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First off, I just wanted to clear up the confusion. There are a lot of people giving negative feedback on this device thinking they got an older TF201 (Transformer Prime) keyboard dock that was simply repackaged as a TF700T (Transformer Infinity) keyboard dock. That's understandable. Even I was confused by the writing on the box which has "TF201 dock" in the title in various places.
But here's the deal: According to ASUS, these are in fact newly designed TF700T keyboard docks. So long as the P/N says "TF700T-DOCK-GR", it definitely is a TF700T Infinity dock. No question about it. And yes, it is definitely different from the TF201 dock.
How does it differ with the original TF201 dock? According to everything ASUS has written, the answer is that the new TF700T dock 1) has better weight distribution to prevent tipping over, 2) has a slightly smaller battery with slightly less charge, and 3) costs up to $50 more (but I see they're lowering the prices on these as I type this).
I've exhaustively gone through the XDA forums on this, and people are saying that the Infinity tablet does in fact work with the old TF201 keyboard dock, but that some people were complaining that it wasn't a perfect fit, and some were actually saying that it was scratching the metal case or maybe even slightly chipping the edge of the glass. Others said that their TF201 dock was fine.
So, based on the possibility that the original TF201 dock might not fit as well as the new TF700T dock, and based on the fact that the TF700T dock should have better weighting to prevent it from tipping over more often, I decided to purchase this new TF700T dock instead of the old dock for my new Infinity tablet.
Yes, it's up to $50 more. And you do get about 10-15% less battery life from the new dock. But, I still think it's probably the better combination to use with the new Infinity tablet.
Here's what I suggest doing if you want to know for sure. I've actually not done this yet. You may want to just bring your Infinity tablet to Best Buy and try inserting it into an original TF201 Prime keyboard dock. Compare it with the new Infinity dock if they also have it on display there. See if there are any noticeable differences in fit and weight distribution. If not, then go ahead and buy the original TF201 Prime dock instead, because it has slightly more battery life.
Now, as for the keyboard's feel and function... I have to say, this keyboard feels wonderful, despite the fact that it's so small. I expected it would be terrible. But that's just not the case. It is so easy to type on. The keys themselves provide a good amount of tactile feedback. I can very easily bang out emails and type in web page addresses. I type at over 80 words per minute, and it keeps up just fine. I can't say enough good things about it. It's a much better experience than using an on-screen keyboard, let me tell you.
There are just a few nitpicky things I'll say about it. First, I noticed the right-shift key was smaller than what I'm used to, and I had to adjust my typing style slightly to accommodate that. Second, there is no "DELETE" (rub-out) key. There's a "Backspace" key, of course. I later found out that you can do a DELETE by pressing shift-backspace. No big deal there. And lastly, it is a smaller keyboard than your desktop keyboard. But in my case, it seemed pretty easy to adjust to it. I find myself looking down at it every now and then to make sure I'm on target, but usually I can just type away without looking at what I'm doing on it.
EDIT: One other key that appears to be missing that I would really like to have is the ESCAPE key. Most people probably have little use for that key, but it is a requirement if you use certain editors like VIM which we unix geeks like (but note: the "Vi Improved Touch" app remaps the Android return key to ESCAPE for you, so you're fine). It can also come in handy if you're using the web browser and want to escape out of full screen mode or something. Or if you're using your tablet as a way to remotely control your PC desktop. Usually there's some work-around like bringing up the virtual keyboard instead, but having a dedicated ESCAPE key on the dock would be a lot better. There are some online docs on how to remap the Caps Lock key to become the ESCAPE key, but it appears you need to have root access to achieve this. I'm not sure if there's any other way to achieve it at this moment. Not a big deal, but I did want to mention it.
EDIT 2: Someone in the comments section noted that you can always just press CTRL-[, and it's the same as ESCAPE. So you actually don't need a dedicated ESCAPE key. Very useful tidbit of information! (Thanks, Jordan!)
As for the positives, there are a lot more than negatives. For starters, those Android keys at the very top-most row are a welcome addition. You can easily toggle wifi on and off, as well as bluetooth, to allow you to get better battery life on the road. There's the volume control keys to raise/lower/mute volume. There's the screen brightness raise/lower keys. The standard Android "return" key is on the top-left, very easy to use. I probably use that key the most. There's also the screen lock button on the top-right, which I use second most frequently. There's also a button to toggle the keyboard's trackpad on/off, which is very welcome as it prevents accidental mouse pointer control and clicking while you're trying to type something.
Another thing that's nice about it is how well the Infinity tablet actually fits into the dock. It fits very snugly and doesn't wobble at all while it's in there.
