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I'm loving it, the browser is nice and fast enough. I also use the miren and xscope browser from the phone and works great. Once I'm done doing what I need I undock the phone and I can continue where I left of.
Wish the price was cheaper but so far its awesome.
I love the laptop dock.
Cost was not a factor for the phone and dock so that takes thie second thoughts out of the equation.
The build/fit and finish were just about perfect and feel very high end like a MacBook pro or think pad from the good old days.
The webtop experience is very useable and great for remote desktop and citrix.
Once the webtop gets more hackable it will be near perfect. I really have to keep reminding myself that this is a phone even though it has nearly the same hardware as the xoom
No regrets here.
I was going to return it today but after playing with citrix. I found some more use for it.
It definitely needs some work:
- better screen. Bad viewing angles, blacks are pretty bad.
- needs better keyboard. I find myself hitting wrong keys because the keyboard is a bit off center.
- needs a built-in 720p cam for video conferencing
- while charging the power light in the corner keeps blinking, what kind of usability genius thought of that.
- better trackpad, just take ques from unibody macbook and move on motorola. No multi-touch???
- needs to be lighter, from the tear down, this hardware is way from being optimized. Again take apart macbook air. They can definitely fit a bigger battery. Seems like a lot of unnecessary plastic.
- the phone needs to have more memory. I open 2-3 browser windows and I get a low memory warning. I would like to android to be more aware of the dock, for example killing browser process while in the dock to shift more memory to firefox.
What I love though is this and I think this is truly revolutionary, is the convergence of the cell phone with laptop. I think through combination of cloud computing and virtualization this could be the future of mobile computing.
Not to mention how cool would be to have a linux webtop vs honeycomb webtop (native no emulation).
What I am hoping is going to happen that other companies will realize that this is just an accessory and that we could have several options for laptop docks. I could see this as a huge market for enterprise customers.
I did not know that the webtop can be hacked? What have you guys hacked so far?
I'm really interested to try it out, but don't know if I can justify the expense. Like a lot of other people have concluded, I'd kind of rather a netbook of equal (or lesser) value along side my phone instead of that. If it was a tad bit cheaper or had a few more features to offer, I might be sold.
CC Lemon said:
I'm really interested to try it out, but don't know if I can justify the expense. Like a lot of other people have concluded, I'd kind of rather a netbook of equal (or lesser) value along side my phone instead of that. If it was a tad bit cheaper or had a few more features to offer, I might be sold.
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Buy it at best buy and try it for a few days. you dont like it take it back, end of story. having a netbook and atrix is like having two devices. atrix and laptop dock is like having ONE device!
If all you do in a laptop is browse the web and email, this dock is for you!
personally, I hate it. It's like working out of a Altoids tin.
JasjarMan said:
Buy it at best buy and try it for a few days. you dont like it take it back, end of story. having a netbook and atrix is like having two devices. atrix and laptop dock is like having ONE device!
If all you do in a laptop is browse the web and email, this dock is for you!
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Click to collapse
To an extent I agree. It's like having one device in the fact that one is entirely useless without the other. So functionally, you have one device. So you have the functionality of one device, but have to carry around 2 devices and pay the price of 2 devices. I can't say I agree with the concept of paying $400 for the laptop dock that requires the phone to work when I could spend that same amount of money to get a netbook with a significantly higher level of capabilities. If I buy a netbook, I get 250 gb of memory, 2 GB ram, built in camera AND a full OS.
Basically, my complaint is: You pay more for the atrix + laptop dock to get less functionality than you could get out of a netbook that costs the same as the dock alone.
If it had the option to utilize additional ram built into the dock as well as hard drive space/flash memory for additional storage then it might be a bit more worth it. Right now, you're paying $400 for a screen, battery, dock, keyboard and track pad that all require an additional device to function.
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea and would love to own one. I have no doubt I would make good use of it. I just see no reason to buy it at that price other than having the extra money and nothing better to spend it on (and I can think of quite a few better things to spend $400 on). It really needs a lower price, more features or a mix of both.
You CAN add more memory like USB flash drives. They work just don't know many MB it will read.....
One thing what the atrix+ laptop dock wins over netbooks is its lighter and another is the battery life which is really really great on the dock and also charges the phone, About a year ago i bought a asus 1201n which is a powerful netbook which has duel core and nvidia ion 12.1in screen pretty loaded which i paid 579$ for it but the battery life sucks on it 3hours too max 4hours if you lower all the power options which makes it slower which is useless like the screen brightness.
With the laptop dock the battery seems too last forever even with the screen brightness on max lol. Hopefully they can make it a bit faster threw a update but i made it faster on browsing which i turn flash off and it ony will work when i click on the ad or video and that made it faster.
