Related
I'm still waiting for an order of the TF201 to actually go through for me and now I'm beginning to wonder if that’s a sign. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is now stuck in the uncomfortable situation of decided whether to continue trying to get the TF201 or to suck it up and wait a few months for the new Prime to come out.
Asus is trying to market the TF700T as some sort of Transformer Prime HD, but, due to the TF201's issues, this looks like a "quick fix" model leaving the early adopters of the Prime behind. I've noticed some arguments going for both sides and I was wondering if anyone had a clear argument for waiting.
Not a lot of information is out there right now, but to me the argument is as follows:
Is paying $100 more and waiting ~5 months worth better GPS/WIFI/BT, Resolution, & front-facing camera?
I would appreciate any input from current TF201 users.
Tracks3 said:
I'm still waiting for an order of the TF201 to actually go through for me and now I'm beginning to wonder if that’s a sign. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is now stuck in the uncomfortable situation of decided whether to continue trying to get the TF201 or to suck it up and wait a few months for the new Prime to come out.
Asus is trying to market the TF700T as some sort of Transformer Prime HD, but, due to the TF201's issues, this looks like a "quick fix" model leaving the early adopters of the Prime behind. I've noticed some arguments going for both sides and I was wondering if anyone had a clear argument for waiting.
Not a lot of information is out there right now, but to me the argument is as follows:
Is paying $100 more and waiting ~5 months worth better GPS/WIFI/BT, Resolution, & front-facing camera?
I would appreciate any input from current TF201 users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in the camp where I do think this TF700T is a bug fix release. I do not care for the higher resolution screen which may introduce other unknown issues. The current Prime is an excellent tablet. The only issue for me is knowing there is a design defect with the back plate. I may never use GPS but I do not know what I will be do in the future and that is what pisses me off. You will need to decide if that is a big deal for you or not.
So, I got my prime today from amazon. Then i noticed the tf700t post. I should be pissed but I'm enjoying my prime too much. And I don't know the specs of the tf700t yet. If its a tegra3 with 1920x1200 then its worth it.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Tracks3 said:
I'm still waiting for an order of the TF201 to actually go through for me and now I'm beginning to wonder if that’s a sign. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is now stuck in the uncomfortable situation of decided whether to continue trying to get the TF201 or to suck it up and wait a few months for the new Prime to come out.
Asus is trying to market the TF700T as some sort of Transformer Prime HD, but, due to the TF201's issues, this looks like a "quick fix" model leaving the early adopters of the Prime behind. I've noticed some arguments going for both sides and I was wondering if anyone had a clear argument for waiting.
Not a lot of information is out there right now, but to me the argument is as follows:
Is paying $100 more and waiting ~5 months worth better GPS/WIFI/BT, Resolution, & front-facing camera?
I would appreciate any input from current TF201 users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well i currently own the prime and its awsome I would rather have my prime then wait over 6 months for the next one just to get basically a better screen resolution. The screen on the prime is already very crisp and clear and you probably wont notice that much of a diffrence between this screen and the new ones screen. As for gps, its really over rated because you really arent going to be using it al all. Wifi and BT preformance is pretty good on the prime. So basically your paying 100$ more and waiting at least 5-6 months for GPS and a higher res display
Well judging by the many faults I'm finding with the TF201, I think I had my fill of going on hype buys from ASUS.
Show me ICS and I'm done.
Unless you really want that higher res display and you actually are going to use the GPS, I would just get the current Prime. By the time the TF700T launches, there will probably be faster quad cores
Five months in the tech world is not "waiting", it's a generational change.
Should I buy (insert any product here) now or wait 5 months for (next generation product) has been the same question since the first Macintosh came out, it seems.
Tracks3 said:
I'm still waiting for an order of the TF201 to actually go through for me and now I'm beginning to wonder if that’s a sign. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is now stuck in the uncomfortable situation of decided whether to continue trying to get the TF201 or to suck it up and wait a few months for the new Prime to come out.
Asus is trying to market the TF700T as some sort of Transformer Prime HD, but, due to the TF201's issues, this looks like a "quick fix" model leaving the early adopters of the Prime behind. I've noticed some arguments going for both sides and I was wondering if anyone had a clear argument for waiting.
Not a lot of information is out there right now, but to me the argument is as follows:
Is paying $100 more and waiting ~5 months worth better GPS/WIFI/BT, Resolution, & front-facing camera?
I would appreciate any input from current TF201 users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A) where u gonna get a old prime from now?
B) Why would you even get a broken, poorly supported product
and C) (opinion) be patient and get a good tablet..
Hell at this Rate the Lenovo Pad is looking better than this crap
seven2099 said:
A) where u gonna get a old prime from now?
B) Why would you even get a broken, poorly supported product
and C) (opinion) be patient and get a good tablet..
Hell at this Rate the Lenovo Pad is looking better than this crap
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I take you don't have a Prime and you have been overly influenced by the issue discussion that ignores the 95% of happy users. Love my PRIME!
Grab that Lenovo!
I have and love my Prime and I am getting the keyboard dock in the mail tomorrow. Am I upset about todays announcement? Not at all. Everyone that is *****ing needs to get over themselves. ASUS runs a business and if you think the tech you purchase today isn't outdated two weeks later, you are surely misinformed. Relax!!
I am going to enjoy my prime and dock for the next 4 to 5 months and then sell the TF201 and upgrade when it comes out in Q2. The dock is said to work on both models.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
colbyb25 said:
I have and love my Prime and I am getting the keyboard dock in the mail tomorrow. Am I upset about todays announcement? Not at all. Everyone that is *****ing needs to get over themselves. ASUS runs a business and if you think the tech you purchase today isn't outdated two weeks later, you are surely misinformed. Relax!!
