Ehi Hello all... Amazon send me my tfp just yesterday, and boss i'm playing with my new toy.
Very pleased but now a little idea hit me..
Anyone have a link/know a site where i can find guide/suggestion about modding keyboard and put a backlitted one on my prime?
Thank you all.
Sent from my LT26i using XDA
Evil_Sephiroth said:
Ehi Hello all... Amazon send me my tfp just yesterday, and boss i'm playing with my new toy.
Very pleased but now a little idea hit me..
Anyone have a link/know a site where i can find guide/suggestion about modding keyboard and put a backlitted one on my prime?
Thank you all.
Sent from my LT26i using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, no. It could be done, but you'd be physically modifying each key yourself and adding your own LED's and everything, I don't think another keypad would fit right. And then your battery consumption would go through the roof, you'd likely want to increase the size of the battery in the keyboard.
There's not going to be a simple way to do it, and I'm afraid none of these ASUS devices are going to get popular enough to warrant a ton of third-party support and products, not for ones like that anyway.
i actually thought of this a while ago and took my keyboard apart. It does not connect like your laptop keyboard for easy removal (that i remember) and there is VERY little space in there to work with. Overall i think it would be more work than its worth.
You would have to find a keyboard with transparent keys, or find a way to make your keys transparent if you want the letters to glow. This is hard because the keyboard is like, 80% or something of a regular keyboard.
If you just want a glow between the keys this might be a little easier, you would still have to find a way to route power to LED's and find room to place them under the leys which, honestly, do not travel very far meaning you need very small LED's
There ARE small enough LEDs (the size of like, a large grain of sand? not sure how to explain it) and you technically COULD solder those to the ribbon wires (like what connects the screen to the mobo in the prime), supplying power, then route the ribbon around where the keys are, connect to a switch which you route to the outside of the dock and connect to power and BAM you have a backlight keyboard!
But honestly, thats a lot of work and you would have to fabricate everything yourself.
Good luck and dont forget to let us know how it works (with pictures along the way)
glow in the dark keyboard stickers!
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201
Mmmmh by the way probably with "edge led" lighting and semi-trasparent keyboard I can at least turn my prime keyboard to a littler visible in the dark....
In a LOT easy way i can put on all key a reflective or luminescent paint, and probably light form the screen is enough to make keyboard visible....
I need to try all this...
rorytmeadows said:
glow in the dark keyboard stickers!
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn you beat my brain XD
Smart idea with the stickers!
But btw I suggested an idea to mod the keyboard and put bigger batteries or larger capacity, and maybe mod the backplate of the keyboard aswell in order to fit the possible larger batteries.
It shouldn't be a difficult operation I believe and imagine the battery life increase if its a success
Johnny0906 said:
Smart idea with the stickers!
But btw I suggested an idea to mod the keyboard and put bigger batteries or larger capacity, and maybe mod the backplate of the keyboard aswell in order to fit the possible larger batteries.
It shouldn't be a difficult operation I believe and imagine the battery life increase if its a success
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
X2 on this. The prime is beautiful and super thin, but I would have no problem if it was thicker with even more battery.
One of the biggest advantages (other than the ridiculous battery life) would be that it would make the dock and all much more bottom heavy.
Edit: Does anyone know if it would be possible to buy the Transformer Prime or Original Transformer dock batteries. IIRC the OG Transformer had a 3300mAh battery. I wonder if it could be wired into the original battery and then a spacer installed.
MK17 said:
X2 on this. The prime is beautiful and super thin, but I would have no problem if it was thicker with even more battery.
One of the biggest advantages (other than the ridiculous battery life) would be that it would make the dock and all much more bottom heavy.
Edit: Does anyone know if it would be possible to buy the Transformer Prime or Original Transformer dock batteries. IIRC the OG Transformer had a 3300mAh battery. I wonder if it could be wired into the original battery and then a spacer installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im planning on opening mine at some point not right now because I am still testing ths unit and may have to return it.
But it doesnt 'feel' like its a difficult operation. Just find bigger batteries, change them, modifiy the plate beneath to fit the new space which should need to be too big but what the hey the bigger the better, more battery life (ALOT MORE) and finally some weight to the bottom to have it easier in your lap or wherever.
We have to keep discussing about it and finding out what sort batteries are used right now in the dock, dimensions and so on.
I believe its an awesome idea!
Johnny0906 said:
Im planning on opening mine at some point not right now because I am still testing ths unit and may have to return it.
But it doesnt 'feel' like its a difficult operation. Just find bigger batteries, change them, modifiy the plate beneath to fit the new space which should need to be too big but what the hey the bigger the better, more battery life (ALOT MORE) and finally some weight to the bottom to have it easier in your lap or wherever.
We have to keep discussing about it and finding out what sort batteries are used right now in the dock, dimensions and so on.
I believe its an awesome idea!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you open it be VERY, and i do mean VERY carefull, the tabs on the side of the dock break very easially and, as a result, will cause it not to hold closed as well.
Also, under the latching mech there are a few screws, hidden by the stickers that act as padding. again, carefull as you remove this because you dont want to deform the sticky padding nor do you want to lose screws.
Also make sure to take lots of pictures!
Oh, and +1 for the glow in the dark keyboard stickers! pwnt!
This would be an awesome mod. If you go through with it and succeed, would love to see pictures, and a guide on how to do it, if possible. Not sure I'd be willing to try it on mine if it's too complex. If it's the glow in the dark paint though, as opposed to the leds, it might not be that bad.
Personally, if it were an issue for me (which it isn't!), I'd buy a USB keyboard light such as this:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/mr-brightside-usb-keyboard-light-illuminates-your-keys-taste-i/
Regards,
Dave
pileot said:
When you open it be VERY, and i do mean VERY carefull, the tabs on the side of the dock break very easially and, as a result, will cause it not to hold closed as well.
Also, under the latching mech there are a few screws, hidden by the stickers that act as padding. again, carefull as you remove this because you dont want to deform the sticky padding nor do you want to lose screws.
Also make sure to take lots of pictures!
Oh, and +1 for the glow in the dark keyboard stickers! pwnt!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice, I will most likely start doing this next month as I may change to the T700 but the keyboard is just the same I believe right?
The only major differences between the Prime and the Infinity is the 1080p screen and that the CPU will be 1.6 Ghz
My Prime is defect and I the shop from which I purchased it are not taking in any more of them and so I came to an agreement that I will get the T700 instead and just pay the difference.