Pretty much what you paying for is the build quality metal casing which feels more solid than my 1201n netbook and the screen is also better and the keyboard i really love on the laptop dock.
I paid 299$ for it from qt&t store which was suppose too be 399 than 100$ off threw a 100 rebate but they waive it for me because i had the phone before i bought the dock. But ya for 500 or 599$ regular price that some places selling it for that's too much and i wouldn't pay that much, even at 400$ i was thinking of not getting it.
Would be nice if other company would make there netbooks build quality like this product.
Even with great build quality, I'm still running into that block of it being really expensive for not a whole lot in terms of functionality (compared to what you could get at that price). Even at $300, I feel like I'd rather a netbook of equal cost to pair with the atrix. I'd have to see the dock dropping below $250 to consider it and below $200 to actually decide for sure I want it. Honestly, I'd just love to see it offer slightly improved performance when the phone is connected. That's something I could justify.
CC Lemon said:
Even with great build quality, I'm still running into that block of it being really expensive for not a whole lot in terms of functionality (compared to what you could get at that price). Even at $300, I feel like I'd rather a netbook of equal cost to pair with the atrix. I'd have to see the dock dropping below $250 to consider it and below $200 to actually decide for sure I want it. Honestly, I'd just love to see it offer slightly improved performance when the phone is connected. That's something I could justify.
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I could see it dropping down too 250$ in the future, But under 200$ i would think maybe in couple years, Sense right now the media dock is even 99$.
But i get what you mean its just a screen keyboard and mouse and battery which was making me hard too decide if it was worth it, But mainly why i got it is so i can take it too work and don't have too worrying about plugging it in too charge anything, Which with my netbook or laptop i had too take the ac adapter and find a outlet were i am at. With this i don't have too worry about that. I also like how thin it is so i can fit it in a small sleeve or case.
I know there's netbooks out there with great battery life too but i got too many laptops/netbooks.. lol
But ya this dock isn't for everyone.
And if i wanted too sell my atrix i would sell the laptop dock too with it and i would get more than what i paid for both of them, And this dock might be universal for motos future phones hopefully that's if i buy another moto phone because so far the atrix boot loaded is lock tight still But it has ony been out like 2weeks ony.
I also hope they release updates too make the docks faster and more customizable.
One problem is i also have a galaxy tab with 3g sprint plan... lol Wish i knew about the atrix and dock before i bought the galaxy tab.. But i did get a good deal on the tab.
I definitely hope they continue this concept because it seems like it will only get more and more useful as these phones get more powerful. If it becomes available on more devices in the future, it will definitely help the pricing as we wont get suck covering the initial development/design costs.
Who's looking forward to the first "tablet dock"?
I love this laptop dock. Most of what I do on my laptop is just surf the web and watch movie, which this does both. This thing is perfect so far for what i need, it's nice being able to access the phone from it and answer text or email, full web browser and most of all close the dock pull the phone off and I have a full charge on my phone. Right now even as much as I like this thing I would never pay $500 for this, I bought the combo and even then it's a little expensive. But now having it I don't regret buying it. I hope after time goes by and other moto phones get this webtop that more applications and tweaking become available. For now, Great video quality, network printing, Complete phone access and full web browsing is pretty sweet....no to mention it looks slick.
JasjarMan said:
Buy it at best buy and try it for a few days. you dont like it take it back, end of story. having a netbook and atrix is like having two devices. atrix and laptop dock is like having ONE device!
If all you do in a laptop is browse the web and email, this dock is for you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you say this like its a good thing...how do you figure its like having one device? do you not have to carry both with you to use them? at least with the netbook i can still use it without my phone...
what i meant is that im using my phone while its docked. so whatever i do on the dock it SEEMS like im on a small laptop. But once i unhook the phone and later i want to access my info i say to myself " i got that info on my laptop" but than i remember its on my atrix! know what i mean?
And no I dont carry the dock around, it sits in my desk and by my bed. I work of my home.
After keeping up with over 8000 posts of trying to get the Transformer, I gave in and spent the extra 50 for the Acer.
1) It was readily available at my local BB.
2) I didn't want to wait.
Im hoping before my 2 week return policy is up, transformers will start showing up and I can get one locally. If not, I have 14 days to decide if I keep the Acer or not.
Bottom line, Acer is nice. We also have an Ipad and NC in our household, and really, as a daily user, I don't see much difference between the Acer LCD and the IPS.
Internet loads faster than the Ipad. I havent tested everything but for what I use it for, its working fine.
My point: Try the Acer from your local BB. It may fit the need for the extra 50.
Or, cross our fingers and maybe Target will have a coupon code to get it sub 400 if and when it arrives May 15.
The acer doesn't look bad until you put side by side with the transformer.
