Docking procedure
The Vivo Tab RT slots neatly onto the
mobile dock and holds solid until you pull the switch on the tablet’s left edge
to release it. If you close the tablet down over the keyboard when the two are
joined, it puts the tablet into hibernation, as you’d expect from a laptop.
Docking the tablet not only gives you an extra battery’s worth of life, you
also get a full-sized USB port and the handy physical keyboard.
The
Vivo Tab RT slots neatly onto the mobile dock and holds solid until you pull
the switch on the tablet’s left edge to release it
The dock’s keyboard is a fantastic partner
to the touch-screen controls, allowing you to bash out a message or document
without resorting to the virtual board. Your typing rate will depend on how
accustomed to small boards you are. The small keys are well spaced and none of
them felt particularly cramped, plus you get a dedicated Windows key. Our only
issue was the sunken design, which puts a ridge directly below the space bar.
This made it difficult for us to tap the bar with our thumbs.
Apps Ahoy
An essential part of any tablet is the
selection of apps, and sadly Windows 8 is lagging behind iOS and Android in
that area. We’re slowly getting big names such as Netflix and Skype, but many
recognizable names such as BBC News are actually unofficially produced by
third-party developers, while categories such as Food & Dining are woefully
under stocked.
The games section is disappointing too,
with very few big names, and even fewer that are free. If you’re an app or
games fiend, you might want to stick with another OS until the Windows Store
catches up.
Asus’
Vivo Tab RT will be your best friend if you’re a frequent traveler, keeping you
entertained and productive
Still, the Vivo Tab RT comes stocked with a
good selection of apps to get you started, including the usual calendar, maps,
music and video and news/reference programs. Students and business users will
also appreciate the Microsoft Office suite, which gives you Word 2013, Excel
2013, PowerPoint 2013 and OneNote 2013. The combination of touchscreen and
keyboard dock makes them all easy to use on the move, providing you have a seat
of course. The virtual keyboard works just fine too, if you find yourself
rammed into the aisle of your commuter train. You get a whopping 64GB of
storage, which can be expanded with the microSD slot, and you also get 7GB of
free SkyDrive cloud storage.
Impressively, the Vivo Tab RT also packs in
an eight-megapixel camera on the rear. As ever, taking photos with a tablet is
slightly awkward, but at least you can tap anywhere on the screen to take a
snap. It usually takes a second or so for the lens to focus, so be prepared to
hold very still.
A front-facing two-megapixel camera means
you can take full advantage of Skype and other web chat apps, though our
picture was quite dark unless we sat at the right angle near a window.
Impressively,
the Vivo Tab RT also packs in an eight-megapixel camera on the rear.
The verdict
Asus’ Vivo Tab RT will be your best friend
if you’re a frequent traveler, keeping you entertained and productive. The
bright, vibrant HD screen is a great way to enjoy games, movies and the web,
while the excellent Office suite, tons of storage space and SkyDrive
connectivity mean you can access and work on documents. Factor in the long
battery life and keyboard dock, and this really is a portable powerhouse.
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The Asus
Vivo Tab RT specs
·
Web: www.asus.com
·
Price: $880
·
Size: 263x171x8.3mm
·
Weight: 525g
·
Display: 10-inch IPS
·
Resolution: 1366x768 pixels
·
Camera: 8 megapixels
·
Front camera: 2 megapixels
·
Video: Yes
·
Processor: NVIDIA™ Tegra® 3 Quad-core
·
RAM: 2GB
·
Storage: 64GB, microSD
·
Internet: Wi-Fi (optional 3G and 4G LTE)
·
GPS: Yes
·
Browser: IE
·
Email: Yes, push
·
Music player: Yes
·
Video player: Yes
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