Asus ditches Android for Windows 8 in new Transformer laptop/tablet
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The headline implies they're dropping the Android version, is that true? The article itself doesn't say one way or the other. The Windows version is clearly a new hardware product (e.g., riddled with air vents), but did the current Android version fail in the marketplace?
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Wonder why they went this route first. I would think a Win RT ARM based one would be a lot more appealing. Lack of metro software I guess?
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They announced both.Brandon B":3m1c6iew said:
I'd imagine they'll also release an Atom version as well with fewer air vents (if they do it right they may even be able to get rid of the fan), but such a device is less sexy than the Core chips.
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these high-powered, hybrid devices shouldn't be expected to perform like low-powered, non-hybrid tablets--at least, not yet. they will have vents, they will be heavier, and their battery life will be lower. after all, they're primarily laptops so this should be expected. the value in these devices is their flexibility. if one is looking solely for a tablet, then they should probably consider an ARM device, but people who want a laptop and also desire tablet functionality will be served well by these hybrid machines.
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I hope they have the sense to at least virtualize Android. I have a lot invested in Android on a tablet and my next tablet will hopefully either dual boot or have Android as an option. Android is made for tablets and phones and a touch interface. Windows 8 not as much..... yet.
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Major General Thanatos":11s2d2dz said:
Sounds like they are putting more eggs in the Windows basket.
Who is really going to want a dual boot desktop that runs android and windows? Seems like an odd product to release. Even with a touch screen, android really has no place on the desktop. ChromeOS would have been a better fit.
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YourOldBuddy":1hlbb7k6 said:
They can add a runtime environment to run Android alongside Metro.. (similar to Wine or Java VM).
Although I find it unlikely, since it would not be in their interest to run a competing platform alongside their own.
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Seems Asus has forgotten its competitor is the IPad. Who wants a heavy, hot tablet, or a poorly designed notebook?
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YourOldBuddy":1og72q1y said:
To the contrary, I would argue that the current hybrid that is Windows 8 is ideally suited for hybrid form factors like the Asus Transformer. I have been running the release preview on my HP Touchsmart convertible laptop, and I find myself using the touchscreen portion of the interface all the time.
Windows 8 works awesome on my touch screen; even better on the traditional desktop than the stock Windows 7 install was, to the point where I prefer the touchscreen and keyboard combo in lieu of keyboard/mouse.
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Danrarbc":i9m0f4w8 said:
Well the intel versions can join a domain... so this is nice
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THIS is what I've been waiting for before jumping on the tablet bandwagon. Still don't know if I'd go for x86 or ARM, though. WinRT is probably enough for my needs, especially if I can remote desktop to my home pc, and there's bound to be someone who manages to dual-boot Android on it... WinRT + Android on a full-HD Transformer Tablet? Who do I write the check to??
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perhaps there is some element of escapism to a tablet? i actually enjoy that i'm not stuck with work-related tasks like editing office documents. so far i have been keeping productivity apps off of my ipad and just use it to goof around. some 2D games, some web surfing, that's enough for me. turning it into a productivity machine seems like someone else's dream, not mine.
perhaps my feelings on this are in the minority, however i'm pretty sure i'm not alone.
perhaps my feelings on this are in the minority, however i'm pretty sure i'm not alone.
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What is up with all the Android hate from the wired media lately? It at least used to be hidden a little bit better but not it's in the headlines. If you guys are going to call yourselves a news outlet or at least trade rag then maybe be a bit more nonpartisan.
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What a terrible, terrible headline. They are NOT dropping Android. In fact they are even having some upcoming Android tablets in the pipeline, and they are even making Google's tablet. They are just making Windows 8 tablets, too.
How can you say they are DROPPING Android? What a stupid thing to say.
How can you say they are DROPPING Android? What a stupid thing to say.
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Snarky Robot
Ars Legatus Legionis
lucianarmasu":2w42n8cj said:
"ditches android for Windows 8 IN NEW TRANSFORMER LAPTOP/TABLET.
