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Online retailer Clove has pulled the Asus Transformer Prime from its digital shelves due to apparent doubts over the tablet’s Wi-Fi and GPS, but Asus remains adamant the Prime has undergone “rigorous testing” and is fine and dandy.
The Prime may have been one of the few iPad rivals to genuinely offer any excitement, with its handy detachable keyboard, but it’s been plagued with reported bugs. Clove is the first to pull the device from its shelves, however.
“We are at this time not satisfied that all units we could provide you with are working correctly, and performing to the standard we expect,” Clove says on its blog. “We have therefore taken the decision until further notice to stop selling the Asus Transformer Prime.”
Asus has so far been quite adamant that the Wi-Fi issues don’t affect the UK version of the quad-core tablet-cum-laptop, but the GPS issue was such that Asus pushed out a software update that was supposed to fix the problems — although the jury is still out on whether it really has solved it.
Speaking to CNET UK, Asus said, “We have conducted extensive testing on the Transformer Prime in laboratory conditions and the device is performing as expected in all areas.
“Asus prides itself on the rigorous testing of all products to ensure the highest quality possible. We refute any and all claims from third parties regarding the quality of our products.” Take that, Clove.
The fact that Asus unveiled an updated model at CES in January that offered an “improved case”, before the Prime was even on sale, suggests some issues were known and have been addressed in the physical design of the update.
Clove hasn’t ruled out the Prime permanently, but suggests it will continue selling it once it’s sure it’s not defective. Orders are still open on Currys and Dixons, so we can’t take this as proof that the Prime is genuinely faulty.
In our own extensive review we didn’t find any problems with either the Wi-Fi or the GPS, so it’s possible that if these faults do exist, they aren’t on all devices. Still, with all these potential issues floating around — and the updated model coming sometime later in the year — we wouldn’t blame you for thinking twice about dropping half a grand on one.
We’ll be keeping a beady eye on the situation to see if Clove’s move prompts other retailers to follow suit or whether the problems have been blown out of proportion.
What do you think of the situation? Did you have a pre-order with Clove? Is all this hoo-hah putting you off spending your cash? Let us know in the comments below, or over on our official Facebook page. If your Wi-Fi lets you.
