Asus just proved they are tablet pioneers (hint: Google Pixel C)

September 29, 2015 Categories: comparison, vs by 0 Comments

We just watched the Google event which saw the unveiling of a convertible tablet/keyboard, the Google Pixel C. With out background in covering all things Asus tablet (from the very beginning) we were compelled to point something out.

Asus has never really been cautious when it comes to innovation. Some hits and some misses but that’s how innovations can be made. It’s called taking risks. So when we saw the Google Pixel C we weren’t thinking about the Microsoft Surface, rather we needed to go back, way back in fact. We need to go back to that initial first wave of Asus tablets, the Eee Pad line-up. Within that line-up of Eee Pads, there was one model, the Eee Pad Slider SL101. If you don’t know about this tablet, we aren’t entirely surprised. Here is a quick reminder of what it looked like:

asus-eee-pad-slider-sl101

eee-pad-slider-vs-pixel-c

eee-pad-slider-sl101

What we can tell you is that the Eee Pad Slider saw only one model. It was the one Eee Pad that didn’t have a follow up release. Say what you want, but the concept didn’t exactly catch fire. What didn’t help matters is that the Transformer tablet became the hero back then, putting the Slider on the back shelf. However, take notice of the design. Sure, the tablet wasn’t detachable like the Pixel C is or the Microsoft Surface is and the Slider didn’t have the option to adjust the angle of the tablet when propped up with the keyboard. However, check out the new Google concept, the Pixel C:

google-pixel-c

We aren’t going to sit here and suggest that the Pixel C is a clone of the original Eee Pad Slider, but we can say that they are both 10-inches. They both run Android. They both look very similar. Considering that the Eee Pad Slider came out in late 2011, we’re talking about almost four years ago. Check out below, showing that both components close together, so that the keyboard faces “up” and the tablet faces “up” creating a “hidden keyboard” effect.

asus-slider-tablet

slider-tablet-vs-google-pixel-c

Photo Credit: CNET

 

What does this comparison really mean?

More than anything we thought this was an opportunity to showcase one of the early Asus innovations in the tablet space. We’re having a bit of fun with this article, so please don’t take this as being ultra serious in nature. There are plenty of similar designed combo’s or convertible out there is today’s market and by no means are we pointing fingers at this new Google product.

The reality is that convertibles and keyboard accessories are nothing new these days. The point isn’t so much that the Eee Pad Slider was ahead of its time, it’s just the fact that the new Google Pixel C reminds us so much of the Slider. Again, the technology has changed drastically and the mechanism on the Pixel C is far different than the somewhat clunky nature of the Slider.

But for its time, the Eee Pad Slider and it’s design was pure innovation and unique. It wasn’t however enough to make it a runaway success. The Pixel C tablet portion is completely detachable so that’s major design difference from the Slider.

Coming Soon! ZenPad 10 Keyboard Dock ($59.99) shows up at US Asus online store.

September 29, 2015 Categories: Accessories, Audio Dock, US, ZenPad 10, ZenPad 10 Keyboard by 5 Comments

The wait may be nearing an end for those of you looking for the illusive keyboard dock (Audio Dock)  in the US market. For a while now the ZenPad 10 tablet has been available, but nowhere has the keyboard dock been seen. In fact it’s pretty illusive no matter which market you’re looking at. The reality is the keyboard is a big selling point of the ZenPad 10.

Again, let’s be clear. This is only listed as “Coming Soon” but this is the first real signs of life as it were. It should give you some hope that the release date is nearing and the wait is almost over.

We have a few articles about the details of the Audio Dock, but it does have some interesting features. You can connect this to a good number of other Bluetooth devices (8 different devices can be paired) so that you could for example, stream your smartphone to the speakers or use the keyboard for your smartphone or other tablet. If your device has Bluetooth and could use a keyboard, then this can provide some other uses. I could think of a Smart TV box or Android set top box being able to utilize a keyboard. Home networking software like Kodi can also be a lot nice to use with a keyboard rather than a set top box remote. This ZenPad 10 keyboard can play back music for up to 10 hours on one charge.

zenpad-10-keyboard-buy-in-usa

Photo Gallery:

Fire HD 8 vs ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580C)

September 29, 2015 Categories: comparison, vs, vs. Amazon Fire HD 8 (2015), Z580C, ZenPad S, ZenPad S 8, ZenPad S 8.0, ZenPad S8 by 0 Comments

We’ve already taken a look at the Amazon Fire HD 8 vs the more budget friendly ZenPad 8.0 (Z380CX/Z380C). Now it’s time to look at the more premium ZenPad S 8.0 vs. the Amazon 8-inch tablet.

