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[Q] A500/Wait for Transformer/Galaxy Tab 10.1

I was one of those guys who didn't know what the Asus Transformer was untill two days before the launch. At that point I wanted it, and was planning on getting it and was even awake when Bestbuy still had units, but I was going to wait untill I got to a computer and had more time. Man, was that a mistake !
Anyways i always have dissmissed the Acer A500 as a cheap tablet that has issues, and doesn't feel high quality. But I went into the store and checked it out for a few minutes and liked it. Seemed to feel nice and solid (Maybe a little too solid), and it has a USB port (With the new 3.1 update soon!). My concerns now are with the screen (Quality/Durablility), seems a bit portly (Doesn't look like an iPad ) , and still software issues+GPS. And then I have heard about their costomer support and I worry as I have bad luck with gizmos .
I have looked briefly at the new Galaxy Tab coming out and I like the way it looks, the screen should be of great quality, ect ect. But there is no USB, or any connectivity!
I have TERRIBLE patience (HATE waiting) and I want a Tablet soon, but I don't want to buy and have a bad tablet and regret it. So any thoughts on 1, 2 or all three tablets would be greatly aprieciated.

I'm pleased with mine, but still have a month or so before my return period is up to decide. I'm waiting to see if the next month or so of updates beef up the A500, or take the TF101 to the next level. Whichever one it is, I'll go for that one.

oh dear, not another one of these.
either buy it or don't.

I like it a lot and will stick with it!
I like it a lot and will stick with it!

gidgiddonihah said:
So any thoughts on 1, 2 or all three tablets would be greatly aprieciated.
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You know, there are at least 10 of these questions in both the TF and the A500 thread, you might want to search.
Anyway, my answer is wait. You're going to look for each and every problem you've read about the Acer and Asus, so I'd wait for the Galaxy Tab and start with that. If you don't like it, return it and get either the Asus or Acer. If you don't like any of them, I'm sure someone else will be just around the river bend.
Each tablet has their strength and weakness and at this point it's all about the build quality and the software.
Do you want a keyboard dock + more juice? The Asus is for you.
Do you want a USB Host port or need flash for your camera? Acer's the only one.
Do you want the best guarantee in getting software updates quickly and a super thin+light tablet? Samsung's got your back.
You've read about the issues.
The Asus is plagued with perceived light bleeding (not everyone), will possibly have a creaky backplate (not everyone), has no flash and has no usb host. Some people report freezing and rebooting, but this is true of Honeycomb period, so this is more than likely beyond the brand. The keyboard dock as of right now is buggy at best and most people report freezing/lockups while using it (known fact) and the battery in it runs all the time whether it's docked or not (known fact) so right now it doesn't live up to it's purpose unless you keep it plugged in.
The Acer's software is unrefined. We've had everything from people reporting they can't use gps without wifi (likely due to faulty hardware, not a general issue), the screen lighting up randomly (doesn't happen to everyone all the time) and the micro sd card isn't accessible from a PC while it's in the unit (known fact). The cell standby process is also running in the wifi only unit, an occurrence not found in the Xoom or TF afaik.
Some people report freezing and rebooting, but this is true of Honeycomb period, so this is more than likely beyond the brand.
The build quality for some, is lacking. 2 people have claimed their camera covers to be lifting, some people claim the side(s) creak and I've even read one person being worried about the charging port loosening up over time.
The Samsung isn't even out officially. You can read as many reviews as you want, you'll never get the dirty details until it hits the GENERAL public. The TF looked so good with it's limited release abroad, but when it came stateside en masse (sort of, anyway), we're reading about all these issues with the unit.
So I'll tell you what I tell anyone who asks. If you can, just WAIT. Obviously you can't wait forever, but wait until you can try what's just around the corner before you prematurely get something your subconscious mind more than likely dislikes anyway.

I was one of the early adopters of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7", which Samsung promptly abandoned after just a couple of months time.
Left a very bad taste in my mouth, if you get my drift. Hopefully I wont be singing the same sad song about the Iconia. Fingers crossed.

I started trying to get my hands on a Transformer but after Asus not being able to bring enough and days of trying to get one i finally gave up on it.
After days on reading and watching videos on the Acer Iconia the more i watched the more i like it and i decided that's what im gonna buy since it offers the most outta the box, I really didnt want the Keyboard dock on the TF so not having USB on the tablet became an issue for me the ips display is nice but its not like the A500 display is bad. at some point i kinda wanted to wait for the Samsung galaxy 10.1 but after seeing the white ones they gave out in Google IO yesterday it finally confirmed Acer A500 is the right tablet for me. i cant imagine not having Micro SD/SD card or a USB it seems Samsung mimics Apple too much that thing looked too much like an ipad 2 no ports only a proprietary port on the bottom.
so im going tomorrow to pick up my Acer ill root it and wait for 3.1

nice quick explanation babyboy. you touched on main points and your simple arguments made complete sense.
I was finally able to order a TF and while I've been waiting, I've been in store playing with the Acer. Most of my observations have been on the surface and I just can't get over the camera location on the Acer.
After seeing the IO Sammy, I had the opposite reaction in terms of aesthetics because I'm one of those that do like the look of Apple products. Functionality-wise though, you hit the nail on the head. SD cards and USB are a must since I'm transitioning from an Ipad.