I am going to enjoy my prime and dock for the next 4 to 5 months and then sell the TF201 and upgrade when it comes out in Q2. The dock is said to work on both models.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ditto. My current Prime will just get happily handed on down the line come May/June when/if the new Prime comes out. Current order of succession in my family is Prime > Kindle Fire > Asus EP121 > iPad 1
Its a race you can never win, Im also not a prime owner yet, still waiting to hear that the primes sold are with normal wifi and without much problems[dont need the gps gonna get a galaxy nexus soon]. Can anyone recommend me a good supplier to order from with 95% that ill have a good wifi one? REALY REALY appriciate .
spending 100$ more just for screen... maybe on a fullHD TV but not on this..
Prime is still a great buy. Plus Thursday everyone gets free Ice Cream..yayyyy! I scream, you scream, We All scream for Ice Creaaaaam!
vitalero said:
Its a race you can never win, Im also not a prime owner yet, still waiting to hear that the primes sold are with normal wifi and without much problems[dont need the gps gonna get a galaxy nexus soon]. Can anyone recommend me a good supplier to order from with 95% that ill have a good wifi one? REALY REALY appriciate .
spending 100$ more just for screen... maybe on a fullHD TV but not on this..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think there's any "good supplier" because the defects are because of ASUS, not the stores. So I guess it just depends on whether you're lucky or not. I got a 32GB Grey from Best Buy that had absolutely no problem and now my 64GB Grey from NewEgg is also absolutely perfect. Besides 1 dead pixel that fixed itself after a couple of hours.
demandarin said:
Prime is still a great buy. Plus Thursday everyone gets free Ice Cream..yayyyy! I scream, you scream, We All scream for Ice Creaaaaam!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah... try tonight everyone gets ICS! 8 pm (PST)
everyone that is except me... still waiting on my 11/22 pre-order
vitalero said:
Its a race you can never win, Im also not a prime owner yet, still waiting to hear that the primes sold are with normal wifi and without much problems[dont need the gps gonna get a galaxy nexus soon]. Can anyone recommend me a good supplier to order from with 95% that ill have a good wifi one? REALY REALY appriciate .
spending 100$ more just for screen... maybe on a fullHD TV but not on this..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hear both Bestbuy and Office Depot recently had them in stock. I got my Prime on Dec. 23 from Gamestop and the keyboard dock from Bestbuy that arrives in the mail tomorrow.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
I say you wait for it so when it finally comes out you can asked yourself the same question about the TF700T cause the super duper optimus prime x3 gets announced. it's a endless cycle bud
If the 700 comes out 5 months from now, it will be absolutely clobbered. It packs specs to compete with January-March/April devices. 5+ months from now, even higher resolution, more RAM, A15 processors, and similar spec bumps will start coming out. The 700 has 3 months to come out before it's too little too late.
I ordered I Transformer Prime on 12/23, didn't receive nothing and now they're announcing the "new" prime??? I'd love to resist the urge the get "this" Prime and wait some more MONTHS, but i've waited nearly 2 month. Can't resist any longer.
nrollier said:
I ordered I Transformer Prime on 12/23, didn't receive nothing and now they're announcing the "new" prime??? I'd love to resist the urge the get "this" Prime and wait some more MONTHS, but i've waited nearly 2 month. Can't resist any longer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know exactly where you're coming from, and after reading these posts, I have decided to stick with the TF201. Now I just have to hope that my OfficeDepot order doesn't get backordered again.
this post has been around for a while now, so preamble has been truncated.
here is, in my view, what you should know before posting in this forum, and ideally before buying the product.
(note for noobs, TF201 = the "eee pad transformer prime" model that started shipping december 2011.)
THE ALL-METAL BACKPLATE OF THE TF201 INTERFERES WITH WIRELESS PERFORMANCE. GPS WILL NOT WORK WELL WITHOUT THE FREE GPS DONGLE ATTACHED. WIFI IS GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE BUT NOT GREAT.
by now this has been picked apart to death. GPS reception without the free GPS dongle is very poor. without the dongle, you may not be able to get a lock at all without wifi/AGPS, and forget about using it as a nav in a moving car. IF GPS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, DO NOT BUY A TF201 UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO USE THE DONGLE. asus has already acknowledged this by removing GPS from the list of features in their product description (!). dongle-less gps is likely to function better in the transformer pad 300 and upcoming transformer pad infinity models due to plastic RF windows in the backpanels.
for the vanilla TF201, there has been a lot of investigation the GPS issue on xda, and eventually anandtech published an article that summarizes the situation well:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5285/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-gps-issue-explained
wifi reception struggles for the same reason as GPS. asus was able to mitigate this somewhat by including two wifi antennas instead of one which gives it antenna diversity. however, in some cases it may not perform as well as the original transformer, or maybe as good as some of your other portable devices. IF STRONG WIFI PERFORMANCE IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, DO NOT BUY A TF201. the issue is SUPPOSED be fixed in the upcoming TF700T due to a change in the backpanel design, but we won't know how it performs until it is actually released.
WIFI AND GPS ANTENNA CONNECTIONS INSIDE THE TF201 ARE MADE WITH POGO PINS THAT ARE NOT MAKING CONTACT IN SOME UNITS. YOU MAY BE ABLE TO FIX THIS BY PINCHING THE BEZEL IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
discussion on this topic has sprawled across a few threads. if you are new to this topic then it may be easiest to get your overview here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1467964
a poll is running to help assess the effectiveness of this "solution" here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1473272
if you have this problem, it should be obvious that pinching your tf201 is at your own risk. if your wifi is clearly defective then you are probably better off RMA'ing your unit.
