yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Eee Pad Transformer General] Vertig0:
Best Buy ask for this and I have it in paper from Asus.

Wrong, Model number is TF101. A1, X1 its just a suffix

See above

Best Buy Mentality... X1 and A1 are just suffix and they are used by manufacturers to identify a change in a lot either they found a hardware problem and they want to keep track of fixed units vs units that still have the problem. Also they are use to indicate an upgrade. But in case we all know is a dirty tactic from BB since there is only 1 Asus Transformer Eeepad. Well actually 2, 16g and 32g.
[Eee Pad Transformer General] msbullock:
See my reasoning for WHY Best Buy (and MANY if not every RETAILER) make special requests and purchases that in this case benefited BOTH ASUS and Best Buy.

According to ASUS @ http://support.asus.com/repair.aspx?no=565&SLanguage=en, they seem to include everything after the dash. If you look at the bios screen showing the motherboard you will see that they include the "-VM" as part of the model number as well as the "-E" in the picture below it.

If you take a look at the ASUS web store HERE you will see that the TF101-A1 is what I called "stamped" with part number: 90OK-S06W21020Y. The part number stamped on the back of the TF101-X1 from Best Buy is: 90OK-06W2102590Y.

Ditto.

I'm still struggling to see this as Best Buy's "dirty tactic".

The product (X1) that was advertised in store was available in the quantities they advertised. They no longer have that specific product and now they are responsible for giving a different product (one that may function identically but with a different associated cost) at their expense because it's an inconvenience to the customer that they no longer have or can order that product from the vendor and provide it to the customer at the previous price.

Retail in general, not ONLY Best Buy, operates in a a fashion to make money. That is why if you shop at Costco, Staples, Walmart, Office Max, etc. you will find comparable items. Ones with identical spec even. Most the time they are different model numbers. This is setup in a fashion that the vendor can sell a similar item, and get the most money they can.

It's bulk purchases from a vender at a specified price. You see this every day with gas. Why are there different prices at different places? Because different stations have different cost associated with getting that gas and getting it into your tank. If the gas station can buy a bulk supply of gas at a reduced rate, the pump prices fall. They normally stay there till the next time they have to purchase gas. If that rate is higher than they paid previously they don't give it to you at what gas WAS, you get it at what they have to pay now. The gas station doesn't produce the gas. You don't go in and blame the person behind the counter for the price you pay in gas, you blame the people pulling the oil out of the ground.

If ASUS has made the TF101-(X1 or A1) so affordable, why then is every retailer they supply to not able to sell every Transformer TF101; be it the X1 or A1 at such a reduced price? Even now nearly 3 months later (fiscal quarter)? Granted it's showing out of stock in their own store it's still listed for $364.99
[Eee Pad Transformer General] gottahavit:
The dirty tactic here is that BB didn't advertise this as a "limited run" model. The bigger slimeball move here is that they also sold their overpriced "warranty" with the item(at least to the best of my knowledge) at the same price as the original TF, knowing full well that they could never honor the replacement terms and the best they would ever do is give someone their money back which would come up 100 bucks short on a replacement.

