Asus EeePad Transformer TF101 10.1 inch Tablet PC (nVidia Tegra2 1GHz, 1Gb, 16Gb eMMC, WLAN, BT, Android 3.0) with docking station and keyboard

So mine arrived today ... after the delay last month. This is my first tablet so I don't have much to compare it with - however I have come from a Android phone and I much prefer Android to the Iphone - hence my decision on this tablet. This is very much a first impression view.

When I switched it on, I had 2 firmware updated to do, one for the tablet and one for the keyboard - they only took 5 minutes.

Docking the screen into the keyboard was a little scary, however after reading the manual, and found the release catch, it slotted in with a satisfying click. The keyboard itself is really very good. It was the fact it has the keyboard that prompted me to get this one, because it's just so much easier to write docs, emails etc. Once it's docked, you get added benefits too, like doubling the battery life, access to 2 standard USB ports and a standard SD card slot. You can also put a microSD into the screen part itself, so while travelling, you're not limited to taking a few movies, you literally can take a handful with you.

As I have an Android phone, after hooking it up to my wi-fi and logging in with my gmail account, all the apps I was used to, auto downloaded. In the Google Market place website, your device will appear and you can pick apps and have them sent to your tablet over the air, just as you can with the phone - however I have noticed that some apps weren't available - such as Need for Speed (which would have been cool on the big screen) but I'm sure it'll be ported soon enough. Unlike Iphone apps running on the Ipad in a small letterbox in the center of the screen, Android apps that haven't been ported for the Tablet, still look fine, because they take up the whole screen anyway and space their content our accordingly.

Web browsing is a great experience. I'm just using the stock browser at the moment, but with Flash support, sites like the BBC news site are complete with in page video etc. I noticed that you don't get redirected to the mobile site ... for example, Facebook, so you get the full site, which always annoyed me a bit on my phone.

For more work related apps, it comes with an Office variant, which seemed to open the 2 MS Word documents I tested (2003 and 2010) and they maintained all of the formatting including tables, book marks, images etc. The keyboard is nice to work with and I don't think it'll become a problem - seems sturdy enough and doesn't feel any different to a notebook keyboard.

In my role as a IT nerd, I am hoping that I can take this with me on site and hook into serial ports of servers via the USB or via bluetooth serial plugs and provision systems (with the built in telnet client) without the need to lump a full sized laptop around with me.

I haven't really used it in anger yet, but it covers everything I have wanted to do with it so far. I have had one die hard Apple fan moaning that the screen switching isn't as smooth as the ipad - but the iphone was always smoother that the Android phones. Looks like Apple have put so much effort into animation, they forgot to make it compatible with anything else. (did I mention bluetooth? :))

I don't know if there will be a 3G version, but I'm happy to use my phone as a wifi hotspot if I need the net while I'm out and about.

So, in summary - if you are considering an Ipad - then you should really think about this as a valid alternative. If you're already an Android user - this is a no brainer.

I have to confess that I couldn't wait for Amazon stock so I got this early from Comet. I have waited a long time for a decent tablet that wasn't as restricted as the more popular brands and this most definitely is it.

Out of the box the contents are very well packed and protected by plastic film on seemingly every surface.
As well as the units there is a mains to usb adaptor and a short usb to ASUS lead. If you find the lead a bit short, which some people have complained about, just add a usb extension - simple. There are two small instruction manuals and a guarantee card. You can download a more extensive manual should you need it but Android is so intuitive it's not really needed.

The screen is a much more practical ratio than the iPad - being able to play HD widescreen movies without black bars and also has a higher resolution. The display is just as crisp, sharp and responsive, maybe even better.

The Android OS is excellent, being specifically designed for tablet pcs it has everything you want and if you already have an Android smartphone you will certainly recognise many features - including nice little tweaks like the absence of an `esc' key being replaced with a `back' key.

The tablet does not have a usb port - two are available on the keyboard dock - but it does have the micro sd slot which is brilliant for data expansion or transfer - there is also a full size SD slot on the dock.

Connection to wifi is a breeze and the beauty of Android means you can set up your smartphone as a wifi hot spot, connect to that and save £££s by not buying a 3G tablet - the shipped version comes with Honeycomb 3.0 which will not connect to Ad-Hoc wireless, only infrastructure mode, but I am assured that the update to 3.1, due to be delivered Over The Air today will allow Ad-Hoc connections.
An update to this comment is that I am now updated to Honeycomb 3.1 yet still cannot see Ad-Hoc networks. The update completed easily and successfully so I am chasing this with ASUS at the moment.....

Apps are coming to the market daily and although maybe fewer that the rival I'm sure they will soon catch up, with a lot more free ones always available - I haven't found a lack of anything that I've needed.

Processing speed seems faster to me than my mates iPad2, the browser supports Flash, a major omission on the iPad series, sound is great, the speakers are set on the short sides so watching movies has stereo sound in the right place.

Battery life is great - really great! And with the dock it's about 7 hours longer. A clever touch is if you are using it dock the power will be taken from the dock first so that on unmount you will have maximum power in the tablet.

Build quality is great too - it feels solid and has a textured back which looks like it won't scratch or become finger print greasy; also the rear camera is well placed so you won't cover it with your fingers.
I can't find anything to fault with this - it's a beaut! Oh yes, if you like graphic novels you now have a full colour ebook reader.....

This is day 3 of using the Asus transformer with the optional keyboard and I would have to say that it is a good bit of kit.

The battery life is loooong, with the keyboard connected, it lasts for days with normal use. The screen is very sharp and it's very snappy with smooth scrolling and fast performance. It makes the Samsung Tab I have here seem slow.

A couple of funnies, at the time of writing, BBC iplayer does not display pictures but I would put this down to Android 3 and not the Asus. The facebook app is a little unstable, but again, I would blame the newness of the OS for this.

Some of the apps still rotate the screen to portrait mode overriding the orientation lock but again, early days android 3.0

The GPS and wifi seem more sensitive than the Tab.

I am really using this as a netbook with the keyboard but so far so good. detaching the keyboard is quick and looks solid and the unit can stay on whilst you dock and undock.

Good value, solid and works very well.