New Asus Transformer Book Trio ad Shows Android is for Fun & Windows is for Work

[dgstorm]

[video=youtube;dONghw1E45U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dONghw1E45U[/video]​

We aren't sure if we can fully agree with the point made in Asus' new Transformer Book Trio ad, but it is entertaining. The video above is for Asus' new hybrid product, which combines a removable Android based touch-screen tablet, with a Windows-endowed base unit. It can even be attached to a full sized monitor through HDMI converting it into a desktop PC. It is designed as the ultimate hybrid device for people on the go. The commercial implies that the Android side of things is for fun, but the Windows side of things is all business. Here's a rundown of some of its specs/features:

• Combines Windows 8 with Android.
• The Android tablet docks with the “keyboard”. In this mode, Windows is in control and uses an Intel Core processor and 4GB of RAM.
• When detached, Android controls the tablet using a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom Z2760 processor with 2GB of RAM.

It looks like Asus is really having fun and getting creative with the "Transformer" concept. Pretty soon we might see cars changing into giant robots and befriending teenagers! Gasp!

 

[leeshor]

That's pretty cool!

 

[johnomaz]

That's pretty cool!

Totally agree. I wonder if I can get my work to buy one for me. I'm in IT and I don't have any work space at one of my sites and need a laptop. Depending on the price, I would totally request this.

 

[cloud12077]

If the dock had a real graphics card I would purchase in a heart beat. My laptop has Intel HD Graphics and they really suck.

 

[liftedplane]

this is amazing again give the windows mode a true video card and I'd be all over this.

 

[gadgetrants]

You guys all realize the girl is not included, right? LOL

-Matt

 

[SwiftLegend]

Wonder how fluid the transition between the two will be. I feel like that will be a real deciding point for some.

Really want to see more, curious to see how it's handling running both OSes at the same time.

 

[cloud12077]

If I remember correctly there is a button you need to press to switch to windows mode. Otherwise it will run android with the dock.

 

[AECRADIO]

Smooth transitions required, not chuggy, slow adaptations to the 'other' mode of operation.
As for the commercial, it was nothing but lame.
What the commercial failed to show, was the bloatware that you will be faced with once you undock.

Will the transition time be reduced, or will there be a mode to enter prior to 'transforming' from one system to the other. Button presses are fine, the latency needs to be fully minimized so the look and feel will be as close to seamless as possible.
The need for a secondary application is probably running that is handling the calls to each system when one platform is being transitioned to the other, as Windows and Android my play together, there will be issues popping up during application handling and routine processor protocols being tasked within each system. Both need to be running, and identified as to which becomes priority task handler during the separation, the base must have an automatic shut down action or at least a 'sleep' mode until acted on by the rejoining of the two components.
Interesting concept, but with the commercial suggesting the Android platform as the fool's errant, is tacky.

Since this concept was introduced during the transition time of Jelly Bean to KitKat, were the initial releases based on JB, or were they all produced with the KitKat build?
If the commercial says anything to me,it tells me this is not quite ready for prime time. The OS and build needs refinement to play well as one.
This has the outward appearance of a mid-tier system, not fully developed to take on heavy graphics applications, or high level data handling tasks.
Will there be one type of OS/Build for storage of application data, or heavy graphics usage for a developers game porting or design?
Separate SD slots for both systems, separate cache, two distinct platforms, two separate structures of OS to deal with. What about porting apps from Android to Windows environments for meetings and productivity reports? Will there be a need to alter the reports to make them easily accessible to each OS, or is this simply a system of systems, with each OS being the dominant one in their own environment, and the ability to use either/or will be denied until the two are physically separate, which, as I consider this, appears to be the actual case here.
No big deal, they are trying to wow us with a dual platform machine, similar to dual boot, but with dual devices instead.
The hype and fervor has ended for me, I'll keep the Android phones and tablets, and keep using my dual boot WinBuntu laptop.

If I need data transfers from the phones or tablet, a simple USB cable is all I need, and I have dozens of SD cards at any time as well.
This reminds me of the Kangaroo(I do not recall the exact name) that was marketed during the Mac SE years, where you needed to remove the system ROMS from your Mac, and place them in your 'transportable' so you have a Mac-to-go. We(Zenith Data) acquired a copy of this machine for testing, and its build quality was better than Apple's, but the method the company used, made Crapple mad, as they assumed wrongly, that the ROMS were property of Apple, even in a customer's own machine, they assumed it was a patent infringement and fought back, the opponent was not viable enough to sustain the attack and folded.

Actually, there is nothing 'new' here, just a different take on an old idea, but with far newer platforms.
Apple fought this, and won, citing patent violations and trademark issues...Maybe ahead of its time then, certainly not now.

Come to think of it....The name was the OUTBOUND.
Read up on this fiasco, you will note the distinct similarities!
I do not remember the ending, but Zenith did not sell the Outbound once the fight began, as we also sold/service Apple, ZDS did not wish to become embroiled in any potential litigation.