yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Hawke84:
This is the most sensable post I've seen! My thoughts are that they Sofia massive stock build with the WiFi issue older models and they are in the process of bringing them back to fix hence short stock while this happens. Newer serial number primes are ok. That's my thoughts
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] soutwater:
So what should be considered a "new" serial number?
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] undercover:
It's called speculation. No one knows what's happening. But, my guess would be (if Asus is revisionist hw) that few older serials are going to be mixed in.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] agtitan:
My guess is they will replace all the metal backings with the one with the plastic strip on top like the new infinity.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] junrider:
I doubt it, its too obvious and many people with the older models will complain and demand Asus to change theirs too.. Its probably going to be a silent transition. To prevent attention. But a good indication is stocked shelves of brick and mortar stores everywhere and all the online stores with available stocks. Either ways we will find out sooner or later.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] demandarin:
its driving you crazy..don't you just love speculating ;) The future has endless possibilities..lmao.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] agtitan:
I think they will replace all of them if the owner requests it. Just a guess..
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] NeroDan:
As much as I doubt it...that'd be awesome. I just got mine the other day and the GPS is completely nonfunctional. Boo.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] JoeJags:
Anticipation.........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibSelIFBR8s

:D
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] TransformerPrime:
My prime is working fine and I like my prime's metal backing...so I won't exchange for a plastic one. That's also one of the main reasons I haven't bought Samsung flagship phone yet...waiting for the ceramic backing S3.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] m7jones:
My speculation, Asus answered the call from Ubuntu, about the Ubuntu on Android and will be releasing it on the TFP. Dreams can come true, right?
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Kasper31:
we can only hope.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] junrider:
The only thing is if the waiting wasnt worth the announcement, there will be a lot of disappointed people. Id be really happy if they decided to rename the TF700 the TF201 with the $499 price tag.:D
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] blaxican25:
maybe they will have a recall on the prime :D where is mr gary key :confused:
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] e.mote:
>but I would ask the mods to at least wield the sword of moderation on these "official threads" in which Gary has started to seek information

OP is posting any new info in the first post, so there is no need for users to search through the thread.

Secondly, it's mainly up to the OP to manage the thread. Posting "exciting news in two weeks" is bound to get people yapping. You can't realistically expect users, who are already getting antsy about lack of availability, to keep clam and wait for Santa to hand out the goodies.

Thirdly, it's also up to the OP to set the tone for the thread. Empty accusations of "company plants" can only hurt the conversation, as the defenders of the product will take up the cue and everybody who has criticism is now labeled a TROLL. The name-calling is already rampant here without adding more fuel to the fire.

Frankly, while I appreciate Asus' attempt to engage the users and provide online support, the OP's conduct falls short of professionalism. There is indeed a class-action lawsuit going on, and I understand his jaundiced view of some criticism, but he should keep it to himself than worsening the tenor of the dialog. Neither is it helping people's anxiety by adding to the rumor craze with vague "exciting news" promises.

Customer support is as much about the art of managing people's expectations as it is about the product. The OP has much room for improvement in this area. Stick to CS, and drop the marketing.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] deevo2:
errmm i thought he was from marketing not customer support
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] e.mote:
>errmm i thought he was from marketing not customer support

Exactly. His stated role here is to provide CS, and he should stick to that, rather than his job description--which, I may add, he's not doing well at. People aren't getting excited, just more anxious. That's not what you want as a marketer.

That said, every action a vendor takes is in essence marketing. Good CS is indeed good marketing, if it increases users' good will. I have no illusion that the OP is here for charitable purposes.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] krispy521:
Speak for yourself. I appreciate Gary's communication with us. He is only trying to help and keep us informed. Im sure most of us agree.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] boakesm:
Agree
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] bimbobo:
Agree, the rest of ASUS support is almost useless.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] epology:
Personally I also prefer the honest and direct style of communication Gary is presenting on XDA. If I wanted to hear marketing bs, I'd just call the support hotline or write an eMail.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] mardiie:
Its great to hear about the upcomming update, i was starting to wonder when some of the problems would be adressed.

Problems im having are : extreme screen flickering in the youtube app as users reported, and flickerings when using the app switcher.

Also browser experience isnt that flawless, next to the device having several restarts while watching flash videos or a FC on the app (it still seems to response when asking to wait though) when there is a flash element in the site. I could live with that if the rest of the browser wasnt that choppy, this problem is also visible in chrome, wich is still in beta i know, but seems to be smoother on other devices.

