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Night Spring

macrumors G5
Jul 17, 2008
14,614
7,793
This used to be a good Mac site for info, and solid feedback. Now it's just a "Mine is bigger than yours" site...

Nah. As long as I've been here, it's beeN pretty much the same. The reason I joined is I enjoyed the steady dose of bickering thrown in among mostly informative discussion.
 

macrat

macrumors regular
Mar 21, 2003
202
12
Maui
I'm a diehard Apple fanboi but honestly the Asus eee pad Prime looks awesome

I was planning on giving a worthy client an iPad 2 for Christmas but I just discovered he is an Android nut. So I was checking out the Asus eee pad Transformer Prime and I couldn't help but preorder it almost immediately. Wow. And yes it will also have their latest "ice cream sandwich" os which is supposed to be as good (or better than?) as the iOS5.

http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_Prime_TF201/

I hope the next iPad3 will match these specs or I will definitely jump over the dark side next year for my replacement iPad.:mad:
 
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doboy

macrumors 68040
Jul 6, 2007
3,765
2,932
I was planning on giving a worthy client an iPad 2 for Christmas but I just discovered he is an Android nut. So I was checking out the Asus eee pad Transformer Prime and I couldn't help but preorder it almost immediately. Wow. And yes it will also have their latest "ice cream sandwich" os which is supposed to be equivalent to the iOS5.

http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_Prime_TF201/

I hope the next iPad3 will match these specs or I will definitely jump over the dark side next year for my replacement iPad.:mad:

If all you're looking for is specs then you might want to jump ship now. :D
 

jsh1120

macrumors 65816
Jun 1, 2011
1,037
1
I was planning on giving a worthy client an iPad 2 for Christmas but I just discovered he is an Android nut. So I was checking out the Asus eee pad Transformer Prime and I couldn't help but preorder it almost immediately. Wow. And yes it will also have their latest "ice cream sandwich" os which is supposed to be as good (or better than?) as the iOS5.

http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_Prime_TF201/

I hope the next iPad3 will match these specs or I will definitely jump over the dark side next year for my replacement iPad.:mad:

Not sure what "as good (or better than?)...iOS5" means exactly, but for a review of the features in Ice Cream Sandwich, you might want to check out the review below on the Nexus Galaxy. (Although the discussion is in terms of a phone, it should give you an idea of the features.)

http://blog.laptopmag.com/android-ice-cream-sandwich-what’s-cool-what’s-melted

As far as the overall features of the new "Transformer" are concerned, the combination of the tablet and its keyboard/dock is a compelling alternative to an iPad. (Without the keyboard/dock, I think the iPad definitely has the edge.)

If one is looking for a "laptop replacement" tablet, the Transformer (as well as the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet) has some major advantages. Personally, neither the Transformer nor the iPad can replace my quadcore (beast of a) laptop so the iPad is a better alternative in our household. (The apps for kids is the differentiating factor.) But I think there is a strong niche market among business users and students for tablets that incorporate paired folio/keyboard combos, usb storage, etc.
 

aneftp

macrumors 601
Jul 28, 2007
4,363
549
Asus matching keyboard is $150 option.

Add that to the base $500 price. Equals $650.

Sure it's a quad core tablet. I am a little hesitant with Android tablets. Google admitted they rushed honeycomb out that's why honeycomb source code wasn't originally released even though Android was supposed to be open source.

Ice cream sandwich is supposed to merge phone and tablet together but initial reports say Google is spending more resources on the phone end than the tablet end.

My opinion. I don't think Android tablets are prime time ready until the next OS, jellybean. Seems to take google 3-4 releases to get things runnin smoothly. Google is becoming too much like Microsoft with their software. In that it takes Microsoft 3 releases to get things right.
 

macrat

macrumors regular
Mar 21, 2003
202
12
Maui
If all you're looking for is specs then you might want to jump ship now. :D

I agree. I have yet to see a hands-on "real world" review but that's probably because it's not released yet. But as far as my client is concerned, he will go absolutely bananas with this one.
 

Mac.World

macrumors 68000
Jan 9, 2011
1,819
1
In front of uranus
I like what the Transformer Prime and ICS bring to the table (on paper), just waiting to see what real world reviewers have to say. There is no doubt that it looks pretty good.
 

jsh1120

macrumors 65816
Jun 1, 2011
1,037
1
Asus matching keyboard is $150 option.

Add that to the base $500 price. Equals $650.

Yes, but an equivalent iPad w/ 32G storage is $600. An Apple Wireless Keyboard adds at least $60. And that doesn't include an extended battery that's included in the ASUS with a claimed total of 18 hours of battery life.
 

Yumunum

macrumors 65816
Apr 24, 2011
1,452
0
U.S.
Here's the thing about Android... The specs WILL fail you. It will still be choppy and less smooth than iOS.
 

davedvdy

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2011
801
585
I will echo some of the others...Coupled with Android it will be like a Ferrari on a bumpy road. To each their own, but I wouldn't jump ship for a quad core Android tablet. The resolution isn't any better than the usual Android offerings, even though a bit higher than iPad. The next iPad is likely to get a big resolution bump, or so they say and would smoke this if true.
 

