okay, seeing as a lot of the UK crowd are due to get a prime tomorrow (me included, 'finally') I realised there have been a lot of threads the last few weeks about defects, I'm faced with a checklist of things to make sure of when I get it to see if I've got a good 'un.
having done games testing for PC in the past, I am well aware that with a new OS current programs etc may not necessarily work straight away or have problems. I've taken note of various threads lately with people talking about FC etc with stuff. we're at the bleeding edge guys, stuff isn't going to work or be stable straight away. developers are cutting their teeth on ICS, the goodness will come.
the way I see it there are two main areas or focus of interest. for me personally, I couldn't give a fig if the GPS works without wi-fi or if the wi-fi dies when also streaming via BT. I've got my phone to navigate with and wireless earphones at present, don't interest me. (maybe when the TF700 comes out) so what I think here is there a core set of things for us to check. and a secondary list of things to determine.
build quality
creaking case
backlight bleed on screen
duff pixels
discoloured blobs
discoloured screen
dust behind the screen
gap in casing
dent in case
diagonal banding on screen
random horizontal banding that is intermittent
basics
has a serial number so it can be updated
wifi performance. signal strength, orientation to the router considerations.
software issues which might be dealbreakers depending on severity
wifi tether under ICS
browser lag under ICS
random restarting under ICS
red border on some windows under ICS
non-functioning keyboard to this list, where some or all keys and touchpad don't function, even though tablet detects and charges from the dock.
secondary considerations
wifi and BT streaming
how good is GPS lock (without wifi turned on)
if I've missed anything let me know and I'll add it to the list.
how many of these threads do we need
I got a dent on the backplate. Is it so common?
what I'm wanting to do is pull all this into one list. not a 'for me personally' thing. yes, we've got a number of threads, but I've snooped through them and no one list seems to cover the various issues people have been seeing.
jdbaker82 said:
how many of these threads do we need
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A few more ought to do it.
tinky1 said:
I got a dent on the backplate. Is it so common?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not that I'm aware of, but if you've had it, not to say anyone else won't either. so it's not just going to be an unboxing, it's going to have to be a visual inspection,
check the case, examine for dings, scratches in the casing, creaking etc. don't forget some people might unbox so fast and not notice something particular until later.
Overall Wi-Fi performance; check next to router and a few other rooms away from the router. My Wi-Fi drops by 2-3MB/s when I go downstairs to the living room whereas the iPad loses 0.5MB/s at most .
amended the list for ICS issues.
i want to say this should be stickied, but i think the last thread telling people to stop whining should have been too, but it was closed. lol
nice list though!
Oh the things we are accepting, all the while iPad 1 users are still enjoying there flawlessly built devices.
hmmm. I wouldn't say accepting. it's just a list of things I know some people have had issues with on their primes.
I went over mine today with a fine tooth comb before I powered on. the build is solid. and thankfully, aside from a tiny bit of bleed on one side of the screen and even then barely noticeable, mine has been flawless. (touching wood)
but we know not everyone is getting a smooth ride on this thing and having issues. I'm just trying to gather the most obvious ones not everyone may not be aware of when inspecting their bit of tech.
What exactly is the wifi issue? Is it simply a weak signal or something else? I ask because occasionally my replacement will show no internet, but I'm 10 feet from the router. This has happened twice so far. The first time I did a factory rest, and it connected fine. Right now I see my router, but when I press connect, nothing happens. Just trying to see if this is something separate to what everyone else is experiencing, or standard in regards to wifi issues.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
I've noticed after the ICS update screen flickering can be replicated by opening a dozen web pages/functions etc then tapping the recent items button brings screen flickering.
Its a bloody rushed job by Asus before manufacture the QC and the ICS update!
You should add non-functioning keyboard to this list, where some or all keys and touchpad don't function, even though tablet detects and charges from the dock.
jdbaker82 said:
how many of these threads do we need
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As many as it takes.
updated for keyboard / dock issues
Should add haptic feedback.
in what way? i wasnt aware that had been flagged as an issue yet. intermittent or something else?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
Haptic Feedback
Loud Vibrator?
Vibrator loose
Related
Okay guys, here we go with some impressions of a non american prime.
Today, I got my 32GB gray Prime + the gray dock from the first german batch.
I have to say that I never owned a tablet myself before and I currently use a Desire HD as my development phone.
Hardware:
Good:
Build quality is perfect, period. On my Prime there is absolutely nothing i don't like about it.
It's super thin and not too heavy
Power and volume buttons are nice, but not metal
Keyboard dock build quality is on the same superior level.
The screen is absolutely awesome, super bright, perferct viewing angels and the colors are super good too, no yellow hue for me.
The speaker(s) are hands down the best thing I've ever heard on any mobile device. They are loud, they are clear and they have bass . I tried to completely cover it -->not possible with my hand, it still sounds the same
No comment on batterylife yet, it's my first charge
Camera is really good for a tablet, the pictures look much like iPhone pictures look. Really good when zoomed out and pretty strange when zoomed in.
The screen is very easy to clean, no comparision to my phone.
Bad:
Wifi is pretty weak, I can clearly see that it is way weaker than my DHD (it actually doesn't even see my network where my phone connects without any issue)
I won't say anything concerning the actual speed because I am not used to Wifi devices having a better speed than 10Mbps.... One word though: it's slower than my phone.
After the .33 update Wifi speeds are really good, 25-30Mbit/s
It's pretty sad we got only one speaker, you clearly notice the sound comes only from one side
The charging cable somehow feels really cheap. It also doesn't have any kind of snapping thing which prevents unwanted removal of the plug. The connector is like a USB-plug, you plug it and you un-plug it without any button or so to press. The charger itself feels okay.
Keys on the dock could need a bit more travel distance
Screen is finger print magnet, but I actually havenÄt compared this to other tablets
Software
Good:
Hmm, yea what to write here...?
HC runs smoother on the Prime than on my girlfriends Xoom...
Asus Supernote is a pretty decent note taking app. If they add palm rejection it's the best note app out there.