I mention fit, because I've heard others online complaining that their Infinity tablet didn't fit as snugly into the original TF201 Prime dock (not this Infinity dock). Some actually bought some little pieces of rubber with sticky adhesive on the backs to stick into the dock interface to make it was a perfect fit. I'm not sure if it really hurts not having a perfect fit, but I guess some people worry about it. Mind you, a lot of people with original Prime docks are reporting that theirs fit just fine, so I don't know what to make of that.
Anyway just to reiterate, this new TF700T dock does not have this problem. The fit is very snug. It's snug while completely closed and open. The whole unit just feels very solid.
As for the weight balance and the risk of having it tip over... This was a worry of mine, because I heard some reviewers actually broke theirs because they opened them all the way, and they left it on the edge of a table or something. Then someone comes along and accidentally brushes up against it, and down it goes. Not smart.
My experience is that the weight balance is fine. I don't think it will tip over very easily up to about 120 degrees. Past that, yes, it's definitely unstable. But actually, that's as far as you can physically open it anyway. So long as you're on an even surface, no problem. But if you're like me, you might want to sit down and use it on your lap. That's where you might have to be a bit more careful about it. Suddenly shifting your legs might tip it over. It's not a big deal, though. You'll be able to feel its balance before it ever tips over.
Ports... There's a full SD card slot and a full USB 2.0 slot as well as a 40 pin pass-through connector. These are very welcome additions. Some people may not be aware of this, but the USB slot is a "host-mode" slot. That means you can actually plug in things like keyboards, mice, cell-phone modems, wireless keyboard dongles, ethernet-over-USB adapters, or even the Playstation controller, and it will just automatically recognize it and knows what to do with it. That's just such a nice feature. A lot of tablets just have a micro-USB port without the host-mode capability.
The only thing I'd like to see added to the keyboard dock is maybe one more USB port so that it can power external CD ROM drives and such they typically use one USB connection for data and another one for power at the same time. And maybe I'd like to see the next generation of these keyboards use the newer, faster USB 3.0 standard instead.
The level of "integration" with the tablet was a pleasant surprise to me. They really thought about it and gave it the feel of an actual laptop. When the tablet is docked with the keyboard, you can close it (physically), and just like a laptop, it will cause the screen to turn off automatically. That puts it into power saving sleep mode also. Open it back up, and the screen turns on again, and it comes out of sleep mode, instantly. Also, you can connect the power cord to the dock's 40 pin connector, and that will charge the tablet and the keyboard at the same time. In other words, you don't need to take the tablet out of the dock and charge it separately. Pretty nice features. It really does feel like a laptop. They did a great job with it.
One more thing I wanted to mention before I wrap things up. The actual dock part of the keyboard dock is pretty stiff. It takes effort to rotate the dock at first, manually. When I first got this keyboard dock, it was in the closed position, and so I tried to just grab the dock and rotate it into the open position using just my fingers. But it wouldn't budge. I was scared to use more force to open it, thinking I was going to break it or something. So I looked it up on the web and found that others had the same question. As it turns out, it's supposed to be this stiff. And yes you just need to add more muscle to move it initially. And then you can put your tablet into it and move it just fine from that point on. But initially it is a little scary and confusing.
Alright, that just about covers it. I'm pretty happy with this purchase. But I do think they ought to lower the price to match the original Prime dock's price, and I think they will eventually. For $100, it's perfectly reasonable. Some people may still question that price, but keep in mind you're getting a decent battery boost in addition to the solidly designed keyboard and full "laptop-like" integration with the tablet. I think it's totally worth it. For $150, it does make it harder to justify getting this instead of the original TF201 Prime dock. But like I said in my review, I still think it's the best dock to use with the Infinity tablet.
Hope that helps!
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Well I have waited for weeks so I could get the tablet dock amazon had to sell and it is finally here. I have to say it is not everything I expected. That is because it has the FCC sticker indicating TF201 and the firmware does the same. That said, I tested my infinity on a 201 dock and it didn't work right, and on this dock it is working flawlessly. In addition, the color matches, the weight distribution is good, and I'm having zero issues typing on it. The battery life is phenomenal and the seating of the tablet has no issues worth noting.
I am of course extremely disappointed that I could have ordered from any of the other sellers on here and gotten the same product weeks ago for less cash, but I got what I wanted and as of yet am very satisfied with it. I do think it was pretty crappy of Asus to reformat and sell the 201 docks as 700 docks, but at least if it stops working, I'll have ground to stand on against Asus (not that I expect it to stop working).
