Asus Transformer AiO 18.4 Inch Docking Windows 8 Android Tablet Announced

geeky-gadgets.com ^ | Tuesday 5th June 2012 7:33 am | Roland Hutchinson

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Asus has announced another new device at this years Computex, the Asus Transformer AiO, which is a tablet with a giant display that can also be used as an all in one computer.

The Asus Transformer AiO is a dual boot device that will run Microsoft’s Windows 8 OS and Google’s Android OS, and the device features a 18.4 inch touchscreen display.

[kevkrom]

The Asus Transformer AiO comes with a removable display which will function like a tablet, although it works in conjunction with the docking station and obviously needs to be in a certain range with the base for the device to work.

So, not so much a tablet as a portable display tethered to a base station.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Microsoft is going to permit this to happen?

The world is changing!

I want an AMD Trinity in it.

[Bobalu]

[Bobalu]

[kevkrom]

Microsoft is going to permit this to happen?

What could they do to stop it even if they wanted to? As long as the hardware supports Windows 8, why can't an OEM pre-install both it and another OS (Android, Linux, BSD, Solaris, etc.) in dual-boot mode?

Frankly, with all of the buzzwords this product seems to be trying to hit, I'm sure they would have put OS X and/or iOS on it if Apple's licensing would have let them, just to complete the set.

[dayglored]

> not so much a tablet as a portable display tethered to a base station.

It's probably just a wireless monitor with a few built-in tablet-like features and a lot of fancy marketing hype.

[Gay State Conservative]

And it will cost how much??

[skinkinthegrass]

"cost?"cost? / what cost? ... rem: the old line, "if ya have to ask; you can't afford it"
unless you're mooschell or a Saudi Princess..OP$.

[smokingfrog]

Too big for a tablet and a touch screen is just not that useful in a desktop computer. I like the idea of dual booting tho.

[kevkrom]

It's probably just a wireless monitor with a few built-in tablet-like features and a lot of fancy marketing hype.

Of course it's a lot of fancy marketing hype. Many "products" like this are just convention-show gimmicks that never see the light of day (or have such limited sales runs that it amounts to the same thing).

[JerseyHighlander]

Microsoft is trying to lock out all other OS by forcing secured EFI/UEFI boot signatures, using “UEFI Secure Boot” feature on the motherboard.

ASUS and most other OEMs told MS to stick it.
Most of the Linux distros also told MS to stick it.

If ASUS rolls out this high end show piece, it usually takes ASUS less than a one year cycle for this tech to filter down to high range consumer products actually on the shelves.

[dangerdoc]

“Of course it’s a lot of fancy marketing hype.”

Basically this is just a big Transformer with a little more RAM that uses an Atom instead of ARM. This is not such a big leap, I wouldn’t be supprised to see it on the shelves this year.

OTOH, I have a transformer and it is a great little machine but it is great because it is little, I don’t see the advantages of this form factor in a machine of this size.

[discostu]

It has a touchscreen so it can be a pure tablet, it also has a dock for people that think touchscreens are of the devil.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

So, not so much a tablet as a portable display tethered to a base station.

This seems to be a stupid step backwards.

Previous Asus Transformers would operate autonomously in tablet mode. When connected to the keyboard/base, it would double the battery life among other more obvious advantages. I desire one seriously.

[Marine_Uncle]

RE: "Microsoft is going to permit this to happen?"
It would appear they have little choice otherwise.

[kevkrom]

This seems to be a stupid step backwards.

To be fair, this was the characterization in a tech article, and the reliability of analysis in tech publications/blogs tend to be ridiculously poor.