Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime: Buy it or Wait for iPad 3?

This may be the eternal prospective-tablet-buyer's lament. Should you buy (insert name here) tablet or the iPad. The comparisons are inevitable, but the buzz around the Eee Pad Transformer Prime is very positive if not as hyperbolic as the Kindle Fire's pre-launch publicity. Part of that is because the Kindle Fire is so much less expensive than any tablet out there, but also because of Amazon itself. Asus has made a name for itself making motherboards for countless numbers of devices from many manufacturers, but their laptops are solid too. After their Eee Pad Transformer won Stuff Magazine's gadget of the year award, their profile has risen dramatically, and the Eee Pad Transformer Prime is now climbing its way up people's tablet shopping lists.

It's $100 cheaper than the iPad, will soon run the Android 4.0 mobile operating system and will be the world's first quad-core tablet computer. It could be nearly twice as fast as the iPad, cost less and be convertible to a quasi-netbook. That's why it's called the Transformer, after all. Purchase the sold separately keyboard and trackpad dock, and you've got a touchscreen netbook computer with full a size USB port, SD card reader and even an extra battery. The dock costs $150. iPad 3 on the other hand, could come out in just three months with 4G speeds, an improved camera or even Siri the voice recognition software now on the iPhone 4S. The problem is, nobody really knows for sure when iPad 3 will debut, so if you put off buying the Transformer Prime in favor of the iPad 3, it could be another four months before you get it. Of course, if you do wait, you'll be getting access to the App Store and it's over 500,000 apps, and features like video mirroring and iCloud. Furthermore, although it's not at all likely, iPad 3 could even debut at less than $500. Be sure to go and check out these tablets in person to see if you like one better and to see them in action. Tell us in the comments if you are leaning towards the Eee Pad Transformer Prime or the iPad.

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