Asus Transformer Prime first look at the GPS Extension Kit

Asus has officially started shipping out the GPS Extension Kit to users that have requested one. You can head on over to Asus VIP website to apply for your GPS Extesion Kit. The offer will expire July 31, 2012 so you do have a bit of time to claim your kit. Since the Transformer Prime was released back in December, you might recall many users reported having GPS issues all over the internet. Asus released several Firmware updates and none of these addressed the GPS issue. The GPS issue is more releated to design flaw because of the all metal back cover. Maybe Asus figured that it would cost less to design the GPS Extension Kit, then rather recall and replace all the Transformer Prime back metal cover with something that would have a plastic insert at the top similar like the Transformer Pad Infinity. In either case, Asus has done a great job in providing a work around to the GPS issue, I would rather have the internal GPS working, againg that's just me.

First look at the Asus Transformer Prime GPS dongle

After hearing from many Transformer Prime users with GPS isuses and not working, Asus developed a GPS dongle that will fix the GPS problem everyone is having. Asus will be sending the GPS dongle to all register Transformer Prime owners free of charge. Over at Land Of Droid, they have posted up some pictures of the GPS dongle. Looks like Asus has done a good job in the GPS dongle design, but I don't see this having some kind of dock pass through. I would have like to seen that you would be able to have the GPS dongle and be able to charge your Transformer Prime at the same time. Well I guess you can't be to picky, at least Asus did try to correct the issues with the GPS. Maybe Asus should have saved its development in the GPS dongle and just designed a new back plate with a plastic strip at top, and recalled all Transformer Prime's.

Users sounded off through out many forums expressing the same issues, and some also had WiFi issues. Asus was good in responding in trying to fix the GPS issue by releasing several Firmware upgrades, but no matter how many Firmwares are released, nothing can fix faulty design. Again, the trouble was that the Transformer Prime back plate is all metal causing GPS not to work properly. Over time, Asus did release other versions of the Transformer Prime which Asus never admitted to changing anything on the Transformer Prime, but seemed that some of the Prime's with c3OK serial number, would actually some what work good. Maybe Asus modified the antenna, and some users went as far as trying to add antenna's inside the Transformer Prime to improve the GPS and WiFi, which it did, but as soon as the antenna was put inside and the back metal plate was placed back the signal dropped just as bad.


Here you can see the bottom of the GPS dongle that will snap into the Transformer Prime. The GPS dongle seems to be well designed.

Here is another view of the GPS dongle, and on the right you can see the unlock switch that will release the GPS dongle when you are ready to remove it from your Transformer Prime. Asus will be announcing the GPS dongle in the next day, so you will be able to find out more details on how you can claim your GPS dongle.