Haven't tested much of the other Asus apps so far
Ah, the Asus quicksettingsmenu is cool too, it's fast and just works
Bad:
HC just sucks, it's not well optimized at all. There are bugs random slowdowns and hangs everywhere
My GPS is broken too (more on this later)
Touchscreen sucks (I put this to software because I don't think it's hardware related). The touchscreen isn't always working properly. It's the same "ghost touching" reported earlier. Also it sometimes just doesn't register at all. You need to tap 2 or even more times.
Touchscreen working perfectly after the .33 update, no more issues at all.
Usage
I love the keyboard, i actually work a lot with that tiny mousepad I never saw me working with a mouse on android
Battery (still first charge of Prime and dock) seems to be pretty good, I am currently on 11 hours of constant usage (webrowsing, a movie, listening to music playing games, etc)
using the touchscreen while docked is a bit hard because the device is very top heavy, you need to hold the dock while working with your finger on the screen
You need to activate the ASUS onscreen keyboard in order to get a QWERTZ keyboard while using the dock. Otherwise it's a QWERTY. That's the most annoying thing I found so far
The "GPS-issue":
Now I had the chance to actually test it myself, so here are the results.
My Prime doesn't lock onto satellites as most others here too.
It barely sees any satellites at all. Where my phone sees 10 sats (all with good reception) the Prime sees from time to time exactly one with near zero reception...
I really think this is software related (or maybe I just want to believe that? ). Read why:
In my opinion we have so many issues with the Primes because ASUS didn't intend to release the Prime with Honeycomb at all.
I think they developed this device only with ICS and once they realized that they can't finish ICS they hurried up to slap HC on it.
Unfortunately the actual testing of the software was more or less forgotten or better suspended due to time constraints.
If I am right we will see a nicely running more or less issue free ICS soon. If this is not the case ASUS really screwed up this time...
Conclusion
All in all I think the Prime is a awesome device which will get perfect once the bugs are gone. I am still happy with my Prime and I'll keep it.
If they fix the GPS and the touchscreen I got a perfect device for my use. Weak Wifi is not really a problem for me
Update
Okay a little update mainly about battery life:
I used the Prime all day now until it reached 2% I got about 9 hours of constant heavy usage, including webbrowsing, downloading lots of things, watching a movie, listening to music playing games, etc.
Then i plugged the fully charged dock and continued using the Prime the same way as before. Currently I am near 12 hours of usage, 23% left in the dock and Prime got recharged by dock to 31%.
I guess the Prime will go up to about 40-45% (all while using it), before the dock gets empty.
So far I am pretty impressed by the batterylife. (remember this is the first charge for both Prime and dock)
See also the added section about the usage.
Second Update
I just got the .33 OTA and it installed fine without any problems.
The touchscreen is super responsive now, no more issue at all in this case.
Wifi seems to be faster too, GPS hasn't changed at all (as expected)
Diamondback2010 said:
The "GPS-issue":
Now I had the chance to actually test it myself, so here are the results.
My Prime doesn't lock onto satellites as most others here too.
It barely sees any satellites at all. Where my phone sees 10 sats (all with good reception) the Prime sees from time to time exactly one with near zero reception...
I really think this is software related (or maybe I just want to believe that? ). Read why:
In my opinion we have so many issues with the Primes because ASUS didn't intend to release the Prime with Honeycomb at all.
I think they developed this device only with ICS and once they realized that they can't finish ICS they hurried up to slap HC on it.
Unfortunately the actual testing of the software was more or less forgotten or better suspended due to time constraints.
If I am right we will see a nicely running more or less issue free ICS soon. If this is not the case ASUS really screwed up this time...
Conclusion
All in all I think the Prime is a awesome device which will get perfect once the bugs are gone. I am still happy with my Prime and I'll keep it.
If they fix the GPS and the touchscreen I got a perfect device for my use. Weak Wifi is not really a problem for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting point you raise and something that I was thinking about also, maybe the drivers for the GPS were intended to work only with ICS (I don't know enough to comment on this) and that's really why we're getting such shoddy reception. However the fact that ASUS are now removing all traces of the device having GPS in the specs list does suggest that it may well be hardware related.
I'm expecting a statement pretty soon from them.
Thanks for the short review! Do you have the 64GB Prime?
JoeyLe said:
Thanks for the short review! Do you have the 64GB Prime?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, the 32GB + dock bundle in gray.
Diamondback2010 said:
Nope, the 32GB + dock bundle in gray.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those already out in Germany? You're lucky there! Will be another week or 2 before it will come out in Holland.
Doktaphex said:
However the fact that ASUS are now removing all traces of the device having GPS in the specs list does suggest that it may well be hardware related.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't seen this mentioned before. Is this true?
I see it still lists GPS here:
http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_Prime_TF201/#specifications
ModestMuse23 said:
I haven't seen this mentioned before. Is this true?
I see it still lists GPS here:
http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_Prime_TF201/#specifications
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, here it still is too: http://eee.asus.com/eeepad/transformer-prime/specification/
Gps is still listed in specs on Asus global site.
Diamondback2010 said:
Okay guys, here we go with some impressions of a non american prime.
Today, I got my 32GB gray Prime + the gray dock from the first german batch.
I have to say that I never owned a tablet myself before and I currently use a Desire HD as my development phone.
Hardware:
Good:
Build quality is perfect, period. On my Prime there is absolutely nothing i don't like about it.
It's super thin and not too heavy
Power and volume buttons are nice, but not metal
Keyboard dock build quality is on the same superior level.
The screen is absolutely awesome, super bright, perferct viewing angels and the colors are super good too, no yellow hue for me.
The speaker(s) are hands down the best thing I've ever heard on any mobile device. They are loud, they are clear and they have bass . I tried to completely cover it -->not possible with my hand, it still sounds the same
No comment on batterylife yet, it's my first charge
Camera is really good for a tablet, the pictures look much like iPhone pictures look. Really good when zoomed out and pretty strange when zoomed in.
The screen is very easy to clean, no comparision to my phone.
