This week the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet went up for pre-order. Now you can also place a pre-order for the optional keyboard dock.
The Transformer Prime is a 10 inch Android tablet and an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor. But it’s the tablet dock that helps set the Transformer apart from most of other Tegra 3 tablets that will hit the streets in the coming months.
You can snap the keyboard into the keyboard dock and use the tablet as if it were a laptop computer. The docking station also has an integrated touchpad, shortcuts for Android functions including the Home and search features, and a separate battery which can add an extra 6 hours of battery life to the Transformer Prime.
Asus launched the first generation Eee Pad Transformer earlier this year, but that model had a Tegra 2 processor and was thicker and heavier than the new model. The new Transformer Prime gets a new docking station which is also thinner than its predecessor — and it has at least one new feature: a subwoofer which will help provide better audio when the tablet is docked.
You can pre-order the Transformer Prime TF201 keyboard dock from Amazon
via Android Access
In the case of Amazon, it is not a pre-order, but simply a request for Amazon to send you an e-mail when the item becomes available (at least in the case of the “Champagne” model), but at least a hopeful sign.
Any rumors of a slider version of the prime?
As in a sliding keyboard? That’s a definite NO!
While I am disappointed that the promise of the TF-101 keyboard having compatibility with future devices was (at least, thus far) broken, I am glad that they didn’t up the price over the previous keyboard simply as “new hotness” surcharge.
Is that true? about not being compatible?
I’ve read that somewhere – probably either here or Engadget.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/09/transformer-prime-detailed-10-inch-super-ips-display-12-hour/
Engadget said it, but looking over the report here, and at the press release, I don’t see mention of that restriction.
Yes, it’s true. The Prime doesn’t have the same dimensions as the original Transformer, meaning it won’t fit the older dock, and they’re marketing it as a different Premium version. While the original will continue to be sold at a lower cost as a regular consumer version.
They’re also coming out with ICS update for both. So aside from the higher specs owners of the original can stick with it for now and new customers can decide if the higher specs are worth the higher price or settle for the older model, which appears they will continue to sell and support.