I can't recommend the dock enough. If you bought a transformer you should buy the dock as well, it completely changes the experience of using an android tablet. Just yesterday a coworker asked why I bought a netbook when I already had a tablet. I asked him how many netbooks have a removable touch screen display and it was awe-inducing. A great exprience overall.
Very satisfied!
UPDATE: Tested side by side with my Brother's Transformer Prime and I can confirm that the weight distribution/balancing is remarkably different from the Primes dock. I am absolutely certain that this is a TF700 dock regardless of the firmware name.
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Like many of the reviewers here, I too ordered this part from Amazon only to receive a reboxed FT201 designed for the original Transformer Prime. Amazon customer service was gracious as always in accepting my immediate return of this item, but it's ASUS that's to blame here, not Amazon or a host of other retailers that are caught in the middle of this scheme/scam.
ASUS support is compounding this issue by issuing conflicting information on the compatibility of the two DIFFERENT keyboard/docks, telling some that the old FT201 will work just fine with the FT700T tablet -claiming it's the same model, while posting product data sheets that indicate that there is no backward compatibility for the newer keyboard/dock.
The facts:
> I was able to order and receive an actual FT700T keyboard/dock from B&H Photo, who were the only retailer that acknowledged and addressed the issue by only shipping the new keyboards when customers ordered the FT700T SKU (ASTF700TDG for the grey unit).
> ASUS closed out my support ticket by sending me an e-mail that attempted to explain (unsuccessfully) what's compatible with what. Thanks a lot for nothing. Hope your support metrics soar with such non-responsive, cop out resolutions.
> The actual FT700T unit, although still boxed in an FT201 box (hope you saved a couple trees here ASUS by continuing the confusion), did have a sticker on the shrink wrap that covered the "Model: FT201 Mobile Docking" text at the top of the product label on the bottom of the box with a white sticker that reads "FT700T Mobile Docking." This is the key to knowing that the right part is in the box. This is also the only piece of relevant information that ASUS tech support provided (on the phone).
> The new, black sticker on the side of the box reading "Compatible with TF700 Series / TF201" tells you nothing different than the reboxed FT201 packaging did. Ignore this sticker, which was on the box and under the shrink wrap.
> The actual FT700T:
Does dock cleanly with the FT700T Transformer Infinity tablet, with the locking mechanism sliding all the way to the right upon insertion
Does match the grey color of the Infinity tablet better (less purple hue than the TF201 keyboard/dock)
Does contain the smaller battery that's shifted more to the front of the unit to make the docked unit more stable on flat surfaces than the tippy FT201/FT700T combination.
REVIEW OF CORRECT MODEL
> Great fit and feel. Solid as a combined unit when open or closed.
> No better or worse than typing on my 10.1 "ASUS Eee netbook.
> Good set of dedicated function keys: best key = the one that turns off the glidepad when typing. missing key: the multitask pane key
> Full-sized SD and USB ports add great utility to the tablet
> Ability to add supplemental battery power to tablet when running low = priceless
SEE CUSTOMER-POSTED PHOTO FOR PICTURE OF LABEL ON BOTTOM OF CORRECT BOX
Thanks Amazon for the best customer service in the universe. Thanks ASUS for another solid product set. Shame on you ASUS for inconsistent, misleading packaging that left your customer support and the retailers holding the bag so you could save a few bucks by not issuing a new part number in a new box.
Honest reviews on ASUS Transformer Infinity TF700T Mobile Docking - Champagne
I currently own a TF201 and a TF700, each with the correct dock/keyboard. Those perform flawlessly, locking firmly into place and are an excellent addition to said tablets.
This keyboard dock was a Christmas gift, along with a TF700, for one of my children. Fortunately, we discovered the issue before it was given as a gift. It appears to be, as others have noted in previous reviews, a slightly modified dock which was originally made for the TF201, NOT THE TF700 AS ADVERTISED!
The other docks allow you to firmly and accurately lock the tablet onto the dock. This one appears to not catch correctly on the right, allowing the tablet to slip off with very little movement. The charge feature does work (as you can tell by a small charge indicator on the tablet screen) when the tablet is pressed into place. Yet it does not align quite correctly, and a small gap remains on the right side of the fitting between the tablet and the dock.
My previous ASUS tablets and docks were all purchased on Amazon, and are great devices, performing as they should. I certainly do not fault Amazon for this issue.
Rather than contacting ASUS Support, as some reviewers state they have done, I decided to simply return the item. Based on other reviewers, ASUS will simply state that it is the correct item and that it does interface with the Transformer. Not true.
