Related
I'm quite happy with my Folio now that it's running FolioMod, however, my biggest remaining concern is the screen. The viewing angle is pretty lousy, so I've started looking into possibilities of changing screen.
What do you hardware hackers say? Is there any good replacement screen out there that would fit and that also would work with existing drivers and so on?
interesting question!!
let see what hardware gurus says
But is it possible to buy a screen that it worth it (good and not to expensive) ? I had a quick look on the web, it seems that the only IPS screen that can be easily found is the iPad one.
Just got my TF201 last night and I tried out some capacitive pens on it. One thing I noticed, even with my finger, is that a straight line does not come out straight. Using Supernote, i drew lines, curves, circles, letters, and they are all bumpy, as though the digitizer is not making a straight line. This can also be seen from the Developer Options in settings when using Show Pointer Location. On my GNex, it looks perfectly straight. But on the Prime, it's very wavy. Is this just inherent to tablets (maybe the bigger screen means a lower res digitizer) or just to the Prime or just to MY Prime?
I'd post examples but I don't have it with me at the moment.
No one... 22 views and no one has bothered to try it on their tablet?
Confirmed. More noticeable with diagonal lines. I wonder if it is down to the number of digitizer pixels just generating quantisation noise.
got it a bit on mine as well. Also pretty well only on the diagonal lines.
They are not big jumps, but big enough especially if you are planning on doing any precise small lines/writing
EXACTLY!!!! THANK YOu!!!!!!
it must be Prime's digitizer. seems lo res. and yea i notice it most on diagonal lines.
i went to Best Buy and did the same test on the xoom, thrive, and tf101. The digitizer on the TF101 and 201 are much much more responsive, BUT they are bumpy on the diagonal lines, the TF101 did better if i drew faster. But the xoom and thrive were super smooth no matter how slow i went.
very disappointing.
anyone else please?
PS I'll post comparative photos when i can
Have you been able to do hand write any small text? I find its almost impossible to do. It doesn't always like to register the lines when they are small movements. e seems to be one that really doesnt work well, I think because you never move very far from where you start. Not sure if this "threshold" of movement before it decides to draw a line is software based or somehow built into the hardware.
writing small doesn't work well. even on my nexus which has a very nice response. if you use the Supernote, which is a great app (asus stock app), there is a button on the top that you can turn on the writing guide and it's like you are writing on a big piece of lined paper, makes it way easier to just how big to write.
but the diagonal paths still suck.
My old Nexus One has the same problem. Strange why Asus would bundle note-taking apps with a touch panel that clearly isn't designed for it. Hopefully that Atmel maxstylus thing will come to fruition.
on the xoom and thrive, they were perfect.
but the first asus tablet was slight better but still had the same bumpyness.
the prime's is very bumpy.
makes one wonder, who the hell designs and tests (or not tests) these things that cost half a grand. it would seem someone who shouldn't be designing and no one testing designs.
My Thoughts EXACTLY
gaetawoo said:
on the xoom and thrive, they were perfect.
but the first asus tablet was slight better but still had the same bumpyness.
the prime's is very bumpy.
makes one wonder, who the hell designs and tests (or not tests) these things that cost half a grand. it would seem someone who shouldn't be designing and no one testing designs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where does Asus get off putting the Prime out there as a "Premium" Tablet, with so many obvious R&D issues. I understand cost cutting, and while I am upset by that type of approach, the realities of a low margin business like hardware are understandable.
What I do NOT understand is how Asus, a company that traditionally has been know for HARDWARE, and for providing lot's of cutting edge technologies on their motherboards, ended up letting AsusDesign run the show on the Prime. Yes, the "Spun Metal" design was very attractive, and got the attention Techies and Non-Techies alike.
But even if their testing and research were SO POOR as to miss the GPS issue entirely (which I find amazing. If they missed it, they are lame. If they KNEW, they are dishonest. Either way it destroys any respect I had for the company, which they put the final touch on by showing a fixed product, dressed as a NEW product, while people were already fuming over being sold a defective design. I am not trying to dredge up that whole mess again, just saying that they show VERY bad judgement on stuff like this, time after time. Asus would like to be competitive in the Consumer PRODUCT marketplace, but they are still acting like a small HARDWARE Supplier.
