Unwired View » Asus

New Asus TF300T tablet gets leaked

Vlad Bobleanta — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:51:42 +0000

Apparently Asus feels like there’s room for another tablet in its lineup. That’s because a new, previously unseen and unheard of Asus tablet (presumably running Android) has showed up on the Internet.

Its model number is TF300T, the pictures below show you what it looks like, and that’s really all we know about it. So let’s speculate based on that model number.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime has the model number TF201, and the recently unveiled revamped edition of that tablet (with fixes for connectivity issues through a redesigned back plate and with a higher-res screen) has the model number TF700T.

Now this newly leaked gadget obviously stands somewhere in between those two, at least in Asus’ vision. Then again, the company’s model numbers don’t make much sense. The TF700T is basically just a minor revision of the TF201, so why the huge jump in number there? TF202, or even TF201T (since the original lacks that final “T” anyway) would have made a lot more sense.

So the TF300T could be anything. It could be a lower-end companion to the two Primes, which is something that makes sense from a business perspective. Or it may be something else entirely. Sadly, the only thing we can do is wait and see.

Via NCCC Via Blogeee

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Asus Transformer Prime Ice Cream Sandwich lockups to be fixed in February

Florin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:42:24 +0000

Not long after updating their Asus Transformer Prime to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, some users have started complaining about random lockups. There’s a thread over at the XDA Forums (here) where quite many users are reporting this (or similar issues).

Luckily, Asus has acknowledged the problem and it’s working to fix it.

According to The Verge, the company hopes “to have a fix [for the issue] available in early February.”

It’s not the first time when Transformer Prime owners are reporting problems – the tablet had a GPS issue, too, which was fixed with a software update earlier this month.

The Transformer Prime was launched in December (running Android Honeycomb) as the world’s first quad-core tablet. Since then, Asus has already announced an upgraded model – the Transformer Prime TF700T, which should be released in the second quarter with a 1920 x 1200 pixels display.

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Asus Transformer Prime bootloader unlock tool will be out next month

Vlad Bobleanta — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:23:56 +0000

At the beginning of the year, Asus promised two things for the Transformer Prime tablet – an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (which is already out) and a bootloader unlock tool that would allow Android tinkerers to do fun custom stuff with this tablet (as they usually do with Android devices that don’t come with locked bootloaders).

Now we know when to expect that tool – in February. That’s according to Asus’ own Twitter account, and the information thankfully is more concrete than the “soon” we heard earlier this month.

Expect the custom ROMs and mods to start arriving a few hours after this tool has been released. So in a few days (or a month or so) you’ll be able to customize your Prime’s software in any way you please. Now you just need to hold on to that patience for a little while longer.

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Asus Transformer Prime receives GPS-fixing update

Vlad Bobleanta — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:41:13 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is now in the process of receiving yet another software update. Luckily for those of you having terrible GPS issues, this is supposed to fix them. Unfortunately though, there are already some reports saying that in fact it doesn’t. Whatever the case, remember that your particular tablet may react differently to this update – so it is recommended to be applied as soon as possible.

The update will break root, so keep that in mind. It’s apparently not live for everyone just yet, and for some installation fails.

The camera seems to have gotten updated too, and some are noticing better browser performance as well. The GPS issues though will never be completely fixed via software, since a hardware component (the back cover) is what’s to blame there. So you should probably get used to that thought. After all, Asus recently announced an upgraded Transformer Prime (the TF700T) which comes with a higher-res screen but also a newly-redesigned back. It sucks to be an early adopter sometimes – indeed. Then again, consider that some Wi-Fi-only Android tablets don’t come with GPS at all.

Via XDA Via Android Community Via Android Police

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UK: Asus Transformer Prime TF700T not arriving before June, original Prime getting extended warranty

Vlad Bobleanta — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:12:07 +0000

A few days ago during CES, Asus unveiled a new version of its Transformer Prime Android tablet, with a full HD 1080p touchscreen and better wireless connectivity (thanks to a redone back cover). That was a bit odd, since the ‘original’ Transformer Prime had only been on shelves for about a month at that point. And it’s been in such demand that for most of that month it’s been out of stock everywhere.

So naturally the early adopters who bought the original Prime got more than a little bit upset at the company for pushing out updated hardware so early, and in fact rendering their tablets obsolete mere days after purchase.

The situation hasn’t changed much, but if you’re in the UK and can’t imagine waiting six more months to buy a tablet, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Asus, through its UK arm, announced earlier that the new Transformer Prime TF700T will only arrive over there in June at the earliest. And if history repeats itself, expect major stock shortages for at least a month after that. So you can go ahead and grab that original Prime now. That seems to be the message here.

And if you do get the original quad-core Android tablet, you’ll perhaps be happy to know that your warranty can be extended to 18 months if you get it from a retailer who advertises a 12 month warranty (if, however, the company you purchased it from gave you two years of warranty, you’ll be left with that).

Furthermore, Asus UK says that no Prime tablets sold in the UK should have any Wi-Fi connectivity issues at all. Finally, if you’re not satisfied with the GPS performance in your tablet, you’re free to return it and get a full refund as per standard consumer rights that apply in the UK.

The full bit of news can be found over here on the Asus UK blog. It’s worth a read if you’re interested in the Transformer Prime.

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Asus Transformer Prime now in stock in Canada

Vlad Bobleanta — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:05:17 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime has supposedly been available in Canada for a while now. But we say ‘supposedly’ because it’s been very, very hard to find one in stock at a retailer for more than a few minutes or hours. That’s how much demand there is for the first quad-core tablet on the market (or how few units Asus has shipped to retailers, depending on how you want to look at it).

Regardless of the cause for the stocking issues, they’ve certainly been real. Today though, you get a(nother) chance at grabbing a Transformer Prime if you’re in Canada. The tablet is now in stock at Future Shop.

The price is what you’d expect – $499.99 for the 32 GB grey version. You can get it online here, or in a number of Future Shop physical stores, yet if you choose the latter path, it’s always a good idea to check if the nearest store has it in stock before you leave.

We’re hoping that this time the Transformer Prime will stay in stock longer than usual, but there’s no telling. So act fast if you absolutely must have one of these.

Via MobileSyrup

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Asus Transformer Android 4.0 ICS update “in the process of being approved by Google”

Florin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:45:18 +0000

Asus may have two new Android tablets – the Transformer Prime and the Transformer Prime TF700T with its 1920 x 1200 display – but there are still many users who own the older Transformer model.

Last week, we told you that the old Transformer would be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich “by early February.” Now Asus North America has unveiled on Facebook that the update is “in the process of being approved by Google,” and “once that is done we will be able to push it out to you guys.” So, with a bit of luck, we may see ICS on the original Transformer before the end of January.

As for the Transformer Prime, Ice Cream Sandwich updates for it have already begun, while the Transformer Prime TF700T will run ICS from day one.

Via Droid-life

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Asus says there’s no 3G Transformer Prime

Florin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:22:40 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, various websites have reported that Asus would want to launch a 3G version of its Transformer Prime Android tablet. But this doesn’t seem to be true.

According to FocusTaiwan, today Asus stated that “no such product exists on its current roadmap.” However, the company expects to introduce 3G versions of future high-end devices included in the Transformer series.

