[Q] Best Android Tablet on the Market - Vibrant Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Here is my question, I'm looking for a really good tablet with great battery life and I wanted to get the Vibrant community's opinion as to which is the best.
Please refrain from posting about apple products I simply do not like apple as a company and refuse to give them my business.
I would appreciate it if in addition to your selection you could tell me your reason for feeling why its the best.
- Cheers

I picked up an Asus Transformer (OG-not the Prime) a few weeks ago at Best Buy for $399 (Bob Shute almost convinced me to get the Nook Color though). It was the 32gb on sale for the same price as the 16gb (so why not) + it has external, so i have 64+/-gb of storage. I had lurked in a bunch of forums checking out support, ROMs, rootable, "official" ICS and general attitude of the forum members.
When I got it out of the box it was running 3.1 and I had known that it had an OTA update waiting. Within 30mins of getting it, I had upgraded, Rooted and was on my way to being a tablet owner. It was real easy to do too. The battery life on 3.2.1 was really good. Granted I am not using it all day long but I was getting about 2-4 days out of it. Kids would play games, watch Netflix, I would surf and my wife would do her coupon spreadsheets (yes she is one of those ladies and we do have a stockpile).
Fast forward to the ICS update. We got the OTA update and for some reason there is an issue with the kernel and people are getting random reboots. I am not sure if it is just me knowing what I am doing from so many tweaks with this phone and past ones or I just got a good tablet, but I messed with the governors and it has been 3 weeks since upgrade and I haven't had one yet. Knowledge is Power. Felt you should be aware of that though. Battery life on ICS is outstanding. I get 4-6 days out of it easily. Might cut it down now that baseball spring training has started and I can stream live video to it.
Conclusion- A few things. The Transformer (tf101) is just as good as the Prime (tf201) and actually I think it is better b/c the Prime has wifi, GPS and other hardward issues, but its bootloader can be unlocked whereas the tf101 is still lock for now. Another things is that you have to remember that these are seconday devices to most people and some of the redundant questions you see are rediculous.
My suggestion is to lurk in the Acer, Transformer, Galaxy, Xoom forums and see what is going on in them. Plus there are a bunch of smaller tablets coming out soon with Tegra3, Quad-core, low price,...
HTH and let me know if you have any Q's and sorry for the long post.

what do you want to do with this tablet?
I know you said not to mention any apple products but...
seriously dude even the iPad 2 is better than any android tablet out right now. iPad (third generation) just killed everything else. I know you don't like apple as a company but the iPad is pretty much the tablet market, the only tablet one should be getting. You're going to regret it if you don't get an iPad...

junglerumble said:
what do you want to do with this tablet?
I know you said not to mention any apple products but...
seriously dude even the iPad 2 is better than any android tablet out right now. iPad (third generation) just killed everything else. I know you don't like apple as a company but the iPad is pretty much the tablet market, the only tablet one should be getting. You're going to regret it if you don't get an iPad...
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I didn't get an ipad and I don't regret it one bit
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

Ill be using the tablet for school mostly. Ill have about 100 lbs of books that id rather not have to carry with me everywhere. Ill also be using the tablet for light gaming just to keep me entertained from time to time as well as serving to replace my laptop for day to day tasks. Granted i know not everything can be accomplished by a tablet so ill still have my laptop at my apartment but need something light and portable but capable so i was thinking tablet.
As far as no apple products, they seem to hate me, i touch one and they seem to break they dont function properly and im honestly not convinced that they are the best product on the market. Their Marketing department tries to convince you of that but i hardly agree. (i wont get into it i don't want this to turn into a flame thread) regardless thank you for your input.
Ive been looking alot at the Transformer and TF Prime as well as the 10.1 inch samsung variants, but since i have ICS running on my Vibrant id very much like to have it running on my Tablet, i intend to run stock for a while until stable versions of either CM9 or AOKP are released for the device since i will be using it in a more productive than leisurely role.
@ woodrube thank you for the length of your post i appreciate the time you put into your response
@junglerumble thank you for your input, tho i whole heartily disagree with you (to each their own)

does anybody have an idea of the android tablets that are coming out in the first half of this year and when? I want to get a tablet but not at the moment. I'm waiting till more tablets come out to make up my mind but it would be nice to have some foresight.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA

asus transformer is what i hear and read.

junglerumble said:
what do you want to do with this tablet?
I know you said not to mention any apple products but...
seriously dude even the iPad 2 is better than any android tablet out right now. iPad (third generation) just killed everything else. I know you don't like apple as a company but the iPad is pretty much the tablet market, the only tablet one should be getting. You're going to regret it if you don't get an iPad...
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Click to collapse
I use an iPad 2 exclusively for classwork and I half regret the purchase, even after the jailbreaking and app searching. It's a good tablet, but it's not a deity.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA

Transformers have the keyboard dock too with independent battery in case you want that laptop thing going on. I love my TF and am happy I bought it. There are a couple of us who have the TFs like Alex9090, Mveksler, Gorealmighty and Manus I think.