Few things:
Build: Not sure how the Acer's build is an issue, since it is more solid and not creaky like the Asus (still great device).
Camera: Cameras on tablets do not seem practical to me and invites mobile handling that may result in a dropped device.
Weight: I still find it funny that folks get up tight about the one ounce weight difference between them, but have no issue getting the keyboard, which adds more bulk and one pound more weight than the Acer. How does that make sense to people?
I prefer the build of the Acer and like the USB connectivity on the tablet, so expect it to weigh a little more. The new Toshiba is the same or slightly heavier.
The A500 is a very good tablet and most consumers posting at Best Buy and other places seem to agree.

I caved and got the a500, and am very pleased. Weight is a non-issue for me, it just feels more solid. Quite happy about the USB slot, I read that in 3.1 you will even be able to connect a 360 controller to one of these! Can anyone say N64 emulation
Besides from aesthetics, it's likely the Samsung 10.1s will be identical in specs. I may take this one back, but oh boy, HDMI and USB...big plus for me.

I'll be honest.
I dont own a Acer yet..
but i did own a Asus transformer which i returned.
People were telling me to keep it., but Asus has dropped the ball a bit on quality isssues.
Around the screen there is a black adhesive that holds it close to the bezel, and let me tell you
Someone drunk probably but the adhesive in place, it wasn't even straight, and made it looks out of place.
and not only that, around the adhesive there is a gab between the LCD and the adhesive and dust and crap was getting in there... others have reported the same issues.
I like the ICONIA that i saw at bestbuy because the screen was flush across the unit .. thumbs up!

edgie168 said:
oh dear, not another one of these.
either buy it or don't.
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Yea, I saw, exept everyone I looked at had like two posts... But maybe I didn't see them. Sorry 'bout that!
I went back to play around with the Iconia some more and I love it. It just seems like the screen has nothing on the iPad/Asus (IPS) but I never got to really test the screen with a movie and it seems a bit heavier. I LOVE the USB port, and with 3.1...
Any word on Acer Support? I really have bad luck with devices and don't want to be stuck without help.
Thanks for all the posts and unless people have horror stories about their support I might order one on Amazon as I don't think they will charge me tax ...
(Edit) They do charge tax... And since the tab doesn't look like a viable option for me, the Iconia looks like the best thing out there that is in a price range I can afford.

I got the Iconia after Asus refused to say anything about the Transformers expected release(Maybe I wasn't trolling their FB page enough?)
I like the camera, unlike some of the others here posted. My cell phone has an awful camera on it, and I generally have my Iconia with me, so it's nice to be able to pull it out and take a good quality snapshot or record a video.
I haven't noticed the issues with the GPS, but I haven't used it more than once, just to play with it.
So far, I've been using the USB port a lot, I got a mini usb keyboard I've been using for dosbox(Wolfenstein 3D!)
I haven't noticed any issues with the build quality; as far as I can tell, I could drop this thing down a flight of stairs and it'd be fine, though I think I'll leave that to someone else to test.
I had an issue with the wifi refusing to join ad-hoc networks(phone tethering), but that was easily fixed by rooting and replacing the problematic files.
My take on the Transformer (from reviews) is that it seems to be a good concept, but a poor implementation of it. It seems to be shoddy construction, like Asus wanted to get their foot in the door and rushed it too much. The software issues on it are driving me away too.
A dock seems rather worthless when you have a USB port, as soon as 3.1 comes out, that is.(USB mouse ftw!)
The galaxy looks blah to me, I don't think I want to have anything to do with it. I wasn't impressed with the older galaxys.

netham45 said:
The galaxy looks blah to me, I don't think I want to have anything to do with it. I wasn't impressed with the older galaxys.
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Just looked at the Tab on cnet.com. They didn't say anything about microSD, and when they did a close up around the device it looks like it comes without. Their model didn't come with the new Samsung icky thing over honeycomb? Without even microSD, the tab is out. It looks really nice, but without any expansion ports or USB, its not for me. And from a few people in here the Asus is looking less and less appealing. Hmmmm...

It's going back :(....

After a month with two transformers and a docking station, I'm returning it all. The first one, which I still have, suffered from creaking, stuck pixel, dust, and back light bleed. The second one suffers from backlight bleed right dead where I can see it 24/7 on the status bar. Incredibly frustrating to shell out ~$530 and end up with these issues. Additionally there is still the issue (even with 3.1) with text input lag....my android and iphone devices don't even have this issue. I figure I could buy a E-350 based net/notebook and a G-Tablet for nearly the same cost as I have on this bundle. I admire the Transformer's aesthetics and it's ambition, I can certainly see the potential for the future....unfortunately, I just don't know how ready it is for prime time, QC issues aside.

RMA. My transformer has been perfect as has many other peoples'

sorry to hear that, you are probably just unlucky.
My TF has been working flawlessly without any issue though...

