Asus may be preparing to launch two new Android tablets featuring unusual screen sizes. Mobile Geeks spotted listings for 9.4 inch and 14.2 inch tablets from Asus in the GFXBench database.
The tablets are referred to as the Asus K01E and Asus K01B, respectively, but those model numbers don’t tell the full story.
It’s likely that the larger tablet will be branded as an Asus Transformer Pad and work with an optional keyboard dock that lets you treat the tablet like a notebook. It’s hard to imagine why Asus would launch a 14.2 inch tablet unless it’s designed to work with a keyboard… although I suppose it is possible, in which case the tablet will probably be part of the company’s MeMO Pad lineup.
The 9.4 inch tablet could be part of either product family. The GFXBench data doesn’t provide any clues.
Both tablets feature Android 4.4 KitKat software and 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processors with Adreno 320 graphics, which is similar to the chip in the 2013 Google Nexus 7 tablet designed by Asus. Qualcomm has faster chips, but the S4 Pro is no slouch and the decision to use an older chip is probably an indication that these tablets will be relatively inexpensive.
Another indication is that the 9.4 inch model features just 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and a 1280 x 800 pixel display. It has a 2MP rear camera and 0.3MP front camera. Like the 3 tablets Asus launched this summer, this model appears to lack an ambient light sensor.
The 14.2 inch tablet has somewhat better specs including a 1920 x 1200 pixel display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a 5MP rear camera, and 1.2MP front-facing camera. It does have an ambient light sensor for adjusting the display brightness automatically.
Asus hasn’t yet officially announced these products and just because they’ve shown up in benchmark results doesn’t mean they’ll ever see the light of day. But the IFA trade show starts in just a few weeks, so don’t be surprised if Asus uses the opportunity to unveil a few new Android tablets.
Meh. Mid range tablets at best. I will be holding off until I see some solid offerings with the 64 bit Tegra K1.
Yawn. Wake me when someone is finally smart enough to market an Android/Chromebook dual boot. Since both operating systems are free and neither requires a particularly fast CPU or big hard drive, it is amazing that it has not been done already. A dual boot with an SSD hard drive for fast booting and operation, a USB slot that would allow you to provide your own hard drive if need be, and a touch screen. It would sell like hot cakes. Unfortunately the major Android players are too dumb to realize it. Just like selling Android and Chrome OS mini-PC systems for set top boxes would blow Apple TV and Roku out of the water. But Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony etc. aren’t smart enough for that either
But these tablets will be very hum drum again with their mid range specs! Why can’t Asus stuns us with of top of the range flagship tablet?
Because Asus is trying to make money. The Android tablets with premium specs from Samsung, Motorola, Amazon, Nexus etc. did not sell, even when “at cost” and “loss leader” pricing was employed to drive publicity, sell services and build an ecosystem. If you want a tablet with premium specs, the Nexus 8 is for you. But let’s get real: no one is going to buy the Nexus 8. It is going to lose money for HTC and Google just like all the other Nexus phones and tablets do because people who are willing to pay premium for hardware are going to buy iPads and iPhones.
Look, the same thing is going on with phones. People aren’t talking about the Galaxy Note, Galaxy S5, LG G3, HTC One etc. anymore. Everyone is talking about the mid-range phones with near HD display, reasonably fast processors and decent RAM that you can get for $150-$300 off contract like the Moto G and the Sony Xperia.
The days of the premium specs are over. Now that Google has finally worked all of the bugs out of the OS (meaning that it no longer takes premium hardware to get a good, stable, reliable, efficient user experience from Android) and the price of memory, CPUs etc. keeps going down, Android shoppers are wisely leaving the privilege of getting fleeced to the Apple fan club and going after value. But if you want to continue to spend 3 times as much for a device whose full capabilities that you are never going to use (as if anyone is going to use an Android tablet for 3-D video editing or computer modeling/simulation or anything else that would actually require the “premium” hardware) then Samsung and Google are more than willing to take your money for a Samsung Galaxy Pro or a Nexus.
The 14.2″ one sounds promising…..why are they wasting time on an 720P 9.4″ bewilders me. If it’s not FHD…why bother.
Depends on the price.
I didn’t forsee how well the galaxy tab 8.4 pro would be working out for me.
A little fishing around with screen sizes might not be a bad thing if folks find the device that works for them.
I’m convinced they just throw dice to come up with these screen sizes
Makes more sense when viewed in metric measurements:
9.4 inch = 24cm
14.2 inch = 36cm
13-14 inch Android tablet could be good option for IT people.