I would wait til the Asus 3 comes out tegra 3 for the price of the og transformer
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium

I used several different Android Honeycomb tablets, but gave up on all of them because I felt the software weren't advance enough for my purposes, so I got a Windows tablet instead. Then sold that and got the Galaxy Note (international version) which I think is the best consumer portable device made so far, since it acts as a phone and tablet, has the same resolution as the tablets (1280x800, and is even (much) faster than Tegra2, yet pocketable, has Wacom pen, can make phone calls and ultra fast GPS locking, awesome camera), although I didn't keep it since it doesn't support T-Mobile 3G.
Out of the Honeycomb tablets, I liked the Acer A500 and Toshiba Thrive most since it has fullsize USB connector, which works with flash drive and gamepads. I think the Asus Slider should be better since it has fullsize USB and keyboard as well, just a bit heavier. I do not feel tablets with Tegra2 is fast enough to handle 'higher' bitrates HD contents and MKV videos, although other purposes are fine, regular HD video should be okay. I also feel all Android tablets are overpriced for their present software features, unless at refurb price, if it were Ubuntu or some full fledged linux distro I'd be more interested. Which is why I think Windows 8 tablets will have some success, even though I'm not interested in Windows 8.

+1 OG Transformer. Great device
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I want to thank everyone for their responses, after spending some time playing with the devices in store and reading through the developer forums I have decided on getting the TF prime, just seemed to blow everything else outta the water once all the tablets had 100+ apps installed and running live wall papers. Luckily i was able to find one at a local retailer since everywhere else was sold out.

I was so close (money in hand) to buying the Galaxy 10.1 but after reading this I decided on the TF201.
Darn near ever place Ive looked is out of stock though.
addition:
It didn't take much for me to switch. After this phone and its total lack of support, I try to stay clear of anything that has Samsung on it.

Thus far I have to say that my impressions of the tfp are extremely favorable so far I have experienced none of the recorded issues with the tablet save maybe the GPS but I have yet to test it outdoors the stock ics keyboard is far better than I expected on the tablet
I will update more as I have more time and experience with the tablet if so desired
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium

I saw that due to the GPS issues they no longer advertise the tab has a GPS. Imagine if Samsung was forced to do the same for our phone's crummy GPS.
Id expect similar GPS to our phones. I ended up buying a real nice Tom-Tom GPS for my car so the phone GPS is bout always off now.

Moped_Ryder said:
I saw that due to the GPS issues they no longer advertise the tab has a GPS. Imagine if Samsung was forced to do the same for our phone's crummy GPS.
Id expect similar GPS to our phones. I ended up buying a real nice Tom-Tom GPS for my car so the phone GPS is bout always off now.
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Well I tested gps on the unit over asbestos buy, the one they had on display, gps worked down to 40m accuracy.. I was surprised but yes gps is no longer one of the advertised features most likely i will end up using my by gps receiver for better accuracy like I have been
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium

If and when it comes time to Root your device (I did it within 30mins of having it) You can use ViperMod and install Supercurio's OTA Rootkeeper and any updates you get, just open the Rootkeeper up and restore root. Handy little app if I do say so.

I recently purchased a Transformer Prime with the keyboard doc and I have no regrets. It's awsome. I've not experienced any of the GPS/hardware issues mentioned either.

Related

People buying the prime. Did you already own a tablet? The transformer?

