CES: Asus debuts Eee tablet family
LAS VEGAS -- Asus on Tuesday announced a new family of tablet devices using its "Eee" moniker, ranging from a pocketable 7-inch device with a stylus to a netbook-like device with a sliding keyboard.
The first device announced by the company, called the Eee Pad MeMO, has a 7-inch IPS ("in-plane switching," like the iPad) capacitive touchscreen display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It runs on Google Android -- version 3.0, skinned by Asus -- and can manage 1080p HD video playback, according to the company. (It will have a micro HDMI port.)
It's also compatible with a stylus, which is included. It will be available in June starting at $499.
The new Eee Slate EP121, on the other hand, is more like a traditional tablet computer, running on Microsoft Windows 7 with help from an Intel Core i5 470UM processor, up to 4 gigabytes of memory, 32 or 64 gigabytes of solid state storage and reportedly a Wacom Digitizer-compatible 1280-by-800-pixel resolution LED-backlit capacitive touchscreen display, viewable at a 178-degree angle and which hints at its intended use.
It also sports 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth 3.0, two USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI port and a 2.0-megapixel camera. It will start at $999.
The third announced device, the Eee Pad Transformer, is what we've come to call a "convertible netbook." (Although it remains to be seen who would be interested in such a device.) The device touts an Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor, a 10.1-inch (1280 by 800-pixel resolution) IPS display and two cameras: 5 megapixels in the back and 1.2 MP in the front.
It supports Flash and will have a mini HDMI port. It will also have an optional docking station. (Get it? "Transformer"?)
The big sales points: it's got a 16-hour battery life and is thinner than an iPad once the keyboard is detached. It will be available in April starting at $399.
Finally, the Eee Pad Slider's claim to fame is a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Along with that comes a 10.1-inch IPS capacitive touchscreen display, an Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and Google Android 3.0. It's got a pair of cameras -- 5 megapixels in the back, 1.2 megapixels on the front -- weighs 1.98 lbs. and is just 0.66 inches thick. Onboard 3G optional.
It will be available in May starting at $499.