Member Avatar for happygeek

I don't say it often (thank goodness) but OMG, and not in a good way. This ASUS Transformer V machine has got to be the maddest idea I've seen for years.

The Transformer Book V is a Windows 8.1 laptop/tablet hybrid, which turns into an Android 4.4 KitKat device when a 5in Android smartphone is docked in the back.

So, let's run that again: it's a Windows 8.1 laptop, a Windows 8.1 tablet, an Android 4.4 laptop,an Android 4.4 tablet and an Android smartphone all in one. Does anyone here have the particular problem that this device will solve? In fact, can anyone here tell me what problem this device is trying to solve? Looks like it's just trying to be clever, for no apparent reason other than showing off. Will I be buying one? Erm, nope...

Edited by happygeek
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Short version: ASUS showed the Transformer Book V as a Computex 2014 showpiece — a 12.5" Windows tablet/laptop that accepted a 5" Android smartphone as a dock so the same screen could run either Windows or the phone’s Android UI. ASUS presented it as a “five‑mode” concept but gave no shipping date, and the demo units were kept behind glass. ASUS press release, Engadget hands‑on. (press.asus.com)

That context explains ’s reaction and ’s “unique but impractical” take: the Book V read like a clever engineering demo rather than a product roadmap. Industry coverage warned it might not reach retail — especially after earlier dual‑OS experiments (the Transformer Book Duet) were effectively shelved amid platform‑owner resistance — so OEMs were cautious about committing to that approach. Ars Technica on the dual‑OS backlash, LaptopMag hands‑on noting no ship date. (arstechnica.com)

Functionally, ’s redundancy point is sound: running two full ecosystems duplicates apps, accounts and updates, and adds weight and mechanical complexity. ASUS has shipped phone‑dock ideas before (the PadFone line), but those stayed niche; the Book V pushed the idea further as a demo rather than a mainstream product. PadFone history and examples. (en.wikipedia.org)

If the goal was “one device to rule them all,” there are more practical, shipping choices today: phone desktop modes (Samsung DeX and similar), simple USB‑C phone→monitor setups plus a Bluetooth keyboard, or a compact 2‑in‑1 laptop with cloud sync. The Book V was an interesting engineering statement, but it didn’t solve a clear mass‑market problem — which is why it mostly remains a Computex footnote rather than a widely sold product. . ()

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Member Avatar for n21115

I'd say they were trying hard to make something "unique" and "extraordinary". And, while that might gather the interest of a few, these kind of devices were never manufactured keeping practical thoughts in mind.

Member Avatar for Hiroshe

Very strange. I'd probably end up either uninstalling android, or uninstalling windows. Having both is rather redundant.

Member Avatar for happygeek

Looks like it is solving a problem nobody has, and we all know where products that have done that in the past have ended up (and the correct answer isn't 'in a dusty corner of my office' I should point out)

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