Just wondering what the tablet demographics of the people buying the prime are.
I don't have a tablet so this will be my first one! Was initially going to get the original but with the craziness at launch I just didn't have the time and effort to get one so I ended up buying a sweet BBQ instead.
never made a poll here before so hopefully i get it right..
edit. well that was easy!
I bought a G Tablet in November last year and had it for a couple of months. It was OK, ran well, but it was clunky and the screen sucked. I was also really disappointed at the lack of HDMI output. I don't think I'll be let down by this sleek beauty.
This'll most likely be my first tablet.
I'm playing the waiting game, to see how the first production batch works out, then I'll probably pick one up.
I've waited this long because I believe that Android really needs the power of a quad-core behind it, to really shine on a tablet implementation.
I have the Transformer, wich is my first and only tablet. I'm loving it, especialy for the dock and the overall expérience, the support from Asus and the enthousiasm from the community.
But It's not perfect, just like the first ipad, iPhone, Nexus one and every first génération of a great product.
So I'm going to buy the Prime cause I think it's a big leap forward, then sell my dear Transformer to someone else (maybe for chrismass if I get the Prime before).
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
I'm interested in getting the Transformer Prime (not that they're even up for preorder here yet), but I've never had a tablet before. I'm not sure where a tablet would fit into my life, but with the dock it becomes an Android netbook with a tablet option, which seems like a much more viable PC companion to me.
Currently own TF1 and pre-ordered TF2. TF1 was my first real tablet. Before that I had 7" Galaxy Tab but did not use it much. I also own Ipad 2, which I have only used once and did not like it. On the other hand I love the TF1 specially due to the dock and the convenience of use. One thing that it lacked (for me at least) was the support of high def movie playback and now that Tegra 3 has fixed the issue, it is definitely worth getting.
This will be my first tablet. Was going to buy the TF in the late summer and decided to wait for the Prime.
I have a Motorola Xoom & I will bepicking this baby up pronto lol..here's some vids i saw today...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYBT9I0UmRE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34REyjGuIis&feature=related
I am buying mine because it looks like a fancy toy that I can spend some time on.
I'm overall new to tablets but the Prime looks like one great device I can't pass up. The dock brings a full qwerty keyboard, extra battery and the usb port witch makes it more then a big phone (imo). It also gives me something to do when my girl friend plays the Sims
This will be my fourth tablet. First was a Dell Streak, Viewsonic G Tablet, and Motorola Xoom.
Sent from a Samsung Galaxy S II t989
I have an OG ipad, TF101 and will be getting the TFP. I rarely use the ipad anymore and my wife just got an ipad2 yesterday.
Love the OG transformer. Other than the initial dock battery issue I love this it. Its great for everyday use and has given me almost every reason to not have a netbook anymore. When I'm on the road all i need is something to browse XDA and techblogs mostly and pounding out a few emails here and there.
With the TFP I'm really hoping that the gaming market will increase. I have all the consoles at home but last time i really logged into my ps3 was about 5 months ago. I dont have too much time to game anymore but i love the fact that i can pick up my tablet and practically leave off where i ended last time. I'm just hoping for more games.
This will be my first tablet. I've been drooling over the first transformer (I want a mobile device for media, a bit of note-taking, and fun), but I had to get the money. By the time I got it the prime was due to come out... So i waited !
Kindle fire was/is my first tab.
I wanna get the tp. But I got Christmass for a family to deal with
Sent from my Kindle Fire using xda premium
This will be my first tablet. I've been waiting the market out for a while as well as the release of the one Android OS to rule them all - ICS.
What will be interesting is that my wife has an iPad2 so I'll have the opportunity to contrast and compare first hand.
This will be my first tablet. iPad just didn't do it for me.
I have a SmartQ T10 which I bought for roughly 150pounds after exchange when I was in China for business.
It was a test that to see if I have any use of a tablet, looks like I will need one for many years to come.
I currently have a ViewSonic gTablet, rooted and running Honeycomb 3.0. It is a good low-cost yet quite capable tablet, but the viewing angle limitations on the screen and lack of ongoing support from ViewSonic are cause for me to consider another tablet.
Looking forward to the Prime!
This is my third tablet, having initially bought an Advent Vega (to test out if I would even have a need for a tablet) which was then followed by a first generation transformer. My wife will be getting my transformer to replace her iPad which she sold. While undoubtedly the latter is a more slick device, it was ultimately too limiting for her (coming from her laptop with its higher resolution display therefore involving less scrolling and due to the lack of flash which she needed mostly to display products on some of the shopping sites she frequents). She wasn't that keen on Android at first because it felt 'too different' but I think she's come around to the flexibility.
Robert
Oops. Can I change my vote? lol I forgot I had a rooted Nook Color. No need to change though as this will be my first real tablet that was meant to be a tablet.

