Asus Windows 8 tablet pricing LEAKED & comes in SKY high

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by HarryT

When I tear the keyboard off my ultrabook in order to be able to carry it around without a keyboard, I find that it has a detrimental effect on the device's functionality.

The whole point of this is that you sometimes want to use it with a keyboard (eg for typing stuff) and sometimes without (eg for reading).

Yep. It really isn't that difficult to figure out.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The whole point of this is that you sometimes want to use it with a keyboard (eg for typing stuff) and sometimes without (eg for reading).

... and you don't want two devices.

[Edward M. Grant]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The whole point of this is that you sometimes want to use it with a keyboard (eg for typing stuff) and sometimes without (eg for reading).

Have you actually used a tablet with a keyboard dock?

A laptop has all the heavy stuff under the keyboard. A tablet has all the heavy stuff in the screen. A tablet with a keyboard dock is a slow netbook with a touch interface that's continually trying to topple over.

I bought the dock with my Transformer thinking I'd use the keyboard a lot, but about all I do use it for is a quick power boost when the tablet battery is running out. If I actually need to type something I use the laptop instead.

[Edward M. Grant]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

The Asus may be crappy (obviously you have used it)

It's a Transformer with more RAM running Windows instead of Android.

I have a Transformer. It's a pretty good tablet but makes a crappy netbook for the reasons mentioned above.

Anyone buying this thing expecting to use it as a netbook instead of a tablet should just buy a netbook. It will do more for less and do it much better. It will also be upgradeable and run all your old Windows software.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by Edward M. Grant

I bought the dock with my Transformer thinking I'd use the keyboard a lot, but about all I do use it for is a quick power boost when the tablet battery is running out. If I actually need to type something I use the laptop instead.

Which model do you have?

[Edward M. Grant]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

Which model do you have?

TF300. But they're all essentially the same design, and putting the heavy stuff in the screen makes for lousy ergonomics when the keyboard is attached unless you're going to stuff the keyboard full of big batteries or depleted uranium weights to counterbalance it.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by Edward M. Grant

TF300. But they're all essentially the same design, and putting the heavy stuff in the screen makes for lousy ergonomics when the keyboard is attached unless you're going to stuff the keyboard full of big batteries or depleted uranium weights to counterbalance it.

Well, the mobile dock weighs 546g. If you keep the screen perpendicular to the dock I don't see why it would be a problem to keep it balanced.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Edward M. Grant

Have you actually used a tablet with a keyboard dock?

A laptop has all the heavy stuff under the keyboard. A tablet has all the heavy stuff in the screen. A tablet with a keyboard dock is a slow netbook with a touch interface that's continually trying to topple over.

I bought the dock with my Transformer thinking I'd use the keyboard a lot, but about all I do use it for is a quick power boost when the tablet battery is running out. If I actually need to type something I use the laptop instead.

While I don't really use the keyboard for my Transformer (TF101) as much as I thought I would I've never once had any kind of problem with it trying to topple over. In fact I found it to work quite well when I needed to do some longer form typing.

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by Edward M. Grant

Have you actually used a tablet with a keyboard dock?

A laptop has all the heavy stuff under the keyboard. A tablet has all the heavy stuff in the screen. A tablet with a keyboard dock is a slow netbook with a touch interface that's continually trying to topple over.

I bought the dock with my Transformer thinking I'd use the keyboard a lot, but about all I do use it for is a quick power boost when the tablet battery is running out. If I actually need to type something I use the laptop instead.

Sounds more like a problem with the keyboard that you're using.

I use a keyboard with my iPad2 and the keyboard that was included with the Student Edition with my GTab 2 7.0. No danger of tipping with either setup. But it is annoying to have to touch the iPad screen. My bluetooth mouse works with the GTab 2 and it is perhaps the most enjoyable keyboard/mouse w/tablet experience.

