AudioMasters
VivoTab from Asus
Published on December 26, 2012 By theAVMAN In Mobile Tech

I avoided the whole iPad surge patiently waiting on a fully functional Windows tablet. So for Christmas my wonderful wife decided I had waited long enough! The Surface was finally released and getting good reviews so right before ordering I (me being me ) decided I should do some investigating . I had been wanting an Asus tablet because I have an awesome Asus laptop that will smoke most desktop PC's that has giving me a ton of trouble free service.(second Asus laptop) The last few months I have been extremely busy not even much time to SKIN (errrrrr) . So I have been behind on all the latest releases and low and behold the new Asus Tab had been released . So I started the comparison process....

  1.  Price the same
  2.  Processor the same
  3.  Feature Asus had a slight edge ...built in gps sensor and a couple other Asus specifics
  4.  Keyboard this was the biggest difference thin flexible from Microsoft or rigid dock from Asus .. I like the dock if I am home stable is good on road no need!
  5.  However you have to mail in rebate to get the the keyboard free if purchased separate it is an additional $150

I am posting this from the tablet and all in all this is an amazing product faster than the iPads I have used (quadcore processor) beautiful graphics lightweight gorgeous product with full Windows, windows live ,sky drive integration. I have only spent a couple hours on it so far and haven't even run out 1battery charge yet but I will post more of my impressions as time permits.

Now if I could only SKIN Windows 8 I'd be ecstatic!!!


Comments (Page 2)
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on Dec 28, 2012

Leo the Lion
just handed down a five year old ASUS laptop to my youngest boy - who is also 5 years old - and after adding some more ram and a clean install it's going like a train

I still have my first laptop........ASUS. Bought it in '06! Still runs (a bit noisy fan, but otherwise....)

on Dec 29, 2012

well, my brother and i went to indy today. he bought himself a new corsair case. i don't know why. i told him he can have my corsair case. anyway, i looked at the asus tablet and the surface. i'm torn between the two so i didn't get either......yet. i need to do some research on the asus. i always use asus or gigabyte boards in rigs i buy or sell so i know the quality of their products. the appearance of the surface is pretty cool, i admit. i'll decide which one to get within the next couple of weeks. when i do, i'll buy online if possible. i don't enjoy driving like i did in my younger years. that ms store is 2 1/2 hours away.

on Dec 29, 2012

MadDeez
i looked at the asus tablet and the surface. i'm torn between the two so i didn't get either......yet.

Thankfully, I have a while to wait before I can afford to buy either, so I don't have to make a decision as yet.  For now I just know that I want a Win 8 tablet to marry up/sync with my Win 8 PC and W8 phone.  Hopefully I'll have a bit more insight before I head out to make my purchase... cos I hate going out to get a specific item and arriving home empty handed.

Right now I'm thinking Surface, but who knows, another brand might strike the right chord with me further down the track.

As for my closest MS store.... Sydney, 12 1/2 hours away... and I don't do driving anymore anyhow.

on Dec 29, 2012

Well, MadDeez, I've just watched this Surface demo from MS and my mind is somewhat closer to being made up...

Yup, the Surface looks like it might be the go for me.... wheeeeee!!!!!

on Dec 30, 2012

Thank you all for the comments and input. I watched the video and it was quite impressive, I had a very hard time deciding between the two. I think there were 3main features that made me go with Asus .

1).Size and weight the Asus was thinner and lighter do partly to the aluminum case.

2).The built in gps sensor that operates with/out any internet or cellular connection. I am always going from jobsite to jobsite and while my phone's gps is great (actually better than the Garmin or TomTom  I have used in the past) they all have 1 thing in common a small screen which can be hard to quickly focus on. But this work great!

3).NFC technology allows you to share files between devices just by putting them close together which I hear the next windows phone will have

 

on Dec 30, 2012

Windows RT Tablet Showdown: Asus Vivo Tab vs. Microsoft Surface

 

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2411428,00.asp

on Dec 31, 2012

Hey Harley, I took a look at the link you provided and neither tablet is a clear winner.  To me they are much of a muchness and either would fulfill my portable computing needs, though at present I'm probably leaning towards the Surface slightly more.  I mean, both tablets are admirable and capable devices, but something about Surface just grabs me that bit more.  However, it will be a while before I can make a purchase, and who knows, things could change between now and then.

As for the Asus being thinner and lighter than Surface, I noticed in the PCmag article that it is actually thicker and heavier when combined with the keyboard cover.  However, it isn't such a big difference that it would influence my decision.  For me, thinner and lighter isn't necessarily better as I have big clumsy hands and don't mind something a bit meatier to get my hands around.  It was like when I was choosing my mobile phone and deciding between a thinner/lighter iPhone or the thicker/heavier Nokia Lumia 820.  The Nokia felt better in my hand, like I had something to get a firm hold of... and less likly to drop. [BTW, I had no intention of buying an iPhone, just picked one up for a comparison, that's all]

I don't think GPS would be an issue for me as I no longer drive because of disability and use public transport or a taxi [when required], so what's on offer in the Surface would be more than adequate.  Besides, my W8 phone has excellent GPS thanks to Nokia, so I'm not likely to ever get lost, am I.

theAVMAN
3).NFC technology allows you to share files between devices just by putting them close together which I hear the next windows phone will have

Actually, that is a feature of the W8 phone I really like.  The missus and I both have one, and we are forever exchanging things between phones to save double downloading, etc. Yeah, you just place them back to back [don't have to be touching] and voila, press the share button on one phone and the other one gets it.  It's amazing stuff... and how I love new toys.

on Dec 31, 2012

The Asus is a very nice tablet. I had a Transformer until I dropped and broke it.