Understandable!
Definitely be interested in hearing your impressions and what you like / don't like about it.
I love my Transformer, but there are a couple things that are pretty neat about the Acer, including haptic feedback and a USB port...
I personally only went with the Transformer because of the keyboard dock.
chay03 said:
We also have an Ipad and NC in our household, and really, as a daily user, I don't see much difference between the Acer LCD and the IPS.
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Click to collapse
Not sure how you can say that. I've owned an iPad, NC - had an Acer for about 3 days from BB, and my TF came in a few days ago - world's difference between the IPS and non-IPS screens.
I love the Transformer and would heavily recommend against Acer. In addition to the screen - it's too bulky (yes I know on paper it's 50g but I could really feel it), not a fan of the aluminium back, hardware buttons are hard to get to (the rotation lock button was impossible to operate on 1st try). The pluses are USB host and rear camera flash but I was ok giving those up simply for the screen.
(My 2 cents...)
I'm waiting for my B&H order to come in after May 31st. If Samsung announces that their 10.1 has something other than Tegra2 and that out of the box their Exynos or Orion SoC can play 720p high profile than I'll cancel my order and wait til June 8.
Let me help you out a little:
http://www.nowinstock.net/computers/tablets/asus/
touch screen grid
From what I've heard and pictures i've seen, the touch screen grid is VERY visible on the acer. This would drive me crazy.
Yes, the touch screen grid is visible but you really have to look for it.
Just enjoy the money spent and stop looking for something bad.
I can also agree with the other poster about the Ipad and Acer side by side. Of course you'll see a difference. Ex) G-tablet, very bad screen on its own, but side-by-side to anything else, of course it looks alot worse.
Me perosonally, I wanted it to be slightly thinner as far as holding it in portrait mode. I don't like the wider bezel transformer was taking up. Im using some version of a thumb keyboard that seems to work ok for me.
I haven't tested all the bells and whistles yet. I have downloaded a few apps and suprisingly, no force closes yet.
Now to the dock. Thats up to another 150, so you actually paying 550 transformer with dock before tax. From what i understand, my usb kb and mouse should work, free of charge. Or up to 50 something.
Extra battery life....ok. I can see if you travel alot, its understandable.
But I work 12 hours a day, work with kid's homework and make time for them, so I don't plan on using it hard like others.
Thats just how I see things, it works for me now, but if I do get a chance to play with a Transformer before my 14 days are up, I may switch. Who knows. But im not gonna hold my breath.
And sorry for not knowing how to use quotes...
I had the acer for a while, and yes it was nice. A little bulky (not sure the transformer is any different, I haven't received mine yet), the grid drove me nuts (I hardly ever saw it, but when I did it was really annoying and grabbed my attention).
The screen looked nice, but nothing like the ipad2 screen I saw. I'd still say it's worth the money if you don't care about the keyboard dock or if you need usb right on the tablet. My fiancee played with the acer while I had it, and now she bugs me every day about getting another one.
chay03 said:
Yes, the touch screen grid is visible but you really have to look for it.
Just enjoy the money spent and stop looking for something bad.
I can also agree with the other poster about the Ipad and Acer side by side. Of course you'll see a difference. Ex) G-tablet, very bad screen on its own, but side-by-side to anything else, of course it looks alot worse.
Me perosonally, I wanted it to be slightly thinner as far as holding it in portrait mode. I don't like the wider bezel transformer was taking up. Im using some version of a thumb keyboard that seems to work ok for me.
I haven't tested all the bells and whistles yet. I have downloaded a few apps and suprisingly, no force closes yet.
Now to the dock. Thats up to another 150, so you actually paying 550 transformer with dock before tax. From what i understand, my usb kb and mouse should work, free of charge. Or up to 50 something.
Extra battery life....ok. I can see if you travel alot, its understandable.
But I work 12 hours a day, work with kid's homework and make time for them, so I don't plan on using it hard like others.
Thats just how I see things, it works for me now, but if I do get a chance to play with a Transformer before my 14 days are up, I may switch. Who knows. But im not gonna hold my breath.
And sorry for not knowing how to use quotes...
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I can't enjoy spending more money on a lesser product, it's why I generally don't buy apple
seshmaru said:
I can't enjoy spending more money on a lesser product, it's why I generally don't buy apple
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my thoughts exactly.
toddmp said:
my thoughts exactly.
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seshmaru said:
I can't enjoy spending more money on a lesser product, it's why I generally don't buy apple
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Click to collapse
Seriously?
Because while I am loving Honeycomb, my iPad 2 is killing my Transformer in speed, available apps, stability, interface consistency, size, build quality, speaker quality, battery life, media player quality....
Of course, there is a reason I am trying out Honeycomb... I like new technology!