BLUETOOTH STREAMING MAY INTERFERE WITH YOUR WIFI PERFORMANCE.
comments on this forum are a bit mixed. there are numerous reports that streaming of bluetooth data (particularly audio streaming or file transfers) are cutting down wifi performance, sometimes dramatically. it has been noted that this issue affects at least some other devices with combined wifi/bt chipsets.
an official thread has been started by Asus to investigate this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1443868
major discussion threads by users:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1423180
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1440187
SOME TF201 OWNERS ARE REPORTING BACKLIGHT BLEED AROUND THE EDGES.
if you have this problem and it bothers you then you can try and RMA it at place of purchase or contact asus support. there have been a good amount of reports on this so the occurrence is not to be unexpected. that said, the response you get on your RMA request will vary depending on who you contact. some users have noted that IPS bleeding is somewhat common and not unique to the transformer prime. discussion is here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1426812
it seems that this is being caused by the screws that secure the panel not being tightened properly. if you are adventurous enough to take your TF201 apart then there are reports that re-seating the screws with proper tension fixes the problem. refer to this thread for details:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1474391
THE INITIAL ANDROID 4.0 UPDATE (BUILD 9.4.2.11) CAUSES FREEZES/REBOOTS FOR SOME. BUILD 9.4.2.13 FIXED THIS, BUT INTRODUCED A NEW BATTERY DRAIN ISSUE FOR SOME OTHERS. THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED IN THE MOST RECENT BUILDS.
bugs in nvidia's tegra3 video drivers were the cause of freezes and reboots that some experienced after making the initial ICS update (build 9.4.2.11). the official Asus thread investigating the random lockups in 9.4.2.11 is here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1449992
asus shipped new drivers with build 9.4.2.13 on 2/8/12 that fixed these issues, but a new battery drain issue was introduced that affects some others. this battery drain has been referred to as the "sleep of death" and has been discussed in these threads:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1487516
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1490240
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1495696
the most current firmware updates have resolved random freezes/reboots and sleep-of-death problems.
SOME EARLY TF201 UNITS DID NOT REGISTER SERIAL NUMBERS CORRECTLY AND WERE UNABLE TO UPDATE TO ICS.
an official thread has been started by Asus to investigate the "Serial Number Not Found" error:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1447760
... and the dev community has produced a potential fix for that problem:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1474356
THE MICROSD CARD SLOT DESIGN IS PRONE TO ACCIDENTALLY EJECTING YOUR CARD. YOU MAY LOSE IT IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL.
the slot isn't deep enough to cover the whole card. you may want to think twice about planning to use a card as permanent memory expansion. if you place the tablet down on its edge the card can pop out and get lost. discussion about options to secure it are here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1436546
SOME POWER CHARGERS OVERHEAT AND STOP WORKING. THIS CAN USUALLY BE FIXED BY LETTING IT COOL DOWN OR PUTTING IT IN THE FREEZER.
the TF201 uses the same charger as the original transformer (TF101), and as a result both products have had significant occurrences of this flaw. you will find many threads on both forums about this. if your charger stops working (but the tablet remains otherwise functional, in particular you should verify it can still communicate with a computer via USB) then let the charger cool down and try again. if it still doesn't work then you may want to try enclosing the charger in a ziploc bag and putting it in a freezer for >15 minutes. a few sample threads on this issue are here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1422312
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1480178
a smaller number of users have reported a variety of other charger problems caused by what appears to be cheap construction. generally speaking, those that were able to recover their chargers did so by wiggling/adjusting the connections to the USB cable or between the two charger halves.
A HIGHER-END VARIANT OF THE TRANSFORMER PRIME (TF700T) WAS ANNOUNCED AT CES IN JANUARY. THIS MODEL DOES NOT REPLACE THE ORIGINAL MODEL (TF201). THE TWO WILL BE SOLD SIDE BY SIDE.
the new TF700T model has a higher resolution screen (1920x1200), a slightly upgraded front camera (2MP vs. 1.3MP) and a redesigned backpanel to address the issues with wifi and GPS. this new model is pissing a lot of people off because they view this as a "fix" for the wireless reception "design flaw" in the TF201. if you bought a TF201 and feel that way, sorry, go try and return your TF201 or buy a TF300. we don't need more posts about how horrendous asus is at launching products.
if you want to speculate on the new model, here is a big thread on the subject:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1436127
RUMORS STARTED CIRCULATING AFTER THE TF700T ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE TF201 WOULD BE DISCONTINUED - THESE WERE FALSE. this has already been publicly stated by asus:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=21357170&postcount=9
further, common sense confirms that this would be insane, largely due to the next point:
HISTORY INDICATES THAT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BUY A TF700T UNTIL Q3.
after the TF700T was announced, a lot of people talked about returning their TF201s or cancelling their pre-orders to wait for the TF700T. this is your choice, but i would highly recommend you consider the storied history that asus has bringing these products to market. talk about the transformer prime (without the name) started circulating in Q2 of 2011, with various industry discussion pointing to a tegra3 version of the transformer that would be thinner to be released in Q3. the TF201 signed on to be the first tegra3 product to launch and the CEO of nvidia started telling everyone that the first tegra3 product would be available in september. as september got closer, asus started to acknowledge a new product coming but suggested it wouldn't hit market until october. the TF201 was finally announced in november but didn't actually ship until the end of december, and those shipments were extremely limited quantities. the TF201 then remained sold out almost everywhere in the US and had minimal distribution in global markets during the first few months.
