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Hey guys, I've been a long time lurker but never really posted that much.
i was wondering if there was any way that the ASUS transformer keyboard can be hacked with the gtab dock adapter? I dont im alone in this, or if not that do you think there will be some third party who would make one? I think the sale on woot and now amazon might help push manufactures to make it.
Its very less likely that the keyboard would work due to the proprietary connector.
That said, a blutooth keyboard with a 10" enclosure should work no problem, and I see many manufacturer going into this once the transformer style become popular.
There is nothing unique about the eee keyboard the convertible style keyboard was already available for IPAD2 long before any one knew about the EEE.
http://clamcase.com/
http://cruxcase.com/products/crux360/
I just love the idea that I can have a netbook and a tablet and switch at my convenience. The links that you posted is exactly what I am looking for. Is there anything in that style that will fit the Gtab?
modfrenzy said:
I just love the idea that I can have a netbook and a tablet and switch at my convenience. The links that you posted is exactly what I am looking for. Is there anything in that style that will fit the Gtab?
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unfortunately not that slick, you currently can go with the clip cases with USB or BT keyboards, they are very campy compared to this (well at least the USB version doesn't cost that much).
That said, I think with the huge recent surge in GTab owners, I don't think it would be that before some go on and make a professionally looking case like the ones quoted above (esp if the EEE transformer goes popular)
Crossing my fingers to that! I've spent a lot of time looking at everything that is currently available for our G tabs, and nothing seems "professional"; instead it all looks slapped together. Engadget has been posting a few articles about the G tab and with the lower price and the over clocking kernels....
Here me hoping that some third party shines some light back in Viewsonic's direction.
I like the unit, I have a iPad 1 and iPhone 3G, but now use a EVO 4G. I had a Nook Color rooted and it was nice, just wanted the extra power and cameras. The Asus is nice quality, and I do like it, still got some issues with it overall, but I think the keyboard dock will really push me over the top. I have not been able to get any updates. I read about the bricking issue and that it was pulled, but the camera frame rate sucks!!, so I hope it fixes that mainly. I will say that Honeycomb is nice, but will still give the upper hand to iOS. Apple has the polish, and yes I know they have had a lot more time and control it all from start to finish, but they have done a good job. I always say that Google seems to be a company that has the thought process of throw a lot of stuff at the wall and see what sticks. The problem they have is that a lot of stuff is sticking to the wall and someone needs to come in and bring it all together with some nice polish and streamlining. I wasn't getting much battery life, then I turned off the AWESOME water background and now it seems to last a lot longer in standby. The screen is very very good, better than my iPad. Speakers are ok, nothing special. Weight and size is nice, looks and feels a bit longer than my iPad. I laid them on the table and the iPad is a hair ticker, but the Asus is longer. The Google Market has the annoying feature of when I look up a app, it doesn't show it installed already like the phone does. So if I see the Youtube app, it showes FREE instead of INSTALLED. Youtube app is nice. Polaris Office is a nice app also. Not a lot of stuff in the market yet for tablet, I know this will come. Camera seems a bit blurry and white lights glow way to much, but again, I hope the update fixes this. I really want the keyboard dock, anyone know the date or where to get this yet?? I assume it is not out in the US yet? Oh well, just thought I would ask a few questions and post a few thoughts. Did I mention I am really really looking forward to the keyboard dock??? LOL
Mac
you just missed them on tigerdirect
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...mc=Email-_-WebletMain-_-WEBLET03ORDER-_-Deals
Even with $20 overnight I'm paying $10 less than retail. Should have it tomorrow.
Keep track of this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1055206
Thread made specifically to track availability of the docks
Thanks
Thanks for the tip. Just now (5-4-2011/5:22pm) lucked up and got the keyboard dock from Newegg.com also. Should be here Sat.
Mac
Anyone ever try one of these cheap BT keyboards from ebay?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mini-Wireless-B...cessories&hash=item20b9fefac8#ht_10638wt_1139
There's tons of them.
It appears to be smaller than the phone in the picture. I cannot see what advantage it would provide.