It’s not clear yet if the new Transformer Prime TF700T (which has a 1920 x 1200 pixels display and a 2MP front-facing camera) will have a 3G version or not. We’ll probably find out more on this closer to the TF700T’s launch date – sometime in the second quarter of the year.

The original Asus Transfomer Prime (pictured above) was launched at the end of 2011 running Android Hoenycomb. Since then, updates to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for it have already started to be rolled-out.

Asus hopes to sell up to 6 million Android tablets this year.

Via AndroidOS.in

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Asus Transformer Prime will be released in Australia next week, Android Ice Cream Sandwich included

Florin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:04:36 +0000

Asus is getting ready to launch its Transformer Prime in Australia, where the tablet will be reportedly available for purchase starting next week.

According to PC & Tech Authority, January 18 is the day when Australian customers will be able to buy the Transformer Prime via “normal retail channels”. The 32GB version of the tablet will cost $799, while the 64GB one should be $899. Both prices include a docking station keyboard – and it looks like you won’t be able to get the Transformer Prime without one of those for the beginning.

Certainly, the Transformer Prime prices for the Australian market are high, but at least the tablet will come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich from day one there.

Earlier this week, at CES 2012, Asus has unveiled an upgraded Transformer Prime (TF700T), which should be out starting April, coming with a 1920 x 1200 pixels display (the original model only has a 1280 x 800 pixels screen).

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Original Asus Eee Pad Transformer will get its Android 4.0 update by early February

Vlad Bobleanta — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:47:06 +0000

If you have the original Asus Eee Pad Transformer tablet, you’re probably envious at those who have the newer Transformer Prime in their possession, since that gadget has already received an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

But you shouldn’t be upset, for Asus hasn’t forgotten about its first Android tablet. And the original Transformer will get the update too, “by early February”. That’s what Asus told Android Police. The update will go out in Taiwan and the US first, meaning that if you’re elsewhere in the world you may need to wait some more after that.

However, Asus Singapore recently said, on Facebook, that the update would start rolling out around the end of January. So best case scenario – end of January, worst case – beginning of February. Again, that’s probably only valid in Taiwan, the US, and Singapore, but we can’t imagine the update taking longer than a few weeks to reach the rest of the world.

So Asus not only has the first tablet to be updated to ICS, it’s poised to also have the second. This should serve as an example to other Android device makers.

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New Asus Transformer Prime TF700T and Eee Pad Memo Android ICS tablets announced

Florin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:31:36 +0000

Just like Acer, Lenovo or Toshiba, Asus has also announced new Android tablets at CES 2012. These are the Eee Pad MeMo, and an upgraded Transfomer Prime, called Transformer Prime TF700T.

The new Prime TF700T looks like the original model, but its 10.1 inch display now has 1920 x 1200 pixels instead of 1280 x 800. Moreover, the front-facing camera is a 2MP one, and the tablet’s backplate has been remade in order to increase wireless connectivity. The rest of the features have remained unchanged.

The Acer Transformer Prime TF700T will be launched in North America in the second quarter of the year for prices starting at $599. It will run Android Ice Cream Sandwich. And, by the way, the original Transformer Prime seems to be getting an update to ICS starting today.

The second new Asus tablet, the Eee Pad Memo, comes with a 7 inch (1280 x 800) display, capacitive stylus, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, GPS, 5MP rear camera, 1.2MP front-facing camera, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB / 32GB of internal memory. For the moment, it’s not clear what the final design of the Eee Pad Memo will be. The tablet is supposed to arrive in North America in the second quarter, also running Android Ice Cream Sandwich.

Via Droid-life

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Asus Transformer Prime Ice Cream Sandwich update out on January 12, bootloader unlock tool soon

Vlad Bobleanta — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:02:36 +0000

It’s been an intense few days for owners of the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime – or would-be owners at that. It came out that the first tablet to come with a quad-core processor has its bootloader locked, which means that the modding community that Android is so famous for pretty much got locked out of doing any of its usual tricks on the Transformer Prime.

Furthermore, many people have been reporting GPS issues on the tablet.

So the usual backlash ensued. And today Asus took to Facebook to give us its official stance. The bootloader is locked in order for Google’s movie rental service to work (blame DRM once again). That said, the Taiwanese company has committed to providing a bootloader-unlocking tool soon. It is worthy of a mention that unlocking your bootloader will both void your warranty and make Google’s movie rental service stop working, so keep that in mind.

As for the GPS, the issues are there to stay. It certainly looks like it’s the hardware at fault, with Asus explaining that the full-metal body of the tablet may have something to do with the flaky GPS performance. Unfortunately, there’s not going to be a software fix for that. What’s more, Asus even went so far as to remove any mention of GPS functionality from the tablet’s promotional materials – so this issue is big.

Though there’s nothing you can do about it. Just don’t buy a Transformer Prime for its GPS. Simple as that. It’s there, and it kind of works, but if you need reliable GPS, use another device.

There is some good news though. Asus has also announced that the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Transformer Prime will start rolling out on January 12. That’s just nine days away, and it looks like Asus’ tablet will indeed be the first non-Nexus device to get updated to the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system.

Until then, a minor software update (8.8.3.33) is on its way to Transformer Prime tablets. It will start rolling out over-the-air shortly, so your tablet will notify you when it’s available to download and install (which you’ll be able to do without using a computer).

This update will improve the focus of the camera, “the fluidity of the touch experience”, and “the APK capabilities in the Android Market”, according to Asus. So if you like updating your gear often and own a Transformer Prime, these next few weeks will be something you’ll appreciate very much.

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7 inch Asus Transformer Prime and new Eee Pad Memo tablet to be announced at CES 2012?

Florin — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:30:21 +0000

Asus is reportedly getting ready to launch a 7-inch version of its Transformer Prime Android tablet (the first in the world to feature a quad-core processor).

According to Notebook Italia, the 7 inch Transformer Prime will be officially announced at CES 2012 (January 10 – 13). With it, a redesigned Asus Eee Pad Memo (initially announced last year) should be unveiled, too.

The Italian website has an image of a new Asus tablet, but it’s not clear if this is the 7 inch Transformer Prime, or the refreshed Eee Pad Memo:

Both the 7 inch Transformer and the Eee Pad Memo will most probably come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on board. The new Pad Memo should also have a 7 inch (1280 x 800) display, plus 3G, Wi-Fi, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, and up to 64GB of internal memory.

The Asus Padfone is another new Android device that could make an appearance at CES, although we’ve heard this one is going to be launched at MWC. We’ll see.

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Asus Eee Pad Transformer gets a software update, sadly not ICS

Vlad Bobleanta — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:13:26 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer (the original tablet, the Transformer Prime‘s predecessor) has just received a software update. And it isn’t going to make your tablet run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, sadly. But if you own a Transformer, you really shouldn’t lose hope. That’s because so far Asus has been the best when it comes to Android tablet OS updates, so there’s no reason to think that the original Transformer won’t be the first (or second, if its successor has a say in this) tablet to be updated to ICS. Perhaps all that’s needed here is a little bit more patience.

Back to the update. It’s a minor affair, containing bug fixes and various performance enhancements. After you apply it, your tablet will be on software version 8.6.5.21, and Android version 3.2.1.

