IT Pro Verdict

In terms of Android tablets, this is the best that you can currently buy and the keyboard dock gives it the edge if you want a device that you can really work on. That said, the iPad 2 is still that bit slicker and smoother to use. It also has a much wider selection of apps and also has a dock option, making it the better tablet.The iPad 2 also has better battery life – the Transformer can only match it when connected with the keyboard dock which also doubles its weight and adds bulk too. Nevertheless, if your tablet computing needs aren't met by the iPad and its more tightly controlled operating system, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer is the tablet to buy.

By David Ludlow

published 5 May 2011

in Reviews

For working on the go, Polaris Office is included. This Microsoft Office compatible office suite has word processing, spreadsheet and presentation apps. It's not bad, if only because it can create and edit PowerPoint presentations, but it can be annoying and frustrating to use. For example, it uses its own gestures for copying and pasting which are not only inconsistent with other Android 3.0 apps but don't work well the keyboard dock accessory there aren't any keyboard shortcuts and you can't use the cursor keys to select text. We'd suggest using an alternative but there's a very limited selection of Android 3.0-optimised apps available at the moment.

We were pleased to see that a GPS receiver is installed, so you can use location-aware applications when you're out and about. If you need a data connection, you'll need to tether this tablet to your mobile phone using either its 802.11n Wi-Fi or Bluetooth adaptors, as a 3G version is not currently available.

It's the physical keyboard accessory that's likely to garner the most attention. For the most part, it's a really good add-on. It's the same size and weight as the tablet, so it effectively doubles the thickness and weight of your computer to 26mm deep and 1.32kg. As an entire unit it has similar dimensions and weight to that of a regular netbook.

The keyboard was really well made with a metal surface that offers a decent amount of protection. The tablet clicks into place and is held firm by a strong catch. It's good that the screen can fold flat like a regular netbook, as this protects the screen and makes it easier to carry around.