Transformer working great here using SwiftKey for the keyboard

im happy with mine although it is a bit creaky in the top left corner but I can live with that because its a transformer ands its awesome

Transformer working great, no input lag with thumb keyboard. Browser speed much improved with 3.1. No stuck pixels, some light bleed near the bottom left corner, no dust.

faksnima said:
After a month with two transformers and a docking station, I'm returning it all. The first one, which I still have, suffered from creaking, stuck pixel, dust, and back light bleed. The second one suffers from backlight bleed right dead where I can see it 24/7 on the status bar. Incredibly frustrating to shell out ~$530 and end up with these issues. Additionally there is still the issue (even with 3.1) with text input lag....my android and iphone devices don't even have this issue. I figure I could buy a E-350 based net/notebook and a G-Tablet for nearly the same cost as I have on this bundle. I admire the Transformer's aesthetics and it's ambition, I can certainly see the potential for the future....unfortunately, I just don't know how ready it is for prime time, QC issues aside.
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You won't post on here with more bull**** then will you

Not sure what you mean...I really like the device...not trying to post "bs". Those or you who RMAd, did you do it with Asus or the retailer?

faksnima said:
Not sure what you mean...I really like the device...not trying to post "bs". Those or you who RMAd, did you do it with Asus or the retailer?
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I just shipped mine to ASUS repair today (because newegg doesn't have stock to do an RMA replacement) due to defective HDMI port, dead left speaker and minor light bleed in bottom right (not really enough to bother anyone).
I'm not ready to give up on my TF yet but I'm not sure what I'm going to do for the 2 weeks or so it will take to get it back.

Received my Transformer yesterday. Peed my pants a little. Took 2 hours to put on a Skinomi Carbon fiber skin and screen. Turned on device and there was light leakage all around the screen. fml!!
Now I have to wait a very lonesome 2 weeks. 2 weeks is a long time in the tech world. Sorry for the rant but needed to vent. wahhhh.

Ya..I felt the same way, I basically had the devices for a month but didn't use them due to shipping etc...I just didn't want to keep doing the swaps, already lost a month on two by the time I sit down and enjoy one, Transformer 2 is going to be out . I think I may buy a lower end tab, like the G-Tab, and just wait for the next revision. I felt like the Transformer, especially w/ the dock was really close to revolutionizing my home, work, and school life onto one device. Due to some finicky QC and just lack of polish, I think I jumped in a half-generation too early. I am confident, however, that the XDA-dev team will find a way to make the Transformer relevant and competent even in the next generation of quad-core tablets. I'm just amazed at how they've kept the Nook and VS G-Tab relevant among a wave of flagships pushed out by big name players like Samsung, Motorola, etc...

Just got my TF last sat from Fry's. I have about 4 to 5 light bleed spots at the bottom edge of the screen that are pretty obvious in dark scenes. Couldn't exchange cuz they're out of stock already. Hopefully, they'll restock soon. I hate to have to send it to ASUS. So far haven't had any issues other than light bleed.

My Transformer has been perfect minus the very minor lightbleeding that is only visible when the screen is black and my surroundings are dark.
Other than that... no issues on the hardware side of things

So has anyone shipped theirs to Asus? Shipping policy? Charges? Waiting 2 weeks isn't that big a deal to me, but I don't want to be having to pay more $$$.
I'm having the same issues, light bleed all over the edges, several stuck pixels, creaking, typing lag.
I already returned one to the store I bought from due to seriously 25+ stuck pixels, became hard to keep track of which ones I already counted after that.

Returned the Eee Pad.

Had it for 1 whole day. THe quanlity feels cheap. New honey comb ui is good and very impressive. When I restart the tranformer at night, I saw at least 8 birght spots on my screen. So decied to return it to amazon. But I don't have the speaker problem.

Mine does not feel cheap. Feels well put together. Some people think it feels cheap because it has a plastic back. That to me doesn't mean it is cheap. I don't need metal to feel something is quality.
If you had problems with it creaking and seems like you had problems with the screen, I assure you that is not how it is supposed to be. RMA.

Quanlity ........ Lol.........something wrong with the keyboard too?
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

Mine creaks a bit and may give the impression of not being solidly built, but in my opinion, it's a really nice tablet.

Tired of these threads. If u don't like, just go away. It's a $399 tablet and build quality is excellent for a $399 tablet. Maybe some company will release a tablet for twice the price one day made out of carbon fiber, but who the hell cares if it does the exact same thing as a $399 tablet. Lets get over this once and for all. Next, everyone will be saying that its not good enough because it doesn't have tegra 3 chipset or it doesn't run Windows 8 or it doesn't make pancakes. The TF is a great tablet that many of us love and anyone who doesn't probably should just get an iPad 2 or wait for the iPad 3 or just avoid tablets altogether...
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

Indeed a little bit overdone to start a thread for this, but I must agree, the TF has some common issues, which keep me from saying that it's a real quality product. (Speaker problem, accelerometer not calibrated, backlight bleeding, dust under screen, dead touchzones, ...)