Quick restart of the device fixes most problems for a while, but that not the correct way ofcourse.

For the rest im loving the product.

Wifi range is prety good, not just as strong as my plastic laptop but as strong as my Desire. Im getting 72mbps when im in good range though so thats nice. GPS gets a fix just as quick as my Desire, though i havent tried it on the road yet, the test took place next to my balcony door (sweet spot in my room)

Im reading about people not getting a fix, maybe broken unit? Or maybe satalites dont come over frequent were you live? its a possibility, ive had that multiple times in my travels in the USA with my Iphone 3g and my Desire.

What i like most about the device is the screen and the battery. im getting huge amount of usage time out of it. atm im at a 24 hour usage cycle, ive had the dock connected wich charged and used it for about half that time and the rest it idled (wifi on in sleep). While using ive had brightness maxed out for some of that time and even used it and hour with the super ips+ mode in the backyard wich is very nice. Make sure ur screen doesnt have finger prints on it though cuz that makes it hard to read with that much sunlight!
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] shinzz:
Beside the obvious issues (GPS, weak WIFI)...

Removing chrome browser did help with occasional lag/stuttering... & force close of app/browsers.

The only issue I'm having after .15 update is Time & Date. Mine is having issues with keeping up-to date in "time & date" occasionally. Must be reset or set manually at times...
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] scrufy:
I like Linux, and have used it since before Redhat 4 around 1995 or so.

Still, I have to ask;

When you can get a $200.00 netbook that dual boots 10 flavors of Linux and Windows and runs them well, would you really think getting another flavor of Linux on a tab that has Android (which is just Linux with each program having it's own Java VM essentially) is a major announcement and worth waiting for?
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] jonbristow:
Maybe the exciting news is they have found out what happened to ALL GPS functionality after the first ICS firmware upgrade we performed. 14 to 0 satellites in 1 firmware version is obviously not hardware its software.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] undercover:
Anyway. Whatever are news, real question is WHEN are the news? Wasn't it supposed to be on 22nd initially?
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] David522d:
i agree with this guy..
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] wynand32:
No date was ever given...
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] agtitan:
Mine was too. I returned it and awaiting the Infinity...
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] kubeb:
Just don't let go for over a week from now.

April fools is just around the corner and I hope ASUS won't trick us.

:-)
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] NeroDan:
I can see the front page of xda now..."Asus says 'I give up'...Joins with Apple."
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Rogue100:
This is what my money is on. It would be a logical addition for this device, and for the type of user a device like the prime attracts, would be a fairly significant announcement.

Agreed, with all the unsubstantiated rumors already flying around about long term status of this device, adding a promise of big news coming, with no hint on what that might be, will only increase the level of speculation. And if it turns out to be trivial, you're going to have a lot of disappointed users on your hands.

Again, I agree. I was called a bad customer and/or troll in another thread, that has since been deleted, for daring to suggest that those people who've claimed various issues of one sort or another, might not all be lying. A ridiculous claim, given the number of Asus products I've sunk my money into over the years. If Gary believes certain individuals are posting with ulterior motives, he should deal with them on a case by case basis, but to imply that all, or most of those posting with issues aren't genuine, is a bit insulting to users with genuine issues, and makes it that much harder for those people to get their issues heard, let alone resolved.

In as much as doing so lines up with, and benefit, the goals and interests of Asus, I agree.

It would add a pretty significant bit of functionality to the device, without the need to unlock the bootloader, or even dual boot the device to access that functionality. It's true that you can have that same functionality in a cheap netbook, but having that functionality in the same device as your tablet would be very convenient. And, even the best netbooks/ultrabooks, don't quite compare on size, weight and and battery life with a prime (even docked), and those that come closest tend to be more expensive.

Also, for all the speculation, this has been one of the more believable possibilities suggested.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] demandarin:
I've seen only one guy mention the most believable one.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] MK17:
He practically tells you how many there have been in his original post.

43 users have reported. 20% of them mimic the type of contact shown in 2a and 2b.

43*.2 = ~9 people that fit the criteria.

Sounds like a far cry from implying all or most.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] undercover:
And that in your opinion is.........?
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] undercover:
People in the marketing are very good in adjusting numbers/stats to their needs. Gary is doing his job very well, and I don't blame him for a second. In the end, that is what he's paid to do.