Bad:
Wifi is pretty weak, I can clearly see that it is way weaker than my DHD (it actually doesn't even see my network where my phone connects without any issue)
I won't say anything concerning the actual speed because I am not used to Wifi devices having a better speed than 10Mbps.... One word though: it's slower than my phone.
It's pretty sad we got only one speaker, you clearly notice the sound comes only from one side
The charging cable somehow feels really cheap. The charger itself is okay
Keys on the dock could need a bit more travel distance
Screen is finger print magnet, but I actually havenÄt compared this to other tablets
Software
Good:
Hmm, yea what to write here...?
HC runs smoother on the Prime than on my girlfriends Xoom...
Asus Supernote is a pretty decent note taking app. If they add palm rejection it's the best note app out there.
Haven't tested much of the other Asus apps so far
Ah, the Asus quicksettingsmenu is cool too, it's fast and just works
Bad:
HC just sucks, it's not well optimized at all. There are bugs random slowdowns and hangs everywhere
My GPS is broken too (more on this later)
Touchscreen sucks (I put this to software because I don't think it's hardware related). The touchscreen isn't always working properly. It's the same "ghost touching" reported earlier. Also it sometimes just doesn't register at all. You need to tap 2 or even more times.
The "GPS-issue":
Now I had the chance to actually test it myself, so here are the results.
My Prime doesn't lock onto satellites as most others here too.
It barely sees any satellites at all. Where my phone sees 10 sats (all with good reception) the Prime sees from time to time exactly one with near zero reception...
I really think this is software related (or maybe I just want to believe that? ). Read why:
In my opinion we have so many issues with the Primes because ASUS didn't intend to release the Prime with Honeycomb at all.
I think they developed this device only with ICS and once they realized that they can't finish ICS they hurried up to slap HC on it.
Unfortunately the actual testing of the software was more or less forgotten or better suspended due to time constraints.
If I am right we will see a nicely running more or less issue free ICS soon. If this is not the case ASUS really screwed up this time...
Conclusion
All in all I think the Prime is a awesome device which will get perfect once the bugs are gone. I am still happy with my Prime and I'll keep it.
If they fix the GPS and the touchscreen I got a perfect device for my use. Weak Wifi is not really a problem for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
great first impressions. I also believe this has the best sound out of any mobile device I've heard before. in the themes and apps section there's a thread on an app called Volume+. its a volume booster that uses a speaker mod to accomplish this. let me tell you, IT WORKS GREAT. my prime now is wayyy louder than stock and has more bass to it also. I confirmed this with a decibel meter testing the speaker mod off vs. on. definitely a dramatic increase in sound and quality. has various profiles and even advanced ones so you can use equalizer if you feel up to it. that thread had link to marketplace for it. its a paid app. but he also says, in description, you can get that same app for free from his website. which he lists in app description also. just thought I'd spread the word as the sound now is unbelievable for the most part.
glad to hear you liking your Prime. hopefully it'll serve as a great developement tool for you also.
Thanks for the review. Surprised that the WiFi isn't as strong as the Desire HD I would have thought it would be. Maybe this can be improved, certainly sounds like it would be better with optimized ICS as well.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
ModestMuse23 said:
I haven't seen this mentioned before. Is this true?
I see it still lists GPS here:
http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_Prime_TF201/#specifications
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
JoeyLe said:
Yeah, here it still is too: http://eee.asus.com/eeepad/transformer-prime/specification/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
acidus. said:
Gps is still listed in specs on Asus global site.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its true. check out the GPS issues thread n You will see. they began to remove it first from the U.S. Asus site. they probably in process now of trying to remove all traces of it..lol
demandarin said:
great first impressions. I also believe this has the best sound out of any mobile device I've heard before. in the themes and apps section there's a thread on an app called Volume+. its a volume booster that uses a speaker mod to accomplish this. let me tell you, IT WORKS GREAT. my prime now is wayyy louder than stock and has more bass to it also. I confirmed this with a decibel meter testing the speaker mod off vs. on. definitely a dramatic increase in sound and quality. has various profiles and even advanced ones so you can use equalizer if you feel up to it. that thread had link to marketplace for it. its a paid app. but he also says, in description, you can get that same app for free from his website. which he lists in app description also. just thought I'd spread the word as the sound now is unbelievable for the most part.
glad to hear you liking your Prime. hopefully it'll serve as a great developement tool for you also.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, nice never tried that app before, but it works perfectly
Thanks for that tip
demandarin said:
its true. check out the GPS issues thread n You will see. they began to remove it first from the U.S. Asus site. they probably in process now of trying to remove all traces of it..lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, no trace of GPS on german site...
First batch in Poland and gps works perfectly.
Wysłane z mojego Transformer Prime TF201 za pomocą Tapatalk
Diamondback2010 said:
Okay guys, here we go with some impressions of a non american prime.
Today, I got my 32GB gray Prime + the gray dock from the first german batch.
I have to say that I never owned a tablet myself before and I currently use a Desire HD as my development phone.
Hardware:
Good:
Build quality is perfect, period. On my Prime there is absolutely nothing i don't like about it.
It's super thin and not too heavy
Power and volume buttons are nice, but not metal
Keyboard dock build quality is on the same superior level.
The screen is absolutely awesome, super bright, perferct viewing angels and the colors are super good too, no yellow hue for me.
The speaker(s) are hands down the best thing I've ever heard on any mobile device. They are loud, they are clear and they have bass . I tried to completely cover it -->not possible with my hand, it still sounds the same
No comment on batterylife yet, it's my first charge
Camera is really good for a tablet, the pictures look much like iPhone pictures look. Really good when zoomed out and pretty strange when zoomed in.
The screen is very easy to clean, no comparision to my phone.
Bad:
Wifi is pretty weak, I can clearly see that it is way weaker than my DHD (it actually doesn't even see my network where my phone connects without any issue)
I won't say anything concerning the actual speed because I am not used to Wifi devices having a better speed than 10Mbps.... One word though: it's slower than my phone.