Also add to that that I'm pretty sure that they printed a "regularly 399" or whatever on the sticker making you believe they were just selling it to you at a bargain and also making it "on sale" so that you could not use any RZ discounts or get pricematches from competitors. If it's a different model and wasn't just "on sale" then it shouldn't have been marked on sale or with the original pricing or carry the same warranty price.
[Eee Pad Transformer General] Vertig0:
According to Asus...
[Eee Pad Transformer General] daranman:
I remember the BF ad for the TF101-X1 as an "exclusive offer", and it was packaged differently than an -A1. I can see how Best Buy can call it a different model 'package', even if the actual item is functionally and electronically identical, but it seemed like a ploy to prevent price matching elsewhere. Best Buy does have a legitimate reason to not directly swap a defective -X1 for an -A1, if the -X1 actually them less through incentives from Asus. I'm glad that my '-X1' didn't have any issues after opening, but I can see their point in not losing profit by doing an repair rather than a replacement... I still would be upset though that Best Buy wasn't doing their best to retain a customer, as many of us are now hitting the internet for better deals.
[Eee Pad Transformer General] msbullock:
I can understand the frustration. Few electronic items that are "limited run" models are seldom if ever advertised. Having been on the sales floor and seeing the inner workings, I can tell you they do not make this information easy for the store to interpret. We do not have direct line of sight to see when/if ever the items are being purchased again and going to be made available to the stores. To The comment about the "overpriced warranty", that is our Geek Squad Black Tie protection (GSBTP). The pricing for this pretty straight forward and rarely changes from item to item, rather category to category. It depends on the products category, and from there the sale price of the item. For example the $400.00-499.99 tablets have the same price for the GSBTP regardless of make or model. They offer the 16GB iPad that runs $499.99 the same protection they do the $449.99 Transformer. Now if the regularly priced 449.99 tablet drops to 399.99 for a sale, it dips below the price bracket, the protection plan cost drops too. This may only be a slight difference in price, but it's still a lesser price.

On the GSBTP, please note that this is backed by a 3rd party, you can read the full Terms and Conditions HERE. The plan on tablets I believe are SERVICE PLANS not REPLACEMENT PLANS, meaning we have to give ASUS a chance to fix the problem, or if it was accidental damage, we have to send it to our service center for an opportunity to fix the device. It's only if the device is deemed UN-repairable under our service center that we can exchange it out under the GSBTP. I agree with you I'd be a little upset if the only option for an overall solution was going to cost me paying the full price for a comparable product. Generally the store gives you some kind of comparable item choice. They can normally work with you to resolve your issue if you have our GSBTP.

If you roll the two concepts I posted above into one it kind of makes sense. The regular cost could still be 399 but if they were giving a vendor credit to the store for only the Bumblebee-X10 units on sale that day, and 0 for the A10's. After that sale ends, the cost of the item returns to pre-credit price. Thus why after BF the tablet rose in price again.

The GSBTP shouldn't have been the same price for the $250 dollar tablet and the 399 tablet. I believe they were in two separate tiers, but I can look into that.

---------- Post added at 07:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:00 PM ----------

And I fully agree with the statement made. The TF101-A1 has the same hardware specs as the TF101-X1, still does not change the fact that they are in ASUS's own system as two separate products with

different

part numbers.

---------- Post added at 07:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:12 PM ----------

daranman,

I completely agree with you. And if you come in to my store there are several of us who try to do everything we can to go out of our way and retain our customers.
[Eee Pad Transformer General] Vertig0:
smh... All I can tell you is that one day you're going to be a BB manager. Keep a good work.
[Eee Pad Transformer General] nxt:
Wow, you must be very up in the best buy food chain for all your info about how best buy does their business..... lol, too bad they're all wrong.

Too bad a lot of Best Buy sales reps think like this guy and think they know everything when they really don't. LOL

Sent from Galaxy Nexus (GSM)
[Eee Pad Transformer General] king..kranium:
We on DROID FORUMS... y would I her a ipad anyway. Android makes tablets...
[Eee Pad Transformer General] msbullock:
I'm not "very up" in the food chain, in my opinion. But Best Buy has kept me steadily employed over the last five years. You start to pickup your bearings within the system. How companies make and loose money. How on one day in particular (BF), companies can afford to sell items hundreds if not thousands of dollars less.

I never claimed to know everything. On this particular situation however, having reasearched this myself before making a purchase of my own X1; I think I got it right.
[Eee Pad Transformer General] player911:
This is why I don't believe in Warranties through Stores. They typically are all ripoffs. Warranty's and GiftCards should be illegal unless improved upon or fixed.

As far as this topic, it sucks, but I can see both sides. The problem here is Best Buy sold warranties on products they knowingly were only going have on 1 day. They should have been sold as 30-day money back only (since they couldn't swap for another unit after BF).