(And I'd really like a microsd slot, but Steve says no! )
bleclair said:
Seriously?
Because while I am loving Honeycomb, my iPad 2 is killing my Transformer in speed, available apps, stability, interface consistency, size, build quality, speaker quality, battery life, media player quality....
Of course, there is a reason I am trying out Honeycomb... I'd really like a microsd slot, but Steve says no!
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Click to collapse
I had an iPad I now gave to the misses, and it just felt like my 3GS on a bigger screen. Honeycomb feels like an actual tablet OS, even if it has it's flaws. Also the transformers sound is better, no use arguing with that since iPad only does mono sound. App availability is also not completely true, since I can't use iPhone apps properly on my iPad since it just blows em up making them generally look really bad or keeps em in a small box making them not attractive either. However Android apps generally scale to the tablet format well.
Speed can't really tell the difference, I have a custom ROM which might make a difference though. All other points are true though. But you don't buy a transformer at this point to get a finished product, you buy it on potential due to honeycomb needing to mature.
seshmaru said:
Honeycomb feels like an actual tablet OS
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Totally agree with that one! Being able to connect a hard drive, keyboard, usb stick, etc. That's awesome!
As for app availability I'm finding the actual Honeycomb/tablet apps in short supply while there are many, many tablet specific apps on the Apple App Store.
The speakers on the iPad maybe be mono, but it sounds better to me.
Anyway, don't get me wrong, I love both (well, I will love my Transformer again after a firmware update) but I just thought Apple didn't deserve such a hard knock.
You can hate their computers (I mean because of the price, locked in aspect and some people's dislike of OSX) but their tablets and phones are pretty nice.
bleclair said:
Totally agree with that one! Being able to connect a hard drive, keyboard, usb stick, etc. That's awesome!
As for app availability I'm finding the actual Honeycomb/tablet apps in short supply while there are many, many tablet specific apps on the Apple App Store.
The speakers on the iPad maybe be mono, but it sounds better to me.
Anyway, don't get me wrong, I love both (well, I will love my Transformer again after a firmware update) but I just thought Apple didn't deserve such a hard knock.
You can hate their computers (I mean because of the price, locked in aspect and some people's dislike of OSX) but their tablets and phones are pretty nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I said apple in general, as I stated I owned an iPad and an iPhone 3GS, not everything they make is horribly overpriced, but in general they are.
and my point is that there are a ton of regular android apps that work really well on honeycomb, even though they don't get counted as "tablet apps".
I wasn't specifically knocking the iPad, just apple in general.
kudosmog said:
I had the acer for a while, and yes it was nice. A little bulky (not sure the transformer is any different, I haven't received mine yet), the grid drove me nuts (I hardly ever saw it, but when I did it was really annoying and grabbed my attention).
The screen looked nice, but nothing like the ipad2 screen I saw. I'd still say it's worth the money if you don't care about the keyboard dock or if you need usb right on the tablet. My fiancee played with the acer while I had it, and now she bugs me every day about getting another one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I compared them side by side, weight was one of the major issue for me but that probably just me.
Hey all. New member here hoping to spend a lot of time with this group. I finally decided on getting a tablet and have been going back and forth between a few choices. My number one choice at this point is the Eee Pad Transformer. The price and specs are right where I want to be. Is anyone using this device as strictly a tablet? Most reviews I read seem to rave about the keyboard dock. I'm not interested in using it as a laptop, just a tablet. I notice too that this device's hardware is setup to use it primarily horizontal, where as other tablets are set up vertical. Any insight into the tablet aspect of this device would be great.
I don't have the dock, and frankly I think it's a waste of money. You can get a BT keyboard if you really need one, and I don't see the need for more battery life. Asus should have the smaller USB adapters out soon, which is more practical I think, but even there I don't know that it's necessary for many users.
Just my opinion.
SilverZero said:
I don't have the dock, and frankly I think it's a waste of money. You can get a BT keyboard if you really need one, and I don't see the need for more battery life. Asus should have the smaller USB adapters out soon, which is more practical I think, but even there I don't know that it's necessary for many users.
Just my opinion.
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I hope it happens soon i realy needing a usb port now eheh
I think it's nice they offer it, but I didn't want a netbook.
Strictly a tablet for me.
I had to send my keyboard dock in for a RMA, otherwise I'd probably be using it with the dock right now. That said, it works great as just a tablet, although at this time it's difficult to obtain the official Asus desktop dock, so you'll have to rely on a third party case if you want to stand it upright while using it.
