14 DAY TRIAL // Recall that earlier this month we reported ASUS was planning to take the world of tablets by storm in 2014? A slate bearing the company’s mark has been spotted going through the FCC, already.
The product going by model number M80T is expected to come in three main variants (with a total of nine models).
Nothing much was known about the slate, back then, except maybe for the fact that it sported an 8-inch screen. But now Hungarian site Tech2, claims to have stumbled upon the specifications of the device, on an ASUS local partner site, Kereskedo.
According to the findings, the slate (with a slightly different model number, the M80TA) will end up sporting an 8-inch IPS LCD screen, but so far we don’t know how far ASUS would go resolution-wise. There’s a new Intel Atom Z3740 Bay Trail processor coupled with 2GB of RAM under the bonnet.
Apart from that, we’re going to see at least 32GB of internal storage, a 5MP camera, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and maybe even a stylus. According to the documents, the device will ship for approximately $447 / €324.
Previous rumors indicated the ASUS M807 would not be your average slate, not by a long shot. The tablet will probably be able to run Android, Windows or even both. That’s pretty impressive indeed.
Other brand vendors have released 8-inch tablets into the wild and ASUS needs an offering from the same category in order to maintain a decent position on the market. Currently, Acer has released its Iconia W4 on the market while Toshiba has the Encore and Lenovo the Miix 2.
These are all Windows 8 machines with Bay Trail, but a dual-boot tablet from ASUS will certainly break the norm here.
ASUS is expected to hold a press conference on the January 6, before the official kick-start of CES 2014 during which it might unveil a few new tablets. And the 8-incher might be one of them.