Ahh well, I will stop mybellyaching, as it's not productive. But this digitizer performance, once again having the OG Transformer come out working better that the Prime is REALLY starting to Piss ME OFF!!!
I would HOPE, that after Asus gets done wiping the egg off their face (again) that the lesson learned is: 1. Design and TEST, then redesign and Test, etc... a "premium" or superior or bleeding edge device, and when it it truly ready for Prime Time (pun intended) THEN.... 2. Let AsusDesign have their way with it, and then TEST AGAIN, to validate the design does not compromise the function.
I knew Asus was young, but had I known the level of immaturity, and poor judgement when under pressure, I would probably have steered clear of the Prime... I HOPE I would have been that smart, and not let my desire get in the way of common sense.
There is a fairly high percentage of folks who will defend this tablet against ANY argument. I a sick to death of "I use my phone for GPS, why would I need it in a tablet... blah blah blah.
As an engineer, I have the deepest respect for elegant, and innovative design. That what drew me to the Prime, as the OG was quite good, but this promised to up the ante significantly. I also demand, as much as possible that all of my hardware, from my Tablet to my Leaf Blower work AS DESIGNED.
I see exactly what you are referring to un
you might have a problem with your digitizer indeed. try performing this test?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AmWOTcR7Qg
I have same issue on galaxy tab 10.1.
Drawing diagonals really slowly makes them wavy.
Tested the stylus on htc desire - same thing...
Using finger - waves are smaller, almost unnoticeable.
regards,
arizal
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.
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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.
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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.
Hey guys,
I am currntly the proud owner of a Asus Transformer eee pad, TF 101
I have it rooted and a bit overclocked.
I love sony products but I have to say I am still doubting of trading my Transfomer for a Tablet S
What are the things I am missing at the moment and what am I going to mis when I decide to switch.
can you guys help me a bit with the cons and pro's ?
The transformer PROs
- keybord dock
- extended batery life becauseof dock
- bigger screen
- a lot of custom roms and things to play with
The Tablet S PROS
- User Interface
- Design of tablet
- IR to control my Bravia TV
- PS certified ( controller )
the Transformer CONs
- minor light bleed
The Tablet S CONs
- not a lot of custom ROMs (yet)
- no gorilla glass
they have the same cpu right? but what about the gpu ?
A definite Pro is native support of the dualshock controller - I play Tomb Raider 1 to 5) and Abe's Oddysee / Exodus daily !!.
Must admit however that I use Fpse to do it, these ps1 games are not available 'officially' on the Tablet S store (yet)
I am an extremely proud owner of the Sony. People are always looking at in when in in a cafe. It is stunning to look at and when holding it the balance is perfect, whether it be portrait or landscape mode.
I'm not one for "run of the mill" gadgets, i like something different and the Sony is just that. I looked at the Transformer and decided other wise due to the fact of the enormous size of it and the "run of the mill" looks. Having the ability to play certified( and not) games is incredible and i shall be investing in a ps3 controller shortly to play these type of games.
OH OH, did i mention the incredible infra red remote control, I am able to control my Sky box, LG surround sound and my TV all in the comfort of my Favorited chair.
This little baby has just been rooted and as far as I'm concerned the Sony has just been born. I was fortunate to have only bought the Sony 1 week before it was rooted and now the gates have opened to hopefully custom roms( not to bothered really) and other good things.
So to conclude, this is one tablet that i will be keeping for some time, the screen, speed, looks and the geek factor makes it a winner.
Ps. The one thing i need now is the external sd to be used for system data.
David.
Everyone is going to experience different tablets differently. So what you need to ask yourself is "Am I happy with my tablet?"
If the answer is yes then stop looking over the fence and enjoy what you have
If no, then perhaps you should indeed look at trading it in.
I for one regret buying the damn thing. Slowest piece of junk I've ever touched once you put a few things on it. Keyboard lags out like crazy so I have to type at turtle speed.
Unfortunately it was a joint purchase with my gf and it's either this or an iPad, so I'm boned.
The remote is pretty much a novelty at best - you have to look at it everytime you use it. I much prefer a one handed physically guided real remote even if I need 4.
I'm not about to go looking up the specs of your tab but I'm pretty certain it is a tegra 2 device (same cpu and gpu).
