How many of you returning your prime? - Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

I just got mine earlier today. I have to say that I am definitely not among the most unlucky people who receive units with lots of defects. But the issues are enough for me to decide to return it and get refund. Too bad, I was so eagerly anticipating this thing.
Back light bleeding: I know that every LCD product have some back light bleeding more or less. But this one I got is just too obvious, whenever I have some dark background.
WiFi: This is actually the real killer. It is really substandard performance. I think it's nowhere near a decent tablet from the Wifi performance. I initially tested in my room, < 10ft from the router. My MBP gives around DL 20Mbps, -46dBm, while TBP gives less than 12.5Mbps most of the time with about < -55dBm and quite unstable. i can live with it. But i did it in another room, around 20ft with 2 walls in between , TBP drops to < 3.5Mbps immediately. Horrible. that's only 20ft away. A tablet such wifi performance is unacceptable for me. I don't see myself constantly standing within 10ft from a router during my travel or in my campus. that just kills it.
Maybe some people have no problem with WiFi or whatsoever. If you get decent DL speed at >= 25ft with walls in between, you are lucky. I am talking about comparable speed with netbooks or 802.11n tablets, like TF101, not something > 50% lower. I personally think it's a design flaw.
GPS: A lot of people have problem with this one. I have no complain about it. Somehow I am lucky. The one i got was able to lock within about a minuite when i go outdoor. It finds 8 or 9 satellite very quickly and located me with in 50m. I tried gps fix, gps essential, etc. all works. I did a hard reset and switched off wifi during all these. So, I assure you that there are units with good GPS, and not everyone who voted "Yes" had no clue.

nonnot said:
I just got mine earlier today. I have to say that I am definitely not among the most unlucky people who receive units with lots of defects. But the issues are enough for me to decide to return it and get refund. Too bad, I was so eagerly anticipating this thing.
Back light bleeding: I know that every LCD product have some back light bleeding more or less. But this one I got is just too obvious, whenever I have some dark background.
WiFi: This is actually the real killer. It is really substandard performance. I think it's nowhere near a decent tablet from the Wifi performance. I initially tested in my room, < 10ft from the router. My MBP gives around DL 20Mbps, -46dBm, while TBP gives less than 12.5Mbps most of the time with about < -55dBm and quite unstable. i can live with it. But i did it in another room, around 20ft with 2 walls in between , TBP drops to < 3.5Mbps immediately. Horrible. that's only 20ft away. A tablet such wifi performance is unacceptable for me. I don't see myself constantly standing within 10ft from a router during my travel or in my campus. that just kills it.
Maybe some people have no problem with WiFi or whatsoever. If you get decent DL speed at >= 25ft with walls in between, you are lucky. I am talking about comparable speed with netbooks or 802.11n tablets, like TF101, not something > 50% lower. I personally think it's a design flaw.
GPS: A lot of people have problem with this one. I have no complain about it. Somehow I am lucky. The one i got was able to lock within about a minuite when i go outdoor. It finds 8 or 9 satellite very quickly and located me with in 50m. I tried gps fix, gps essential, etc. all works. I did a hard reset and switched off wifi during all these. So, I assure you that there are units with good GPS, and not everyone who voted "Yes" had no clue.
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I would never return it's amazing

I'll return it if there is no root, Prime no root = Prime is rusty, can't transform to anything

I don't blame you. With faulty wifi this thing is useless. The Prime is clearly not a tablet for use at Uni. If you can't study while eating lunch more than 30 ft away from the nearest AP Extender, it's a piece of crap. Point blank.

Doubt is starting to creep in my mind... i don't know, what do you think...
Wait for my 64 GB grey Prime, which has a ETA of 1/9/2012.
or
Get a 64 GB iPad2 w/ 3G on AT&T.

I did return my Prime because I have BIG issue with screen light leak . I can't believe they did not test there product before packing!! it was cost me $600 with tax + fast shipping. I'll wait for the 64gb and get it for the same price..
two thing I will pass on, GPS (come on, really you need the GPS on Tablet? maybe! I do have phone with me all the time I really believe who ever buying this gadget have smartphone too and it's faster to see where you are going through.. phone.. (again it's personal choice)
3G, I was really happy for not having 3G on my Prime. again where I live, I have wifi (Home, work) and mifi data card all the time I did not need to have extra charges for Data..
my Prime had pretty decent wifi connection.

Mine is getting replaced, but not returned. If I can't root the device, I'll think about returning it if I'm still within the return window.

If I got a wifi defective one, I would probably return it too. There's no point in having a shiny new tablet, if it can't connect to the internet very well.
My Prime gets around 34mbps downstream on speedtest
My Galaxy Note gets around 33mbps downstream on speedtest
My Laptop gets around 37mbps downstream
I'd say the receiver in my Prime is pretty decent.

this is how I'm going to tackle the wireless internet for the Prime.
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strange enough that mifi device I bought Wednesday night shows was shipped and handled fast, it was over-nighted and FedEx have already made an attempt to contact me but I'm not at home but at work.
ASUS and the brick and mortar retailers need to learn from Verizon and Radio Shack on how to deliver a product.
In the meantime, I wont see my Prime to Tuesday, and the 32GB microSD and keyboard dock for another 2 weeks after.

I have been testing WiFi quite extensively and I will definitely be returning my current copy. Near the router (< 5 ft), I am getting around 15mbps, which is slower than my Mac Book or iPhone, but it is still acceptable. However; when I go to another room (still less than 20 ft and only one wall in between the router), my speed drops to less than 3mbps (iPhone and Mac Book are still rocking at 20mbps) and uplink drops to less than 100kbps. I also get a lot of connection failures and retries in the next room.
I don't see any use of this unit if I have to use it near to a router all the time. It is a shame that Asus (knowingly!) ruined such a fine hardware. I am in love with my unit, but without a good connectivity, what good is a tablet.

are you guys with your wifi problems the 1st batch or 2nd batch Prime owners posting here?
1st batch are the TFP received prior to 12/28

I'm thinking about exchanging mine. Minor screen bleed, gps is dead, and now my screen is being iffy and starting to pop off on the right side.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium

xAnimal5 said:
If I got a wifi defective one, I would probably return it too. There's no point in having a shiny new tablet, if it can't connect to the internet very well.
My Prime gets around 34mbps downstream on speedtest
My Galaxy Note gets around 33mbps downstream on speedtest
My Laptop gets around 37mbps downstream
I'd say the receiver in my Prime is pretty decent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
these are quite impressive. when and where did you get your prime?

Mine is the first batch I think (bought it from BB and arrived on 12/28th).

I have one coming from best buy on tuesday, I am going to keep exchanging it until I get a perfect one.
Although I am guessing by the time I get a perfect one the nexus tablet will be out and I will be selling the prime for that.

tylermaciaszek said:
I would never return it's amazing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same here. wifi and everything else works perfectly. aside from the GPS issue, which doesn't really doesn't make it a deal breaker for me.

djsaad1 said:
I have one coming from best buy on tuesday, I am going to keep exchanging it until I get a perfect one.
Although I am guessing by the time I get a perfect one the nexus tablet will be out and I will be selling the prime for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or just flat out returning it for full price lol
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium

the_game_master said:
are you guys with your wifi problems the 1st batch or 2nd batch Prime owners posting here?
1st batch are the TFP received prior to 12/28
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure. Got it today. I thought the first batch was only released at taiwan.

