ASUS is about to out do themselves again! After endless rumours, speculation, leaks and even an unofficial show and tell by ASUS, the Transformer Prime officially becomes official.
Arguably the first major draw card that makes the transformer so attractive is the presence of the Kal-El Nvidia Tegra 3 Quad-Core processor…this thing would eat my little netbook for breakfast, and out guns it’s older brother by a mile.
Building on a firm, successful foundation built up by the original Transformer, ASUS is sure to not only do well, but definitely keep up with the image that the original Transformer currently has – Excellent value for money, flexibly mobile thanks to the dock, fantastic build quality, an excellent customer support base, and impeccable track record regarding updates. And when one has a look at the Prime’s spec sheet, the above is definitely believable.
Eee Pad Transformer Prime Specs:
| Display | 10.1″LED Backlit screen with Super IPS+ (1280 x 800) 10 finger multi-touch, Corning® Gorilla® Glass | |
| Operating System | Android™ 3.2 Honeycomb (Upgradable to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich) | |
| CPU | NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 Quad-core CPU | |
| Memory | LP DDR2 1 GB | |
| Storage | 32GB /64GB(1) EMMC + ASUS WebStorage | |
| Wireless | 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR | |
| Camera | 1.2MP (front)/ 8MP Auto-focus (rear) with LED flash, large F2.4 aperture | |
| Interface | PAD: 2-in-1 Audio Jack (Headphone/Mic-in); 1x micro HDMI port; 1x Micro SD Card Reader; 1x Internal Microphone; 1x Stereo Speaker | Mobile Dock:1x USB2.0 port; 1x SD Card Reader |
| Sensor | G-Sensor, Light Sensor, Gyroscope, E-compass, GPS | |
| Flash support | Yes | |
| Multi-tasking | Yes | |
| Special Apps | ASUS launcher, @Vibe Music, ASUS WebStorage, MyLibrary, MyNet, MyCloud, File manager, ASUS sync, SuperNote, App Locker, App Backup, TegraZone, Polaris® Office | |
| Battery | 12hours; 25Wh Li-polymer Battery(2) 18 hours pad with dock ; 25Wh(pad) & 22Wh(mobile dock) Li-polymer Battery(2) |
|
| Size / Weight | Pad: 263*180.8*8.3mm / 586g Mobile Dock: 263*180.8*8~10.4mm / 537g |
(1)May vary by SKU and country
(2)Battery life may vary based on usage scenario
One of the big speculations was whether the Prime would launch with Ice Cream Sandwich. We now know that December will bare witness to the update, surely making it the first tablet to officially run the tasty treat – definitely a nice early Christmas present! At launch however, it will launch with Honeycomb’s latest – v3.2. The launch date is also not yet known, but as soon as we know, you’ll find it here!
Some of the other stand out features are definitely it’s width – 8.3mm (And I thought the Galaxy Tab was unbelievably thin), the whopping up to 18 hour battery life when hooked up to the dock, the LED flash for the main 8MP camera, which is also capable of 1080p HD recording, another first for tablets.
From a visual point of view, that awesome aluminium finish and the improved IPS display (Now Super IPS+…sounds familiar lol) tie up what is looking like a clear winner – and if the way ASUS has gone about things so far, that can’t be too far from the truth. Press Release below, as well as some info graphics courtesy of Droid Life.
ASUS Announces the Eee Pad Transformer Prime, the World’s First Tablet Featuring the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 Quad-Core Processor
Designed to enhance the mobile computing experience.
Taipei, Taiwan (November 9, 2011) — ASUS has officially announced the world’s first tablet
featuring the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor – the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer
Prime. Cooperatively working with NVIDIA® to launch the first quad-core tablet in the world,
the Eee Pad Transformer Prime features the innovative ASUS exclusive mobile dock,
presenting a harmony of beauty and strength. ASUS CEO Jerry Shen says, “The combination
between the Eee Pad Transformer Prime and Tegra 3 is the perfect fusion to deliver an
uncompromising tablet experience. Together, we bring a whole new mobile computing
experience to consumers around the world”. Echoing that sentiment, NVIDIA’s President
and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang states, “The Eee Pad Transformer Prime is a category-defining
product. Powered by Tegra 3, it brings us into a new era of mobile computing, in which quad-
core performance and super energy-efficiency provide capabilities never available before.
