Asustek unveils new Transformer tablet

Taiwan-based Asustek Computer Inc. unveiled its next-generation Eee Pad Transformer tablet at a technology forum in Hong Kong Thursday. Asustek Chairman Johnny Shih pulled the new gadget from his briefcase at an All Things Digital Conference (AsiaD), Taiwan's Central News Agency reported. "We still think there is a great opportunity there," Shih said, adding that he hoped to sell two million units of the Transformer this year. Shih said the Transformer Prime, a 10-inch model with a plug-in keyboard and a thickness of 8.3 millimeters, will be launched Nov. 9. The new model will be powered by Nvidia's quad-core processor and runs Google's newest Android 4.0 operating system (Ice Cream Sandwich). The company has tablet models with plug-in keyboards and slide-out keyboards. According to Shih, there are places for tablets, such as on the couch or in bed, but there are other times when a keyboard is needed. Boundary between smartphones, laptops, notebooks blurs Meanwhile, Shih said the boundary between smartphones, laptops and notebooks are blurring as netbooks are also evolving and will be thinner and more cloud-connected in the future. He had showcased Asustek's new Ultrabook, a 1.2-kilo laptop with an Intel core i7 processor, a next-generation solid-state drive (SSD) and USB 3.0 ports. The Ultrabook is seen as a response to Apple's MacBook Air. "We believe that we have to bet on both. Laptops also have to respond to the tablet trend," he said. — TJD, GMA News