Whether or not you choose to use it mostly as a tablet or as a netbook is up to you. Personally I try to keep it on the dock for the majority of my applications, only switching to tablet mode if I need to read or browse the internet while sitting on a couch. The only real downside to using the Transformer in tablet mode is that you'll need an adapter for connecting USB devices, but the same can be said for many of the other popular Android tablets of today. The keyboard dock is by no means necessary for full functionality of the device, rather it is more of a supplemental peripheral for those of us who still need a hardware keyboard and USB ports in order to get our work done.
As far as the primary orientation of the device, landscape orientation is preferred for many Android tablets because they have a wider screen aspect ratio than the iPad, but that doesn't mean that the devices don't function well in portrait mode. In fact, the cameras and UI work just fine on any orientation, with only a few apps lacking portrait mode support. Other than that, the headphone port might be a little awkward to access while in portrait mode, so you can either rotate it the other way with the power button on the bottom, or do what I did and use a right angle headphone plug to make things easier.
I use it as a tablet. I may get the keyboard eventually but I don't need it now.
earlyberd said:
I had to send my keyboard dock in for a RMA, otherwise I'd probably be using it with the dock right now. That said, it works great as just a tablet, although at this time it's difficult to obtain the official Asus desktop dock, so you'll have to rely on a third party case if you want to stand it upright while using it.
Whether or not you choose to use it mostly as a tablet or as a netbook is up to you. Personally I try to keep it on the dock for the majority of my applications, only switching to tablet mode if I need to read or browse the internet while sitting on a couch. The only real downside to using the Transformer in tablet mode is that you'll need an adapter for connecting USB devices, but the same can be said for many of the other popular Android tablets of today. The keyboard dock is by no means necessary for full functionality of the device, rather it is more of a supplemental peripheral for those of us who still need a hardware keyboard and USB ports in order to get our work done.
As far as the primary orientation of the device, landscape orientation is preferred for many Android tablets because they have a wider screen aspect ratio than the iPad, but that doesn't mean that the devices don't function well in portrait mode. In fact, the cameras and UI work just fine on any orientation, with only a few apps lacking portrait mode support. Other than that, the headphone port might be a little awkward to access while in portrait mode, so you can either rotate it the other way with the power button on the bottom, or do what I did and use a right angle headphone plug to make things easier.
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I called today to get an RMA number for my defective dock because of the Battery Drain of Death. From 100% to 0% in 3 days with the tablet turned off is ridiculous. Paying for shipping out of my pocket to send to their Texas plant is also ridiculous.
People who need to buy a keyboard doc go buy it locally so you can return it if you get the Battery Drain of Death. I bought it from Newegg and waited a few months thinking a firmware update would fix the issue. Sure you see that silly useless "MobileDock Battery saving mode" box checked but still doesn't work. Its not a firmware issue its a hardware "chip" needing replacement issue. Wont work right until you RMA it wasting your time and money in the process.
I haven't even bought the dock.
I got my TF 3 months ago,now i use it for mainly two things:web browsing,and watching videos.Indoors,BTW.
I don't see the need for a dock...
grenademasta said:
I called today to get an RMA number for my defective dock because of the Battery Drain of Death. From 100% to 0% in 3 days with the tablet turned off is ridiculous. Paying for shipping out of my pocket to send to their Texas plant is also ridiculous.
People who need to buy a keyboard doc go buy it locally so you can return it if you get the Battery Drain of Death. I bought it from Newegg and waited a few months thinking a firmware update would fix the issue. Sure you see that silly useless "MobileDock Battery saving mode" box checked but still doesn't work. Its not a firmware issue its a hardware "chip" needing replacement issue. Wont work right until you RMA it wasting your time and money in the process.
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Yeah, it's annoying if you bought a dock that has that issue, but Asus isn't under pressure to issue a recall unless it's a matter of safety, which it isn't. Additionally, new docks no longer have that issue, so it makes no difference whether you buy locally or online because you won't likely have to deal with a RMA. I remember when I first bought mine there wasn't even the option to buy from a local retailer, as Best Buy and others simply didn't have any stock, and the employees had no idea that the Transformer even existed.
I paid about $20 to ship the device back to Asus, so it's a minor annoyance for me. I can't speak directly for Asus, but I'll bet the low price point of the tablet is the reason why you have to pay for return shipping in case you need to RMA. On the other hand, if you look at another popular device maker like Apple, the price point is significantly higher, but they have a storefront that you can return the device to, and you typically get it back within a day or two for minor issues.
Basically you get what you paid for.
I didn't really feel the need for a KB dock (because like most, I have a few laptops laying around and I want to use the transformer strictly as a tablet) but i happened to stroll through Fry's Electronics and picked one up on a whim. Needless to say, I'm using the dock 90% of the time.
no keyboard here, wanted just the tablet, love my tf101, tried others and found this best all rounder
I don't own the keyboard. I would probably use it sometimes if I had one, but I'm pretty happy with just the tablet.