But im thinking about maybe buying a second keyboard just for experimental purposes.
I think if we all could put our heads together we could create a very cool mod
I would have 'dissected' my Dock right now if I wasn't going to return it.
We'll discuss more about this, I dont see why it should be hard, and yes I shall take a ton of pictures.
Cheers.
---------- Post added at 11:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:48 AM ----------
foxmeister said:
Personally, if it were an issue for me (which it isn't!), I'd buy a USB keyboard light such as this:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/mr-brightside-usb-keyboard-light-illuminates-your-keys-taste-i/
Regards,
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehe that's cool but I think it enough with some high quality stickers, maybe even just the material that you cut into the the shape of the keyboard strokes and place them, tha would be even easier but also the battery thing would be the truly cool thing to do if its a success of course.
foxmeister said:
Personally, if it were an issue for me (which it isn't!), I'd buy a USB keyboard light such as this:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/30/mr-brightside-usb-keyboard-light-illuminates-your-keys-taste-i/
Regards,
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have something similar for my laptop and I hate it. It casts shadows across the keys and doesn't illuminate everything uniformly. Not to mention, it's an eye sore.
I'd love for some to come out with a very thin line of lights that would sit at the top of the keyboard beaming directed light towards the keys (in your direction), but so directed that it doesn't go straight into your eye. It would be low profile and sit just behind the keyboard, under the monitor.
I still think stickers are the better option, but I personally wouldn't invest until there was a cool font in the right color (blue!).
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201
Johnny0906 said:
Thanks for the advice, I will most likely start doing this next month as I may change to the T700 but the keyboard is just the same I believe right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this confirmed that the keyboard will be the same? I've heard contradicting info on that. I'd make certain that this keyboard will be compatible with the 700 before you start tinkering with it.
Rogue100 said:
Is this confirmed that the keyboard will be the same? I've heard contradicting info on that. I'd make certain that this keyboard will be compatible with the 700 before you start tinkering with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nobody knows for sure, there is some speculation that the dock will be slightly different, the 700 may be slightly thicker, but nobody knows for sure.
Hi Guys,
I think this is a great idea, I have been looking for ways to do this myself, have you made any progress at all before I start?
Solution?
Do you think we could use EL wire and just weave it through the keyboard keys?
dbaler said:
Do you think we could use EL wire and just weave it through the keyboard keys?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wire is too thick / not enough space.
I have a 700, the prime is SLIGHTLY different (curved edges, 700 is more angular) tho they both fit in the same dock, you just gotta work it a little to get the 700 in properly.
Internally the dock is the same for the infinity and the prime.
Would love to see a mod with an extra battery. Here's a video on a tear down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwAypkC26Cc&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Related
i was wondering if they actually sell a replacement stand for the Thunderbolt anywhere? i know how to take the thing apart just the stand is a bit 'jacked up' i guess you could say(peeling).
also, why the hell did they put the stand on the way they did? you can't charge it and have the stand open at the same time.
voxigenboy said:
also, why the hell did they put the stand on the way they did? you can't charge it and have the stand open at the same time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To sell docks...
Via my HTC Thunderbolt
I want to take mine off and gold plate it... Ha ha
Sent from my TB using XDA Premium
voxigenboy said:
i was wondering if they actually sell a replacement stand for the Thunderbolt anywhere? i know how to take the thing apart just the stand is a bit 'jacked up' i guess you could say(peeling).
also, why the hell did they put the stand on the way they did? you can't charge it and have the stand open at the same time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's built into and sold with part of the housing.
http://www.repairsuniverse.com/htc-thunderbolt-front-housing-replacement.html
Buy from there or search for the same part elsewhere.
The peeling is pretty common after owning for a while and has been complained about by many users.
I peeled the rest of the filmy stuff off of mine and polished it. It looks better IMO
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
I peeled mine off. Use a plastic pen cap. Go with the grain then after you clean it all. Go buy mothers polish or the blue magic polish. Just use a rag and polish it. Looks awesome Chrome look and it has the grain and with Google on it still. I like it better.
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
voxigenboy said:
also, why the hell did they put the stand on the way they did? you can't charge it and have the stand open at the same time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just stand it up so it's not in landscape mode
ScoobarSTI said:
I just stand it up so it's not in landscape mode
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But my streaming "videos" only play in landscape :/
While it's true they probably did this to sell docks, it might also have been simply due to internal design of the hardware. Remember they try to pack as much silicon into these things as possible, and due to location of processors, memory, gpu, capacitors, backlights, and all the circuitry required to connect them all, they may have simply had no room to squeeze the hinge+usb port on the same side together, whereas theres some dead space on the other end so they just went with that. Maybe they dont want people charging on the kickstand because the backlight would burn out more quickly if you just left it on every night as a bedtime clock. Maybe verizon freaked out and thought we'd all just stream ESPN all day long if we could keep it charged like that and wreck the network.
No, they did it because it's the correct design.
When used in a (car/home/media) dock, the charging port needs to be on the "bottom" (the standard for Android docking is landscape orientation), so it connects when you dock it. You also need the volume rocker on the top, so you can control volume. The bottom in landscape mode is the left side when held in portrait mode - neither the standard video player nor Netflix will play in any other orientation.
Move the USB port to the other side or top/bottom, and then you can't have a (reasonable) docking solution . Changing the kickstand so it opens from the other side, and the volume rocker is now inaccessible on the bottom, and your videos will be upside down (yes, I know Youtube will adapt, but it's the exception).
The kickstand is intended to be used for video when running under battery power. If you want to charge at the same time, get a dock. Given that it's a $600 phone, a $20 dock isn't anything to complain about.
lol mike is absolutely right
Coming from a TF101 OG Transformer, I was concerned that the dock would be perhaps not up to my expectations, considering the thinner design. For starters, it was only offering a single USB port, to the two on the OG Transformer, and while the first version was reasonable to type on (and hugely better than ANY soft keyboard) the new one was described as having less key travel, and and while no reviewer seemed to have major issues, and I wasn't seeing glowing reports either.
I just got my dock, less than 10 minutes ago, I and I am typing this on it right now, and and for me, and if not for everyone, it BLOWS AWAY the OG Dock. First and foremost is how it is to type on. It issignificantly better for me, and the two fingers tango I do. I am not a touch typist, in spite of 20 + yeaars in IT and support. I have to look at the keyboard, but let me just say the they keys and the travel? They could have been designed by a German engineering firm, for a BMW or Mercedes. They feel awesome! Even with the lag we see on web applications (same as OG, though FW revisons almost completely eliminted it, I suspect ICS will squash any remaining lag, coupled with the right build from ASUS.