this is relevant because here we go again with a new asus tablet and they are saying it will be released in "Q2". i can't predict the future, but if their history is worth ANYTHING you should not expect to actually have this product in your hands until Q3. HD tablet screens are NOT ready for mass production yet as yields are too low, this is a very well-circulated fact if you follow industry news. every manufacturer would love to release products with these new screens but they are all waiting for the process issues to be worked out. a bunch of other HD tablets were announced at CES and are all getting vague ship dates in Q2. none of these are going to get released until the yields are high enough to make them profitable. and even then we will have to account for asus' horrible track record of botching every aspect of a tablet release possible.
the bottom line is, if you want to wait for the TF700T, go ahead, but be prepared for the possibility of not having it in your hands until Q3. for those of you that want a new tablet NOW, consensus is still very much that this is the best you'll get.
if you've made it this far then you should know one last thing:
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY HAPPY WITH THEIR TRANSFORMER PRIMES.
it might not seem that way after reading all of the caveats above and scanning this forum, but it's true. if you want to bring some balance to your perspective on this product, take a look at the "positive" tprime thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1409910
First.
A+ post, great job
Thank you, so, so very much for this thread. Please dear god everyone read this.
Sticky icky icky!
Sticky! For sure! Great post, all facts.
Most definitely needs to be stickied, if only to return a sense of balance to the force...erm...forum.
If it's not stickied, I'll be sure to keep posting to keep this post near the top. Common sense rules!
thank you good sir. sticky please and submit to Asus.
+1 Definitely a useful post, you have my thanks! However ....
The fact that the OG Prime was so pushed back was partially because it was a totally redesigned product (Tegra 3, aluminum back-plate..sigh, and consequently Wifi/GPS location) The TF700T was/is designed directly from the OG Prime. I do believe it is a fix and very easily can be released in a quicker manner. (IMO it's a tweaked OG prime)
I for one, am keeping my Prime as my main issue is with the Wifi/BT dilemma but, all you waiting, don't be surprised when Asus releases the TF700T close to when they say they will...
xIC-MACIx said:
I for one, am keeping my Prime as my main issue is with the Wifi/BT dilemma but, all you waiting, don't be surprised when Asus releases the TF700T close to when they say they will...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ASUS will release the TF700 as soon as the HD screens are shipping in quantity, precisely as the OP said.
Great post OP
Hopefully some of the trolls will go away and we can have a good community
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
jackl8 said:
i've been lurking on xda for a good while. the GS2 forums have been a wealth of information and the advice of people on that forum has helped make my phone a billion times better. now that i'm in the tprime camp i finally created an account and was hoping to help build a forum of similar value, but i have to say, the level of redundant and repetitive whining and griping over this product is astonishing. it's dominating discussion here and (imo) ruining the forum for everyone. i think that most of us would prefer for this forum to develop into a place where satisfied tprime owners can share information that is actually helpful.
so let's all be clear: this product has some weaknesses. these weaknesses are by now well-known and we need to stop beating them to death. at the same time, people don't seem to be READING, because new owners are continuing to act surprised over, say, GPS not working. so i thought i'd put the big things you should know into one place in hopes that it will get some decent viewership and help everyone move on. if people find this useful then i will be happy to keep it up to date as things develop in the future.
here is, in my view, what you should know before posting in this forum, and ideally before buying the product.
(note for noobs, TF201 = the current transformer prime model that started shipping december 2011.)
THE GPS ON THE TF201 DOES NOT WORK WELL AND WILL PROBABLY NEVER WORK WELL.
by now this has been picked apart to death. GPS reception is very poor. without wifi/AGPS you may not be able to get a lock at all. forget about using it as a nav in a moving car. IF GPS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, DO NOT BUY A TF201. fixing the hardware GPS reception is not something that will never be possible via software. asus has already acknowledged this by removing GPS from the list of features in their product description (!). gps MAY function beter in the upcoming TF700T due to a change in the backpanel design, but we won't know until it is actually released.
if you want to know why this is the case, anandtech is the authoritative explanation on the subject, so just read this:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5285/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-gps-issue-explained
WIFI PERFORMANCE IS GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE BUT NOT GREAT. EXPECT IT TO BE A BIT WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL TRANSFORMER (TF101).
wifi reception struggles for the same reason as GPS. asus was able to mitigate this somewhat by including two wifi antennas instead of one which gives it antenna diversity. however, in some cases it may not perform as well as the original transformer, or maybe as good as some of your other portable devices. IF STRONG WIFI PERFORMANCE IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, DO NOT BUY A TF201. the issue IS SUPPSOED be fixed in the upcoming TF700T due to a change in the backpanel design, but we won't know until it is actually released.
BLUETOOTH STREAMING MAY INTERFERE WITH YOUR WIFI PERFORMANCE.
comments on this forum are a bit mixed so i wouldn't presume that this affects every unit yet. there are numerous reports that streaming of bluetooth data (particularly audio streaming or file transfers) are cutting down wifi performance or even preventing wifi from working.
an official thread has been started to investigate this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1443868
major discussion threads by users:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1423180
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1440187
THE MICROSD CARD SLOT DESIGN IS PRONE TO POPPING OUT YOUR CARD. YOU MAY LOSE IT IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL.
the slot isn't deep enough to cover the whole card. you may want to think twice about planning to use a card as permanent memory expansion. if you place the tablet down on its edge the card can pop out and get lost. discussion about options to secure it are here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1436546
SOME TF201 OWNERS ARE REPORTING BACKLIGHT BLEED AROUND THE EDGES.
if you have this problem and it bothers you then you can try and RMA it at place of purchase or contact asus support. there have been a good amount of reports on this so the occurrence is not to be unexpected. that said, the response you get on your RMA request will vary depending on who you contact. some users have noted that IPS bleeding is somewhat common and not unique to the transformer prime. discussion is here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1426812
THE ANDROID 4.0 (ICS) UPDATE HAS WORKED FOR MOST BUT IS CAUSING SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS FOR SOME, INCLUDING DIAGONAL SCREEN FLICKERING, FREEZES/REBOOTS, AND FAILURE TO UPDATE AT ALL.
