Asus Eee Pad Transformer undercuts iPad 2 on price

Asus will release their first Android Honeycomb tablet in the UK on April 6th, a fortnight behind the iPad 2.

Presales have already begun for the Asus Eee Pad Transformer, which costs £380; £19 less than Apple’s latest tablet.

The Transformer boasts a 10.1 inch touch screen, making it larger than the iPad 2 but also giving it substantially more screen space. The device runs a ‘clean’ version of Honeycomb, meaning that Asus have not added any of their own software to Google’s tablet-orientated operating system, however the company have said that they plan to pre-install additional apps to improve features like wireless streaming.

A look under the head reveals a dual core Nvidia Tegra processor in the engine room, while Asus claim that one charge of the onboard battery provides enough juice for eight-hours of usage.

Asus also plan to release a lightweight keyboard alongside the Transformer device; this is a portable keyboard with a hollow bezel, into which the Transformer fits, ‘transforming’ it into a netbook as and when is required. This peripheral will also feature an additional battery, essentially doubling the battery life of the product.

The Transformer will also come pre-loaded with Polaris Office, which features word processing and spreadsheet applications. The device is available on presale from Amazon and eBuyer. It is currently available as a WiFi only version, but a 3G supporting version is planned to follow within a month.

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