However, I'd appreciate if Asus just admitted problems, not just tried to bury them. All they had to do, is to prepare a batch of fully tested units (bar gps) and just set up an exchange program where if you rma and your tablet is confirmed to have a problem you'd just get a double tested unit. They wouldn't even have to admit that problems are widespread (not that they do now)

Benefits for asus and customers:

1. Respect for Asus and their reputation would have shot through the roof.

2. If 1% faulty units is true (which I don't believe for a second), it wouldn't hit them greatly financially.

3. Bad units would have been filtered out without people complaining about the (see point 1).

4. Customers would be happy (see point 1)

5. Review sites would definitely commend Asus on that (see point 1)

Cons :

None, as it would cost asus as much as they are spending now on rma.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] EVCT:
I'd like to weigh in on this discussion a bit. I'm on my second Prime and both exhibit the BT/WiFi issue. While owning the first unit I did not contact Asus about the issue as it seemed that Asus was suggesting it was a firmware issue that would be resolved so I figured I would wait it out.

In any case, I ended up returning my first Prime for dead pixel issues. I bought another under the belief that a firmware upgrade would address the BT/WiFi issue - unfortunately after my return window with my retailer expired Asus identified it was a hardware issue.

While I have contacted Asus and they advised me to confirm if I would like to RMA it I have yet to do so. My failure to initiate an RMA is obviously not Asus' fault but on the other hand I have been hesitant to send off my shinny new device that I use daily for a potentially lengthy period of time - especially since I have seen several users here claim they received their device back still having the same problem while only 1 or 2 claim their BT/WiFi issue was resolved.

I imagine that others may be in the same boat, they may have a problem but are hesitant to send in the unit unless they know there is a fix for sure and they know they will get it back on a timely basis.

In any case, to make a long story short, I suspect that the problem is wider-spread. Can it really be that I was unlucky enough to get two units from two separate retailers (Futureshop and Canada Computers) over a month apart that exhibit the same problem if it is really as rare as Asus suggests? A more likely explanation may be that the number of users trying to use WiFi/BT is likely small and therefore the number of returns or complaints related to this issue is also likely to be small.

Personally, I will continue to hold back on an RMA until such time as it seems users are generally receiving back their units fixed.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Rogue100:
He says they only assisted with and confirmed multiple problems with 9% of users (3-4 if the 43 number is correct), and is implying ulterior motives with most of the rest. You might suggest that those who never responded to emails must have such motives, but the only email I got in response to the Serial Number issue on my first prime came weeks after I had reported it, and had already returned it to the retailer, and bought a replacement. I'm probably not counted in that number he provided, as I was only reporting a single issue, and he's talking about users with multiple issues, but based on my experience, I'm inclined to believe a number of those non responding examples have to do with Asus timeliness problems in responding to Customer Support issues, rather than any sort of ulterior motive.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] yvrAndroidNut:
I hope the announcement is made soon. I don't know how many people viewing this and other threads are sitting on the fence like myself wondering if we should go ahead and buy a TF201. A few local shops around here have them.

Currently it is approaching half a million views on the first 3 threads created by Gary in this forum, so there are a lot of people viewing (or a lot of people hitting F5 :) )

If the annnouncement is good Asus can expect an increase in sales ?? especially if the media takes hold.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] olyfunk:
MHM

It would seem that this will be a positive announcement as it wouldn't do anything except bring TFP owners to a frothing frenzy to hype this and then bring some negative news.

No speculations here. Why dream big and be let down? Things progress so quickly that patience is definitely a virtue when waiting for updates and announcements.

I would imagine that a big improvement in the wifi/BT (however it is achieved) would most certainly bring about a boost in sales. I've noticed quite a few folks are on the fence when it comes to those issues that "some" owners are having issues with.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] GernBlanston:
I tend to agree. I followed closely the serial number thread, as I had the issue, and when Gary was putting out those stats, my own experience was echoing what so many others were saying...they had provided their info to Gary, and to Asus via means he provided, and received no reply from him or Asus other than "wait for someone to contact you." Then, Gary comes and drops hints that these are the voices of liars and spies, and that the problem is solved, and reports this to another, very well-read outlet...

