ASUS' latest low-cost Windows tablet ditches the pen
If you've wanted an affordable 8-inch Windows tablet from ASUS, your only recent option has been the VivoTab Note 8. While that's no doubt a fine machine, you might not want to pay extra for pen input if you don't need it. Thankfully, you don't have to any more; ASUS has quietly launched the VivoTab 8, a close cousin to the Note 8 that drops the stylus and digitizer. In many ways, it's now a MeMO Pad 8 running Microsoft's software instead of Google's. You'll still find a 1.33GHz Atom processor, a 1,280 x 800 display and a 2-megapixel front camera, but a few things have switched up to accommodate Windows while keeping the price in check. The newer slate has a larger 32GB of expandable storage and ships with 2GB of RAM in some regions instead of the MeMO Pad's 1GB, but it drops back to a 2-megapixel rear cam -- sorry, you won't be capturing any photographic masterpieces here. ASUS hasn't revealed any launch plans yet. However, it's safe to presume that the VivoTab 8 will save you at least some cash versus the Note 8's original $330 sticker.
http://www.amazon.com/VivoTab-M80TA-.../dp/B00HWHQKFI