Swiftks said:
Doubt is starting to creep in my mind... i don't know, what do you think...
Wait for my 64 GB grey Prime, which has a ETA of 1/9/2012.
or
Get a 64 GB iPad2 w/ 3G on AT&T.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
prime of course! lol just look at the Positive prime thread and others and you'll see more people are pleased with device than not. its just the ones with issues are more vocal.

As soon BB have it available again in stoke I'm ordering 3 and keep the one does'nt have problem..

Related

WIFI and GPS Issues with the TF201

Guys i pre-ordered a TFPrime from amazon UK and will be getting it shortly (12-Jan). However after watching a few reviews, etc, I noticed the Wifi / GPS seems really buggy which could be a deal breaker for me. Can anyone share their experiences? Any workaround?
Wifi Issues: youtube.com/watch?v=nzCZc3pjtrA
GPS Issues: youtube.com/watch?v=YeiOh09v54I
dereking said:
Guys i pre-ordered a TFPrime from amazon UK and will be getting it shortly (12-Jan). However after watching a few reviews, etc, I noticed the Wifi / GPS seems really buggy which could be a deal breaker for me. Can anyone share their experiences? Any workaround?
Wifi Issues: youtube.com/watch?v=nzCZc3pjtrA
GPS Issues: youtube.com/watch?v=YeiOh09v54I
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really?
You can't spit in any direction on this forum without hitting a thread that talks about these issues...why do you need yet another thread? A solution to these, if they are deal breakers for you, is to not buy the Prime.
Yep i guess your post signature leaves it clear... "Asus Transformer Prime (Waiting on a replacement) "
Wifi seems to be fine GPS is wacky but will get fixed
Yes wifi and gps have issues. Be careful about saying anything bad about the Prime in these forums.
A lot of town criers...
The WiFi is working fine, at least with mine anyways. GPS is still broken, but I have faith in ASUS that they'll come up with a fix.
You guys are killing me with this. I was hell bent on purchasing a Prime & Keyboard as soon as stock arrived. I checked all the reviews. I knew about it's pros & it's cons. I was sold. It was just a fluke that I wound up searching about the Prime's GPS accuracy and all of the BS ASUS has been covering up surfaced.
I'm not going to drop nearly $700 on a fancy toy if:
1. WiFi sucks. Especially on a portable device. That simply makes no sense.
2. GPS doesn't work. --I go to UC, so this bad boy needs to be LoJacked. I've seen too many laptops & tablets "walk off and disappear" during lecture.
3. Paying $700 for anything that doesn't have all of it's features intact is a non-starter.
ASUS makes great video cards & motherboards. But they need to get their sh*t together on this device if they plan to stay in tablet game.
Not gonna lie. I got my prime last week thru BB pre order and my GPS and wifi are working great! Not sure why other people $are having issues with this.
Early models did have hardware issues. (especially with wifi)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1394611
This is one reason why you don't want to rush to get one.
A lot of people will state that their wifi and gps is working just fine, but they dont really know any better...
Wifi works but its got a very slow upload and download speed. They may be thinking GPS works but not realize they are using wifi location.
But yes on every unit regardless of what others may say. Wifi does not work as good as it should and GPS doesn't work at all.
And if it is any indication...
TF101 shipped with screen bleed & loose casing defects, to this very day Asus has not bothered to fix the issue.
jzen said:
A lot of people will state that their wifi and gps is working just fine, but they dont really know any better...
Wifi works but its got a very slow upload and download speed. They may be thinking GPS works but not realize they are using wifi location.
But yes on every unit regardless of what others may say. Wifi does not work as good as it should and GPS doesn't work at all.
And if it is any indication...
TF101 shipped with screen bleed & loose casing defects, to this very day Asus has not bothered to fix the issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is with bad Internet aka not what I normally use. Through a few walls about 30 from the really crappy router at my mom's house.
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I would say my wifi is fine. GPS is useless though. Don't say people don't know what they are talking about when you don't know them.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
jzen said:
A lot of people will state that their wifi and gps is working just fine, but they dont really know any better...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With so many people reporting problems with GPS and WiFi strength it's become almost a complete certainty that these devices are suffering from some sort of severe design flaw.
I wasn't on the design team for this device, so take anything I say with a grain of salt, but I am quite savvy as an engineer so I'll drop my 2 cents on this issue.
From my standpoint it's appears to be DEFINITELY the aluminum chassis. Aluminum is quite good at reflecting/bouncing RF signals at a focal point (receiver). When crafted correctly, aluminum is great at bouncing rf signals. When used incorrectly, aluminum is great at dispersing and blocking rf signals.
However, as frequency increases, so does penetration. This is most likely why people have been able to notice relatively normal WiFi strengths. Even at wireless-g speeds they're operating at as low as 2.4GHz and up to 5GHz. However CIV GPS operate at around 1.1GHz. In this case, the aluminum shell has turned the GPS unit's "moderate voice" into a "whimper" when it attempts to lock & fix on satellites. -- Think tin foil hats, but for your GPS & WiFi
I also believe ASUS outfitted the Prime with 2 WiFi antennas whereas I believe the GPS only has a single antenna. I won't speak for ASUS's design decisions, but I wouldn't doubt they opted for 2 antennas to deal with the interference from the aluminum casing. However, that's simply my speculation. Why they botched this tablet so badly just to conform to a silly aesthetic design boggles my mind. As Spock would say, "their decisions were highly illogical."
jzen said:
And if it is any indication...
TF101 shipped with screen bleed & loose casing defects, to this very day Asus has not bothered to fix the issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They'd be wise to rethink that choice.
I'm right now wondering if WiFi on my TF101 is OK, because it doesn't get a lock i a room adjacent to the one with the router while laptop in the same place has 3 to 4 bars! So if people say their WiFi and GPS are fine take it with a grain of sand. It's not easy to check them properly in a short time.
don_cheadle said:
With so many people reporting problems with GPS and WiFi strength it's become almost a complete certainty that these devices are suffering from some sort of severe design flaw.
I wasn't on the design team for this device, so take anything I say with a grain of salt, but I am quite savvy as an engineer so I'll drop my 2 cents on this issue.
From my standpoint it's appears to be DEFINITELY the aluminum chassis. Aluminum is quite good at reflecting/bouncing RF signals at a focal point (receiver). When crafted correctly, aluminum is great at bouncing rf signals. When used incorrectly, aluminum is great at dispersing and blocking rf signals.
However, as frequency increases, so does penetration. This is most likely why people have been able to notice relatively normal WiFi strengths. Even at wireless-g speeds they're operating at as low as 2.4GHz and up to 5GHz. However CIV GPS operate at around 1.1GHz. In this case, the aluminum shell has turned the GPS unit's "moderate voice" into a "whimper" when it attempts to lock & fix on satellites. -- Think tin foil hats, but for your GPS & WiFi
I also believe ASUS outfitted the Prime with 2 WiFi antennas whereas I believe the GPS only has a single antenna. I won't speak for ASUS's design decisions, but I wouldn't doubt they opted for 2 antennas to deal with the interference from the aluminum casing. However, that's simply my speculation. Why they botched this tablet so badly just to conform to a silly aesthetic design boggles my mind. As Spock would say, "their decisions were highly illogical."
They'd be wise to rethink that choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
An aluminium shell like on the Transformer can only distort the signals a bit but not completely block it (like many are experiencing with GPS). That is probably because of a manufacturing defect and not because of the aluminium shell.
WiFi on this device is fine. I get over 11 mbps speeds on a 15 mbps cable connection.
GPS also locks within a reasonable amount of time when view of sky is unobstructed.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
flight777 said:
An aluminium shell like on the Transformer can only distort the signals a bit but not completely block it (like many are experiencing with GPS). That is probably because of a manufacturing defect and not because of the aluminium shell.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually aluminum can do quite a bit to obstruct an RF signal. Depending on thickness, resistance can be quite high. While I somewhat agree it shouldn't be able to block a strong signal, the major function of GPS is to "listen", not to "talk." What I'm trying to say, is it is not producing strong signals, it's trying to receive them, and it's ability to listen is only as good as the ability of such signals to penetrate whatever is obstructing them. In this case, it's Aluminum.. which has quite a high resistance to RF.
mrljt said:
WiFi on this device is fine. I get over 11 mbps speeds on a 15 mbps cable connection.
GPS also locks within a reasonable amount of time when view of sky is unobstructed.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YOUR GPS also locks....
If you look at the poll in the GPS Problems thread you'll see that it's about 80 working GPSs to 50 non-working.
Just because yours locks, don't assume everyone else's does. Especially when there is a large amount of evidence to the contrary.
Col.Kernel said:
YOUR GPS also locks....
If you look at the poll in the GPS Problems thread you'll see that it's about 80 working GPSs to 50 non-working.
Just because yours locks, don't assume everyone else's does. Especially when there is a large amount of evidence to the contrary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got those numbers switched. It's around 50 working, and 80 not.
>However, as frequency increases, so does penetration
Higher frequency = shorter wavelength = less penetration. 5GHz wifi has shorter range than 2.4GHz wifi because it can't penetrate as well. Public hot spots only use 2.4GHz. More articulate explanations here. That wifi in the Prime is more functional than GPS is probably because wifi signals have more energy than the weak GPS signal.
I do agree that the Al shell is the main culprit, probably exacerbated by mediocre antenna design. I generally see better wireless performance from phone vendors (Moto, Samsung, HTC) than non-phone vendors (Acer, Asus).
>I'm right now wondering if WiFi on my TF101 is OK
Wifi on most mobiles will be less than that on laptops, because their antenna is usually much smaller and lacks diversity. Size isn't the only determinant in antenna gain, but it's a big determinant. Here are the GPS and wifi antennae on the OG Transformer.
Here is one (of many possible) design for laptop dual diversity antenna
You're right. I got the 2 switched. I distinctly remember writing that on the top of my cheat sheet in Phys. I'm sorry it's 2 am, and I can't brain.
Anyway, as for the signal strength, that's what I was saying earlier. I assume when you take into account considerable distances, even though routers are usually only pumping out around 250ma per antenna, they probably still yield much better signal strength than GPS satellites after the signal has reached the ground.
However aside from ASUS simply not attaching an antenna to GPS mod, it really can only be the aluminum shell creating such resistance. And the fact it seems to affect WiFi as well, although to a lesser degree, means it's most likely not a symptom faulty workmanship on part of the internals.
But as mentioned in other threads, it would be nice if someone tore the aluminum backing off of their brand new Prime to see if it's the real culprit.