Mac.World

macrumors 68000
Jan 9, 2011
1,819
1
In front of uranus
What about apps? Android isn't yet renoun for its fantastic selection of apps...
Supposedly, Ice Cream Sandwich will enable phone apps to work within a tablets native screen size without pixelization. Don't know if this is true or not? If it is, then Android tablets now have access to nearly half a billion apps.
 

macrat

macrumors regular
Mar 21, 2003
202
12
Maui
You are not a diehard Apple fanboi then. :D


Hehehe. No worry, it's not for me; it's a gift for a client.

But I tell you what I'm a gonna play with that sucker eeeeeeeepad prime for a couple of days before I wrap it up. I'll tell him I have to make sure it's acceptable because it's an Android, not Apple.

Make sure you re-visit this thread for my Fanboi review later. It will be "honest" I promise.:D

So far I like (on paper)

- Quad Core
- 12 hour battery (plus an addl. 6 hours if you connect it to the keyboard dock)
- Camera (there are samples posted online already and they are as great as the iPhone 4S)
- Screen Res
- SD card reader (I can really appreciate this as a photographer when I'm travelling)
- Corning Gorilla Glass (they should all be like this.)

We should be thankful for Google and Android. They keep those brilliant Apple managers on their toes, all the time.
 
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s15119

macrumors 68000
Nov 20, 2010
1,856
1,714
Looks like a nice machine, and Asus makes some good gear. Android's pretty much a deal breaker for me - but you're giving it to an Android fan, no doubt they will be trilled.
 

Mac.World

macrumors 68000
Jan 9, 2011
1,819
1
In front of uranus
Hehehe. No worry, it's not for me; it's a gift for a client.

But I tell you what I'm a gonna play with that sucker eeeeeeeepad prime for a couple of days before I wrap it up. I'll tell him I have to make sure it's acceptable because it's an Android, not Apple.

Make sure you re-visit this thread for my Fanboi review later. It will be "honest" I promise.:D

So far I like (on paper)

- Quad Core
- 12 hour battery (plus an addl. 6 hours if you connect it to the keyboard dock)
- Camera (there are samples posted online already and they are as great as the iPhone 4S)
- Screen Res
- SD card reader (I can really appreciate this as a photographer when I'm travelling)
- Corning Gorilla Glass (they should all be like this.)

We should be thankful for Google and Android. They keep those brilliant Apple managers on their toes, all the time.
I'm a bit skeptical at the 12 hour battery life. I like that they "claim" 12 hours, but I imagine it will be much closer to 8-9 real world hours, along with an additional 5-6 with the dock.
 

aneftp

macrumors 601
Jul 28, 2007
4,363
549
Let's see how long it takes Asia to upgrade to ice cream.

Remember unless u buy a nexus product it will be months before it even gets ice cream.

Xoom tablet owners have been pissed at Motorola/google for delaying android honeycomb updates.
 

darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
17,989
9,571
Atlanta, GA
I wouldn't get too worked up over the quad core angle. Android is more resource intensive, so quad core Android = dual core iOS. Besides, how many Android apps Aretha written to tak advantage of quad cores?
 

Yumunum

macrumors 65816
Apr 24, 2011
1,452
0
U.S.
Let's see how long it takes Asia to upgrade to ice cream.

Remember unless u buy a nexus product it will be months before it even gets ice cream.

Xoom tablet owners have been pissed at Motorola/google for delaying android honeycomb updates.

You know what's funny? I had a Nexus One and it took forever for me to get Gingerbread. Android is a mess
 

RetepNamenots

macrumors 6502
May 30, 2009
257
4
Google admitted they rushed honeycomb out that's why honeycomb source code wasn't originally released even though Android was supposed to be open source.

The Honeycomb source code was never released because Google explicitly wanted to discourage manufacturers from releasing Android tablets until ICS was released.
 

qtx43

macrumors 6502a
Aug 4, 2007
659
16
The Honeycomb source code was never released because Google explicitly wanted to discourage manufacturers from releasing Android tablets until ICS was released.
The Honeycomb source wasn't released because Google didn't want to assist Amazon and Barnes & Noble in producing highly modified versions which bypass Google's revenue stream. The same week the Fire and the Nook Tablet were released, so was the new source. Coincidence?
 

yeah

macrumors 6502a
Jul 12, 2011
978
292
Yes, but an equivalent iPad w/ 32G storage is $600. An Apple Wireless Keyboard adds at least $60. And that doesn't include an extended battery that's included in the ASUS with a claimed total of 18 hours of battery life.

The battery will be much less than 18 hours because of the quad-core (yes I know there is an "efficient" 5th core) screamer. And android!
 
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