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.
The pictures with it next to an iPad make the ASUS look rather large. People are complaining already that the iPad gets heavy. This ASUS tablet is not going to be any lighter when it is also bigger.
While looking at the Windows Embedded Compact 7 pictures, Windows 95 called. It wanted its desktop back. How can anything that looks like Windows 95 be seriously considered for a 2011 release product?
@Keleko The desktop on the video didn't look like 95, but the pictures did. Is that some interface on top of the old CE desktop? I don't know much about Windows Embedded Compact 7 (and it really needs a better name - that is not an excitement generating name).
If this is all it takes to get attention and hailed as a iPad killing product, I'm sure someone can spend 5 minutes using photoshop and make a iPad killer as well. Maybe make a plastic shell that doesn't work too!
1280 x 800 would be most reasonable. This will play 720p movies and maintain 16x10 aspect ratio, better suitable for both portrait and lanscape use than 16:9.
1280 x 900 would be even more usable for work and reading, less for movies. Sqrt(2):1 aspect ratio is common for paper sizes outside the US.
Did I mention IPS screen already? TN panels, with their +/- 20 degree _actual_ viewing angle are unusable in portrait mode, especially the low-res 600 lines ones.
If high wuality IPS screen is not available, at least as an extra option, I am not buying.
Looks great, needs some work but overall its cool. I don't mind Windows CE 7 being used but as many will notice CE 7 doesnt really have an App store. Again for some this isnt a problem and its not the end of the device by any means. But it would be better if CE had app support like Android and iphone solely because you could get different experiences with the device and use it for more. Im definitely digging the first one shown, the netbook/tablet one. I mean thats a great idea. If all CE 7+ devices could have access to the proposed Windows Phone 7 app market place then that would be cool but then it would defeat the purpose to buy a 7 phone and Microsoft would lose more money on their own devices. Im sure you could get other programs to work with CE 7 but I dont know how new they would be or even functional with CE 7 and if they were is there any support for them. I dont know how much support there is for it but it doesnt seem like theres as much as the Android or iphone market.
To all you people who keep saying "Must have Android!!!" ENOUGH ALREADY.
There are people in this world who can only justify a tablet purchase by ensuring it can work not only in a personal space but also a workspace. It's the reason XP Tablet Edition was even created in the first place. Running Windows, any flavor of Windows, means we can run the cool videos and book readers and all that crap, but we can also edit documents, manage email, access network shares, join domains, and all sorts of business productivity features. THAT is what we need. Not a stripped down toy like the iPad is. If you want that toy it's there for you. For the rest of us who want a $500 device that can actually perform LIKE a $500 device, this is absolute platinum.
If its performance is as they say it is, I'll be all over this. That dock/computer conversion is absolutely SICK.
another day, another iPad killer.. gotta love it. TAKE THAT APPLE! with your waste of a product in the iPad. The Eee Pad is so much better! These specs just blow the iPad away!
Oh awesome! A new 'iPad Killer'! Please, take a number.
Oh, BTW, the 'iPad killer' line is over there, next to the pile of ceremonial daggers that you can use to shamefully commit Seppuku with as the iPad sells like hotcakes.
I find these iPad killer stories most amusing, they've taken over from the iPod killer stories from 5 years ago, iPod never got killed.
How can everyone be this far behind?
By the time this thing is out, I will have had my iPad for 8 months! Of course iPad rev2 will then only be a few months away, no doubt announce in Jan 2011. The reason these 'killer' devices never kill Apples products is because Apple are always 6 months ahead in terms of development, Apple will always have it's rev2 device shipping shortly after everyone ships their rev1.
Is the iPad perfect? No, but it's pretty damn close for what I need it for. Fabulous screen, great battery life, great apps. I haven't once thought "I wish it had an sd card slot or USB ports".
Looking forward to seeing the next iPod killer prototype.
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posted May 31st 2010 5:49AM
The pictures with it next to an iPad make the ASUS look rather large. People are complaining already that the iPad gets heavy. This ASUS tablet is not going to be any lighter when it is also bigger.
While looking at the Windows Embedded Compact 7 pictures, Windows 95 called. It wanted its desktop back. How can anything that looks like Windows 95 be seriously considered for a 2011 release product?
