Asus To Offer Transformer Prime Refunds In UK

Asus says users who have GPS fault will get money back, but denies an issue with Wi-Fi

Asus has said that it will offer either a refund to customers who have found a GPS fault with their Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime or an extension of the standard warranty from 12 months to 18 months.

The announcement was made in an official blog post and is the latest setback in what has been a turbulent few months for the tablet.

‘Sincere apologies’

Users have complained about the device’s Wi-Fi and GPS functionality and it was even speculated that the UK launch of the device would be delayed as a result, however only users with a GPS fault can claim the refund or warranty extension.

“After extensive checks we can confirm that no units have been supplied to the UK with a known Wi-Fi issue,” said the blog post. “Any customers experiencing Wi-Fi issues specifically are advised to contact our support hotline.”

“Any customers who have purchased a Transformer Prime TF201 and are dissatisfied with the performance of the GPS module are advised to return the unit to their point of purchase for a full refund as per standard consumer rights that apply in the UK,” it continued.

Any customer who wants to keep their tablet will have their warranty extended, but if they purchased it from a retailer who offered an additional 12 months warranty, it will remain at two years.

“Asus prides itself on delivering an unrivalled user experience, and we offer our sincere apologies for any inconvenience that our customers may have encountered,” the company added.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime was first announced in November and is powered a quad-core CPU and 12-core GeForce GPU which allows for 1080p high-definition video playback. The Android 3.0 Honeycomb device has an eight megapixel rear camera and is available in 32GB and 64GB varieties, although only the former comes with the keyboard dock.

The tablet was scheduled for release in the US December, but Asus was forced to deny that the UK launch would be delayed. Things went from bad to worse when Hasbro claimed that the name of the Transformer Prime infringed on trademarks for its Transformers franchise, of which Optimus Prime is a main character.