and my youtube app has problem loading some video has that ever happen to you
@Bl0oDBliz69 Yes, I didn't do much customizing before the review though. Mainly learning all the different features of Honeycomb 3.0 and the water/ice background is one of the stock ones. There are thousands of different backgrounds you can use.
@yomomas2891,
You sure about August? I heard it would be October
Nice video. Can you run like gmail and google docs like to see if I actual works well and like can u get Microsoft word and stuff and there and how does it look
@bossxii Thanks mate, I am planning to get the keyboard so that is good :)
@madansr Honestly...flip a coin. It really depends on what your doing. I can list off area's that iPad is better are various tasks and then list off features that Honeycomb does that is simply not possible on iOS. I think as Honeycomb becomes "more polished" as far as overall stability it is becoming very much an equal to iOS. I can't deny how well Apple ties everything together, but sometimes it's just a bit to controlled for my personal taste.
what about rumors that ASUS Transformer may be re-released with Tegra 3?
Anybody know when?
@bossxii can u test a handwriting capability, especially with the pen using an app like handrite...thanx
can you post a video drawing with that stylus you have with sketchbook express? Curious how it performs since most android tablets have been kinda crappy for sketching with the screen not reacting well enough with a stylus.
@binsleepin okay.. nvm. i watched your other video. any capacitive stylus will work. gotcha.
however, are there any handwriting recognition programs? or better yet, something closer to the HTC flyer notes app? unfortunately the flyer doesn't seem to have any compatibility with office docs and such, which would've been great if i could directly annotate on the docs.
u should show how well it plays flash streaming like hulu.
@yeomandroidify This is due to RAM, or lack of when dealing with a device like this. Android chooses to let you have "true" multi-tasking and if you do not clear out the ram/cached programs you will encounter lag. Android fans will claim you should restart Android phones/tablets daily etc.. I find that rather annoying, but it's how Android OS deals with memory that you as the user must deal with memory management. 1gig memory is not near enough for what they want/hope to do.
i used both and found the xoom has worse sound quality, its not balanced enough, the asus actually has sound stuffs installed in it.
was wondering if i downloaded a movie from my computer, would i be able to transfer it into the transformer?
love my asus. only issue is the power button. i have to press it 5 or 10 times before it powers up. Any suggestions for a fix.
the stock browser is awesome its a more epic looking Google Chrome
Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I am without a TF as the one in the review was sent back due to the light bleed issue. I am waiting to find one in a local store so I can check out the issue before purchasing my next one. Asus service center was less than helpful to say the least. Sorry that I cannot do additional TF video for now.