Comprehensive (?) list of problems using TF700 for productivity (the short version)

[monicagr]

In a nutshell: The Asus Transformer TF700 tablet and mobile dock are not mature enough to be used for productivity purposes (i.e. as a netbook/laptop substitute).

I would never have purchased the Asus Transformer TF700 tablet and mobile dock if I had known:

1) Android keyboard shortcut support in connection with the mobile dock is spotty, most importantly with "Ctrl + X," "Ctrl + C" and "Ctrl + V." (With some apps these and other common shortcuts do work, but not with all--including the Google Chrome for Android app, which is odd since Chrome and Android are both Google products!!!). . . . It would be nice if keyboard shortcuts could be made to work universally at the Android operating system level just as they work on operating systems not designed for mobile devices.
2) Text can be selected ONLY by using the touchscreen--no mouse-click-and-drag text selection using the mobile dock is possible.
3) Text selection in the (Chrome?) browser is only possible in textboxes, not on non-textbox sections of Web pages.
4) All apps display only full-screen (i.e. It's impossible to display two windows/apps side-by-side, which is not a really big deal when I'm only using the the tablet screen, but would be much more frustrating if I connected the tablet to an external monitor.) (FYI: "Floating apps" replicate SOME multi-window functionality.)
5) I'm frequently unable to enter punctuation symbols from the right side of the keyboard--or if I can, only after I press the key more than once, after which the symbol DOES enter, but on the wrong line.)

I have done extensive reading about these things on this forum and elsewhere and realize some of these things have partial(?) solutions. If you feel I should have mentioned a solution I didn't, I would be happy to have you say so in your comments on my post. Also, I will be contacting Asus/Android about these things and hope to post any solution I get from them.

Monica R

P.S. On the positive side, a touchscreen is addicting!!!

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[monicagr]

In a nutshell: The Asus Transformer TF700 tablet and mobile dock are not mature enough to be used for productivity purposes (i.e. as a laptop/netbook substitute).

I would never have purchased the Asus Transformer TF700 tablet and mobile dock if I had known:

1) Android keyboard shortcut support in connection with the mobile dock is spotty, most importantly with "Ctrl + X," "Ctrl + C" and "Ctrl + V" (with some apps, these shortcuts work, but not all, including Google Chrome, which is odd because Android and Chrome are both Google products--It would be nice if keyboard shortcuts could be made to work universally at the Android operating system level). See more at:
-- Prime Keyboard - I useful tip; several "Concerns" - xda-developers
-- Review: Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime| PC World Magazine New Zealand

2) Text can be selected ONLY by using the touchscreen--no mouse-click-and-drag text selection using the keyboard is possible. See more at:
-- ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 Review | Digital Trends
-- Review: Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime| PC World Magazine New Zealand

3) Text selection in the browser is only possible in textboxes, not on non-textbox sections of Web pages.
-- Copy/paste for browsers - Android Forums
-- Can't select text in browser? - Android Forums
-- https://begood.good.com/thread/1483

4) All apps display only full-screen (i.e. It's impossible to display two windows/apps side-by-side, which is not a really big deal when I'm only using the the tablet screen but would be much more frustrating if I connected the tablet to an external monitor.)
-- Multi Window
-- Get Real Multitasking on Android With These 8 Floating Apps (This discusses "floating apps" which replicate SOME multi-window functionality.)

5) I'm frequently unable to enter punctuation symbols from the right side of the keyboard--or if I can, only after I press the key more than once, after which the symbol DOES enter, but on the wrong line.
-- https://github.com/zielmicha/emacs-android/issues/1 (but note: I'm having trouble with this on my English keyboard)

FYI: I originally bought my Asus Transformer (and not an iPad or other tablet) as a replacement for my dying netbook because I could find no tablet app (including Apple's "Pages") beside Android's Kingsoft Office that offers certain word processing features I need as a graduate student and teacher, namely headers and footers (and maybe also footnoting--I can't remember) needed for writing academic papers, nor the commenting review feature I use extensively when grading student writing.

[Frederuco]

1) yes, it would be great if this was implemented at the OS level, but sadly it is not.

2) Long press the left mouse button and then drag the grips to select. Also, shift+arrows work in many apps for editable text.

