The ASUS VivoTab Smart will become available in the UK on 31st January but it will be known as the VivoTab ME400 over here. This is an “affordably priced 10.1-inch tablet with TranSleeve Keyboard [which] provides full compatibility with existing Windows software and hardware.” Tech enthusiasts have been disappointed that many Windows 8 tablets have been announced with sky-high pricing. Acer has made noises about addressing this market opportunity but it looks like ASUS will gain first mover advantage.
The Vivo Tab Smart was first announced at the beginning of January alongside the Zenbook Touch U500VZ. In summary the new tablet is a 10.1-inch screened device that runs the full Windows 8 OS, it is powered by a 1.8GHz Intel dual core Atom™ Z2760 CPU and has a specially made optional docking keyboard accessory.
ASUS VivoTab ME400 Windows 8 Tablet specs
|
CPU |
1.8GHz Intel® Atom™ Z2760 Dual-core paired with 2GB of RAM |
|
Display |
10.1“ Ratio: 16:9 ( 1366x768 ) LED Backlit screen with 178° wide viewing angle IPS panel |
|
Storage |
64GB eMMC |
|
Networking |
WLAN 802.11 b/g/n at 2.4GHz, Bluetooth V4.0 |
|
Interfaces |
1 x Micro HDMI, 1 x Micro SD Card Reader (support SDXC compatible card), 1 x Micro USB, GPS, G-Sensor, Light Sensor, Gyroscope, E-compass, NFC |
|
Camera |
MP, F2.2, Lens: 5P, Auto-focus (rear) with LED flash, 2 MP(front) with LED indicator, 1080p video recording |
|
Audio |
2-in-1 Audio Jack (Head Phone / Mic-in), Internal Microphone, Dual Speaker with SonicMaster Audio Technology |
|
Battery |
25Wh 9.5 hours |
|
Dimensions |
262.5 (W) x 171 (D) x 9.7 (H) mm / 580g |
|
Colour options |
Ceramic white, diamond blue or poppy red |
The TranSleeve is a useful accessory as it is also “a cover, keyboard, and stand all rolled into one. It not only aids in the typing experience, but protects the tablet as well”.
The UK launch price for the ASUS VivoTab ME400 is going to be £399 and it will be available from both Argos and Carphone Warehouse starting from 31st January. The TranSleeve keyboard accessory is to be priced at £89.99.
Has ASUS got the product/price right with this Windows 8 tablet offering?