If you have root access on your Transformer, it’s best to refrain from updating until your favorite developers verify that you won’t loose root by doing so.

The update naturally is of the over-the-air variety – no computer needed to download and install it. If you manually check for updates, it should be there waiting for you even if your tablet hasn’t yet notified you that it’s available.

Via Droid Life

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UK: Carphone Warehouse starts huge clearance sale, discounts galore on smartphones and tablets

Vlad Bobleanta — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:35:30 +0000

Ah, it’s that time of the year again. When retailers large and small start to push price cut after price cut and promo sale after promo sale.

So if you’re in the UK and still are willing to buy a smartphone or a tablet, listen up. The Carphone Warehouse has just started a mega winter clearance sale, with heavy discounts on both smartphones and tablets. You can now benefit from the offer online, and it will be available in stores starting on Monday, December 26.

The phones currently on sale are:

Samsung Google Nexus S for £199.95 SIM-free and free from £15.50 per month on Pay Monthly
HTC Incredible S for £249.95 SIM-free and free from £20.50 per month
Nokia N8 for £199.95 SIM-free and free from £10.50 per month
HTC ChaCha for £119.95 SIM-free and free from £7.99 per month
HTC Desire HD for £269.95 SIM-free and free from £20.50 per month
HTC HD7 free from £21.50 per month
Nokia E7 for £249.95 SIM-free and free from £10.50 per month
Nokia C7 free from £10.50 per month

In the tablets section we did find the HTC Flyer for £289.99, however if you want to pick one up we recommend saving £90 more by getting it from Dixons.

The other better known tablets on offer are:

BlackBerry PlayBook 16 GB for £169, 32 GB for £199, and 64 GB for £329 (all three Web-exclusive)
HTC Flyer 3G for £389.99
Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi for £319.99
Motorola Xoom 3G for £379.99
Asus Eee Pad Transformer with keyboard for £399.99
Asus Eee Pad Transformer 32 GB for £379.99

Alongside these you’ll also find a few tablets from smaller manufacturers, if you’re into that sort of thing.

For the full list, and to get one of these devices at these great prices, head over to the Carphone Warehouse. And hurry, if you want to make sure that your desired item won’t be out of stock when you want to order it.

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Asus gets sued by Hasbro over the Transformer Prime’s name

Vlad Bobleanta — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:01:01 +0000

Wishing for another lawsuit to pop up in the mobile world? It’s your lucky day! This time, Asus has been sued. Thankfully though, not by Apple, and not for patent infringement.

The company suing is Hasbro, which you may have heard of because it makes toys (and licenses truckloads of well known game brands to companies such as EA, but also apparently is into digital entertainment). Hasbro, of course, is the parent of the famous Transformers series (and movie franchise). Furthermore, the protagonist of both the animated series as well as the film series is called Optimus Prime.

It is then quite easy to figure out that Hasbro’s beef is with the recently-announced Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet’s name.

If you’re wondering why Hasbro hasn’t sued over the original Transformer, perhaps that would have been easily overthrown by Asus – after all, it is a common word. But Transformer and Prime, in the same brand? That must have been too much for Hasbro.

That said, it’s really unlikely that anyone would confuse a toy with a tablet, even one that transforms into a netbook if you want it to. On the other hand, Asus did use some of the brand recognition already established by the toys (and franchises) to drive interest for its new tablet.

So this will be an interesting one. What will prevail? The differing fields in which the companies operate, or the (uncanny) similarity between the brands? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Oh, and it looks like Hasbro has a pending trademark for “Transformers Prime”, a 2010 animated series. Uncanny indeed.

Via The Verge

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Asus Transformer Prime will be out in Australia in January

Florin — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:23:51 +0000

Just like in other parts of the world, the Asus Transformer Prime will be released in Australia in January.

According to AusDroid, prices for Asus’ new tablet will start at about 700 Australian dollars.

Since Asus has confirmed that the Transformer Prime would be launched in Italy with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on board (also starting January), this might happen in Australia, too.

The new tablet features a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, 10.1 inch Gorilla Glass display with 1280 x 800 pixels, Wi-Fi, GPS, 8MP rear camera, 1080p video recording, 1.2MP front-facing camera, 1GB of RAM, and 32GB or 64GB of internal memory.

It remains to be seen if the Transformer Prime will be introduced in the US before the end of the year, as Asus said it would.

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Asus Transformer Prime arrives in Poland on December 21

Vlad Bobleanta — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:27:36 +0000

Honestly, I don’t know what to think about this Transformer Prime business anymore. The Asus device which will be the first quad-core tablet on the market is either delayed, or it isn’t. That seems to depend most on which country you’re in at the moment.

A few days ago, Asus contradicted a rumor that the tablet was delayed in the US, saying that the Prime will start shipping on December 19 (that’s next Monday, by the way). In the meantime, up in Canada multiple sources have apparently confirmed that there is going to be a delay.

Earlier today, we heard that it will be out in Italy in January, possibly with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on board. But if you’re in Europe, don’t think that it won’t be available anywhere this year.

For the Prime is now up for pre-order in Poland, with a listed release date of December 21. That’s the same date which the same retailer (Euro) has printed in one of its recent flyers (seen above, typo and all, courtesy of Tabletowo).

The price being asked is around €597, or $777. So if you’re in Poland and want a Transformer Prime, you should probably go to Euro now and pre-order yours. If you aren’t in Poland, well, stop drooling. Or being angry. The tablet will eventually make it to your country. At some point.

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Asus Transformer Prime delayed until late January in Italy, will have Android ICS at launch

Florin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:50:06 +0000

Bad news for those in Italy (and probably in all Europe) who’ve been hoping to get their hands on an Asus Transformer Prime before the end of the year. Asus Italy announced on Facebook that the quad-core Android tablet will not make it to the shelves this month, but only in late January 2012.

The good news is that the Transformer Prime will be out in Italy with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich from day one – this confirms the previous report on ICS for the Prime.

Apparently, there will be no 3G version of the tablet (at least not in Italy).

The Asus Transformer Prime should arrive in the US before Christmas, obviously running Android 3.2 Honeycomb. It could also be out in Canada before the end of the month, although we’ve heard it may have been delayed there, too.

Via The Verge, Electronista

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Asus Transformer Prime to get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in January?

Florin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:14:46 +0000

The fact that the Asus Tansformer Prime – which has yet to be released worldwide – will be updated to Android Ice Cream Sandwich is certainly not a surprise. We just didn’t know when this would happen until now.

According to Digital Versus, Asus “has confirmed that” it’s going to provide an Android 4.0 update for the Transformer Prime next month, in January. If this turns out to be true, customers over in the UK could get the tablet with ICS from day one. But that will probably not be the case in the US and Canada, where the Transformer Prime should be released before the end of the year (although we’re hearing its launch in Canada may have been delayed).

The Asus Transformer Prime currently runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb, and is the world’s first tablet to be powered by a quad-core processor (Nvidia Tegra 3). Prices for the tablet will start at $500 (32GB version).

Via TechRadar

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Asus Transformer Prime delayed in Canada after all?