SirhanSirhan said:
It appears to be smaller than the phone in the picture. I cannot see what advantage it would provide.
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That thing in the background is actually the front of a laptop, I think. But here's another one, with a hand in the pic for size reference:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Wireless-Mini-B...Trackballs&hash=item2c5d194867#ht_6608wt_1139
But as to what advantage it would provide:
1st of all, I type MUCH faster on a tactile keyboard (as most people do in reality).
2nd- tablet can be propped up on a stand and still enter test comfortably (I've found it difficult to type on a vertical screen, and placing it horizontally on my lap for a long message can negatively effect the viewing angle)
3rd- can be used remotely or when hands are dirty (think- kitchen / cooking / recipe tablet).
4th- console gaming. Nothing beats buttons for emulators.
I like that it is so portable, otherwise a full sized case + KB sort of approaches the size of a netbook which almost defeats the purpose of having this.
What I really wanted to know if these are just poor build quality or really uncomfortable to type on (I LOVED my touch pro 2 keypad, which this reminds me of, but not all kbs are created equal).
Additionally, there are other shapes and sizes, all around the same price on ebay. Seem to come from similar sellers, probably manufactured in one plant. Here's something more full sized:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Wireless-Blueto...ccessories&hash=item2311642184#ht_3553wt_1139
I can't really offer any insight to answer your question, as I have no experience with these one way or another... but I am quite interested in the answer. If you end up going this route and trying it, please post back here with the results... I'd be interested in a product like this, but build quality would also be a primary concern for me.
I ordered this keyboard from Amazon about a month ago, works great with both my GTab running Vegan 5.1.1 and my rooted EVO.
I apparently can't post links because I'm new, but search amazon for this:
Handheld Mini Bluetooth HID Wireless Chicklet Keyboard with Mouse Control Combo for Media Center PC, Windows 7/Vista/XP, Apple iPad & Sony PS3
It's like $35 and well worth it, I wrote a whole 5 page paper with it, pretty slick
toreyjh said:
I ordered this keyboard from Amazon about a month ago, works great with both my GTab running Vegan 5.1.1 and my rooted EVO.
I apparently can't post links because I'm new, but search amazon for this:
Handheld Mini Bluetooth HID Wireless Chicklet Keyboard with Mouse Control Combo for Media Center PC, Windows 7/Vista/XP, Apple iPad & Sony PS3
It's like $35 and well worth it, I wrote a whole 5 page paper with it, pretty slick
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Here you are.
How comfy is it being used as a desktop keyboard not as a thumb keyboard ?
Thanks
update: looks too small for touch typing (as noted in amazon reviews). So I like the caps lock led (not available on any other slim BT keyboard I have checked)
Also note that Android does not support the Bluetooth HID profile (looks like the underlying stack supports it since 2.1 or 2.2 but there's nothing in the ROM).
There's a free apk that might work "bluetooth easyconnect".
I've been edging around a semi expensive ~20USD apk that definitely works with my iGo BT keyboard, but they lock to phone ID and, on the gtab, that changes when you change ROMs...
toreyjh said:
I ordered this keyboard from Amazon about a month ago, works great with both my GTab running Vegan 5.1.1 and my rooted EVO.
I apparently can't post links because I'm new, but search amazon for this:
Handheld Mini Bluetooth HID Wireless Chicklet Keyboard with Mouse Control Combo for Media Center PC, Windows 7/Vista/XP, Apple iPad & Sony PS3
It's like $35 and well worth it, I wrote a whole 5 page paper with it, pretty slick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought the bt keyboard that aasoror linked to. I got it to pair but it never connected, I even downloaded bluetooth keyboard easy connect but it would not let me pick the keyboard in the drop down menu. What is supposed to be the pin to help me get this working with my g-tab?
I am using Vegan GE 7.0. Thanks for any help you or anyone else can provide.
Oh, it never occurred to me that we would be missing the HID profile in bluetooth!
I just assumed if the iPad does it, certainly Android has it built in (thinking back to A2DP and other stuff Android supported first).
That really stinks- are BT keyboards not an option??
imdaman99 said:
I bought the bt keyboard that aasoror linked to.
