At long last, the ASUS Eee Pads have arrived, but unfortunately they're just not working the way we've been imagining for all these months. We got a few minutes to toy around with the 10-inch EP101TC and 12-inch EP121, but both were barely working. And "barely" is being gracious. We can tell you that both models are incredibly well built -- they've got aluminum edges and matte back covers -- and neither was particularly heavy. The EP121 wasn't booting at all, but it was being shown off with a super sleek keyboard docking station, which will be used to turn the tablet into an ultraportable laptop of sorts. An NVIDIA Tegra-powered EP101TC was powering on, but its Windows Embedded Compact 7-based interface was still noticeably buggy, and the touchscreen quite unresponsive. The UI certainly looked attractive enough, and our swipe motions across the capacitive touchscreen were handled admirably, but ASUS definitely has a ways to go in terms of functionality. We wish we had more impressions to share, but it looks as if we'll have to wait for a less half-baked iteration to really dive in. 'Til then, feel free to peruse the gallery below and peek the video just beyond the break.
@grandmainger it looks like it has a lot of promise though, i mean, this thing isnt out till the start of 2011, and it seems to have very few problems that cant be sorted in that time
if only they had the 12 inch one working, i want to see if its anywhere near as good as it seems :P
@grandmainger Trying to get me excited about Windows on a tablet is like trying to get me excited about a VHS player; great technology, wrong time. We have moved on. Asus meet Android. Now go make a cute baby.
@Roger Moore The 12-inch model has a CULV processor with Windows 7, resulting in great battery life + netbook-beating performance. What more do you want?
Exactly...not quite ready. Seriously, they need to stop announcing products unless it's coming out in 3 months MAX. 2011?? Someone will be offering something better than you by then.
@donv69 Windows CE 7 is ARM based and is the lastest version... why wouldn't it be good for a tablet? Zune HD and WP7 both use a CE 6 varient... they both would be great for tablets. Without the Android Market on tablets their nothing special at all... with Asus going Win 7 and Win CE7, they can keep a sense of a consistent experience between both ways you use it and with all the .net development that will come out of WP7, CE7 and this device will benefit greatly.
Yeah that 12 inch version is SLICK. I would totally buy that. I don't quite get the point of something that ONLY uses a screen, but I totally get a convertible/separable tablet.
@BleeeK Most certainly needs an IPS panel! I can put up with it being sold as a premium option, just make it availalbe.
A 1280x800 resolution would be nice, too. Definitely not worth it with only 600 lines. 800 lines would make it play 720p movies without downscaling AND keep a more reasonable 16:10 aspect ratio, better suitable for both portrait and landscape use.
@grandmainger ... idk about these pads and slates. even though they can do more than an ipad... the app store is still something to be desired from other products. if a company were to make a pad or slate and got some support for porting the apps over to their product, like the marvel comic book store app, that would be awesome.
Just realized.... this could become the no 1 student solution... Full notebook experience when docked for writing reports. Tablet experience for note taking during college and movie viewing in the dorm...
@Nice You did all these chatter with yourself only to come to the erroneous conclusion that this is a product launch. You, times three, still equals fail.
@Nice How is this fail? Its only a preview of things that "may" come later. Besides that #1 student solution your talking about already exists, its called the TM2 .
Fail because it promises everything, but delivers nothing (so far).
And the TM2... have you used it? I have... Weight is enormous, not a tablet (thicker, more difficult to maneuver) and the screen... well not the best to make an understatement. Furthermore the battery live is pathetic.
WTF. The weight is lighter than the iPad. The 10 inch model is only 650ish grams, while the lightest iPad is 680g, and the 3G version is 720ish grams. How is that heavy? Have you EVER attended university? I mean, I carry a shitload of stuff in my bagpack and more in each hands between classes.
In fact, I'm a PhD student, that's why I can't wait for them to release the ep121. You however still have trouble with basic reading, since you fail read the simple lines mentioning the "TM2" a near 5 pound notebook.
Like I stated, not comparable with this dreammachine...