I have a Surface and really like it a lot. I don't think you can wrong with either one. I really like the Touch Cover, very easy to type on and adds almost no weight or thickness. The Asus keyboard dock however does have an additional battery to power the tablet longer than it's internal battery.

Advantages either way. Both are great machines.

on Dec 31, 2012

I have to agree on all accounts I think either are excellent machines and no matter the choice anyone should be very pleased after a hands on experience!

Sometimes it is so funny to see the technology today being ahead of what sic-fi could even dream up a few years back(well maybe a few times 10).I used to think a StarTrek communicator would be the coolest thing ever, then I had 1 almost 10yrs ago now flip phone with push to talk! Then remember the tablets they carried around in StarTrek the next generation now I'm typing on 1 lol. Now if we only had one of those cool gadgets to instantly heal cuts a bruises.😉 

on Dec 31, 2012

theAVMAN
I have to agree on all accounts I think either are excellent machines and no matter the choice anyone should be very pleased after a hands on experience!

Sometimes it is so funny to see the technology today being ahead of what sic-fi could even dream up a few years back(well maybe a few times 10).I used to think a StarTrek communicator would be the coolest thing ever, then I had 1 almost 10yrs ago now flip phone with push to talk! Then remember the tablets they carried around in StarTrek the next generation now I'm typing on 1 lol. Now if we only had one of those cool gadgets to instantly heal cuts a bruises.😉 

Yep, I am always amused at how real life often catches up with science fiction.

As for the Win 8 tablets (or Win 8 in general), just the other day I was using my Surface while sitting at the counter in a diner and had a couple of people ask about it. Before I knew it I had several people crowded around me as I showed them the OS and how it worked. 

Several people commented that Win 8 was nothing like what they read in online reviews. Some even commented they had no idea it has a desktop "just like my old Windows".  More than one commented that they were going to upgrade to Win 8 now that they had seen it, and a couple said they were going to go buy a Surface LOL.

on Dec 31, 2012

MasonM
Yep, I am always amused at how real life often catches up with science fiction.

I'm still waiting for transporters to replace cars and replicators to replace hunger. I'm hopeful it will happen!

on Jan 01, 2013

MasonM
Several people commented that Win 8 was nothing like what they read in online reviews. Some even commented they had no idea it has a desktop "just like my old Windows". More than one commented that they were going to upgrade to Win 8 now that they had seen it, and a couple said they were going to go buy a Surface LOL.

That's the thing, you see, reviewers and 'other' product fanbois say so much negative stuff that sometimes it near kills a product...because the general public places too muck stock in what the 'experts' say.  Like with Vista, the public stayed away in droves because the 'experts' said it was rubbish.  Thing is, when Win7 hit the shelves, which in essence is a refined version of Vista, the public couldn't get enough of it, but that's because the 'experts' realised MS wasn't going back to XP and said it was the best OS since sliced bread.

Fortunately, I like to find stuff out for myself.  Admittedly I didn't like the Metro UI initially, particularly on the desktop, but having had plenty of time to become accustomed to it, I have to say that I quite like using it now.  As for phones and tablets, I prefer Metro over Android and IOS any day of the week... it has a more natural feel and is more fluent in operation. In fact, the iPhone/IOS never stood a chance!  I'd already been given a Nokia Lumia 820 W8 phone to 'road' test, so when the assistant handed me an iPhone 5 it fell well below expectations and I handed it back within a couple of minutes... and not because I'm a MS fanboi.  The iPhone was lacking in too many areas and simply didn't impress me at all, not like the W8 phone... that just jumped straight out and said: "Buy me, buy ME!"

Now if I had taken any notice of various fanbois and reviewers opinions, I'd likely be stuck with an iPhone that I'd be nowhere near as happy with, so here's for going in and getting a first-hand, hands-on experience/comparison before deciding on tech buys

on Jan 01, 2013

starkers
As for phones and tablets, I prefer Metro over Android and IOS any day of the week... it has a more natural feel and is more fluent in operation

I agree as a mobile device hands down . Faster more intuitive etc........

on Jan 01, 2013

i played around with the asus in the at&t store quite a bit today. i'm leaning toward that one over the surface. the keyboard is definitely more robust. if i decide to get the asus, it won't be at at&t. they want $800 for it. i think frys has it for $500, maybe $550.

 

maybe the extra cost is because it has a sim card in it. they said i could add it to my data plan for $10 a month. i didn't see a sim slot, though. the samsung tablet they have definitely has a sim slot but the price of that one is $950. that's far too salty for my taste.

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