Apart from typing, the design? I am glad it doesn't have to do any wireless, cause its aluminum back and front LOL, and looks like a billion bucks. Closed, the TP feels like a solid chunk of aluminum, and I mean SOLID. The touch pad is terrific, I LOVE the way they eliminated the "buttons" in favor of a dividing line, and in spite of it's obvious relationship to the OG, this is better in every way. I was a bit worried, but not anymore. I give this thing a 9.5 score out of ten.
For peope on the fence about getting the dock, run, don't walk to the thread that explains how to get these in a few days from Best Buy, using OMS. The DOCK ROCKS!!!
Curious to see how folks coming to the Prime as first Tablet, or replacing something other than the OG Transformer feel about the dock. What does everyone else think?
NOTE: For those that missed it, don't forget to take out the plastic tabs at the base of the tablet screen, they MUST be removed before placing it in the dock. Also, if you are feeling a slight current "buzz" when touching the metal lightly, unplucg the power supply from the wall, and turn it upside down (so the word "Asus" is upside down. This is the only workaround I m aware of for the issue.
Lastly, can asus get rid of the goofy notification that says
"Docking connected. Use Keyboard to type words"
I know what they are trying to say, I.E. Don't use the soft keyboard (duh) what do they think we would use the KB for than to type words? As a $150 back scratcher? Really unnecessary notification.
I actually received my dock a week before my tablet. Both were ordered from BB back a couple days after the first pre-orders showed up on their site. (You had to go hunting to find the dock, but it was there.)
I've got zero problems with the dock or the tablet in daily use. I would agree that the notification should either be eliminated or at least be allowed to be closed. The extra battery life it provides the tablet is fantastic. The key travel isn't that bad; I expected worse.
My only peeve is I wish the right shift was wide like the left. I find myself hitting the damn up arrow every once in awhile by accident.
Love it
The battery life when coupled with the dock is practically an eternity.
I also really like the Android specific hot-keys. ASUS did a great job picking the common actions and making them into a hot-key. I can tap a button to instantly get into "settings" as one example. It's just amazing.
With the introduction of the following three features this really becomes an enterprise class solution for mobile computing:
1) ICS support of VPN IPSec Groups
2) Ability to encrypt hard drive contents. (no not bootloader, user data)
3) Fully functional Keyboard
Who needs to carry a bulky laptop at that point. I could do almost all of my business travel with this thing and then ditch the keyboard when I get home.
don't have mine yet. how is it for those of us who ARE touch typists?
(I see my dad going at it with 2 fingers, but he grew up before PCs. I don't get how anyone under 40 isn't a touch typist these days!)
theoilman said:
don't have mine yet. how is it for those of us who ARE touch typists?
(I see my dad going at it with 2 fingers, but he grew up before PCs. I don't get how anyone under 40 isn't a touch typist these days!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know what you mean, but I'm under 40 and can touch type over 60 wpm in the best conditions.
I have rather large hands for a keyboard that small and as I mentioned, the only key that bugs is the right shift. Everything else is pretty good.
I want to know what happened to the low range speaker they said was going to be in the dock...
I was kind of looking forward to it.
soulctcher said:
I know what you mean, but I'm under 40 and can touch type over 60 wpm in the best conditions.
I have rather large hands for a keyboard that small and as I mentioned, the only key that bugs is the right shift. Everything else is pretty good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok good to hear. I almost always use the left shift anyway.
It was only a rumor. And such solution would probably be hard to create because you shouldn't connect audio equipement "live" - you would have to turn off the audio amplifier in the tablet before connecting / disconnecting the dock to avoid surge (is it a good word? dictionary was not helpful...). Unless the speaker had it's own amplifier, hm...
Got my dock a few days ago and I love it. The keyboard is a little cramped but after 5 to 10 minutes of use you'll be adjusted to it and typing as though it is a regular sized keyboard. Also I discovered that ctrl + V actually pastes! I haven't found any other common shortcuts like that, if anyone knows any please post them. ctrl + f unfortunately doesn't start a browser word find but you can just hit the option list and start one up pretty easily.
The battery life is amazing. I spent about 6 non stop hours yesterday listening to pandora with a bluetooth headset while constantly browsing reddit and chatting on windows live messenger through the beejive app. At the end of the 6 hours my tablet still had 75% battery left but the dock was completely used up.
This is how the dock battery works... when your tablet reaches 70% charge the dock will begin relaying power to the tablet and recharge it up to 98% or so. Once there the dock will stop relaying power and wait until the tablet falls to 70% and repeat the process until the dock is dead.
Magnesus said:
It was only a rumor. And such solution would probably be hard to create because you shouldn't connect audio equipement "live" - you would have to turn off the audio amplifier in the tablet before connecting / disconnecting the dock to avoid surge (is it a good word? dictionary was not helpful...). Unless the speaker had it's own amplifier, hm...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, the subwoofer wasn't just a rumor. I have it on good authority (very good, in fact) that there was going to be a subwoofer in the dock but that it was dropped prior to release. No reason why, but maybe this surge issue (or something else, of course) was the reason.
It was listed on some marketing materials at launch, and then dropped pretty quickly. Many sites still listed the incorrect specs, however, and so the idea lived on for awhile.
---------- Post added at 02:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:11 PM ----------
monkeydog said:
This is how the dock battery works... when your tablet reaches 70% charge the dock will begin relaying power to the tablet and recharge it up to 98% or so. Once there the dock will stop relaying power and wait until the tablet falls to 70% and repeat the process until the dock is dead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that clarification, I was wondering. I kind of like how the TF101 dock works, by keeping the tablet topped off at 100% until it runs out. I wonder what their reasoning is...
I'm pretty happy with the dock. Certainly much thinner and lighter than the TF101. The only thing I wish they would have kept from the original was the covers for the USB port. Instead of the nifty little cover that snaps back in place there is a rubber stopper. It's petty to be sure, but I have a touch of OCD.
have any of you tested out the USB host capabilities yet? what are things you hooked up and found to work instantLy? has anyone hooked up a wireless controller by putting receiving piece in USB port? I just want to know what kinds of things are possible with dock USB host capabilities. like what's the most device you hooked up to USB hub connected to prime dock and still worked without external power source needed.
theoilman said:
don't have mine yet. how is it for those of us who ARE touch typists?