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And how did you like it ? is it good for touch typing ?
I got it to pair but it never connected
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Have you tried the trick here.
Dishe said:
That really stinks- are BT keyboards not an option??
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There is plenty of BT KB's running on the GTab, just look around.
aasoror said:
And how did you like it ? is it good for touch typing ?
Have you tried the trick here.
There is plenty of BT KB's running on the GTab, just look around.
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I got it to work
I like it because its wireless and doesn't need a usb dongle or anything, but its hard to type on it for than a few minutes. Obviously it is a lot better than typing on the GTab but I wish it were smaller or bigger (small enough to thumb type, or big enough that it wasn't cramped and getting tiresome typing with both hands and all my fingers.)
I already had a Rii Mini Wireless keyboard from before so I thought, hell it couldn't hurt to give it a try on my GTab. And it works! Even the touchpad! I would rather use that because it is smaller (thus more portable) and it has backlighting on it. I could type in the dark! Of course there is a Bluetooth version for the Rii Mini as well (around $40), but I think I have spent enough money on keyboards for my GTab lol.
imdaman99 said:
I got it to work
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You didn't say how ?
imdaman99 said:
I wish it were smaller or bigger (small enough to thumb type, or big enough that it wasn't cramped and getting tiresome typing with both hands and all my fingers.)
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I am now thinking about a little bigger keyboard, seems suitable for touch typing.
I bought a BT keyboard off ebay for 19$ and it will not connect at all with my GTab. It will not connect w my samsung fascinate android either but will connect w my Ps3 and my ipod. Go figure.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
This is merely a curiosity thread. I have pretty much no interest in the dock aside from the extra battery life. I figure if I need a keyboard I could use a BT one or just use my laptop etc. Is it really a draw for people looking to replace a netbook with a tablet?
I feel the same way like u about the dock....don't need it...
No interest in the dock from me.
I like the form factor, weight, build quality, performance, connectivity, and asus updates.
May want a dock later, but has no influence in my desire to own the prime right now.
If I'm going to sit down to do a bunch of e-mails or work on a document of some sort, the dock is going to come in very handy.
I had the dock for the original transformer. The typing was so laggy that it wasn't worth it.
If you need to type, use a laptop/pc. Plus, it didn't have spell or grammar check. (polaris office)
I think the docking experience is overrated and over-hyped. The dock was also a bit bulky so there was no sense in carrying it around. All it did was collect dust.
Tablet was great though.
I use my Transformer for quite a few things, and one of them is taking notes during meetings and for writing rough drafts. I often do the latter late at night and in bed, and so the ability to pop the tablet on the dock and use the combo without worrying about grabbing a laptop tray of some kind is nice. An important aspect of the TF+dock is that it generates no heat, so no worry about covering vents or burning a hole in one's nether regions. I also know of no Bluetooth keyboards or "docks" that can be propped on a lap and be sturdy enough to comfortably type on.
It's also faster for my ad hoc ramblings--no need to grab the notebook, grab a tray, arrange them on my lap, wait for the notebook to boot up, open the right app, etc. Just grab the dock, pop my tablet in it, hit the new note button on the Evernote widget, and start typing. It's faster and much more convenient.
Also, for taking notes in all-day meetings, nothing beats the combo. I've often been at seminars and meetings where folks were fighting for available power sources. Not me--my TF+dock easily lasts an entire day, with an evening to spare. The Prime+dock will only be better.
Nope, for me, the dock is the saving grace. I'd be less likely to buy a tablet without it, or rather I'd save some cash and get a Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet. The only other uses that don't involve heavier writing is ebook reading, and either of those would be fine for the purpose.
It's the sole reason for me focusing on a Transformer. The reason I want the Prime instead of the original is simply better specs. If someone other than Asus made one with a similar keyboard dock, I'd probably dump waiting on the Prime.
my reason is the typing, but never had the first transformer. and the usb port is a big reason for me
the dock came in quite handy for my on my tf101, so i'm 100% going to get the dock for the prime, but i'm going to wait until i get a deal on it, as it's not crucial, but just handy and useful to have.
plus, the wow factor when you break your netbook in half and use the screen around people is too good to pass up
Well since I'm a student it can be pretty useful at school, however the problem in Holland and Europa I suppose is that we get 2 versions: 32GB with dock (€599) and the 64GB without dock (€599). Since I don't need the extra 32GB (64GB) I will buy the 32GB with dock, and hope I get used to it..