This is a huge problem that Best Buy has created. They effectively sold fraudulent warranties to devices they won't cover. I don't think Best Buy was out to screw anyone on purpose, but thats the way it turned out.

Unfortunately people who buy these special Transformers on Black Friday can only rely on Asus to fix their problems for the 1yr duration under which the product is within manufacture warranty.

Best Buy's Warranties are a scam anyway because they typically require you to go through the manufacture first anyway (so why even have a warranty through Best Buy?)

Best Buy simply needs to reimburse people for the warranties sold on a knowingly limited product that they would be unable to repair or replace in the future.

And for want its worth, Asus does this all the time with Best Buy. I had an Asus HE-1000 netbook back in the day when Netbooks were just coming out. The typical Asus HE-1000 has a 6-cell battery (~10hr battery life) and Bluetooth. Researching online I found a few but seen Best Buy had limited quantities in stores... my local Best Buy being one of them. Run out and pick it up, get home and start playing. First night it died in a few hours which seemed typical. Full charge next day and still died a few hours. Bla bla bla.

I found that Best Buy gimped the model with a 3-cell (3.5hr life) and no bluetooth, which I use a bluetooth mouse. It was the same price as online "full" varieties. Needless-to-say, Best Buy was ripping people off. Selling an inferior product under the same name. The 6-cell batteries were selling for over $100 and I would require a USB dongle (something I was trying to NOT have) for Bluetooth for my mouse. Needless to say I ordered the Full model online, and returned the Best Buy one once I received my "as advertised" unit.

At least in this case you got the same exact model (we think) for a hefty discount, less a store warranty. If they are offering you a full cash back on your purchase (including warranty), then I would jump on it and take my money elsewhere.

At the end of the day, you always get what you pay for.
[Eee Pad Transformer General] msbullock:
Everything including the GBSTP was 100% returnable (not store credit, the way you paid. Unless it was cash, everything over $250 they gotta mail you a check) through Jan 24th, 61 days past the purchase date. From then on, the Transformer has to be sent to our service center for repair if your having problems with it. The GSBTP is still returnable at a pro rated rate any time it is still valid. I think the 1 Year coverage was 89.99, so if you returned it now you'd be looking at getting ~$69 bucks back.

Now we're on to something. I completely agree, I don't think that Best Buy's system is setup to handle these similar items. Generally on the GSBTP, it's supposed to play out like this:

You purchase a protection plan, the device starts malfunctioning so you take it into Best Buy, we send it off to our service center and they either repair it, get you back up and running. If they cannot repair it they fulfill your plan, but you get a new one with comp specs and generally because the technology has advanced, the newer one should be what you paid for the old one. Because it's only been 80 something days its not panning out like that. Let's not count out that they may still be able to repair it. They do after all, have similar parts inside, if nothing else they may be repairing your device with A1 parts if they don't have any X1 parts.

Here is a question I have for you all, on these limited run models; would you be willing pay the protection plan price for the regular A1 ($10-50 more for the plan, depending on the sale and length of plan), if it meant that should Best Buy not be able to repair the product they would exchange it for the A1. (IE instead of buying minimum insurance you were paying for coverage over the price you were paying for the item.)

That I might be able to get passed on to the higher ups, and we may no be in this fiasco next Black Friday.
[Eee Pad Transformer General] jordanjay29:
There's a huge difference between a Best Buy-specific model and a Black Friday-specific model. A Best Buy specific model has been made, by the manufacturer, to a specific spec for a particular retailer, like Best Buy. You see this all the time in TVs as well, the same "models" (series, really) are sold at Walmart, Target and Best Buy for varying prices and (customers think) the same quality. False! Walmart, Target and Best Buy all receive very different models, including differences in quality, features and price, all depending on what the retailer negotiated. The choice here is that you can go to a different retailer if you want a particular model.