(I see my dad going at it with 2 fingers, but he grew up before PCs. I don't get how anyone under 40 isn't a touch typist these days!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and how!
I learned to touch type to argue on irc when I was in high school like, uh, 16 years ago. I can't imagine an IT pro not touch typing. It makes you look dumb in the same way as when you meet a scientist who sounds like a hillbilly.
---------- Post added at 06:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:04 PM ----------
demandarin said:
have any of you tested out the USB host capabilities yet? what are things you hooked up and found to work instantLy? has anyone hooked up a wireless controller by putting receiving piece in USB port? I just want to know what kinds of things are possible with dock USB host capabilities. like what's the most device you hooked up to USB hub connected to prime dock and still worked without external power source needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when I get mine, I'm gonna test my DWA-130 usb N adapter.
also gonna test my logitech unifying adapter and my g330 usb headset.
Got mine today, ordered from NewEgg on 1/3. Only played with it for a few minutes, but first thing I noticed is, the build quality of the trackpad is a little shoddy. It doesn't feel real solid in there, when I do a single tap in the main area it makes a little creak sound and pushes in a tiny bit. Also the paint around the edges of the trackpad looked a little scuffed in some spots - not a big deal, but kinda lame. Otherwise the dock is fine.
Anyone else have a slight creak when tapping in the main area or is it just mine? Maybe I'm just spoiled by Apple's trackpads, lol
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
The damn thing is beautiful, beyond what I expected, far easier and more "natural" to use than I thought it would be, a match made in heaven for the tablet, when closed makes me feel like my tablet is safer and more secure, and doesn't seem like I've added any weight or thickness at all to what I already had.
me likes
I've been a little obsessed with keeping the Prime safe from scratches and now it seems like I have one big scratch magnet, so they are currently bundled together and wrapped in a very soft micro-fleece towel. I was using a sleeve from the OG for the tablet and that worked just fine but doesn't accommodate the addition of the dock at all. I'll be much much happier when I can find the perfect case/sleeve for them both to live in.
OK, played with it for about an hour now...
Overall I like it, but the trackpad is kind of junky, think netbook quality, feels cheap. It doesn't always register the two-finger scrolls, maybe partly because your fingers have to be about 1 inch apart. I remember the OG tf101 trackpad is the same way, it's too bad Asus didn't really improve on it.
Then again, I'm a Mac user, Apple's track pads are the best out there, so maybe it's not fair to compare, lol.
The keyboard itself does feel nice though, keys have plenty of travel to them. Found a few weird quirks though, using the YouTube app, the search field doesn't seem to recognize the space bar, so I couldn't enter spaces into my search queries. It works in the browser fine though. Also 2-finger scrolling doesn't seem to work in Opera browser, all it does is zoom in on the page. Works fine in Dolphin HD though.
Really looking forward to the ICS update next week, will be interesting to see if Asus also releases a dock firmware update as well.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Keyboard dock is great, except for three minor issues for me:
- the right shift key is my default shift, for the way that I type. It's not in the usual position and it is tiny. So, I constantly hit the page up button by mistake when intending to make a cap letter. Biggest issue for me.
- you have to remember to disable the touchpad when typing most things. My thumb dangling over the spacebar would inadvertantly hit the pad, and change my cursor position while typing.
- there's not easy way to open the closed/docked TFP. The front seam is tightly closed. I'm sure I will get used to opening from the side though.
Other than that, I've gotten use to the slightly smaller key layout already, and I have decent sized hands.
Build quality is great, not scuff, as others mentioned had mentioned they had. The front by the trackpad is so thin, it's almost sharp though. I've also not had issues with reboots when docking/undocking, as another person mentioned. I did get a firmware update for the dock though.. dunno is that made a difference.
Highly recommended though. Very nice piece of kit.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
tdp252 said:
The battery life when coupled with the dock is practically an eternity.
I also really like the Android specific hot-keys. ASUS did a great job picking the common actions and making them into a hot-key. I can tap a button to instantly get into "settings" as one example. It's just amazing.
With the introduction of the following three features this really becomes an enterprise class solution for mobile computing:
1) ICS support of VPN IPSec Groups
2) Ability to encrypt hard drive contents. (no not bootloader, user data)
3) Fully functional Keyboard
Who needs to carry a bulky laptop at that point. I could do almost all of my business travel with this thing and then ditch the keyboard when I get home.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
VPN IPSec Groups tops my list. Just baffles me that this is even an issue. You would think it would be in both Google and Cisco's best interests.
Is the encryption located under Location and Security in settings different than what your after?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Bimboy said:
Keyboard dock is great, except for three minor issues for me:
- the right shift key is my default shift, for the way that I type. It's not in the usual position and it is tiny. So, I constantly hit the page up button by mistake when intending to make a cap letter. Biggest issue for me.
- you have to remember to disable the touchpad when typing most things. My thumb dangling over the spacebar would inadvertantly hit the pad, and change my cursor position while typing.
- there's not easy way to open the closed/docked TFP. The front seam is tightly closed. I'm sure I will get used to opening from the side though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully the left shift is decent. I only use the left!
I wonder if it's possible for them to implement an auto disable of the trackpad when typing? That would definitely be nice as opposed to having to do it manually all the time.
I got the dock on order from bestbuy (never knew about getting them to do "OMS orders"), I'll have mine in a week. Time to get my little dvorak stickers, I personally HATE typing on the touchscreen, even on the phone I don't like it that much (ICS voice typing saved my life in that case). Anyway, type slowly and lose a lot of screen real estate or type over 100 wpm and have better battery life and a full size usb seems like a no brainer to me.
Also, for people who are not touch typists, using a software keyboard isn't going to help you get past that much. Just don't look at the keyboard when you are typing and before long you will be able to type with your eyes closed and still even detect the mistakes you might make
Transformer Prime Champagne Gold impressions
Well, as karma has it, I was able to get a 32GB Champagne Gold Transformer Prime, with the dock, last Friday and played with it over the weekend.
I was worried about many of the problems people were reporting and I was slightly afraid when starting up the device, I did not want to see bad light bleeds or dead pixels and so on. While the tablet itself ended up being perfect, I was still hit with a crippling bug of the keyboard dock not being able to be used for typing at all.
I found it almost ironic that I ended up with a serious flaw like that. I really thought that forums give a wrong impression about ASUS quality control, but reality is that it really is very, very bad. It is almost like gambling, chance that you'll get a functioning device without flaws that will annoy you from the very beginning, are very low.
