Comments on: ASUS Transformer Prime GPS freebie small-print prompts owner ire

By: Sschopra

Sschopra — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:15:00 +0000

They should offer this to everybody that purchased the device, despite their statement that certain countries claimed “localized” versus full “GPS” navigation and that is their reasoning. Firstly the average consumer and even sales person would not know the difference between these points – which was clearly the intention of ASUS’s word selection. Go to Bestbuy and ask if the product has GPS I am sure most salespeople will say yes. Why not clearly state that this cannot be substituted as a GPS navigator – or do not mention anything localization. Secondly, the tablet was intended to have a functional GPS (it was clearly dysfunctional at the release) – why not send out a proper fix for everyone. Thirdly, remember the basic rule of making customers happy, and the customer is always correct. Although this is a over-simplification – using clearly misleading statemtents to justify not offering something to a customer is never going to go over well with unhappy customers. You are setting yourself up for not having repeat customers, loosing current customers and people telling their friends to buy your product. All in all – bad PR move by ASUS – even if your fine print means you are right.

By: Koller

Koller — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:36:00 +0000

agree, this should only be available for the people who buy the product with the GPS specified on the spec sheet (no meter the country)

By: Koller

Koller — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:31:00 +0000

no it isn’t because the dongle can be installed by anyone, replacing the back plate requires Asus to pay the 2way shipping, technicians to replace the part and the cost of the part. Removing the back plate is not that easy and can risk all the hardware and become more expensive the repair.

By: marvel83

marvel83 — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:19:00 +0000

Wouldn’t have just been cheaper for Asus to make the back material different and offer an exchange to customers instead of making a GPS dongle?

By: Lorthirk

Lorthirk — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:45:00 +0000

Is it fair to give the dongle to someone who buys the Prime tomorrow and lives in certain countries (even ones that pulled out the GPS spec, but is giving the dongle anyway), and not to someone who bought from the USA or preordered in Italy in January? Because this is what’s happening :)

By: Koller

Koller — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:25:00 +0000

I think is fair; Why give a feature for free that wasn’t even offered at the moment you buyed the product? This is a well known issue since I got mine back in dic. and at least for me that wasn’t a deal breaker. So if someone got the TF knowing the GPS was not working properly (or not working at all), that means it is not a must for their use.

By: johntate90210

johntate90210 — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:23:00 +0000

A lot of people like them due to the large screen size. Check and you’ll find windshield mounting brackets for tablets. Some even hike with them. Your point of view is rather like “They forgot to install a backseat in my car. I never use it so it doesn’t really matter.” How the heck did the tablet make it to market without anybody noticing the problem?!

By: Alessio Lassi

Alessio Lassi — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:22:00 +0000

I’m Italian and I bought a Transformer Prime in Italy in early February. I was fully aware the GPS was not working fine and I followed the press launch on the internet. During that even the PM clearly stated GPS for italian users would have been disabled because of some well known bug.
Having said that, I don’t really expect Asus to provide me a free gift and I would not blame them for this reason.

By: Lorthirk

Lorthirk — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:52:00 +0000

It doesn’t really matter, IMHO. Has ASUS decided to give a free dongle? Yes. Then why should not it be given to anyone, since their announcement says so?

By: Tim Box

Tim Box — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:12:00 +0000

How many people will use the Transformer Prime as a GPS device?

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:43:00 +0000

aha!
i will never buy an asus product.
customer support, without distinction, is important to me.