It's pretty sad we got only one speaker, you clearly notice the sound comes only from one side
The charging cable somehow feels really cheap. It also doesn't have any kind of snapping thing which prevents unwanted removal of the plug. The connector is like a USB-plug, you plug it and you un-plug it without any button or so to press. The charger itself feels okay.
Keys on the dock could need a bit more travel distance
Screen is finger print magnet, but I actually havenÄt compared this to other tablets
Software
Good:
Hmm, yea what to write here...?
HC runs smoother on the Prime than on my girlfriends Xoom...
Asus Supernote is a pretty decent note taking app. If they add palm rejection it's the best note app out there.
Haven't tested much of the other Asus apps so far
Ah, the Asus quicksettingsmenu is cool too, it's fast and just works
Bad:
HC just sucks, it's not well optimized at all. There are bugs random slowdowns and hangs everywhere
My GPS is broken too (more on this later)
Touchscreen sucks (I put this to software because I don't think it's hardware related). The touchscreen isn't always working properly. It's the same "ghost touching" reported earlier. Also it sometimes just doesn't register at all. You need to tap 2 or even more times.
The "GPS-issue":
Now I had the chance to actually test it myself, so here are the results.
My Prime doesn't lock onto satellites as most others here too.
It barely sees any satellites at all. Where my phone sees 10 sats (all with good reception) the Prime sees from time to time exactly one with near zero reception...
I really think this is software related (or maybe I just want to believe that? ). Read why:
In my opinion we have so many issues with the Primes because ASUS didn't intend to release the Prime with Honeycomb at all.
I think they developed this device only with ICS and once they realized that they can't finish ICS they hurried up to slap HC on it.
Unfortunately the actual testing of the software was more or less forgotten or better suspended due to time constraints.
If I am right we will see a nicely running more or less issue free ICS soon. If this is not the case ASUS really screwed up this time...
Conclusion
All in all I think the Prime is a awesome device which will get perfect once the bugs are gone. I am still happy with my Prime and I'll keep it.
If they fix the GPS and the touchscreen I got a perfect device for my use. Weak Wifi is not really a problem for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
where in Germany are these available?
The whole thing is just an incredible failure by Asus. They obviously rushed and keep rushing an unfinished product to market in order to beat the new ipad launch in January. Its nothing more than a big FU to the consumer. Return for refund, dont let them get away with this BS.
Sent from my my i9000 running CM or MIUI
jotka2 said:
First batch in Poland and gps works perfectly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lucky you. Got mine yesterday, yes same batch in Poland distributed by Euro RTV AGD, and can confirm that the GPS reception is of very low signal. Long time for first lock, and looses the signal very easily.
Side by side comparison with my TF101 clearly suggests problems with GPS of the TF201.
Diamondback2010 said:
[*]The charging cable somehow feels really cheap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is. It look like the same cable as the one in TF101. Mine chipped on the corner - on itself, just while I was plugging it.
It also doesn't have any kind of snapping thing which prevents unwanted removal of the plug.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's actually a good thing, so if you trip on the cable, the device will hopefully unplug and not crash.
Magnesus said:
It is. It look like the same cable as the one in TF101. Mine chipped on the corner - on itself, just while I was plugging it.
It's actually a good thing, so if you trip on the cable, the device will hopefully unplug and not crash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never thought about it this way, but you are right
Just kinda unhandy when you are doing things with it while charging (maybe the initial charge is the only time this happens at all )
Diamondback2010 said:
32GB gray Prime + the gray dock from the first german batch.
where in Germany did you get yours??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
youtube.com/watch?v=nzCZc3pjtrA
Not created by me, but I found it interesting, so thought I would share.
At least on my prime, I have found that the wifi signal is comparable to my epic 4g touch, which I am pleased with.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
It seems that the Prime CAN get the same WiFi speeds as the TF101, but the main problem is that the farther away you are and the more objects in the way the more adverse the results are for the TF201 over the TF101.
Maybe asus should have brought the antennae like right up behind the glass of the screen.
I would like to see someone do a video show casing the differences of facing the front of the TF201 away, towards and sideways from the router to see how much it affects the signal.
slayvus said:
I would like to see someone do a video show casing the differences of facing the front of the TF201 away, towards and sideways from the router to see how much it affects the signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, I read this in the comment section of the video:
"I did try switching sides and it didn't make a difference. Figured there wasn't much point to show all the permutations in the video, but point duly noted."
Stay or go
slayvus said:
It seems that the Prime CAN get the same WiFi speeds as the TF101, but the main problem is that the farther away you are and the more objects in the way the more adverse the results are for the TF201 over the TF101.
Maybe asus should have brought the antennae like right up behind the glass of the screen.
I would like to see someone do a video show casing the differences of facing the front of the TF201 away, towards and sideways from the router to see how much it affects the signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have a video, but I can tell you that in many tests I have done, whether the screen faces the router or the back does, it doesn't seem to affect the speed. which makes me hopeful, maybe it's something that can be fixed with software.
I'm undecided on keeping it or returning
I'm also trying to decide between keeping and returning my Prime solely due to the weak Wifi. I'm hoping there are some tweaks in ICS that improve it, but I have a crappy feeling that it is indeed a faulty hardware design and we're screwed if we expect to ever get decent Wifi range and speed with this tablet.
Godswrath said:
youtube.com/watch?v=nzCZc3pjtrA
Not created by me, but I found it interesting, so thought I would share.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is my video, and note that I purposefully did this test with the back facing the router. My response was to a different question--switching "sides," not specifically switching orientation.
I should do another video, because in fact when the Prime's glass is facing the router, wifi speeds are significantly improved. I'm going to annotate my current video and consider doing another one showing the difference.
The issue doesn't seem to be getting a high speed and strong signal, it appears the signal can be inconsistent. You wouldn't even notice in stuff like browsing that use the signal intermittently. If there's an issue it would show up on constant streams like video and downloads.