ETA on GPS Fix?

hey i really want to buy the prime,
anybody know when the gps will be fixed??
thanks
Sorry to break this to you, but there is no software that can completely fix the primes GPS. The GPS is bad because of the metal back plating on the prime. The back plating reduces reception between the radio signals (Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth) and this is the sole reason why they can't fix it (without losing alot of money). Asus went so far by actually removing the GPS feature off the Asus Transformer Primes website. Sorry to break it to you. Unless you take off the back plate, you probably wont see a dramatic improvement (even after that, its questionable on its strength/quality).
Really....Fairly sure there is never gonna be a real fix. Never used GPS on any of the dozen or so tablets that I've owned.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
when metal becomes plastic...
Or when pogo pins become wired.
When you buy a Bluetooth GPS receiver.
Lmao! No ETAs dude
The lady's man
jzen said:
when metal becomes plastic...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was told u were an alchemist
I really want one of these
Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk
royredman said:
Sorry to break this to you, but there is no software that can completely fix the primes GPS. The GPS is bad because of the metal back plating on the prime. The back plating reduces reception between the radio signals (Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth) and this is the sole reason why they can't fix it (without losing alot of money). Asus went so far by actually removing the GPS feature off the Asus Transformer Primes website. Sorry to break it to you. Unless you take off the back plate, you probably wont see a dramatic improvement (even after that, its questionable on its strength/quality).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Metal backplate is not the "SOLE" reason. ASUS never admitted to that. They said only a "Possibility" it could be the issue. Now we are seeing other factors could be a reason also. SO UNTIL ASUS RELEASES A STATEMENT saying "yes, we know for a fact the backplate is the only reason" then the actual reason is still up in the air.
I've emailed Asus twice, telling them about my dissatifaction over the GPS issue and after at least one week , have received no reply after the last one.
I understand that GPS is not a big deal to a lot of you and not a complete deal breaker with me either. But the fact of the matter is when I purchased my Prime, GPS was listed as a "feature" and never anywhere was "Limited" or "so-so" GPS capabilities mentioned !
So I receive my Prime, then through forums and my use, I find out the GPS capabilities are very limited and that Asus knows this is a problem, and believe Asus will rectify said issues. So I decide to keep my Prime, past the 14 day BB return period. What happens next ? Instead of fixing the GPS issue, Asus releases a statement saying basically, "Err............well the Prime was never designed to have fully functioning GPS capabilities !" and on top of that, competely removes GPS from the spec sheet !..............WTH?
So my email to Asus asked what they were willing to do for me and others, who purchased their Primes when GPS was listed on the spec sheet as a feature ! Rebate? Discounts off other products? Full refund from Asus ?
So far.....not a peep!
Again, I was past my BB return period , when Asus decided to make GPS a non-issue. Is this really the way Asus wants to treat their customers? And btw, I also own a Notebook and Netbook from Asus and use to believe in their products/customer service. Not so sure about that any longer, when I can't get a reply to an email over a defective product !
June 2050
10char
It is annoying when people who have no idea how wireless signals work are commenting all over talking about metal casing, pogo pins, etc. Unless you actually have an engineering background, please just stop. You are what is wrong with this country.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
A look at the internal set up shows the GPS aerials positioned on either side of the rear camera. The back is shielded by the case but the front is wide open ... right behind the glass trim. But there may be other reasons the GPS is weak despite the fact it is the same GPS that exists in many successful model I am told. My Prime is a bit slow locking on to satellites compared to my Galaxy 10.1. But, even on an overcast night, I locked on and was able to walk my desired route to my location. I felt I had to hold it flat to get a lock but once locked, it seemed to stay locked even after I tucked it under my jacket.
kingsway8605 said:
It is annoying when people who have no idea how wireless signals work are commenting all over talking about metal casing, pogo pins, etc. Unless you actually have an engineering background, please just stop. You are what is wrong with this country.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is more annoying to see people like you making such idotic comments. HOW DO YOU KNOW NONE OF US IS A COMPUTER ENGINEER?
You can go kiss Asus' as*s as much as you want, but in this country, we are free to express what we believe!!!
Tairen said:
June 2050
10char
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
would there be any better tablets coming out before that? Or is it worth waiting for a solution to this?? I really need a good working GPS where I live!
Sent from my Touchpad using Tapatalk
the lenovo prime.
Joker Fuel said:
would there be any better tablets coming out before that? Or is it worth waiting for a solution to this?? I really need a good working GPS where I live!
Sent from my Touchpad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't even know, nor did I ever assume, that any wifi only tablet could get gps that functioned unassisted.. That is my own ignorance apparently so I don't blame Asus - I never thought I'd be able to get gps signal without wifi and since this is a wifi only device I was/am OK with that. (one thing I'm not OK with is that since the last update my gps signal got worse...but since it is changing and getting tweaked with updates I am confident they are working on improving what we do have. I used to be bless to lock onto 10 satellites 5 feet from a window, and now I get nothing. If I reboot sometimes that "fixes" it) )
The Prime does get assisted GPS just like most other tablets without 3g (I said most).
Joker Fuel said:
would there be any better tablets coming out before that? Or is it worth waiting for a solution to this?? I really need a good working GPS where I live!
Sent from my Touchpad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your only real solution at this point is to buy a GPS puck and pair it with your prime via Bluetooth.
myeepad said:
HOW DO YOU KNOW NONE OF US IS A COMPUTER ENGINEER?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In this case, it's an RF designer you need - but to answer the question, most people disclose their engineering prowess when they post.
slugbug2010 said:
I didn't even know, nor did I ever assume, that any wifi only tablet could get gps that functioned unassisted.. That is my own ignorance apparently so I don't blame Asus - I never thought I'd be able to get gps signal without wifi and since this is a wifi only device I was/am OK with that. (one thing I'm not OK with is that since the last update my gps signal got worse...but since it is changing and getting tweaked with updates I am confident they are working on improving what we do have. I used to be bless to lock onto 10 satellites 5 feet from a window, and now I get nothing. If I reboot sometimes that "fixes" it) )
The Prime does get assisted GPS just like most other tablets without 3g (I said most).
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Click to collapse
When's the last time a Garmin or a Tom Tom needed a wifi signal in order to work ? And I do blame Asus !
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GPS hardware variances