If I can use a gamepad via Bluetooth, I'll have no reason to get the dock.
I have the transformer and the dock and for me it's a pretty big deal.
For me it's not just a keyboard and a battery. It s the ultimate accessory. Look at how many different accessories there is for the other tablets. Screen protector, bt keyboard, extra battery, extra port converters, docking station, cover, protection case, sd reader... You can't have all those with you all the time.
But the keyboard dock is everything in one sleek package you can carry out with your transformer. And that the beauty of it
Sent from my HTC Desire using xda premium
I bought it with my pre-ordered Prime. It's always nice to have more inputs than just touch. Also, if nothing else, it's the best possible tablet stand you can have, not to mention it prolongs the battery life/charges the tablet.
I plan on using this a ton when I am working out, putting it right in front of my treadmill (have a stand that is perfect height) so being able to dock it in and not having to prop it up is key for me.
I'm not interested in the dock either but I will buy one if not in the next like 6 months definitely at blackfriday if they have a sale
For me it is very important. I am using this as a laptop replacement. The few times I have to do work out of the office it is some light word, excel, or email stuff. the keyboard is going to come in really handy.
I got my Prime yesterday and there are no docks available and it's driving me crazy. It is the only reason i didn't go with another brand tablet. I want it to act as a stand on my lap, as a screen cover while in my bag and an extra battery when i'm out and about. Without the dock i don't want the tablet. I hope I can find one soon....
In my country atm you can only get either the 32gb + dock or 64gb version. The 32gb is not sold separately. So i'm getting the dock anyway and i have to say its the reason i'm getting this Tablet. It just adds so much to the Tablet. Full USB port, SDcard, BatteryLife. These are all great things. And those are just the bonus. Writing stuff is something i do all the time when using computers. URLs, comments, emails, notes and other text etcetc. So it improves one of the major activities for which i use a device like that. I think its a no-brainer.
Its about the same thing with gaming on touch screen devices for me. It works with touch screen most of the time and some games are awesome with touch. But lets be honest many games just totally suck. So its just great to have the ability to plug in a Gamepad and have real gaming controls (especially emulators). Another plus for the dock and its usb port...
clouds5 said:
In my country atm you can only get either the 32gb + dock or 64gb version. The 32gb is not sold separately. So i'm getting the dock anyway and i have to say its the reason i'm getting this Tablet. It just adds so much to the Tablet. Full USB port, SDcard, BatteryLife. These are all great things. And those are just the bonus. Writing stuff is something i do all the time when using computers. URLs, comments, emails, notes and other text etcetc. So it improves one of the major activities for which i use a device like that. I think its a no-brainer.
Its about the same thing with gaming on touch screen devices for me. It works with touch screen most of the time and some games are awesome with touch. But lets be honest many games just totally suck. So its just great to have the ability to plug in a Gamepad and have real gaming controls. Another plus for the dock and its usb port...
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Agree with this, same in Holland with the 32GB + dock or 64GB without dock.
One of the primary selling points for the Prime was the dock so I'd say it's very important thus a must buy for me. BUT since I just picked one up and no dock was available at Gamestop, I can deal with waiting for the dock. Just hoping that it's not too long a wait.
It's really the main reason I'm getting it. It adds a ton of functionality for me and I doubt I would buy a tablet at all if it wasn't for it.
Transformer Prime Champagne Gold impressions
Well, as karma has it, I was able to get a 32GB Champagne Gold Transformer Prime, with the dock, last Friday and played with it over the weekend.
I was worried about many of the problems people were reporting and I was slightly afraid when starting up the device, I did not want to see bad light bleeds or dead pixels and so on. While the tablet itself ended up being perfect, I was still hit with a crippling bug of the keyboard dock not being able to be used for typing at all.