For the GTab 2, I keep the keyboard dock and mouse on my desk for use in my home office. Then when I'm on the go, remove the tablet from the dock and go.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Edward M. Grant

Have you actually used a tablet with a keyboard dock?

A laptop has all the heavy stuff under the keyboard. A tablet has all the heavy stuff in the screen. A tablet with a keyboard dock is a slow netbook with a touch interface that's continually trying to topple over.

I bought the dock with my Transformer thinking I'd use the keyboard a lot, but about all I do use it for is a quick power boost when the tablet battery is running out. If I actually need to type something I use the laptop instead.

I have an Acer Iconia Tab running Windows8 preview, and have never had a problem with it "trying to topple over". I have a 22" monitor and an external hard drive plugged into the keyboard dock, and when I leave the house, I just pull it off the dock and go. I also have the option of unplugging the monitor and external drive and taking both tablet and keyboard with me--they lock together for travel just like a traditional laptop. I would only do this if I was going on an extended trip. For everyday out and about just the tablet portion works fine.

Yes...I could use a laptop, and I did for years. I would much rather use this. It's perfect for my purposes.

Shari

[teh603]

Originally Posted by shalym

I have an Acer Iconia Tab running Windows8 preview,

Had any issues trying to run apps that don't have a digital signing key?

[shalym]

Originally Posted by teh603

Had any issues trying to run apps that don't have a digital signing key?

Not that I've noticed--do you have an example of one that I can test?

Shari

[teh603]

Originally Posted by shalym

Not that I've noticed--do you have an example of one that I can test?

Sure don't, sorry.

What it looks like is the sideloading system requires apps to have a signing key like App Store apps do, which means that MS now has a way to deny FOSS software whose maintainers probably don't have the money to shell out for a signing key of their own. It also allows them to deny competitors who might try to edge into one of their key markets- web browsers and office softwares.

I wonder what Teddy Roosevelt and William Taft would say about this, assuming they were brought up to speed on the technologies involved.

[wizwor]

Imagine you are working at a computer all day. At the end of the day, you pull your tablet out of the dock and head for home. It switches from wifi/ethernet to 4g for the ride home them wifi again once you get home. You get an email that requires attention beyond the capability of an email response, so you drop your tablet into a dock in your home office and proceed to solve the problem. In the morning you head to the airport with your tablet in tow. You keep in touch with the office as you travel to your destination. When you arrive at the hotel, you drop your tablet into the hotel's docking station and have the use of a full blown computer station. When you arrive at your business meeting, you again plug in your tablet for full computer access.

You cannot do that with a Fire or an iPad. These things have the potentional to be the next amazing paradigm in the evolution of personal computing.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by wizwor

Imagine you are working at a computer all day. At the end of the day, you pull your tablet out of the dock and head for home. It switches from wifi/ethernet to 4g for the ride home them wifi again once you get home. You get an email that requires attention beyond the capability of an email response, so you drop your tablet into a dock in your home office and proceed to solve the problem. In the morning you head to the airport with your tablet in tow. You keep in touch with the office as you travel to your destination. When you arrive at the hotel, you drop your tablet into the hotel's docking station and have the use of a full blown computer station. When you arrive at your business meeting, you again plug in your tablet for full computer access.

You cannot do that with a Fire or an iPad. These things have the potentional to be the next amazing paradigm in the evolution of personal computing.

I think an Intel tablet with Windows is the holy grail, if weight and battery life are good enough and it doesn't run hot. Instead of having 2 devices, a tablet and a PC, you only need one. You can install any program you like, including many that will never run on a tablet (like CAD). No need for apps, all websites work all the time. No restrictions, full multi-tasking.

Tablets with mobile OSs will become like the e-ink devices of today. Banished to the price range of $150.- and below as an ultra-cheap convenience, but they won't go away. Because by spending just a little bit more you will be able to get a full-fledged PC or Mac in a tablet and that can do so much more.

The alternative is, of course, that tablet OSs become more flexible and will be able to do the same things Windows can.