12 September 2016

ASUS Announces Transformer Mini T102

Submitted by: Mari

The world’s lightest detachable 2-in-1 Windows PC, featuring premium all-metal construction and an integral kickstand with stepless Smart Hinge.  

KEY POINTS  

  • Extreme portability, premium design: World’s lightest 2-in-1 Windows PC, magnesium-aluminum-alloy design weighs only 790g including keyboard
  • Smart Hinge: Stepless hinge design and integral kickstand allows up to 170° of viewing-angle adjustment for comfortable use in any situation
  • Instant ID: Auto-scanning fingerprint sensor allows instant wake-up and one-touch login using Windows Hello
  • Bright, sharp and clear display: High-resolution anti-glare display with up to 400cd/m2 brightness and wide 178° viewing angles 

Johannesburg, South Africa ASUS has announced the Transformer Mini T102, the world’s lightest 2-in-1 Windows PC. This ultra-light 10.1-inch 2-in-1 is also the first in the series to feature the new magnetically-attached ASUS Transformer Cover Keyboard.

Transformer Mini T102 is designed for extreme portability. Constructed entirely from premium magnesium-aluminium alloy, T102’s 8.2mm-thin tablet weighs a mere 530g — rising to just 790g when configured as a conventional laptop with the slim, lightweight ASUS Transformer Cover Keyboard attached. The integral full-width kickstand on the tablet features a stepless Smart Hinge that allows Transformer Mini to be positioned comfortably at viewing angles up to 170°. 

A high-resolution, anti-glare touchscreen display with up to 400cd/m2 brightness ensures clear and sharp visuals. ASUS Quick Launch enables users to initiate a variety of actions using on-screen gestures —  for example, to launch apps, put T102 into sleep mode or wake it up — and ASUS Instant ID uses the built-in fingerprint sensor for instant login with Windows Hello. With its incredibly long 11-hour battery life, dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, full-size USB 3.0 port, and complete Windows 10 functionality, Transformer Mini T102 is the ultimate lightweight mobile companion. 

Extreme portability, premium design

At the heart of ASUS Transformer Mini is a tablet constructed entirely from extremely light yet strong magnesium-aluminium alloy, finely sandblasted to give it a smooth, luxurious matte finish that is also tough and durable. This superior material has sufficient rigidity to allow the tablet to be amazingly compact, while remaining incredibly light — it weighs only 530g and is just 8.2mm thin. The tablet is available in one of two chic colours: sophisticated Quartz Gray and classic Pearl White.  

Smart Hinge and ASUS Transformer Cover Keyboard: practical, user-centric design

The tablet features an integral full-width kickstand with an innovative Smart Hinge that has 155° of stepless movement, allowing the tablet to be securely propped up at angles up to 170° for comfortable viewing, screen typing or drawing in any situation.

The brand-new ASUS Transformer Cover Keyboard attaches magnetically to the tablet, and can be folded over the screen to act as a protective cover. The keys have an ergonomic 1.5mm key travel, longer than that of other slim mobile keyboards and the same as many full-sized laptops. This long key travel provides more reassuring feedback for every key stroke and delivers a typing experience that is as comfortable as a full-size laptop. Additionally, the keyboard is constructed from a fiberglass material that has anti-static properties, reducing the accumulation of dust.

The Transformer Cover Keyboard also features a Precision Touchpad with support for Windows gestures. The touchpad’s palm-rejection technology intelligently recognizes and ignores accidental presses of the palm during typing, allowing users to rest their hands naturally and comfortably while typing. The Transformer Cover Keyboard comes in a choice of four fresh and vivid colours: Quartz Gray, Amber, Mint Green, and Icicle Gold, allowing users to mix and match colour combinations to suit their unique style.  

The power-packed Mini

In spite of its compact size, ASUS Transformer Mini T102 packs powerful components that include the latest quad-core Intel® Atom™ x5 Series (‘Cherry Trail’) processor that delivers great everyday performance and helps Transformer Mini achieve its amazing up to 11-hour battery life; up to 4GB of RAM; up to 128GB eMMC storage; a micro SD Card reader that can support up to 512GB cards; and fast dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi. These components operate in complete silence thanks to Transformer Mini T102’s fanless design, allowing users to work or play without distracting noises. It also comes with a more comprehensive set of connectors than other similar-sized devices. These include a full-size USB 3.0 Type-A port, a micro HDMI display port, and a micro USB port that can also be used for charging the device. The micro USB port also supports charging from external power banks, enabling users to extend the already impressive up to 11-hour battery life even further, for true all-day convenience. 

A one-year unlimited subscription to ASUS WebStorage is included with Transformer Mini T102, allowing users to store and access their files from all their devices, anywhere and anytime.  