3) Not a fan of chrome myself so I never noticed.

4) multi-tasking has not been implemented on many devices. Android started on 3-4" screens and multiple windows don't make sense. Samsung and the Note 10.1 is probably the best one. If you want more, maybe a WinRT tablet would be better.

5) are you using the stock keyboard? If so, maybe try some 3rd party ones.

[monicagr]

Thanks, Frederuco, especially for your "shift + arrows" text-selection comment! That's a lifesaver--I now again need to update my TF700 Amazon review! (After having just updated it an hour ago--whoops!) (FYI to any readers: Frederuco's "shift + arrows" tip not only works in editable text in the default Asus browser, Chrome, Kingsoft Office, Repligo Reader, and Google docs in the Google Drive app. It also works to extend already-selected (via long-press) text selected in non-editable text areas in all the above apps except Repligo Reader. Yay!!! "Shift + arrows" is MUCH easier to control than dragging the text selection grips!!!


P.S. Frederuco, if you don't use Chrome, which Android browser app do you prefer? I noted in my updated Amazon review today that the default Asus browser in the Transformer lacks some capabilities Chrome has, so if you don't like Chrome, I'm wondering which browser app you DO like. Can you let me know?

[Nossy23]

Yeah, and don't forget the lag you get when typing. It takes way too long for the stuff that you type to appear on the screen. Luckily I never bought this tablet with keyboard for serious work. I wanted the keyboard mainly for the extra battery life (very important to me), and the USB connection + SD cardreader.

[1coopgt]

In a nutshell: The Asus Transformer TF700 tablet and mobile dock are not mature enough to be used for productivity purposes (i.e. as a netbook/laptop substitute).

I would never have purchased the Asus Transformer TF700 tablet and mobile dock if I had known:

1) Android keyboard shortcut support in connection with the mobile dock is spotty, most importantly with "Ctrl + X," "Ctrl + C" and "Ctrl + V." (With some apps these and other common shortcuts do work, but not with all--including the Google Chrome for Android app, which is odd since Chrome and Android are both Google products!!!). . . . It would be nice if keyboard shortcuts could be made to work universally at the Android operating system level just as they work on operating systems not designed for mobile devices.
2) Text can be selected ONLY by using the touchscreen--no mouse-click-and-drag text selection using the mobile dock is possible.
3) Text selection in the (Chrome?) browser is only possible in textboxes, not on non-textbox sections of Web pages.
4) All apps display only full-screen (i.e. It's impossible to display two windows/apps side-by-side, which is not a really big deal when I'm only using the the tablet screen, but would be much more frustrating if I connected the tablet to an external monitor.) (FYI: "Floating apps" replicate SOME multi-window functionality.)
5) I'm frequently unable to enter punctuation symbols from the right side of the keyboard--or if I can, only after I press the key more than once, after which the symbol DOES enter, but on the wrong line.)

I have done extensive reading about these things on this forum and elsewhere and realize some of these things have partial(?) solutions. If you feel I should have mentioned a solution I didn't, I would be happy to have you say so in your comments on my post. Also, I will be contacting Asus/Android about these things and hope to post any solution I get from them.

Monica R

P.S. On the positive side, a touchscreen is addicting!!!

Did you do any research before you bought the infinity? A netbook and laptop do everything you mentioned and you even say that . I'm stumped why you're complaining . If you had done some research about android you would have understood the tablets capabilities before buying it .

[cognitoo]

Monicagr .. I know you didn't ask me but I find that Dolphin browser is the best all around browser from my experience. Tried chrome for about an hour.. imediately hated it. Initally tried the stock browser, also for about an hour, hated it. I haven't experimented with anything else. Dolphin also has a bookmarks setup that makes sence...

[goodintentions]

To the OP, now that windows 8 running on the new clover trail processor are is out, I highly recommend you go for that instead of android. You get 15+ hours of battery life running a full windows 8 version. Look up vivotab TF810c.

[bluezdawg]

Ditto on the Dolphin browser.... love it

[Nossy23]

To the OP, now that windows 8 running on the new clover trail processor are is out, I highly recommend you go for that instead of android. You get 15+ hours of battery life running a full windows 8 version. Look up vivotab TF810c.

But it has no HD screen, and the OS uses a lot more space.