Asus ConfirmsTegra 2-Based Eee Pad Slate PC
Asus has already confirmed that it will be entering the booming e-reader market later this year, but one device we haven't heard much about is the purported Eee Pad. In fact, we've only heard the Eee Pad referred to in rumor form, but all of that changes today. Asus' Corporate Vice President, Eric Chen, recently confirmed to members of the press that it's planning to release an Eee Pad in the future, and with the new revolution of tablets upon us, we could see Asus' play getting a lot of attention in the very short future.
He stated that an affordable touchscreen, 3G-equipped device in the form of a tablet would be unveiled later this year, and it will be equipped with NVIDIA's Tegra 2. That's not completely stunner, since we heard rumblings of such a device at CES 2010. However, when asked about Asus' reaction to the iPad, he stated the following:
Asus' Eee Pad Slate PC at CES 2010 - from NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang's presentation
Asus essentially created the netbook craze that we know now. It has proven that it can hold its own as a pioneer in an industry, and there's nothing stopping the company from doing the same thing in the tablet sector. Apple's iPad looks to be just the first of many tablets to come, but it remains to be seen if the public is finally ready for these slate-type devices. Remember, tablets/slates died out years ago, but those weren't nearly as sexy nor as powerful as these. Are you excited?
He stated that an affordable touchscreen, 3G-equipped device in the form of a tablet would be unveiled later this year, and it will be equipped with NVIDIA's Tegra 2. That's not completely stunner, since we heard rumblings of such a device at CES 2010. However, when asked about Asus' reaction to the iPad, he stated the following:
"A slate? Yes, sure. We have the Eee Pad. Which right now is still under development. Basically, it will have an ARM CPU and a 3G connection so you are always connected to the internet, so just like with the Eee Book you are always connected.
And you can choose to play video or something, when you like. Now the key is how to combine the content together. That will be the key. We have studied how people will want to connect to their content and also how they want to interact with the user interface (UI).
You look at the iPhone, for example. The reason the iPhone is so successful – and call quality is really not that good – is the UI function, I think, is just the best. So this is also the way that we need to improve."
Asus' Eee Pad Slate PC at CES 2010 - from NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang's presentation
