Lenovo IdeaTab S2: The first competitor to the ASUS Transformer Prime

It may seem hard to believe, but one year ago at CES 2011 ASUS showed off the first generation of a new type of Android tablet that they dubbed the “Transformer”. By itself the Transformer wasn’t anything special, just another Android tablet running Honeycomb, but when it was paired with a keyboard dock it transformed (get it?) into a device that looked like an everyday laptop. The resulting combination, which gave you all the benefits of a tablet such as instant on and amazing battery life, plus the huge productivity gains that a full laptop keyboard offered, turned a lot of heads in the tech community. Last month the second generation, dubbed the “Transformer Prime”, launched and it further refined the concept along with being the first device to market with a quad core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor. When is another company going to take the Transformer concept and run with it?

Enter Lenovo, who just announced a device called the IdeaTab S2. Like the Transformer Prime is has a 10.1 inch screen and features a keyboard dock, but that’s where the similarities end. The S2 runs Android 4.0 out of the box, unlike the Transformer Prime which ships with Honeycomb and will eventually get Android 4.0 via a software update. The S2 also has a different chip under the hood, the dual core Qualcomm S4 MSM8960 processor. Now before you get all crazy and say 4 cores is better than 2 cores, remember that Qualcomm’s S4 processor features a pair of next generation “Krait” cores, that and it’s really difficult to judge a product before we get our actual hands on it. Other things of note are that the S2 by itself will get roughly 10 hours of battery life. The keyboard dock also comes with a 10 hour battery. Combine the two parts and you’re looking at 20 hours of battery life.

Now the big questions: When? And how much? Lenovo is saying Q2, and the price is still unknown.

[Via: Mark Guim]

About The Author

Stefan Constantinescu

Stefan Constantinescu (@WhatTheBit on Twitter) has loved technology since as far back as he can remember. It started with computers, but in the past few years his passion has turned to mobile devices. As a mobile phone enthusiast who lives and breathes devices that connect to the internet, he knows he is not alone with this radical fascination of all things wireless. He is strongly opinionated and enjoys a good debate so leave comments in his posts and he’ll get back to you! Stefan began blogging as a hobby in the fall of 2006 and joined IntoMobile in the summer of 2007. Later he got a job at Nokia in March 2008, but as of June 2009 he has rejoined the IntoMobile team. He is currently based out of Helsinki, Finland.

http://twitter.com/KahoCheung Websaint

a blatant Asus Transformer rip off!
Mike Forsyth

My Asus Prime arrives tomorrow. I can’t imagine anything beating it for awhile, if ever.
http://profile.yahoo.com/_CLZATLRXQCUBGSSJLMFVCQ22RU Harry

From the video, the S2 with the dock looks noticeably thicker than the ATP. S2 does have more ports, though. My ATP is on delivery this morning so I SHALL get mine within hours! Ordered from Office Depot, not really sure the color (!?) because Office Depot doesn’t even bother and pretty much say if you want ATP now, just live with whatever color(s) we shipped to you…Ha!
http://www.facebook.com/john.preto John Preto

Received my 64GB ATP last week from Amazon..and I love it…the tablet/dock is a huge step up from what I have now so that is all that matters…as there will always be something better every 6 months
http://www.intomobile.com/ Stefan Constantinescu

I’d return it: http://www.intomobile.com/2012/01/09/asus-redesigns-transformer-prime-calls-tf700t-main-feature-1920-x-1200-pixel-screen/
ROFLCopterPilot

Don’t listen to this full retard.
ROFLCopterPilot

Tegra 3 power. Can’t imagine that Qualcomm S4 MSM8960 will beat it.
http://www.intomobile.com/ Stefan Constantinescu

Love you too!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_P3YIIPGJAZN6P2VRSMUKTO3ROE Alexandre Gaigalas

Nice.
Anonymous

I think a huge problem is how some Android tab manufacturers support their products.

I have both iPads for my business, as well as a Galaxy Tab and Lenovo K1 for my personal use.

iPad gives a total experience from a use and support perspective.
Samsung decently supports their tabs, but the support by Lenovo is one
of the worst I have ever experienced

For months they (Lenovo) have promised a USB host cable, but have yet
to issue one (Samsung issued theirs some time ago for the Galaxy line).

If I lose or damage my USB data cable, I cannot use a generic because
it goes through their proprietary connector, AND Lenovo does not even
offer it for sale.

Where other manufacturers have at least given a yay or nay on ICS
upgrades, communication from Lenovo is non-existent. Look around the
forums – especially Lenovo’s own forums, and you can see the plethora of
complaints.