Stuff Mag's Astonishment Device Award

A hybrid laptop-tablet P.C. is the astonishing leader of Stuff magazine's device of the year award.

Asus's Eee Pad Transformer beat the iPad 2 to the tip prize, notwithstanding stronger urge for Apple's device.

It is a selling manoeuvre is to Taiwanese firm forward of the active XMas shopping period. It may moreover assist Asus with the impending launch of an upgraded chronicle to its product.

However, other reporters uttered astonishment at the choice.

"Despite the iPad 2 being a finer inscription in the purest sense, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer offers so sufficient more," Stuff's consulting editor, Simon Osborne-Walker, told the BBC.

"The clip-on set of keys means it may be as sufficient about capability as leisure.

"Best tablet? No. Best netbook? Probably not. But as a combo of the two - awesome."

It is the second time in reduction than a month that Apple has longed for out on a of the UK's heading technology awards.

T3 publication picked Microsoft's Kinect full-body suit sensor for its Xbox console as its tip device of 2011.

Stuff moreover echoed T3's preference of the Samsung Milky Way S2 as its phone of the year.

However, it was far from a full chasm for Apple. It won Stuff's inscription of the year, the magazine's readers voted the iPad 3 their many wanted future gadget, and the MacBook Air laptop was declared the most appropriate computer.

Other technology reporters invited to the rite were held out by Stuff's title award.

Pocket-lint's editor, Stuart Miles, mentioned he was "surprised", whilst CNET's Andrew Holye described it as an "unexpected decision".

Wired.co.uk's editor, Nate Lanxon, said: "The iPad 2 would have been the without doubt guess. But the leader is well-deserved, regardless."

Asus not long ago suggested it shipped 1.2 million Eee Pads over the formerly two quarters. By difference Apple mentioned it sole over 20.3 million iPads over a identical period.

However, Stuff's editor suggested the California-based company's lead is no reason to be complacent.

"Apple's many new products have been more about expansion rsther than than revolution, that has authorised a few competitors to climb up on them," Mr Osborne Walker said.

Asus is approaching to launch a inheritor hybrid device inside of the forthcoming weeks. Analysts say the new chronicle is likely to add a faster processor and the ultimate chronicle of Google's Android system.

Other Stuff winners enclosed Virgin's TiVo video tape deck as the tip home motion picture gadget, the Olympus PEN E-P3 as the most appropriate camera, and LA Noire as the most appropriate videogame.