Getting either a transformer or a transformer prime soon? Not really! :(

So I've been patiently waiting for income tax money to get a new tablet, been reading a lot between the tf101 and the tf201 and I want a tablet that will have good development, I know the prime is too new and it has his fair share of issues including wifi and GPS, I can care less about GPS but I need wifi so as long as I can get a decent wifi signal so I can seat in my couch or my bed and pickup my wifi I'll be good, now the light bleeding from what the videos I've seen on YouTube wouldn't be a big problem but I don't know if I would be able to deal with dead pixels, now to my question , is there anyone that upgraded to the prime from the transformer and do you feel like it was a mayor upgrade or do you think the original is still a mayor contender? Is a $100 difference so is not that much of a difference in price, but from reading how Asus might have released it prematurely makes me wonder if I should go for the older more stable with more development transformer tf101.
Sent from my CM9 NexusHD2
The Tegra 2 in the original is ancient. Considering how fast the mobile market moves, it is like buying a Pentium 4 for a new desktop. The Tegra 3 is three times as fast between the CPU/GPU- ready for 2012.
With that said, with a Prime you go in expecting to deal with a dead GPS and weak wifi range. It is the trade-off for a modern amount of power.
My only personal issue was slower wifi in my bedroom (the edge of my network), but I love my Prime so much my solution was just to upgrade my router (Cisco e4200, best 2.4GHz consumer router on the market). Now it works great.
poofyhairguy said:
The Tegra 2 in the original is ancient. Considering how fast the mobile market moves, it is like buying a Pentium 4 for a new desktop. The Tegra 3 is three times as fast between the CPU/GPU- ready for 2012.
With that said, with a Prime you go in expecting to deal with a dead GPS and weak wifi range. It is the trade-off for a modern amount of power.
My only personal issue was slower wifi in my bedroom (the edge of my network), but I love my Prime so much my solution was just to upgrade my router (Cisco e4200, best 2.4GHz consumer router on the market). Now it works great.
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Thanks for the reply! I'm probably getting it and if those are my only issues(wifi/GPS) then everything will be great, just hope the development here will grow soon and increase the choices of roms and stuff.
Sent from my CM9 NexusHD2
i understand your concern. i bought mine less than two weeks ago from best buy with my income tax. trust me spend the money. its worth it. maybe even spring for an extended warranty.
1SiK1500 said:
i understand your concern. i bought mine less than two weeks ago from best buy with my income tax. trust me spend the money. its worth it. maybe even spring for an extended warranty.
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the extended warranty sounds like a good idea, thanks.
Sent from my CM9 NexusHD2
I'd say the OG TF101 has much faster WiFi speed as range from the access point increases, the Prime is thinner and lighter, and can be purchased with higher storage capacity.
If WiFi speed is the most important get a OG. If GPS is the most important get neither IMHO but def' not the Prime.
I would personally say getting a Tegra 2 now, would be like getting a Core 2 Duo instead of an Core i[357]. Now the Wayne and Grey based Tegra chips expected later this year....those will make a Tegra 2 look like a Pentium 4 versus an i7, if wikipedia is to be believed.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Spidey01 said:
I'd say the OG TF101 has much faster WiFi speed as range from the access point increases, the Prime is thinner and lighter, and can be purchased with higher storage capacity.
If WiFi speed is the most important get a OG. If GPS is the most important get neither IMHO but def' not the Prime.
I would personally say getting a Tegra 2 now, would be like getting a Core 2 Duo instead of an Core i[357]. Now the Wayne and Grey based Tegra chips expected later this year....those will make a Tegra 2 look like a Pentium 4 versus an i7, if wikipedia is to be believed.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
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I see what your saying, and I don't care about GPS, I just want to make sure I get a somewhat solid tablet, as long as I can get wifi from like 5 feet from my router in my living room I won't complain, and I guess the other issues with light bleed and dead pixels is all luck, and there's rooting and recovery here for it, wish there was some custom honeycomb roms to play with like the revolver or krakd roms for the tf101, hopefully we'll see some development picking up for the prime soon, gonna see about swinging by best buy and testing one out while I wait for my tax money so I can just go buy the one I decide to go for when the money comes.
Sent from my CM9 NexusHD2
While some say GPS is no big deal, look at the amount of whining about it. I want it for alot of reasons. It automatically updates weather to the location, etc.
I purchased mine Less than two weeks ago from Best Buy. I have NO GPS at all. mine is a BCOKAS134452 serial number. My wifi isnt that bad actualy but i feel it is lacking when compared to my rooted nook color. I will try to open mine tonight and make one mod to see if it improves, if not, it goes back tomorrow.
Im not going to exchange it. Im going to return it receive my FULL refund. Then Re-purchase another unit so i have ANOTHER 2 weeks, incase there are issues.
While some may not find this right. I have noticed some people have major issues 3 or 4 weeks after purchase. That is what worries me. Just my .02$
Now you know about some of the issues affecting some users. Now check out the link in my signature. The positive transformer thread. That'll put things into perspective. GPS is a widespread issue although some peoples do work. As far as wifi, this a very limited issue. Just check out the link n the vast number of different users posted in there n you will see a flipside. Which is what I'm on..lol wifi works great on mines
demandarin said:
Now you know about some of the issues affecting some users. Now check out the link in my signature. The positive transformer thread. That'll put things into perspective. GPS is a widespread issue although some peoples do work. As far as wifi, this a very limited issue. Just check out the link n the vast number of different users posted in there n you will see a flipside. Which is what I'm on..lol wifi works great on mines
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Thanks it looks like there's a lot of people very happy with theirs in that thread, definitely looking forward to having one.
Sent from my CM9 NexusHD2
roloracer said:
I see what your saying, and I don't care about GPS, I just want to make sure I get a somewhat solid tablet, as long as I can get wifi from like 5 feet from my router in my living room I won't complain, and I guess the other issues with light bleed and dead pixels is all luck, and there's rooting and recovery here for it, wish there was some custom honeycomb roms to play with like the revolver or krakd roms for the tf101, hopefully we'll see some development picking up for the prime soon, gonna see about swinging by best buy and testing one out while I wait for my tax money so I can just go buy the one I decide to go for when the money comes.