A complete Windows 10 experience, plus Instant ID and Quick Launch for added convenience

ASUS Transformer Mini offers complete support for Windows 10 features and includes ASUS Instant ID and ASUS Quick Launch to provide useful smartphone-like capabilities for even greater convenience and user-friendly operation. 

Fully supported Windows 10 features include the personal digital assistant Cortana; Continuum mode to intelligently adapt the display for tablet or laptop use; Windows gestures via the Precision Touchpad; instant login using Windows Hello; Windows Ink Workspace support for writing and drawing with an active stylus, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) functionality for enterprise-grade security. Transformer Mini also includes pre-installed Microsoft Office Mobile, giving users immediate access to the Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, PowerPoint Mobile and OneNote apps. 

ASUS Instant ID allows Transformer Mini to be locked or woken up instantly with a touch of the user’s finger. A fingerprint sensor is located at the rear of the tablet above the kickstand, and this works with Windows Hello and other biometric authentication software. 

ASUS Quick Launch allows users to perform a variety of actions using simple gestures or tracing characters on the touchscreen. For example, double tapping the screen will wake the device up, writing an ‘e’ will open Email, writing ‘w’ will open the Microsoft Edge browser, or writing ‘v’ will open the Windows Movie & TV app. The apps assigned to each onscreen gesture can be easily customized by the user. 

Bright, sharp and clear display

The anti-glare touchscreen display on ASUS Transformer Book T101 has a sharp 1280 by 800 resolution, and with up to 400cd/m2 brightness it is one of the brightest 10.1-inch displays. It has wide 178° viewing angles, and ASUS TruVivid direct-bonding technology ensures higher transparency and improved clarity, with fewer reflections in bright environments — even in bright sunlight. Exclusive ASUS Tru2Life video-enhancement technology — similar to that found in high-end TVs — uses intelligent software algorithms to optimize the sharpness and contrast of every video frame, so that videos look clearer, more detailed and more realistic.   

ASUS Pen: The most intuitive writing experience ever

When paired with the optional ASUS Pen active stylus, ASUS Transformer Mini gives users full access to the new Windows Ink Workspace. This makes it easy for users to write sticky notes, doodle in the all-new sketchpad, annotate photos and much more. ASUS Pen is compatible with wide range of software, from Microsoft OneNote® for serious note-taking, to the professional-grade perspective tools and intuitive user interface of tools for digital artists, illustrators and designers. With its 1024-level pressure-sensitive tip capable of detecting every nuance of movement, the optional ASUS Pen enables users to write productively and draw professionally on Transformer Mini, just like they would on paper, notebook or canvas. 

AVAILABILITY & PRICING

ASUS Transformer Mini T102 will be available from November 2016 in South Africa from Dion Wired, Hi-Fi Corporation and any independent retailers. Please contact your local ASUS representative for further information.  

ABOUT ASUS

ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling, most award-winning motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets and smartphones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,368 awards in 2015 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 17,000 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of over 5,500 engineers. Company revenue for 2015 was approximately US$14 billion. 

NOTES TO EDITORS

SPECIFICATIONS [1]

ASUS Transformer Mini T102        

  • CPU Quad-core Intel® Atom™ X5-Z8350 (‘Cherry Trail’)  
  • Display 10.1in HD (1280x800) touchscreen, wide 178°viewing angles, 400cd/m2 brightness  
  • Operating system Microsoft Windows 10 Home/ Pro 64-bit  
  • Graphics Integrated Intel® HD Graphics  
  • Main memory Up to 4GB  
  • Storage 128GB eMMC  
  • Connectivity Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi Bluetooth® 4.1  
  • Camera 2MP front camera  
  • Interface 1 x USB 3.0 Type-A 1 x micro HDMI port 1 x micro USB 2.0 (for charging and data) 1 x micro SD Card reader (up to 512GB expansion) 1 x Combo audio jack  
  • Audio Dual side-firing stereo speakers with ASUS SonicMaster technology  
  • Security 1 x fingerprint sensor  
  • Battery 32Wh Lithium-polymer  
  • AC adapter Output: 9V DC, 18W Input: 100 -240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal  
  • Dimensions 259 x 170  x 8.2mm (tablet) 259 x 170  x 13.9mm (laptop)  
  • Weight 530 grams (tablet) 790 grams (laptop)  
  • Colours Tablet: Quartz Gray, Pearl White AASUS Transformer Cover Keyboard: Quartz Gray, Amber, Mint Green, Icicle Gold       

[1] Specifications, content and product availability are all subject to change without notice and may differ from country to country. Actual performance may vary depending on applications, usage, environment and other factors. Full specifications are available at http://www.ASUS.com