Sweet Jesus. It's not hard. The Transformer line used to be Windows 7 + Android.
Now, the Transformer line is going to be Windows 8...and that's it.
So they dropped Androind IN THE TRANSFORMER LINE.
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lucianarmasu":3r50oomv said:
Technically, it's true. They are dropping/ditching Android... for this device. Likewise, you could say that all Android devices are ditching Windows.
The writers on this site are just as obnoxious as normal anonymous fanboys, except that they have the social influence and power of that goes with the site.
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So...how is this different from the ASUS Slate? Save for the presence of the Ivy Bridge Core vs a SB Core. IIRC the Slate runs Windows with all the components we've come to expect of midrange computers, including an Intel CPU and 4gb of RAM. Windows 8 is touch oriented, but it's definitely not going to sway me. I really dislike the new Windows OS, so I think I'm gonna stick with the Transformer TF101 I'm writing this comment on. Cheers for the dual boot Win/And computer though, that I absolutely love and will be making my next project after putting AOKP on this Transformer.
Side note: with a bit of hackery, hardware like mine has the usability of way more powerful devices. Don't get sucked in by specs including a Core i7 etc...I'm wait to see how this pans out before passing total judgement though.
Side note: with a bit of hackery, hardware like mine has the usability of way more powerful devices. Don't get sucked in by specs including a Core i7 etc...I'm wait to see how this pans out before passing total judgement though.
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Viewer":2h6mk1dy said:
You should demand a full refund. Don't take this headline lying down. You can't support fanboys like this.
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Operative Alex":1i8lsohl said:
Apparently it is pretty hard to understand, because you have it wrong. Asus is still developing Android-based Transformer tablets. They're just expanding their Transformer line to include Windows 8 as well.
It's a bad headline. Bad headlines happen, even at Ars.
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kleinma":3w07a8d8 said:
It seems horrible timing, Win8 with a SSD is pretty fast booting and the only reasoning for a secondary OS like this I've seen is to have instant-on. I can't really imagine a situation where I'd prefer a gimped OS over waiting 10 seconds. Plus it opens up all kinds of security issues.
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MS has been known to subsidize OEM's
as I am wondering why you would choose a brand new platform with licensing costs over a platform that is more mature and costs nothing per unit to license (unless I am wrong on Android costs)
as I am wondering why you would choose a brand new platform with licensing costs over a platform that is more mature and costs nothing per unit to license (unless I am wrong on Android costs)
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theJonTech":2f4kc58d said:
Because there is a lot Windows 8 can do that the Android OS simply can't or doesn't yet do.
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nofundsleft":3myjxpqr said:
Aye, I'm with you here. I'm not sure some of these companies understand the appeal of a tablet. And based on sales, maybe that's true of consumers as well. These hybrid laptop / tablets are certainly intriguing. My view is that if you want a laptop form factor, just get a laptop.
A tablet fills an entirely different use pattern IMO.
daemonios":3myjxpqr said:
I think Microsoft is closing off WinRT to other boot options using that SecureBoot stuff. In theory you won't be able to boot any other OS.
Eventually I'll probably get something that does Ubuntu and Android, since Ubuntu will provide a full desktop application stack unlike WinRT which is pretty much Metro-only. And with Cortex A15 coming, you'll be able to run both OSes simultaneously; no need to dual-boot.