Sent from my CM9 NexusHD2
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IMHO light bleed and dead pixels are a quality control and shipping issue. It's also the most common ground for trouble between both tablets.
One thing that alarmed me... while my TF101 fresh out of Microcenter was great: my Prime off eBay had a batch of wtfixels on the far left side and I was afraid that I may have to RMA. By the time I completed the initial setup stuff with my Google Account it went away and the pixels are fine in use.
I do consider the TF101 a better quality tablet but really, unless you do have hair pulling issues with wifi/gps, Prime is fine. I also think the sites more or less calling the Prime like the top or the most powerful tablet of the year are also correct enough. It just doesn't have a deluded cult preaching it's perfection.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Spidey01 said:
IMHO light bleed and dead pixels are a quality control and shipping issue. It's also the most common ground for trouble between both tablets.
One thing that alarmed me... while my TF101 fresh out of Microcenter was great: my Prime off eBay had a batch of wtfixels on the far left side and I was afraid that I may have to RMA. By the time I completed the initial setup stuff with my Google Account it went away and the pixels are fine in use.
I do consider the TF101 a better quality tablet but really, unless you do have hair pulling issues with wifi/gps, Prime is fine. I also think the sites more or less calling the Prime like the top or the most powerful tablet of the year are also correct enough. It just doesn't have a deluded cult preaching it's perfection.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
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Thanks for your input, I had originally thought about the tf101 because of how good is said to be for the price, but I changed my mind thanks to all of you guys and also from browsing thru the positive thread, I'm definitely getting the prime, can't wait for the income tax money to get here, it should be about another week.
Sent from my CM9 NexusHD2
Transformer prime is way better than the original transformer
Go for tf-201
So I'm still waiting for my tax money that should be here by the end of this week, by now I'm disappointed to say no prime for me, I've spend lots of time in the background here just reading negative posts and searching online and reading about rumors of discontinuation of the prime, whether is true or not, I think I'm gonna be patient and wait a bit to see what happens in the next couple of months, Acer is said to be the next one to have a tegra3 tablet, who knows who else throws one out next, and hopefully the tf700 doesn't take too long, oh well as much as is killing me to buy a tablet, I don't want to go backwards to the tf101 to feel I got a solid tablet, I want to feel about a tablet like I feel about my HTC hd2 , that is a solid device. I guess well see.
Sent from my CM9 NexusHD2
jassari said:
Transformer prime is way better than the original transformer
Go for tf-201
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+1....ATP RULES...see decline prices on ipad 2, no match for ATP.
roloracer said:
So I'm still waiting for my tax money that should be here by the end of this week, by now I'm disappointed to say no prime for me, I've spend lots of time in the background here just reading negative posts and searching online and reading about rumors of discontinuation of the prime, whether is true or not, I think I'm gonna be patient and wait a bit to see what happens in the next couple of months, Acer is said to be the next one to have a tegra3 tablet, who knows who else throws one out next, and hopefully the tf700 doesn't take too long, oh well as much as is killing me to buy a tablet, I don't want to go backwards to the tf101 to feel I got a solid tablet, I want to feel about a tablet like I feel about my HTC hd2 , that is a solid device. I guess well see.
Sent from my CM9 NexusHD2
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Here's the thing bro....while you're waiting, buy a prime to play with. Most likely you will love it and keep it but guess what if you don't like it you can just return it like so many people have or are at least threatening to. At least you have something to do while you wait. That's my opinion but instead of the buzz kill threads just man up and go buy one see how great it is.
ryanbmw51 said:
Here's the thing bro....while you're waiting, buy a prime to play with. Most likely you will love it and keep it but guess what if you don't like it you can just return it like so many people have or are at least threatening to. At least you have something to do while you wait. That's my opinion but instead of the buzz kill threads just man up and go buy one see how great it is.
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Totally agree. You can doo eeet!
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
roloracer said:
the extended warranty sounds like a good idea, thanks.
Sent from my CM9 NexusHD2
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I read an article stating that less than 5% of extended warranties are ever used. Something to think about.
GPS is NOT a feature of the Transformer Prime. Anyone who brings it up anymore are doing so because it was a feature, but they bring it up because it was then removed. You don't buy a tablet for gps, you buy a gps. The GPS module and antenna are crap in the Prime. You would crap get signal and accuracy even if it did work properly.
For example, you don't buy a PS3 anymore for the ability to install Linux or PS2 backwards compatibility. Why? They removed those features.
Thee major problem of the weak wifi is the fact that one of the antennas is not actually connected properly in some of the old and new Primes. This is a reason to not buy the Prime.
slayvus said:
GPS is NOT a feature of the Transformer Prime. Anyone who brings it up anymore are doing so because it was a feature, but they bring it up because it was then removed. You don't buy a tablet for gps, you buy a gps. The GPS module and antenna are crap in the Prime. You would crap get signal and accuracy even if it did work properly.
For example, you don't buy a PS3 anymore for the ability to install Linux or PS2 backwards compatibility. Why? They removed those features.
Thee major problem of the weak wifi is the fact that one of the antennas is not actually connected properly in some of the old and new Primes. This is a reason to not buy the Prime.
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That's why I said in OP that I could care less about GPS working, but wifi is a big thing for me.
My money came into my account yesterday, not sure but I might pick one up from best buy, play with it and decide what to do before the 14 day return period ends.
Sent from my CM9 NexusHD2

