Asus Vivo RT has most potential, but needs improvements!

peterharvey

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Hi, I am desperately hunting around for a new tablet.
The Microsoft Surface has a silly kickstand, and a plastic cover type keyboard that has no additional battery, nor SD card slot.
Microsoft should learn that the keyboard dock has several advantages:
1) It acts as a clamshell to protect the screen.
2) It provides a physical keyboard and scratch pad.
3) It provides USB and full size SD Card slot.
4) It provides additional battery life, extending the run time from 9 hours, to 16 hours!!!
Why does Microsoft fool around with a plastic cover, and a messy kick stand?
Why doesn't Microsoft do the real thing???
Especially when history has shown the Asus Transformer Android to be a run out success?

I am also disappointed at the Samsung Ativ Tab.
Some don't like its plastic backing.
Apparently it is only 32 GB?
Worse, there is NO 3G.
Worse, there seems to be NO keyboard dock!


The best so far is an Asus Vivo RT, however the Vivo RT has a lot of problems.
1) Why are only 32 GB versions sold in Australia, esp when the system uses 11 GB and there is only 21 GB of memory left? Where are the 64 GB versions???
2) How come the Asus Transformer Androids have a full SD card slot in their dock?
Where is the full size SD card slot in the Vivo RT's dock? Useful for viewing SD cards from cameras.
3) The Vivo RT's keyboard feels weird to type on, continually missing the keys; it seems that the keys need to be taller and squarer like the keys on the Asus Transformers?
4) Why is the Asus Transformer TF700 Android blessed with a full hi res screen at 1920 x 1080?
Why is the Asus Vivo RT only 1366 x 768, or something like that???
5) Is the new Vivo RT's "hidden hinge" any good?
Please watch this video: ASUS Vivo Tab RT Dock Impressions - YouTube
Apparently this new hidden hinge does NOT make a nice secure clip sound when the keyboard is attached?
Worse, it does not clamp on as securely, and there is a small amount of wiggling around???
So what if the Asus Transformer's hinge was visible? It worked very well!


On the bright side, it's nice to see that the Vivo RT has stereo speakers, to the Transformer's weak single right speaker, and it's also nice to see that the Vivo RT comes in 3G, where the Transformer TF700 is only limited to Wi-Fi.

Come on Asus, both the Transformer and the Vivo RT could do with improvements, especially the latter.
Speaking of wi-fi, both could do with n speed at 5 GHz, rather than just n speed at only 2.4 GHz...
 

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The best so far is an Asus Vivo RT, however the Vivo RT has a lot of problems....

Lol, it's the best but has a lot of problems, that's funny. I'm pretty happy with the Surface and find the touch keyboard to work very well without adding extra weight. Depending on my use the battery will last all day to several days and having the USB and MicroSD on the tablet works well also. Many who actually own a Surface wish they had more angle options for the kickstand but appreciate having it at its default angle than no kickstand at all. Especially considering that when its closed its completely out of the way. The Asus Vivo RT isn't bad but I was expecting better since they've been in the tablet market already with Android.
 

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at least get your facts correct before you criticize:

img_main.png

it's not that your facts are blatantly wrong. just misleading. models come in all configurations. if you want a keyboard dock, you can get one.
 

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at least get your facts correct before you criticize:
it's not that your facts are blatantly wrong. just misleading. models come in all configurations. if you want a keyboard dock, you can get one.
Please read carefully.
That's why I said "apparently it is only 32 GB", with a question mark [?] in the end.
I also clearly stated that "... there seems to be no keyboard dock".
You must read carefully before you criticize.

So does the Samsung Ativ Tab with Windows 8 RT come in a 3G version?
Because the Asus Transformer Infinity TF700 True HD 1920 x 1080 is NOT available with 3G, nor is the Microsoft Surface RT available with 3G.

From my research so far, it seems that the Samsung Ativ Tab in the slow & economical Arm Processor and Windows 8 RT version is NOT available with a keyboard dock? Is that right?
It seems that only the Ativ Tab with the Atom Processor and the Windows 8 Full Version - is available with a keyboard dock???
In the photo that you supplied above, it seems that the Ativ Tab in 10" RT version with a Arm Processor, and has no keyboard dock, is at the back; meanwhile the tablet at the front is the bigger 11.6" version, with an Atom Processor, and Windows 8 Full Version?
If I'm not wong, the larger tablet at the front of your photo with the keyboard dock is actually called an Ativ Smart PC?
So as it stands, there is still no evidence for an Ativ Tab Windows 8 RT with a keyboard dock???

Presently, the Ativ Tab in Windows 8 RT has been barely released, so scant information is available???
 
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yes, what I was saying was that there are different tiers for different people:

1) the Ativ Tab is the Windows RT tablet with the ARM processor
2) the Ativ Smart PC is the Windows 8 tablet with the Atom (Clover Trail) processor
3) the Ativ Smart PC Pro is the Windows 8 tablet with the Intel i5 processor

to get the keyboard dock, you need an Ativ Smart PC. but that's like in a car where in order to get the navigation package, you have to get the power package first. for those on a budget, you can get the lowest package which is the Ativ Tab. Yes, there isn't a keyboard dock. But it does have Bluetooth and a USB port to get your keyboard that way. And there are generic docks that you can use as well.

And the Ativ Tab does come in 64 GB configurations as well.

As for 3G, yes, unfortunately it's not built-in. But it's a Windows PC. You can buy a USB device that gives you 3G or 4G.
 

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That last part about the Ativ Tab with Windows 8 RT missing 3G/4G is strange considering that the Android Samsung Galaxy Tabs come in 3G and even 4G, however the Galaxy Tab Androids still don't have a clamshell keyboard dock.

Nevertheless HTC is said to be launching their own Windows RT tablet early next year.
Ditto Nokia.
So I guess I'll just have to hang out a bit longer.

Last time, I hung out on the original Asus Transformer TF101, for the 2nd generation Asus Transformer Prime TF201, only to still miss out on 3G.
Strangely, the TF201 was replaced only 6 months later by the 301, which strangely had 3G, but only 32 GB storage.
Meanwhile the Transformer Infinity TF701 hi def at 1920 x 1080, also had the full 64 GB, but only wi-fi. Strange mix.
All the 2012 Transformers suffered from single right speaker only syndrome, while the Vivo RT and Ativ Tabs have stereo speakers, with the Ativ Tab with front stereo speakers.
It's a strange mixture of standard and missing features - I'm still waiting for that feature packed Windows RT tablet...
 

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What's wrong with the Acer Iconia W510 or W700? The W510 is a full Windows 8 x86 not RT and is thinner and lighter than the Surface and even the IPad. Plus it is much cheaper than any of the other full Windows 8 tabs.

It also has a battery time of 9 hours and the keyboard dock has another 9 hours - nothing to sneeze at here!:D
 

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The Microsoft Surface has a silly kickstand,
And this kickstand can be nice when you are using the tablet without a keyboard dock.

What's wrong with the Acer Iconia W510 or W700? The W510 is a full Windows 8 x86 not RT and is thinner and lighter than the Surface and even the IPad. Plus it is much cheaper than any of the other full Windows 8 tabs.
My concern with the Acer W510 would be the Atom based processor[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]. Of course, it's not likely a showstopper since I would not suggest doing grunt work on a tablet anyway.

[/FONT]
 

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the new Atoms (based on Clover Trail) are pretty darn good (except like any Intel graphics, they lack the grunt for high-end gaming).

Clover Trail has changed my image of the Atom processor which I always associated with terrible netbooks.

I'm still hoping for AMD to get into the field with their decent CPU/great GPU combo.
 

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