At this point, I am a bit hesitant to order a replacement. As the mixed reviews seem to indicate, some buyers receive a fully functional TF700 dock, while some receive the "modified" version. Perhaps ASUS has a plethora of TF201 docks, which they modified to "work" with the Transformer.
A big part of the disappointment is due to the fact that the ASUS tablets are awesome devices, and the dock and keyboard are fantastic additions to the tablet. Come on ASUS, cease the bait and switch and ship the OEM part! Sorry if you are sitting on a warehouse full of TF201 docks, but do not simply re-label the older ones and try to convince your loyal customers that this actually performs to specs for the Transformer Pad.
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To those wondering, I'm currently typing on a tf201 at this moment on my tf700. I recently purchased the infinity dock(tf700) off of amazon thinking maybe I should have stuck with going for the proper dock instead of one where rumors are flying that the prime dock causes more wear and tear. Also, in regards to it being a repackaged prime, it is not. There are several differences that you can see when lined together which I'll explain in this review. This is also my first review so be easy on me.
First off, the box. Many have seen, I as well, that the box reads as a prime dock. The manual also says prime as well which is a huge misleading factor. I called ASUS as well and it seems that it was a misprint and the only way to tell is by either opening it or looking at the customer P/N which should read as the tf700.
Looking at the two here in front of me, the difference is easy to tell in regards to color matching. The prime is a darker shade of that purple-gray while the infinity is the lighter shade. For those caring, like me, I'd rather have matching colors which led me to try out this dock.
In terms of dimensions both are the same. The infinity will stick out like a front lip on both docks which is a little irritating but most of the time the pad would not be closed at least in my case. It also seems like on the infinity dock, the lip at the bottom of the dock has a smooth grade. In the case of memory, it does come with a downgraded battery compared to the prime so you'll have to deal with a shorter span of life. The weight distribution is also slightly different where the infinity dock weighs slightly more at the bottom although in total both are about the same or the same. It is still top heavy so don't be attempting a feat
with it on your lap. I'd say hold on for dear life if possible. On a table, it can be at a good angle for viewing.
Typing on the infinity feels absolutely the same. It functions as it should and regardless of the firmware both work.
The biggest issue I feel is sliding it into the locking position. They are both acted the SAME! I wanted it to feel different but they both had the same feel when pushing the infinity into the slot. It took some force, not too much, and on both the locks wouldn't fully lock. The locking mechanism or switch would go about a little more than halfway and then it requires the person to slide it over that last few centimeters. That was a big peeve for me as it is supposed to be different. By different I imagined that it would just slide in. As a factor, I'm also using a screen protector so that could be one of the issues but it happened on both and I wasn't as satisfied. So in regards to earlier about the wear and tear, it seemed that both would do the same thing if that was indeed the cause. Although, breaking gorilla glass is a feat.
-As a note, having this issue is not necessarily a bad thing as it feels that it actively locks in. It makes it feel solid and strong, not wimpy and loose. However, as a personal preference it's disappointing that it isn't as smooth as it should be.
Another peeve is the fact that it doesn't come with its own charger. While it may not seem like a big deal it's a convenience factor. Trying to charge both at the same time is well, difficult. For me, I like to charge things separately. When the dock runs out of power, I disconnect and then charge it. However, if the pad comes to the same level, it becomes which one do I charge now? My priority is to charge something to 100% and then do the next one. I hate having to disconnect at mid-charge to charge something else.
It has some well deserved features for a keyboard. A USB port and a SD card reader comes to mind. I had to buy myself an SD adapter when I was only using the infinity so it got a little annoying so this is a welcomed addition. Both have these so I wouldn't be worried about either.
As a dock, it works just as well as any keyboard. It's a tad small for some hands, including mine, but I'm dealing with it as I'm typing this up. I feel at the end though, that I'll end up keeping the infinity dock mainly because of the color fit and well, personal preference to have items match up. The prime isn't inferior and while it may say they're incompatible, I haven't seen a reason that it isn't yet. So if you don't mind the color, you may go with the prime. I'm charging my infinity dock as I type so I plan to return this prime dock(sadly). I'll be using it from now on so I'll update on use compared to my time with the prime. ASUS did us a big shenanigan with this item and it's very disappointing the few differences and similarities are not noteworthy.
Pros:
-Battery life is good just not as good as the prime dock
-Slots for USB and SD cards
-Typing I think is nice and not hard to get used to
Cons:
-the lip, it sticks out
-it "recommends" the purchaser to grab another charger
-typing as well, for big hands
-putting it into the dock (#1 peeve)