Florin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:43:38 +0000

Although Asus has reportedly denied the delay of its Transformer Prime Android Honeycomb tablet (the first in the world to feature a quad-core processor), it looks like the device won’t arrive in Canada as soon as initially believed.

Mobile Syrup has it that multiple sources, including Best Buy and Future Shop Canada, have confirmed the Transformer Prime’s delay.

Future Shop is sending emails to customers who’ve pre-ordered the tablet, emails which read:

“Dear customer,

Thank you for pre-ordering the Asus Transformer Prime Tablet and Keyboard Dock (Web ID: 10186527 & 10186526) from Futureshop.ca. We’ve recently been informed by Asus that there is an unexpected delay in receiving the items, and as a result, we are unable to ship the tablet on the date originally planned. We’re sorry to be the bearer of this news; however, we will contact you as soon as we receive the shipment from Asus, and are ready to ship the product to you.

Please accept this $25 credit to use towards a future purchase with us. Please enter your promotional code XXXXX at check out.

If you’re on a tight schedule to receive the tablet by December 25, ’tis the season after all, you may choose to your cancel your order, which can be done by signing in here.

If you have any questions, please email our customer service department here.

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to sending you the Asus Prime Transformer Tablet and Keyboard Dock when the device are ready to launch in Canada.

Sincerely,

The Futureshop.ca Team”

Of course, this can be just a Canadian thing, so the Transformer Prime could still arrive in the US before Christmas. We don’t know for sure what it’s going to happen – but we’ll see soon.

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Asus Transformer Prime delayed until after Christmas? Probably not

Florin — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 01:15:49 +0000

Last time we heard about it, the Asus Transformer Prime was supposed to be released in the US and Canada on or about December 19. Unfortunately, the tablet may have been delayed a bit.

According to an email reportedly sent by NCIX (a Canadian retailer) to customers, the “Transformer Prime has been delayed worldwide and will most likely not be available before Christmas.” The reason for the delay seems to be the fact that “Asus feels the WiFi range [of the tablet] does not currently meet their standards.” Therefore, “at the moment there is no ETA and no information on available quantities on the first batch.”

A screenshot showing the email in question can be seen here.

Update: Asus has reportedly denied the delay, saying about the email:

“We are trying to confirm who released this statement and for what purpose right now. At this point, we still show to be on schedule to start shipments the week of 12/19.”

Meanwhile, Best Buy US doesn’t display any expected launch date for the Transformer Prime, while Best Buy Canada still says the tablet should arrive on December 20. Newegg isn’t that optimistic, saying the Prime will be out on December 27.

The Asus Transformer Prime is the world’s first quad-core tablet (relying on an Nvidia Tegra 3 chip). It runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb (upgradeable to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich), and features a 10.1 inch scratch resistant display with 1280 x 800 pixels, 8MP rear camera, 1.2MP front-facing camera, 1GB of RAM, and 32GB or 64GB of internal memory.

Via Mobile Syrup

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Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime pre-orders start in the UK, may ship in January

Vlad Bobleanta — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:25:50 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime hasn’t started shipping anywhere yet, but it’s understandably the most eagerly anticipated tablet of the past couple of months. That’s in no small part thanks to the fact that it will be the first quad-core tablet on the market. The Prime is scheduled to be out in the US and Canada this month, but what about the UK?

Well, a while back we heard that the tablet would become available in Europe in January. Now if you’re in the UK you should know that the Transformer Prime is indeed expected to arrive in your neck of the woods next month.

This confirmation of sorts comes courtesy of online retailer Clove, which has started taking pre-orders for two versions of the Asus tablet. The release time frame isn’t official yet, but it’s the best indication we have yet, so we’ll take it for now.

If you’d like to be among the first people in the UK to play with your very own Transformer Prime, you can now pre-order a version with 32 GB of built-in storage and included keyboard dock, or another version with 64 GB of storage sans keyboard dock. They both cost the same - £550.80. Sadly missing is the 32 GB version without the bundled keyboard, but it’s bound to appear soon. All of these SKUs are of a Wi-Fi-only tablet, so unfortunately no mobile data support is built in.

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Asus Eee Pad Transformer now just $299.99 at Best Buy

Vlad Bobleanta — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:44:14 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Android tablet can now be had for only $299.99 from Best Buy online. This is the original Transformer tablet, which will soon get a shipping successor in the form of the Transformer Prime. Still, the Transformer is a very capable device even to this day, and it’s now cheaper than ever (well, except Black Friday).

So if you’d like to purchase a tablet this holiday season and think the iPad is too expensive and the Kindle Fire too limited, here’s your perfect choice. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer comes with the added bonus of a promised update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which should happen really soon. We say that since the Taiwanese company has the best track record with regard to tablet OS updates so far in the Android world.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer has a 10.1-inch 1280×800 capacitive touchscreen, a 1 GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, 16 GB of internal storage, a 5 MP rear camera and a 1.2 MP front-facing camera for video calls, Wi-Fi, and comes with a mini HDMI port. You can grab one right now from Best Buy if you so wish.

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Quad core Asus Padfone to be launched at MWC 2012. Maybe with Android Ice Cream Sandwich?

Florin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:58:30 +0000

We haven’t heard much about the Asus Padfone since May, when the device was officially presented to the world. Initially, the Padfone was supposed to be released in mid-2011, but that obviously didn’t happen. That’s because Asus changed its plans regarding the handset, and now it looks like the company will launch it at MWC 2012 (February 27 – March 1).

According to Engadget and Netbooknews, the Asus Padfone will include better specs than the ones originally announced: it will have a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor – just like the Asus Transformer Prime tablet (which should make its debut in the US later this month).

I think there are considerable chances for the Padfone to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich from day one, especially since we’re hearing HTC is also readying quad-core Android ICS smartphones and tablets for MWC 2012.

The Asus Padfone will come with a complementary tablet (10 inch screen) to which it can be docked. Both the handset and the tablet will be able to use data from a single SIM card. Well, we’re looking forward to seeing the Padfone at MWC next year.

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Asus Transformer Prime to be available in the US on or later than December 19 after all

Vlad Bobleanta — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:52:47 +0000

This saga regarding the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime‘s availability is almost as interesting to watch as that which concerns when the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will finally land at Verizon. Yesterday it seemed pretty clear that the new Asus Android tablet will be out in the US on December 8 – after all, it was seemingly an Asus spokesperson who uttered that particular date. Well, apparently not.

That’s since today Asus has officially (again?) spread the word about when the Transformer Prime will be in stores Stateside. And that will happen on or after December 19. Online availability may be a week sooner, on December 12. Launch partners include Newegg, Best Buy, Staples, Frys, Amazon, and GameStop.

The company hasn’t announced a release date (or window) for the a version of the tablet with 3G (or 4G) connectivity baked in, so it may be a long while until it hits the streets, if ever.

The pricing for the Wi-Fi-only version has remained the same ($499.99 for 32 GB and $599.99 for 64 GB of built in storage, respectively), and the tablet will be offered in two colors: Amethyst Gray and Champagne Gold.

Asus has also released a new promo video for the Transformer Prime, which you can see below.

Neat stuff. But you’ll still have to wait more than two weeks to get to play with one of these puppies. Unfair is the life of the tech early adopter.