I have confirmed that there are very significant variances in the hardware that is causing GPS problems. As I reported in a thread earlier this week, I received a new 64GB model from Amazon a few days ago that had completely dead GPS functionality. Even outside under clear skies, it never picked up even a single satellite. Thankfully, Amazon has amazing customer service and received more stock yesterday. They overnighted me a replacement unit that arrived this morning. Thankfully, since they forward ship replacements I could compare the old and new models side-by-side and decide which one was more broken (I was terrified that the replacement would have dead WiFi, backlight bleed-through, dead-pixels, or one of the other myriad hardware problem that people report. Luckily, its perfect).
The first thing I did (before running ANY firmware updates) was to install the GPS Test app. Within 30 seconds on a cold boot, it had a position fix sitting in the middle of my living room. I then proceeded to install all firmware/ICS updates up to the latest, and it is still completely functional. Granted, the signal-to-noise ratio is not awesome (its no Garmin), but it is definitely a functional GPS. In short, if you get a new TF201 be sure to test the GPS immediately so that you can return it right away and DON'T SETTLE for a broken one.
Here are screenshots from both of my units, good and bad. They were sitting side-by-side in the middle of the first floor of a two-story house. Both units are C1OKAS serial numbers and all firmware revisions are identical at the time of the tests. Bad serial number is 0056xx, good is 0171xx. Perhaps they found a manufacturing problem and fixed it in later batches.
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Also, I put in a tech support ticket with Asus for the GPS issue the day I got the TF201 earlier this week and they never bother even replying to me. This company has a support problem (I'm preaching to the choir here...).
cmccracken said:
I have confirmed that there are very significant variances in the hardware that is causing GPS problems. As I reported in a thread earlier this week, I received a new 64GB model from Amazon a few days ago that had completely dead GPS functionality. Even outside under clear skies, it never picked up even a single satellite. Thankfully, Amazon has amazing customer service and received more stock yesterday. They overnighted me a replacement unit that arrived this morning. Thankfully, since they forward ship replacements I could compare the old and new models side-by-side and decide which one was more broken (I was terrified that the replacement would have dead WiFi, backlight bleed-through, dead-pixels, or one of the other myriad hardware problem that people report. Luckily, its perfect).
The first thing I did (before running ANY firmware updates) was to install the GPS Test app. Within 30 seconds on a cold boot, it had a position fix sitting in the middle of my living room. I then proceeded to install all firmware/ICS updates up to the latest, and it is still completely functional. Granted, the signal-to-noise ratio is not awesome (its no Garmin), but it is definitely a functional GPS. In short, if you get a new TF201 be sure to test the GPS immediately so that you can return it right away and DON'T SETTLE for a broken one.
Here are screenshots from both of my units, good and bad. They were sitting side-by-side in the middle of the first floor of a two-story house. Both units are C1OKAS serial numbers and all firmware revisions are identical at the time of the tests. Bad serial number is 0056xx, good is 0171xx. Perhaps they found a manufacturing problem and fixed it in later batches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It has nothing to do with the metal case, that's for sure. However, one pogo pin contact could be bad while another fully closed and functional. If it works don't flex it!
tedr44 said:
It has nothing to do with the metal case, that's for sure. However, one pogo pin contact could be bad while another fully closed and functional. If it works don't flex it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've flexed it and it still works 100%. I'm still in my return window, want to be sure its ok before I commit.
cmccracken said:
I've flexed it and it still works 100%. I'm still in my return window, want to be sure its ok before I commit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well lucky you, you've got a winner!
Mine is C1OKAS 026XXX which would put it after the 0171XX batch (and thus, updated GPS?), but GPS does not get any signal (at least, with Wifi turned on and without the .11 firmware update, which I can't get yet due to the serial number missing issue).
Squeezing does not do anything for GPS or Wifi reception.
Once the .11 update becomes available on the website I will try again.
Sjaakbanaan said:
Mine is C1OKAS 026XXX which would put it after the 0171XX batch (and thus, updated GPS?), but GPS does not get any signal (at least, with Wifi turned on and without the .11 firmware update, which I can't get yet due to the serial number missing issue).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, well so much for them working out the manufacturing bugs. I've seen no evidence that any of the firmware updates changed the GPS performance one way or another. If its not working at all out of the box, its not going to work without hardware repair.
Nice comparison. I started a thread to try to track down the differences between the models to see if a common link in GPS performance could be found. Sadly it was sabotaged by some of the brain dead morons on this forum bleating the Asus "aluminum case" line!
Well the evidence is building.
Took mine into the local service centre for a new screen. Nil spares here. So holding onto unit until spares arrive next week & they will repair the GPS at the same time.
Nice to see Amazon on to it.
I have a handful of screen shots from January 14th when I was finally able to get gps signal inside the apartment, never very far from a window, some with wifi on, some with wifi off. I was getting locks of up to 9 satellites. But after the latest update I don't get anything. I can't lock onto to any satellites inside the apartment anymore at all, and I'm only 5 feet away from a window with wifi on. And do you have to calibrate your compass every time you move locations with your Prime? I Mine is aways wrong every time I take it anywhere.
I am totally inclined to believe it is hardware related but don't understand why mine was moderately OK and now crap.
mile high said:
Nice comparison. I started a thread to try to track down the differences between the models to see if a common link in GPS performance could be found. Sadly it was sabotaged by some of the brain dead morons on this forum bleating the Asus "aluminum case" line!
Well the evidence is building.
Took mine into the local service centre for a new screen. Nil spares here. So holding onto unit until spares arrive next week & they will repair the GPS at the same time.
Nice to see Amazon on to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, its sad some people are so closed minded to other possibilities even when there's evidence to pointing other ways. Plus Asus only said the aluminum case is a possibility, not the only reason. That's where I think some people are stuck on that.
I have two Primes sitting in front of me, as such:
#1: Great screen. The best I've seen yet (and I've had 6), demonstrating some wide variability in screen quality (temperature, colors, text) across units. The temperature on this one is perfect (makes whites the truest), colors are deep and excellent, details pop out, and text is awesome. However, it has one stuck pixel that's only obvious on dark screens and high brightness and the speakers have a TINY bit of vibration at highest volume on some songs. Haptic feedback is the best I've had so far.
However, GPS on it is horrible. After giving it as much as 30 minutes to lock on, the best I've gotten is 5/10 satellites locked. Wifi also seems a bit weaker.
#2: Good screen. Better than the one I'm returning to HH Gregg, which had a horrible yellow cast, terrible colors, and pixellated text. This screen is better, but not as good as #1--a touch more yellow, and not as much detail in complex images. Text is okay but not as good as #1. No stuck pixels, but a little bit of light bleed that's visible on dark screens and high brightness. Audio is fine. Haptic feedback doesn't work.
However, GPS on it is excellent. In about a minute, it locks on to as many as 12/14 satellites. It also locks indoors (within a 5 feet of a glass patio door). Wifi also seems little stronger.
So, this is what is driving me nutty. There's WAY too much hardware variation among these things. I love the damn tablet as well--I can read it outside on my porch in direct SoCal sun, which is very important to me. My OG Transformer was very nice, but I couldn't read it outdoors worth a damn.
So, ASUS, what am I supposed to do, eh? Accept a bit worse screen to have better radio performance, or accept a bit worse wifi and terrible GPS to have the best screen? Or, keep trying to get a "perfect" unit?
I'm honestly tempted to just keep buying and returning units until I get one I'm happy with. Perhaps that's a way to flush defective units out of the system and communicate to ASUS that they have some problems that need fixing. I've been a solid supporter of ASUS, but after having 6 units in my hands that all have some significant issue or another, my support is starting to waver.
My gps worked fine outside prior to the last update. I could pick up around 15 sats and get a lock. Now i get nothing. Asus can blame it on the metal all they want but i know the last update screwed it up for me.
krispy521 said:
My gps worked fine outside prior to the last update. I could pick up around 15 sats and get a lock. Now i get nothing. Asus can blame it on the metal all they want but i know the last update screwed it up for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd love to think it was just the update, but having two otherwise identical systems, 1 with working gps and 1 without, makes me doubt it.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Wait, why would a wifi only tablet even need gps? Even when on a tether, you could just use your android or (dare I say it??) iphone's gps.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
wynand32 said:
I'd love to think it was just the update, but having two otherwise identical systems, 1 with working gps and 1 without, makes me doubt it.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ran gps test prior to the last update. Got sats. I didnt even move the device. I then did the update. Then i ran gps test and got nothing. They killed it. Yes the back plate weakens the signal, but asus killed it in the last update. Same exact thing hppened to my dads.
jdeoxys said:
Wait, why would a wifi only tablet even need gps? Even when on a tether, you could just use your android or (dare I say it??) iphone's gps.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gps is used by several apps to find location. I have no need to use the tablet as a nav device, but the idea of a component inside my $500 tablet not working really bugs me. Thats the point.
krispy521 said:
I ran gps test prior to the last update. Got sats. I didnt even move the device. I then did the update. Then i ran gps test and got nothing. They killed it. Yes the back plate weakens the signal, but asus killed it in the last update. Same exact thing hppened to my dads.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. I have two BC units with the same hardware revision that have both been fully updated. One gets a very quick lock, one doesn't get a lock unless I let it sit for quite some time, at which point it gets only half the locks of the other one and they're fleeting. At first, I thought it wasn't getting a lock at at (because I hadn't given it enough time), and really it might as well not get any.
So, it must be that some units have hardware issues that the update reveals, while some don't. It can't be the update by itself, because some units work fine with it applied.
I'd love to think that there's something in the last update that caused some systems to lose GPS, because then there'd be hope that this one with the great screen could see its GPS fixed. I'm just not sure of it, however.
wynand32 said:
Interesting. I have two BC units with the same hardware revision that have both been fully updated. One gets a very quick lock, one doesn't get a lock unless I let it sit for quite some time, at which point it gets only half the locks of the other one and they're fleeting. At first, I thought it wasn't getting a lock at at (because I hadn't given it enough time), and really it might as well not get any.
So, it must be that some units have hardware issues that the update reveals, while some don't. It can't be the update by itself, because some units work fine with it applied.
I'd love to think that there's something in the last update that caused some systems to lose GPS, because then there'd be hope that this one with the great screen could see its GPS fixed. I'm just not sure of it, however.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried pinching the "weaker" GPS unit, near the top center (in landscaper mod), near the cameras. There is supposed to be a GPS pogo pin there, and some may have loose connection. There are other threads talking more about the pogo pins.
So going by the op's story, the availability problem is also being caused by all the unsatisfied buyers that are getting immediate replacements for their broken units. Which I am inclined to be ok with. Hopefully, when mine ships on 2/9 (hopefully) it will be a newer problem free model.
Ride525 said:
Have you tried pinching the "weaker" GPS unit, near the top center (in landscaper mod), near the cameras. There is supposed to be a GPS pogo pin there, and some may have loose connection. There are other threads talking more about the pogo pins.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had success squeezing maybe half an inch off center toward the power button along the top. I have to squeeze very hard though, hard enough that you see the "squishing LCD" type effect, and even then it only works (as in it normally sees no satellites anywhere) for maybe ten minutes and only with an absolutely unobstructed view of the sky (even a couple bare branches will cut the visible satellites in half).
I badly want to replace it, but Amazon will only let me return since the 32g gray is out of stock. My exchange window is until the end of February, so hopefully I don't have to just give up and return it.
This stupid tablet has been so much trouble...