WOAH that docking station makes this so much more practical for school. that ui although is quite sluggish, let's see how it ends up when it's released. :3
@amrkvati You can totally fool one with this thing. The docking station/laptop hybrid looks really cool. I hope they will build in a locking mechanism. You don't want it to fall in two pieces while walking. But the design and the build quality look really nice I think. Also like the UI although it's probably still in it's alpha phase.
@SeeKo Actually what I do wonder is why is the docking station so thick? It shouldn't be more than the keyboard and the adapter. Everything else is in the top. They probably even put in extra weight which only purpose is for the tablet not to fall over.
There is probably an additional battery to make it last longer. as well as other standard ports like USB, video-out, ethernet, audo jacks, optical drive, etc. It is a hybrid after all.
@WixosTrix On this video they are explaining a bit more. The docking station doesn't seem to offer any additional ports. It's also just a dummy but I guess they have put them in anyway if there should be any. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0M5WC8IaTg
iPad "killers" for everytime i hear that IThing "KILLER" tag i should get a 10er and i would be as rich as Steve Jobs by now.
Btw when will these companies get that introducing half baked and not working or badly working products doesn't really shine a great light on the company introducing this crap ..
@Eastman hope for the same amount every time any new gadget is called an older gadget killer and you'd have more than apple itself probably, it's just a lazy phrase bloggers and journalists feel the need to overuse for some weird reason.
@Eastman its computex, so basically companies are showing off what theyre going to offer over the year as this will be released before the next computex it makes sense to get people excitement now rather than wait and have to do all the advertising yourself :P
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posted May 31st 2010 5:49AM
Nice, but not quite ready.
@grandmainger this.
@grandmainger Not sure how I feel about Windows CE
@grandmainger
it looks like it has a lot of promise though, i mean, this thing isnt out till the start of 2011, and it seems to have very few problems that cant be sorted in that time
if only they had the 12 inch one working, i want to see if its anywhere near as good as it seems :P
@Luffy I'm wondering why it ain't running Android o.o
@Znuff
Not sure why they put Windows CE that either. It should be Android. Anything Windows shouldn't exist on a tablet.
@grandmainger
Trying to get me excited about Windows on a tablet is like trying to get me excited about a VHS player; great technology, wrong time. We have moved on. Asus meet Android. Now go make a cute baby.
@Roger Moore The 12-inch model has a CULV processor with Windows 7, resulting in great battery life + netbook-beating performance. What more do you want?
@grandmainger
Exactly...not quite ready. Seriously, they need to stop announcing products unless it's coming out in 3 months MAX. 2011?? Someone will be offering something better than you by then.
@donv69
Windows CE 7 is ARM based and is the lastest version... why wouldn't it be good for a tablet? Zune HD and WP7 both use a CE 6 varient... they both would be great for tablets. Without the Android Market on tablets their nothing special at all... with Asus going Win 7 and Win CE7, they can keep a sense of a consistent experience between both ways you use it and with all the .net development that will come out of WP7, CE7 and this device will benefit greatly.
@grandmainger WOW, this post came so fast...
@donv69
Bring it on Asus. We'll put an Android on this thing fast enough. And you can collect your Microsoft grants, NP
Free life
Boaz
@Luffy Windows Phone 7 and Zune are built on Windows CE, it's definitely possible to make touch screens work with it.
@r3loaded I want it to run OSX :P
@Znuff
EVERYTHING MUST RUN ANDROID.
@r3loaded
Yeah that 12 inch version is SLICK. I would totally buy that. I don't quite get the point of something that ONLY uses a screen, but I totally get a convertible/separable tablet.
This needs and IPS panel.
@BleeeK Most certainly needs an IPS panel! I can put up with it being sold as a premium option, just make it availalbe.
A 1280x800 resolution would be nice, too. Definitely not worth it with only 600 lines. 800 lines would make it play 720p movies without downscaling AND keep a more reasonable 16:10 aspect ratio, better suitable for both portrait and landscape use.
@grandmainger ... idk about these pads and slates. even though they can do more than an ipad... the app store is still something to be desired from other products. if a company were to make a pad or slate and got some support for porting the apps over to their product, like the marvel comic book store app, that would be awesome.
@r3loaded
At this point - aren't you assuming it's going to have netbook "beating" performance?