gadgetfann said:
Tired of these threads. If u don't like, just go away. It's a $399 tablet and build quality is excellent for a $399 tablet. Maybe some company will release a tablet for twice the price one day made out of carbon fiber, but who the hell cares if it does the exact same thing as a $399 tablet. Lets get over this once and for all. Next, everyone will be saying that its not good enough because it doesn't have tegra 3 chipset or it doesn't run Windows 8 or it doesn't make pancakes. The TF is a great tablet that many of us love and anyone who doesn't probably should just get an iPad 2 or wait for the iPad 3 or just avoid tablets altogether...
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
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Don't be tired of these threads, everyone has the right to say what he thinks.
I had the Transformer for a day and had to send it back.
The quality of my Transformer was disappointing. The Upper rigth corner of the touch screen was not in line with the other corners, it was lower by 3 mm that the metal frame.The back was 3mm above the metal frame.
Not to speak that i could see through the hole between the touch screen and the metal frame.
So i think that those who got a good Transformer should be happy.But not all of them are great, in fact i think that the quality control was nonexistent.
NOT EVERYONE GOT A PERFECT TRANSFORMER!!!!!
If you did get o good one it does not mean the problems you hear about and you are tired off are not there.
I sent mine back and now i am waiting to get a replacement.

i have slight creaking only in the very edge of the top right an bottom left corner but its only a little other wise the build is good not cheap

I never understand why people want to start a whole new thread just to tell the entire world they're returning something.....

magicpork said:
I never understand why people want to start a whole new thread just to tell the entire world they're returning something.....
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Because they are butthurt and want to nag to other people to make themselves feel better.
By the way, if the OP wants good build quality you should pick up an iPad 2, they are half metal and feel sturdy. Just don't sell one of your kidneys like that kid.

yeah agree...why need to create another new thread ?? just find a related thread and post in it. next time another thread like this appear, can consider it as spam/troll

Oddly the demo units at staples feel like they were built like a tank. No creak or flex. Very solid despite plastic back.
I am on my fourth and waiting for my 5th TF.
EACH has suffered light bleed with the most recent one being the best so far.
However while it was solid on day one it now is creaking along the top left and right corners and a bit on the right side. If unit number five is no better they all go back and I get a Samsung. The dock for me is not so important as a laptop owner that I will accept such poor build quality.
my ipad 1 bought a year ago has no bleed no creaks after a year of use. The demo units in 3 stores of the transformer were all solid so I know Asus can build them well but likely make different units better made to be used as demos.
I suspect this as o e staples store who had just got product in and had not had their demo put out yet would not let me buy their demo unit.
ericc191 said:
Mine creaks a bit and may give the impression of not being solidly built, but in my opinion, it's a really nice tablet.
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Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

Shawn_230 said:
Because they are butthurt and want to nag to other people to make themselves feel better.
By the way, if the OP wants good build quality you should pick up an iPad 2, they are half metal and feel sturdy. Just don't sell one of your kidneys like that kid.
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They have been suffering from the light bleed issues too...

Lol, you want to know how badly my 7'' Galaxy Tab creaks? That's cheap plastic. Creak creak creak. It creaks if you look at it sideways.
Also, check out this thread: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1122027 In fact, google up "ipad light bleed." Prepare to be astounded: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/12/poll-is-your-ipad-2-backlight-bleeding-video/
Look, if you don't have anything nice to say about the iPad2, don't say anything at all! Ignorance is bliss!! J/k. I think you may be right, a friend of mines co. Bought 10 iPad2 and ALL of them have it to some degree... They also have as many 1st generation iPads and the difference is dramatic.
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Fun, hey?
(I've only noticed light bleed when I turn it on and the screen displays boot animation, FYI. Any other time and it's not particularly noticeable.)

i was able to play with the Samsung 10.1 tab at the android central meetup in nyc and the Samsung tab had all the same UI issues as the TF. Yes it was thinner but to me the TF is fine the way it is and iits $100 less. My TF is fantastic and with the $$$ I saved I got a nexus s 4g. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

grainysand said:
Lol, you want to know how badly my 7'' Galaxy Tab creaks? That's cheap plastic. Creak creak creak. It creaks if you look at it sideways.
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My gf's Galaxy Tab is solid as any tab I've ever handled, so therefore I think all Galaxy Tabs are perfect and you have the only bad one.
Sarcasm (not directed at you personally), hopefully it was duly noted The TF has some bad batches, I think that's obvious. You can say, "Oh it's just a small number on XDA!" but you can probably use this small sample and apply it to the entire user base and come up with an idea of the amount of defective units. Sounds like the early batches were rushed out the door to meet a deadline and demand.
Mine is pretty solid. Creaky, one spot of light bleed, but tolerable for the cheapest HC tablet, and I love it like I'd love my first born, if I had a first born. Still the best deal out there.

wackadroid said:
i was able to play with the Samsung 10.1 tab at the android central meetup in nyc and the Samsung tab had all the same UI issues as the TF. Yes it was thinner but to me the TF is fine the way it is and iits $100 less. My TF is fantastic and with the $$$ I saved I got a nexus s 4g. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
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Yeah, Galaxy Tab 10.1 is supposed to be really thin but I still don't want it.
Compared to the Transformer it's more expensive, no expandable memory, no IPS display, and build is plastic just like our Eee Pads.
Honestly the Transformer has a few bugs, Honeycomb too... but overall you cannot beat this thing, no contest when you consider cost.
TF101FTW!