Also a big con - no gorilla glass. I had it wrapped in a tshirt and when I pulled it out of my bag and unwrapped it there were 2 little scratches on it so not happy.
After a couple weeks I really started to become very unhappy with the build quality. Creak, hollow cheap plastic sounds. Sometimes the screen makes funny hollow sounds when you press it too!
Obviously this is just my opinion on it and I realise plenty of people really like the device.
DreadPirateDan said:
Everyone is going to experience different tablets differently. So what you need to ask yourself is "Am I happy with my tablet?"
If the answer is yes then stop looking over the fence and enjoy what you have
If no, then perhaps you should indeed look at trading it in.
I for one regret buying the damn thing. Slowest piece of junk I've ever touched once you put a few things on it. Keyboard lags out like crazy so I have to type at turtle speed.
Unfortunately it was a joint purchase with my gf and it's either this or an iPad, so I'm boned.
The remote is pretty much a novelty at best - you have to look at it everytime you use it. I much prefer a one handed physically guided real remote even if I need 4.
I'm not about to go looking up the specs of your tab but I'm pretty certain it is a tegra 2 device (same cpu and gpu).
Also a big con - no gorilla glass. I had it wrapped in a tshirt and when I pulled it out of my bag and unwrapped it there were 2 little scratches on it so not happy.
After a couple weeks I really started to become very unhappy with the build quality. Creak, hollow cheap plastic sounds. Sometimes the screen makes funny hollow sounds when you press it too!
Obviously this is just my opinion on it and I realise plenty of people really like the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just for your problems Dan, I'd recommend taking it back. With that many problems, thats more than enough cause for a replacement device and my Tablet has none of the problems you mention. My Tablet can keep up with my iPad 2, no problems. The keyboard seems pretty speedy (but I mostly use SwiftKey, anyway), and the build quality on mine is flawless. Even after banging around in my bag for weeks, theres not even a sign of a scratch or a creak.
As for the original question, I absolutely love mine. I used to own a Samsung Galaxy Tab, then picked this up and I love it. I don't usually have the same problems as others since the SD card change doesnt overly fuss me (I use Astro, which deals with it just fine)
Ok thanks for the replys.
The tablet I have now is great I freaking love the damn thing, but ...
Like diddy64 said I know its true, because i have had all sony android phones and currently the arc s.
This phone has not best specs out there but for me it has the Sony WOW factor, when you hold than you feel it lays so good in your hand and the design is just amazing.
Is the tablet S the same under the tablet categorie as the Arc S is under the phone categorie ?
- does it feel good holding it in your hands ?
- when you see it you go WOW! ?
1. Sony display: Super deep blacks, video playback crisp and clean, it's far more color saturated than any other tablet. Period.
2. Remote control: TV, BluRay, DVD, 7.1, WD Live, etc. I can go from room to room and select multiple devices on the fly... yes, instantly. This means no matter where I am in the house, I can be the super-dude with the outrageous all-in-one remote. Hotel TV's? Set-up in a heartbeat. Also, there's no way you are going to misplace this baby! Fantastic.
3. Network playback: Audio and video is fast and clean. Whatever they did with the wifi update, the speed and range of the 300mbps n works supremely well now, excellent really. It's far better than any other tab... at any price. Try ES File Explorer with your network shares. The iPad sux, the ASUS is awful (say what, how could they screw that up?) Yeah, OK the Galaxy range is just about as good, but real world it tops at about 45mbps. The Sony is flat out far superior. Try it.
4. Sony PDF Reader: Superb, Kindle style side by side page layout, clean, crystal clear, even at low rez. I read lots of downloaded eMags: Travel, Design, Health, Tech, Science, Automotive, etc. The installed Sony reader is the best. Faster absorption with a straight forward left to right format. Rasterization and reflow are incredible. The Sony black on white saturation is a big part of it too. See it to believe it.
5. Size/Design: One handing with this one is crazy good. Holding in left, (i.e. Kindle or Skype) taking notes or holding mobile phone with right. Balanced feel is perfect, somebody did a lot of of fearless "new design ergo live-test" homework. Also, using 'Thumb Keyboard 4' is a breeze. Text and email is so much easier at this size point than with any other tablet, Samsung Galaxy included. I'm doing this reply on the S1, it's easy.