I found it almost ironic that I ended up with a serious flaw like that. I really thought that forums give a wrong impression about ASUS quality control, but reality is that it really is very, very bad. It is almost like gambling, chance that you'll get a functioning device without flaws that will annoy you from the very beginning, are very low.
I'll get the device replaced and essentially add to the pile of devices that are being returned to ASUS. But that aside, here are my impressions about the tablet, since I did use the tablet without the keyboard quite a bit.
Champagne Gold is absolutely beautiful in real life. It is a really attractive looking device, it's not as 'white' as Apple's aluminum devices are and is so much better for it with the slight golden gue making it look less clinical. Pictures don't do it justice, Champagne Gold Transformer Prime is the best looking tablet I've held in my hands.
The build is also very sturdy. I am glad I did not go for one of the plastic built tablets of yesteryear as I really love the feel of the tablet when I hold it. It is slightly heavier than I expected but only because I've never used tablets this extensively before.
Of course this design has its drawbacks, such as very weak GPS, but I tend to use my phone for GPS due to assisted GPS from cell towers, which is just much quicker. As for WiFi issues, I did not notice any, but I also did not run any speed tests. I mostly make the tablet use my phone as source of internet and it didn't have any problems doing so.
The first bootup ran Honeycomb and I immediately noticed that it simply did not run smoothly despite quad-core processing power driving it. But I liked the screen and after wiping the screen properly, touch responsiveness was good.
A mere 15 minutes later the device had updated itself to Android 4.0 and I had no stutter or lag issues anymore when moving around the menus or using the browser.
The screen is really beautiful and bright with good contrast. And the external sound is better than I expected. I watched the new 30 Rock episode with girlfriend on a couch and it was a nice experience, much better than trying to hold a laptop comfortably while watching a show. MX video player works very well on Prime, I watched Boardwalk Empire on my way back home on a train and it is a great device for extended viewing. It is amazing how much more natural it feels to watch series or movies on a tablet device like this as opposed to laptop.
Most apps seem to run quite well on Prime. But Android has its drawbacks on tablets, a lot of really great looking games do not have HD versions, making them look less attractive on the screen. Some of my favorites such as truly amazing World of Goo and Cut the Rope worked well on Prime, but their beautiful art was stretched to full screen, making the games look less magical than they felt when I was playing them on my Galaxy Nexus phone (which has a similar resolution to Prime, but far smaller screen).
I tried to use my tablet as a netbook, but without working keyboard I coould not really give it as much of a go as I hoped. But browsing around in the internet was fast and smooth and I really like Android for a tablet OS.
Battery lasted less than I hoped, but I cannot say it was bad since I did not charge it enough times for it to live up to its full potential. But I did not have to charge it while I was using, so it did not cause any battery stress.
I also liked that ASUS does not enforce its things on the user. Majority of pre-installed apps can be disabled and ASUS own enhancements are good for the device. They did not add anything that felt like bloatware.
As for the screen, yes it is certainly a fingerprint magnet. It does not bother me until I start watching a movie or whatnot. Makes me feel like I should clean it up because it simply is dirty (even when hands are less oily and have recently been washed).
Is this the best tablet I have ever used? Not really, iPad 2 is still a better media and content consumption device and I find Prime a much less comfortable to use when held in portrait mode as opposed to iPad 2 (but of course widescreen videos are much better on Prime as a result). But I can really see how the keyboard dock can enhance the Prime experience enough for me to never consider iPad 3, even if it comes out with HD screen and even better battery life.
I should also make additional note about the keyboard dock. I don't find the build of the keyboard dock to be as good as I hoped, it angles up really awkwardly on the Prime when screen is lifted, the back hinge is basically the thing it starts 'resting' on and differently from the rubber it rests on in front of the dock, the back rests on plastic knob-thingies, which have less grip. So on a less sturdy surface or when typing, the device is prone to move a lot more than you'd expect.
To sum things up, ASUS did a good job at everything except quality control and body design for GPS. If it had 3G, better WiFi and functioning GPS I would easily grade it the best tablet ever, but right now I don't see iPad 2 being actually dethroned before the end of this year where Google's rumoured tablet and possibly another Transformer can really kick things up a notch.
