Asus Transformer Pad TF103 is an affordable keyboard-toting tablet hybrid

Tablet hybrids can sometimes cost as much as a laptop, so those interested in one that peters into laptop territory, but still has the perks of a portable slate will find this ASUS Tablet to be a diamond in the rough. I'm Xiomara Blanco for Cnet and this is the first look at the Transformer Pad TS103. The 10.1 tablet hybrid skips the high end look seen on the Transformer Prime, and ops for a more simplified utilitarian one. The plastic build gives it a cheap feel, however its [INAUDIBLE] helps make it feel sturdy. When using as a tablet, the fast matte finish on the back gets smooth and comfortable. But, it doesn't provide much grip support. I was impressed by how the design of the Transformer Pad dock has improved. Snapping the tablet into the keyboard dock is easier than ever. But, the keyboard itself is a little cramped to type on. That said, it's still better than using an onscreen keyboard. The Transformer Pad TS103 has the Quad-core, bit low processor, one gigabyte of RAM, 16 gigabytes of internal storage. And a Micro SP card slot expandable up to 64 gigabytes. The 1280 by 800 pixel resolution screen is sharp and colorful. However, the lack of an ambient light sensor means that you have to manually adjust the brightness settings, when switching environments. There's a 0.3 megapixel front facing camera, and a rear 5 megapixel shooter. And though the native camera app offers many different screen modes, settings, and manual focus, photo quality is poor. Pictures typically come out fuzzy and washed out. You're probably better off using your smart phone camera. It ships with Asus's new Zen user interface, which comes loaded with features for customizing your tablet in functional and fun ways. The trendy flat design is simple and easy to use, without being restricting. Asus packs in its typical slew of apps, which include screen calibration software and audio enhancing app. And their robust battery saving feature. The transformer pad also stuffed in a few other free perks, including music downloads from E music, Magazine courtesy of Vimeo. And 500 GB of free cloud storage for two years via Asus' web storage service. Starting at $299, as a standalone tablet, the Transformer Pad is forgettable. But the potential for productivity is unleashed with the keyboard dock. If you're looking for an affordable tablet geared towards productivity, check out my full review on CNET. Again, I'm Xiomara Blanco and this has been a first look at the ASUS Transformer Pad TF103. [MUSIC]