AsusEeePadTransformerPrime
Latest
Engadget Giveaway: win one of two ASUS Transformer Primes, courtesy of NVIDIA!
Boom. Just like that, another giveaway materializes out of the ether, and it's a doozy. There's a particular tablet getting a whole bunch of attention today, and NVIDIA has a sinister idea to distract you from the newest slate on the block: offer up a couple Tegra 3-powered ASUS Transformer Primes, complete with keyboard docks! No matter what kind of fanboy or girl you are, everybody wins today in one way or another, and it's hard not to be interested in anything that uses a quad-core CPU (with a 5th battery saver core thrown in for good measure) with a bunch of games to take advantage of the experience. So as usual, make sure you read the rules and leave a comment to enter the contest.
ASUS offers refunds and extended warranties to piqued Prime customers in the UK
If the Ice Cream Sandwich update, bug fixes and piles of apologies from the folks at ASUS just aren't cutting it and you happen to live in the UK, then we've got some good news for you. You are free to take your Transformer Prime back to the shop for a full refund. Don't expect turn around and pick up that updated TF700T with your haul, though, it won't be hitting shelves in merry ol' England till at least June. If you choose to keep your dockable tablet, ASUS will offer an extended warranty of 18 months, just to soothe your panicked mind that wakes you with night terrors about GPS issues and unknown serial numbers.
ASUS Transformer Prime pre-order shipments delayed at Best Buy, Amazon
ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer Prime has already suffered a few setbacks on its march to the US market and unfortunately, it looks as if another obstacle may be on the horizon. According to a handful of tips we've received this morning, Best Buy has been sending out emails to users who pre-ordered the new tablet for delivery this week, informing them that shipments have been "back-ordered," and delayed by one to two weeks. This means, of course, that some buyers may not receive the device until after Christmas. In its email, Best Buy gave its customers the option of canceling their orders outright, replacing it with a similar device, or searching the product at a brick and mortar location (a customer service rep told us that the Transformer Prime is not in stock). Some who ordered the slate on Amazon, meanwhile, have received emails informing them that their orders were "inadvertently canceled," and offering them the chance to pre-order it again today, along with a $10 gift card to make up for the inconvenience. We'll be following this story closely, so check this space for any further updates. Here's ASUS's official statement: "ASUS started filling the inventory pipelines this past week for our new Eee Pad Transformer Prime and will continue to do so on an expedited basis for the foreseeable future. We will reach normal inventory levels in January for the North American market based on current orders and forecasts. Based on forecasted supply schedules to our valued partners we expect pre-order allocation fulfillment to occur shortly and online or in-store availability in the very near future. We will continue to work closely with our partners to fill customer orders as quickly as possible." [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
ASUS delays Transformer Prime's release until WiFi fix is found (update: Prime to be released the week of 12/19)
If you were hoping to get you hands on a Transformer Prime this month, prepare to be disappointed. After hearing rumors of the ASUS slate's delay due to Wifi issues, we've now received confirmation from ASUS Canada via one of our tipsters. The company says that "the WiFi range on the TF201 did not meet our quality standards" and that it will not release the product until the wireless is up to snuff. In order to combat the issue, ASUS "will be implementing a new solution," though it declined to elaborate on what the solution would be. Naturally, no timetable for the Transformer Prime's release was provided either. So, if you jumped on the pre-order, let us know if you've heard the same song and dance from ASUS in the comments below. [Thanks, George] Update: We heard back from ASUS US and were told the Prime is still scheduled for release the week of 12 / 19.
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime review
Is there any tablet that's hotter than the Transformer Prime right now? (Please, don't say the Kindle Fire.) For weeks we geeks, early adopters and people who love their tech toys have been awaiting this, and none too patiently. Make no mistake: this will be one of the slickest products we test this year and it isn't just because the original Transformer had such an inventive design. The Prime is the first device packing NVIDIA's hot-off-the-presses Tegra 3 SoC, making it the world's first quad-core tablet. This comes with promises of longer-than-ever runtime and blazing performance (five times faster than Tegra 2, to be exact), all wrapped in a package measuring just 8.3mm (0.33 inches) thick -- even skinnier than the iPad 2 or Galaxy Tab 10.1. Throw in specs like a Super IPS+ Gorilla Glass display, eight megapixel rear camera and a confirmed ICS update in the pipe and even we seen-it-all Engadget editors were drooling. All of which means we dropped just everything when a 32GB Prime showed up on our doorstep earlier this week, and soon enough, you'll have your chance to nab one too. ASUS announced today that the WiFi-only models will be available through online sellers the week of December 19th, and in retail the week after. (No word yet on 3G versions for the US just yet.) It'll start at $499 for the 32GB model -- not bad considering five hundred bucks is the going rate for a high-end tablet with 16GB of storage. From there you can get a 64GB number for $599, while that signature keyboard dock will set you back a further $149. Worth it? Read on to find out. %Gallery-140706%
ASUS Transformer Prime pre-order page points to December 8th release date
We were expecting ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer Prime to hit the market sometime next month, but a new pre-order page on Newegg may have just revealed a slightly more specific date. Of course, the Tegra 3-packing tablet has already gone up for pre-order on a host of retail sites, but Newegg's listing is the first to peg December 8th for its release. Its $500 price tag also dovetails nicely with what we've previously heard, though ASUS has yet to weigh in with its official word. Interested parties can grab a piece of the Prime at the source link, below. [Thanks, Nivin]
ASUS' Origami-like Transformer Prime Smart Cover hits Amazon, sporting luxurious folds
The Eee Pad Transformer Prime has yet to start shipping, but when it does, you'll be able to wrap it up in this specialized Smart Cover, from ASUS. Spotted on Amazon's German site, this Origami-like accessory will prop up your Prime in either a vertical or horizontal lying position, much like some of those other "intelligent" covers we've seen. The folds look decidedly ornate, but we'll have to wait a little longer before trying it out for ourselves. It's available now for €39 (about $53), though at the time of this writing, it's also out of stock. %Gallery-139723%
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime: 10-inch Super IPS+ display, 12-hour battery and quad-core Tegra 3, ships in December for $499
For three weeks now, Android fans have been fidgeting impatiently. Specifically, ever since ASUS chairman Jonney Shih took the stage at last month's AsiaD conference and teased the next-gen Transformer tablet. Though he only gave us a quick glimpse, he recited a laundry list of specs: a 10.1-inch display, 8.3mm-thick body, mini-HDMI output, microSD slot and an update to Ice Cream Sandwich by the end of the year, if not sooner. Not to mention, it'll pack NVIDIA's hot-off-the-presses Tegra 3 SoC, making it the first-ever quad-core tablet. We knew this: we'd learn more on November 9th. Well, that day has come, and so have the juicy details. We just got word that the tablet will go on sale worldwide in December, starting at $499 with a beefy 32GB of storage, moving up to $599 for a 64GB model. (That signature keyboard dock you see up there will cost $149.) In addition to those basic specs Mr. Shih revealed last month, we now know this has a 1280 x 800, Super IPS+ Gorilla Glass display with a 178-degree viewing angle and a max brightness of 600 nits. It also packs 1GB of RAM, GPS, a gyroscope, SonicMaster audio and a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera. Rounding out the list is an 8MP shooter with an auto-focusing f/2.4 lens and a back-illuminated CMOS sensor that captures 1080p video. Touch-to-focus is also an option here, and ASUS claims a 30 percent boost in color enhancement over competing tabs. As for battery life, we initially heard reports of 14.5-hour runtime, but ASUS is now saying the tablet alone can squeeze out 12 hours thanks to a 22Wh battery, and that the dock will add an additional six hours of juice. In addition, the slimmed-down, 1.2-pound dock brings all the other benefits the last-gen model offered, including a touchpad, USB 2.0 port and full-sized SD slot. Software-wise, it'll ship with Android 3.2 and apps such as SuperNote and Polaris Office, and we're told we'll learn more about that ICS update in "early December." In terms of design, you may have already noticed the Prime sports the same spun aluminum digs as the company's Zenbooks, though this is the first time we're seeing clear, close-up shots of it -- and in two colors, no less! At 8.3mm (0.33 inches) thick and 586 grams (1.29 pounds) without the dock, it's a smidge skinnier than the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1, which means, unsurprisingly, that your old Transformer dock won't be compatible. Finally, ASUS coated both the display and metal cover with a hydro-oleophobic coating that makes it more fingerprint-resistant. For now, we've got photos below and if you can wait a few more weeks, we'll most definitely be putting this thing through its paces in a full review. And if you're looking for something a little less expensive, well, the original Transformer should be getting Ice Cream Sandwich soon, and we wouldn't be surprised if Santa brought a few holiday rebates. %Gallery-138833%
ASUS Transformer Prime, disassembled: NVIDIA's quad-core Tegra 3 sees daylight
While the FCC already had its wicked way with ASUS' Transformer Prime, its intimate inner workings have now been spilled over at Wireless Goodness. Nestled between NAND memory from Hynix and some Elpida RAM is NVIDIA's great tablet hope, its new quad-core chip. The full gallery of shots has disappeared from the FCC site, but silicon fans can still check out the chipboards in full glory at the source link below.
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime arrives at the FCC, we feign surprise
You've seen it in the wild and even in the hands of ASUS honcho Jonney Shih at AsiaD. Now the tablet set to continue the Eee Pad Transformer's legacy has reared its 10-inch face at the FCC. Considering the Prime's leaked November 9th launch date, it's no shock to see the tablet now surfacing at the Commission with confidentiality agreements in tow. Most of the slate's internal goods are hidden behind that wall of secrecy, but we can confirm the de rigeur presence of WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities. Shih's already dished out some of this quad-core tab's specs, so we know to expect a mini-HDMI port, 14.5-hour battery, SD card slot and a destined Ice Cream Sandwich OS. The only remaining question is whether this second coming will pack any wireless operator-friendly frequencies. We'll keep you posted on any new developments, but in the meantime, feel free to traverse the spectrum tests at the source.
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime shots leak out, apes the Tao of Zenbook design
Who's ready for a little gadget pr0n? ASUS head honcho Jonney Shih gave AsiaD attendees a first peek at the Transformer's successor just last week. Apart from that distant, dais-based reveal, we now have in the wild shots of the tab to focus our tech lust on. The leaked images, which have since been pulled from the Chinese site that hosted them, show off several angles of the quad-core Prime, its Zenbook-like aluminum finish and accompanying dock. Unfortunately, the lone lockscreen shot on offer's not giving us any taste of the potential Ice Cream Sandwich OS lurking beneath. Hungry for the full tablet spread? Then hit up the source below to get your gawking a-go-go.