Would you buy the prime again?

I am 12 days into my 14 day return window for my Sony Tablet S. I am dissapointed with the build quality of the Sony (kind of shocking for a Sony product) so I went to best buy today just to look around and saw the prime for the first time. I was blown away by how well constructed it felt and the ui seemed blazing fast. Screen looked great.
However, I have read about a lot of discontent with the device re wifi, gps, general availability, etc. It doesnt seem like a "no brainer". Some flaws are to be expected, but is this device plagued?
It is more than I want to spend, but I would also like to get into a device that I could grow into and I could convince myelf that spending $500 on a quad core device is a lot better investment than $400 on a dual core.
What do you all think? Would you jump again?
I would buy the Prime again.
Note that GPS will never be good enough for navigation use, which is why Asus removed it from the features list. So if you really wanted to use your WiFi tablet for navigation you might not like the Prime.
Other than GPS I have had no issues at all with my Prime. It works great and has replaced my laptop as my go-to device for browsing the web or playing games.
I've found that no manufacturer is immune from releasing crap from time to time. Even Apple made the Powermac G4 Cube, the Pippin, and the iPhone-4 antenna (you're holding it wrong). Sony made TERRIBLE hard disk drives back in the early 90s.
On my Prime, I'd buy it again with no reservation. IMHO, it's substantially more feature-rich than Apple's alternative. I can't figure out why the Apple faithful look down on having an SD card slot (or TWO, if you get the dock), and a USB. They say they prefer the smooth lines. I say they've had too much Kool-Aid.
Flash is on the decline, but it's STILL ominpresent. I sort of like actually HAVING flash compatability. The Apple fans say that they don't need Flash since it's dead... It'd be more accurate to say, "they don't HAVE Flash because of resource/security issues, it's on the decline, and it's the will of Landrew (too obscure?), but it's still all over the place."
I'm sure the screen on the new iPad will beat the snot out of the TP, but I would NOT make the tradeoff. For me, it's not worth it. For some, I understand that it is... I still look forward to real-world testing between
I guess it depends on the situation. As a tablet, it rocks and I love it. But now, my current gadget list is this:
Main Windows 7 PC (file/media server)
Dell Windows 7 Laptop with Dedicated Graphics (do most work on this, including gaming when I have time)
XBOX 360 (Mainly for media streaming and netflix)
Android Smartphone (Samsung Skyrocket)
ASUS Transformer Prime
Windows Phone 7 (work issued)
I feel totally over "gadgeted" and I am so looking for more of a united ecosystem. No, not so much like Apple (which is not as united as they like you to believe) but I get most of my work done on my laptop but I enjoy my tablet. Perhaps Windows 8 tablet with keyboard may be in my future. Just want to cut down on the number of gadgets I have.
id buy it again in a heartbeat. best tablet out in the market right now. even once new Ipad releases, it'll still be best in market, IMO. too many things the prime can do that the new Ipad doesn't. right out the box. I'd say buy a prime. very fast n no lag. plus we have great developer support so far.
I would buy it again, and in fact I am buying it again. My wife is dumping her ipad 1 since Apple F#^%$d it up with the ios 5 update and won't patch to fix it so I'm getting her one as well.
Oh and just an fyi:
It's a 5 core device not 4 core.
There is a "ninja" core as well that doesn't get a lot of press but from what I read is mostly i/o tasks to ensure no lag to screen / key inputs etc...
I know, the number of cores doesn't really matter if the software isn't written to support all of them anyway but it's still fun to pick on anything SONY and say mine is better.. stick that in your 40 page PS3 EULA, rootkit CDs... etc... lol
hint hint.. dump the SONY and get a TFP.
I think if there was other tegra 3 alternative out there right now I think some of the yes will be no lol.
I'd buy again anytime. One of the best purchases i made in the last years.
robber said:
I am 12 days into my 14 day return window for my Sony Tablet S. I am dissapointed with the build quality of the Sony (kind of shocking for a Sony product) so I went to best buy today just to look around and saw the prime for the first time. I was blown away by how well constructed it felt and the ui seemed blazing fast. Screen looked great.
However, I have read about a lot of discontent with the device re wifi, gps, general availability, etc. It doesnt seem like a "no brainer". Some flaws are to be expected, but is this device plagued?
It is more than I want to spend, but I would also like to get into a device that I could grow into and I could convince myelf that spending $500 on a quad core device is a lot better investment than $400 on a dual core.
What do you all think? Would you jump again?
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Go buy ipad, u hv same problem. And yes, i would buy the prime again.
Ask me 2 weeks ago I'd have said yes. Now I'd just tell you I'd wait for the Pad Infinity if I lose or have to return my Prime for any reason.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
This thing has been great for me. VERY versatile. Extremely happy with it.
wifesabitch said:
This thing has been great for me. VERY versatile. Extremely happy with it.
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Thanks. Love your username!
I would buy it again for sure. Great tablet and ics...just screams "buy me"
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727
ROM: Nexusmod4
I would buy it again as well. Has also replaced the need I had for a fully fledged laptop on the go. Between the weight, keyboard dock and battery life it is just perfect for my use case as a masters cs student, again on the go only, I still need a full computer of course but have multiple desktops for that.
Everything works fine for me on the tablet, tested gps once to see if it worked and it did at least standing still, haven't needed it since in three months almost now but won't count on it either as its proven flaky. Everything else is perfect even my wifi has connected everywhere I have needed it to so far.
I like mine. It does what I want to do very quickly and smoothly.
Bye.
Flash is on the decline, but it's STILL ominpresent. I sort of like actually HAVING flash compatability. The Apple fans say that they don't need Flash since it's dead... It'd be more accurate to say, "they don't HAVE Flash because of resource/security issues, it's on the decline, and it's the will of Landrew (too obscure?), but it's still all over the place."
STTOS
WhateverGetsTheJobDone said:
STTOS
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Nice! (Wasn't that tough, really.)
Since it doesn't have any real droid competition there's going to be mostly yes's. The power, screen, and battery life rocks but the wifi is meh, GPS sucks, and bluetooth has issues. I'm a little pissed at asus for pushing a product on us that was known to have problems. My wife is the main user of it and is happy but I did what I could to fix the short-falls. I'd never jump on another asus product until it was out for a while.
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk
Absolutely love mine, I would for sure buy it again, I like it better than my original tf101
Yes I would buy again. My Prime with Dock was mainly purchased for my Wife to use at Nursing Conferences which requires WiFi for Webpage access and the ability to have USB access for File Transfer. The Prime has worked GREAT for this with No Problems at all, my GPS does even work some. I can get GPS lock Outside(no inside GPS at all) in about 15-20 seconds and I can drive in Car and get "some" GPS. GPS no big deal to me though since I have a Garmin for Travel.

[Q] Should wait for next versions?