I was pretty happy with the overall design of the tablet but their quality control does leave a bit to be desired. I've had 2 tablets and both have a defect. One was light bleed and the most recent one came with a broken power button.
I'm not sure if I should keep trying replacements or call it quits on Asus.

Tutti-frutti said:
Indeed a little bit overdone to start a thread for this, but I must agree, the TF has some common issues, which keep me from saying that it's a real quality product. (Speaker problem, accelerometer not calibrated, backlight bleeding, dust under screen, dead touchzones, ...)
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i agree. it's not high quality, but good enough quality for the price - compared to the current market price for higher end android tablets.

I thought there was a lot of people with the screen bleeding issue? The way you guys make it sound that the screen be perfect. Unfortunately I noticed I got some serious bleeding myself. I just cant figure out if it's worth RMA and all that. It might take forever for KMART to get anymore back in stock.
I thought I read a lot of people had the issue also. It doesnt bother me at all really, but one of these posts made me feel that I should exchange it ASAP

No Excuse for Shoddy Build Quality

As the title says:
I was so utterly disappointed with the 10.1
The first one I got Friday Morning had dead pixels on the black status bar at the bottom of the screen. I returned it a couple hours later to Best Buy.
The second one has dust under the middle of the screen. You could see black spots while surfing the web.
Finally, the third one had 8 pieces of dust under the right side of the screen.
I decided to return it and wait for a rumored Nexus Tab or Ice Cream.
Don't get me wrong I LOVE Android. I have the Nexus S 4g, and I have always had android phones. I had the Xoom, but it was too heavy and large. I really had high hopes for the Galaxy Tab. Yet, its sad that the build quality is lacking..
And... lets be honest, Honeycomb needs a LOT of polishing. Its laggy, and has none of the media consumption apps people crave(i.e. netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, etc.)
If you like the Tab do yourself a favor and try not to look at the screen too close.. I fear that there are imperfections on most of them... which is inexcusable

Sounds like you may have had a string of bad luck with the devices. Remember stuff like that gets shipped in bulk so it may have been just an issue with the one shipment to that Best Buy.
I haven't had any issues with build quality on mine. Was worried about the plastic backing but it doesn't dent in like the aluminum on my iPad so it's actually a plus (and it makes the thing lighter). I won't disagree with the Honeycomb needing polish however. For the most part it works fine but there is a significant lack of tablet optimized apps out there and the input lag in the stock browser is annoying at best.

Word...
I just got frustrated man. when you are dropping that much cash on a tab it should be flawless. ya know

Flawless is debatable... there is no such thing.. my $80k car (AMG C63 if anyone cares) is far from flawless, my house.. far from flawless. I have purchased $100+ software/hardware packages (Arcsight.. ridiculously expensive), far from flawless....
If you had asked me 10 or 20 years ago, then I would have agreed, but these days, everything is released with flaws and bugs, it is just how it is these days, and you will have to accept it, or you will never buy anything again..

Yeah man, I understand. I'd be pretty pissed to if I had to return my brand new shiny three times. But it's what all early adopters have to put up with; higher prices, untested technology, new waters and the like. It's what makes it fun,

This would be more shoddy QA than shoddy build quality wouldn't it? I actually quite like the build quality on the thing but could see getting pissed off if I had dust under the screen.

My experience that some people who are hyper-sensitive to "flaws" in devices are those that were truly unsure about their purchase in the first place. When they experience buyer's remorse, they suddenly find "flaws" in the device rather than admit that they made a poor purchasing decision. This bad behavior is unfortunately reinforced by the return policies of the retailers that charge restocking fees except in case of defects.
I'm not saying this is the case with OP. Just an observation.

jvanbrecht said:
Flawless is debatable... there is no such thing.. my $80k car (AMG C63 if anyone cares) is far from flawless, my house.. far from flawless. I have purchased $100+ software/hardware packages (Arcsight.. ridiculously expensive), far from flawless....
If you had asked me 10 or 20 years ago, then I would have agreed, but these days, everything is released with flaws and bugs, it is just how it is these days, and you will have to accept it, or you will never buy anything again..
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totally OT: $80k for a C63??? how cheap are those cars in the states?? for a normal configuration we have to pay at least about $95k (~67k €).

