Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime starts at $499 this December, first quad-core Android tablet
Posted on 09. Nov, 2011 by Albert Madison in Tablets
Asustek Computer Inc. has revealed their Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet today, and the Android 3.x Honeycomb tablet will be available before the holidays as we expected originally.
According to Asustek the Transformer Prime will be available worldwide in December with options for a $499 32GB Wi-Fi model or a $599 64GB Wi-Fi model. The Transformer Prime’s docking station that adds a keyboard, touchpad, and a few more I/O connectors as well as more battery power will be available in December too for $149. The Transformer Prime will be offered in either Amethyst Gray (looks like Purple) and Champagne Gold colors, both colors are pictured below.
Asustek made no mention today for any $399 16GB Wi-Fi Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, which is a bit of a let down.
The technical specifications were also outlined today by Asustek for the Transformer Prime tablet. According to Asustek the Transformer Prime will feature a 10.1-inch 1280×800 LED back-lit Super IPS+ display with capacitive multi-touch and Corning Gorilla Glass, to fight fingerprints a hydro-oleophobic coating has been applied to the display (and back-plate for the tablet).
Powering the new Transformer Prime tablet is the brand new NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core ARM processor which packs a 12-core GeForce GPU. There is also 1GB of RAM, microSD, mini-HDMI, a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera, a rear-camera with a 8MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor and f/2.4 lens that records full HD 1080p video (Touch-to-focus for the rear-camera is also featured), SonicMaster audio, GPS, a Gyroscope, and 12 hours of estimated battery life from the tablets included 22 Wh battery.
The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet weights 586g (1.29lbs) without it’s docking station and it also measures just 8.3mm (0.33″) thick without the optional docking station. The Transformer Prime is slimmer and lighter than the Apple iPad 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets, both of which have been the slimmest large-screen tablets all year. The optional docking station adds 10.4mm in thickness and 537g (1.18lbs) in weight.
As for the optional $149 docking station Asustek has also detailed its various features. According to Asustek the slim Transformer Prime dock will be outfitted with a battery of its own that improves the Transformer Prime battery life up to 18 hours estimated, there is a touchpad and QWERTY keyboard (with Android hot-keys), and there is a USB port and SD card slot supplied on the slim dock.
The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime will be launching with Android 3.x Honeycomb, but Asustek has stated in the recent past that they will up offering Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich updates to all Transformer Prime tablets when they are able too. Android 4.0 still hasn’t been released to Android tablet makers by Google.
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12 Responses to “Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime starts at $499 this December, first quad-core Android tablet”
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Nvidia Tegra 2 vs. Nvidia Tegra 3: The technical specifications | Tablets Planet
09. Nov, 2011
[...] 09. Nov, 2011 by TabletMan in TabletsToday Asustek Computer Inc. detailed their new 10.1″ Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime Android tablet. The Transformer Prime is a special tablet not only because it’s a follow-up [...]
Mike
09. Nov, 2011
Looks like this is going to be an truly stunning Tablet!…I was on the fence btw this one and the Toshiba At200 (Excite) but it looks like this Android tablet will be the top Android tablet for the fist half of 2012 and possibly beyond. I just heard that Toshiba is delaying their launch. I have a very good guess why they are. (More than likely going back to beef up the specs/features of the tablet hopefully) because this tablet will get slaughtered if it comes out against the “Prime” from a processor and feastures standpoint. THE BATTLE BEGIN!!!!..note to Samsung….YOU JUST GOT SERVED A NEW ONE!!!!!!!……LOL..Watch out Apple!!!!
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