Via Android Central, Android and Me

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It’s official: Asus Transformer Prime out in the US on December 8 (Taiwan tomorrow, Europe in January)

Vlad Bobleanta — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:28:25 +0000

After a lot of speculation, the world’s first quad-core tablet is about to finally hit the streets. In fact the Android-powered Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime will do just that tomorrow, in the company’s native Taiwan.

But if you’re in the US, fret not for it’s coming your way too. Just like the latest bit of speculative info had us believe yesterday, the Transformer Prime will become available in the US on December 8, which is a week from tomorrow.

So you’ll obviously have all the time in the world to get it as a holiday gift for someone. Unfortunately though, that won’t be the case if you’re in Europe. The tablet will only arrive over here in January, and Asus didn’t give any specific dates, as apparently those may be different in each country. Still, it’s clearly 2012 when the new Transformer will reach Europe. You’ll have to choose from other tablets for your holiday gift needs this year.

All of the above information comes from an Asus spokesperson, via NetbookNews. And aside from a press release, it doesn’t get more official than ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’. That’s in case you had any doubts.

Now if you’re in Taiwan or the US, you should start saving up. In the US, you’ll be paying $499.99 for the 32 GB version of the tablet, or $599.99 if you need 64 GB of built-in storage space.

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Asus Transformer Prime to be launched on December 8 in the US?

Florin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:09:09 +0000

Last time we heard about it, the Asus Transformer Prime was scheduled to be released in the US either on November 28, or on December 16.

The Nov. 28 date can be ruled out now, since GameStop (which initially said it would launch the new tablet on that day) now says the Transformer Prime should become available on December 9.

But the Prime could be launched a little earlier: Newegg expects to sell it starting December 8 (for $499.99).

If the December 8 launch date turns out to be accurate, the Asus Transformer Prime may join Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus (which might be out on the same day). Well, that would be something – the world’s first Android Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone and the world’s first quad-core tablet arriving in the US at the same time.

Via Engadget

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Asus Transformer Prime may be out in the US on November 28 or December 16, Canada on December 5

Vlad Bobleanta — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:04:15 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime will hit North America soon, that much has been made clear when the quad-core Android tablet was announced earlier this month. Unfortunately though, all the manufacturer gave us back then was the pretty vague time frame of “December”.

Yesterday Amazon USA started taking pre-orders for the tablet, but it didn’t give us a shipping date, so naturally we were left wondering. Well, not anymore. Today we have not one, but two different release dates for the Transformer Prime in the US. In the end, there will (obviously) be only one, but we’re unable to tell at the moment which, so we’ll give you both.

First up, GameStop has also started taking pre-orders for the Asus tablet, and it conveniently also lists an actual launch date for the device: November 28. The phrase “release date” makes this sound pretty official, yet it’s strange that Asus said the Prime will be shipping in December. Perhaps it got some initial stock in early. That would be good news for would-be Transformer Prime owners, of course.

Unlike that, our second release date comes later, so will probably not be taken as well. An Amazon customer engaged in a live chat with a representative from the retailer and found out that the Transformer Prime is scheduled for release on December 16. Again the official-sounding wording.

It’s good to note that GameStop’s listing seems more likely to us. First up, because the Amazon rep may have been wrong or working with old info. That last bit can also be true because up until a few hours ago, GameStop listed December 9 as the release date for the Prime. So something may have happened very recently to push the launch all the way to this month. At least we’re hoping that’s the case.

Up in Canada, things are looking a lot simpler. No conflicting dates or anything like that over there. After Staples recently listed the Transformer Prime as ‘coming soon’, now both Best Buy and Future Shop have started taking pre-orders for the tablet. The price being asked for the 32 GB version of the Prime is $499.99, and the keyboard dock goes for $149.99.

Both retailers seem to think that the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime will be out in Canada on December 5, which is what they’ve listed as the release date. That comes to confirm the November US launch even more, in a way – after all, when’s the last time that a high-end gadget was available in Canada before the US (leaving aside carrier-branded devices)? Yeah, we can’t remember either.

Via Droid Life, Phone Arena, and MobileSyrup

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Asus Transformer Prime caught on video running Android 4.0 ICS, pre-orders and official page go live

Vlad Bobleanta — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:14:15 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is set to arrive in stores in December. This will be the sequel to the original Transformer, and the Prime will be the first quad-core tablet on the market, being powered by Nvidia’s Kal-El Tegra 3 processor.

As such, it’s quite understandable that people are anxious to get their hands on this device. And starting today, that just became easier since the Transformer Prime is now up for pre-order at Amazon in the USA. Two versions are available, one with 32 GB of built-in storage, and another with double that internal space. The prices are, just as expected, $499.99 and $599.99, respectively. Oddly there’s no 16 GB option listed, so conceivably if that ever arrives, it may be even cheaper.

So if you want to be among the first people in the US to get your hands on a brand new Transformer Prime tablet, head over to Amazon now to pre-order yours.

That’s not all the Transformer Prime news for today though. Asus has finally published an official page for the new tablet at its website. As you’d expect, the page goes through the device’s main selling points, and also neatly presents you with the full list of its tech specs. Overall pretty informative, we have to say.

Last, but definitely not least in Transformer Prime news for the day, Nvidia decided it just couldn’t wait any longer and showcased a little bit of Ice Cream Sandwich running on the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime. That’s right, the newest version of Android is seen doing its thing on Asus’ newest tablet.

Of course, the manufacturer has already confirmed that the Prime will be updated to ICS, but it’s nice to get a taste of what it will look like. After all, this is amazingly the first time we’ve ever seen ICS running on a tablet, even if the new version of the OS was unveiled by Google a few weeks ago.

Seems pretty smooth to us. Now for prospective Transformer Prime owners there’s some waiting still left to do until the tablet hits the streets, and then unfortunately some more waiting for the ICS update to arrive. Still, that shouldn’t take too long, especially considering Asus’ excellent track record with regard to Honeycomb updates for its original Transformer tablet (which has been faster than that provided by most, if not all other Android tablet makers).

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UK: Asus Eee Pad Transformer can be yours for just £299 until December 4

Vlad Bobleanta — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 23:48:07 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer is one of the highest regarded Android-powered tablets at the moment. That’s thanks to it launching pretty soon after Honeycomb was released. It’s also because of the Transformer getting very timely updates – in fact Asus has already confirmed that the Transformer will be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Add to this list the fact that it’s always been priced slightly below the competition, even from day one, and you know what makes Asus’ first Android tablet special.

Now speaking of pricing, if you’re in the UK and wanted to purchase a Transformer but held off waiting for it to get even cheaper, listen up. A few retailers are dropping the price of the tablet all the way down to £299 for the 16 GB version (that’s £80 less than the launch price). You need to act pretty fast though, since the offer is only valid until December 4.

Of the retailers you can see in the above image, as of now only Best Buy and HMV have switched to the lower price, and you can go to either one to order an Asus Eee Pad Transformer tablet for yourself. The other Asus partners in the UK will hopefully also cut the price in the coming days.

Undoubtedly, this has something to do both with the coming holidays, but also with the impending launch of the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, the successor of sorts to the original Transformer tablet. However, don’t think that the original device is outdated or anything like that – it’s certainly a great performer even today.