I resent being lumped in with that group. I am neither liar nor corporate shill for a competing product. I resent that if someone comes here from the cnet article and reads my posts, they may, based on Gary's suggestion, dismiss the experiences and legitimate concerns of people posting in that thread as the ravings of lunatic apple fanboys. I resent the fact the issue is being reported fixed via firmware update, when it is not. I resent Gary implying Asus contacted everyone who reported their info via that thread when they have not. So,while I applaud Asus for appointing someone their spokesperson, I have as much reason to doubt what he says as he suggests others should in what I have to say.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] r0ck0:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2387493?start=0&tstart=0

Why does Gary have this link in his signature? Seems very immature and unprofessional.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] pi1256:
I have tried three primes in the last month, all of them had wifi drops when used with bluetooth. Since ASUS already admitted that both bt and wifi are on the same chip and sharing the same antenna, then all the primes have this problem. The question really is if they can find a way to fix this via software cause I doubt that they will recall each and every prime sold to do a hardware fix.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] bluewr:
No more immature then Apple claiming a "fact" in their press presentation without any source and no reply to any question for follow up.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] demandarin:
edit: NVM .........not worth addressing
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] edster00:
I think it is ASUS' (or Gary's) attempt to show the that even the "perceived epitome" of high tech products shares the issues the ATP is plagued with. It has been suggested by others he remove the link from his sig. to no avail. I'm on my 3rd Prime and anxiously awaiting the "big fix" and "big announcement" so I can decide whether to return this unit back to Amazon or not. Seems Amazon is the only one to offer new stock for future purchase. I was kind of disappointed my Prime ordered in March had a C2 serial number...I was hoping for a C3 shipped with ICS installed. I have a week or 10 days to decide on whether or not to keep this one, but with the Acer being on pre-order now I am wavering.

C'mon ASUS tell us what the big news is and put us out of our misery!:confused:
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] e.mote:
>with the Acer being on pre-order now I am wavering.

Iconia A510? If yes, please post a review of it once you get it in.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] Norcalz71:
While I still imagine it is unlikely (but hopeful), the backplate (if they know that is the main root issue for signal loss) is the best thing they could fix, hands down. I am fairly confident (family/friends in similar industry) that the retooling to a plastic and/or plastic/metal hybrid back would cost upfront $500k AT MOST, that's probably extreme upper end just for the retool. New units would roll out with the new part at an equal or potentially lower cost than the existing all metal plate. Existing units would have to be sent in and swapped out, incurring the cost of an additional backplate and the labor to swap.

HOWEVER, one also must remember too that XDA members are for the most part not "average" users by any stretch. While for this community it seems perfectly reasonable that companies unlock bootloaders and provide things like NVFlash....most smartphone/tablet users are not on this website and not that savvy, at all. Walk down the street and spot 20 people with android phones, I'll bet 1 or 2 of them even know what flashing a ROM is.

That said, lots of people out there probably have no idea at all that this tablet has "some issues", they are probably blissfully ignorant. If Asus offers a swap out for a new backplate, lets generously say they have sold 1 million units. 1 million people are NOT going to send it in for a swap out, most of those 1 million have probably never run wifi analyzer or read this thread. They notice some issues but they are not tech-savvy enough to know that the product is not performing as well as it should. Some will, most won't.

Retool the backplate, my guess is its a $1 million mistake tops, absolute tops, and it restores/upholds their reputation and you cannot put a price on that, especially for a company doing $20 billion per year. That is all of course assuming the backplate can solve the signal loss/degradation issues.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] bluefoam:
Thanks for making me laugh. I really am entertained by some of the posts here sometimes... :rolleyes:
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] undercover:
Care to explain how a very sensible post is funny?

Sent through the wormhole from my CoinInserted Sensation OG.
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] bluefoam:
While the post is written in a very authoritative tone and seems on the surface to be quite reasoned. The figures make no sense whatsoever. $1m to retool a back cover - ha ha. I am often amused by the uneducated drivel that is spouted on this site regularly!

While there are costs associated with retooling the back cover for the Prime, the problems relate more to marketing and distribution. What they would do by releasing a redesigned Prime is to create a two tier product line... Those with the current model would want the new back plate etc... & it would create an unworkable situation. They are better off to deplete current stock & to phase out the Prime & replace it with a new model - as it appears they are eventually going to do with the TP700 & TP300.

I already see posts here from people who bought C2 Primes and are disappointed now that they have discovered that the latest release is C3. I have noticed a number of posts stating that they are returning their C2's in order to get C3's, even though they don't speak of any significant problems they are having with their current device... They just want the latest model - this reaction would be exasperated by releasing a new TP model with the same components but a new shell.

I find it genuinely amusing that users here actually expect Asus to give them a $100 voucher for a TP700, just because they bought a Prime - or that Asus will incur the cost of recalling every single Prime to put a new back cover on it... The cost would be incredible & makes no sense from a logical or business point of view. But it doesn't stop people on here getting hyped up by silly rumors that have no basis in reality. There are going to be allot of posts on the forum giving out when they discover that Asus have a more realistic approach to the imminent update...