Price:

The price comparison is a bit tricky. The Fire HD 8 has many options which can lower the price. With the Z580C in the US coming in one configuration, we’re going to get detailed on this price comparison.

Currently the Z580C is $199. If we max out the Fire HD 8 configuration (16GB and without sponsored lockscreens), it will cost $184.99. We still aren’t on equal ground with this comparison. The Z580C ships with 32GB storage, so for $14.99, you can get a microSD card for the Fire HD 8 which puts the price at $199. If we want equal storage between these two tablets, it could be a draw.

Another view could drop the price of the Fire HD 8 to $184.99 if you chose to have sponsored lockscreens (to remove them it costs $15). If you wanted to drop the storage to 8GB, you could reduce the price by $20. So in terms of pricing flexibility, Amazon has the most unique options. That said, we don’t think that the 8GB model with ads configuration would be a fair price comparison with the 32GB ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580C).

RAM:

  • Fire HD 8: 1GB
  • ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580C): 2GB

Processor:

  • Amazon Fire HD 8: 1.5GHz quad core MediaTeck
  • Asus Z580C: Intel Atom Z3530 @ 1.3GHz quad core

Resolutions:

  • Fire HD 8: 1280 x 800 IPS LCD display
  • ZenPad S (Z580C): 2048 x 1536 QXGA display

Size and Weight:

  • Amazon Fire HD 8:
    • weight: 11oz – 311 grams
    • size: 8.4 – 5.0 – 0.3″
  • Asus Z580C:
    • weight: 11.2oz
    • size: 8.0 – 5.3 – .3″

Cameras:

  • Fire HD 8: 720p front facing HD camera, 5MP rear
  • ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580C): 2MP front, 5MP rear

Misc:

  • Fire HD 8
    • has wifi 802.11ac (Z580C does not have this new wifi standard)
    • no access to Google Play app store
    • side mounted dual stereo speakers
    • free unlimited cloud storage for Amazon content and photos taken with the Fire HD 8
  • Asus Z580C
    • Android Lollipop
    • access to Google Play app store
    • front facing dual stereo speakers
    • 100GB Google online storage for 2 years free
    • 5GB Asus cloud storage free for life

So Who Wins? Summary and Conclusion:

With screen quality being a bit part, if not the biggest part of any tablet experience, it’s impossible to say the Fire HD 8 is a better tablet. The argument can be made that the Fire HD 8 is going to be the cheaper of the two tablets, but when you consider equal storage, there is little difference in price.

Build quality, perhaps give the edge to the Amazon tablet as they are selling it as being twice as durable as the iPad Air 2. The Z580C looks amazing, but the reality is it’s made of plastic and being durable isn’t the strongest feature of the tablet. Early reviews of the Fire HD 8 suggest it’s not exactly durable or solid, but for now, let’s give a slight edge to Amazon with regards to build quality.

Size and weight is very similar so both these tablets are going to feel really good in the hands. Audio wise, dual front facing speakers are going to win any comparison that we do. Can a booming bass filled side mounted speaker set outdo front facing? Possibly, but very unlikely especially when both these tablets are super thin and super light. We aren’t suggesting that the speakers on the Z580C are going to boom, but they have terrific fidelity and field of sound (separation).

Battery life is a big consideration for a purchase and unfortunately, we don’t have any data to support a conclusion. Hopefully in the next week or two, we can look at battery life in this comparison. Our guess is that there will be little difference between these tablets, although the ZenPad S (Z580C) and the high resolution is likely to drain a bit faster. Stay tuned for a battery comparison update.

If buying an Android tablet is important, along with full Google Play access, then the choice would have to be the Z580C. If Google Play isn’t important and you can live with the Fire HD 8 with ads and 8GB of storage, then the price could separate these two tablets, making the Amazon tablet a viable choice. However, look at the screen resolution differences plus the extra RAM on the ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580C), it’s going to have a better user experience. If you are a dedicated Amazon customer with Prime and if you could go with the cheapest Fire HD 8 configuration, an argument could be made for getting the Fire HD 8. In terms of buying an Android tablet, the Z580C is the best choice between the two.

 

 

Asus Transformer Book T100HA is $299 US with Windows 10 – Full Details

September 28, 2015 Categories: T100HA, Transformer Book, Windows 10 by 0 Comments

asus-t100ha-transformer-2-in-1If you believe what most “experts” are saying, 2-in-1 computers are going to do big business in 2016. Even in late 2015 with the launch of Windows 10, most companies are targeting the 2-in-1 tablet/laptop market with new models.