Truthfully, Wi-Fi is one of the most difficult areas to compare results in. Between the different conditions and age and make of the routers you can only compare to what you know and are familiar with. For example, the SGS2 hates D-Link and loves NetGear. It took forever in their forum to figure that out.
nyijedi said:
I'm also trying to decide between keeping and returning my Prime solely due to the weak Wifi. I'm hoping there are some tweaks in ICS that improve it, but I have a crappy feeling that it is indeed a faulty hardware design and we're screwed if we expect to ever get decent Wifi range and speed with this tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure they'll fix it either with software or with a hardware revision where everyone will have to warranty it. Early adopters are the beta testers these days in the tech world, so that's why I always wait two months to get a device - it's tough, but at least you don't have the problems.
Picked up a grey 32GB at Best Buy yesterday. Got home, charged and then connected to my wireless: Netgear WNDR4500. It connected but said I was at -1mbps. Minus? Reset the router, restarted the tablet/computer/dsl gate/etc. Still -1mbps.
I remembered where the antenna was from Anand's teardown so I moderately thumped it with a flick of my finger (like playing paper football with the triangles). As soon as I did BAM! 65mbps! Seriously? Should I keep this thing or take it back?
Savedsol said:
Picked up a grey 32GB at Best Buy yesterday. Got home, charged and then connected to my wireless: Netgear WNDR4500. It connected but said I was at -1mbps. Minus? Reset the router, restarted the tablet/computer/dsl gate/etc. Still -1mbps.
I remembered where the antenna was from Anand's teardown so I moderately thumped it with a flick of my finger (like playing paper football with the triangles). As soon as I did BAM! 65mbps! Seriously? Should I keep this thing or take it back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
might as well keep it...it'll be under warranty if it goes again....and you never know if there's more stock available.
It shouldn't revert again most likely since if the pogo pin antenna thing was stuck in the down position it is now in the up position with no way of being pushed down again.
I concur
Modded by MBOK
I would carefully evaluate the unit to make sure EVERYTHING else works to your satisfaction: audio, haptic feedback, screen quality (not too yellow, good colors, solid text), GPS (to whatever extent it matters to you), microphone, touchscreen, etc.
If everything checks out, then consider keeping it. I'm faced with the same sort of decision myself. I have three sitting in my house that I'm trying to decide between (or return all of them and get a different one entirely, or even just give up):
1. Great screen (excellent temp, great colors, very solid text) except for one stuck pixel, decent haptic feedback, but a vibration from the speakers at full volume, non-functional GPS, weaker wifi.
2. Good screen (a little warmer than #1, colors are good but not as much detail, text decent but not as sharp) but a little light bleed, great GPS (locks quickly to many satellites indoors, as many as 12/14 outdoors), stronger wifi, but broken haptic feedback and stains on the backplate that I can't remove.
3. Horrible screen (whites are a dingy yellow, color is washed out, text is pixellated), non-functional haptic feedback, good audio, good GPS and wifi.
All three are BCs and 0214 hardware builds. #3 is clearly going back, but with #1 and #2 I have to choose between the best screen I've seen on a Prime and the rest that's wrong with it. Not an easy choice--I can see details in images on its screen that I can't see on #2.
My point? As Forrest Gump would say, you never know what you're gonna get. If you return the one you have, you run the risk of getting one with more of a problem.
Barff1984 said:
might as well keep it...it'll be under warranty if it goes again....and you never know if there's more stock available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Peoples warranty experiences with asus have been less than satisfactory, not to mention they make you pay freight.
wynand32 said:
I have three sitting in my house that I'm trying to decide between (or return all of them and get a different one entirely, or even just give up):
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Admittedly off topic but did you buy these all from 1 place? We are clearly in different leagues as I would not have the balls to return three of these to the same vendor not to mention explaining the $1500 in charges to the credit card to compare screen colors to my wife.
Could be the pogo pins... if the SN starts with BC0CK it has bad hardware probably
Last night all was well. It is a BC but I've not heard/read any bad BC stories unlike some bad C stories.
After 2 defective launch ATP's, yesterday I finally got a almost perfect unit with dock. My first 2 Primes from Gamestop were a nightmare. They both had every problem reported. The Prime I bought is fantastic. Even the GPS works perfect w/o WiFi. No lag or anything even with the Killer Whale pacing back and forth. No FC's or restarts with ICS. I Love it.
No problems with the camera and flash.
The only 2 problems that bother me is that, no matter what video player I use the audio always lags through Bluetooth and WiFi and Bluetooth do NOT work at the same time. I really enjoy this Prime because the resolution is perfect for my emulators. Anything higher would cause some of my movies and emulators to look like garbage. The Prime and dock really are a premium product as long as you get one that works. Thank You everyone and Gary Key for pushing Asus to finally put out a world class product.
So moral of the story: 1 out of 3 chances you will get the product you paid for.
I think Asus has stepped up their quality control recently.
What is your serial (only the first 5/6 letters)
So did you get your 3rd TP from GameStop as well or did you purchase it from somewhere else?
So this is very very interesting as it is the second thread that someone has posted indicating a "perfect" prime.
The first thread, I was like "BS" due to the fact that the OP really didn't say anything afterwards. It could, perhaps, be that Asus finally observed the issues with the QC and finally made corrections. After bringing back 2 primes because of backlight bleed, perhaps its time to make another run.
I would like to see the first 3-6 letters of the Serial number, also, if you have the chance a picture of a black background with no backlight bleed. After all, I think you owe it to us to provide some sort of "proof" considering your claims. You just can't come on here and say, "I have a perfect prime" with nothing to show for it when we have so much other material to work from that indicates the Prime is a horrible piece of hardware.
Sure he can. Why not? Why would he owe you anything in that respect?
I think what it boils down to is quality control issues, so it's the luck of the draw... just like there are bad/weak ones coming out, the probability is that there will be ones with no issues as well, and it seems he was able to find one of those.
I mean, mine is as "near-perfect" as it seems to get too... no lockups, the wifi works well, as does the GPS (I don't think it would hold up in real time navigation, but it picks up about 12 sats in a short period of time indoors on the ground floor of my house.) And, it has very negligible light bleed.