Now, if you walked into Walmart, Target or Best Buy on Black Friday to buy the TV that is normally, say, $499 and is being sold for $349, you would expect the same TV. Especially if the ad specified "Was $499" or "$150 savings!" Those comparisons cannot be ethically made unless the product being reference is the same. If a retailer is purporting that their product on Black Friday is the exact same (for customer purposes) as what they normally sell, then they need to stick to that.

Now, the retailers need to protect their assets, of course, but they should be accepting defective returns and refunding the customer for the price of the regular model, not the promotional model. To do otherwise is beyond poor customer service. A customer bought the item in good faith, trusting that it would work. If it doesn't, and when the product is returned the customer is left without the means to purchase the working model with the amount of their refund...then the retailer just lost that customer and possibly more because they were too worried about their pocketbook in the short term rather than the long term. That customer could have stayed loyal and made them a healthy profit over the years, but now they come away with a sour experienced and a colored perspective of that retailer, which hurts the customer, the retailer, the employees, the vendors, the manufacturers and everyone else.

Ethically, here, Best Buy is in the wrong to refuse customer returns of the BF Transformers, and in poor ethical standing to refund only the cost of the TF without providing the customers a means of exchanging the TF X-1 for a TF A-1 at no charge. It's a bit much to ask Best Buy to dig into their pockets and pull out $400 cash for everyone who wants to return their TF X-1, but if it's defective and the customer wants an exchange, Best Buy should honor it. If they want a refund, they should get what they paid. That's what's ethical here, that's what's morally right.
[Eee Pad Transformer General] Vertig0:
**Last Update**

Got my new tablet today, I regret to inform you that I have to take everything back... X1 and A1 are indeed two completely different models. The reason why this 2 tablets are different is X1 come in a brown box and the A1 comes in darker box with a picture of the tablet outside.

LOOOOOOL

The Regional Manager told me that they did the X1 thing because they didn't plan to take any tablet back after a week and if they did it will show losses.

Like I said since day one... little dirty tricks to screw customers.
[Eee Pad Transformer General] player911:
I understand every store has their special models but they don't have 2 of the same unit at different prices. They don't sell iPads for $299 and $499, then screw people when it breaks and won't exchange it.

BF deals are supposed to be sales, not "let's make a cheap look-a-like to fool everyone". If I bought an Asus Transformer and a 2 year warranty and it breaks, I want it fixed or replaced with a like model. End of story. That's how warranties work and why people buy them.

If this doesn't happen then the warranty is fraudulent and shouldn't hold up in court.

LTE EX Galaxy Nexus - 4.0.3 AOSP

Asus Transformer - Revolver OC/UV
[Eee Pad Transformer General] XLerated:
Technically the 101 and 201 have 800p screens. And the 701 he is talking about has 1200p
[Eee Pad Transformer General] mazjohn:
Wait a minute: hear me out please

I read a few pages of this thread and thought - wait a minute:

In my opinion only of course:

If it is true, Why is Asus even

offering

Bestbuy a cheaper SKU of the TF-101 in the first place ???

This is very misleading to customers, thinking you are getting a good deal on a sale price, but then finding out that the "SKU build" shipped from Asus to BestBuy is CRAP, just for the sake of a "SALE PRICE".

Both companies must be negotiating some sort of alternate "SKU" i would guess, and that this was intended to lower the price and prevent returns without a huge battle.

The power button issue is a sensitive one for me, since I previously owned an Acer A500 prior to getting my Prime, and it too had a bad power button after 2 months of use.

A power switch costs the manufacturer pennies per unit. WHY ON EARTH would they skimp on a really cheap part to use for one of the MOST USED COMPONENTS on the device is beyond me.

I greatly dislike APPLE, but My 4 year old iPod touch gets turned on and off via power button every day for 4 years, and NO problems.

For an tablet that costs upwards of 300-500 dollars, I would expect the Manufacturers to use QUALITY components.

