I have been a proud owner of an Asus Transformer since this past summer.

I love everything about it and all that Android has to offer.

However, I recently received the much anticipated ICS update, and I realized that something is missing. Everything was running smoothly after the update and I was in Android heaven when I suddenly realized that the face unlock feature was not there!

I immediately went to the web to discover that l could not find an Android tablet running standard ICS that did have the face unlock feature. Many people are very disappointed, as the face unlock is one of the highlight features in the ICS operating system.

I myself was disappointed and frustrated. I couldn’t wait to show off the face unlock technology to all my friends. I did a little poking around in the new OS to see what I could find and stumbled across the “missing” face unlock. it was under the programs list on the device.

ASUS ICS Face Unlock:

I did more research to find that the application was being hidden on purpose from users. Many people are speculating on the reason for the “missing” face unlock.

One claim is that Google has chosen to hide the feature on tablets because of a major security flaw that the unlock presents. A picture of a face is enough to unlock the device, without having the owner physically there.

A friend of mine could unlock my device by displaying a picture of my face to the camera. Another rumor is that the feature will become available in smaller, future updates to tablets.

There are various other claims floating around the tech community but I myself feel that the reason is a combination of the two claims I presented above.

My guess is that Google saw the security flaw in earlier ICS phone updates and decided it would be most beneficial to just leave it out of tablets altogether until the flaw is fixed. Please share any information or personal speculations below!

The Android ICS 4.0 upgrade has not been without problems for many devices, so it is perhaps good news that the earlier release of the ASUS Eee pad will now bring ICS but slightly later than the troubled Transformer Prime ICS update which is now seeing refunds being offered to certain users who have had issues with the upgrade and want tehir money back here in the UK.

We now hear that owners of the ASUS Eee pad will get their ICS update sometime in February with a report that the middle of the month is likely.

With ASUS promising an update this month, there are no hard statements from the company as to the specific dates of the update but according to a report on Electronista, it looks likely that mid February will see the update being released to owners.

In a reply on their facebook account to the question:

When will ICS be available for The original Transformer? Cant wait any longer!

ASUS North America replied:

Sorry for the confusion, HQ told me this morning it is looking more like mid-February for ICS on the TF101. The Slider update will come after the Transformer.

Ice Cream Sandwich update:

Once finalised and finally delivered it is expected that the new operating system will bring speed efficiency to the overall user experience and the UI as well as a new interface to use the device on.

We do hope that the ASUS Transformer Prime Ice Cream Sandwich Problems are not replicated on this earlier ASUS tablet device and that the extra time offered this upgrade will iron out issues before a full release is expected in February.

The update is expected pretty soon for Wi-Fi only devices but is not expected to be a quite as dramatic an improvement as the update delivers for Android smartphone owners, but assuming all is smooth and there are no huge issues with the update it looks like a worthy move to get your tablet up to speed with the new Android operating system.

Let us know how things go when it finally gets unleashed!

It is thought that ASUS will be revealing a new mini version of the Asus transformer prime tablet that currently sees them under scrutiny from Hasbro over the use of the words “transformer” and “prime”.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this month in Las Vegas will see the arrival of many new models and it is expected that it will be the showcase of the new ASUS transformer mini.

The new version is thought to be a 7 inch model of the 10 inch version, which will come with a smaller keyboard dock, the signature of the Asus Transformer Prime.

Asus want to be big in 2012 and distinctive:

There is expected to be a few other arrivals at the CES show and these include:

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• Asus Padfone, a 4.3-inch Ice Cream Sandwich based smartphone which has the ability to turn into a tablet via a 10.1-inch touchscreen dock.
• 7-inch version of the Eee Memo Pad, with a rumoured 1.2 Ghz Snapdragon processor, 1280×800 resolution display, with Wi-Fi and 3G options.

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Will they keep the transformer name?

With Hasbro genuinely unhappy about the choice of names of the Asus transformer tablet, it may be unwise to carry on this potential legal disaster to another model even though in my eyes it seems pretty far fetched that they would have a leg to stand on, I am no lawyer and would not be the best person to pontificate on any outcome here, so if I was Asus, airing on the side of caution would be my instinct, especially as the transformers brand is growing from strength to strength currently.

Hasbro filed the action to sue in a LA court stating that the use of the term could lead to consumer confusion, and has requested that compensation be paid for damages related to the use of the term in current and future products.

Can the word “transformer” really be trademarked/patented/copyrighted?

Are you a lawyer in this field in the US?

If so, please do shed some light on the issue if you are, as it seems far fetched to me.

Barbara Finigan, Hasbro’s chief legal officer, said in a statement.

“Hasbro continues to aggressively protect its brands and products and the specific actions we are taking today against Asus underscores yet again Hasbro’s willingness to pursue companies who misappropriate our intellectual property for their own financial gain….the Transformers property is an incredibly popular global brand which enjoys tremendous fan support and interest around the world. The action we have announced today is in the best interests of our company and our shareholders.”

So like Apple, they are not taking things lightly and I am actually really excited to see what the outcome will be on this one.

Though if I was Asus I would counter sue Hasbro for making my new line of tablets sound like they are a kids toy….we had all pretty much forgotten the name until recently!…How rude Hasbro how rude.

At last many will be happy that the ASUS transformer prime tablet is finally on sale on BestBuy, and you can pick the item up for $499.

And owners who have already bought it are saying that the tablet is ultra responsive, perhaps a bit ugly, but great that it also includes an SD card slot.

Amazon taking orders:

The model for sale on BestBuy is a Gray 32GB tablet, and when I looked shipping was “coming soon”, the device will currently come with Honeycomb 3.2 as your operating system, but an Ice Cream Sandwich update is to follow soon.

In terms of accessories, a keyboard dock will not be included but you can always look to buy these other things later on.

What you will get with your order:

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• Weighs only 1.3 lbs. and measures just 0.3″ thin: For lightweight portability. Sensors include G-sensor, light sensor, gyroscope, E-compass and GPS.
• Digital media card reader: Supports microSD cards and microSDHC formats for storing or transferring media.
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR: Easily link with other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as a mobile phone or MP3 player.
• Preloaded apps: Includes Android Market, YouTube, Google Search and more.
• Built-in 802.11b/g/n wireless LAN: Connect to the Internet without wires.
• Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system: Along with an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, a 667MHz system bus and a 1MB L2 cache allows you to stay connected and productive on the go.
• 1GB LPDDR2 memory: For multitasking power.
• 10.1″ LED-backlit touch-screen display: With IPS technology and 1280 x 800 resolution showcases movies and games in stunning clarity. Gorilla glass screen provides durability.
• Built-in 1.2MP webcam: Makes it easy to video chat with family and friends. The rear-facing 8.0MP camera with autofocus allows you to capture and play back video.
• NVIDIA Tegra 3 graphics: For lush images. Micro HDMI output for connection to an HDTV.

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Please let us know what you think of the device if you have bought it already, or when you do.