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ASUS Transformer Prime TF201 gets Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update
The folks from ASUS gave North American Transformer Pad Prime and Infinity owners a tease yesterday, telling them that the TF201 and TF700 models would receive an update to Android 4.1 within the next three days. Today, the Taiwanese firm's made good on half its promise, delivering Jelly Bean to the Prime OTA. We confirmed that the update is rolling out, as our in-house TF201 has, indeed, been upgraded to version 4.1.1. Alas, Infinity owners are still sans their software goodies, but ASUS still has plenty of time left in that 72 hour window. [Thanks, Anthony]
IRL: ASUS Transformer Prime, Verbatim Dual USB Power Pack and V-Moda's Crossfade LP headphones
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. You love your gadgets because they're awesome. Or maybe you love them because you spent $500 and decided you'd better learn to like them. Whatever the case, chances are you've learned to forgive their flaws and enjoy them enough as they are, force-quits and all. That about describes this week's IRL, in which three Engadget editors make peace with their imperfect gadgets: an occasionally crash-prone Transformer Prime, the easily scratched V-Moda Crossfade LP headphones and Verbatim's Dual USB Power Pack, with its short little charging cables.
Refresh Roundup: week of June 11th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Engadget's tablet buyer's guide: spring 2012 edition
As spring reaches full blossom, it's not just the flowers that are beginning to show -- so are the new slates heavy hitters teased back at CES. So, what does that mean? It means it's high-time that we cast a fresh glance over the tablet landscape, took in a deep breath of slate-infused air and exhaled a hearty Engadget tablet buyer's guide. We've been running the smartphone equivalent for a little while now, so we thought it only fair to give the now-mature tablet category one of its own. We're going to look at the main categories of fondleslabbery and carve out what we think are the finest offerings on the market right now. It doesn't matter if you're looking for something big, small, just good enough or so powerful that it could replace your laptop: we've collected our favorites and shepherded them safely into this one humble guide. Of course, if you want to cast your net a little wider, you can always check out our tablet review hub, but if you struggle with indecision, head on past the break to see what's hot right now in Tablet Land.
How would you change ASUS' Transformer Prime?
"All hail the new king," was how we capped off our review of the Transformer Prime, which simply blew us away. Gaming performance was astonishing and it only improved when Ice Cream Sandwich appeared in the middle of this year's CES. In fact, the only issues we could find involved a less-than-ideal speaker placement, slightly flat color reproduction and the fact that the keyboard dock and battery is an additional $150. The company's even getting around fixing the GPS issue with the soon-to-be-released dongle attachment. But then we wanna hear your opinions about how this thing behaves in the real world: what are your feelings using this thing on a daily basis? Can you use it instead of a laptop or Ultrabook? What do you love, what do you hate and, if Asus' was watching, how would you change it?
ASUS teases 'awesome new features' for Transformer Prime, doesn't say what they are (update)
Like that one friend who cares enough to update everyone about a "killer party" they're headed to without saying where it is, the official ASUS Facebook page has dropped a teaser that is as tantalizing as it is frustratingly vague. The note promises "awesome new features" in the next update for its Transformer Prime, but has absolutely no details on what that means. So what could be in store, some minor .01 revision ICS bump, further GPS tweaks, custom ASUS apps or some celebratory Hasbro wallpapers? Of course, we'd love to hear that everyone's getting a new higher-res display swapped into their Tegra 3 tablet, but even with lasers and time travel still on the table, we're thinking that's not it. Feel free to dream big in the comments below -- for the moment, anything is possible.Update: If you need a hint, several commenters have pointed out posts on XDA Developers by ASUS' Gary Key indicating firmware 9.4.2.21 will arrive "by March 30th" so it shouldn't be a long wait. A possible preview of the features included is also in the thread, culled from a list on the company's Swedish Facebook site for a differently numbered, though also yet to be released update. Check the list after the break or hit the links below to follow the breadcrumbs for yourself.