[Q] Should I get the iPad- Is the transformer prime a bad tablet

Okay- I've been pretty into android for awhile- have a nexus one and LOVE it- but have an iPad 2 and like it quite a bit. I prefer android to iOS5, and have a sudden windfall of about 800 bucks, and am looking at updating to a new tablet.
I was pretty dead set on the Transformer Prime- from its reviews it looked breathtaking- but then I decided to check XDA- and- wow. Problems everywhere, wifi dead, dead pixels... wow.
So- now I'm unsure. I know the HD will fix a lot of the problems- but there is always the possibility it'll be laggy with the higher resolution- plus I cant STAND dead pixels. And, as I use my tablet full-time- that would not be ok.
Is this all overblown? Should I get the HD when it comes out? Honestly, really not trying to troll, but the fruity tablet has no problems, and this one appears to have a whole bucket of them.
Can a user who wants a tablet to use full time, with no dead pixels, use the prime or the prime HD?
Thanks!
My Prime has only one flaw: the GPS. Other than that, I have no light bleeding, no dead pixels, the wi-fi works well, etc.
You may want to read the following article to get some perspective:
edit: Apparently I am too new on this forum to provide you a link. Do a Google search for "cnet putting the transformer prime in perspective" and you'll get the link to the article.
In the end, I would suggest that if you really want the Prime, go ahead and buy one from a vendor with a good return policy. If you end up not liking it, simply return it.
OmniLemur said:
Okay- I've been pretty into android for awhile- have a nexus one and LOVE it- but have an iPad 2 and like it quite a bit. I prefer android to iOS5, and have a sudden windfall of about 800 bucks, and am looking at updating to a new tablet.
I was pretty dead set on the Transformer Prime- from its reviews it looked breathtaking- but then I decided to check XDA- and- wow. Problems everywhere, wifi dead, dead pixels... wow.
So- now I'm unsure. I know the HD will fix a lot of the problems- but there is always the possibility it'll be laggy with the higher resolution- plus I cant STAND dead pixels. And, as I use my tablet full-time- that would not be ok.
Is this all overblown? Should I get the HD when it comes out? Honestly, really not trying to troll, but the fruity tablet has no problems, and this one appears to have a whole bucket of them.
Can a user who wants a tablet to use full time, with no dead pixels, use the prime or the prime HD?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately it is plagued with issues. What proves this is the many people that have had multiple tablets all with the same problems. I've had three alone myself, all displaying BT/Wifi issues.
I dont use GPS at all- Ha- one reply telling me exactly what I wanted to hear, one exactly what Im dreading. I really dont know what to think.
I love mine. (Yes I have an iPad 2 to compare it to). Only issue is GPS. It works but not consistently. Other than that its perfect. Wifi is the same if not better than my Droid x. And can't ask for a nicer screen, especially for outside
Sent from my Droid X using xda premium
I suppose my biggest worry is screen issues- whats the chance I can get a perfect screen? I mean- does anyone have a flawless screen?
OmniLemur said:
I suppose my biggest worry is screen issues- whats the chance I can get a perfect screen? I mean- does anyone have a flawless screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm an N of 1 but my Amazon.com Prime was riddled with issues. Most notably several groupings of bright white pixels on the panel that were unforgivable defects. I returned it for a full refund and grabbed a cheap used TF101 w/dock (locally) that I love. There's nothing it can't do compared to the Prime. I am 100% happy using it for a while as I sit on the sidelines to see what shakes our over the next 6-12 months. Its pretty awesome.
I reccommend doing the same. If you are intoxicated by the Prime you'd better make sure you can return it for a full refund just in case.
Best.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
Accidental post that I deleted
OmniLemur said:
I dont use GPS at all- Ha- one reply telling me exactly what I wanted to hear, one exactly what Im dreading. I really dont know what to think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I returned mine today, both TFP and the dock.
I am into technical adventures, especially when it goes against mainstream.
I own a Zune HD - it is a great device, and there is probably nothing better if one is after an MP3 and Video player.
But this is not why I got it - it was supposed to be an all-in-one device, similar to iPod Touch,
but it never became that - after 2 years of disappointing support and mediocre updates Microsoft just killed it.
Let's call it an unfulfilled promise
I also own a G Tablet - and it is a great device too, viewing angles aside,
but what makes it great is (1) being a very solid in terms of hardware and (2) unbelievable support from XDA and other forums,
from the online community.
The manufacturer - well, it is not really manufactured by Viewsonic, it is pretty much Malata ZPad with a Viewsonic logo on it
- so the "manufacturer" turned its back on it within a year or so after the "release".
Let's call it another unfulfilled promise
I am happy with what I learned about Android while NVFlashing this thing back and forth,
but I would be just as happy having a fully functional and supported device and a whole set of accessories and updates
- even a dock for it I had to order from China.
I purchased TFP because I told myself - no more experiments; I want something from a well-respected company
- for as long as it is not Apple, because that would be too mainstream
- something well designed and well executed, and functional, working fine right out of the box, and TFP seemed to be it.
I have heard about the GPS issue, but I thought that either it was a minor software bug that would be taken care of soon, or those unfortunates got faulty chips, and I would be luckier.
Well, I was wrong - while beautiful and with a lot of great functionality, the device has a number of hardware and/or software issues,
namely GPS, WiFi versus BT, playing 1080P - I named those my tablet had, but others complained about battery life, sleep of death, reboots and lockups.
What is upsetting is not even a number of issues but perceived weakness of ASUS to identify, admit, and PROPERLY FIX them.
For example, I never had WiFi versus BT thing on OTA .13, but I started having it as soon as I upgraded to OTA .14.
The same upgrade killed GPS completely and worsen 1080P video playback.
This tells me something is wrong not just with hardware and software, but also with ASUS development/QA/release management processes.
And the fact that the development community cannot really develop ROMS for the device because of the locked bootloader is not making things easier.
Yes, ASUS promised an unlock tool, but when will we see it?
And even then - so we will rely on the online community not just for getting brilliant ROMs to play around in leisure, but even for basic necessities the manufacturer is supposed to take care of?
I do believe that at the end ASUS will fix all the bugs and the signal strength aside will make it into a bulletproof device.
I just do not want to be a beta tester once again, I do not want to add another unfulfilled promise to my collection.
So as soon as I see that TFP is stable - I will buy it again... or that newer 1080P version with fixed GPS ASUS recently announced.
Hope this will help,
Okay- so- its looking like the TP isn't going to be my tablet of choice- I suppose I'll continue fruity choices!
Thanks for your help, I guess *dissapoint*