Via Eurodroid

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Asus Transformer Prime to bring its quad-core powers to Canada soon

Florin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:16:56 +0000

Asus Transformer Prime, the world’s first quad-core tablet, should be released in the US next month, in December. But what about other markets? Well, the new tablet might make it to Canada before the end of the year as well.

Retailer Staples is currently listing the Transformer Prime as “coming soon”, and has a place for it between a number of already available tablets, like the original Asus Transformer, the Asus Slider, the Acer Iconia, and RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook.

Since it’s not uncommon for devices to be launched in the US and Canada at about the same time, there are chances for the Transformer Prime to be sold by Staples starting next month, too.

In the US, the 32GB Transformer Prime will cost $499, and the 64GB version should be $599. I assume the prices for the Canadian market will not be different. The Transformer Prime will feature a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, Android Honeycomb (or maybe Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich), a 10.1 inch display, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, and a 1.2MP front-facing camera.

Via Mobile Syrup

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Asus Transformer Prime to ship December for $499, full specs revealed

Dakota Torres — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:17:42 +0000

Android fans have been dying to find out more about the Asus Transformer Prime including a release date more detailed specs about the device after it was revealed at the AsiaD conference in October. Fans can sigh in relief since Asus has decided to let us know all of the details about the device including a price and broad release date.

The Transformer Prime will cost you $499 for the 32GB version and $599.99 for the 64GB version. Specs wise, the Transformer Prime features a 10-inch Super IPS+ Gorilla Glass display with 1280 x 800 resolution, 1 GB of RAM, Nvidia’s Tegra 3 quad-core processor, a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera, SonicMaster audio, 12 hours of battery, GPS, a Gyroscope, and a 8 megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording. The keyboard shown below will cost you an extra $149 but will add an additional 6 hours of battery life and a USB 2.0 port and full-sized SD slot. The Transformer Prime will initially run on Android 3.2, but we will find out more about an ICS update in early december.

The Transformer Prime will be available in December for the prices listed above. We will keep you updated on the status of the Asus Transformer Prime. Let us know what you think of this new tablet in the comments section below.

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Asus Transformer Prime may be delayed until December, could launch with Android Ice Cream Sandwich

Vlad Bobleanta — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:00:35 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime was first unveiled by the company’s CEO a short while back, and the new Android-powered tablet was supposed to be officially announced tomorrow (or maybe even released – Asus has been quite confusing in its wording).

Now for those of you who think it would have been a pity for the Prime to launch running Android Honeycomb so close after Ice Cream Sandwich was made official, we may have some good news. According to the sometimes reliable DigiTimes, the new Asus tablet has been delayed. But this is nothing bad, mind you. Apparently the Transformer Prime is now set to launch in December – running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Image via NotebookItalia

It looks like Google is going to help Asus with installing and optimizing ICS for its new device, thus making the replacement of Honeycomb with ICS a pretty fast operation. Which is why Asus seems to have considered this delay a risk worth taking. And we can’t say we disagree. Especially if Google helps with the update, things should be running smooth on the Transformer Prime from day one. Who knows how long it would have taken Asus to update the tablet had it launched running Honeycomb.

So this is all good news, despite the fact that if you were craving a Transformer Prime, you’ll have to wait another month or so. We’re just hoping this rumor pans out. Since at this point, that’s all this is – a rumor originating from the (in)famous “sources from [the] upstream supply chain”. Stay tuned.

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Asus Transformer Prime TF201 visits the FCC

Florin — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:34:38 +0000

Expected to become the world’s first quad-core Android tablet, the Asus Transformer Prime (model number TF201) has hit the FCC recently.

Unfortunately, the Federal Commission doesn’t unveil anything that we didn’t already know about the new Transformer. For example, there’s still no word if the tablet will have LTE support or not.

Anyway, as already reported, the Transformer Prime has a 10.1 inch display, full USB and mini HDMI ports, microSD card slot, and a battery that can last up to 14.5 hours.

The Transformer Prime should be launched by Asus on November 9 (thus next week). We’ll let you know if we discover new details on it until then.

Via Engadget

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Asus Transformer Prime release date confirmed as Nov. 9th

Dakota Torres — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 07:32:11 +0000

The Asus Transformer Prime was first revealed by Asus at the AsiaD conference in October and we saw a photo leaked of the Transformer Prime the other day. Today, we found out that the Transformer prime will launch on November 9th according to a slide from a presentation at an investor conference. The slide also indicated that Asus will release some Windows 8 tablets in Q3 2012.

Specs wise, the Transformer Prime features a NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 14.5 hours of battery life, a 10.1-inch screen, mini-HDMI connector, a full USB port, and a SD card slot. We aren’t sure of what version of Android this device will run on, whether it be Honeycomb or ICS. If it is Honeycomb, it will undoubtedly get a quick upgrade to ICS after it is released.

We don’t have any info on pricing yet, but we will notify you on November 9th of the price and the rest of the specs of the Asus Transformer Prime.

Asus PDF

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Asus Eee Pad Slider finally available in the UK for £429.99

Vlad Bobleanta — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:44:05 +0000

It’s been a long wait if you live in the UK and wanted to get an Asus Eee Pad Slider tablet. Especially if you started waiting for it to hit a store near you back in January, when it was announced alongside the Eee Pad Transformer.

But the good news is that it’s finally here. More than a month after finally going on sale in the US, the Eee Pad Slider is now available to order from Dixons. The retailer also mentions that it has Eee Pad Slider tablets in stock and ready to be dispatched to you.

The price being asked is £429.99. For that amount of dough, you’ll get a Slider with 16 GB of built-in storage, a 1 GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, (obviously) a sliding full QWERTY keyboard, a 5 MP rear camera, a secondary front-facing camera for video calls, a USB port, microSD card slot, a mini HDMI port, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The Eee Pad Slider runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb, and not Windows 7. Clearly, retailers know the difference.

To get your Slider now, head over to Dixons and place an order.

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Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime images leaked

Vlad Bobleanta — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:19:23 +0000

A week ago, the CEO of Asus unveiled the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime for a quick glimpse during the AsiaD conference. The Transformer Prime will be the successor to the original Transformer which is still on the market (and doing quite well, sales-wise) right now. The Transformer Prime will have a quad-core Nvidia Kal-El processor and a fresh new design. The new tablet will come with a keyboard dock just like its predecessor.

If you’ve been dying to see just how the Prime will look like up close, you were probably disappointed last week, but you’ll certainly be happy now. NotebookItalia found some snaps of the Transformer Prime which have since been taken down. However, this is the Internet we’re talking about, and as you may know, once you upload something – it’s almost impossible to make it go away. So here then are the aforementioned pictures of the brand new Asus tablet:

Looks sweet. The Transformer Prime is due to be officially announced on November 9, which is also when we’re hoping we’ll find out details about its full specs, availability, and pricing. So stay tuned.

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Asus Eee Pad tablets to be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Florin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:05:55 +0000

If you have an Asus Eee Pad Android tablet, and are wondering whether or not you’ll get a taste of Google’s new Ice Cream Sandwich, the official answer is “yes.”