6. Sony DLNA: I can throw 'drag n drop' vids/tunes from the external SDcard to any/all the TVs, xBox's, audio devices (and soon to the car radio.) Scenario: S1 in cradle on bedroom dresser, with that nice Sony desk clock display running, Sony DLNA broadcasting in the background, seamlessly throwing vids to the TV? We don't need no stinking HDMI cables! Fun stuff.
OK, there are lots of little things to like with this tablet. Sorry to sound like a fanboy ad for Sony, but I shopped for the right tablet for a solid month then knew I was making the right decision with the S1. Now rooted, (ty ty djrbliss!) I am enjoying the S1 even more. Have had the thing for three months now, it just keeps getting better.
I've had my Tablet S for about 5 months now and use it daily. It's now surpassed my PC as my tool for web browsing, and I haven't even touched the browser on my phone in months.
If you're trying to decide what to do, I might suggest waiting type of improvements Sony will make with the ICS update. One feature that was mentioned is the ability to throw your tablet Screen to your TV (not just media like it currently does). I don't know how this feature works or if you can throw absolutely anything, but if that's the case then the tablets lack of HDMI would be more than forgiven. Who knows what else they'll be coming out with.
EDIT.
I should also mention I haven't had a single problem with defects in the craftsmanship of my tablet. I've dropped it several times on hardwood and tile floors, and not a single dent.
Also for those talking about scratches on the screen, please note that every single Tablet S comes with a helluva thick screen proector from the factory. The scratches you're seeing are on that, not the screen. The screen itself, once you remove the protector is surprisingly good, and handles fingerprints quite nicely when swiping. One of my friends with the Tablet S had the Sony screen protector on top of it (this is before we knew there was a factory protector) and the idiot managed to drop his tablet screen first onto the corner of a cinderblock. There was a hole straight through the Sony screen protector and we thought he had chipped his screen. Once we discovered and removed the factory protector, we found his screen was perfectly intact. This damned tablet can take a beating!
vivftp said:
I've had my Tablet S for about 5 months now and use it daily. It's now surpassed my PC as my tool for web browsing, and I haven't even touched the browser on my phone in months.
If you're trying to decide what to do, I might suggest waiting type of improvements Sony will make with the ICS update. One feature that was mentioned is the ability to throw your tablet Screen to your TV (not just media like it currently does). I don't know how this feature works or if you can throw absolutely anything, but if that's the case then the tablets lack of HDMI would be more than forgiven. Who knows what else they'll be coming out with.
EDIT.
I should also mention I haven't had a single problem with defects in the craftsmanship of my tablet. I've dropped it several times on hardwood and tile floors, and not a single dent.
Also for those talking about scratches on the screen, please note that every single Tablet S comes with a helluva thick screen proector from the factory. The scratches you're seeing are on that, not the screen. The screen itself, once you remove the protector is surprisingly good, and handles fingerprints quite nicely when swiping. One of my friends with the Tablet S had the Sony screen protector on top of it (this is before we knew there was a factory protector) and the idiot managed to drop his tablet screen first onto the corner of a cinderblock. There was a hole straight through the Sony screen protector and we thought he had chipped his screen. Once we discovered and removed the factory protector, we found his screen was perfectly intact. This damned tablet can take a beating!
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How did you remove the factory installed screenprotector? i tried it, but it looks like it's on there to stay. My se arc had a factory installed screenprotector to, and i was able to take it of.
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda premium
The factory screen protector does take a little work to remove. First things first you need to be able to pull up a corner of it, then it's just a matter of slowly tugging very hard. It's sticky, and we actually had 2 people work on it - 1 holding it and 1 tugging at the protector until we eventually got it off. Underneath the screen itself will be kinda sticky afterwards, but that was cleaned up pretty quickly. I was actually quite surprised how well the screen itself resisted fingerprints when compared to the factory protector and the Sony protector.
What the? I'v never seen any evidence of a screen protector on mine :S.. this is most interesting. I'll suss it out when I get home, if it has one then this is the best news i've heard in ages .
But not to get my hopes up too much... it does feel very much like scratched glass when you touch it with a finger nail, not scratched plastic
Why is it that you're thinking of moving over to the Tablet S?