II think I use both pretty evenly. I watch a crapload of stuff with it as a tablet, but when I have to type actual documents, or do some work, or chat online (not video) then I attach the dock. I also watch stuff with the dock attached so I don't have to charge it next to an outlt. However, the keyboard lag in the browsers is more noticeable with the keyboard since I type a lot faster. Hmm, I would wait on the keyboard if you have other things to use.
I use my transformer for web browsing, watching movies and email mostly. Next year when I replace the Transformer I may buy a dock if Asus offer it for the next model of tablet.
I dont have the dock either, I'm going to get it eventually because I can see its uses.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App
I use it as both, depending on where I am, how I'm situated, what I'm doing, etc... which is exactly why I got it, it can do either one quite well, imo.
I wanted a device to replace my 13" macbook pro which i just use at home on the couch for surfing the web, ssh, playing music, simple image editing and viewing...originally got the mac for traveling abroad, so I can use it to upload pics/videos whenever I found a wifi hotspot.
Whole family (including my parents who are around their 70s and their learning curve to user interfaces isn't so "hot") made the move to just using Toshiba Thrives at home. Made me a tiny bit curious on how they'd catch on, what the user experience would be and it seems to be a hit...parents are video chatting more, surfing more news websites and reading ebooks.
So, I decided to get the TF101 since it's the only tablet out there which suits my needs (has the dock/mini hdmi/micro sd/sd/more usb slots), EXCEPT for the fact that it doesn't have 3G. Thought, what the heck, I'll buy it, check out honeycomb and see if i like it, then sell it off or give it to another family member when the 3g version comes out eventually (travel a lot, buy prepaid sim cards...cheaper to use prepaid internet since tethering might be chargeable later with providers).
Well, minus the fact that ad hoc didn't work to begin with and i had to root it and now having problems, it's a somewhat nice device and I'm 75% happy with it. I use only the tablet when I'm in a comfortable websurfing frame of mind and generally use the dock when I'm IRCing or writing documents.
To be honest, I hate the onscreen keyboard on this device, partly cause there's no "haptic" feedback (i.e. vibration, sounds). Tend to see more errors in my typing, so I don't bother.
I have both tab and dock
And how I use them depends on what I am trying to do. The other day I used the two together to type a long email reply. A few weeks ago I went on holiday for a week and I just took the tablet, leaving the dock at home. If I'm getting the train to work I tend to take the tablet only. If I'm driving, I take both. At the moment I'm reading a book on Kindle and I'm just using it as a tablet.
Just tablet for me.
Will probably never buy the dock as I find it pointless since I already have a netbook.
I started with a netbook and ended up with a tablet.
I love the dock and still occasionally use it. If you need to type up docs in polaris or emails its much faster. The big thing though is the battery. 16 hours is silly, its virtually impossible to kill the thing in a day with the dock. Play games, movies and work a full day and its still got plenty of charge.
Being said, I havent docked mine in a month. Not because I dont like it but because I got my girlfriend a TF during the period where Office Depot was honoring the Staples coupon and she stole my dock. She uses it about 50-50. Its perfect for her as a PHD student, she needs something mobile to hold documents has she moves between labs (they all have computers but they are supporting research equipment). She loves it as a netbook. The only thing she misses is a VGA port (most projectors are VGA). If projectors moved to HDMI or there was a good, small adapter she would never need to carry my old business book.
She actually laughs now because she keeps poking the monitors on people's computers, since she basically has a touch screen laptop she subconsciously thinks all computers should be like that.
For casual travel I opt to steal the dock from her and take it myself, leave my massive laptop at home. Its a nice laptop (SSD, 3ghz quad, dedicated video card, LED) but its big and heavy. With the tablet I can do 80% of the things (99% of the things I need to do when on vacation instead of business travel) and using Splashtop HD I can control the laptop from anywhere so I can do work from aruba if needed without carrying a heavy laptop.
I'm really debating on getting the dock for my Transformer and and wanted some input.
So we'll do this is the form of a poll, but feel free to leave you feedback.
I like it, and I use it, but I find that I don't use it as much as I expected I would because I like poking the screen more .
Media dock
Personally I would love some kind of media dock with charge ability. I couldnt justify spending the extra on the keyboard.
Just purchased mine yesterday from Amazon. Should be here tomorrow with one day shipping. I'll edit this and let you know my first impressions after it arrives.
Edit: So after a few days of using my new dock, I love it!! I can't believe I waited this long to get one. It doubles as a stand, screen protector when docked and closed, extra storage space from the SDcard slot, and of course an awesome keyboard. All of the shortcuts above the number keys and the two usb ports are great too. If you are even sligtly considering getting one, I'd suggest to do it. It's a completely new experience and well worth the cash imo.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
asdfuogh said:
I like it, and I use it, but I find that I don't use it as much as I expected I would because I like poking the screen more .