I'll get the device replaced and essentially add to the pile of devices that are being returned to ASUS. But that aside, here are my impressions about the tablet, since I did use the tablet without the keyboard quite a bit.
Champagne Gold is absolutely beautiful in real life. It is a really attractive looking device, it's not as 'white' as Apple's aluminum devices are and is so much better for it with the slight golden gue making it look less clinical. Pictures don't do it justice, Champagne Gold Transformer Prime is the best looking tablet I've held in my hands.
The build is also very sturdy. I am glad I did not go for one of the plastic built tablets of yesteryear as I really love the feel of the tablet when I hold it. It is slightly heavier than I expected but only because I've never used tablets this extensively before.
Of course this design has its drawbacks, such as very weak GPS, but I tend to use my phone for GPS due to assisted GPS from cell towers, which is just much quicker. As for WiFi issues, I did not notice any, but I also did not run any speed tests. I mostly make the tablet use my phone as source of internet and it didn't have any problems doing so.
The first bootup ran Honeycomb and I immediately noticed that it simply did not run smoothly despite quad-core processing power driving it. But I liked the screen and after wiping the screen properly, touch responsiveness was good.
A mere 15 minutes later the device had updated itself to Android 4.0 and I had no stutter or lag issues anymore when moving around the menus or using the browser.
The screen is really beautiful and bright with good contrast. And the external sound is better than I expected. I watched the new 30 Rock episode with girlfriend on a couch and it was a nice experience, much better than trying to hold a laptop comfortably while watching a show. MX video player works very well on Prime, I watched Boardwalk Empire on my way back home on a train and it is a great device for extended viewing. It is amazing how much more natural it feels to watch series or movies on a tablet device like this as opposed to laptop.
Most apps seem to run quite well on Prime. But Android has its drawbacks on tablets, a lot of really great looking games do not have HD versions, making them look less attractive on the screen. Some of my favorites such as truly amazing World of Goo and Cut the Rope worked well on Prime, but their beautiful art was stretched to full screen, making the games look less magical than they felt when I was playing them on my Galaxy Nexus phone (which has a similar resolution to Prime, but far smaller screen).
I tried to use my tablet as a netbook, but without working keyboard I coould not really give it as much of a go as I hoped. But browsing around in the internet was fast and smooth and I really like Android for a tablet OS.
Battery lasted less than I hoped, but I cannot say it was bad since I did not charge it enough times for it to live up to its full potential. But I did not have to charge it while I was using, so it did not cause any battery stress.
I also liked that ASUS does not enforce its things on the user. Majority of pre-installed apps can be disabled and ASUS own enhancements are good for the device. They did not add anything that felt like bloatware.
As for the screen, yes it is certainly a fingerprint magnet. It does not bother me until I start watching a movie or whatnot. Makes me feel like I should clean it up because it simply is dirty (even when hands are less oily and have recently been washed).
Is this the best tablet I have ever used? Not really, iPad 2 is still a better media and content consumption device and I find Prime a much less comfortable to use when held in portrait mode as opposed to iPad 2 (but of course widescreen videos are much better on Prime as a result). But I can really see how the keyboard dock can enhance the Prime experience enough for me to never consider iPad 3, even if it comes out with HD screen and even better battery life.
I should also make additional note about the keyboard dock. I don't find the build of the keyboard dock to be as good as I hoped, it angles up really awkwardly on the Prime when screen is lifted, the back hinge is basically the thing it starts 'resting' on and differently from the rubber it rests on in front of the dock, the back rests on plastic knob-thingies, which have less grip. So on a less sturdy surface or when typing, the device is prone to move a lot more than you'd expect.
To sum things up, ASUS did a good job at everything except quality control and body design for GPS. If it had 3G, better WiFi and functioning GPS I would easily grade it the best tablet ever, but right now I don't see iPad 2 being actually dethroned before the end of this year where Google's rumoured tablet and possibly another Transformer can really kick things up a notch.
2012 is the year of 4G and HD screens on tablets, but I must say I did not really think Prime needs a HD screen. It is not because it would not look more beautiful - it would and I can easily see pixels when reading the web on Prime - but I just think that Android market won't catch up to HD apps before 2013. Today most apps look stretched and the apps that don't, do not seem to need HD anyway.
But yes, a wonderful device, just make sure to not throw away the box and other items so you can quickly refund, since chance has it that it might come with a hardware flaw or two.
Nice well written review.
Got it exchanged and keyboard works now! By the way, those wishing to buy it in Estonia, it seems to be sold downtown in both Euronics and Klick stores. Can't be bought online yet and seems to be only the champagne gold 32gb model.
Thx for the review man
On thing i want to add though: You have to compare the transformer prime to the ipad2 wifi only. If you want to compare it at all. And that device has no gps module at all, so a more or less working gps is still better than none at all.
But those comparisons are fundamentally flawed imho. I buy a device because of its features. iPad and TP offer very different things which results in the situation that there are fans of one device (because it has everything they wish for) and fans of the other one debating which one is better...
In the end there is only "whats better for you" and never "whats better for everyone". For me its clearly the Prime.
Dude i get carried away again. My Prime shall arrive! NOW!
I'm with you with the Champagne Gold color.
The photos online do not give justice to the Champagne Gold color as it is absolutely beautiful in real life.
The Gold hue does not overpower the Aluminum Color and has a rather subtle hint to it.
Excellent review. A good model for all to follow!
My "purplish" grey one is to arrive tomorrow....wish I could have ordered the champagne colour. I'll probably end up putting a skinomi skin on the back as I'm not really into the purple tones...plus, I heard the aluminum scratches easily.
i haven't read the full review... but you found a gold dock in stores? or online? where? i didn't even think it existed.
oasis9389 said:
i haven't read the full review... but you found a gold dock in stores? or online? where? i didn't even think it existed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1. Where is this mythical gold dock? Surely not the one I've had on BB preorder since late November? lol <bangs head into wall>
I'm using a Champagne Prime mated with a Gray dock. I actually like the look better than a matched set. Something to think about if you can't find a Champagne dock...
wynand32 said:
I'm using a Champagne Prime mated with a Gray dock. I actually like the look better than a matched set. Something to think about if you can't find a Champagne dock...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you post some pics?
