CES 2011 is definitely the year of the tablet, as more and more companies announce their entry into the lucrative space.
Asus is no exception, launching four new tablet computers in its Eee lineup – positioning itself to go head-to-head with the Samsung Galaxy Tab and other similarly sized tablets.
Available in three screen sizes, these tablets will run on Windows 7 Home Premium or Google Android. The choice between operating systems is a welcome change seeing as the Team Android and Team Windows are so rigidly divided.
Some praise the convenience of a tablet running Windows 7 because of the familiarity with a home machine, while others claim it’s an operating system incompatible with tablet technology.
Another factor driving loyalty between one OS and another might be what exactly you are using the tablet for.
For example, some people who want to watch rich content and media on their tablet might choose Android, where others who are looking for a business solution might go with the Windows 7 option.
The ASUS tablets also mark one of the new partnerships that Nvidia has announced this week, as the Tegra 2 gains traction in a series of CES launched technology.
Three of the tablets run on Tegra 2 chips, something that provide users with full Flash capabilities, vivid graphics, and video in 1080p, changing the standard for mobile computing. The Eee Slate EP121 is the only tablet running on Windows 7 with an Intel dual-core processor, rather than Nvidia’s Tegra 2 technology.
The Eee Pad Slider is ASUS’ answer to the problem of tablet use in the business world. The 10.1” tablet running on Android 3.0 is a tablet with slide-out QWERTY keyboard for workstation. The device also features a built-in 1.2MP and 5MP in the front and the rear of the device for Face Chat style video chatting and photo taking.
Similar to the Eee Pad Slider only without the keyboard, the Eee Pad Transformer, is also a 10.1” tablet running on Android 3.0.
In the 7.1” space, ASUS is offering the Eee Pad MeMo. The Eee Pad MeMo is designed for flexibility and note taking with a stylus.
If you prefer a non-Android device, the Eee Slate EP121 is a 12.1” portable device running Windows 7 with an Intel Core i5 dual-core processor and a vivid LED-backlit 1280 x 800 resolution screen. The tablet’s impressive 178° viewing angle allows multiple people to watch movies or for games on the tablet.
These new tablets will be available to consumers within the next 6 months, beginning with the launch of the Eee Slate ($999-$1099) in January, the Eee Pad Transformer in April ($399-$699), the Eee Pad Slider ($499-$799) in May and the Eee Pad MeMo ($499-$699) in June. [[Asus]]