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Same. I have the dock installed and I use the touchscreen anyways. It's just nice for the extended battery life but the tablet itself already has a good enough battery.
Also doesn't help there are a lot of input lag in certain areas.
I don't use it much for typing, as I still prefer using the screen, but I like the charging capability (don't like leaving the tablet plugged into the wall for long periods) and the additional ports are awesome when I'm away from home (have a 32gb SD card and 500 GB external). I may not use it often, but it was a bday gift, so.
i brought mines to use has a carpc tablet.. no dock needed..lately i've been using a lot of voice programs so i can talk to my tablet.. all my friends love the idea and wants something similar in their cars.
It's pretty useful. The extra battery, USB ports and sdcard slot are awesome. They keyboard is useful when you want to type up anything longer than a sentence or simply when you don't feel like holding the tablet! The trackpad isn't nearly as useful as I thought it would be though, it's essentially useless for scrolling through webpages since there isn't a scrollbar to click, it's not really useful to navigate on the homescreen, and the biggest downfall is that you can't use it in games (along with arrow keys)! Kinda makes me wish I had gotten the Slider instead exept that it doesn't have the extra battery, which IMO is the best feature of the dock.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
Ditto--I basically use it primarily as a super-battery, espacially watching movies on flights (it's also a stand!)
Keyboard is handy only for occasional extended input--my tab doubles as a 3LB netbook.
i use it when browsing forums, like right now. it's a nice addition, i disabled the touchpad as it gets in the way of when i type.
i like the addition in battery like as well .
Everything about it is awesome, I don't see the lag everyone talks about, just finished up writing about 30 pages worth of notes in the last week without a hiccup... Used polaris office mainly, revolver ROM with prime oc kernel.
The extended battery is awesome, plus the extra inputs. I don't really use the mouse to much, only while taking notes, the only gripe I have is the touch to click is really sensitive.
The dock really takes the tab to a whole new level in my opinion and I would recommend it to most anyone... Especially since the price has gone down a bit.
I can't see the poll, but count me as one in favor of the dock.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA App
I use it each time I leave home for several reasons :
Gets the screen protected while carrying it
Doubles the use time (around a week with my use model)
Like typing on the keyboard when taking notes
The Transformer is excellent without the keyboard dock but its STUNNING with it.
there's more reasons to get it than to not. I absolutely recommend.
Sent from my ADR6300 using xda premium
I have one on the way... will post reflections when it comes in... !
brando56894 said:
It's pretty useful. The extra battery, USB ports and sdcard slot are awesome. They keyboard is useful when you want to type up anything longer than a sentence or simply when you don't feel like holding the tablet! The trackpad isn't nearly as useful as I thought it would be though, it's essentially useless for scrolling through webpages since there isn't a scrollbar to click, it's not really useful to navigate on the homescreen, and the biggest downfall is that you can't use it in games (along with arrow keys)! Kinda makes me wish I had gotten the Slider instead exept that it doesn't have the extra battery, which IMO is the best feature of the dock.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
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To scroll with the trackpad, use a two finger scrolling gesture. You can also pinch zoom with it. You need to be in "finger pointer" instead of arrow pointer mode in settings, though (if you see a standard black/blue mouse arrow pointer, this won't work, gotta switch to the finger mode).
The dock is a must have. It makes typing so much nicer. It's replaced my notebook and is great to take the tablet off for reading news/books/papers, etc.
Sent from my Transformer TF101
I voted yes, but the money was wasted, since Asus abandoned support for the dock with the Prime, when they'd previously promised that the investment in the dock would be worthwhile since it would also work with future Transformer-series models.
Now that I know it is essentially a throwaway device that won't outlast the tablet itself, it is no longer worth the $150 to me. $70-80, sure. $150, no. (And I've bought three of them, with three tablets, for myself and family.)
knoxploration said:
I voted yes, but the money was wasted, since Asus abandoned support for the dock with the Prime, when they'd previously promised that the investment in the dock would be worthwhile since it would also work with future Transformer-series models.
Now that I know it is essentially a throwaway device that won't outlast the tablet itself, it is no longer worth the $150 to me. $70-80, sure. $150, no. (And I've bought three of them, with three tablets, for myself and family.)
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Think of it the other way. If Asus would have reused this dock, you'd be *****ing how thick and heavy the prime would be. People like you always find something to ***** about.
I bought my TF101 from Amazon. They shipped it to Australia, perfectly fine, no issues whatsoever.
...they won't ship the Dock down under though. 'tards.
yes! I like it, its handy when the battery runs low as that. charger cable isso short. nice to use at home .
