Never one to shy away from challenging ideas, Asus has unveiled a brand new ‘three-in-one’ laptop-tablet hybrid that contains two Intel CPUs so it can run Windows 8 and Android.
Dubbed the Asus Transformer Book Trio, this gender bending tablet joins the ranks of the hybrid ‘Transformer’ currently headlined by the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity, and similar hybrid concepts like the Asus Padfone 2.
Asus Transformer Book Trio specs
The basic specs include an 11.6-inch screen with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. It’s an IPS screen, too, and built into the screen segment is an 2GHz Intel Atom processor and 64GB of storage that allows it to be used as an Android tablet.
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The PC ‘base station’ meanwhile will feature a 4th generation Intel Core i7 processor (Haswell) and a 750GB hard drive, as well all the bits that make it a laptop, such as USB ports and a memory card slot.
Like previous Transformers, each segment has its own battery, too.
Asus Transformer Book Trio release date and price
No word yet on a release date or price for the Asus Transformer Book Trio, but we’d wager ‘not soon’ and ‘very expensive’.
Comment: Do we need Windows-Android hybrids?
Andy Vandervell, deputy editor
Asus has a track record of wacky, brave products and is particularly enamored with the idea of hybrids. The Asus Transformer Book Trio is undoubtedly its most ambitious hybrid yet, but is it one that can work? I have my doubts. It has separate hardware for the laptop and tablet segments, which is bound to drive the price way beyond most people’s budgets – the only ‘common’ element is the screen. I’m happy to applaud Asus’ bravery and innovation, but is a Windows-Android tablet what the world needs? I don’t think so.
How about you?
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
