Backstory: Staples initially had the TFP available online for a short period, but brought it down within a few days of making it available. I called asking why, and the rep didn't have any info, but told me they could special order me one so I could use my rewards that I have been accumulating (close to $300).
Ordered my TFP on 1/5/12 and was scheduled to get it about a week ago due to wholesaler backorder, but the shipping date got pushed to 1/25/12 due to unavailability. It was only another week, so I decided to wait. I called my rep yesterday around 5 since I hadn't received my package. He called around and eventually got to a specialist team that said that Staples is refusing to sell any more TFPs until all the bugs have been worked out and they can guarantee me a quality product that works as described, due to the abundance of returns and problems with the device in the past months.
Just thought it was interesting a retailer was taking a stand like this. At first I was upset because I know theres only about a 1/3 - 1/5 chance I'll get one with Wifi troubles, which is the only thing I fear. But knowing that I wont have to worry about setting up then returning and setting up again and returning that many people are having to put up with eases my mind, especially with my academics ramping up.
Just thought I'd share
Someone posted on another forum that for the same reason, Amazon currently isn't taking any new orders for the Prime.
Good I hope ASUS loses millions of dollers they deserve it.
It's hard to know what the overall return rate is because the general public usually isn't as anal as XDA'ers. But based on what's been shared here people have gone through four Prime's to get one they're satisfied with. 5% (1:100) is typical in electronics and it costs resellers 15-20% of their costs to process a return. If the Prime's running 1:4 alarms will go off in corporate offices that track return rates and failures. At $499 resellers are making less than $100 on the Prime's they sell. At some point, it becomes a tilt. Resellers will start asking for compensation or added margin to continue selling the Prime if Asus doesn't get their act together.
I'm either in the minority or I waited long enough for the problems to get mostly worked out. I received my Prime from Amazon last week and it's been flawless. Literally zero issues other than some minor light leaking, but I've not had a single device that wasn't guilty of that to some extent. Oh well, I hate to see Asus getting slammed like they are because I love their products, but maybe it's what they need to turn their quality control around.
I think its wise for retailers to refuse any release of a product that has a high return rate. Why? Because for every return, the retailer gets a bad stigma from consumers where they bought the product from. Yes, they dont make the product but they are responsible making decisions to stocking problematic products on their shelves. Then you have the an unnecessary que forming in in the line from the same product over and over again. I know my exchanges on bestbuy delayed them since their returns and sales where on the same line at the time when I arrived. Took my about 15 mins, they made no sales, and the line slowed down since I took up 1 of the 2 sales clerk. I returned it twice and my final was a refund of two tablets took 30 mins with 2 sales clerks. They had to open up another station while I was getting helped.
junrider said:
I think its wise for retailers to refuse any release of a product that has a high return rate. Why? Because for every return, the retailer gets a bad stigma from consumers where they bought the product from. Yes, they dont make the product but they are responsible making decisions to stocking problematic products on their shelves. Then you have the an unnecessary que forming in in the line from the same product over and over again. I know my exchanges on bestbuy delayed them since their returns and sales where on the same line at the time when I arrived. Took my about 15 mins, they made no sales, and the line slowed down since I took up 1 of the 2 sales clerk. I returned it twice and my final was a refund of two tablets took 30 mins with 2 sales clerks. They had to open up another station while I was getting helped.
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And then... They have to return it to Asus either from an individual store or by shipping it back to their central warehouse. It needs to be run through accounting to have the amount they owe Asus debited for sending it back. It has to be logged in case it's lost or damaged in shipping. Asus may or may not pay the return shipping costs depending on the contract they have with the reseller. Typically large resellers have a clause in their contracts to deal with returns in excess of X% that either trigger a renegotiation or some type of penalty. None of this is good for Asus' profitability.
All I can say is Damn! Lol. ASUS really needs to get on the ball, like yesterday, and deal with these issues head one. Its a shame as this is a great device when it isn't crippled with issues some have been dealing with, like my Prime. I've used mines nonstop since I got it on 12/22 n had no problems with it, aside from obvious GPS issue. I really like it alot n still consider it the best tablet I've had. Even better than my Ipad. BUT ISSUES can't be downplayed or ignored anymore by Asus. If some retailers are refusing to sell the Prime, this could be detrimental to Asus sales. I just hope for the best that they will resolve all of this in a timely manner. Its still only been a month since release so its early enough to turn things around.
MY Prime works well but with all this chaos going on, I've accepted the fact that Overall, Asus really f#&!?!# up this launch of a great product. Everyone's device needs to work great. We know there will be errors but its all adding up too much now. Its too many out there. Doesn't matter anymore if its the minority. It seems like enough now to be a serious problem for Asus.
Let us pray for them..lmfao
just lou said:
Someone posted on another forum that for the same reason, Amazon currently isn't taking any new orders for the Prime.
