knepperhorn: ASUS Transformer AiO Windows 8 all-in-one doubles as an Android tablet

ASUS is all about crazy devices that double as other devices -- take the Padfone Infinity and Fonepad, announced last week at MWC, for instance. Today the Taiwanese manufacturer has launched an equally outlandish entrant into the all-in-one PC market, the ASUS Transformer AiO.

By day, the AiO is a humble Windows 8 PC; by night (or, you know, whenever), it detaches from its stand to become an Android 4.1 tablet. That's because it's actually two devices in one -- the Windows side is powered by a third-generation Intel Core i5-3350P CPU (8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage), whereas the Android tablet UI runs on an NVIDIA Tegra 3 chip (2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage). Both operating systems come to life on the 18-inch 1920x1080 LED display, which makes the AiO the largest commercial Android tablet we can think of.

It's a little perplexing to see Windows 8 and Android side-by-side on this kind of device, not least due to Microsoft's keenness to promote Windows' tablet credentials. But ASUS is also touting the AiO's ability to run Windows 8 in remote desktop mode on the tablet UI, so you'll have that option open to you while you're in tablet mode.

The ASUS Transformer AiO is due for release during the second quarter, and will be priced at $1299 in North America.