Posted on Connected Internet - tech, mobile and gaming news.
Asus’ recently launched Eee Slate EP121 is a device that runs on Windows 7 Home Premium. This is a tablet type device that has a 12.1-inch capacitive multi touch LED-backlit 1280 x 800 display.
It is powered by an Intel Core i5-470UM processor and comes with optional SSD storage capacities of 32GB and 64GB, and a system memory of 4GB. All models of the Eee Slate EP121 feature specifications including 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, a 2-megapixel camera and a 2-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC). The device has two USB 2.0 ports that enable connections between a variety of devices ranging from external Blu-ray drives to keyboards. There is also a mini-HDMI port that is suited for connections with external displays.
The device is well built, neatly designed and quite sturdy. The back plate has a cover with a leatherette finish that introduces a hint of luxury in the design, thereby setting it apart from other plastic tablets available in the market.
Being powered by Windows 7 and iCore, the device serves merely as a keyboard-less laptop and struggles to carry out the functions of a tablet as expected.
However, with the help of USB and Bluetooth connectivity, users can add a keyboard to the device. Since the design does not include a kicker, it becomes necessary for the user to arrange for a stand. Like in other Asus tablets, there is also an option of using the digitizer pen that comes with the Eee Slate EP121. This pen makes it much easier to draw and write on the device, and is quick on responding and is very sensitive to pressure. Of course, users can also operate the device by using their fingers on the touch screen display.
The device, as claimed by Asus, is capable of 10-finger multi-touch support and allows pinch and zoom gestures during web browsing. However, Windows 7 not being made from ground up as a touch based OS posits quite a few standard problems when using the device. This is why most new tablets in the market are using Android, which was meant to be touch-based from the get go. At 1145 grams, the Eee Slate EP121 is also quite heavy (In comparison, the iPad weighs 680 grams). Therefore, it becomes difficult to carry the device around without a bag. For a tablet device that is meant to be used , that is a serious set back.
The device has a wide 187 degree viewing angle, which makes it great as a multimedia device on the move. It will be easy for two people to share the tablet between them. But is expensively priced at $999, which makes it costly for a device that can be used just for watching movies at home and costlier than the iPad, which it is competiting against just by being the form factor that it is. However, the Intel Core i5-470UM processor and the large SSD storage capacity make the device extremely powerful and excellent in its speed and performance.
But with its size and heavy weight, the Eee Slate EP121 is hardly like other tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Apple iPad. Windows 7 is not a suitable platform for touch-based operation. Unlike companies like Dell, which has developed a more touch savvy interface on top of the basic Android, Asus has not made any effort to produce an interface that is more suited to touch. This is actually a let down because the machine is otherwise quite capable of getting things done.
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