Asus spends money to give us a high quality IPS screen, but tries to save 3 cents per unit on a cheaper "power button" , and caused ALL of us to have nothing but problems to deal with.

Sorry- I usually do not go on like this on XDA, ...and I try not to get negative in my posts, but this was a real issue for me.

I wish some XDA developer could make an APP that wakes the Prime from sleep, without having to use the power button. (use the light sensor, volume buttons or something different please)

Many of us could have bad power buttons soon if this issue is not addressed. If Asus won't do something about it, than hopefully someone else can.

/ end of rant
[Eee Pad Transformer General] jordanjay29:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.sourcespark.app.casesensor

If you have a closeable case, that works. Battery drain, but it works.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] stevenkhan168:
Does anyone have a tool to get wifi password call Penetrate version 2.11 Full (I think this is the latest version) for Android ?

Or if you have a better tool than this one, please recommended me.

Thanks in advanced :rolleyes:
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] zpmarcos:
need it too!
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] bambam126:
here u go

http://www.umnet.com/free-software/14596-Penetrate_Pro_v2111
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] Ryanx196:
How do i get google wallet on my cdma galaxy nexus?
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] Gahh Its Lee:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1365360. Its right over in the nexus apps and themes. Works like a charm.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] tsata:
I am a noobie so please pardon my ignorance. This is my first tablet. It was my Christmas. I have read many posts here and tried to find answers about my problems. My GPS doen't work and it reboots a lot. Wifi is slow, but usable. some people say Asus will fix it but they said GPS is not supposed to work. My friend has a Samsung tablet and his works. I'm getting worried.

Other people say it is great, but maybe I just don't understand. The great thing I see is the water splashing on the screen in Riptide. I'd rather have GPS like my friend. Is it normal to buy a tablet and then find out it does not do what it is supposed to do and have so many problems? Is there really something better coming out soon? I don't like mine but would if everything worked good.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] jdbaker82:
Are you even old enough to drive?
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] colbyb25:
Did your Prime come with ICS (The latest Android software)? If it did not and you had to update the tablet once you brought it home, doing a factory reset might do the trick to help solve your problems. Just a thought.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] ToneyEricsson:
Best to return it and get a full refund there will be a better one coming out. WiFi and GPS are supposed to be addressed in the newer Prime TF700T plus it has a better screen.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Moothead2:
You neglected to mention you won't see it on store shelves for a least the best part of 5-6 months.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] tsata:
Are you trying to be funny or just rude. What does driving have to do with it.

I found you in other posts. You are the one that said

"Also just got off the phone with the ASUS Engineering department and they are aware that the backing is whats causing the issue with the GPS signal I finally got to speak with an engineer after jumping through 100 hoops and explaining to them that I disassembled one of the Primes and it locked onto a GPS signal and navigated from point A to point B with no problems with the backing off of it."

I don't think it would operate while disassembled, from the pictures of the tear down. So, you're probably not much help if you're not telling the truth.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] CraigGB:
yeah not only 5 - 6 months but it will be 100 pounds more expensive when it does come out :rolleyes:
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] tsata:
Thank you everyone for trying to help. I've done the updates and resets but it didn't fix anything. I will have to return it soon before it is too late. I think I had rather wait for a better one or have something slower and not as pretty that works.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] YOYO41:
Hello newbie you came to the wrong forum, this forum is not gonna help you with anything,you come here only if you

1- complaint

2- write negative stuff

3- Tell everybody that you are returning your prime

4-That ASUS is the worst company in the world

5-Never ask for help,JUST COMPLAINT

6-If you don't own the prime you complaint even harder

7- YOU ARE TROLL

8-WRITE NONSENSE

If you don't do any of the above you will be laugh at as you are seeing
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] ToneyEricsson:
TF700T comes out Q2

Q2 is April, May, June

Thats also how long before complete interest is lost in the TF201 as it will be obsolete as a mid range product. Its a far better option to get the better TF700T also it will be the flagship model.