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That's the way it should be, stop the shipment and resolve the problem first. When Asus admitted gps problems and modified the specs without lowering the price, there's definitely something amiss with the product. This is further aggravated by the various problems encountered with this "brand new" product which was rushed out the door during the holiday season.
No Amazon, no deal!
Kind of makes me nervous to buy one. I follow these forums to see if it is worth picking up or waiting a little longer.
Yeah I'm highly disappointed with the Prime, overall this device seems to have skipped the whole test stage of development. I owned an original TF (that i bought in Apr 2011) and was very happy with how it performed and the support out of Asus. I'm returning my Prime today (bought from bestbuy Jan13th), I've waited as long as possible for Asus to address the issues and I'm fearful that this unit (TF201) will simply have to be discontinued (or drastic price reductions) in order to gain widespread traction in the market place. I know that ASUS says the new TF700 is slated to be a Premium product in the lineup, I'm just doubtful that it can stay at $600+. Add in the speculation and possibility that Apple will release a new product/features and the pressure on ASUS and others in the Android camp will be to compete aggressively on price.
With close to 60% of the tablet market (and one that is shrinking rapidly due to devices like Kindle Fire etc), it's pretty clear i think that we're about to see some significant changes soon....
I wish the MeMo was available today grrrr....
There are people on these forums that are up to 5 primes and are still looking for the perfect Prime. IT will take time for them to find the perfect one as there is not. So the returns they bring are killing ASUS.
There are also people like me who got a BC prime from gamestop that didn't have any issues aside from GPS. After a quick press near the GPS connector area, I can now stay locked on, even though signal is still low. No WiFi issues, no light bleed, no crashing, dock works fine, battery life seems great, etc.
1SiK1500 said:
Kind of makes me nervous to buy one. I follow these forums to see if it is worth picking up or waiting a little longer.
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Well two major online retailers, Amazon and Staples, have already decided to stop selling the Prime and I suspect a high rate of return has got them nervous too. Walmart carries the 101 but not the 201, and now I'm really curious at to why. Did they know something we don't?
---------- Post added at 10:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:33 AM ----------
redpoint13 said:
There are also people like me who got a BC prime from gamestop that didn't have any issues aside from GPS. After a quick press near the GPS connector area, I can now stay locked on, even though signal is still low. No WiFi issues, no light bleed, no crashing, dock works fine, battery life seems great, etc.
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The spring loaded pogo stick connector is pure lame design, Asus used all kinds of ribbon connectors on the Prime but dropped the ball where it was critically important. Anytime a mechanical connection is used, it becomes a point of resistance to the rf signal and when oxidation tarnishes the contacts the reception get even worse. So two issues related to the rf signals are metal shielding and poor electrical contact. Cold solder joints may also be a factor, a rush job will surely contribute to that.
redpoint13 said:
There are also people like me who got a BC prime from gamestop that didn't have any issues aside from GPS. After a quick press near the GPS connector area, I can now stay locked on, even though signal is still low. No WiFi issues, no light bleed, no crashing, dock works fine, battery life seems great, etc.
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Theres obviously alot of primes out there that are perfectly fine. Like I said, most polls range from 20-30% of primes having wifi issues, clearly the largest problem among a list of 3-4 valid concerns. I just thought that it was interesting that retailers are actually stepping in to protect the consumer in such a dramatic way. I've never heard of anything like this, even with much bigger hardware failures (RROD anyone?).
Screwedupsmitty said:
Theres obviously alot of primes out there that are perfectly fine. Like I said, most polls range from 20-30% of primes having wifi issues, clearly the largest problem among a list of 3-4 valid concerns. I just thought that it was interesting that retailers are actually stepping in to protect the consumer in such a dramatic way. I've never heard of anything like this, even with much bigger hardware failures (RROD anyone?).
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I doubt retailers are stepping in to protect the consumer. Its more likely that the returns are making the retailers lose money and they refuse to buy anymore from Asus until they solve the problems.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
No surprise there. I had 3 primes in my hands the last month.
2 in the US from Best Buy both with dead pixels
1 in the UK, tablet great except for a little light bleed but the dock was DOA. Couldn't get the dock to charge at all, like the battery is non-existant.
I am still trying for another one.. that's after John Lewis UK can't get any in stock and had to cancel.
Nervous getting it from Frys and Best Buy next week when I am in the US again. If I get it in the UK I can get 2 years warranty.
HiddenSanctum said:
I doubt retailers are stepping in to protect the consumer. Its more likely that the returns are making the retailers lose money and they refuse to buy anymore from Asus until they solve the problems.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
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For sure an open box return item will no longer sell as brand new for the same price.
Mikers99 said:
There are people on these forums that are up to 5 primes and are still looking for the perfect Prime. IT will take time for them to find the perfect one as there is not. So the returns they bring are killing ASUS.