Just as an FYI, your prime screen is capable of 720p hd video playback, just not 1080p. still HD, just not the best HD. Great review though.
oasis9389 said:
i haven't read the full review... but you found a gold dock in stores? or online? where? i didn't even think it existed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ASUS is selling 32GB Champagne Gold TF201's in Estonia, it's the EU version (tablet and dock in one). And it is also localized, with local adapter and US keyboard that has russian letters in the corner (we also have a large number of russians living here).
irishtexmex said:
+1. Where is this mythical gold dock? Surely not the one I've had on BB preorder since late November? lol <bangs head into wall>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems that ASUS did not just do a UK launch, it was an EU launch and a lot of tablets are being sold in various countries, often without advertisements. Here we have Champagne Gold one, sold 2-in-1, dock and tablet. I haven't seen Amethyst Grey being sold anywhere here (and we seem to have two chains selling TF201's without ads at the moment).
It just shows how little this tablet is really known outside these forums and tech world. People don't know about it. Stores don't even know that they have the hottest Android tablet on their shelves.
clouds5 said:
Thx for the review man
On thing i want to add though: You have to compare the transformer prime to the ipad2 wifi only. If you want to compare it at all. And that device has no gps module at all, so a more or less working gps is still better than none at all.
But those comparisons are fundamentally flawed imho. I buy a device because of its features. iPad and TP offer very different things which results in the situation that there are fans of one device (because it has everything they wish for) and fans of the other one debating which one is better...
In the end there is only "whats better for you" and never "whats better for everyone". For me its clearly the Prime.
Dude i get carried away again. My Prime shall arrive! NOW!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, true, but it is worth a comparison simply because you would not own a Prime and an iPad 2 together, they overlap in functionality. I will still recommend iPad 2 to anyone who is not a tech person as I believe that today it is a better device for content consumption and don't believe Android will catch up in app-market with HD apps and experience at least until 2013.
I am really neutral in that opinion here, I own an Android 4.0 phone and tablet now, I love Android. But today iPad 2 is a better tablet for an average person even if you don't consider GPS, WiFi quality or 3G existence important.
I would not buy Android for my grandparents, if I had to choose I would buy them iPad 2.
But anyways, I love it. Those of us who know tech and prefer Android, this is a brilliant device if your device does not have issues resulted from bad quality control.
Conduitz said:
Just as an FYI, your prime screen is capable of 720p hd video playback, just not 1080p. still HD, just not the best HD. Great review though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the correction.
I am about to order one, so how is it compared to a laptop? i wanna sell my laptop and use Prime all the time insted, btw how did you use you phones internet? thats called tethering? or some bluetooth function ?
vitalero said:
I am about to order one, so how is it compared to a laptop? i wanna sell my laptop and use Prime all the time insted, btw how did you use you phones internet? thats called tethering? or some bluetooth function ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Think you might struggle to use this as a laptop replacement - depending on what you use your laptop for.
Yes, it's called tethering - setting your phone up as a wifi hotspot then connecting your tablet to it. No bluetooth needed. However, some Prime users report issues with this since the ICS update.
And more opinions!
I've had the chance to use the keyboard dock for a while, as well as test out a variety of apps. Some apps are much better in HD on a tablet, this surprised me quite a bit. For example IMDB app is really good on tablet and gMail (and really, all Google apps) is very high quality.
Apps run quickly and without problems. I also haven't noticed any problems with the tablet I got for exchange, no dead pixels. There's faint backlight bleed near one corner but I can not notice it while using a tablet unless brightness setting is too high and screen itself full of black colors.
As for the keyboard. I really love that it is Android focused keyboard. The keys make sense and are intuitive. It really is the first time I've felt comfortable with a keyboard that is similar to old school Windows keyboards, while never making me feel like it is one of those 'modified' PC keyboards. The top row buttons are all very useful, there are no bloated keys.
At first I wished there was 'recent apps' key, but there isn't. Alt+Tab does exist, but since there is no Alt key on the left hand side of the keyboard, you have to use two hands for it (I always Alt+Tab with left hand on my PC). So that's a bit annoying.
Keyboard itself is comfortable to write on if you've used smaller netbooks before. It takes a short time getting used to since at first you expect keys to be further apart, but adjustment does not take long. Feel of the keys is really good and they are well built, I like that spacebar, while long, goes down on both sides if you only press on one side. While it seems simple and does not look as expensive as Macbook Air keyboard, it feels really well built.
The dock also protects the tablet really well. The keys are not elevated on the dock, so they don't touch or get close to tablet screen and leave marks of any kind on the screen in the long run (this happened with my nice Compaq netbook 311C that had a beautiful LED screen that just looked worn thanks to keyboard after a while). Dock is also separated from the tablet with little rubber knobs
The touchpad is basically pointless, I am not sure why it is even needed, but I like that it is there in case I ever would need it. Using screen touch is simply faster, since apps are usually built keeping that in mind. Touchpad is just slower in comparison. I did however find it helpful when writing a lot of text and needing to correct something. It is also great that you can turn the touchpad off so it doesn't activate by accident while you are typing.
Certain apps are also less-keyboard friendly. While typing is supported all around, certain apps are less friendly when it comes to common usability features such as tab key changing selected input field (like going from username to password). You cannot really use the tablet without resorting to touching the screen every now and then, but I must admit that it is better than I originally expected. I actually like having the keyboard on, since on-screen keyboard is really something I don't like to resort to.
I did notice that capacitive pens are not very good on Transformer Prime screen. I have cleaned the screen very well, but capacitive pens are not sensed unless brushing them more noticably against the screen. The pen is a high quality one originally built for iPad 2 by Bamboo, worlds leading company when it comes to graphic tablets. I guess the non-air-pad type capacitive pens would work better though.
For some other things that are not as perfect as they could be, there is a very tiny amount of lag in the system at times when using the keyboard. It is certainly not as responsive as a keyboard should be if you, say, played competitive first person shooter games. But it doesn't really annoy and some apps are better than others at it. This will possibly improve even further with newer Android or firmware updates since it is not a hardware issue at all.
One thing I can tell you though is that TF201 makes quite an impression. I've shown it to two friends and the dock really makes the tablet. It takes away one of the most uncomfortable things about tablets - typing on that awkward screen - as well as offers natural protection without needing a case to protect the screen. Two of my friends who played with it were very impressed. If there's an Android device to wow people who only really know about iPad, it is not good to show the tablet without the dock - since it is just too similar - but the dock helps it really set it apart.
vitalero said:
I am about to order one, so how is it compared to a laptop? i wanna sell my laptop and use Prime all the time insted, btw how did you use you phones internet? thats called tethering? or some bluetooth function ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When using it as a replacement for a netbook, the device works really well. But one has to keep in mind that it is a content-consumption device. You can draw sketches here or write essays, but it is really something that you should consider as a replacement for netbook if you mostly watch movies or surf the internet on your netbook. You are still faster with a netbook if you need to do more intensive work.
