The latest ZenPad Android tablets from Asus are arriving in the United States and are available immediately from BestBuy.com for $99.99 for the 7-inch model and $199.99 for the 8-inch version.
The ZenPads feature WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and quad-core processors in an easy-to-handle tablet. The new devices are variants of the original ZenPad S models that were announced at the Computex trade show in June, according to reports.
The 8-inch model, which is designated as the Z580C-B1-BK, includes a 2K QXGA (1536 by 2048) In-Plane Switching (IPS) display with a wide 178-degree viewing angle for easy viewing even from the side, a 1.33GHz 64-bit Intel Atom Z3530 processor and 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM. Also included is 32GB of built-in storage, a 5-megapixel HD rear camera and a 2MP HD front camera. The 8-inch device runs on the Android 5.1 operating system.
The 7-inch ZenPad, the Z170C-A1 tablet, includes a display with 1024 by 600 resolution, a 1.1GHz Intel Atom x3-C3200 processor, 1GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 16GB of built-in storage. The 7-inch model runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop.
The 7-inch and 8-inch ZenPads are each available in black from BestBuy.com and come with a one-year warranty.
Two other vendors, B7H and Adorama, don’t yet have the 8-inch models for sale but are taking preorders for the devices, according to their Websites. B&H lists availability on Aug. 15, while Adorama does not yet provide a shipping date on its Website.
At Computex, Asus also rolled out other tablets and an updated two-in-one device for consumers and business users. Highlighting the show was the Asus Transformer Book T100HA two-in-one, which gives users the benefits of a laptop while also offering the flexibility and simplicity of a tablet PC in the same device.
The Transformer Book T100HA, which succeeds Asus’ earlier Transformer Book T100TA two-in-one, offers a 10.1-inch display, a choice of quad-core Intel Atom Cherry Trail X5 series processors, 4GB of RAM, a USB Type-C port and 14 hours of battery life, while having a 0.33-inch thin chassis profile. The Transformer Book, which will be available in silk white, tin grey, aqua blue or rouge pink metallic finishes, will come pre-installed with Windows 10 and will be available in the third quarter of 2015, according to Asus. Pricing has not yet been announced.
A 10-inch ZenPad model was also announced at the event.