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*rolls eyes*
I've witnesses multiple smartphone and device launches, and I hear the same crap about foolish users returning 3-5 phones -- this is even for the HTC Evo and HTC Evo 3D which are regarded has being quite commercially successful.
There are some legitimate issues out there that warrant a return (serial number bug here comes to mind), but I'm willing to put money down that many of the returned units are fine, but were returned because of overzealous customers.
NeoteriX said:
*rolls eyes*
I've witnesses multiple smartphone and device launches, and I hear the same crap about foolish users returning 3-5 phones -- this is even for the HTC Evo and HTC Evo 3D which are regarded has being quite commercially successful.
There are some legitimate issues out there that warrant a return (serial number bug here comes to mind), but I'm willing to put money down that many of the returned units are fine, but were returned because of overzealous customers.
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True...I had ran out of thankx
Related
If it's being proven by numerous owners and Asus's own claims that the aluminum backing is interfering with the signals of wifi and gps, what realistically should be a proper response to the customers?
We bought the devices and can't return them to the stores because of return time running out and firmware updates are not fixing the issue. Being that they are aware the aluminum is the problem how feasible would it be for them to recall them and change the back out for a different material? We still enjoy this device greatly and I can deal with waiting to have my back swapped out knowing when I get it back there won't be an issue with it.
Sure it's going to be expensive but so are class action suits by pissed off customers. Example is Apple settling their class action suit over the death grip problem. Why not nip it now instead of shipping more units out that will require RMA numbers and ruin the reputation of the company? I also understand the company bottom line is the defining factor but is it really worth the frustration of employee's and customers who are going to be left sour feeling with Asus products?
This is bringing back bad memories of when I owned an Asus Z71v laptop. Beautiful machine but getting them to replace my battery after they got a bad batch of cells from the oem was a pain until enough people complained.
ASUS has removed GPS from product specifications. For unsatisfied customers outside the return window, they have started to offer refunds. See my post: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1509819
call me crazy but i love the aluminum back looks amazing and feels very high quality. As long as my wifi is as good as it is atm i wouldnt want it any other way^^ I mean who cares about AGPS on a wifi only device anyway? Its nice that they put it in the prime, but you cant except good performance from it without network.
Gary keys already said itss not the aluminum backing thatss causing the issue
It's Not The Aluminum Back Cover
Most of us do not have issues with WiFi, Bluetooth, or GPS and we have the same aluminum cover as those with issues. I've seen my GPS go from great to nil as I "upgraded" from .11 to .14. To solve it I rooted it, went back to .11 and now I get 11-12 satellites indoors.
AMoosa said:
Gary keys already said itss not the aluminum backing thatss causing the issue
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I thought it was just the opposite. I thought I read in an interveiw by Engadet with Gary, and he said the aluminum back plate was the cause...
****ing_lukin said:
ASUS has removed GPS from product specifications. For unsatisfied customers outside the return window, they have started to offer refunds. See my post: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1509819
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Yes, this. Since ASUS is now offering refunds, nobody has anything to complain about. If your Prime doesn't work for you, return it. Nothing could be simpler.
I have aluminium backing and it's works and looks great. No solution needed.
Mcoupe said:
I thought it was just the opposite. I thought I read in an interveiw by Engadet with Gary, and he said the aluminum back plate was the cause...
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I got the impression it was both. The aluminum backplate does cause signal attenuation, and is without a doubt a factor with the GPS and WiFi problems the TP experiences, regardless of whether or not Gary and Asus wants to admit it.
However, I get the impression the backplate isn't the whole story for a few reasons. First, we've seen a great deal of variability in signal strength and performance. Considering everybody (presumably) has the exact same backplate, the wide range of signal performance has to be affected by other factors as well.
Additionally, Asus may have made some mistakes, but they aren't stupid. They know full well that aluminum blocks signal strength, and I very much doubt they engineered, tested, built and shipped a flagship product without ever taking the time to see if the back might be prohibitively blocking signals.
Finally, we've seen that software can and does affect everyone differently.
My personal theory is that we are seeing two sets of hardware- an initial rollout, and a slightly tweaked second batch. The variation between the two would explain why some people without problems started seeing problems with the .13 and .14 patches, and vice versa.
Sent back their TFP?
Considering sending back their TFP?
Happy/ unhappy with it?
Waiting for an official statement from Asus before you make up your mind?
Like my prime but feeling a little let down and unsure of where to go from here. Wondering what other UK TFP owners have done.
