Asus confirms Eee Pad will pack ARM CPU and 3G

[Matthew DeCarlo]

If you're sick of hearing about Apple's iPad, perhaps a dose of Asus' Eee Pad is in order. In a chat with TechRadar, Asus' corporate vice president Eric Chen confirmed the tablet, and even revealed a few details about the device.

According to Chen, the Eee Pad is still under development. It will be powered by an Arm processor and feature a 3G chip "so you are always connected to the Internet." Chen also noted that there was a strong emphasis on the device's user interface. "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 we need to improve."

Chen didn't validate rumors of the device carrying Nvidia's Tegra 2, nor did he speak of its purported $500 price tag. Considering the Arm chip and talk of a custom UI, the Eee Pad will probably run Android -- perhaps even Chrome OS -- rather than Windows 7.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/37751-asus-confirms-eee-pad-will-pack-arm-cpu-and-3g.html

 

[Basher]

Hopefully this won't be "magical" and can actually use this Oh-So-New technology we call "Flash".

 

[nbrunt]

Well if it is actually a proper computer it might have some decent specs. I just think the iPad's 1GHz processor is a joke. No webcam, no multitasking, no point. Just get a netbook or the HP slate.

 

[9Nails]

Microsoft doesn't have Windows 7 running on ARM right? So will this be running Android or some custom Asus Express Gate OS? This would be interesting to watch, but I think Apple has the jump on a slick user interface that runs on an ARM CPU.

 

[Guest]

The hype surrounding the iPad's launch would make the average consumer think Apple is the only manufacturer out there. Let's hope a competitor emerges...

I just hope at least one manufacturer looks beyond the google's android/chromeos choices and gives us geeks a properly spec'd machine. RAM is cheap - give us 4GB so we can run real software. Include a mini HDMI connector so we can output to 1080i HD displays. Include a USB port so we can attach a mouse, keyboard, memory stick etc via a hub. i.e. a desktop replacement we can run linux on, yet that we can undock to read Slashdot on the bus via 3G.

I wouldn't buy a netbook because a cramped keyboard and Windows 7 on a crippled Atom platform equals a poor user experience. A tablet with specs above for $US400-500, yes please!

I'm surprised businesses don't get on board with a headless version - these things make for a silent office and consume far less power. a dual-core 1Ghz CPU is plenty fast enough when not shackled to Windows. Plus, nvidia's embedded GPU (Tegra 2) would still spank any integrated Intel graphics.

 

[Guest]

Where can I get an HP Slate?

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Steal one from a factory in China. Otherwise, nowhere yet. It's supposed to launch in June, I believe.