The 2011 C63 AMG starts at < $60k in the US (though realistically, $70k is the cheapest you'll find it). I'm not sure what the differences are vs the euro models.

rmmorse81 said:
As the title says:
I was so utterly disappointed with the 10.1
The first one I got Friday Morning had dead pixels on the black status bar at the bottom of the screen. I returned it a couple hours later to Best Buy.
The second one has dust under the middle of the screen. You could see black spots while surfing the web.
Finally, the third one had 8 pieces of dust under the right side of the screen.
I decided to return it and wait for a rumored Nexus Tab or Ice Cream.
Don't get me wrong I LOVE Android. I have the Nexus S 4g, and I have always had android phones. I had the Xoom, but it was too heavy and large. I really had high hopes for the Galaxy Tab. Yet, its sad that the build quality is lacking..
And... lets be honest, Honeycomb needs a LOT of polishing. Its laggy, and has none of the media consumption apps people crave(i.e. netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, etc.)
If you like the Tab do yourself a favor and try not to look at the screen too close.. I fear that there are imperfections on most of them... which is inexcusable
Click to expand...
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Ice creams starts at 59 cents

Berner said:
I'm not saying this is the case with OP. Just an observation.
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My experience has been that some people who try to insinuate that any issues someone may have with a product are actually problems with the person rather than the device, are actually just trying to defend their own purchases.
I'm not saying this is the case with you. Just an observation.

hebbe said:
totally OT: $80k for a C63??? how cheap are those cars in the states?? for a normal configuration we have to pay at least about $95k (~67k €).
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They are definitely cheaper in the US then in most other places (even DE.. which is odd since they are made there...)
Base model runs around 60k, once you start adding options.. it goes up fast, I have everything but the Performance Package, and the number I through out is the avg for a model configured as mine, I did not pay that much (who ever pays MSRP anyways), as I picked mine up used (Certified Pre Owned model from MB).
You want horrible.. check out the C63 in Australia.. they run almost $200k AU. Half of that is I believe a luxury tax penalty....

jvanbrecht said:
Flawless is debatable... there is no such thing.. my $80k car (AMG C63 if anyone cares) is far from flawless, my house.. far from flawless. I have purchased $100+ software/hardware packages (Arcsight.. ridiculously expensive), far from flawless....
If you had asked me 10 or 20 years ago, then I would have agreed, but these days, everything is released with flaws and bugs, it is just how it is these days, and you will have to accept it, or you will never buy anything again..
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Click to collapse
Come on now - the GTab and C63 have a lot of stuff in common - especially their use of copious amounts of cheap plastic. At least for the Tab, it's only $500

matt310 said:
Come on now - the GTab and C63 have a lot of stuff in common - especially their use of copious amounts of cheap plastic. At least for the Tab, it's only $500
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Yeah.. and it rattles alot.. drives me nuts.. granted that may have something to do with the monster V8 they shoehorned into the little C class.. but still, at the price point, they should have used better materials. At least in EU, and most of the rest of the world, you can get the option of leather dash/console/etc which replaces much of the plastic.. but that is not available on the C class for US AMG models, it is on the E and up classes though.

jvanbrecht said:
Yeah.. and it rattles alot.. drives me nuts.. granted that may have something to do with the monster V8 they shoehorned into the little C class.. but still, at the price point, they should have used better materials. At least in EU, and most of the rest of the world, you can get the option of leather dash/console/etc which replaces much of the plastic.. but that is not available on the C class for US AMG models, it is on the E and up classes though.
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The rattles are caused by a combination of low-profile tires, punishing suspension, and clips that hold dashboard components in place instead of screws. Also, the torsional rigidity of the C isn't as stiff as the E so when you go up driveways and the chassis flexes, that eventually takes its toll on tight tolerance components. Sometimes covering them with leather helps; sometimes not.
The greater concern to me is why MB didn't include an LSD with that car as standard equipment. It's part of the P30 package or a $2,000 standalone option, which to me makes next to no sense. All that power needs a way to get it reliably to the pavement!

rmmorse81 said:
As the title says:
I was so utterly disappointed with the 10.1
The first one I got Friday Morning had dead pixels on the black status bar at the bottom of the screen. I returned it a couple hours later to Best Buy.
The second one has dust under the middle of the screen. You could see black spots while surfing the web.
Finally, the third one had 8 pieces of dust under the right side of the screen.
I decided to return it and wait for a rumored Nexus Tab or Ice Cream.
Don't get me wrong I LOVE Android. I have the Nexus S 4g, and I have always had android phones. I had the Xoom, but it was too heavy and large. I really had high hopes for the Galaxy Tab. Yet, its sad that the build quality is lacking..
And... lets be honest, Honeycomb needs a LOT of polishing. Its laggy, and has none of the media consumption apps people crave(i.e. netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, etc.)
If you like the Tab do yourself a favor and try not to look at the screen too close.. I fear that there are imperfections on most of them... which is inexcusable
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Click to collapse
Sounds like you had really bad luck. Did you exchange them from the same place? It might be the batch the store received was the problem, either tampered in production or in transportation. Overall, people seem to be happy with the build, including myself, so it seems you're case was exceptional, and you may give it another try at a different store or vendor.
Nexus Tab/Ice Cream are at best Q4, which can be 4-6 months away, and I wouldn't be surprised if they only came out next year. Honeycomb will definately improve before then, especially in a few weeks we should have custom ROMs too.

