While we’re pretty sure that many of you are still wrapping the odd present or two – don’t worry, we’re behind too – and getting ready to celebrate Christmas and the end of 2013 but, ASUS is already looking forward to 2014. Specifically, they’re gearing up for CES 2014 where it looks like they’re ready to announce a dual-boot tablet/laptop hybrid that runs both Windows and Android. This is bound to become yet another Transformer is ASUS’s successful line of tablet/laptop hybrids that aim to offer users the best of both worlds.
As Engadget is reporting, this time around things could be a little different and next year’s Transformer from ASUS could run Android or Windows in either Laptop or Tablet mode. Making the device a complete hybrid. These sort of dual-boot devices have yet to prove popular but, we suspect that’s due to a lack of devices on the market following pressure from Microsoft. We really wouldn’t be surprised if Redmond is cranking out the memos to their partners to keep Android and Windows separate on devices such as these but, ASUS is such a large figure in the industry that frankly, then can do whatever they like.
Such a device could prove popular though, as Windows RT is neither good enough as a content consumption platform or a workhorse platform due to the limitations of Windows running on ARM CPUs. Intel’s chips have gotten far more power efficient with their latest architecture and running Windows 8.1 Pro and Android wouldn’t be difficult. Being able to run both Windows 8.1 Pro and Android would allow both die-hard Windows fans and Android fans to enjoy the same piece of hardware and in fact, Microsoft would gain more users from such a device as Windows 8 still struggles to entice new users despite the fixes and tweaks included in Windows 8.1 So, ASUS is ready for CES 2014 and they’ve already started the strange teasers – the first of which is below – and it’s looking like they’ve got something pretty interesting to show us all next year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1frsVBzJVdM