@Keleko The desktop on the video didn't look like 95, but the pictures did. Is that some interface on top of the old CE desktop? I don't know much about Windows Embedded Compact 7 (and it really needs a better name - that is not an excitement generating name).
The dock and the design of the 12-inch pad are absolutely beautiful. Wish it was working so we could see how it handles Windows 7.
If this is all it takes to get attention and hailed as a iPad killing product, I'm sure someone can spend 5 minutes using photoshop and make a iPad killer as well. Maybe make a plastic shell that doesn't work too!
1280 x 800 would be most reasonable. This will play 720p movies and maintain 16x10 aspect ratio, better suitable for both portrait and lanscape use than 16:9.
1280 x 900 would be even more usable for work and reading, less for movies. Sqrt(2):1 aspect ratio is common for paper sizes outside the US.
Did I mention IPS screen already? TN panels, with their +/- 20 degree _actual_ viewing angle are unusable in portrait mode, especially the low-res 600 lines ones.
If high wuality IPS screen is not available, at least as an extra option, I am not buying.
Yup - there's your "iPad killer"
too bad nobody knows what it'll actually do, since it doesn't even work yet.
Looks great, needs some work but overall its cool. I don't mind Windows CE 7 being used but as many will notice CE 7 doesnt really have an App store. Again for some this isnt a problem and its not the end of the device by any means. But it would be better if CE had app support like Android and iphone solely because you could get different experiences with the device and use it for more. Im definitely digging the first one shown, the netbook/tablet one. I mean thats a great idea. If all CE 7+ devices could have access to the proposed Windows Phone 7 app market place then that would be cool but then it would defeat the purpose to buy a 7 phone and Microsoft would lose more money on their own devices. Im sure you could get other programs to work with CE 7 but I dont know how new they would be or even functional with CE 7 and if they were is there any support for them. I dont know how much support there is for it but it doesnt seem like theres as much as the Android or iphone market.
To all you people who keep saying "Must have Android!!!" ENOUGH ALREADY.
There are people in this world who can only justify a tablet purchase by ensuring it can work not only in a personal space but also a workspace. It's the reason XP Tablet Edition was even created in the first place. Running Windows, any flavor of Windows, means we can run the cool videos and book readers and all that crap, but we can also edit documents, manage email, access network shares, join domains, and all sorts of business productivity features. THAT is what we need. Not a stripped down toy like the iPad is. If you want that toy it's there for you. For the rest of us who want a $500 device that can actually perform LIKE a $500 device, this is absolute platinum.
If its performance is as they say it is, I'll be all over this. That dock/computer conversion is absolutely SICK.
another day, another iPad killer.. gotta love it. TAKE THAT APPLE! with your waste of a product in the iPad. The Eee Pad is so much better! These specs just blow the iPad away!
woo, that is what i want...... a computing matter, not a peripheral equipment
so, i could got a device to store & edit & share pics from my camaro while traveling.
Oh awesome! A new 'iPad Killer'! Please, take a number.
Oh, BTW, the 'iPad killer' line is over there, next to the pile of ceremonial daggers that you can use to shamefully commit Seppuku with as the iPad sells like hotcakes.
Asus here is trying to catch up!(very competitive..yay!)...I hope this thing gets better ASAP. This thought is making me excited. XD
Awesome shape and size. Prototypes are always buggy, give some time, ASUS will fix it.
Yikes! Why bring an unfinished product like this to a tech show?
Seems like Win7 isnt really meant for tablets.
Stick with Android
for those who think it doesnt have nvidia graphics. do a lil more research. the tegra 2 is made by nvidia lol
I find these iPad killer stories most amusing, they've taken over from the iPod killer stories from 5 years ago, iPod never got killed.
How can everyone be this far behind?
By the time this thing is out, I will have had my iPad for 8 months! Of course iPad rev2 will then only be a few months away, no doubt announce in Jan 2011. The reason these 'killer' devices never kill Apples products is because Apple are always 6 months ahead in terms of development, Apple will always have it's rev2 device shipping shortly after everyone ships their rev1.
Is the iPad perfect? No, but it's pretty damn close for what I need it for. Fabulous screen, great battery life, great apps. I haven't once thought "I wish it had an sd card slot or USB ports".
Looking forward to seeing the next iPod killer prototype.