But pay attention that I said 'netbook', not laptop. Laptop is still a better device, if you don't have a desktop PC, then I suggest keeping laptop around, since at times it is simply needed to 'create' more than consume. You cannot develop on Android, really edit videos or photoshop pictures or do extensive office work.
When it comes to sharing the internet then yes, I have an unlimited data plan on my phone so I can easily tether my 3G connection. It is not as fast as tablet itself having a 3G, but it is still quite good. I don't stream videos on my tablet usually or if I do, I have a better WiFi connection somewhere. For on-the-go use, it works really well.
-
Some people also requested I post a picture of the dock that has Russian letters. It is a US dock, but if you select Russian as Android language, you can easily use the dock as well, since it shows where the letters are located. For Estonians (if any of you are out there), there is no Estonian layout supported sadly and from what I was told, there won't be one. Contents of the TF201 box however are Estonian, it has Estonian manual and everything.
Why was this thread moved to 'accessories'?
kristovaher said:
Some people also requested I post a picture of the dock that has Russian letters. It is a US dock, but if you select Russian as Android language, you can easily use the dock as well, since it shows where the letters are located. For Estonians (if any of you are out there), there is no Estonian layout supported sadly and from what I was told, there won't be one. Contents of the TF201 box however are Estonian, it has Estonian manual and everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this info. But I have a question, sorry my stupidity. What does "it shows where the letters are located" mean? There is no secondary letter set on a US keyboard dock (you said it is a US dock). And the only way in my opinion is - to have a Russian phonetic layout added to ASUS keyboard, so it will be possible to use US dock and type in Russian for those do not remember by heart location of Russian "QWERTY" layout ("ЙЦУКЕН"). I am looking desperately for this possibility - with Russian phonetic layout for ASUS keyboard life will be perfect . I can type Russian using on-screen keyboard but this is not nice when using dock. If you have any info about this - it will be very helpful.
Thanks
EugeneR said:
Thanks for this info. But I have a question, sorry my stupidity. What does "it shows where the letters are located" mean? There is no secondary letter set on a US keyboard dock (you said it is a US dock). And the only way in my opinion is - to have a Russian phonetic layout added to ASUS keyboard, so it will be possible to use US dock and type in Russian for those do not remember by heart location of Russian "QWERTY" layout ("ЙЦУКЕН"). I am looking desperately for this possibility - with Russian phonetic layout for ASUS keyboard life will be perfect . I can type Russian using on-screen keyboard but this is not nice when using dock. If you have any info about this - it will be very helpful.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the keyboard dock picture he attached you can see the actual Russian phonetic layout on the buttons, so it's not exactly the US dock, but like a US dock with Russian phonetic layout added to the buttons.
I had a Vipertek--same as the RooCase, Blurex, Poetic slim fit cases--for my old Samsung GT10.1, and I really liked the way I could balance it on one of my thighs.
How well does the laptop combo work when balancing on one thigh? And in your lap?
Extremely well. One of the things I like about it is that it can be used in the lap, in bed, on top of covers, without worrying about heat or blocking air vents.
I do quite a bit of writing on mine this way and it works great. Oh, and I'll add: it's not so much "balancing," as it is "just setting it there." It's not as if I have to consciously manage it as I do my Prime when it's just in its cover.
Battery life with the dock was amazing.
Hate rain on the parade, but overall I did not like the dock in use.
I found the keys small,
and in Canada we are forced to take a unusual bilingual layout
that resulted in a number of typing errors.
My biggest issue was when in use,
the screen/dock connector extends below the bottom of the dock,
putting the weight all in one small area instead of distributing it across the base.
I found it more uncomfortable to use in my lap
than my 14" HP laptop that weights much more.
I decided to stick with the HP laptop for when a KB is needed,
and use the Prime only as tablet.
SonicTab said:
I found it more uncomfortable to use in my lap
than my 14" HP laptop that weights much more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thus demonstrating how such things are HIGHLY subjective. I have an Envy 14, and I have to say, I'd much rather type on the Prime+dock on my lap than the Envy. The notebook gets hotter and despite any weight distribution considerations is just heavier. I also feel like I'm actively managing the HP more than the Prime+dock. The keyboard is smaller, sure, but I adjust pretty quickly.
Not to say it's possible to be "wrong" here, but rather to say perhaps it's not best to ask others for their opinions on this but rather get the dock from somewhere you can return it and give it a try yourself.
wynand32 said:
Extremely well. One of the things I like about it is that it can be used in the lap, in bed, on top of covers, without worrying about heat or blocking air vents.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is probably the single biggest bother I have with using my laptop. I can under no circumstances impede air flow, or my laptop goes nuclear. One of the things I love about a tablet.
SonicTab said:
My biggest issue was when in use,
the screen/dock connector extends below the bottom of the dock,
putting the weight all in one small area instead of distributing it across the base.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what was going through my mind when I asked the question. Thank you for your reply.
I would still like to hear others' opinions as well. Thanks in advance.
I'll add that the Prime+dock hasn't replaced my Envy. I still pull out the damn laptop tray (which I hate) on occasion depending on what kind of work I have to do. But for straight draft writing, especially any impromptu writing, I like being able to slap the Prime on the dock, stick it on my lap, and start writing, without worrying about pulling out the tray, arranging it, sitting in the right position, etc.
And it's the little things that matter sometimes, right?
I love my HP and it's just a AMD A6 as well,
it runs cool and completely silent most of the time,
only down size is the shorter battery life but plugs are near by if needed.
No doubt, the ASUS transformer design of a removable tablet screen is the future for many portable devices.
Forget ultrabooks, Win8 dockable tablets will be the next big thing IMO
Just this early Android iteration with the extending screen base
and smaller keyboard didn't quite fit right here.
The Prime as a tablet is great.
Well guys I just joined the club!! =)
Just convinced my wife to let me use the credit card rewards to buy one on amazon! (Ill get yelled at later, it wasn't a real yes but yes enough for me! Married men will understand lmfao!)
Either way, time to get positive about the prime!
What do you like best about your dock? What don't you like?