I don't plan on sending my prime back, though I did consider it when I found out the GPS was non functional. It still irks me a little bit even though I don't think I'd ever care to actually use it - it's not nice to think my device isn't up to par. However side from that I'm extremely pleased with it and overall I'm just too lazy to go through the hassle
An Honest Answer
I am likely going to either get an RMA or try to return under the statement of full refund from asus ( http://asus.co.uk/blog/news/eee-pad-transformer-prime-update/1057/) the problems i am getting are intermittent and starting to annoy me, just to name a few;
Dust under screen,
Light bleed,
Dead pixels,
DOA GPS,
Wobbly hinge on dock,
BT+WiFi = Unusable WiFi
I could go on...
unfortunately i purchased mine from Carphone warehouse in january and as such will find it more difficult getting a refund from them but i will try
Other than the above i was thoroughly enjoying my prime ... whilst wearing rose tinted glasses.
I may purchase the TF700T at a later date when it is released or just stay without a tablet forevermore it depends if asus tightens up their QUALITY CONTROL!!
Regards
Jack
Got this response back from Asus Support after mentioning my GPS doesn't work. Truly disappointed. Any advice on how to get them to look at it?
Regarding the GPS Asus has released an official statement.
"The ASUS Transformer Prime is made from a metallic unibody design, so the material may affect the performance of the GPS when receiving signals from satellites. Please note that this product is not a professional GPS device, and signal performance can be easily influenced by factors including, but not limited to: weather, buildings, and surrounding environments. Please understand there are limitations when using the GPS function. To avoid inconveniencing users who demand a powerful GPS device, we made the decision to remove it from our specification sheet and marketing communications. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.
Kind regards,
Asus UK Support Team"
conner said:
Sent back their TFP?
Considering sending back their TFP?
Happy/ unhappy with it?
Waiting for an official statement from Asus before you make up your mind?
Like my prime but feeling a little let down and unsure of where to go from here. Wondering what other UK TFP owners have done.
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I'm keeping mine. It's great. If only Asus had never put a GPS sensor in it then everyone would be happy.
Hey guys, I love the tablet but I am having some serious bad luck lately. Im in Houston and bought a Prime from Gamestop. They told me theres only two Gamestops in South Houston that sell them and both are about 45 minutes to an hour away from my house. So the first one I bought two days ago had a tiny scratch and dead pixels outta the box. I went yesterday to the second gamestop cuz it was 15 minutes closer to return it and after a long drive I had it replaced without a hassle from the manager at gamestop because i had the receipt. She told me that I was the first to ever return the tablet because of a defect and told me I shouldnt worry too much about having to replace them in the future. So I get home and power it on and this one has another dead pixel in a different location and bad light bleed on the right side which the other didnt have and it also had a bunch of force closes popping up on the screen. Both are the latest C3 serial. Im disappointed and going crazy over here guys. Are there that many defective tablets or is my luck just horrible? Gas is expensive these days too, and Im dreading having to go back there again tomorrow and exchange it. Sorry I guess this was more of a rant than anything, but hopefully the third times the charm...
Sucks to hear man. Seems like the C3 is just like all the others no different, you're not the first to post about issues with theirs, lightbleed and wifi
I've owned 2 gamestop primes, not a problem from either of them really. Exchanged my first one (perfect unit) after unlocking the bootloader for one still under OEM warranty. The one I exchanged it for works great - there's a tiny smidgen of bleed in the top right corner, but you really have to search to see it and that's in a dark room.
I'm in Tampa, Florida.
Keep in mind IPS panels are prone to backlight bleeds. When I returned like 4 tf101s because of backlight bleeds, best buy was practically laughing at me.
ickkii said:
I've owned 2 gamestop primes, not a problem from either of them really. Exchanged my first one (perfect unit) after unlocking the bootloader for one still under OEM warranty. The one I exchanged it for works great - there's a tiny smidgen of bleed in the top right corner, but you really have to search to see it and that's in a dark room.
I'm in Tampa, Florida.
Keep in mind IPS panels are prone to backlight bleeds. When I returned like 4 tf101s because of backlight bleeds, best buy was practically laughing at me.
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I am sorry, but you sir are a ****...now someone is going to unknowingly buy a prime without a warranty. People like you are why stores are cracking down on exchanges.
onigiri1692 said:
I am sorry, but you sir are a ****...now someone is going to unknowingly buy a prime without a warranty. People like you are why stores are cracking down on exchanges.
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That's not my fault. It's gamestop's fault for accepting it, its asus's fault for voiding warranty and reselling it with a warranty, and it's the buyers fault for gambling their cash on refurbished devices.
Instead of cracking down on exchanges they could hire employee's that know the products they're selling.
I got mine from Gamestop and only have a tiny amount of bleed in the upper right corner but it's hardly noticeable. If I'm not mistaken, Gamestop opens them, adds their games and apps and then seals them back up so it's possible whoever is doing that is less than careful with them.