I have a prime right now...and it's not usable......I would say "wait"
OmniLemur said:
Okay- so- its looking like the TP isn't going to be my tablet of choice- I suppose I'll continue fruity choices!
Thanks for your help, I guess *dissapoint*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remember, selection bias. People who have problems with their prime are 1) more likely to be on XDA searching for solutions and 2) more vocal in their opinion.
From that CNET article, about .5% of primes have been returned for some reason.
I haven't gotten mine yet, but I have heard from lots of people who have a Prime and love it.
+1 on love my prime, no issues getting great wifi and my gps locks fine.
Love my Prime. Rooted and laid out with the Hubs Nav. Works great. Wifi is sometimes spotty but other than that it's quite excellent. Got the dock too, never looked back.
I leave my laptop at home now.
Dunno, maybe I just got lucky but I don't really see the issues that others do. Screen is flawless. There is a -slight- light bleed on the right side upper corner but not so noticeable that it's offensive or anything.
Overall I love my Prime, it's a great piece of engineering.
OmniLemur said:
Okay- I've been pretty into android for awhile- have a nexus one and LOVE it- but have an iPad 2 and like it quite a bit. I prefer android to iOS5, and have a sudden windfall of about 800 bucks, and am looking at updating to a new tablet.
I was pretty dead set on the Transformer Prime- from its reviews it looked breathtaking- but then I decided to check XDA- and- wow. Problems everywhere, wifi dead, dead pixels... wow.
So- now I'm unsure. I know the HD will fix a lot of the problems- but there is always the possibility it'll be laggy with the higher resolution- plus I cant STAND dead pixels. And, as I use my tablet full-time- that would not be ok.
Is this all overblown? Should I get the HD when it comes out? Honestly, really not trying to troll, but the fruity tablet has no problems, and this one appears to have a whole bucket of them.
Can a user who wants a tablet to use full time, with no dead pixels, use the prime or the prime HD?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
-----------------------------------
Buy Ipad 2 if you want a good working tablet, buy ATP if you want the best working tablet.
had my prime for 3 weeks now.
never had any wifi or gps or screen issues.
rooted fine, battery life with the .13 firmware was a little iffy but .14 is
much much better.
a very happy ATP owner.
(I had won an ipad and still gave it away to pay for prime tablet. best thing I ever did tablet wise.)
I agree with thenuge.
I've had a Prime for over a month now and I'm absolutely in love with it. I don't think I can go back. I should probably give a little background -- I've owned an iPhone since first gen through to the 4S. Owned a 4S for about a month but, after being sickeningly disappointed in how slow iOS is evolving, I took the plunge over to Android and bought the Galaxy Nexus (custom ROM / kernel, etc)... I had been waiting for ICS before making the switch (for both tablet & phone).
The prime replaced my iPad 2 within a few hours (the LiveWallpapers, I'm a sucker for them... especially the Phase Beam one!) and the Galaxy Nexus had my iPhone up on eBay within about a week.
When I first got the Prime, I upgraded to ICS right away. I then waited a week thinking I could do without rooting, but, like an addict, that commitment didn't last. Rooted, threw on Sixaxis, bought a mini-HDMI cable, and now I play a lot of games on the TV... and, sadly, at work.
There have been many days where I've been sent to different sites for 8-11 hours and, with the dock, I'll come home after literally the entire day with the screen on doing something, with 0% dock and ~30% prime battery levels. This thing is an absolute beast.
My prime just has a lack of GPS, which doesn't bother me... That's what my Nexus is for. I never purchased a tablet wanting GPS, so... I guess it's just a waste of a chip in there.
At any rate, that's my positive story for the device.
When I'm at home, my MBP often sits unused as the Prime does a lot just as well... especially browsing or laying around watching TV episodes.
Obviously, it doesn't have Skyrim, Saints Row, etc. on it, but as that sofa computer where you can sit with your gf and read the news (News360 is epic, btw... so is Pulse), it can't be beat.
Also, I agree -- I'm a little bit weirded out about a tablet with a higher resolution than my computer's monitors (1080p) -- yet with far less hardware to move those pixels. I think I'll believe it when I see it running smoothly in a game like Infinity Blade, until then, I have this sneaky feeling something's going to need to drop (like hq shadows or hq reflections and the like) in order to maintain 24-30fps in high quality games. I wonder if an iPad2 will still look better than the iPad3, in some cases (obviously not stills)? Nothing worse than lag.
EDIT:
I just wanted to add one thing: The aspect ratio. Coming from an iPad2 to the TP, I was really kind of... eh, about using it in widescreen or with such a slim portrait. However, in the last month (my gf still has an iPad2), I've found myself actually very much enjoying the 16:10 ratio. Even in portrait, I find it easier to use.
OmniLemur said:
Okay- I've been pretty into android for awhile- have a nexus one and LOVE it- but have an iPad 2 and like it quite a bit. I prefer android to iOS5, and have a sudden windfall of about 800 bucks, and am looking at updating to a new tablet.
I was pretty dead set on the Transformer Prime- from its reviews it looked breathtaking- but then I decided to check XDA- and- wow. Problems everywhere, wifi dead, dead pixels... wow.
So- now I'm unsure. I know the HD will fix a lot of the problems- but there is always the possibility it'll be laggy with the higher resolution- plus I cant STAND dead pixels. And, as I use my tablet full-time- that would not be ok.
Is this all overblown? Should I get the HD when it comes out? Honestly, really not trying to troll, but the fruity tablet has no problems, and this one appears to have a whole bucket of them.
Can a user who wants a tablet to use full time, with no dead pixels, use the prime or the prime HD?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine works fine, even GPS isn't an issue. No random reboots. no manufacturer flaws. C10K serial # if that helps.
Take a look at this n you'll easily see most don't suffer from issues or more than satisfied with device:
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Also look at this thread. All various testimonials of happy Positive prime owners. People with issues can't muster up these kinds of numbers
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1409910
Answer easily clear what's the best out right now.
I love my prime. I'd recommend it to anyone. But you should ask yourself what you want to use it for. The prime really shines in gaming (full gamepad support) also with fully working Emulators. It's also totally awesome for watching videos, with the perfect screen size and format (16:10). You can also watch high quality flash streams...
And then there's the dock, which takes it to a whole other lvl. I use it as a full laptop replacement, even able to use it for presentations with the HDMI-VGA adapter.
But if you just want to use some dedicated tablet apps and some browsing i guess the ipad will suffice.
About the issues? I have none. GPS is not the strongest but i always got a fix when i tested it. WIFI/BT are fully working and i got max speeds on my network. Screen is perfect as well. No bleeding or anything.
+ Asus is very fast with updates! + Bootloader is gonna be unlocked. I dont see any tablet being better than the Prime.