According to Asus Singapore’s Facebook page, the company has confirmed “support for Ice Cream Sandwich on the Asus Eee Pad Family”, and aims “to bring the latest Android update to the Eee Pad Series.” However, for the moment Asus did not “set a date” for rolling out the updates. Anyway, this does mean that Android 4.0 ICS will be available not just for the Eee Pad Transformer (as we’ve recently reported), but also for the Eee Pad Slider (pictured below).

As a reminder, Asus is getting ready to unveil a new tablet on November 9 – the Transformer Prime, which will be the world’s first tablet to feature a quad-core processor (and could come with Android ICS from day one).

Via EuroDroid

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Asus Eee Pad Slider will finally be available in the UK on October 24

Vlad Bobleanta — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:49:43 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Slider Android Honeycomb tablet was announced in January alongside the Eee Pad Transformer. The Transformer has been available everywhere for many months now, yet the Slider has only gone on sale in the US about a month ago. Better late than never, right?

If you’re in the UK and are wondering when the Asus Eee Pad Slider will finally come your way, wonder no more for we have the answer. The sliding tablet will be out on October 24 – this coming Monday. It will be sold by PC World and Curry’s, both online and in-store. Prices will start at £429.99.

On the inside, the Slider is very similar to its sibling, the Transformer, having a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, and a 10.1-inch 1280×800 touchscreen. On the outside there’s a certain resemblance in functionality, in that both tablets let you use a physical QWERTY keyboard for text input, yet they do this in different ways. While the Transformer pops into its keyboard dock, the Slider’s keyboard is built-in, and you simply slide the touchscreen upward to reveal it.

It’s clearly going to be a niche device, yet it’s nice to see different form factors being tested on tablets. Everyone is sick of Android tablets being nothing more than carbon copies of each other.

Via Android Community

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Asus Transformer Prime revealed by CEO, quad-core Tegra 3 CPU and 14-hour battery life in tow

Vlad Bobleanta — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:31:57 +0000

Yesterday we showed you a teaser video put up by Asus for its upcoming Transformer Android tablet. This is going to be the successor to the Eee Pad Transformer which is currently selling quite well.

Asus decided that a day or so was sufficient time for a tease, and so the company’s CEO, Jonney Shih, has revealed the next Transformer for the first time today during the AsiaD conference.

The tablet you see above will obviously retain its predecessor’s ‘transforming’ abilities, meaning that it will be able to turn itself into a netbook-type device if you plug it into its keyboard dock. The tablet will be called Transformer Prime, not Transformer 2, which is a good decision if you ask us.

The Asus Transformer Prime will have a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, though by now that’s hardly a surprise. We’ve heard rumors about this being the case since this summer. Anyway, it’s good to see it finally confirmed. You should also remember that this may be the only tablet on the market this year to sport the Tegra 3.

The Transformer Prime will have a 10.1-inch touchscreen just like the first Transformer, as well as a mini-HDMI connector, an SD card slot, and a full USB port. It will be just 8.3 mm thin, and will reportedly have 14.5-hour battery life.

The new Asus tablet will run Android, but it’s unclear which version it will ship with. Anyway, even if it does launch with Honeycomb on board, it will get updated to Ice Cream Sandwich. As will the original Transformer. In fact, Mr. Shih said that ICS updates may begin well before the end of the year.

The Asus Transformer Prime will be officially announced on November 9 (two days later than we expected), which is when we’ll get all the details about it. Still, we know the most important bits already, and this sure looks like a very nice contender in the tablet space.

Via AllThingsD

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Asus Transformer 2 will be the only quad-core tablet in 2011, Transformer will get Android 4.0 too

Vlad Bobleanta — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:24:22 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer has so far been one of the best-selling Android Honeycomb tablets. And for good reason too. It’s cheaper than most of its 10-inch competitors, while offering roughly the same performance. It can also be turned into a netbook by purchasing and using its optional keyboard dock. And it has been consistently (and quickly) updated to the newest versions of the operating system.

That last bit thankfully won’t change in the future. Asus has told Pocket-lint that the Transformer will be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The company didn’t provide a timeline for this, but at this point, mere hours after ICS was unveiled, it’s good to know that it’s coming.

The Transformer however is set to have a successor pretty soon. The (aptly named) Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 (seen in the images above, via Android Community) will probably be out by the start of the holiday shopping season. We’ve previously heard that its prices will start at $499, which means there’s a small chance that the first Transformer will also be sold alongside it as a cheaper entry-level option. We’ll see about that.

Asus has said that the Transformer 2 will also be getting Ice Cream Sandwich, though it’s unclear if the company meant to say that the latest version of the OS will be preinstalled, or if the Transformer 2 will launch running Honeycomb and will receive the update later. We’re obviously hoping for the former.

What’s pretty clear though is that the launch of the Transformer 2 is fast approaching. We say that because Asus now has a teaser video out for its upcoming tablet:

That’s a pretty sleek looking piece of kit. We’re looking forward to seeing it on the market and we’ll let you know when it lands. What you should know (and drool over while waiting) is that according to the famous Eldar Murtazin, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 will be the only tablet coming out this year with a quad-core processor. That CPU is almost certainly going to be Nvidia’s Tegra 3. In the past, we’ve heard mumblings about this being the case, but never from a source this reliable. So it’s pretty much a given at this point that the next Transformer will be the first to market having a Tegra 3 heart.

In 2012, according to the same Russian journalist, there will be an onslaught of quad-core Android tablets, just as you’d expect. If you’re impressed, consider that when Nvidia first showed us the Tegra 3 (then called Kal-El), it said it should be in shipping tablets in August 2011. The company obviously hit some delays, but the race (in terms of raw hardware specs) goes on, and on, and on. If you try not to get too upset when your shiny new toy becomes obsolete a couple of weeks after it was launched, you’ll notice that these really are exciting times.

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Quad-core Asus Transformer 2 to be revealed November 7th?

Dakota Torres — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 07:26:36 +0000

We last heard about the Asus Transformer 2 when Asus confirmed that the tablet would be priced at $499.99. We have also heard from Asus CEO Jerry Chen the the device will be released before the end of the year. UK retailer, LambdaTek has posted a product page for the Transformer 2 on its website with model number TF201-1I020A.

The tablet has a release date of November 7th according to the product page and a price of £448. Both of these fit into the price and time range. Specs wise, the Transformer 2 spots an impressive quad-core Tegra 3 processor, 32 GB of internal storage, 1GB of RAM, and Android Honeycomb.

I have to admit that it is quite strange that we haven’t seen much of the Transformer 2 online especially with a launch date sometime in December at the latest. We will keep you updated on the status of the Asus Transformer 2 as more info becomes available.

Lambda Trek

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Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 will cost $499

Vlad Bobleanta — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:39:44 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer has been one of the best selling Android tablets to date, and naturally Asus is hard at work on a sequel. The aptly named Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 is expected in stores before the end of this year (and, dare we assume, before the start of the holiday shopping season). Previous rumors talked about it being one of the first (if not the first) tablets on the market to sport Nvidia’s new Kal-El processor, which may be launched as Tegra 3 and will have five cores. Kal-El has been a very long time coming and Nvidia will probably do everything it can to get it into shipping devices in 2011.

Other than what you just read, not much was known about the Transformer 2 until today. Well, we did infer that it will feature the same form factor as its predecessor (otherwise the name would’ve been different), and it’s probably also safe to assume that it will be a 10-inch tablet.