Hi everyone,
I in the market looking for a tablet. I'm new in this business of the tablet world but been searching a lot for the best experience. I'm a heavy computer user (personal and professionally) and past experiences thought me that if you want something good you got to pay!
Not a fan of iPad because of several limitations like iTunes sync, no USB, no expansability like microSD. I think it makes it putting files in or out very tiring...
With that in mind, I really enjoyed the Transformer series idea, and prime (in comparison with tf101) really looks and have the horsepower of an high-end product.
But I'm really worried about giving 600€ (or pounds or dollars) for a product with poor wi-fi performance, GPS I don't care much, but wifi is the main connectivity tech nowadays. Is it really a deal breaker? Are there different series (like groups of SN's) in stores, some worse than others?
But mainly, are these "problems" gonna be solved by the next products like the tf700 (Infinity) or the tf300? And are they worth the wait to see?
thnks
The upcoming Transformers are supposed to fix all these issues so I'd recommend waiting for the 700T if you're patient enough.
Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk
Pizza4Breakfast said:
The upcoming Transformers are supposed to fix all these issues so I'd recommend waiting for the 700T if you're patient enough.
Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk
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^ This or wait for the supposed killer Samsung flagship tab (Galaxy Tab 11.6), with its Dual Core Cortex A15's and a gorgeous 2650x1600 Display it will match if not out shine the new iPad's but then again its pure speculation.
transformer prime is worth getting now. only small numbers suffered from weak wifi. my wifi works great and had my device since 12/22. only took me 1 purchase to get a good unit
there will ALWAYS be something better coming out in the upcoming months. The prime was a huge leap (IMO) from all the other tablets out there, so I got it. For what I use it for it's ran everything with no issues at all, 1080p Movies, Interwebs, Apps, Games, ect. The only thing i've seen it have any issues with is Go Launcher, but thats really not a big deal. ...
I would recommend anyone get this, unless they just want to wait a few months and get the next latest and greatest, but like I said there will always be something better coming out.
If you are going to wait for the next tablet to be released you are never going to get one hehe. There is a new "killer tablet " being released every month or 2.
Just get the one that best fits your needs now.
My Transformer P. Works wonders, is indeed fast... got today 50mbit down 20 up at college.
GPS is not the best one i have used, but i do get locks and it does works.
I know that there will be always something better coming out, I just read in here so many people returning their devices that I got the feeling that I'm buying a malfunctioning device.
I also haven't decided on wanting a tablet with or without 3G (since I already have Internet on my phone samsung nexus S, in which I can tether or something). But thats another discussion...
I'm happy with mine, which I bought last month. I haven't had any problems at all with wifi. I don't need GPS, so I haven't even bothered to test it.
I was a little bummed to find out afterwards that a new model with a higher-res screen was coming out later, the T700, but since I've been able to get so much more done with this device than the iPad, stuff like actually writing papers on the go, I actually don't mind. If you want something primarily as an ebook reader, you might want to hold out for the devices with a better screen or just buy the new iPad.
I would wait til the next best thing unless u need a tablet now then tp in my option the best tablet on the market now
I don't know about the waiting because, I don't need it now as I will probably never REALLY need it.
It would be fun and handy to have and use as a on-the-go bases or weekend trips or play some video in the tv. I actually think It can replace partially my laptop, especially with the myCloud desktop thing.
well it sounds like you about to purchase a transformer prime then seems to fit all your needs. for the record its not a malfunctioning unit. very small number of users here returned it for good.
remember, nothing is as good as it seems and nothing is as bad as it seems. Somewhere in between Reality falls. So in saying that, stop waiting and go get you this great device you gonna love it and be like you don't even know why you worried so much about it. I do commend you doing your research on the product first. I'm sure you'll make the best decision that fits your needs. plus if you have phone with tethering, don't waste extra money on a 3g unit. it costs alot more for device itself plus you have to add a data plan. tethering is more then good enough. my tethering is fast and good enough to play games online with no issues or slowdowns.

Worth buying one now?