these issues are still developing. xvsacme has already done the job of compiling major threads on the issues. please don't create new threads, go here instead:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1440679&highlight=unknown+serial+ics
A HIGHER-END VARIANT OF THE TRANSFORMER PRIME (TF700T) WAS ANNOUNCED AT CES IN JANUARY. THIS MODEL DOES NOT REPLACE THE ORIGINAL MODEL (TF201). THE TWO WILL BE SOLD SIDE BY SIDE.
the new TF700T model has a higher resolution screen (1920x1200), a slightly upgraded front camera (2MP vs. 1.3MP) and a redesigned backpanel to address the issues with wifi and GPS. this new model is pissing a lot of people off because they view this as a "fix" for the wireless reception "design flaw" in the TF201. if you bought a TF201 and feel that way, sorry, go try and return your TF201. we don't need more posts about how horrendous asus is at launching products.
if you want to speculate on the new model, here is a big thread on the subject:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1436127&highlight=tf700t
rumors that the TF201 is being discontinued are false. this has already been publicly stated by asus:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=21357170&postcount=9
further, common sense confirms that this would be insane, largely due to the next point:
IF HISTORY IS ANY INDICATION, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BUY A TF700T UNTIL Q3.
a lot of people are talking about returning their TF201s or cancelling their pre-orders to wait for the TF700T. this is your choice, but i would highly recommend you consider the storied history that asus has bringing these products to market. talk about the transformer prime (without the name) started circulating in Q2 of 2011, with various industry discussion pointing to a tegra3 version of the transformer that would be thinner to be released in Q3. the TF201 signed on to be the first tegra3 product to launch and the CEO of nvidia started telling everyone that the first tegra3 product would be available in september. as september got closer, asus started to acknowledge a new product coming but suggested it wouldn't hit market until october. the TF201 was finally announced in november but didn't actually ship until the end of december, and those shipments were extremely limited quantities. the TF201 is still sold out almost everywhere in the US and has barely reached any of the other global markets.
this is relevant because here we go again with a new asus tablet and they are saying it will be released in "Q2". i can't predict the future, but if their history is worth ANYTHING you should not expect to actually have this product in your hands until Q3. HD tablet screens are NOT ready for mass production yet as yields are too low, this is a very well-circulated fact if you follow industry news. every manufacturer would love to release products with these new screens but they are all waiting for the process issues to be worked out. a bunch of other HD tablets were announced at CES and are all getting vague ship dates in Q2. none of these are going to get released until the yields are high enough to make them profitable. and even then we will have to account for asus' horrible track record of botching every aspect of a tablet release possible.
the bottom line is, if you want to wait for the TF700T, go ahead, but be prepared for the possibility of not having it in your hands for 6-8 months. for those of you that want a new tablet NOW, consensus is still very much that this is the best you'll get.
that's what i have for now. more to come if i don't get flamed to death.
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Best post I've read on this site. Let's hope all the whiners read it as well.
You forgot:
"If you try to update to Ice Cream Sandwich and it says there are no updates, try going to SETTINGS and STATUS. If it says "Serial Number Unknown" you will be unable to download OTA Updates and will be unable to root the problem. This has yet to be addressed by Asus, but is becoming a huge problem. If this happens to you, post in the thread below instead of creating a new one. This has been an issue since the Prime released, but has not been addressed yet by Asus. Primes purchased at the beginning of December even have this problem, and have it has yet to be addressed"
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1426881&highlight=serial+number+unknown
Kudos. I was actually planning the same post for this weekend, but you saved me the trouble.
I had some facts saved from my research that augment your post. You might wanna add it to the original post.
Point 1) The high-resolution TF700T is due to launch at roughly the same product cycle as the original Transformer and Transformer Prime.
The first Asus Transformer was released in the US on April 26, 2011. [ Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASUS_Eee_Pad_Transformer ]
The Transformer Prime was (officially) released on December 19, 2011. [ Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASUS_Eee_Pad_Transformer_Prime ]
This results in a product cycle of eight (8) months.
The Transformer TF700t is scheduled to launch "Late Q2" at earliest, and is at the moment, predicted to be May/June 2012. [ Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5324/...-for-improved-wireless-adds-1920-x-1200-panel ]
This means, at a minimum, the product cycle will be six (6) months, and delays can certainly happen.
Bottom line? This isn't an admission of a design flaw, or a stab in the back or whatever entitled BS folks want to come up with to victimize themselves. This is a natural product evolution, operating on the same half-year product cycle.
If anything, the RF-optimized backing likely signifies that a 3G version is on the way. Which leads me to Point 2...
Point 2) Performance and design are constant engineering tradeoffs, and other manufacturers make them all the time. The Transformer Prime's GPS, Bluetooth, and Wifi performance strike a compromise with design, thinness, and structural integrity -- the same compromise struck by Apple with their iPad and iPad2.
First, the Transformer Prime's wireless performance is not objectively BAD, it's just not as good as the prior Transformer. However, the Prime is much thinner, more premium, and features a very attractive aluminum back. In order to help mitigate this tradeoff, Asus designed the Prime with wifi diversity. Consequently, when within range, "The result is peak WiFi performance that is virtually identical to the original Eee Pad Transformer."
[ Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5175/asus-transformer-prime-followup ]
However, yes, the range of the Prime is understood to be less:
There is no RF window on the back of the Prime where the two antennas are located. Aluminum does a fairly good job of attenuating RF signals, which contributes to worse range on WiFi than the original plastic Eee Pad Transformer. WiFi performance at the edge of reception as well as the maximum usable WiFi range are both noticeably lower than its predecessor.
[ Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5175/asus-transformer-prime-followup ]
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You know what other major company made this engineering and design tradeoff? Apple.
ASUS built the Eee Pad Transformer Prime out of aluminum, similar to the iPad/iPad 2. This departure from the original plastic Eee Pad Transformer was welcome, but brought with it the same sort of antenna challenges that Apple has had to face.
[ Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5285/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-gps-issue-explained ]
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The original iPad and the iPad 2 are both made of aluminum, and both at a minimum have Bluetooth and WiFi antennas to deal with. The original iPad placed the WiFi antenna behind the plastic Apple logo on the rear of the tablet.
[ Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5175/asus-transformer-prime-followup ]
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Now, the wifi-only iPad2 got rid of the RF window, and went with an all-aluminum backing for better design aesthetic, thinness, and structural integrity. Guess what happened? Yes, the wireless performance degraded.
Unfortunately, WiFi range on the iPad 2 is noticeably less than its predecessor, and throughput slows down much earlier on the iPad 2 than it does on the iPad 1. I tested with a WiFi - 3G (AT&T) model and found that I’m able to make it further away from the AP by a good 10 meters or so, but throughput even after you drop one WiFi bar on the iPad 1 is continually better than on the iPad 2. WiFi throughput also tells a similar story, it just isn’t quite as good as its predecessor.
[ Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4225/the-ipad-2-review/11 ]
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Were Apple users up in arms threatening lawsuits and the BBB and boycotts? Maybe, but I certainly didn't hear about it. Apple definitely didn't give refunds or rebates or replace backings or fly customers on their private jets, I know that much for sure. The reality is I know dozens of satisfied iPad2 users, and I'm sure many more appreciate the improvement in design than notice the Wifi diminution over the prior model.
However, if wifi performance is more important than you than any other consideration (CPU horsepower, thinness, aesthetic, attachable keyboard, etc.), that's your prerogative and you should make that the key focus of your purchasing and purchase an all-plastic tablet like the Samsung Tab 10.1. Or, just get the original Transformer. All engineering and consumer decisions are about compromise and people have to find it within themselves to determine what compromise they are ok with.
As for GPS -- it's simple. Apple simply did not bother to include a GPS receiver in the non-3G (non-RF window) versions of the iPad/iPad2. People seem to be living with that compromise pretty well too.
The Transformer Prime is, at essence, Asus's and Android's answer to the wifi iPad2. It rivals the iPad2 in terms of design, thinness, and speed. It makes similar tradeoffs and compromises as the iPad2, because frankly, when you look at the iPad2's tremendous sales figures, it's self-evident the vast majority of people don't care about them. Apple has a tremendous talent in focusing on what the vast majority of people care about, and leaving the extra stuff behind, and so you can't blame Asus for wanting to follow the same design objectives as Apple -- it works.
Great information here, OP. I'm not really even tempted by the TF700T. I'm one of the lucky Prime owners that has no problems, plus the back of the TF700T id hideous with that flat finish and plastic strip. The Prime is a thing of beauty.
GREAt thorough post. THANKS FOR taking the time to out all this together. Its funny n ironic some of the people posted in here already are some of the main ones this thread is aimed for... the whinners, the ones who nag, babies, n men that gossip like women. Lol
Great work OP. Tell it like it is!
Nice post, NeoteriX but I have to say that the iPad2's Wi-Fi is still significantly better than that of the Prime (Well mine at least). Don't get me wrong though the Wi-Fi is still VERY usable all around my house, Dropping from 9mb/s DL to 5.5-6.5mb/s DL when I go to the furthest point away from my router and down to two bars but the iPad2's DL speeds only drop 0.5 - 1mb/s and staying at 3 bars in the same test.
If Asus will continue to make the 201, then there is a chance that their next production run will incorporate a modified version of the backplate similar to the 700. So while people are waiting for the HD screen, Asus can continue to sell a fixed Prime with gps, wifi and bt in good working condition. This is the win win solution imo.
tedr44 said:
If Asus will continue to make the 201, then there is a chance that their next production run will incorporate a modified version of the backplate similar to the 700. So while people are waiting for the HD screen, Asus can continue to sell a fixed Prime with gps, wifi and bt in good working condition. This is the win win solution imo.
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This is the primary reason I just canceled my "pending" Amazon order. Why would they continue to manufacture deficient units?
jackl8 said:
i've been lurking on xda for a good while. the GS2 forums have been a wealth of information and the advice of people on that forum has helped make my phone a billion times better. now that i'm in the tprime camp i finally created an account and was hoping to help build a forum of similar value, but i have to say, the level of redundant and repetitive whining and griping over this product is astonishing. it's dominating discussion here and (imo) ruining the forum for everyone. i think that most of us would prefer for this forum to develop into a place where satisfied tprime owners can share information that is actually helpful.
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That was long, but good. I think noobs should read it for sure. But you mention something which I disagree strongly. Anandtech being authoratative on the issue of GPS? First of all, they missed that completely first time around, and second time around. Only when we xda members report did they do a teardown. Even then they fail to test the GPS with the backs off even though I constantly asked them to go back and do it. We pretty much know the back cause the poor signal but to prove beyond the doubt they should have tested the GPS while the back was off, they never did that. I mean the GPS was missed by all major reviewers which is kind of sad. It took us users to figure it out.
Hi
I'm considering to buy a tablet. (Hesitating between Prime / Infinity / Iconia A510 or A700)
To the owners of a prime, any known problem which haven't been fixed yet ?