Dead pixels AND dust under the screen! I agree 100% with the OP. If you really got three in a row with screen defects that is not acceptable. You can ignore virtually any nick, ding or scratch on the body of a tablet, but it's really hard to ignore screen defects. Especially central ones. In many respects a tablet IS the screen. It's what you interact with all day long.
I'm not that surprised. Samsung sometimes has quality control issues. I ended up returning three Samsung projection TV's in a row once. One of them actually had a picture that was physically tilted so that one side was higher than the other - can't quite understand how that got past quality control. And then there is the recent GPS disaster with the Galaxy S phones - I had one of those and finally ended up getting rid of it because It was impossible to navigate with it.
Samsung is a strange company. They produce cutting edge products that have lots of rough edges. But when you finally get one of Samsung's devices that works correctly, they are sometimes really good. When I finally got a working TV from Samsung, after my fourth try, it lasted forever - superb picture and no problems. Love my Tab 7. And even the Galaxy S was a great phone, as long as you didn't have to get anywhere on time.
I'm surprised that Best Buy didn't give you a hard time with the dead pixels. Every once in a while you get a smart-assed salesman who likes to quote a dead pixel rule: "we can only exchange it if there are 5 or more dead pixels. Just because there's a big black one dead center in the middle of your screen isn't sufficient cause for an exchange!") Had circuit city try this with me on an LCD TV. Course stuff like that is probably the reason they went bankrupt.
This is one reason I prefer buying from brick and mortar stores with items like this. If Best Buy gave you no trouble with 3 returns, thats really commendable on their part. They would get my repeat business just for that.

jvanbrecht said:
Flawless is debatable... there is no such thing.. my $80k car (AMG C63 if anyone cares) is far from flawless, my house.. far from flawless. I have purchased $100+ software/hardware packages (Arcsight.. ridiculously expensive), far from flawless....
If you had asked me 10 or 20 years ago, then I would have agreed, but these days, everything is released with flaws and bugs, it is just how it is these days, and you will have to accept it, or you will never buy anything again..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
??? You have got to be kidding, right ? You may have low expectation and willing to take flaws, but not me, not now, not ever. Doing so just tells the manufactur we will accept the flaws and be done with it. Goodness, accept it ? No way

rmmorse81 said:
As the title says:
I was so utterly disappointed with the 10.1
The first one I got Friday Morning had dead pixels on the black status bar at the bottom of the screen. I returned it a couple hours later to Best Buy.
The second one has dust under the middle of the screen. You could see black spots while surfing the web.
Finally, the third one had 8 pieces of dust under the right side of the screen.
I decided to return it and wait for a rumored Nexus Tab or Ice Cream.
Don't get me wrong I LOVE Android. I have the Nexus S 4g, and I have always had android phones. I had the Xoom, but it was too heavy and large. I really had high hopes for the Galaxy Tab. Yet, its sad that the build quality is lacking..
And... lets be honest, Honeycomb needs a LOT of polishing. Its laggy, and has none of the media consumption apps people crave(i.e. netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, etc.)
If you like the Tab do yourself a favor and try not to look at the screen too close.. I fear that there are imperfections on most of them... which is inexcusable
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you clean your glasses before you inspected the tablet?
(J/k I returned one due to back light bleeding)

OP, if you got all of those from the same place, I suggest giving it one more shot and buying it somewhere else.

Build Quality: NAH!

This is my 5th Android tablet. The first Transformer had gone directly back to Best Buy due to terrible light bleed. Transformer Prime sold in a month. It had its obvious problems plus a screen problem: when you press a little harder on the right side of the screen it would flicker into white. Probably a faulty one. This is my 3d transformer and it is not that impressive. Surprisingly there is no light bleed at all, but the Prime was much better in every way. I sense and hear a squeaky sound when I press the right side of the back camera just under the power button as though it was not fitted well. I pressed all the sides and corners of the tablet, only this spot gives that sound. There is an emptiness there. It really is annoying. I still think I will keep it but wait for the new Samsung. MY GTAB 7 and 10.1 were also made with plastic but they were sturdier and far better in build quality. Asus keeps disappointing me.

Cool story bro.

Perhaps your expectations doesn't match the design specs and price tag of this machine? To me it seems they opted for better guts then exterior and screen.

Thats very true. ASUS wanted to give a nice device to those who couldn't meet the price tag. Everything comes at a cost, this tablet is plastic :T
Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio using Tapatalk 2

Firstly, I am not quite sure why anyone would want to press the back right side of the tablet next to the back camera? If it squeaks, don't press it, no function on this tablet requires that part pressed, nor is it near anywhere near where one would hold it.
This is my 3rd tablet as well.
First, I had a Prime. I disagree the Prime was better in every way. No GPS, poor wifi signal, micro sd card slot poorly placed so the card kept popping out, micro hdmi port was loose - cable kept coming unplugged. Is the prime sexier, sure, but the aforementioned problems made it quite non-functional.
Second I had an Acer A510. Great tablet, just a bit bulky and had a terrible heat problem where the back of the tablet would reach over 100 degrees when 3D gaming...could not hold it anymore it was so hot. Also, due to low sales volumes, the tablet does not have much developer support, still don't have their own forum with similar launch date to this tablet.
I have had none of these problems on my TF300, it works amazingly well. I actually don't mind the plastic, it is comfortable to hold, and looks much better than I thought it would. The sound is great for a tablet, I had the a510 and believe this is comparable, even without the speaker separation. Is this tablet perfect, no: Battery life could be better and they could have used Gorilla glass, but those are minor nuisances compared to what I have dealt with on my other 2 two tablets and I don't think any tablet is perfect. I am not a budget buyer and purchased this tablet originally to check it out, but it is so good compared to anything else I have used, I plan to keep it and enjoy it.