That being said, this is my 3rd prime (the previous two I returned due to quality issues - dead pixel, bad light bleed on one of them)
The interesting thing is, I upgraded both of those previous primes to ICS before I returned them (I figured "why not" since they were going back to the store anyways - if they start locking up, no problem). I upgraded them both to ICS without any issues, and used them about 2-3 days each before returning them... not a single lockup on either of them
I'm now on my 3rd prime (all WW SKU), and given that the previous 2 upgraded no problem, I decided to upgrade this one as well. I did, and it's been rock solid.
My friend has one as well, also upgraded to ICS. Also no issues.
So for the record, there's 4 that upgraded to ICS no problem.
QUOTE=Pubnum;22095318] After all, I think you owe it to us to provide some sort of "proof" considering your claims. You just can't come on here and say, "I have a perfect prime" with nothing to show for it when we have so much other material to work from that indicates the Prime is a horrible piece of hardware.[/QUOTE]
My 3rd prime is perfect as well. The gps is weak but it at least works. Not a big issue to me. I think I have fixed the lag-i\o issues as well.
I have a perfect prime n not showing y'all a damn thanggg...lmfao. if you want to be short sighted n believe all the negative stuff then do so. We just just continue to enjoy our devices as we see fit. PRIME is an Excellent piece of hardware when done properly. If it wasn't, I been would've returned mines. Fact for me is, it works great in my day to day use.
I just bought a used prime yesterday on graiglist for $350. Iwas not aware of all issue this table has. I bought like new in box condition and now checking all theproblems list i am happy to say that mine is perfect. No backlight issue, amazing wifi range as good has my laptop, gps connect in a second without wifi, serial number show corret. Im in love with this and getting rid of my useless touchpad
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Ill believe in a perfectly working prime when I see it lol
cyi1 said:
Ill believe in a perfectly working prime when I see it lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, I'm going to wait about two weeks then make another run at it. Lightbleed is the number 1 issue in my book.
skygunner27 said:
The only thing that bothers me is that, no matter what video player I use the audio always lags through Bluetooth. Can someone tell me how to fix this or suggest a video player with subtitles that doesn't suffer from this delay? Youtube and Netflix work perfect with Bluetooth.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had this same problem with my original Transformer, with Netflix and my Motorola S9-HD headphones. I never did resolve it, so I simply started using wired headphones.
Bottom line, I don't think this is a Prime-specific issue...
Mine works fine. My GPS reception is mediocre, but it does work. Everything else is perfect.
You guys need to understand that defective products exist. I recently got a galaxy nexus and the phone had awful reception. Dropped connections every 20 minutes or less. Got verizon to replace it with a new phone which works perfectly.
Mine is also fine. Barely any light bleed, GPS not great, and one miniscule bright spot on the screen (not a dead pixel). Everything else is gravy.
pdanders said:
Mine works fine. My GPS reception is mediocre, but it does work. Everything else is perfect.
You guys need to understand that defective products exist. I recently got a galaxy nexus and the phone had awful reception. Dropped connections every 20 minutes or less. Got verizon to replace it with a new phone which works perfectly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We agree that defective products exist. But Asus is clearly having an issue with quality control. And it isn't an issue with just a small few. 90% of them have backlight bleed issues. If you think you don't, you're probably not looking hard enough.
What it really comes down to is what you personally are willing to live with. My prime is great, wifi is strong, gps works (locked on 5 sats last night) however it has a single dead pixel. Is this a game breaker? No. My first prime had 2 bright areas and 2 dark areas. This was a game breaker. I returned it and ordered a new one. Now the new one has a dead pixel however when actually using the prime I don't notice one single dead pixel.
If you can live with the issues you have with your Prime, great. Use the hell out of the TFP and give it great word of mouth. If you have a defective unit and you can't live with the defects by all means return it. I would never advise anyone to do otherwise. I'm a giant advocate for not accepting poor service or quality. I worked the last 4 years doing QA, I know how things go.
However if you can't seem to find your perfect TFP, let it go. Find another device and just move on. We understand your frustration but continually badmouthing something others like/love will only cause contempt and discord.
This is not directed at anyone in particular.
TLDR: If you have a good TFP great, if its defective sorry return it and move on.
Hyflex said:
What is your serial (only the first 5/6 letters)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BCOKAS
Pubnum said:
So this is very very interesting as it is the second thread that someone has posted indicating a "perfect" prime.
The first thread, I was like "BS" due to the fact that the OP really didn't say anything afterwards. It could, perhaps, be that Asus finally observed the issues with the QC and finally made corrections. After bringing back 2 primes because of backlight bleed, perhaps its time to make another run.
I would like to see the first 3-6 letters of the Serial number, also, if you have the chance a picture of a black background with no backlight bleed. After all, I think you owe it to us to provide some sort of "proof" considering your claims. You just can't come on here and say, "I have a perfect prime" with nothing to show for it when we have so much other material to work from that indicates the Prime is a horrible piece of hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe I'll take a pic later to show no bleeding. I'm not sure why you don't believe me. Look at my previous posts here. I'm probably the last person on Earth to give the ATP praise. This is the first positive thing I've said about the Prime....and it was hard for me to do so, with all the negative posts I have made about my past experiences.
seeknom said:
Sure he can. Why not? Why would he owe you anything in that respect?
I think what it boils down to is quality control issues, so it's the luck of the draw... just like there are bad/weak ones coming out, the probability is that there will be ones with no issues as well, and it seems he was able to find one of those.
I mean, mine is as "near-perfect" as it seems to get too... no lockups, the wifi works well, as does the GPS (I don't think it would hold up in real time navigation, but it picks up about 12 sats in a short period of time indoors on the ground floor of my house.) And, it has very negligible light bleed.
That being said, this is my 3rd prime (the previous two I returned due to quality issues - dead pixel, bad light bleed on one of them)
The interesting thing is, I upgraded both of those previous primes to ICS before I returned them (I figured "why not" since they were going back to the store anyways - if they start locking up, no problem). I upgraded them both to ICS without any issues, and used them about 2-3 days each before returning them... not a single lockup on either of them
I'm now on my 3rd prime (all WW SKU), and given that the previous 2 upgraded no problem, I decided to upgrade this one as well. I did, and it's been rock solid.