2012 is the year of 4G and HD screens on tablets, but I must say I did not really think Prime needs a HD screen. It is not because it would not look more beautiful - it would and I can easily see pixels when reading the web on Prime - but I just think that Android market won't catch up to HD apps before 2013. Today most apps look stretched and the apps that don't, do not seem to need HD anyway.
But yes, a wonderful device, just make sure to not throw away the box and other items so you can quickly refund, since chance has it that it might come with a hardware flaw or two.
Nice well written review.
Got it exchanged and keyboard works now! By the way, those wishing to buy it in Estonia, it seems to be sold downtown in both Euronics and Klick stores. Can't be bought online yet and seems to be only the champagne gold 32gb model.
Thx for the review man
On thing i want to add though: You have to compare the transformer prime to the ipad2 wifi only. If you want to compare it at all. And that device has no gps module at all, so a more or less working gps is still better than none at all.
But those comparisons are fundamentally flawed imho. I buy a device because of its features. iPad and TP offer very different things which results in the situation that there are fans of one device (because it has everything they wish for) and fans of the other one debating which one is better...
In the end there is only "whats better for you" and never "whats better for everyone". For me its clearly the Prime.
Dude i get carried away again. My Prime shall arrive! NOW!
I'm with you with the Champagne Gold color.
The photos online do not give justice to the Champagne Gold color as it is absolutely beautiful in real life.
The Gold hue does not overpower the Aluminum Color and has a rather subtle hint to it.
Excellent review. A good model for all to follow!
My "purplish" grey one is to arrive tomorrow....wish I could have ordered the champagne colour. I'll probably end up putting a skinomi skin on the back as I'm not really into the purple tones...plus, I heard the aluminum scratches easily.
i haven't read the full review... but you found a gold dock in stores? or online? where? i didn't even think it existed.
oasis9389 said:
i haven't read the full review... but you found a gold dock in stores? or online? where? i didn't even think it existed.
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+1. Where is this mythical gold dock? Surely not the one I've had on BB preorder since late November? lol <bangs head into wall>
I'm using a Champagne Prime mated with a Gray dock. I actually like the look better than a matched set. Something to think about if you can't find a Champagne dock...
wynand32 said:
I'm using a Champagne Prime mated with a Gray dock. I actually like the look better than a matched set. Something to think about if you can't find a Champagne dock...
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can you post some pics?
Just as an FYI, your prime screen is capable of 720p hd video playback, just not 1080p. still HD, just not the best HD. Great review though.
oasis9389 said:
i haven't read the full review... but you found a gold dock in stores? or online? where? i didn't even think it existed.
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ASUS is selling 32GB Champagne Gold TF201's in Estonia, it's the EU version (tablet and dock in one). And it is also localized, with local adapter and US keyboard that has russian letters in the corner (we also have a large number of russians living here).
irishtexmex said:
+1. Where is this mythical gold dock? Surely not the one I've had on BB preorder since late November? lol <bangs head into wall>
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It seems that ASUS did not just do a UK launch, it was an EU launch and a lot of tablets are being sold in various countries, often without advertisements. Here we have Champagne Gold one, sold 2-in-1, dock and tablet. I haven't seen Amethyst Grey being sold anywhere here (and we seem to have two chains selling TF201's without ads at the moment).
It just shows how little this tablet is really known outside these forums and tech world. People don't know about it. Stores don't even know that they have the hottest Android tablet on their shelves.
clouds5 said:
Thx for the review man
On thing i want to add though: You have to compare the transformer prime to the ipad2 wifi only. If you want to compare it at all. And that device has no gps module at all, so a more or less working gps is still better than none at all.
But those comparisons are fundamentally flawed imho. I buy a device because of its features. iPad and TP offer very different things which results in the situation that there are fans of one device (because it has everything they wish for) and fans of the other one debating which one is better...
In the end there is only "whats better for you" and never "whats better for everyone". For me its clearly the Prime.
Dude i get carried away again. My Prime shall arrive! NOW!
