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Asus launches mad phone, tablet, and laptop hybrid running Windows 8.1 and Android (updated)

Updated on 06-02-2014 by Williams Pelegrin: Included more processor, battery, operating system, and storage details.

Asus has announced the Transformer Book V, a device that wants to be all things to all people. We’re used to Asus bringing out hybrid and all-in-one devices, but the Book V combines three different devices with two different operating systems, squeezing them into one all conquering machine. Microsoft promotes its newly announced Surface Pro 3 as the device to replace a separate tablet and laptop, but Asus has taken this a step further and added a phone into the mix. As you can imagine, the end result looks more than a little bit mad.

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The smallest component is the smartphone. It has a 5-inch touchscreen with an unknown resolution, and is equipped with the latest Moorefield quad-core Intel Atom processor coupled with 2GB of RAM. The phone runs Android 4.4 KitKat, will connect to 4G LTE networks, and has a 2500mAh battery inside. It also has a 5-inch IPS HD display with up to 64GB of internal storage. The rear-facing shooter is 8-megapixels, while the front-facing camera shoots 2-megapixel images.

Slot it into the tablet dock and Android will be transferred over to the big screen, just like Asus’ PadFone range. However, at the touch of a button, the tablet will switch over and run Windows 8.1 “or other editions,” which could mean we could see Windows 8.1 with Bing as an option, a cheaper version of Windows 8.1 meant for OEMs that could allow them to price their devices lower. Yes, the Transformer Book V’s big 12.5-inch IPS display will let you use both operating systems and access both application stores, which Asus says makes it a “highly mobile entertainment and productivity powerhouse.”

The Book V’s versatility doesn’t stop there either. The pack comes with a full QWERTY keyboard dock, complete with a hardware button for switching between the operating systems, and a touchpad for easy navigation. The press release seems to indicate the laptop has its own Intel Core processor, likely Broadwell, and doesn’t need the phone to operate. It also includes a likely pairing of a 128GB SSD and a 1TB hard drive, but it’s not clear whether this is all onboard the device or includes some of Asus’ cloud storage space. Finally, it has a 2-cell, 28 watt-hour battery.

Asus hasn’t provided a complete spec list for the Transformer Book V yet, nor has it told us how much it’ll cost. We expect more details to emerge during the Computex trade show, which takes place over the coming week.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
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