The Asus Eee Pad has been unveiled but we’ll have a wee wait before we can get our hands on it. The 10in Asus Eee Pad EP101TC and the 12in Asus Eee Pad EP121 both come packing Windows 7 and aren’t set to be released until 2011. That’s bad news if you had your fingers-crossed for the imminent arrival of an iPad rival from Asus. Read on to see whether the Eee Pad specs will be worth the wait…
Though Asus announced two Eee Pad models at Computex, it’s only given proper details for the 12in Asus Eee Pad EP121 so far. It’s packing an Intel Core 2 Duo CULV processor to power Windows 7 Home Premium and claims an iPad-matching 10 hour battery life.
While the Eee Pad EP121’s 12in multitouch screen has a virtual keyboard and handwriting recognition, there’s also a keyboard dock accessory. We’re promised an integrated webcam and can expect at least a couple of USB ports to be packed in there too.
The smaller 10in Eee Pad EP101TC will run Windows Embedded Compact 7 (the new name for Windows CE) and weigh in at 675g and 12.2mm thick. That will make it lighter and thinner than the iPad which comes in at 13.4mm thick and 680g in its Wi-Fi only form.
We had previously heard that the Eee Pad release date could be as soon as July but it seems that was just wishful thinking by Far Eastern rumour mongers. Asus has confirmed that we’ll have to wait until Q1 2011 for the first two Eee Pad models. A version running Android is also still on the cards.
Asus has a big press conference penciled in for later today so expect to hear more details on the Eee Pad then. Let us know what you think: can a Windows 7 tablet like the Asus Eee Pad compete with the iPad? Or do Android powered options like the Dell Streak look like a better bet?
Due Q1 2011 | £TBC | Asus