I did press to get it out from its keyboard dock. Thats how I realized it was not fitted well. Do we really have to accept something with its flaws because it is cheaper? ASUS is a brand name I respect. I had more than 6 laptops, netbooks and now an ultrabook which I LOVE!!!! But we have to accept that Asus is less attentive when it comes to Android. We will see how they will try hard this fall or next year with their Windows 8 tablets and stuff.

I honestly think the build quality is great with the 399 price tag. I have no issues with light bleeding, creaking or loose parts. So far my experience is great and have no complaints.

Love my tab after unlocking and installing cm9. How much more could you ask for with a guad core processor and 399.99 price tag for a 32 gb! all the tablets I see are dual core for 399.99 for 16gb.
Asus, in my opinion gave us a budget tablet and then some. The realm of this tablet was to cut cost so everyone could afford Tegra 3 without buying a 700$ unit. I love my tablet
Sent from my VS910 4G using xda premium

Great, cheap, tablet.

Always fun to see how people can differ.
Some like the building quality and others think everything is cr*p. I think this is purely what you expect of it and what you want to spend. If you buy an IPad it is not comparable to a Asus because as the manufacturer is different the buildingprocess is different.
I think you (the topicstarter) just want to get a almost undestructible tablet. But tablets are just fragile and if you have a technical problem with one you just bring it back to the shop because you have warrenty.

At this point in time there is no better tablet to buy, yes i had the cash to get a prime, but i need good wifi coverage, which the prime has not, so i bought this one. I don't want older technology , and surely not at the same price (all other tabs are dual core at maximum)

I just didnt feel the thrill I felt when I held my Samsung 10.1 for the first time or even the TR Prime. TR Prime just for a couple of days.... But I agree with most views here. It is a very good tablet for its price. I like the battery usage. I havent charged it for more than 2 days now. Unnoticeable light bleed, etc... Just that squeaky sound
BTW. No Riptide onboard was a bum!

I think mine is fine, besides some uncomfortable cracking I tend to hear with the keyboard dock. Then again, I was not very impressed by my Asus laptop in terms of build quality either. I feel weird buying another Asus product after that laptop but there is nothing else that compares as far as I am concerned when it comes to tablets. I deal with it.

Well I was greeted with a busted pixel upon opening package still gave a try then started to have small bleed then by third week serious bleed, then when I hold on certain spots in landscape and portrait at different angles I get this blur like bleed as if im pressing to hard felt like if I held any looser I would drop it, also can barely see in the sun light other than that it works like heaven which really bugs me because I want it but dont believe it will last so im sending back and waiting for the reviews for the 700 when it releases after atleast a month has passed till then I will be pad less...........

bigwalt12 said:
Well I was greeted with a busted pixel upon opening package still gave a try then started to have small bleed then by third week serious bleed, then when I hold on certain spots in landscape and portrait at different angles I get this blur like bleed as if im pressing to hard felt like if I held any looser I would drop it, also can barely see in the sun light other than that it works like heaven which really bugs me because I want it but dont believe it will last so im sending back and waiting for the reviews for the 700 when it releases after atleast a month has passed till then I will be pad less...........
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Click to collapse
I have none of those problems. You must have a defective unit, try exchanging for another one before final judgment.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA

I honestly love this pad but I see im not the only one experiencing this only bought this because the wifi issue with prime if the 700 solves this without a dongle with a better and brighter screen then I will get that one instead. I have a good relationship with amazon hate returning things multiple times I dont want to take another risk but you guys got a great pad for the price that is if you got a good one. Im gonna miss this pad but im hoping the 700 is worth the wait?????

Psyloid said:
At this point in time there is no better tablet to buy, yes i had the cash to get a prime, but i need good wifi coverage, which the prime has not, so i bought this one. I don't want older technology , and surely not at the same price (all other tabs are dual core at maximum)
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Click to collapse
You nailed it! The only other tablets to compare to this one is the prime (poor GPS and wifi at $500) and the Acer a510 (no keyboard dock, overheat issues stalled sales at $450) and the Toshiba excite( screen issues, OS issues for I think $500- $550).
NO BRAINER to me.

Even if I dont thing 400 is cheap, it is a very good Pad. I dont have any dead pixels and not one other Problem. Wifi is is even better than my last tablet (Hannspad ). Would recommend it at any time.

The 300 is pretty much built the same way as the 101 plastic back..