US Judge rejects Hasbro / ASUS sales ban, Transformer Prime prevails
Coming up with original gadget names is tough work, and, after all, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery -- right? So it was no surprise when ASUS happened upon an alias that more than slightly resembled that of a popular fictional mutant semi -- you know, Transformer Optimus Prime. However shockingly, Hasbro wasn't a fan, opting to battle ASUS to the death in the U.S. court system. And, after countless weeks and many bank holidays, we finally have a victor. It appears that the leader of the Autobots will continue to share its name with the Taiwanese company's tablet -- that's what you get for leaving the fate of the world to mere human bureaucrats. Just don't be surprised when it comes time to name the world's next Superhero, Ms. Zenbook UX31.
Engadget Giveaway: win one of two ASUS Transformer Primes, courtesy of NVIDIA!
Boom. Just like that, another giveaway materializes out of the ether, and it's a doozy. There's a particular tablet getting a whole bunch of attention today, and NVIDIA has a sinister idea to distract you from the newest slate on the block: offer up a couple Tegra 3-powered ASUS Transformer Primes, complete with keyboard docks! No matter what kind of fanboy or girl you are, everybody wins today in one way or another, and it's hard not to be interested in anything that uses a quad-core CPU (with a 5th battery saver core thrown in for good measure) with a bunch of games to take advantage of the experience. So as usual, make sure you read the rules and leave a comment to enter the contest.
Refresh Roundup: week of February 13th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Refresh Roundup: week of February 6th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
ASUS offers refunds and extended warranties to piqued Prime customers in the UK
If the Ice Cream Sandwich update, bug fixes and piles of apologies from the folks at ASUS just aren't cutting it and you happen to live in the UK, then we've got some good news for you. You are free to take your Transformer Prime back to the shop for a full refund. Don't expect turn around and pick up that updated TF700T with your haul, though, it won't be hitting shelves in merry ol' England till at least June. If you choose to keep your dockable tablet, ASUS will offer an extended warranty of 18 months, just to soothe your panicked mind that wakes you with night terrors about GPS issues and unknown serial numbers.
ASUS says the Transformer Prime won't do 3G, time travel and lasers still on the table
ASUS gave you the Transformer Prime TF700T and a frosty injection of Ice Cream Sandwich -- what more could you possibly want? 3G on your convertible tablet? Listen, ASUS has needs, too. The company has rebuked reports that such a device would be heading our way in the first quarter of 2012 -- or at any point in the foreseeable future -- have been greatly exaggerated. According to a statement by the company, "no such product exists on its current roadmap" -- and keep in mind, that roadmap navigating comes after a GPS upgrade.
CES 2012: tablet roundup
Couldn't keep up with the 600+ posts we wrote covering CES 2012 in Las Vegas? We're here to help sift the wheat from the chaff, and if you're hoping to see the best of what CES had to offer in the world of tablets, you've come to the right place. As you can imagine, finding the best slate is much easier said than done, since it seemed as though nearly every major company brought a tablet in some shape, form or color. Head past the break to see our personal favorites from the show.
Ice Cream Sandwich to hit Eee Pad Transformer in February, says Asus
Eagerly awaiting that sweet Ice Cream Sandwich update for your original Eee Pad Transformer? Keep waiting. Asus recently told Android Police that the classic Transforming tablet wouldn't be getting its ICS update until early February. The statement came shortly after a mix up on Asus' Singapore Facebook page that mistakenly claimed the update was arriving this week. Bummer? For sure, but at least you'll get to practice the gadget lover's most valued virtue: patience.
Transformer Prime gets a fresh serving of Ice Cream Sandwich, we go hands-on
Like many of you, we couldn't wait to serve our Transformer Prime Google's latest dessert, so we took a brief respite from the CES grind to enjoy our upgraded (and suddenly dated) tablet. Yes, our Prime is now rocking Ice Cream Sandwich, and although its only been sporting the update for a few scant hours, we're already pleased. Read on to find out why.
