REVIEW >> Asus Eee Pad Transformer tablet

When it comes to tablets, we�re not really ready for software keyboards, are we? Or maybe the developers of software keyboards aren�t yet ready for us.

This week, we received the Asus Eee Pad Transformer tablet. Like with most new tablets that enter this building, it was immediately pounced on by a pack of ravenous wolves group of my coworkers.

What made the Transformer�s debut more exciting than most was its primary claim to fame and origin of its namesake: the keyboard/dock accessory.

If not for the keyboard/dock, most would have mistaken it for one of the two other new Honeycomb tablets we acquired in the last week. iPad sales numbers not withstanding, there are still quite a few who simply prefer the tactile to the abstract. It�s familiar and thereby comforting, I think.

In the case of the Transformer, it�s also utilitarian. The $150 accessory includes two USB ports, an SD card reader, and its own battery. Once connected, it�s like your very own Honeycomb Netbook.
The Wi-Fi-only tablet itself costs a low $400 (for the 16GB version; $500 for the 32GB), making it the cheapest Honeycomb tablet yet.

You can�t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, though, and in this case, the omelet is the capable, powerful tablet. The eggs come in the form of build quality, bugs, and a couple of features.

For details on those broken eggs, check out the full review.

Still, with such a low price, I hope the Transformer will inspire more-competitive pricing on Honeycomb tablets going forward.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer will be available April 26.