'Cause what I just read basically said neither of them worked.
@grandmainger Yep, although there's still time to improve it. Hopefully, they will keep the price down. http://j.mp/asus-eee-121
If they make it work, it's a worthy successor to the Lenovo U1. Personally not a big fan, but alot of people seem to crave it.
I just want a good tablet, so if the 12 inch will actually work and have 10 hours battery (and please: stylus). It's gonna blow my head...
@Nice
Just realized.... this could become the no 1 student solution... Full notebook experience when docked for writing reports. Tablet experience for note taking during college and movie viewing in the dorm...
@Nice
So much win and so much fail in 1 product launch...
@Nice
You did all these chatter with yourself only to come to the erroneous conclusion that this is a product launch. You, times three, still equals fail.
@Roger Moore
Wel... I don't like you too...
@Nice
How is this fail? Its only a preview of things that "may" come later.
Besides that #1 student solution your talking about already exists, its called the TM2 .
@tobsmonster2
Fail because it promises everything, but delivers nothing (so far).
And the TM2... have you used it? I have... Weight is enormous, not a tablet (thicker, more difficult to maneuver) and the screen... well not the best to make an understatement. Furthermore the battery live is pathetic.
@Nice
"Weight is enormous"
Might I suggest hitting the gym? Weakling.
@AlO
Might I suggest stop using steroids? There is a difference between capable and practical...
@Nice
WTF. The weight is lighter than the iPad. The 10 inch model is only 650ish grams, while the lightest iPad is 680g, and the 3G version is 720ish grams. How is that heavy? Have you EVER attended university? I mean, I carry a shitload of stuff in my bagpack and more in each hands between classes.
@kapanak
LOL! "Have you EVER attended university?"
In fact, I'm a PhD student, that's why I can't wait for them to release the ep121. You however still have trouble with basic reading, since you fail read the simple lines mentioning the "TM2" a near 5 pound notebook.
Like I stated, not comparable with this dreammachine...
WOAH that docking station makes this so much more practical for school. that ui although is quite sluggish, let's see how it ends up when it's released. :3
@amrkvati
You can totally fool one with this thing. The docking station/laptop hybrid looks really cool. I hope they will build in a locking mechanism. You don't want it to fall in two pieces while walking. But the design and the build quality look really nice I think. Also like the UI although it's probably still in it's alpha phase.
@SeeKo
Actually what I do wonder is why is the docking station so thick? It shouldn't be more than the keyboard and the adapter. Everything else is in the top. They probably even put in extra weight which only purpose is for the tablet not to fall over.
@SeeKo
There is probably an additional battery to make it last longer. as well as other standard ports like USB, video-out, ethernet, audo jacks, optical drive, etc. It is a hybrid after all.
@WixosTrix
On this video they are explaining a bit more. The docking station doesn't seem to offer any additional ports. It's also just a dummy but I guess they have put them in anyway if there should be any.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0M5WC8IaTg
Wow, these iPad killers are amazing!
@Cats Ha!
Hi troll
Nice dock, the home interface really resembles the one in iPhone OS
@rybek
No, it really resembles the Android home screen, because this has widgets, not a 4x4 set of icons.
@rybek
Not really. It resembles the Palm OS interface.
Told.
Let's show off a product at a major industry exhibition.... that doesn't even boot up... seriously folks.. WTF?
@Richardpaulknight
this
@Richardpaulknight Just because the software isn't ready doesn't mean they cannot show the hardware/looks.
oh come on...not one tech company can make a tablet to actually work?
iPad "killers" for everytime i hear that IThing "KILLER" tag i should get a 10er and i would be as rich as Steve Jobs by now.
Btw when will these companies get that introducing half baked and not working or badly working products doesn't really shine a great light on the company introducing this crap ..
@Eastman hope for the same amount every time any new gadget is called an older gadget killer and you'd have more than apple itself probably, it's just a lazy phrase bloggers and journalists feel the need to overuse for some weird reason.
@Eastman
its computex, so basically companies are showing off what theyre going to offer over the year
as this will be released before the next computex it makes sense to get people excitement now rather than wait and have to do all the advertising yourself :P