Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) previewed its next-generation Eee Pad Transformer tablet in Hong Kong yesterday, saying it will bet on both its tablet PCs and laptops.
At an All Things Digital Conference (AsiaD), Asustek chairman Johnny Shih (施崇棠) pulled the new pad from his briefcase.
INTERNAL WORKINGS
The Transformer Prime is a 10-inch model with a plug-in keyboard and a thickness of 8.3mm. It is powered by an Nvidia quad-core processor and runs Google’s Android 4.0 operating system, codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich.
It will be launched formally on Nov. 9, Shih said.
“We still think there is a great opportunity there,” Shih said, adding that he hoped to sell 2 million units of the Eee Pad Transformer this year.
There are places for tablets, such as on the couch or in bed, but there are other times when a keyboard is needed, he said.
The company has tablet models with plug-in keyboards and slide-out keyboards.
Shih also showcased Asustek’s new Ultrabook, a 1.2kg laptop equipped with an Intel core i7 processor, a next-generation solid-state drive (SSD) and USB 3.0 ports. It is seen as a response to Apple’s MacBook Air.
BLURRING BOUNDARIES
Shih said the boundary between smartphones, laptops and notebooks are blurring. Netbooks are also evolving and will be thinner and more cloud-connected in the future, he said.
“We believe that we have to bet on both,” he said. “Laptops also have to respond to the tablet trend.”
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