Prime C3 Model Testing

Just got my 3rd Prime and this would be my second C3 (first I had was C1)
Thankfully there is no lightbleeding and no dead pixels or white-freaking spots.
Wifi is just like before, I haven't tested it from a far distance yet.
Inside I get 65Mbps
GPS is crap as usual, in my balcony it finds 1 satellite but does not lock.
Will try more outside later.
Camera has been good pretty much from the beginning but i feel it could be improved.
I like that you can zoom in 1080p now.
Have had the unit for about 48 hours and it has rebooted 3 times.
Was so ****ing stupid that I did not root before the latest OTA .21
All in all it feels pretty solid and the Prime is awesome, I hope Asus will eventually release firmwares that make full use of the CPU's Full Potential.
Browser is OK, but it crashes every now and then but you can resume your previous windows so that's cool I don'http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=986740&stc=1&d=1333731891t remember this existing before .21
OkI! Just sharing!
Edit: Speed test via Prime,
Edit: April 6, Testing.
Information about Battery Life so far with the C3:
At the moment my battery stats are 19 hours and 11 minutes, and battery time left is 57% (See Image).
My image settings has been at around 70% with IPS+ on sometimes on and off, maybe 20% of the time.
I have downloaded heavy files maybe 3,4 or four of them.
I've watched HD youtube flicks, transfered files to ext.HDD, taken pictures and experimented with the camera functions.
I've done ALOT of surfing.
I have also downloaded and deleted apps, tested Shadowgun, and some other games.
I have skyped quite a bit, I have filmed as well.
I've tried the HDMI out connection.
I have sent and received many emails.
I've switched from Normal to Performance mode many time for testing and for faster browsing or general speed But honestly I dont see much differene). NEED TO ROOT!!!
I have done a lot and am happy with the performance (although it ca be tweaked and the the battery will last less but I don't really care to surf or use my machine for than 5 hours at a time.
My prime has been connected with the Dock but not constantly, I took the Surfpad off the dock at least 4 times.
Im pretty happy so far with my Pime and I am not rooted and running .21
EDIT: I am still not done and the battery is at 35% and i've sending images via dropbox and other ****.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Information about Wi-Fi range so far with the C3:
Wifi is not bad and I have never experienced much problems with it but I decided to do a test anyways, in the picture below you can see a building in which I live on the third floor, and I took it from the ground just outside of the building door entrance. And the wifi was not strong at all haha as you can see in the picture but I was connected and was pretty stable.
Distance I would have to be in meters is maybe 8 or 10 meters?
That in Feet is 26 or 32 feet.
Building is concrete.
GPS Info:
While I was outside I thought why not test the GPS while im there, so I tested and I WAS F-ING suprised!
At first the GPS Status tool started showing 3 Satellites (no biggie i thought).
So at first it was showing 3, then 7 then a fix and then more, see images.
FIX!
Good Fix!
And more!
First Fix with Wi-Fi OFF
And some more after that, I ran around abit (my neighbours probably thought I was insane LOL) to see how stable the signal was once fixed, these are images taken while lightly running around:
Well I hope this info helps, its seems the Prime is perhaps underestimated?
Also, I am still using it Will take one last snapshot before the battery dies
Some comments on the hardware externally, the dock buttons feels different from the first and second Prime this one the C3 has more smooth button material, the other ones were more rubbery (Which I thought was better). It could be my imagination.
Then there is the backplate, the first one had a more 'flat' surface somewhat similar to the iPad, the second was slightly less 'flat' but on this Prime the backplate is more curved (Again I could be imagining this but I doubt it), there is not 'flat' square in the overall shape that I remember from the first the C1 model.
Any comments are welcomed and I hope this info helped.
Cheers!
What build was on it prior to updating? Getting my prime this week =]
Ziocomposite said:
What build was on it prior to updating? Getting my prime this week =]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It came pre-installed with ICS and .15 build.
Cheers
Do you have a pair of Bluetooth headphones? Stream a movie with Diceplayer .mkv and sync headphones with your bluetooth. See if audio is in sync on the .mkv movies thru the bluetooth headphones. Mine is working fine for the C2 prime i have. But, some say that even with the new CX models they are still having the Bluetooth fallout issue.
Thanks!
Not sure I do, I rarely ever use bluetooth earphone.
I will see if I can test it and come back with the results.
Cheers
After 1 month exactly of asus having my rma, they finally shipped me a new one last night. It too shows the c3 serial, so I'm prayin!!
Any updates?
About to send mine in for the green screen camera issue.
chivas228 said:
Any updates?
About to send mine in for the green screen camera issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely no camera issues so far.
Cheers
Can anyone help out?
How the HELL do I attach images to the post I mean for example under a text. not via URL.
How is the color temperature of your screen? I got a C2 from BestBuy and a C3 from Amazon.com. The C2 is slightly blueish and the C3 is yellowish. I pre-ordered another from Amazon hoping to get another C3 with a better screen, but was curious how your C3's screen is.
weinshin said:
How is the color temperature of your screen? I got a C2 from BestBuy and a C3 from Amazon.com. The C2 is slightly blueish and the C3 is yellowish. I pre-ordered another from Amazon hoping to get another C3 with a better screen, but was curious how your C3's screen is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Color is fine, I've never given it any thought, I only know that sometimes the screen is bright sometimes after watching a movie, but I noticed that if I go back to player used and turn the brightness down the 'colors' are more vivid and not overly bright.
Could be a SW problem, I know that my last 2 units had this issue.
Cheers
Johnny0906 said:
Color is fine, I've never given it any thought, I only know that sometimes the screen is bright sometimes after watching a movie, but I noticed that if I go back to player used and turn the brightness down the 'colors' are more vivid and not overly bright.
Could be a SW problem, I know that my last 2 units had this issue.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my C20 often does this. also experiencing increasing light bleed on the center left side of the screen.
Sent from my TF201
bk201doesntexist said:
my C20 often does this. also experiencing increasing light bleed on the center left side of the screen.
Sent from my TF201
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How heavy is the lightbleed?
You have a right to return if you have it in general, but if its alot and bright then you can surely get a new one.
I'm sure the C4 will be interesting, I might change because I still have lightbleeding even though everything is fine, you have to get the most of your money and this machine is not ridiculously cheap.
Maybe those C4's will be better or maybe even C5 by now.
Cheers
Johnny0906 said:
How heavy is the lightbleed?
You have a right to return if you have it in general, but if its alot and bright then you can surely get a new one.
I'm sure the C4 will be interesting, I might change because I still have lightbleeding even though everything is fine, you have to get the most of your money and this machine is not ridiculously cheap.
Maybe those C4's will be better or maybe even C5 by now.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well , it's not heavy yet, but it wasn't there in the beggining i guess. i only notice it when using black background or app with dark coloured theme, which is to say i prefer dark desktops/homescreens/apps. it's becoming more and more noticeable. i have no complains on mine, other that wifi could be just a bit better and this light bleed. my fear is that it will only get worse, like i've seen people describe around here.
i would like to get a newer model, sure, i'll just explain the situation to the store where i bought it. got it the 23rd march. maybe RMA works, who knows, might get lucky.
Sent from my TF201
bk201doesntexist said:
well , it's not heavy yet, but it wasn't there in the beggining i guess. i only notice it when using black background or app with dark coloured theme, which is to say i prefer dark desktops/homescreens/apps. it's becoming more and more noticeable. i have no complains on mine, other that wifi could be just a bit better and this light bleed. my fear is that it will only get worse, like i've seen people describe around here.
i would like to get a newer model, sure, i'll just explain the situation to the store where i bought it. got it the 23rd march. maybe RMA works, who knows, might get lucky.
Sent from my TF201
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think there are C4's out now so when you talk to your shop of purchase, TELL them that you would like a C4, I am on my 3rd Prime and main reason I returned the previous 2 was because of whitee spots,dead pixels and heavy lightbleeding.

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