I'd say that both are great devices...but one isn't a big enough upgrade from the other.
My guess is that you're like me and just like getting NEW stuff lol. You should force yourself to wait and buy a tegra 3 device. Even wait and get the next sony one with tegra 3 or stick with ASUS or whatever lol. I don't think it's too good an idea to move between the tegra 2 tablets right now. You'll just be finding sinilar pros and cons between all of them.
I didn't realize it either. Hell, I've owned my Xperia X10a for about a year and it took that long (and applying a third party screen protector) to realize Sony had put one on from the factory!
When you look at your tablet, look at the bottom corners holding it in landscape mode. You'll see the edges of the screen protector the easiest down there. My friend who removed his protector still hasn't put another one on and his screen doesn't have a single scratch - this is now about 1 month since we removed it. If you are intent upon removing it, it does take a bit of work but it will eventually come off if you go nice and slowly.
If you really only have a couple of scratches on it though, I suggest leaving it on. It is quite a thick piece of plastic and actually provides some great protection for the screen. If you're planning on putting another one on though, then go for it.
The Transformer is too heavy especially when connected to the keyboard dock.
I also like the blinking light (next to the On/Off key) when there are incoming emails.
vivftp said:
The factory screen protector does take a little work to remove. First things first you need to be able to pull up a corner of it, then it's just a matter of slowly tugging very hard. It's sticky, and we actually had 2 people work on it - 1 holding it and 1 tugging at the protector until we eventually got it off. Underneath the screen itself will be kinda sticky afterwards, but that was cleaned up pretty quickly. I was actually quite surprised how well the screen itself resisted fingerprints when compared to the factory protector and the Sony protector.
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I finally got the screenprotector from the tablet it's much better this way, just like my arc, with less dust and fingerprints. (My arc is a year old and almost since the beginning without the screenprotector and has no scratches) thanx!
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda premium
Well I just like sony better but my asus is a good tablet.
and yes I like having new stuff
I've had an offer to trade my tablet for a new tablet S, one on one no extra price
He guys just wanted to let you know I joined the club, tablet s owner reporting in
depulle87 said:
He guys just wanted to let you know I joined the club, tablet s owner reporting in
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Good choice mate, sony s is a great tablet, very portablet, not to big, not to small!!
And the Sony S style is perfect to hold for long time
I've had my Transformer Prime for a few months now and had slight workarounds for it, but it's gotten to a point where I can't ignore it anymore, as it seems to be getting worse.
Basically, in certain apps, and also occasionally on the home screen and app drawer screen, the top 1/3 of the screen doesn't respond to touch at all. This can be a huge problem since a lot of buttons are located up there, and the only way I'm able to get to them is if I use the keyboard.
I have done a few factory resets and a cold boot, and the problem still comes up. I've also noticed some light bleeding in the same area, so I don't know if that adds anything.
I really don't want to RMA this, as I've read about horror stories of people's primes being damaged or taking forever to be fixed, so is there any alternate way of fixing it? Or is it best to take the plunge and RMA it.
Thanks in advance!
RMA.
RMA I think is your only option. Or you can try to take it back to the retailer and see if they will replace it. I've learned over the years that Best Buy accidental damage coverage is worth it... Brick your device... unbrick it by accidentally dropping it out the car window. Take it to Best Buy and they give you a new one. lol
If you want to open your tablet yourself and not risk an RMA chances are the cable that connects the digitizer to the rest of the tablet is loose... its not a very secure connection.
If you take like a plastic toothpick or something of the like under the two slots beside the dock connecter you can slide them sideways.
Then take a guitar pick or plastic pry tool and use it to seperate the screen from the back. There are lots of videos on youtube how to do this safely.
Once you have the prime in two parts, butterfly it open and you will notice two ribbon cables that attach the screen to the back of the prime. One of these is for the display, one is for the digitizer. Make sure both are properly attached. Be careful with them as they are delicate and do not take bending well, however you have to firmly press them into their slots.
Check out the "opened my prime" thread for pictures and more info how to open your prime. If you dont have physical damage im pretty sure this is the cause as i had the same problem after opening my prime, however fixed it by making sure the cables were connected properly.