Bought mine (C3) from Gamestop today and either I have no significant light bleed, it's not enough to bother me, or I simply don't know what to look for. I saw a photo of someone else's TF light bleed in another thread and mine's nothing like that.
speedysilwady said:
Hey guys, I love the tablet but I am having some serious bad luck lately. Im in Houston and bought a Prime from Gamestop. They told me theres only two Gamestops in South Houston that sell them and both are about 45 minutes to an hour away from my house. So the first one I bought two days ago had a tiny scratch and dead pixels outta the box. I went yesterday to the second gamestop cuz it was 15 minutes closer to return it and after a long drive I had it replaced without a hassle from the manager at gamestop because i had the receipt. She told me that I was the first to ever return the tablet because of a defect and told me I shouldnt worry too much about having to replace them in the future. So I get home and power it on and this one has another dead pixel in a different location and bad light bleed on the right side which the other didnt have and it also had a bunch of force closes popping up on the screen. Both are the latest C3 serial. Im disappointed and going crazy over here guys. Are there that many defective tablets or is my luck just horrible? Gas is expensive these days too, and Im dreading having to go back there again tomorrow and exchange it. Sorry I guess this was more of a rant than anything, but hopefully the third times the charm...
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I'm not sure if the manager would let you do this, but if you can:
Unbox the ATP in front of the manager and test it out before ringing it up. Might save you the trouble of having to drive back and forth. Explain your situation regarding the defective products that you've had the misfortune to come across, and hopefully they will let you test it out (most likely supervised if so).
ickkii said:
That's not my fault. It's gamestop's fault for accepting it, its asus's fault for voiding warranty and reselling it with a warranty, and it's the buyers fault for gambling their cash on refurbished devices.
Instead of cracking down on exchanges they could hire employee's that know the products they're selling.
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Of course it's not your fault, it's somebody else's, it always is.
Whoo after three primes i finally got a good one same serial number
If you were still in your window for a full refund from the store would you get the newer model for the screen and hopefully better wifi back panel? My current one has none of the issues my first one had other than weaker wifi. It would take a few days for delivery but the cost is the same. If they dropped the price of the prime I'd return it and buy it again or ask to match it. The t300 didn't feel right in my hands even though it was lower in price. I love the prime but who knows what issues the new model will bring.
There is always a model thats better. My phone, for instance, is the Samsung S2. It does everything i want and im very happy with it. The S3 came out and its nice and shiny and has some improvments but really, do i need it? Im very pleased with what i have.
Now if you are happy with your prime as it is, keep it. Its a good tablet, at least in my eyes, and it works well enough. Sure there are some wifi / gps issues that people have and IO problems, but nobody is to say it will be fixed with the 700. There might be new problems with the 700, who knows.
Do you like the prime as it is?
Do you want to have to wait for the 700 to be released?
how much money are you willing to spend? "decent" tablets are selling for $200-$300. Consider this a "top of the line" tablet, does it fit your budget?
Are you willing to deal with whatever inperfections your prime has or would you wait for somethign that potentially has those problems fixed?
Its your call. I made mine when i bought my tablet. I do not regret my decision. My sister bought a 300, she loves it. Everyones different, only you can decide.
If i was stateside, i'd totally return mine to get a 700. The higher res screen, fixed GPS and Wifi make it way worth it.
I went for it. Returned it last night at Best Buy and ordered it online. Got an email a few hours ago that they unit has already shipped to the store for pick up Tuesday or Wednesday. The sales rep at the store seemed unable to order it for store shipment. Something about being unable to because it wouldn't be coming from one of their distribution centers.
I really do like the prime and this was my second one. I had one from the first batch produced which had bad BT reception and wifi. This second model I got really did have no problem with the BT but the wifi reception was still weak with distance. I will admit it was a rough decision since the unit was functional for my purposes and I had it set up with the apps I like. In the end I'm taking a chance that the plastic strip will allow for better wifi reception.
Price wise it was exactly the same. I had the $499, 32gig model and after tax it was an even trade. If it were to have been more expensive I would have stayed with the prime. But for the equal cost and better wifi (fingers crossed), I am taking the risk on a new product that we have yet to discover any flaws yet.
fsured said:
I went for it. Returned it last night at Best Buy and ordered it online. Got an email a few hours ago that they unit has already shipped to the store for pick up Tuesday or Wednesday. The sales rep at the store seemed unable to order it for store shipment. Something about being unable to because it wouldn't be coming from one of their distribution centers.
I really do like the prime and this was my second one. I had one from the first batch produced which had bad BT reception and wifi. This second model I got really did have no problem with the BT but the wifi reception was still weak with distance. I will admit it was a rough decision since the unit was functional for my purposes and I had it set up with the apps I like. In the end I'm taking a chance that the plastic strip will allow for better wifi reception.
Price wise it was exactly the same. I had the $499, 32gig model and after tax it was an even trade. If it were to have been more expensive I would have stayed with the prime. But for the equal cost and better wifi (fingers crossed), I am taking the risk on a new product that we have yet to discover any flaws yet.
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Well let us know how it goes! Most stuff that I've read says it's better in every way. I'd really like to have the higher res screen, but beggars (my mom bought me mine ) can't be choosers.