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The headline is stupid and an example of an increasing trend at Ars. That is trying to boost excitement by amplifying conflict. Anyone who makes the effort to use their head should understand that hardware makers are going to try offering any kind of hardware that users might buy. Certainly many of them will try to ride Microsoft's effort to promote Windows 8 by offereing tablets that run Windows 8. If customers rush to buy those tablets and forget about Android, so will the hardware makers. If customers are divided, hardware makers will offer both. The future is uncertain. But, a couple of facts are clear. Microsoft is used to a PC business where they had and still largely have overwhelming dominance. In contrast, in the phone and tablet business, Microsoft will be happy for a while if they can establish any kind of market presence. A solid third place in phones would look very good to them. A second fact is that the history of Microsoft's efforts in me too businesses has not been that good. Consider MSN, Zune, Bing, their advertising business, and Windows Phone. At best they have managed to plod along in these businesses. In no case, have they managed to challenge for market leadership. In spite of being a competent product, Zune went nowhere. Two Christmas seasons have passed and Windows Phone still has not esatblished any kind of market presence. Certainly there is a good chance that with enough marketing effort Microsoft will manage to establish some kind of presence with Windows Phone. Whether Windows 8 tablets do better competing with iPad than Zune did competing with iPod remains to be seen. Microsoft may be making more of an effort to appeal to those who operate at the intellectual level of the author of this article. But the history of their appeals to those people is not that good. Meanwhile, they are not making much effort to provide anything new to those who they have depended on for the core of their business.
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I am interested to see how they can add all the components required to make a self-contained Windows tablet run within the screen portion of the laptop, without significantly adding weight to the keyboard portion of the device to balance it out.
I'm sure, the keyboard portion will have a big ol' battery and connection ports, but hopefully they can make the screen/cpu side light enough not to create one big bulky device.
I'm sure, the keyboard portion will have a big ol' battery and connection ports, but hopefully they can make the screen/cpu side light enough not to create one big bulky device.
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Has anyone else noticed the 1920x1080 at 11.6" part? I'm not sure if that's referencing the 14" screen, but if it isn't, it sounds like that could be the resolution of a new Macbook Air, and possibly a new standard of resolution for tablets in the future.
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On the vents, those make a lot of sense when you consider how Ivy Bridge ULV chips work. In "normal" mode they're a 17W cTDP. However, they have a cTDP Up mode (different to prior chips) that when connected to a dock with mains power and cooling the chip goes up to 25W. That likely means a fan is in the dock that blows air into the tablet which needs a way out. It may be the same with the GPU too.
Existing Core i7 tablets aren't that vent-ridden and Ivy Bridge is meant to have less heat leakage than Sandy Bridge, so I assume this is the reason for it.
Battery life probably isn't as bad as suggested either, the series 7 slate got over 3 and a half hours. This one should be better with an aim towards sipping power until it hits a dock and apps will use up a significantly lower portion of the hardware available in many situations (since many Metro apps will be aimed at ARM chips, they'll have pretty low requirements. If you're running Crysis 3 on it, probably won't last so long).
Existing Core i7 tablets aren't that vent-ridden and Ivy Bridge is meant to have less heat leakage than Sandy Bridge, so I assume this is the reason for it.
Battery life probably isn't as bad as suggested either, the series 7 slate got over 3 and a half hours. This one should be better with an aim towards sipping power until it hits a dock and apps will use up a significantly lower portion of the hardware available in many situations (since many Metro apps will be aimed at ARM chips, they'll have pretty low requirements. If you're running Crysis 3 on it, probably won't last so long).
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Sounds like the time when Asus ditched Linux when it was making the eeePc, Microsoft is probably muscling them out of with Android cross licensing deals. Well I hope Asus will learn from this like Nokia has, because this will possibly sink the whole Transformer line. Have fun playing hopscotch on your Metro tablet.
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Quote the contrary, a lot of the use for a laptop is really transferable to a tablet.jwcalla":2iqazbbr said:
In my department the others thought a you do, until I got am Asus Transformer and the dock. Now everyone of us has a keyboard for our tablet (4 iPads of various models, an Acer, and my Transformer) and use them pretty heavily. There are certainly places a full PC is better, but the gap is closing surprisingly fast.
A documentation wiki with a tablet is pure bliss.
Remember that most users, probably even on Ars, don't simultaneously use windows all that much.
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papadage":23scljak said:
Ever heard of this thing called portrait mode? It is this amazing little thing where you turn the wide screen tablet so it is taller than it is long, and then magically the screen is in the same form factor as the document you are reading. Simply amazing!
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