One of the nicest features of ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer is the
Keyboard/Docking Station
. For $150 (MSRP) you get a nice keyboard, two full sized USB ports, a full sized SD-HC slot, a second battery for your tablet, and a trackpad. The dock is as well made as the tablet. When connected you have a nice touchscreen netbook that shuts off when folded closed. The hinge is stiff enough to hold the tablet at any angle, with the weight of the battery in the dock keeping it from tipping backwards.
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| Together they make a perfect pair. |
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| Good friction in the tablet hinge. |
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| Top row includes Android, media, and utility keys. |
Special top row keys include (left to right)
- Back
- WiFi
- Bluetooth
- Trackpad on/off
- Backlight dim
- Backlight bright
- Backlight Auto
- Screenshot capture
- Web Browser
- Settings
- Previous Track
- Play/Pause
- Next Track
- Mute/Unmute
- Volume down
- Volume up
- Lock/Unlock (sleep/wakeup if no lock is set)
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| Left side features cable jack, reset, and USB port (under flap) |
When docked, the tablet's charger and cable connect to the dock instead. It will charge both the dock's battery and the tablet when connected. Also notice the slight lift of the keyboard's back edge by the tablet bracket when rotated up.
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| The right side features an SD-HC slot and another USB port (under flap). |
One of the nicest features the Dock brings to the tablet it the SD slot. It reads cards up to 32gb, and is the perfect way to import photos from your digital camera. Simply take the card from your camera and slide it into the side of the keyboard. A notification will show up on the tablet which you can tap on to bring up options to display the card content (folders and files) or eject it safely. You also have two USB ports for accessories or external storage. Android 3.1 supports an array of keyboards, mice and game controllers. That should make the
ASUS Eee Transformer the best device for Android game players out there.
Conclusion: If you own the Transformer, you need this keyboard/dock. Well built. Feature rich. A great value. Be warned though, as any price over $150 is from a scalper. Demand is high for this dock, and people are taking advantage by buying them up at MSRP and reselling them for more. Mine came from
Newegg.com
4D.
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I like your blog- a lot. It's current as far as stuff is concerned, but unlike a lot of tech sites, instead of trying to cover everything and doing it inadequately, you cover the things that most interest you, one item a time, in an in-depth manner. As a result I read all of your posts and no longer follow a couple more high profile sites at all.
ReplyDeleteI clicked on your ads.
Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks, Michael. When I have the time, I don't mind sharing what I've learned about a device. Usually I'm trying to answer all the questions I had when I first got interested in a product.
ReplyDelete4D
Interesting. I was I'm the boat of not getting the dock and just getting a bluetooth keyboard. Now I'm torn.
ReplyDeleteHi 4DThinker,
ReplyDeleteWould you make a review about this Samsung Galaxy S wifi 4.0 and 5.0 ?
http://www.samsung.com/sg/consumer/tv-audio-video/mp3-player/mp3-player/YP-G1CW/XSP/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail&tab=specification
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI'd love to, but so far I haven't found a place to buy them from in the U.S., and Samsung hasn't offered to loan me either. As they've been available in other coutries for quite awhile now, I'll probably skip these even if they do show up. Thanks for asking.
4D