14 DAY TRIAL // Hybrid netbook/tablet solutions seem to have gained quite some ground in the last few months, with Asus as one of the main supporters of this trend, so we are happy to report that during the 2011 MWC expo, which takes place right now in Barcelona, Spain, we managed to spend a few moments with the company's Eee Pad Transformer.
Just as many other tablets which are supposed to arrive in the coming months, the Transformer is meant to run Google's 3.0 version of the Android operating system (code named Honeycomb) and is powered by a Nvidia Tegra 2 SoC.
As you probably know by now, Nvidia's second generation mobile processor is comprised of a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 CPU, which is run at 1GHz, and features an ultra-low power GeForce GPU which can be clocked at 300MHz or 333MHz, depending on the model chosen.
The chip is capable of 1080p video decoding and is about 20% faster than the PowerVR SGX54 graphics core.
In addition to the powerful SoC, the Transformer also packs 1GB of LPDDR2 memory, 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage space, a 10.1-inch 1280x800 IPS display with capacitive multi-touch capabilities, a 5MP rear camera with autofocus, a 1.2MP front facing camera as well as on-board GPS.
An optional 3G modem can also be added to the list and, along the sides of the Eee Pad Transformer, we find a mini-HDMI video output, a micro-SD card slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a docking port connector.
The device is powered by a 24.4Wh battery and weighs just under 700g.
Adding the optional keyboard docking station will increase the size and weight of the device, but it will also improve its battery life and expandability options, as it features a second 24.4Wh battery as well as two USB 2.0 ports and another SD card reader.
Pricing has not been established by now, but the Asus representatives present at the 2011 Mobile World Congress told us the Eee Pad Transformer is expected to launch in May or June of this year.
Note: Fellow editors Cosmin Vasile and Alex Vochin are on the floor at the 2011 Mobile World Congress and are keeping us posted with pictures and live reports on the latest product previews and launches.