Asus has a long tradition, and were the pioneers of the convertible tablet/laptop with the original Eee Pad Transformer TF101. So in 2015, to distinguish the different model, the Transformer Book indicates Windows OS and Transformer Pad indicates Android OS.

The first generation T100 is now being updated with the T100HA (2015) with newer, improved hardware and specs.

The T100HA has a 10-inch screen and is powered by the Intel Atom Cherry Trail processor with the Windows 10 operating system. Running through the rest of the specs, you’re getting a 1280 x 800 pixel IPS display, no 802.11ac wifi, Bluetooth 4.0, micro HDMI, microSD card reader, USB Type C 3.1 port and a full sized USB 2.0 port is on the keyboard dock. Size wise, it’s 10.4 x 6.9 x 0.3″ and weighs 1.3 pounds. The keyboard dock is 0.4 inches thick and weighs 1 pound. The color options include grey, blue, white and pink. Camera wise, it has a 2MP front and 5MP rear camera.

There is something quite interesting about this new T100HA Transformer Book. First, it has quick charge. This means you can charge the T100HA to 80-percent battery capacity in two hours which would provide you up to 9.5-hours of battery life. Here is the really big deal though and something that you might overlook. This “laptop” has micro USB charging which means that you can utilize a high-amperage USB power bank to charge the Transformer Book. Because it’s a tablet, sort of, it’s not often considered that you can charge it up using an external battery pack. It’s a feature of this laptop combo that you may not have considered before.

Models:  T100HA-C4-GR (Grey)

Calling all Z580CA owners. Let’s talk video and Tru2Life+

September 25, 2015 Categories: Opinion, Tru2Life+, Z580CA by 4 Comments

With the many reviews out there of the ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580CA) there is not a lot of mention or details of the Tru2Life+ technology inside. In fact, I would suspect that there are Z580CA owners who are unaware of this video enhancement feature.

Just a brief overview. All ZenPad tablets have Tru2Life, which is enhancement technology for stills, images, photos. The Tru2Life+ technology is a video enhancement technology and is exclusive to the Z580CA.

The reason for this article is for Z580CA owner to discuss their opinions about the Tru2Life+ technology. We’ve spent some time with the feature now, and getting some other opinions would be interesting.

We are going to share a lot of thoughts in our upcoming review, but one thing is certain. Tru2Life+ is a very substantial feature. In a way, it’s like if you could play a first person shooter video game at 30 FPS (frames per second) and then jump right over to that same game running at 60 FPS. The difference is going to be immediate and it’s going to have a “wow” factor.

Asus has since adjusted their software settings in the Z580CA to allow users some options on video enhancement. You can choose between high, medium, low, and none. The question we have is what have you found best? Or is this a feature that you didn’t really know about in the settings?

How to Adjust Tru2Life+

  • Settings > Display >  Blur-Free Motion (Smoothen the video play quality)

You can see that Tru2Life+ isn’t the name being used, but rather it’s referred to a “Blur-Free Motion”. What you can do is run a video, then with that settings window open, you can do the quick switch from the settings window, back to the video window. This allows you to do a very quick comparison on the effect and whether it’s something you enjoy or feel is a bit over the top.

We would be grateful to hear your experiences with this technology in the comment section below!

Asus rolls out firmware update V4.3.0 to ZenPad S 8.0 tablets [updated]

September 25, 2015 Categories: Firmware Updates, News, Z580C, Z580CA by 4 Comments

This apparently just rolled out yesterday, so you may be receiving a software update notification. Right now we’re looking for notes about the update, and all we have right now is the notes from the Japan version of this update. It’s best to look at the notes related to your exact device.

I think anytime there is a software update, the user experience is bound to improve. Of course that’s why updates are made in the first place, but these updates tend to affect things that you’re going to notice. It’s not just background tweaks and fixes. We’re excited to list the updates from this latest firmware update as soon as those details are posted by Asus. In general, there is a day or two before we know the exact details of the update.

In terms up these updates, expect them to be top heavy. The early updates will be substantial, followed by more minor tweaks in the future. I think it’s referred to as working out the kinks. When the tablet is released into the public, certain issues come to light.

Update: Here are the official details.

ASUS ZenPad 8.0 (Z580CA) Software Image Version: WW_V4.3.0 For WW SKU only
Improve Items:
1. Improve touch performance
2. Improve Auto Start Manager stability
3. Improve Launcher app stability

[source: Asus.com]

 

 

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