Is the extra battery awesome? Does it add a lot of weight? What reasons did you buy it for? What reasons do you love it now that you have it?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
I like it, I plan on using it for school productivity. Notes and also splashtop my PC and do powerpoints etc.
Congrats and I know how it is getting permission from the wife to get new toys.
I love the extra battery life. And when I go to cafes I can set it on the table and type rather than hold it or set the tablet on its back. Love the looks from people too when I undock it.
Don't know how I lived without it.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
The only thing I've done is disable the touchpad on the dock since I kept hitting it in error.
---------- Post added at 09:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:23 PM ----------
comosc said:
And when I go to cafes I can set it on the table and type rather than hold it or set the tablet on its back. Love the looks from people too when I undock it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Heh heh I've pulled that trick. Then I hold up both pieces and say oh no oh what have I done!!!
I never thought I'd use the dock but decided to give it a try and i turns out i love it. There are a few apps I use that only can be used in portrait mode and the dock makes those a little cumbersome to use but otherwise it's great. Extra battery life along with the SD card slot and usb is frosting on the cake, Beat that iPad. I;ve never looked back at dumping my iPad. Hate iOS love Android. Get the dock you'll not be sorry.
Proud Owner of a Transformer Prime on Tapatalk
Great addition that compliments the Prime in all ways
First of all I think it's safe to say that the dock completely surpassed my expectations.
Build quality is top notch and has he exact same finish as the tablet itself.
The hinge is super high quality. Really gives you confidence when docking the tablet, it also makes a very obvious click sound when docking.
The extra battery life is a great feature.
SD card and usb slot very useful.
Typing is very comfortable, a lot more comfy than I thought it would be.
When docked and closed the Primes screen is kept safe (big plus).
It also is useful for keeping the prime at very comfy using angles, even if you don't actually need to use the keyboard.
I find myself using the dock a lot more than I thought I would.
The only thing I don't like is that the key mapping works best
on the built in Asus keyboard.
When you use any other keyboard the key mapping isn't great.
So I find myself having to switch to the Asus keyboard every time I dock the Prime, which is kind of annoying.
All in all the dock is one of the Prime's best features. Really love it. Gives you a great and somewhat unexpected (for the good) experience.
I love it, it's faster to type, the battery never ends and certainly looks much better!
Awesome! These are the responses I was hoping for! I'm super excited to get mine! I'm really excited for pretty much all the features. Can't wait to set my emulators back up now that I can have it at a nice angle without holding it. I need to start looking into some high density SD cards too. This 32gb micro is nice but now I can get full size.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
elcom said:
The only thing I don't like is that the key mapping works best
on the built in Asus keyboard.
When you use any other keyboard the key mapping isn't great.
So I find myself having to switch to the Asus keyboard every time I dock the Prime, which is kind of annoying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are rooted, try Keyboard Manager from the market. Allows you to choose what keyboard you want to use in Portrait, Landscape, and Docked. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ne0fhykLabs.android.utility.kmLauncher
Hope this helps.
I love mine & typing is a breeze on it.It actually has changed my view of tablets now.As I will only buy a tablet that docks with a keyboard from now on.Coming from a Motorola XOOM this baby is badass.People freak out when I show it to them then detach the tablet from the dock lol.
I love my dock. Completely awesome. USB port, battery, holding the Prime together.. Just be careful about stressing your Prime when opening / closing. I have the start of a crack on it, otherwise fully fonctional Prime, and I beleive it might be related to the opening and closing stress on the glass. See other thread, " I cracked my Prime " or something. There is a bunch of us usimg the dock that got that problem, while being as gentle with our Primes as with newborn kittens. Otherwise, it beat any currently available combination of bluetooth keyboard + tablet. It fully replace my laptop.
Sent from my Transformer Prime using my dog.
Mangala_Dharma said:
I love my dock. Completely awesome. USB port, battery, holding the Prime together.. Just be careful about stressing your Prime when opening / closing. I have the start of a crack on it, otherwise fully fonctional Prime, and I beleive it might be related to the opening and closing stress on the glass. See other thread, " I cracked my Prime " or something. There is a bunch of us usimg the dock that got that problem, while being as gentle with our Primes as with newborn kittens. Otherwise, it beat any currently available combination of bluetooth keyboard + tablet. It fully replace my laptop.
Sent from my Transformer Prime using my dog.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any picture of where the crack is starting to appear??
When I present it to friends in the docked form... they like it, but not really excited. In the moment I undock it they freak out. Lots of working collegues and friends travel alot and are it freaks... the idea of a tablet AND an ultrabook in one freaks them out. One guy ordered it just after it. No negative feedback till now, all find it an amazing idea.
Yeah I was hesitant at first, but I came around. I'm getting very excited for it. If I can figure out how to cool my tegra 3 properly the extra battery life will be great when I get to 2ghz lol.
Edit: anyone have a list of do's and dont's for the dock? Like certain ways to open or close. Also at night should I plug in the dock and put the tablet in to charge?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
barryflanagan said:
If you are rooted, try Keyboard Manager from the market. Allows you to choose what keyboard you want to use in Portrait, Landscape, and Docked. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ne0fhykLabs.android.utility.kmLauncher
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Finally I have a reason to root.
It's kinda weird, every android phone I have owned has been rooted within days of purchase.
With the TFP I just didn't find a reason or feel the need to root. Everything just worked perfectly out of the box.
First reason to root.
Thanks for that.
elcom said:
Finally I have a reason to root.
It's kinda weird, every android phone I have owned has been rooted within days of purchase.
With the TFP I just didn't find a reason or feel the need to root. Everything just worked perfectly out of the box.
First reason to root.
Thanks for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, I was going to say in my original reply that if you haven't rooted already this alone was probably good enough reason to do so
-Barry
barryflanagan said:
If you are rooted, try Keyboard Manager from the market. Allows you to choose what keyboard you want to use in Portrait, Landscape, and Docked. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ne0fhykLabs.android.utility.kmLauncher
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks gonna try this out.
EDIT: works good. But with thumb keyboard as my default it looks like a I didnt need to change back to android keyboard since layout didnt change. I was hoping the backspace key would finally act as back button like it does on a PC.
I love it. The extra battery life is always welcomed. Typing on a normal keyboard is easier and faster for me. Plus the USB port comes in handy for transfering files on a USB drive or plugging in a USB gamepad for a game
havent taken it out of the dock in 2 weeks now. i love it
Sold out on amazon again! Now resellers want 200 for it lol. Glad I snagged one when I did!
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk