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ASUS Transformer Pad TF103C review: a speedy budget tablet with a few sacrifices
When it comes to ASUS, buying a full-size Android tablet has usually meant venturing past the $300 mark; even the Transformer Book T100 set you back $349 when it first came out, and that was considered a steal. That's no longer a problem in 2014. ASUS' new Transformer Pad TF103C costs $299 with the company's signature keyboard dock included, or as much as some smaller mid-range slates. While that's potentially a hefty bargain, it begs a few questions: Just what are you giving up to get that price? And is it worth the trade-off when you could likely snag a smaller, but more powerful tablet for less? As I've learned, you're making quite a few sacrifices in the name of a better deal. This is still quality hardware, but you have to know what you're in for.
ASUS Transformer Pad refreshed with front speakers, lighter keyboard
It's been a while since we last heard about ASUS' Transformer Pad series, so today's announcement of two new 10.1-inch models was a nice surprise. Starting from the higher end, we have the TF303CL, which not only features Intel's 64-bit, 1.86GHz quad-core Atom chip (Z3745), but also supports LTE for Europe and Asia-Pacific. Otherwise, the plastic tablet packs the usual set of goodies for a decent Android tablet: a 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display, 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of storage with microSD expansion, 5MP/1.2MP cameras (a downgrade from the old 8MP main imager) and a 25Wh battery. The TF303CL is also enhanced with stereo front-facing speakers, as opposed to the old single-channel speaker (but with two drivers) on the back.
Mystery ASUS tablet shows up at the FCC, could be the next Transformer Pad
With the recent announcements of the PadFone Infinity, the MeMo Pad 8 and 10 and of course that Google darling Nexus 7, you would be forgiven if you thought ASUS was done with tablets for the year. That appears to be far from the truth, however, as this recent FCC filing shows a mystery ASUS tablet that we've not heard about before. The TF502T model number is in line with other Transformer slates, so we're suspecting this to be an upcoming Transformer Pad. There's not much else to glean from the documents, but we do see that it carries 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC at the very least. While we wait to hear more details about this, feel free to hit the source if you fancy a look at FCC minutiae.
Refresh Roundup: week of April 22nd, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
ASUS pushes Android 4.2 to Transformer Pad TF300, makes TF700 users wait
Transformer Pad TF300 buyers may have had to compromise on screen resolution, but the little slab's software support is second to none -- ASUS just announced that its entry level Transformer Pad will be its first to taste Android 4.2.2. Customers in the United States can grab the Jelly Bean update over the air starting today, while international users will see regional rollouts throughout the month. Own one of the company's higher end slates? Sit tight, ASUS says Android 4.2 should roll out to the Transformer Pad Infinity and other devices in Q2 2013. A wait for the virtuous, to be sure.
How would you change ASUS' Transformer Pad Infinity?
ASUS' Transformer Pad Infinity's awkwardly timed announcement sent a fair few Transformer Prime buyers into fits of apoplexy -- after all, it was just a few weeks after the Prime went on sale. Fortunately, the company didn't release the Infinity for some time, but was it worth the wait? Our reviewer felt that its delayed journey to the market meant everyone else had a chance to get beyond it, meaning that the discounted Transformer Prime was enough for anyone who didn't mind the odd GPS brownout. But what about if you bought one? Do you feel the same way? Settle down on the sofa and play armchair gadget designer for a moment, and tell us what you would change.
Refresh Roundup: week of November 5th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
ASUS teases Jelly Bean update coming to Transformer Pad Prime and Infinity within 72 hours
Oh, ASUS. While it was so forthcoming with an update to Jelly Bean for the Transformer Pad TF300, it has been shy about upgrading the tablet's higher-end cousins. The company must be coming out of its shell: it just posted a teaser for Jelly Bean updates coming to the Transformer Pad Prime TF201 (formerly the Eee Pad Transformer Prime) and the flagship Transformer Pad Infinity TF700. ASUS was initially hesitant to say more than that it would come "soon," but Technical Marketing Manager Gary Key has stepped in to confirm that North America will get the update within a surprisingly quick 72 hours. The only glaring omission is a matching refresh for the original Eee Pad Transformer to give veteran owners a little TLC.
Refresh Roundup: week of September 17th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 gets Jelly Bean update, TF700 looks at watch impatiently
Teasing your customers about forthcoming software updates isn't very nice -- unless you deliver on the very same day, of course. ASUS hinted, just this morning, that Jelly Bean might be on its way to some of its devices via the company's Facebook page. Now, we're getting reports from Transformer Pad TF300 owners that the update has landed. ASUS was even kind enough to beat its own estimate (for the TF300, at least) by a significant measure. Could this mean the TF700 update is on its way? Our advice? Keep mashing that "Check now" just to make sure. [Thanks, James, Godwill]
ASUS TF500T shows up at the FCC, has WiFi, is tablet shaped
ASUS' TF201, yeah we liked that. What about the TF300 and TF700. Pretty neat. We don't have all that many thoughts on the TF500 yet though, mainly as we'd never heard of it until it popped up at the FCC. Sadly there is precious little else we can tell you about it other than it has WiFi in b, g and n flavors (shocker), HDMI and a microphone. Based on the number scheme alone, we could possibly surmise that it'll be a new middle of the firm's tablet line, but we guess we'll just have to wait and see. Place your bets now.
IHS iSuppli: Apple iPad takes 69.6 percent of tablet brand market share in Q2, reader tablets take a bruising
An earlier portrait of the second quarter's tablet market share made it quite clear that the iPad was on a rebound, if it was ever in a slump to start with. All those numbers focused on platforms and not brands, however -- we didn't know how the individual makers were doing. If IHS iSuppli's figures are on the ball, there's even more of a discrepancy if you break down the period's results by manufacturer. The iPad staked out 69.6 percent of tablet shipments in the spring. That wasn't just an 11-point jump over a year earlier; it was a level of share Apple hasn't had since the Motorola Xoom was just cutting its teeth early in 2011. As for the rest? Transformer Pads kept ASUS growing, but it's not a pretty sight if you're making an Android reader tablet; both Amazon and Barnes & Noble shed roughly a point and a half each, which is no small amount relative to their size. Samsung also lost share by this after its deliveries of Galaxy Tabs mostly stayed flat. We'd add that there's some wiggle room as to real performance knowing that units shipped and sold aren't always one and the same. Most of these companies are leaving clues regarding upcoming tablet refreshes that might level the playing field, some not so subtle, but it's currently Apple's game to win.
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110 quietly goes on sale as the Gobots of transforming tablets
Lenovo's 10-inch IdeaTab S2 was one of the belles of its CES ball in offering a distinctly Transformer Pad-like experience for those not beholden to ASUS' view of the world. While there wasn't much attention given to the Android 4.0 tablet outside of the FCC filing we saw last month, it's getting its time to shine at last: the device is now sitting on Lenovo's virtual shelves as the S2110. The 10.1-inch slate's selling point remains its (strictly optional) keyboard dock, which supplies a trackpad, an SD slot, USB and 10 extra hours of battery life to keep that movie marathon going. Even if you have no intention of constructing the Gobot to ASUS' Transformer original, though, the S2110 is still a big leap over the so-so S2109 from the spring. A 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon APQ8060A, a rear 5-megapixel camera and a landscape 1,280 x 800 screen are all incentives to pay the premium over the S2110's budget predecessor. Not that there will be much of a premium to pay -- despite setting a $449 official price, Lenovo is already discounting the S2110 to as little as $343. That's low enough to lure the cost-conscious away from the Transformer Pad elephant in the room, even if it reminds us of relatives that always bought us the cheaper robot toys when we were kids. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
ASUS Transformer Prime, TF300 and Infinity TF700 getting Jelly Bean in 'the coming months'
Hot on the heels of HTC confirming a Jelly Bean upgrade for select handsets, ASUS released a statement (pasted after the break) assuring tablet owners that all of the company's new tablets, at least, will be upgraded to Android 4.1. So far, the outfit is committing to updating the Transformer Prime, along with the Transformer Pads TF300 and TF700. Though ASUS is careful to say it's considering other devices, it's still not promising to upgrade the original Eee Pad Transformer or Eee Pad Slider. No word, exactly, on when users will get a taste of Project Butter and Google Now, except that it should happen within "the coming months." Hopefully, of course, that's just an outside estimate: after all, ASUS isn't known for saddling its tablets with heavily customized skins, which can bog down the upgrade cycle.