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Well, true, but it is worth a comparison simply because you would not own a Prime and an iPad 2 together, they overlap in functionality. I will still recommend iPad 2 to anyone who is not a tech person as I believe that today it is a better device for content consumption and don't believe Android will catch up in app-market with HD apps and experience at least until 2013.
I am really neutral in that opinion here, I own an Android 4.0 phone and tablet now, I love Android. But today iPad 2 is a better tablet for an average person even if you don't consider GPS, WiFi quality or 3G existence important.
I would not buy Android for my grandparents, if I had to choose I would buy them iPad 2.
But anyways, I love it. Those of us who know tech and prefer Android, this is a brilliant device if your device does not have issues resulted from bad quality control.
Conduitz said:
Just as an FYI, your prime screen is capable of 720p hd video playback, just not 1080p. still HD, just not the best HD. Great review though.
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Thank you for the correction.
I am about to order one, so how is it compared to a laptop? i wanna sell my laptop and use Prime all the time insted, btw how did you use you phones internet? thats called tethering? or some bluetooth function ?
vitalero said:
I am about to order one, so how is it compared to a laptop? i wanna sell my laptop and use Prime all the time insted, btw how did you use you phones internet? thats called tethering? or some bluetooth function ?
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Think you might struggle to use this as a laptop replacement - depending on what you use your laptop for.
Yes, it's called tethering - setting your phone up as a wifi hotspot then connecting your tablet to it. No bluetooth needed. However, some Prime users report issues with this since the ICS update.
And more opinions!
I've had the chance to use the keyboard dock for a while, as well as test out a variety of apps. Some apps are much better in HD on a tablet, this surprised me quite a bit. For example IMDB app is really good on tablet and gMail (and really, all Google apps) is very high quality.
Apps run quickly and without problems. I also haven't noticed any problems with the tablet I got for exchange, no dead pixels. There's faint backlight bleed near one corner but I can not notice it while using a tablet unless brightness setting is too high and screen itself full of black colors.
As for the keyboard. I really love that it is Android focused keyboard. The keys make sense and are intuitive. It really is the first time I've felt comfortable with a keyboard that is similar to old school Windows keyboards, while never making me feel like it is one of those 'modified' PC keyboards. The top row buttons are all very useful, there are no bloated keys.
At first I wished there was 'recent apps' key, but there isn't. Alt+Tab does exist, but since there is no Alt key on the left hand side of the keyboard, you have to use two hands for it (I always Alt+Tab with left hand on my PC). So that's a bit annoying.
Keyboard itself is comfortable to write on if you've used smaller netbooks before. It takes a short time getting used to since at first you expect keys to be further apart, but adjustment does not take long. Feel of the keys is really good and they are well built, I like that spacebar, while long, goes down on both sides if you only press on one side. While it seems simple and does not look as expensive as Macbook Air keyboard, it feels really well built.
The dock also protects the tablet really well. The keys are not elevated on the dock, so they don't touch or get close to tablet screen and leave marks of any kind on the screen in the long run (this happened with my nice Compaq netbook 311C that had a beautiful LED screen that just looked worn thanks to keyboard after a while). Dock is also separated from the tablet with little rubber knobs
The touchpad is basically pointless, I am not sure why it is even needed, but I like that it is there in case I ever would need it. Using screen touch is simply faster, since apps are usually built keeping that in mind. Touchpad is just slower in comparison. I did however find it helpful when writing a lot of text and needing to correct something. It is also great that you can turn the touchpad off so it doesn't activate by accident while you are typing.
Certain apps are also less-keyboard friendly. While typing is supported all around, certain apps are less friendly when it comes to common usability features such as tab key changing selected input field (like going from username to password). You cannot really use the tablet without resorting to touching the screen every now and then, but I must admit that it is better than I originally expected. I actually like having the keyboard on, since on-screen keyboard is really something I don't like to resort to.
I did notice that capacitive pens are not very good on Transformer Prime screen. I have cleaned the screen very well, but capacitive pens are not sensed unless brushing them more noticably against the screen. The pen is a high quality one originally built for iPad 2 by Bamboo, worlds leading company when it comes to graphic tablets. I guess the non-air-pad type capacitive pens would work better though.