Parastie said:
Well let us know how it goes! Most stuff that I've read says it's better in every way. I'd really like to have the higher res screen, but beggars (my mom bought me mine ) can't be choosers.
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Just wanted to fill you in on the TF700. I've had it for about 2 days now and love it. Right off the start I could tell there is a huge difference in screen image. It just looks crisp and clean. The wifi is greatly improved and I can stream video while using my blue-tooth headphones. That was my biggest hope in this exchange process.
I haven't had any reboots but have had the anr's in browsing and some minor lock ups that are less than 10 seconds. There is light bleed but I suppose it is manageable. GPS took about 30 seconds and locked on to 9 locations from my first floor patio. The volume and power button are improved with a good "click" when pressed. Great tablet so far. Glad I went with the return of my Prime for the Infinity.
If it's an even trade, then you've got nothing to lose. Doesn't the tf700 retail for the same price as the original prime now? At any rate, I'd only go for it if I didn't have to pay extra. There's hardly a difference between the two tablets (GPS and screen resolution).
Okay, so I sent my TF201 as well as the power cable in for an RMA because the shoddily designed power connector ended up mangling the receptacle on the tablet. I could charge the tablet only by plugging in the keyboard dock, and even then that's iffy.
It was over 2 weeks since I sent the tablet via UPS and they hadn't contacted me. I checked on the RMA site and it said this:
Waiting-[WF4] Wait for Customer Confirmation-Customer Induced Damage \Out-Of-Warranty
No emails or anything. I called Asus and the customer support guy, while polite, was clueless and couldn't help me. No explanation either, which the customer service guy parroted. He estimated the repair cost to be around $130. Screw that! I asked him to escalate the case, but from what I've read online, customer support from Asus is impotent.
Also, I just got off the phone with support guy number 3. Again, complete waste of my time. He wouldn't pass me off to a supervisor when I asked (twice).
Does anyone have any suggestions? What are my options at this point? What magic phrase do I need to use in order for Asus to actually honor their warranty?
This is definitely a make-or-break moment for Asus and my future business with them. I've got an Asus motherboard, an Asus monitor, and a tablet, but I will not hesitate to drop them and recommend others avoid them if this isn't resolved.
Warranty is not really too useful - this is the manufacturer assuring you that is specific things break in a specific period, they will replace them. What is much more powerful (potentially) is consumer protection legislation. Goods must be as described, fit for purpose, safe, etc.
Typical behaviour is to claim you broke 'it' by doing something silly (pulling the connector at a bad angle maybe). You need to demonstrate a design or manufacturing flaw.
In the UK, the claim is against the vendor, not the manufacturer.
You may be able to pursue legal action for a refund (less deduction for the time it was usable).
Likely, if you press hard enough (in writing, with traceability, not by phone), they will agree to some compromise. If no-one else has complained of the same problem, they will rightly assume you are pulling a fast one.
Contact head office in your country - noone else will have the authority to waive the repair fee.
tshoulihane said:
Warranty is not really too useful - this is the manufacturer assuring you that is specific things break in a specific period, they will replace them. What is much more powerful (potentially) is consumer protection legislation. Goods must be as described, fit for purpose, safe, etc.
Typical behaviour is to claim you broke 'it' by doing something silly (pulling the connector at a bad angle maybe). You need to demonstrate a design or manufacturing flaw.
In the UK, the claim is against the vendor, not the manufacturer.
You may be able to pursue legal action for a refund (less deduction for the time it was usable).
Likely, if you press hard enough (in writing, with traceability, not by phone), they will agree to some compromise. If no-one else has complained of the same problem, they will rightly assume you are pulling a fast one.
Contact head office in your country - noone else will have the authority to waive the repair fee.
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Sorry this isn't going to help but... why do you expect them to repair your device for free if it was damaged while plugging/unplugging? Did you yank it in some odd way and cause it to deform?
I too have noted that the back side of where it plugs in us more exposed than the front due to the angle/slope of the back plate at the edge. I worry something bad will happen if I yank on it. I am more careful because of this.
If you leave the gas nozzle in your car at a gas station and drive off you can't expect the dealer/manufacturer to warranty any damage to your vehicle AND you will most likely get billed by the station for the repair to their pump.
I'm sorry you are having the problem but I'm not seeing ASUS at fault here. You claim it broke due to shoddy design. I doubt it did so on its own and I am sure that is the way they see it too.
hx4700 Killer said:
Sorry this isn't going to help but... why do you expect them to repair your device for free if it was damaged while plugging/unplugging? Did you yank it in some odd way and cause it to deform?
I too have noted that the back side of where it plugs in us more exposed than the front due to the angle/slope of the back plate at the edge. I worry something bad will happen if I yank on it. I am more careful because of this.