But what about pricing? That’s no longer a mystery. According to DigiTimes, Asus CEO Jerry Shen said that the Transformer 2 will sell for $499. Asus is not going to emulate other tablet makers’ behavior and try to sell the device as cheap as possible hoping to move as many units as it can. In fact, strangely, Asus will price the Transformer 2 at $100 more than the original. That may hint that the Transformer we all know and love (and which you can see pictured above) will not disappear from the market once the Transformer 2 hits. In a similar move to what Apple usually does with its phones once a new model is introduced, the original Transformer may be pegged as a lower-cost alternative to the Transformer 2 powerhouse. Time will tell.

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Asus Eee Pad Transformer Android 3.2.1 update now rolling out

Vlad Bobleanta — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:25:23 +0000

Asus certainly has a great track record this year in keeping its Android-powered Eee Pad Transformer tablet up to date. While updates to the Transformer haven’t come out exactly as they were pushed by Google, Transformer owners always had very small amounts of waiting to do, and they have received all the updates that have been available until today.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer launched running Android Honeycomb 3.0, but then saw updates to 3.1 and 3.2. And now’s the time for yet another update. Yet if 3.1 and 3.2 counted as minor updates, this will be even less than that – it’s basically all just bug fixes and performance improvements. Which isn’t to say that it’s not an update you should apply as soon as possible.

After updating, your tablet will be on version 8.6.5.13 of the software, and will run Android 3.2.1. Let’s go through a quick list of a few of the things that are new. There’s a cryptic new feature called Supernote on board, a bunch of new translations have been added, the Polaris Office and Asus WebStorage apps have been updated, Flash performance in the browser has been improved, as well as Wi-Fi stability, browser force-closes have been fixed, and Chinese handwriting prediction should now work better.

The update will naturally come over-the-air, so your tablet should notify you (if it hasn’t done so already) that new software is available. Happy updating!

Via Asus

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Asus Eee Pad Slider now available in the US starting at $479

Vlad Bobleanta — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:16:06 +0000

After more than eight months have passed since its announcement, the Asus Eee Pad Slider has finally become available in the US. About one week ago we told you that it’s bound to be in stores this month, and that has already happened. Although it’s made it to the virtual shelves of Newegg first.

The well known retailer asks $479 for the Eee Pad Slider that comes with 16 GB of built-in storage space, and $579 if you need 32 GB. Two-day shipping is free.

So if you’re interested in this niche tablet that comes with a full physical QWERTY keyboard, head over to Newegg now and place an order.

The Asus Eee Pad Slider has a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, a 10.1-inch 1280×800 touchscreen, 1 GB of RAM, a 5 MP rear camera with 1080p HD video recording, a secondary front-facing camera for video calls, microSD card support, and Wi-Fi connectivity (no mobile data here).

Via Android Community

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Asus Eee Pad Slider will finally be available later this month, priced from $475

Vlad Bobleanta — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:44:59 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Slider was announced in January alongside the Eee Pad MeMo and the Eee Pad Transformer, yet somehow only the latter of those devices got launched so far. Eight months is a lot of time in the mobile world, although Asus looks like it’s finally ready to unleash the Eee Pad Slider into the world.

According to Engadget, the QWERTY-packing Android-powered tablet will finally be out before the end of this month. Prices will start at $475 for a version coming with 16 GB of internal storage space. If you’d like 32 GB of storage, you’ll have to pay $575.

The Slider will ship running Android 3.2 Honeycomb, a build which wasn’t altered by Asus in any way, shape, or form. That should be good news for purists. This is a niche device, that’s certain, and it remains to be seen whether it will find its own place in the tablet space. Anyway, now that Asus intends on actually shipping it, we’re bound to find out soon enough.

The Eee Pad Slider will only be available in the color combo you see in the picture above. Its display will be an IPS 10.1-inch 1280×800 panel, and as such will have great viewing angles. Other than that, the Slider will come with a 1 GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, which has quickly become the standard for Honeycomb tablets.

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Next-gen Asus Eee Pad Transformer with quad-core Nvidia processor may have been delayed

Vlad Bobleanta — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:51:10 +0000

Never trust what a chip maker tells you when, during the initial unveiling of a new and exciting piece of silicon, you ask when it will become available in actual shipping products. Never. They’ll always give you their most optimistic estimate. Plus, it may be so early in the testing process that many time-consuming issues are probably yet to be discovered.

So, when, during MWC in February, Nvidia said that its next-gen Kal-El quad-core processor would be inside shipping tablets this August… we didn’t apply any of the above logic. We chose to believe what Nvidia’s guys said, because we love gadgets. And we hoped that quad-core tablets would be on the market this month.

Well surprise surprise, that isn’t happening. According to a report, the next-gen Asus Eee Pad Transformer tablet was supposed to be one of the first (if not the first) to market with Kal-El inside (possibly being called Tegra 3 when it actually ships). And it was supposed to be at least unveiled this month.

That won’t happen. Many different sources have said that the new tablet has been delayed by at least a month, if not more. No cause for the delay is given, but it isn’t that hard to imagine that it has something to do with the processor. After all, if Kal-El was ready for prime time, Nvidia sure would have sent out a proud press release already.

Still, we’re almost certainly getting quad-core tablets later this year. It will be an interesting holiday shopping spree indeed.

Via BGR

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Asus Eee Pad Transformer Android 3.2 update should be out today

Vlad Bobleanta — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:46:31 +0000

After having been updated to Android 3.1 last month, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer is now ready to run what is today Google’s latest operating system version for tablets – Android 3.2. Asus tweeted yesterday that the update’s rollout would begin today, unfortunately without saying anything about what territories will get it first. So it’s probably safe to assume that Transformers sold in the US will start getting it today.

On that note, Liliputing has uncovered that Asus Germany expects to start pushing the update on August 5. So for those of you in Europe, a few more days of waiting may just be required.

The update will naturally come over-the-air, your tablet will notify you about it and you can then download and install it.

The biggest thing to come with this version of Android isn’t something Transformer owners have any use for. Namely, that’s proper support for tablets with resolutions smaller than 1280×800 (which has become the standard for 10.1-inch devices).

Aside from that, the update also brings a new type of compatibility zoom for applications designed for smartphones and not optimized for tablets. This should ensure a better experience while running such apps on your Honeycomb tablet. Last, but not least, media sync from the SD card is now possible.

Via Droid Life

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Asus Eee Pad Transformer goes to India, priced at Rs. 32,999

Vlad Bobleanta — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:08:48 +0000

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer has so far been one of the best selling Android Honeycomb tablets, if not the best selling, and that’s thanks in no small part to its price, which is more affordable than the competition. After becoming available in the US, the UK, and in many other territories, the Eee Pad Transformer was finally officially unveiled in India yesterday.

The tablet is the same device that we know and love from elsewhere, and the recommended retail price is Rs. 32,999. That’s quite a bit cheaper than the Motorola Xoom, which was launched in India last month.

Let’s wait and see if Asus will be able to replicate the success that the Transformer has seen in the US, where it’s in the habit of being sold out within hours of being in stock.

Via ZOMGitsCj

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