For some other things that are not as perfect as they could be, there is a very tiny amount of lag in the system at times when using the keyboard. It is certainly not as responsive as a keyboard should be if you, say, played competitive first person shooter games. But it doesn't really annoy and some apps are better than others at it. This will possibly improve even further with newer Android or firmware updates since it is not a hardware issue at all.
One thing I can tell you though is that TF201 makes quite an impression. I've shown it to two friends and the dock really makes the tablet. It takes away one of the most uncomfortable things about tablets - typing on that awkward screen - as well as offers natural protection without needing a case to protect the screen. Two of my friends who played with it were very impressed. If there's an Android device to wow people who only really know about iPad, it is not good to show the tablet without the dock - since it is just too similar - but the dock helps it really set it apart.
vitalero said:
I am about to order one, so how is it compared to a laptop? i wanna sell my laptop and use Prime all the time insted, btw how did you use you phones internet? thats called tethering? or some bluetooth function ?
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When using it as a replacement for a netbook, the device works really well. But one has to keep in mind that it is a content-consumption device. You can draw sketches here or write essays, but it is really something that you should consider as a replacement for netbook if you mostly watch movies or surf the internet on your netbook. You are still faster with a netbook if you need to do more intensive work.
But pay attention that I said 'netbook', not laptop. Laptop is still a better device, if you don't have a desktop PC, then I suggest keeping laptop around, since at times it is simply needed to 'create' more than consume. You cannot develop on Android, really edit videos or photoshop pictures or do extensive office work.
When it comes to sharing the internet then yes, I have an unlimited data plan on my phone so I can easily tether my 3G connection. It is not as fast as tablet itself having a 3G, but it is still quite good. I don't stream videos on my tablet usually or if I do, I have a better WiFi connection somewhere. For on-the-go use, it works really well.
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Some people also requested I post a picture of the dock that has Russian letters. It is a US dock, but if you select Russian as Android language, you can easily use the dock as well, since it shows where the letters are located. For Estonians (if any of you are out there), there is no Estonian layout supported sadly and from what I was told, there won't be one. Contents of the TF201 box however are Estonian, it has Estonian manual and everything.
Why was this thread moved to 'accessories'?
kristovaher said:
Some people also requested I post a picture of the dock that has Russian letters. It is a US dock, but if you select Russian as Android language, you can easily use the dock as well, since it shows where the letters are located. For Estonians (if any of you are out there), there is no Estonian layout supported sadly and from what I was told, there won't be one. Contents of the TF201 box however are Estonian, it has Estonian manual and everything.
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Thanks for this info. But I have a question, sorry my stupidity. What does "it shows where the letters are located" mean? There is no secondary letter set on a US keyboard dock (you said it is a US dock). And the only way in my opinion is - to have a Russian phonetic layout added to ASUS keyboard, so it will be possible to use US dock and type in Russian for those do not remember by heart location of Russian "QWERTY" layout ("ЙЦУКЕН"). I am looking desperately for this possibility - with Russian phonetic layout for ASUS keyboard life will be perfect . I can type Russian using on-screen keyboard but this is not nice when using dock. If you have any info about this - it will be very helpful.
Thanks
EugeneR said:
Thanks for this info. But I have a question, sorry my stupidity. What does "it shows where the letters are located" mean? There is no secondary letter set on a US keyboard dock (you said it is a US dock). And the only way in my opinion is - to have a Russian phonetic layout added to ASUS keyboard, so it will be possible to use US dock and type in Russian for those do not remember by heart location of Russian "QWERTY" layout ("ЙЦУКЕН"). I am looking desperately for this possibility - with Russian phonetic layout for ASUS keyboard life will be perfect . I can type Russian using on-screen keyboard but this is not nice when using dock. If you have any info about this - it will be very helpful.
Thanks
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In the keyboard dock picture he attached you can see the actual Russian phonetic layout on the buttons, so it's not exactly the US dock, but like a US dock with Russian phonetic layout added to the buttons.