If you leave the gas nozzle in your car at a gas station and drive off you can't expect the dealer/manufacturer to warranty any damage to your vehicle AND you will most likely get billed by the station for the repair to their pump.
I'm sorry you are having the problem but I'm not seeing ASUS at fault here. You claim it broke due to shoddy design. I doubt it did so on its own and I am sure that is the way they see it too.
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Nope. I treated that thing well. I noticed that the plug was not solidly built pretty early on into my ownership cycle, so I took care to make sure that when I plugged it in, the cord was nice and straight and the plug was gently put in. Obviously *something* must have caused the pins to be mangled but if it was because of a bump, that's shoddy product design, not carelessness on my part.
If it was a $20 repair I'd eat the bill, but they a.) haven't even gotten back to me why they believe it's my fault, b.) they haven't emailed me at all, I've done all of the reaching out to Asus, and c.) they say they're waiting for MY response even though no one at the call center can answer what response they're actually waiting for. The second guy I talked to just estimated that the bill would be "around $130".
I am willing to work with Asus on this, but they're not willing to work with me. See what I mean?
Where did you purchase the unit and how long ago? (These are actually rhetorical questions).
If your purchase was within the past 90 days and you paid with a credit card, you may be able to work with your credit card company and refuse the charges. Not that the retailer should necessarily eat the cost, but if you bought from Amazon, Target, etc., they probably have some sway with Asus. Make your pain their pain...
Hopefully you took pictures of the damage before sending it...
This is EXACTLY what I am going through right now with Asus.
My daughter's Prime boots to the ASUS screen and gets stuck there and will not turn off.
I called tech support and they walked me through several attempts to reset, said they thought it was a software issue and then gave me an RMA number. (BTW, I had also RMA'd my own Prime earlier this year due to GPS and wifi issues and it came back to me with a scratch on the lid. So my husband and I went over my daughter's tablet with a fine tooth comb before sending.) I shipped it in the box and packaging that Asus returned mine in.
I sent it 11/29 and they rec'd it 12/3. On 12/4, the RMA status said
Waiting-[WF4] Wait for Customer Confirmation-Customer Induced Damage \Out-Of-Warranty
No one contacted me. I called Asus on 3 separate occasions - each unable to tell me anything but promising to escalate. I rec'd no calls back.
On Dec 13th, we received an email from Megan Nesmith saying there is customer induced damage and an invoice for repairs. Attached were 2 close-up photos showing VERY OBVIOUS damage - a deep jagged crack in the front corner of the screen and additional damage where it looks like someone pried up the metal around the power button with a screw driver.
At this point, I spoke to a Kamar (sp) who said that I would receive a call by tomorrow evening once they investigate.
I am feeling as if they know my warranty is almost up (end of december) and are going to hold the tablet hostage- my word against theirs. I have done some research and have read similar stories about the Asus Texas repair facility. I don't know what to do if they come back and tell us there is nothing they can do and expect us to pay. I really feel taken advantage of. Anyone have advice for a situation like this?
What's interesting here is the lack of consistency
last week, I RMA'd my Unlocked prime for a sound issue, the issue was it just stopped working through both the speaker, and headphone jack. Asus honored the warranty and fixed it free of charge, I was expecting to get charged, but did not, in fact, it was a one day turnaround in Grapevine TX, my guess is they tested it, and just sent me a different prime, and its already on the way back, I should have it back tomorrow, its possible they may not have fixed it at all. I admit I am very nervous about it, I was told minimum of 10 days when I rma'd. I was very shocked when I checked the status, to make sure they had it logged in as received, and it said ready to ship, after 1 day, and repair status, was device repaired OK, let alone not being charged.I am very curious to see whether it come's back from Grapevine relocked, as I have read several peoples posts here XDA that after Rma the Tablets are relocked, and unlockable due to serial number removal
I even sent it in with a fresh install of Androwook 1.51.Asus didn't seem to have any issues with it being unlocked, at least with me, and I have never seen such a fast turn around on a RMA , EVER. My last Asus Rma took about 4 weeks on a Asus Rampage 4 extreme Motherboard
So why is there this kind of of consistency issues when RMA'ing. This should be pretty cut and dried
randalltroy said:
What's interesting here is the lack of consistency
last week, I RMA'd my Unlocked prime for a sound issue, the issue was it just stopped working through both the speaker, and headphone jack. Asus honored the warranty and fixed it free of charge, I was expecting to get charged, but did not, in fact, it was a one day turnaround in Grapevine TX, my guess is they tested it, and just sent me a different prime, and its already on the way back, I should have it back tomorrow, its possible they may not have fixed it at all. I admit I am very nervous about it, I was told minimum of 10 days when I rma'd. I was very shocked when I checked the status, to make sure they had it logged in as received, and it said ready to ship, after 1 day, and repair status, was device repaired OK, let alone not being charged.I am very curious to see whether it come's back from Grapevine relocked, as I have read several peoples posts here XDA that after Rma the Tablets are relocked, and unlockable due to serial number removal
I even sent it in with a fresh install of Androwook 1.51.Asus didn't seem to have any issues with it being unlocked, at least with me, and I have never seen such a fast turn around on a RMA , EVER. My last Asus Rma took about 4 weeks on a Asus Rampage 4 extreme Motherboard
So why is there this kind of of consistency issues when RMA'ing. This should be pretty cut and dried
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I think it has more to do with the repair depot. They arent actually owned by ASUS, rather Authorized by passing a series of tests/checks. Down the hall from me where I work we have a computer hardware repair department that is Dell, HP, Lenovo and possibly Gateway authorized.
