[Eee Pad Transformer General] jms_uk:
Ok, so its a new thread about my ups and downs with the Transformer.. I wanted to crystallise a few thoughts about it though because its easy to pick up on the negativity and although I've posted about the positive things in the past, my most recent experience has put things into perspective quite interestingly.. so first..

The cons..

** Asus should've been a lot clearer on their communication regarding the dock battery drain issue for earlier models. If it weren't for the good people here on XDA and an eventual communication from Asus here, a lot of people would still be scratching their heads about this problem, how to solve it and even if it would ever be solved.. and lets not forget Joe Average who probably doesn't even know a genuine problem exists, save for the fact his tablet+dock aren't performing they way he probably expects (i.e. superior battery life when used together etc.)

** The early adopters from the ILoveKeyboard promotion should've been contacted (as someone quite rightly posted previously). Of course there's no obligation to, but it would've been great PR and a missed opportunity if we had been notified..

** Build quality has been questionable. Personally, I've found it to be more than adequate but I know it's affected a lot of people and it sucks.. In truth though, I guess this can happen to any mass market device (IPad 2 lightbleed anyone?)

** Awkward RMA process (i.e. Restrictions/issues with the web form, ambiguity about whether both tablet AND dock need to be returned etc.)

From reading here on XDA I know there are a tonne of other issues that when combined could paint a pretty bleak picture but what consumer electronics device isn't plagued by one issue or another? For me its about perspective and perhaps a bit of luck that I've not had any major issues to contend with. I do respect that we shouldn't have to be lucky when purchasing our tech, but there's always an element of risk whether its made by Asus, Apple, Motorola or whoever..

The pros...

** Software updates. Asus have really done us proud here! Its only after getting some privilaged info about how tardy other vendors have been with their updates (depending on your region) that I'm beginning to appreciate how lucky we've been with the updates.. both Asus' own firmware fixes and Honeycomb increments from 3.0.1 through to 3.2

** Dock RMA. For me, the process was quick and painless and I'm now the proud owner of the device I thought it would be when I bought it. I totally respect that many others haven't had quite the same experience (damaged returned units, paying for shipping, delays etc.) but at least in the UK/Europe its been pretty damned good!

**Community. It sounds silly, but we're building an excellent community here. From guys like Flexer and others who made battery widgets to the efforts of Stuntdouble and others who help keep the flow of information going! All these little things smooth the bumps and IMHO have really added to the experience of enjoying what is by no means a trivial bit of hardware.

Sure, I'd like to say to people weighing up iOS vs Android before they make their purchases that they shouldn't have to rely on a resource like XDA to keep them in the loop.. but I bet there are just as many "average" users scratching their heads about the vaguaries of iOS despite the fact its supposed to "just work".. with the flexibility we enjoy with our transformers also comes a little bit of effort on our part and XDA sweetens the deal that bit more :)

So there it is.. just my t'uppence 'orth. I'm still loving my transformer as much as the day I got it. The updates have improved things no end, the number of quality apps is improving all the time and the fixed dock gives me a tablet device unlike anything out there..

Happy days :)