I've read some words of prime owners which returned them due to "hardware problems"
I'm planning to use it on the field to watch/sort DSLR raw files (Canon 5DII) any of you tried this ? Is the Tegra fast enough to do this or will I be disappointed ?
Thanks in advance
Well if u pre order the a700 it only costs a little more than the a510 so I would rule out the a510. The prime tablet does have some issues with GPS and wifi. I haven't had any random reboots lately but I have been having troubles with games freezing. If u have the money and dont need a tablet right away go with the infinity. However, I am so fed up with Asus customer support that I recommend that if u don't need a keyboard go with the a700 for sure
Thanks.
Then I think it will be a no go for the prime. One less choice!
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Also there is a new Lenovo k2010 that is coming out. You might want to check that out also.
Jut ordered mine today
I really wanted the keyboard dock so the TP seemed like the way to go. As far as waiting for the Infinity, its going to be basically the same device but with a better screen (which doesn't justify the extra price at least for me) and the plastic strip for the antennas which is supposed to cure the signal issues.
As far as the A700 goes....well, i just don't "pre-order" anything. For all we know, it may end up having all the same issues as the prime...or not...but with no track record there is no way to tell. If I was going to wait for something that isn't out yet, I'd wait a while longer after it's released to let the rest of you beta test it for me http://forum.xda-developers.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
Just say no to pre-orders.
Do you have any info about the Lenovo, I did not manage to find a release date.
The specs are great, but as far as release date goes, its only going to be released in China as of now. Hopefully it will come to the US but no one knows
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
laloutre said:
Hi
I'm considering to buy a tablet. (Hesitating between Prime / Infinity / Iconia A510 or A700)
To the owners of a prime, any known problem which haven't been fixed yet ?
I've read some words of prime owners which returned them due to "hardware problems"
I'm planning to use it on the field to watch/sort DSLR raw files (Canon 5DII) any of you tried this ? Is the Tegra fast enough to do this or will I be disappointed ?
Thanks in advance
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Click to collapse
my prime has been almost flawless from the very beginning...so i can't really comment on if there are fixes that need to be done
i still highly recommend it as it's still a beast of a performer...and the option of the keyboard dock is great
the wifi "problem" is almost non-existent...very few reported an actual problem..meaning they couldn't get signal... most are fine and the range has been much better with recent updates
i haven't really had the gps problem...but asus has been pretty good for the customer service regarding that. There was a asus tech following our issues on the boards and a free gps dongle was sent out if you requested it (like i said, i didn't have any problems...but free upgrades? i'll take it)
like someone else said, it's kind of hard to justify paying more for the infinity for just a better resolution...the tf300 is as good of a bet, but doesn't look nearly as nice/sexy
so...fingers crossed, my tablet has been great so far and i definitely would still recommend it
Jelly Bean is suppose to be coming in a few months as ASUS originally says:
Dear valued ASUS customer,
At ASUS, one of the key commitments we make to our customers is a relentless drive to deliver the best user experience. We constantly strive to achieve this goal through our 'Design Thinking' philosophy that includes regular software and firmware updates for our products.
We are pleased to announce that many of our tablet products are scheduled to receive an update to Android 4.1, Jelly Bean. The ASUS Transformer Pad, ASUS Transformer Pad Prime and ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity are all scheduled to receive Android 4.1 updates in the coming months. We will provide further guidance on our expected timeframes for these updates near their release.
We are still investigating Jelly Bean updates for other devices, but we are not in a position to confirm whether any other products will be eligible for an update at the moment.
Thank you for your continued support.
ASUS
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It shouldn't take that long for something like Jelly Bean to arrive since there isn't a huge difference between ICS. They should focus on the bugs of the screen. I've noticed when playing videos, there is tearing on the sides and sometimes the whole screen. Project Butter wont really make much of a difference since the tablet already has a quadcore. And even Google Now, Voice Search are useless unless the Prime had 3G capabilities. All in all, I think there needs to be more development for tablets and they should take advantage of the Tegra3 processor,
Right now, the only official JB updates are going to Galaxy branded devices. They have like a 4 month 'exclusiveness' that was announced at Google IO. After that, the rest of our devices should start getting official updates.
I have not seen a single screen tear on my prime since I loaded JB. I used to get them ALL THE TIME on the stock rom. I did have an instance where my screen tore when running the NES emulator but that was the program and not the system. A restart fixed it.
As for the 3g thing, it doesn't have it but that doesn't render Google Now useless. As long as you have a WiFi connection, your fine. Worst case scenario, you can just tether your TFP to your phone. But when phones get JB (which a lot do), why not just use that instead?
I do agree that people should be taking advantage of the Tegra 3 stuff, but you also have to think that most app developers make things that will work on a majority of devices. If they made an app for each specific device and processor, they would never get anything done.
I think developers like high end developers (Gameloft, EA Sports and such, basically big companies) should start to work for tegra 3 devices. They can make normal apps for all devices, but if they worked hard. they can make such great apps that we have never seen or got to use before on a tablet or phone. Take advantage of the processor the ram. Like fruit ninja THD looks SO much better than the normal version. If big developers start then it wouldn't be a problem in the future because devices will soon have quad core as a default feature.
Has Asus dropped support for the tablet?
ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 — the First Partner Tablet to
Receive Android 4.2 Update
Improvements include enhanced performance and stability
along with multiple user account logins
Taipei, Taiwan (1 March, 2013) — ASUS today announced the Android 4.2 update for the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T. The Android 4.2 update will be released to Transformer Pad owners over the air, and is available from March. This new version of Android enhances performance and stability, as well as provide multiple user account logins along with other functions that improve the user experience. ASUS is committed to providing the best customer experience, and is the first manufacturer to receive Android 4.2.