Eee Pad Transformer to receive Ice Cream Sandwich after January 12th, ASUS confirms
ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer is about to get a healthy scoop of Ice Cream Sandwich. The company's UK branch confirmed the news today on its Facebook page, announcing that its original tablet-netbook hybrid device will make the jump to Android 4.0 sometime after January 12th. That date, as you may recall, is when the Transformer Prime is slated to receive the update, though ASUS has yet to confirm a specific date for the predecessor's update, saying only that it'll roll out "ASAP." As always, we'll be sure to let you know when we hear more.
Ice Cream Sandwich coming to the Transformer Prime January 12th
You might still be reveling in all the fun delivered by the latest update to the Transformer Prime firmware, but ASUS has some even better news -- Ice Cream Sandwich is coming, and soon! In a post on Facebook the company announced that it would begin rolling out the latest version of the Android OS to its flagship tablet starting January 12th. The post isn't all celebration and back pats however, ASUS takes time to thank its customers for their patience before addressing the elephants in the room -- GPS and the locked bootloader. While it does acknowledge there is an issue with GPS signal, thanks to the metal unibody construction, the company does skirt responsibility by claiming the Transformer is "not a professional GPS device" and admits to removing the feature from its specs and marketing materials. Lastly, ASUS explains that the locked bootloader is essential for access to content from Google's video market thanks to DRM restrictions, but it promises an unlock utility is in the work for those who want it.
Transformer Optimus Prime wants his name back, right now preferably
In a cunning bid to remind the adult world of its long-lost childhood, in which even the most vacuous fictional characters could somehow seem magical, Hasbro has suddenly decided to sue ASUS over its 'Transformer Prime' branding. It doesn't matter that the Transformer Prime really does transform -- you know, in real-life -- or that it exists in a non-competing market, or that the latest Transformers movie was a complete waste of everybody's time. Nope, Hasbro still feels the need to "aggressively protect its brands and products" from illusory enemies, and it's fully prepared to threaten ASUS with a sales injunction until some sort of conciliatory gesture appears on its bank statement. If this lawsuit takes hold -- please, not another Düsseldorf -- then we promise that our future children will never buy, watch or touch a single Hasbro product. Except maybe that R2-D2 version of Operation, which is pretty sweet.
ASUS Transformer Prime pre-order shipments delayed at Best Buy, Amazon
ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer Prime has already suffered a few setbacks on its march to the US market and unfortunately, it looks as if another obstacle may be on the horizon. According to a handful of tips we've received this morning, Best Buy has been sending out emails to users who pre-ordered the new tablet for delivery this week, informing them that shipments have been "back-ordered," and delayed by one to two weeks. This means, of course, that some buyers may not receive the device until after Christmas. In its email, Best Buy gave its customers the option of canceling their orders outright, replacing it with a similar device, or searching the product at a brick and mortar location (a customer service rep told us that the Transformer Prime is not in stock). Some who ordered the slate on Amazon, meanwhile, have received emails informing them that their orders were "inadvertently canceled," and offering them the chance to pre-order it again today, along with a $10 gift card to make up for the inconvenience. We'll be following this story closely, so check this space for any further updates. Here's ASUS's official statement: "ASUS started filling the inventory pipelines this past week for our new Eee Pad Transformer Prime and will continue to do so on an expedited basis for the foreseeable future. We will reach normal inventory levels in January for the North American market based on current orders and forecasts. Based on forecasted supply schedules to our valued partners we expect pre-order allocation fulfillment to occur shortly and online or in-store availability in the very near future. We will continue to work closely with our partners to fill customer orders as quickly as possible." [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Transformer Prime heading to UK shelves next month, bundled with dock for complete transformation
ASUS has excelled at building up the global Transformer craze, and although there's been a few hiccups along the way, the quad-core beast is set to start hitting shelves around the world in the weeks ahead. According to Pocket-lint, the Taiwanese company has given confirmation that the newest Eee Pad on the block is hitting Great Britain in January. You'll be surprised to hear that the Prime won't be coming as a lone wolf, instead being bundled with its mighty dock companion and priced at £499 (around $770 in Greenbacks) for the 32GB WiFI-only version. We'd offer you a look at our review in the meantime, but on second thought, that probably makes the wait that much more unbearable...
