Asus EEE Pad Transformer: most versatile Android tablet

There are netbooks that are cheaper, lighter and more portable than laptops, but are still pretty functional. There are tablets that are more fashionable and portable than netbooks, but less functional, featuring no physical keyboard. And then there is the Asus Eee Pad Transformer, a device that can be used either as a tablet or as a netbook, combining what is best of both worlds.

Slim, light and portable by itself or extremely functional accompanied by the optional keyboard/docking station, the Transformer is probably the most popular Android gadget at the moment and for a reason…

Powered by an extremely snappy 1 GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor with 1 GB of RAM, Asus’s device provides a high level of performance, but also a nice design. Running Android 3.2 Honeycomb, the Transformer has access to loads of great apps, including video games and other Google goodies.

Featuring dual cameras (a 5 MPx rear-facing one and a 1.2 MPx front-facing one), 16 or 32 GB of internal storage space, as well as Wireless, Bluetooth 2.1, a mini HDMI port and a microSD card slot, which are practically all the basic things a tablet should feature, the Transformer can be connected to the optional keyboard to become much more than a simple slate.

Aside from the full-sized comfy and accurate keyboard and a pretty standard multi-touch touchpad, the Transformer gains an extra SD card reader and two USB 2.0 ports with the help of the docking station, but also additional battery life.

You will therefore be able to use your gadget without any interruption for around 16 hours, which is more than you could get from either a tablet or a netbook at the moment. Let’s not forget to mention the 10.1-inch IPS capacitive LED touchscreen with 1280 x 800 pixels resolution, perfect for playing any kind of video content, including HD.

If you are not convinced by the Transformer’s features and tech specs (unlikely, but possible nevertheless), you should also take a look at its pricing. The Asus hybrid starts at 385 dollars at the moment (the 16 GB version) and is also available for $466.53 (the 32 GB model). If you want all the functionality and the versatility of the optional keyboard station, you will have to add another 108 dollars to the bill, but overall you get what you pay for and even more.

See some other good Black Friday deals on Tablets and Touchscreen devices.