With Transformer Prime, ASUS has once again led the industry into the next generation.”
In addition to having superior multimedia performance, the Transformer Prime also boasts
an 8.3mm ultra slim metallic spun finish with enhanced features including audio powered by
ASUS SonicMaster technology, an 8MP rear auto-focus camera with LED flash and battery
life rated for up to 18 hours* when combined with the mobile dock. Pricing will range from
$499** to $599**, with the mobile dock an optional accessory priced at $149**. An official
launch event with live demonstration is scheduled for early December when ASUS will unveil
what happens when the Eee Pad Transformer Prime meets Ice Cream Sandwich.
Incredibly slim
Featuring an incredibly slim form factor, the Transformer Prime is a svelte 8.3mm thin and the
only metallic tablet that weighs in at a mere 586g. It brandishes a metallic spun finish design
made of aluminum for a secure yet extremely comfortable grip that comes in two gorgeous
colors: Amethyst Gray and Champagne Gold.
Ultra performance
The Transformer Prime is the world’s first tablet to feature NVIDIA’s next-generation quad-
core Tegra® 3 processor, creating a new breed of high powered tablet devices. With the
quad-core CPU, 12-core GeForce® GPU and vSMP technology, the Transformer Prime
delivers the best and fastest experience for tablet based multitasking, web browsing, full HD
video playback and of course, games.
Unrivaled visual acuity
The Eee Pad Transformer already boasts a wide 178° viewing angle IPS display, protected
by Corning® Gorilla® Glass, but the Transformer Prime goes further, upgraded with a
brighter Super IPS+ screen that enhances the brightness of the screen for a better outdoor
reading experience. A 1.2MP front camera allows for video conferencing while an 8MP rear
camera with auto-focus and LED flash takes brilliant photos thanks to a large F2.4 aperture,
back illuminated CMOS sensor, touch-to-focus depth of field and low light noise reduction
to provide the clearest and sharpest photos. A first for any tablet, the 8MP camera on the
Transformer Prime also has the ability to take full 1080p HD video.
Supreme sound
The Transformer Prime houses impressive audio, powered by ASUS exclusive SonicMaster
technology, renowned for crisp and acoustically accurate audio. It produces crystal clear
sound with a wide sound range, increased sound fidelity, and distinct vocal enhancements not
found on any other tablet in the market.
Unlimited productivity
The Transformer Prime is offered in both a 32GB and 64B model along with a micro SD
card slot, 3.5mm combo audio jack and micro HDMI port so sharing both what’s inside and
on screen is quick and easy. However, the function that gives the Transformer Prime its
namesake is the mobile dock, which gives new meaning to the term versatility. The innovative
and convenient design seamlessly provides the user with a keyboard and touchpad, along
with limitless expandability options via the USB port and SD card slot. Alone, the Transformer
Prime has a battery life of up to 12 hours*, but when combined with the mobile dock, it lasts
up to an incredible 18 hours*, the longest battery life of any tablet. Preinstalled application
SuperNote is fantastic for its ability to take, draw or record notes, while Polaris® Office is
great for staying productive with the ability to read and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint (MS
Office 97-2007 version compatible) files.
*Battery life may vary based on usage.
**Pricing will vary by country and SKU.
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The ASUS Transformer is great but it fails in one department: Accessories. I’ve struggled to find _anything_ other than the keyboard dock.
Locally, most accessories for most devices are pathetic and a rip off. Take a look at sites such as http://www.expansys.co.za, http://www.mobilefun.co.uk, http://www.dhgate.com and http://www.dealextreme.com … you’d be amazed at the variety that is just a click or 2 away.
The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is now available from WebAntics.co.za @ R5999.00 (32GB) and R6999.00 (64GB).
Hi Greigh.
Why not add your website to our free business directory as a supplier of android products.
And if ever you’re keen to send us a demo unit to review, give me a shout.
Regards
Itai
This looks like a great device, but I still need the 3G which this model does not have. I suppose the 3G version will only be out later.
Is it possible to buy it without the dock?