My friend has one as well, also upgraded to ICS. Also no issues.
So for the record, there's 4 that upgraded to ICS no problem.
QUOTE=Pubnum;22095318] After all, I think you owe it to us to provide some sort of "proof" considering your claims. You just can't come on here and say, "I have a perfect prime" with nothing to show for it when we have so much other material to work from that indicates the Prime is a horrible piece of hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I noticed my bezel seems a lot tighter than my previous primes. I think that has something to do with backlight bleeding.
The Prime on display also had no backlight bleeding. I had made arrangement to take the display model if my Prime had bleeding.
shep211 said:
My 3rd prime is perfect as well. The gps is weak but it at least works. Not a big issue to me. I think I have fixed the lag-i\o issues as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice.
eduardmc said:
I just bought a used prime yesterday on graiglist for $350. Iwas not aware of all issue this table has. I bought like new in box condition and now checking all theproblems list i am happy to say that mine is perfect. No backlight issue, amazing wifi range as good has my laptop, gps connect in a second without wifi, serial number show corret. Im in love with this and getting rid of my useless touchpad
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fantastic.
wynand32 said:
I had this same problem with my original Transformer, with Netflix and my Motorola S9-HD headphones. I never did resolve it, so I simply started using wired headphones.
Bottom line, I don't think this is a Prime-specific issue...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really hope I find a fix soon. I need Bluetooth to work for all my movies and anime.
MOD64 said:
So did you get your 3rd TP from GameStop as well or did you purchase it from somewhere else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bestbuy.
How are you guys testing your gps? What I do to test is open google maps so I can get a map of my area. Then I drive around the block and see if I'm being tracked real time.
I drove around here in Anchorage with a constant lock on 8. There is a discrepancy of about 65 feet. Can someone pleaase help me with Bluetooth audio delay during video playback? This delay does not happen with Youtube or Netflix. It only happens with every video player I use. Asus wants me to RMA. There's no way I'm giving up this Prime!!!
I know we're sick to death of the GPS and WiFi issues and I think we're all in agreement that we're stuck with what we have, like it or not. However, I'm seeing a lot of other problems that are getting onesie posts and it seems to me that a general 'problems' thread would move it all into one place - so the 'I don't want to see any negative discussions of the toy I spent $500 on' crowd will only have one thread to avoid in the future.
So allow me to start. Last week I got my GPS dongle and when I attached it, it worked quite well...
However, a few days later, I found that the backside 8MP camera had failed entirely. When I launch the camera app, it hangs for a few minutes, then comes up with a 'preview' image that's the desktop kind of chopped up and shuffled, but in shades of brilliant green.
If I switch to the front (1.3MP) camera, it works correctly.
I've factory reset it. No change.
I've hard factory reset it. Also no change.
I grabbed the last firmware and reflashed that. Still no change.
So I called Asus and they've RMAed it, so it goes back today.
I have no evidence that there's a relationship between the GPS dongle and the camera failure - so, I won't make one other than to note that that was the only thing I've stuck into my Prime in the last week. Could just be a coincidence.
Very frustrating nonetheless. It's like most all the tech I bought around Christmas is failing and going away for a month or more to repair.
Sorry to hear your toys aren't being so fun
The camera thing is a little unsettling. I don't use my tab to take a lot of pics, but I sure would be peeved if it went out. I take it your bootloader is still locked? Were you rooted? Can you get it to work again by putting pressure on the backplate around the camera?
see: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1444084 for a similar thread
Tried that already... mod closed it. It is really time to sticky the thread mentioned above!!-- that is if the op would update it.
thenrz said:
Sorry to hear your toys aren't being so fun
The camera thing is a little unsettling. I don't use my tab to take a lot of pics, but I sure would be peeved if it went out. I take it your bootloader is still locked? Were you rooted? Can you get it to work again by putting pressure on the backplate around the camera?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use mine to video meetings and presentations... it runs for almost an hour per chunk and the battery can record about 8 hours with the dock.
I've not unlocked mine, so it's pure Asus ROM.
I tried pressure to see if I could get the GPS to work (didn't), and now that you've mentioned it - I hope that's not what buggered the camera.. but alas, no - I didn't try that as a fix for the camera.
It's off to Asus RMA limbo now... so I can't check it.
drherron said:
see: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1444084 for a similar thread
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did read that thread - but it was more for known issues... I was hoping to focus on other less common 'real world' failures and problems... like the camera failing, or someone trying to hang a device on the USB.
Believe me, given how short tempered and touchy some of the people here are to anything even remotely negative, I sat and thought hard about even considering posting this... but the camera failing right after attaching the GPS dongle struck me as kind of important...
Diamondback has not closed this thread and actually referenced it when closing another thread like it. If this is where we can keep a list of known issues, THEN GREAT! Can I get you to add some issues to the list?
Potential issues:
- Sod (sleep of death)- device will not wake up when power button is pressed. (reported more of an issue on firmware prior to .21 but still seen intermittently)
- Browser wait or force close- Web browser seems to offer you the option to wait or force close frequently, wait usually allows the page to load.
- Heavy 3D games crash- Issue seems worse after .21 update, frequent force close and outright crash when playing T3 optimized games, sometimes reboot.
- Camera freeze- when completing a video recording the camera can freeze and ask to FC or just stop responding to any input.
- Input freeze while download/install- issue occurs when installing or downloading in the background where you are unable to press any buttons including the home or back.
- Screen Mura- Many users report dark/light patches in their LCD, this seems to be common and some users are just now noticing the issue.
- Cracked Screen- This is an interesting one, many claiming that the dock is causing it and some have even resorted to creating their own bumpers to prevent the prime's screen from touching the dock. Some have had it crack just by picking up the tablet itself. Some claim it is the pressure of holding it by a corner and cleaning the screen while holding.
