The Transformer range of Android tablets
has become the jewel of Asus’s crown and the best alternative to Apple’s new
iPad. The Asus Transformer Pad Infinity keeps the excellent keyboard docking
station that made the range famous and adds and much improved high-resolution
screen.
Power is provided
courtesy of the Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core CPU, which has become de rigueur for
top-tier Android tablets. Special mention goes to the Infinity Pad’ gaming
prowess, as the fantastic screen and beefy processor combine to run any game
you’d care to download form Google Play.
Asus Transformer Pad Infinity
A weight subject
The Asus Transformer
Pad Infinity is 8.5mm thin by itself, and a chunkier 17mm when you connect it
to the keyboard dock. The aluminium frame is very attractive, and the
concentric circle design will throw off the light like spokes on a bicycle
wheel. The only downside to this design, as far as we can tell, is that the
grip isn’t as firm as when the rear of the tablet is given a slight rubberized
coating, à la the Blackberry PlayBook or Fujitsu Stylistic M532. The Asus
Transformer Pad Infinity is heavier than other tablets – such as the Fujitsu –
but it won’t cripple your biceps after 30 minutes reading an eBook.
The Asus Transformer Pad Infinity is
8.5mm thin by itself, and a chunkier 17mm when you connect it to the keyboard
dock.
The Infinity is also
well-built. The Gorilla Glass display will stand a real pounding, and the rest
of the chassis feels like it can take the inevitable knocks that occur out on
the road.
Android 4.0 comes
running out of the box. No word yet on when we can expect a Jelly Bean update,
but it should arrive soon.
The good news is that
Asus has left Google’s operating system more or less alone, and the Infinity
runs better as a result. There are a couple of extras thrown in for good
measure. For example, to remind you that you’re not buying a completely
soulless product, Asus has thrown in its own range of widgets and, of course,
the iconic tree wallpapers. You get several variations of this picture slotted
in among the rather bland, standard ICS wallpapers. There are also several exclusive
widgets to take advantage of, from relatively generic options such as Asus
E-Mail and Asus Weather to generally useful widgets such as Asus Battery and
Asus Task Manager. Extra widgets might not be the deciding vote on which tablet
you opt for, but these are well designed and informative extras that act as the
cherry on top of the Ice Cream Sandwich, enabling you to further customize the
five available homescreens. Asus has made the Transformer Pad Infinity a blank
canvas for you to download apps and widgets from the Google Play store and
customize it any way you want. Jus press and hold to place your desired app on
the homescreen. Because this is ICS, you can also drop apps into folders to
catalogue programs and save space.
“With the ready-made keyboard dock, it
almost doubles as a netbook”
Because the Asus
Transformer Pad Infinity comes with a ready-made keyboard dock, it doubles as
almost a netbook-like device, so if you’re interested in working on a tablet,
but have been put off by touchscreen keyboards, this is the answer. You’re
given a full version of Polaris Office, which enables you to open, edit and
share office documents such as word files, spreadsheets and presentations. Like
anything else, there are rival office apps on the Google Play market. Two of
the big hitters are Quickoffice and OfficeSuite, although these will set you
back around $15.50. Needless to say, the keyboard also comes in really useful
for typing out emails, and you have the standard Gmail app pre-installed, as
well as a generic email app to connect your chosen mailbox to.
Because the Asus Transformer Pad
Infinity comes with a ready-made keyboard dock, it doubles as almost a
netbook-like device
Two views
Asus has installed two
cameras on the Transformer Pad Infinity. The first is a front-facing 2MP camera
that you can use with Skype or similar apps for video chatting with friends and
family. The second is a rear-facing 8MP camera that does a good job of matching
your typical smartphone snapper, although we still feel you look slightly odd
standing up and taking pictures with a 10.1-inch tablet. You’re given a large
number of options to use, and can play with the exposure and the white balance
until you find your perfect setting. There also more universal shooting
options, such as switching the ISO and focus mode. You can adjust the cameras
to suit your shooting environment via scene mode, so if you’re typing to
capture images in low light, you can use the night setting. Or for moving
targets you can opt for the action setting.
Asus has chosen to put 2MP front and 8MP
rear cameras on its latest tablet.
Asus has almost
defined its tablets as the de facto alternatives to the iPad, and with this
offering it’s hard to argue. Tablets have been derided as consumption devices rather
than production devices in the past, but that time is well and truly over,
thanks to the number of apps available. No matter what your hobby, chances are
you’ll find an offering on Google Play to cater for it, and the quad-core Tegra
3 processor nestled inside the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity can run it. Add to
this the benefit of being able to snap-in a fully featured keyboard and
touchpad, and this device becomes a work platform as much as an entertainment
machine.
If you’ve already
bought the Asus Transformer Prime, you won’t need to upgrade – but if you’re
looking for a top Android tablet (and have the cash to splash), the Asus
Transformer Pad Infinity should be at the top of your list.
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Details
·
Price: $581.35
·
Website: www.simplyelectronics.net
Specification
·
Screen: 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200
·
Processor: 1.6GHz quad-core
·
RAM: 1GB
·
Storage: 32GB, 64GB
·
Cameras: 2MP (front), 8MP (rear)
·
OS: Android 4.0
·
Wireless: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
·
Battery: 25Wh
·
Connectivity: Micro HDMI, 3.5mm
The good
·
Full HD resolution, excellent battery life,
MicroSD connectivity
The bad
·
Tinny speakers, chassis doesn’t stay cool,
camera options could be improved
Dimensions
·
Height: 263mm
·
Width: 180.8mm
·
Depth: 8.5mm
·
Screen size: 10.1-inch
·
Weight: 537g
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