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
I found the MK802+ for $39.99 with free shipping!
http://www.geekbuying.com/item/In-S...GB-RAM-4GB-ROM--Better-Than-MK802-307558.html
Android 4.0
Allwinner A10 w/ Mali400
4GB Storage
1GB of ram
802.11 b/g/n
It comes with:
HDMI cable
USB cable
AC adapter
English Manual
It also includes some bonus items:
4-port usb hub
usb 3d sound adapter
This is a very good price for the MK802. Even better when you consider the extras.
I'm buying one to have around as an extra dual booting android/linux box.
(I already own 1 mk802, several UG802, and 1 MK808.)
I've been interested in these for a while, and I have been waiting for this price point. How do they work? Do they do everything your phone/tablet can do. I would be interested if it could play a game like Batman The Dark Knight Rises Game (or something as intensive). Also how does something like Onlive work? Any browser crashes?
Snagged two and an air remote
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2
(I already own 1 mk802, several UG802, and 1 MK808.)
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Any posibility to upgrade the mk802+ to jelly bean? Speed diference is noticeable compared to the mk808?
Thats a really good price considering they give you some nice accessories to go with it. You could attach it to a monitor and keyboard/mouse and have a really cheap thin client desktop running Android.
Any one else notice the Engrish on that page, "Get this MK802+ NOW,Throw your Dumb TV!!"
Not sure how well this would work if I throw my TV. :laugh:
Decided to go ahead and get 2 of these. Basically give someone a cheap computer for mostly browsing and email. Very portable.
There are some bad reviews online with that seller, they say do not purchase from them and they are affiliated with some other stores bad stores as well.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Xparent Blue Tapatalk 2
Personally I've not had any problems with geekbuying.com, but as always if you're not comfortable then don't order from them.
You're more likely to get what's described from them than you are from a random aliexpress seller.
IMHO many bad reviews for chinese sellers are for cheap tablets. People expect way too much out of those tablets.
I bought a wireless mouse/keyboard which is recommended with it and it worked at first but the mk802 won't see it now. I've also tried 3 or 4 wireless mice with most not working. Is that normal?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2
just got my 2 today. a first there was a wifi lag problem but after fixing that everything working great. youtube and netflix working perfect. would be nice to have bluetooth on this but other then that it would just fine. also they sent me my order twice so instead of just getting 2 I got 4 of these for $75. Was $80 but use the $5 code. so 4 of these for $75 can't beat. 1 for my mom; 2 for the kids and 1 for me. Saved me form having to buy tablets.
zaiaku: why don't you tell them that?
just loaded jellybean on this thing and it's great. out the box everything works great but don't expect much of a wifi strenght from this thing. Most phones have a much better range. After putting jellybean on it definitely worth it. Smoother, more responsive; more options. no change in netflix but much more control in youtube.
Is it easy to put jb on this? Is it rooted your device?
Can anyone tell me if IP can works full screen on this ?
Cause I really need to run surveillance cams on TV with this.
PS: 32 " TV.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2
gado45 said:
Is it easy to put jb on this? Is it rooted your device?
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Very easy. From everything I ever had to root and flash this was very very simple. I did the first one and my 10yo daughter did 2 of the other ones. Takes around 5min from start to boot.
Zaiaku said:
Very easy. From everything I ever had to root and flash this was very very simple. I did the first one and my 10yo daughter did 2 of the other ones. Takes around 5min from start to boot.
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Sounds great!! I really want one of these sticks, dont know if I buy the mk808 or just wait for the latest one with quad core cpu and bluetooth
Enviado desde mi SGH-I897 usando Tapatalk 2
Can you use a usb mouse or keyboard with this? Seems like the perfect thing to add to one of my HDTVs. Plus thats really cheap.
754boy said:
Can you use a usb mouse or keyboard with this? Seems like the perfect thing to add to one of my HDTVs. Plus thats really cheap.
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Click to collapse
Yes you can use a usb mouse and key board or use a bluetooth dongle and use bluetooth which is what I'm doing now. So far the only problem I've seen with this thing is the range from the router. My phones and tablets and computer have a much larger range then this.
Zaiaku said:
Yes you can use a usb mouse and key board or use a bluetooth dongle and use bluetooth which is what I'm doing now. So far the only problem I've seen with this thing is the range from the router. My phones and tablets and computer have a much larger range then this.
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Click to collapse
Makes sense, its hard to fit a decent sized antenna in there, and at $40 I doubt the money is spent engineering a great antenna setup like inside phones. There are USB to ethernet adapters out there that work with Android, I wonder if external USB wireless adapters would work.
Sounds great!
That looks like an awesome deal! Definitely planning to give it a try. Thanks OP