So essentially you are dealing with a company with its own set of rules/standards who want to turn a profit and depending on their moral compass etc... you may get billed for a MOBO like I will in Texas if a flash goes wrong and I send it in VS Europe who will just reflash the ROM. Further other folks are having trouble with the call backs etc...
I think what would be most usefull is to compile a list of repair depots that are doing what so others can avoid using the ones they think will shaft them.
hx4700 Killer said:
I think it has more to do with the repair depot. They arent actually owned by ASUS, rather Authorized by passing a series of tests/checks. Down the hall from me where I work we have a computer hardware repair department that is Dell, HP, Lenovo and possibly Gateway authorized.
So essentially you are dealing with a company with its own set of rules/standards who want to turn a profit and depending on their moral compass etc... you may get billed for a MOBO like I will in Texas if a flash goes wrong and I send it in VS Europe who will just reflash the ROM. Further other folks are having trouble with the call backs etc...
I think what would be most usefull is to compile a list of repair depots that are doing what so others can avoid using the ones they think will shaft them.
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Thats nothing just time to let off some frustration. I'm an owner of an Asus Transformer infinity tablet and i pray to god I never have to RMA that. I had an asus Blu-ray Burner that died on me. I sent if for repairs on January 28th 2013. after a few weeks went by not hearing anything I checked online wasn't in a rush for it no inquiry was made I called them and they said the drive was mailed on the 15th of February. After not receiving the drive on the 29th I called back and they said that is weird their systems says it was mailed but did not have a tracking number. They would have to look into it and get back to me. Tuesday February 26th I called again speaking to 20 different reps at this point they finally just reissued another drive shipped on the 27th on February. After all this received the Drive today and its a dvd burner not a blu-ray burner wrong product. Freaking ridiculous. I swear on my grave treat your asus product like a god because their RMA department is crap!!! I just took screenshots and photos to prove they sent me a wrong product.
I've just about had it with RMA. My Transformer has been back and forth to ASUS for six months. It's a total of seven times and they still haven't fixed it. It originally went in for WiFi and gps issues. When it was returned I found grit under the digitizer and so it went back. They replaced the screen and mobo. When it came back there was a huge gap between the screen and the body. So, I sent it back again. They replaced the back panel and when it came back there was still a gap and there was damage to the seal around the screen. So, it went back again. This time they replaced the back again and on receiving it I found the gap was even larger and they had bent the body, forcing the screen in. So, again it went back and they replaced the back panel and screen. On return the gap was still there, the damage was still present on the "new" screen and the hadn't even locked the release catches. I compared the damage on the "new" screen with the photos I took for the previous RMA. Basically, they hadn't replaced the screen. They collected it again today and assure me it will be resolved. I really don't think it will. The technicians clearly don't care and lie about the parts they replace. I think they hope that if they just keep sending it back with some bull**** on the slip that one day I'll give up. I won't though. I spent a lot of money on it and I won't accept the repair centre damaging my property. The most ridiculous part is that they have now spent more on postage than I paid for it. I can think of an easier resolution for this, that's far more cost effective.
Sent from my HTC Sensation using Tapatalk 2
I sent my Prime to RMA, took 1 week.
1. Wifi improved by 1 Bar
2. I GOT YELLOW TINTED SCREEN!
They replaced my touch panel due to flex. Yes RMA has improved my prime but gave me an icky yellow tint. Oh gosh.
Hi,
I'm living in France and i've just found a brocker who want to sell a lot of tablets here
Code:
leboncoin.fr/informatique/497860592.htm?ca=7_s
This is a french company, and i didn't know it. It's near Paris.This company seems to be regular according; the "who we are page" on its website :
Code:
lesoldeur.fr/content/4-qui-sommes-nous
I think this could be a good opportunity for people having a hard-bricked device getting a motherboard. However the seller want too sell the lot, only. If many further people ask for a tablet, he's able to sell all the lot in a short time, this could be interesting for him!
I think too this will be interesting only for people leaving in France maybe on a European country and able speaking french, don't forgot the custom's fee's outside europe!
What do you think?
Note : NO WAY for me buying the whole lot and selling it to each people who need it!