The ASUS Transformer Pad is one of the most successful ASUS tablets, with the ability to transform to a full notbebook PC with the innovative mobile dock. The ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity, ASUS MeMO Pad Smart 10”, and ASUS MeMO Pad will receive Android 4.2 in Q2.
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There seems to be no mention of the TF201...
I have to look up that thread where people used the TF300's update on the Prime when Jellybean initially came out.
hate Asus
i had a TF101 and asus did the same thing to that too ...
they didn't support it after 1 year of release .
i will never buy any of Asus products again .
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!
Although it was posted on November, I hope it's still true:
http://www.androidauthority.com/asus-android-4-2-update-works-transformer-tablet-versions-133015/
Plus, the TF300 did get 4.1 before our Prime, so I still have my hopes up.
lol
so predictable
ROM on, my friends. ROM on.
Its all very well saying rom on... But how long will devs be deving? ROMs are already thin on the ground. Anyway asus should be supporting our tablet.
Guess we will have to wait and see.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk HD
Nomad 666 said:
Its all very well saying rom on... But how long will devs be deving? ROMs are already thin on the ground. Anyway asus should be supporting our tablet.
Guess we will have to wait and see.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk HD
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I own a TF300 which got it today but I do feel sorry for Prime owners. Samsung did the same to Tab 10.1 owners. The Prime is more than capable.
Although, there could still be hope as other models weren't mentioned either (i.e Padfone 2).
Well, they had said in November that the Prime would be getting the 4.2 update, so I guess we have to wait and see.
mr.fast said:
I own a TF300 which got it today but I do feel sorry for Prime owners. Samsung did the same to Tab 10.1 owners. The Prime is more than capable.
Although, there could still be hope as other models weren't mentioned either (i.e Padfone 2).
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How is it? What's new?
theandies said:
How is it? What's new?
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I work at Best Buy and installed the update on our display model. I added a user account so that we could show off that feature (unique in the android and iOS tablets we stock) and played around with it a little. I was quite impressed, the user switching works well but is a little laggy on the change over, however it loads everything so once you unlock it's quick. Asus have really changed the camera app (I think, it's very differend to the one on my Prime) but I didn't have a lot of time to play about with it - photosphere wasn't obvious. There is a setting to toggle the new UI so you can stick with the old notification position etc. if you choose. The lock screen widgets look nicely implemented but I have only used them on my Nexus 4 before and never had my hands on a Nexus 10. The lack of any installed apps limits the number of available widgets and their usefulness.
Hope this helps.
trekkie1701 said:
I work at Best Buy and installed the update on our display model. I added a user account so that we could show off that feature (unique in the android and iOS tablets we stock) and played around with it a little. I was quite impressed, the user switching works well but is a little laggy on the change over, however it loads everything so once you unlock it's quick. Asus have really changed the camera app (I think, it's very differend to the one on my Prime) but I didn't have a lot of time to play about with it - photosphere wasn't obvious. There is a setting to toggle the new UI so you can stick with the old notification position etc. if you choose. The lock screen widgets look nicely implemented but I have only used them on my Nexus 4 before and never had my hands on a Nexus 10. The lack of any installed apps limits the number of available widgets and their usefulness.
Hope this helps.
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Click to collapse
They removed Photosphere (although I don't need it).
It's definitely faster than Android 4.1.
It's good of Asus to provide options (in case a select few don't want to change the UI).
mr.fast said:
They removed Photosphere (although I don't need it).
It's definitely faster than Android 4.1.
It's good of Asus to provide options (in case a select few don't want to change the UI).
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Click to collapse
Photosphere is not a part of aosp, I guess Google is not giving it out.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk HD
ASUS Italy confirmed the update for TF201
xttp://xxx.tuttoandroid.net/android/asus-transformer-prime-asus-conferma-laggiornamento-ad-android-4-2-96830/
xttp://xxx.tuttoandroid.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Immagine3.png (since I can't post links, replace x with h and xxx with www)
Translated:
Q: Asus Italia, any news on android 4.2 update for asus transformer prime tf201? Thanks
A; Android 4.2 is coming on Prime. All rumors on exclusion of TF201 are unfounded.
Nessuno_87 said:
ASUS Italy confirmed the update for TF201
xttp://xxx.tuttoandroid.net/android/asus-transformer-prime-asus-conferma-laggiornamento-ad-android-4-2-96830/
xttp://xxx.tuttoandroid.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Immagine3.png (since I can't post links, replace x with h and xxx with www)
Translated:
Q: Asus Italia, any news on android 4.2 update for asus transformer prime tf201? Thanks
A; Android 4.2 is coming on Prime. All rumors on exclusion of TF201 are unfounded.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's good news for Prime owners.
Asus have been great with updates.
Nessuno_87 said:
ASUS Italy confirmed the update for TF201
xttp://xxx.tuttoandroid.net/android/asus-transformer-prime-asus-conferma-laggiornamento-ad-android-4-2-96830/
xttp://xxx.tuttoandroid.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Immagine3.png (since I can't post links, replace x with h and xxx with www)
Translated:
Q: Asus Italia, any news on android 4.2 update for asus transformer prime tf201? Thanks
A; Android 4.2 is coming on Prime. All rumors on exclusion of TF201 are unfounded.
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Coming December 2013
rorytmeadows said:
Coming December 2013
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WAT?
hikka said:
WAT?
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Just keeping with the pattern of Asus.
rorytmeadows said:
Just keeping with the pattern of Asus.
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Asus is actually one of the faster technology companies to upgrade/update their products. I seriously doubt it'll be the end of the year before the update.
Actually its really predictable that Asus will no longer support the Prime... just hoping developers on XDA and all the people here keep this Prime thread alive and keep our Prime "alive" !!
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app