For those of us who are already comfortable and used to the PC world, and can’t live within the closed iPad/Apple world, the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer is THE iPad alternative.

I had an iPad 1.0, and after a few weeks eBay’d it. I’m sure the 2.0 iPads fixed some of what made me want to throw it out the window, but the two things they aren’t likely to fix anytime soon are their overall Apple-approved-only philosophy and their lack of support for competitive product Flash.  So essentially, Apple frustrated me enough for Google to waltz in and make me love them with Android.

The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer runs on Google’s Android OS, which is especially helpful if you are using an Android phone like I am.  The tablet itself is arguably the #1 in its class, but that’s not what makes this the killer app.

What makes the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer the killer app?  The detachable keyboard dock.

To my knowledge, no other vendor has created a keyboard with an extended battery in it.  I have run my tablet for 20+ hours without running out of juice.  So while most Bluetooth keyboards run on batteries or drain power from your tablet battery, the Asus Transformer keyboard actually recharges your tablet as you use it.

Not only does this power capability rule the tablet world, but the keyboard dock also includes two standard USB ports. These are extra handy in attaching other devices.  The keyboard dock also adds an SD card slot for additional memory, above the mini card slot in the tablet itself.  I saw a memory configuration online that utilized the two USB ports and the two card slots resulting in more than 400GB for the device.  Not that most of us would need that, but it does show the versatility of the keyboard.

TIP:
This didn’t affect me, but if you have the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer and keyboard dock, there’s a chance that you’ve noticed the dock’s built-in battery draining quicker than it should.  If you’re unsure whether or not you have an affected unit, it’s quite easy to find out. Make sure that MobileDock Battery Savings Mode is enabled in the Settings menu under the Screen category. Once enabled, put the tablet into standby mode and press any button on the keyboard. If the tablet turns on as a result of the keypress, then you have a defective unit.  Read more about this tip from Android Police.