ASUS has been delivering Android tablets with a twist for quite some time now, and its take on the tablet is one that has turned heads and garnered a loyal following. The ASUS Transformer range of tablets -specifically the latest two models, the TF300 and the Infinity - offer an extremely versatile and portable option to the user, and the channel would do well to take note.
"The ASUS Transformer, when it first came out, had sceptics question whether the additional keyboard dock was nothing more than an attempt to make more money," says Levina de Matos, ASUS product manager at Tarsus Technologies. "However, it soon became apparent that it was a stroke of genius with the keyboard offering a quick and easy interface as well as a unique way of transporting the Transformer without damaging it."
The ASUS Transformer TF300 has received critical acclaim for its robust design, versatility and price point. The mobile dock that comes standard with the TF300 not only gives a full QWERTY to busy hands, but also additional ports and battery life. With both the tablet and the dock at full charge, users can get at least 15 hours' of standard computing while on the move. The tablet also has an IPS panel, NVIDIA Tegra 3 4-Plus-1 quad-core CPU and 1 080p HD video playback. It's a bit of a multimedia charmer, too.
The ASUS Transformer Infinity is the Lamborghini of Transformer tablets. It runs the Android OS and in addition to the features outlined in the TF300, you also get SonicMaster audio technology, the most powerful NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core CPU at 1.6GHz, video recording in HD, and 1 920 x 1 200 full-HD screen that is ultra-bright at 600nits and rather perfect for working in the bright African sunlight.
"The Transformer Infinity looks like an ASUS labour of love," adds De Matos. "It has been designed to offer the user every convenience and luxury they can think of in a tablet. And it comes with the handy keyboard dock that transforms the tablet into a mini Ultrabook for easy transport and working on the go."
The use of the Android operating system is also a stroke of genius, and ASUS is also known for delivering the latest in Android updates swiftly, and to its top tier tablets. In the last round of updates, it was the Transformer TF300 that received it first. This means the channel can always set the ASUS tablets forward as future-proof and well supported by the manufacturer.
"Android continues to garner support in the mobile market, and, according to the IDC, they outstripped Apple in unit shipments in the first quarter of the year," concludes De Matos. "Android has a 56.5% market share with 27.8 million shipments in Q1 2013. That's an impressive start to the year and bodes well for companies like ASUS, which designs tablets that take full advantage of what Android has to offer."
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