- Digitizer inaccuracy- This is the complaint "I can't draw a diagonal line without it going all wavy on me!" It is an actual issue and although there are users reporting settings that allow it to work properly, the default configuration will leave anyone who just opens it up and tries to draw an "X" scratching their heads.
- Device fit/finish issues- Some users report bezel separation and some report that light pressure near the camera increases wifi signal.
- Sound issues- User reports of audio dropping out all together until reboot is performed.
Having 6 primes go through my hands since January from B-C3 serial numbers, I have seen the majority of these issues first hand and can confirm that some devices seem to have more of these than others, but still have yet to find one that suffers from none of these issues.
Having serious issues since .21 with game reboots. Seems I can't play any of the games with heavy graphics to work properly. It's driving me crazy. Do we have any fixes? I'd like to be able to play the games I've spent money on for longer than 10 minutes without the entire game crashing.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDAto
KDLMaj said:
Having serious issues since .21 with game reboots. Seems I can't play any of the games with heavy graphics to work properly. It's driving me crazy. Do we have any fixes? I'd like to be able to play the games I've spent money on for longer than 10 minutes without the entire game crashing.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDAto
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get this issue frequently also, it seems to me that they work better after a fresh reboot. I sometimes launch a game and it will work for about 10 min like you said, then freeze or graphics corruption. I reboot the prime and then it seems to play fine for as long as I want to, but if I start launching other apps before playing the game, it does the same 10 min, then needs reboot. Demandarin said that there was an update coming soon that will address the issue but that was almost a month ago. Have not seen any updates from Gary from asus either?!?!?!?
I would also like to be able to play my games with no issues. WHEN WILL THIS MADNESS END?!?!
KDLMaj said:
Having serious issues since .21 with game reboots. Seems I can't play any of the games with heavy graphics to work properly. It's driving me crazy. Do we have any fixes? I'd like to be able to play the games I've spent money on for longer than 10 minutes without the entire game crashing.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDAto
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was a fix for me and many others...
[MOD][Custom Build Prop] Increase Overall Performance & Battery Life of PRIME
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1647357
You will have to be rooted since you will be altering/adding to build.prop. I did read somewhere in the OP about being able to do it even if you are not rooted.
Since I did this mod my Prime is even more responsive and fast. All the games I've had issues with are no longer issues. Or just wait for the update. I here that the fix will be in the coming update as well
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
jordanmw said:
I get this issue frequently also, it seems to me that they work better after a fresh reboot. I sometimes launch a game and it will work for about 10 min like you said, then freeze or graphics corruption. I reboot the prime and then it seems to play fine for as long as I want to, but if I start launching other apps before playing the game, it does the same 10 min, then needs reboot. Demandarin said that there was an update coming soon that will address the issue but that was almost a month ago. Have not seen any updates from Gary from asus either?!?!?!?
I would also like to be able to play my games with no issues. WHEN WILL THIS MADNESS END?!?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Calm down lol. I know everyone is so accustomed to having there updates every week we are somewhat spoiled in a sense. I would rather they take there time then put out a solid update and make sure it actually fixes and have a positive experience from it.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
I would like a stable update also, just want my prime to work properly, or at least get us nv flash so I feel good enough about unlocking to flash someone's stable custom rom.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDA
Diamondback told me to post here:
After 5 months of ownership, I regret having dropped so much...
...money on a tablet that Asus clearly didn't give a crap about. For $600, you can get a fast processor, thin and light tablet, bright screen AND:
- an ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE touchscreen digitizer (seriously, my kid's Toshiba Thrive 10" (which came out a year or so before) has a gorgeous digitizer, and the TF201 has a piece of junk bottom of the barrel. Touch-Screen Tune Up can't even help it. You cannot make a straight line for your life. you can't make a nice continuous curve at all, it's pathetically low resolution. At first I was frustrated because after I noticed things were crummy, I went to BestBuy to try it on the TF101, Thrive, and Xoom, and the TF101 still had issues, Xoom was ok, and the Thrive was the best. For a product that cost half as much as the TF201, it has an infinitely better digitizer)
- an exposed MicroSD card while in its slot, so it's nice and easy to accidentally bump it and pop it out.
- Nearly Zero accessory availability (they are always out of stock on chargers, cables, whatever)
- An all metal case that does indeed kill radio signals (who was the genius that came up with that one)
Ok, so the main issue is the terrible digitizer. Even when i'm scrolling up and down on a webpage, i see the screen jump every centimeter or so as my finger reaches a new digitizer point. It is a joke. The most important piece of hardware on a TOUCH device is the TOUCHSCREEN and it is easily the worst touchscreen on any touch device i've seen and it happens to be on the most expensive touch device i've ever seen. That's what really ticks me off. If I paid 100 bucks for it I wouldn't care so much since I would expect cheap parts, but for $600 I do not expect cheap parts.
And within a couple months of it's release they already announced the replacement 700 tablet, with the main changes being a higher res screen and a plastic port for radios to communicate. Nice going Asus. Your other products might be solid. You blew it on the TF201. I'd like to see how the 200$ Nexus 7 is with respect to the digitizer. for 1/3 of the price of the TF201, did asus use a crappy digitizer with it too??
My kid's first gen tablet has a top of the line digitizer and the one that cost over half a grand has one that looks like it came off a palm pilot.
/end rant/
ugh... i hate getting ripped of, and i hate incompetence.
Yea there are positive things about the tablet, there is a whole thread about that. But this really upsets me. When you buy flagship and literally state-of-the-art stuff, that's what you expect. Maybe I shouldn't have bought my son's $250 dollar tablet, then i wouldn't have known how badly Asus ripped of their customers on their $600 tablet.
jordanmw said:
I would like a stable update also, just want my prime to work properly, or at least get us nv flash so I feel good enough about unlocking to flash someone's stable custom rom.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So much for that hope!!.. still no freakin fix with .28!
and I agree, the digitizer is garbage! My wife refuses to take notes on it because of the "diagonal line issue" where you can not get a diagonal line that is actually straight, no matter how hard you try!