ASUS outs Tablets 600 and 810, Transformer-like slates running Windows 8

ASUS outs Tablet 600, a Transformerlike Slate running Windows RT

How many times have we posted a review of an ASUS Transformer tablet only to read comments that say, "Put Win8 on it and I'll buy it." Well, folks, it's time to put your money where your mouth is. ASUS just announced the Tablet 600 and the Tablet 810, two Transformer-like slates running Windows 8. The difference? The 600 is an ARM-based tablet running Windows RT, while the 810 is a full-fledged Intel-powered model with full Windows 8 installed.

Like any Android-powered Transformer, the 600 packs a quad-core Tegra 3 chip, except it has twice the RAM (2GB). At the center of it all is a 10.1-inch, 600-nit, 1366 x 768 Super IPS+ display with viewing angles similar to what you'll find on current Transformer tablets. Around back, it has an auto-focusing 8-megapixel camera with an LED flash, complemented by a 2-megapixel shooter up front. Other specs include WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and your usual array of sensors, including GPS, a gyroscope, e-compass and, last but not least, NFC.

Moving on, the 810 features an unspecified Intel Medfield CPU with 2GB of RAM. Like the 600, it has a Super IPS+ display with 1366 x 768 resolution, only the panel here is a bit larger, measuring 11.6 inches. What's more, this guy makes use of a Wacom dual digitizer, allowing for both pen and finger input.

And that's not all: we've got video demos of both devices -- head past the break to see 'em in action.

Continue reading ASUS outs Tablets 600 and 810, Transformer-like slates running Windows 8

ASUS outs Tablets 600 and 810, Transformer-like slates running Windows 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 03:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel adds rugged Studybook tablet to its student-friendly Classmate lineup

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File this under: "Wait, that didn't happen already?" Intel just announced the Studybook, that tablet you see up there, and believe it or not it's only the first slate to join the company's lineup of Classmate products for schools. That's sort of wild, given the popularity of tablets and also the fact that there are so many kid-proof models floating around. And yet, the closest Intel had come until now was with the Convertible Classmate PC, a device that was more of a netbook with a touchscreen.

Like the rest of Intel's Classmate series, the Studybook is meant to find a home in schools here in the US and around the globe, including developing markets. And by most measures, this reference design is exactly the kind of product you would have expected Intel to cook up for such an audience. Starting with raw specs, you're looking at a 7-inch (1024 x 600), Atom-powered tablet that can be configured to run either Android or Windows 7, depending on the school district's needs. As you'd expect, it's been designed to take a beating from careless kids: the plastic, 525-gram (1.2-pound tablet) can withstand 70-centimeter (2.3-foot) drops and has a rubber band reinforcing the bezel to keep sand and other elements out. You'll also find rubber gasketing around the ports, which include USB 2.0, HDMI, a headphone jack and microSD / SIM slots. Though it comes standard with 1GB of RAM, the amount of built-in storage will vary from school to school: four to 32 gigs, or a 128GB SSD.

Just as important as the specs is the software package, which includes Kno's e-reader app, as well as the LabCam suite, which lets you do things like attach a special lens (sold separately) to use that rear-facing 2-megapixel camera as a microscope. As for price, Intel is quick to emphasize it doesn't set the cost (that would be OEMs), but it believes manufacturers who use this design can sell the finished product for $200 or less. No word, then, on when this might show up in a classroom near you, but for now we've got hands-on photos below and a pair of walk-through videos just past the break.

Continue reading Intel adds rugged Studybook tablet to its student-friendly Classmate lineup

Intel adds rugged Studybook tablet to its student-friendly Classmate lineup originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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