ASUS Transformer Prime TF700T showing 'in stock' at Office Depot, days before scheduled US release
July 16th? Why wait? A full three days prior to the previously scheduled US release date, ASUS' Transformer Prime TF700T is showing as "in stock" right now from Office Depot. For those who've managed to forget about it's amenities since its original unveiling some six months ago, this one's packing a 10.1-inch (1,920 x 1,200) display, Android 4.0, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11b/g/n, 32GB of internal storage and NVIDIA's Tegra 3 keeping the gears turning. As expected, $499.99 is the asking price, with an estimated delivery of "Just as soon as shipping partners get back to work next week." Oh, and scalpers -- it's limit two per customer. Just a heads-up. [Thanks, Tony]
ASUS' high-end Transformer Pad TF700 is coming to the US next month for $499 and up
The last time we heard from ASUS, the company was on a tear at Computex, unveiling Windows 8 device after Windows 8 device. Looking back, it seems quaint that its mobile lineup was so recently dominated by Android tablets -- and that the Transformer series was once regarded as unique for having detachable keyboard docks. But this week, at least, it's back to Android for ASUS: the company just announced that the Transformer Pad Infinity announced back at Mobile World Congress is finally going on sale here in the US. It's expected to hit shelves the week of July 16th, starting at $499 for the 32GB model and $599 for the 64GB version. Like other Transformer tabs, the accompanying dock will sell separately for $149. We've got a rundown of the full specs after the break, and as it turns out, we've also been testing one for the past week. So once you're done browsing those official press shots, head on over to our full review for benchmarks, impressions and many, many more photos.%Gallery-158781%
Refresh Roundup: week of June 18th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Refresh Roundup: week of May 21st, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
ASUS Transformer Pad TF300TL hits the FCC with AT&T-friendly LTE
ASUS isn't known for offering its tablets to North American carriers with 3G or 4G; an FCC filing for a cellular-capable Transformer Pad TF300 could be a clue at a break in the WiFi-only trend. Along with the usual wireless, a TF300TL variant of the Android 4.0 slate has stopped by the agency with the 850MHz and 1,900MHz frequencies needed for HSPA 3G as well as, best of all, 700MHz and 1,700MHz support for LTE-based 4G. All four are what we'd look for in an AT&T-oriented tablet, so don't be surprised if Ma Bell carries a 4G Transformer Pad before long. All but the 700MHz band would be handy for Canadian networks as well. There's no surefire evidence of when the tablet might make a more formal appearance, nor hints of whether or not it will keep the quad-core Tegra 3, although the slight spin on the regular TF300 formula could keep the wait short.
ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 review
More Info ASUS outs lower-end Transformer Pad 300 tablet ASUS Transformer Pad 300 hands-on ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime review It doesn't feel like a year has passed since we reviewed the original ASUS Transformer and its innovative keyboard dock, but indeed time flies, and quite a bit has happened since then. The company has released the Prime, for starters, followed by two other high-end models. And now, the OG Transformer is going the way of the dodo, as the affordable new Transformer Pad 300 (aka the TF300) takes its place. Though this newest tablet was announced back in February, it's only just going on sale in the US this week, starting at $379 for the 16GB version, and $399 for one with 32GB of built-in storage. In addition to the fact that this replaces a truly memorable product, the TF300 is intriguing because it represents an even better deal for consumers: it borrows some design cues from the higher-end Prime, and also steps up to a similar 8-megapixel camera. Like the Prime, too, it runs an unskinned version of Android 4.0 and packs a quad-core Tegra 3 chip -- something you don't often see in a tablet this price. In short, the main differences between this and the Prime are battery life (10 hours versus 12), and the quality of the display (the 10-inch screen here offers 350 nits of brightness instead of 600). Those all sound like reasonable trade-offs and, frankly, they are. That's our abridged review, over and done with in just two paragraphs, but meet us past the break if you're craving a little more detail.