I'm potentially getting a used one today to replace my iPad. I'm moving from the apple ecosystem to android. Had an android phone now for a while and would rather have a tablet as well versus incomplete syncing of the two.
I last had an android tab in January and the app scene was very bad for tablets, and I read the prime had a lot of issues.
Did either resolve?
I'm getting it cheap, so I don't mind the infinity coming out and may switch to it later. But want to get a head start on moving my extensive ecosystem to google
As a Prime owner, my advice is to stay far away from anything Asus. It's becoming clear to me they can't fix the issues in this device. I wish I never bought mine.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Wow... Sadly I don't know an alternative non-7 inch android tablet...
I feel your pain, as I'm also interested in a 10" tablet with plenty of storage, and there are no great options at this point. I'm just trying to give you a heads up. Between the slow ass I/O issues that they obviously can't fix, the firmware releases that keep fixing one thing and breaking 3 others, the cheap parts used (search the forum for LCD mura), the poor design choices (good luck connecting to a far away Wifi signal), and the terrible support (read some of the horrible RMA stories here), I wouldn't touch another Asus product with a 10 foot pole.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
maybe the best will be to wait a lil bit more and see the TF700. But in any case, I really don't see the point of buying the Tf201 right now, with the 300 offering a very similar experience (imho there some quite recognisable slow downs overally speaking but it's still close enough for the price difference) for a cheaper price, and the Tf700 to be shipped in the following weeks. For those proficient in french, here is a test of the device
http://www.lesnumeriques.com/tablet...pad-infinity-tf700-avec-dock-p13514/test.html
and as far as the wifi goes, it's as smooth and stable as the 300 (if not better). So no matter how many software updates Asus is going to throw at us, it is highly unlikely that our beloved prime Tf201 (yes I still love the tablet even though it pisses me bigtime to have such a mediocre wifi connectivity) going to achieve that performance.
I would look into Samsung if i could do it again or Acer Iconia as a close second.
I would go for it! I am having a wonderful experience with my Prime. It's by far the best Imo. Forums are ruled by people seeking answers to there issues either caused by themselves tinkering with the device or just real issues. Most are quite happy. You should check out the Positive Transformer Prime thread linked to my sig. Then decide for yourself.
I have two primes and one 300. I like them all. My unlocked prime with wookie ROM is the best. It is faster than my laptop. Why not buy a prime if your getting it for a good price?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
jjdevega said:
I would go for it! I am having a wonderful experience with my Prime. It's by far the best Imo. Forums are ruled by people seeking answers to there issues either caused by themselves tinkering with the device or just real issues. Most are quite happy. You should check out the Positive Transformer Prime thread linked to my sig. Then decide for yourself.
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I generally agree with jj here.. I love my Prime. Yes, there's a few little quirks here and there, but nothing as world ending as some people would have you believe. Compared to the other devices on the market, I'd still go with this one if I had to again.
(Now, if a Nexus 10 comes out.. mmm.. bets might be off
As it is with anything on the internet... the 5% that have problems make up the 95% majority who scream the loudest.
Shadowlore said:
As it is with anything on the internet... the 5% that have problems make up the 95% majority who scream the loudest.
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That and I just can't see anyone (in their right mind) that would post positive "complaints" on a developer/troubleshooting forum...
My $.02: I have it, it's OK. I would not buy one again. Basically when you buy a Prime keep in mind that you're buying an "almost ready for beta" product.
Bottom line: if you don't mind beta testing for ASUS (yes, 8 months later and we're still beta testing) then go for it!
If you're getting it for $300 or under then do it. Otherwise go for a Galaxy Tab.
Go for it! been loving mines since I got it in dec. not everyone has issues. jjdevega summed it up best.
I think you have to accept the mindset that you are going to have to tweak your Prime to get everything just right. Coming from an iPad this will be a different experience.
Personally I have experienced all the issues mentioned above on my Prime. I even RMA'd and refunded my 1st unit. However, I have been having a lot of fun applying the different tweaks and experimenting with what works best for my individual use case. I can tell you that my Prime is absolutely BLAZING right now - it is completely stable and performance is beyond my expectations.
I was pessimistic for a long time, but now I know I prefer having the options (because of an amazing developer community) to tinker and modify.
If this is appealing to you, the Prime is a great choice.
well , i think i have been top complainer on the prime. However i love this tablet.
its not perfect yet but i trust in asus that they start working on it now the google tablet is done.
some weeks ago i was really pessimistic but developers like wookie, motley baboo, ckhtml and more, and demandarin for his help with submitting issues, gave back hope.
and tbh, asus support has been great since tf101 however something went realy wrong with ICS on both devices , cant ignore that.
conclusion: for a good price i would buy it. buy with s/n c4 or higher.
keep calm and see what asus is offering in the future. their new devices is still kinda like in beta mode, endless problems waiting to be fixed. im not even sure nexus 7 is safe to use. best is hold ur horses and see what others review abt it.
the TF700T is supposed to come out next month at $499, which is what the prime sells for new right now. so I would keep this in mind when buying a used prime...
I have had my Prime since December and it has been fine. However right now I would recommend waiting until Mid-July and buying the TF Infinity. It will start at the same base price ($500) has a better screen and a plastic panel that should fix any wifi/gps problems people have had with the Prime. Plus it is compatible with practically all TF-Prime accessories including the keyboard dock.
Right now that is likely to be the best choice for a 10" Android tablet.
good read
If money isn't an concern, I would get a prime.
I as well moved from the IPAD. It's great for what I use it for, however my wife uses it as well.
I wanted her to have her own and so I started the search for another tablet that would suit the needs I have.
After roughly three months of research it came down to two things.
Either buying a Transformer Prime or TF300. Or waiting for the TF700 to hit in July.
Personally I've seen hi-res screens, unless your a graphics designer and your going to do EXTREME graphics rendering and modeling
(which at that point you should be using a PC or MAC desktop - my thoughts that is. )
then getting the Prime is the way to go. I got mine a few days ago, and it's done everything my IPad can do + some, no issues with Wifi - havent tested the GPS because I don't need it for that.
I've used several SD cards and again no issues what so ever.
The ONLY thing I will say in making your decision, is always get the bigger storage size, I have the 64gb and It's EXACTLY what I want / need!
nyijedi said:
As a Prime owner, my advice is to stay far away from anything Asus. It's becoming clear to me they can't fix the issues in this device. I wish I never bought mine.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
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i second this... i have had it with Asus. i was one of the first one to get Prime cause i love android. but Asus's ability to integrate the software is driving me crazy. and not to mention how they handled GPS issue... me personally are jumping ship back to ipad..... at least i won't get ANR everything 10mins.....
I'm also happy with the prime so far. My only concern about is that after months of daily using I really see a big advantage in the 7 inch form factor in many use cases. There was a great video interview with Matias Duarte on the verge about the design of the nexus 7 tablet two days ago or so and it nailed it on the head. So my next tablet will be the Nexus one, but I'll keep the prime as well.

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