[UPDATE] Video Links added. GPS Dongle Test Findings on its Performance.

Well now that the GPS dongle is a go, I can release my findings on how well this solution performs for our Transformer Prime tablets. Asus pushed out a FOTA last Thursday to add software support for new GPS dongle. most probably never noticed it as it was a forced update.

First off, here is Asus official literature on how to install it and enable it: ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/asus/EeePAD/TF201/E7282_TF201_GPS_Extension_Kit_QSG_English.pdf

Here is where to go to sign up, register, and fill out dongle application info. You will have to log in first to register. If this is your first time or never logged in before, make a free account then proceed. https://vip.asus.com/login.aspx or Just go to Asus event page where it has detailed info on it http://event.asus.com/ASUSPad/TF201GPS/



Here are Pictures of what it looks like by itself and attached to the prime. please note these pics are zoomed up to try to show more detail on what it looks like. They dongle is not as big as some seem to exaggerate it being. its actually small, thin, very lightweight, and build quality is very good on it. The engineering sample I have matches the color of my prime, the Amethyst Gray version.
www.landofdroid.com/2012/exclusive-first-pictures-of-the-asus-transformer-prime-gps-dongle/
[UPDATE] SCROLL DOWN TO BOTTOM OF POST FOR UPDATED HIGH RES PICS

The GPS Dongle, IMO, is a great design and implementation of a viable solution to a problem the consumer thought Asus forgot about. Well they didn't and are now providing us with a solution/Fix. Once GPS dongle is attached and locked, it doesn't budge at all. its attached very securely. you will likely use auto screen rotate so the screen can flip upside down so you can hold the prime with the dongle pointed towards the sky. Basically hold prime upside down. which won't matter because screen rotates to show everything right side up properly.

Now to the good stuff. I tested this dongle based on what some of the more hardcore GPS users are always saying to test. I made sure to cut wifi off, cut off all location services, and do a fresh reboot on tablet before starting my GPS tests. So the prime wont be using any Agps data. Which in my case, never helped my prime anyways before. Keep in mind my Prime, by its own internal GPS chip, has never seen a GPS satellite or lock indoors, outdoors, or while driving. I attached dongle and got satellite fixes and locks immediately. Actually within a few seconds. It was very fast. This is night and day difference in my experience with GPS. I am now seeing alot of GPS satellites indoors and getting locks. It got even better and accuracy improved as I went to my balcony. More satellites and locks increased also.

Now I already know some of the more hardcore GPS users will be like so what and say My GPS can see satellites and get locks also. The real test comes when you try to move or drive. Normally the prime internal GPS would instantly lose its locks And/Or accuracy is very poor. Well that's not the case anymore. I made sure to especially test this while driving. FOR PEOPLE WANTING TO USE PRIME FOR NAVIGATING WHILE DRIVING OR WHATEVER, THIS GPS DONGLE NOW PROVIDES A REAL WORLD SOLUTION AND WORKS VERY WELL. I don't have a mount in my Magnum for the prime so i either had it sitting on my lap or on the passenger seat. I wasn't about to put it on my dashboard to be sliding all around and possibly break it..lol. Once I got in vehicle and activated GPS, it immediately start picking up alot of satellites and locking on to them. I was seeing like 16 satellites and having 9-10 locks. Accuracy was very good. within a few feet actually. Once I proceeded to drive, The dongle consistently held the satellites and locks. Even once I hit the highway and proceeded to speeds in excess of 60-70mph, GPS Dongle still held all its 15+ satellites and I always had at least 9-10 satellites locked. I never lost a satellite lock once or it would always fluctuate between 9-10 locks or more. I tested this while driving repeated times over several days. Accuracy was always very good. I set my GPS test to show me accuracy in feet and not meters. always showed accuracy within a few feet. Accuracy saw best results of about 4Ft. and worst of about 10ft. All very good. It consistently held satellites, locks, and accuracy.

I know some are wondering, since this doesn't have a pass through to allow charging, how is battery life. I'd have to say for the time I used it, it hardly drained the battery at all. my battery drain came from cutting on super ips+ mode so i could easily see the display while outdoors or driving. I did attach dongle to prime and left the GPS on for a while, at normal brightness settings, to see how much of drains battery. well to me, it hardly drained the battery at all. Plus if you really concerned about battery life, you could easily put prime into battery savings mode to make battery last that much longer. I can easily see this Gps dongle being able to survive long trips navigating. While traveling, if you just using the prime to Navigate with GPS on, then you should have no issue with the battery lasting the whole trip. This will easily last a several hour long road trip, even longer if prime put into battery savings mode.

I have attached screenshots of my GPS Test app results. I also tried using GPS Status and worked well. This dongle also worked great with Google earth, cached mode. So it'll work just great with any offline Navigation app. CoPilot is one I hear thrown around alot for being a great offline one. REMEMBER, I ONLY TESTED THIS WITH WIFI OFF, ALL LOCATION SERVICES TURNED OFF, AND AFTER A FRESH REBOOT. SO MY SCREENSHOTS REFLECT THAT ONLY. I NEVER TESTED THIS WITH WIFI OR OTHER LOCATION SERVICES TURNED ON EXCEPT FOR GPS. ALSO ALL TESTS WERE ALWAYS AFTER A FRESH REBOOT OF TABLET AFTER OTHER THINGS WERE TURNED OFF.

First set of pics was while indoors and on my balcony. I'm higher up and there are alot of tall buildings and such surrounding me.




This is what I saw while traveling in car. keep in mind it consistently held these locks. I never once lost the locks or GPS satellites. Always held at least 9-10 locks or so.





I will entertain any reasonable questions about its performance, design, or battery life you may have. Please keep the hating down to a minimum. This is an informative thread for those curious to how their dongle will perform once they receive it. Not a thread to debate on why you don't like it, or why you hate Asus, or whatever. This is a real solution for people who truly want to use prime as a navigation device while driving. My results surely could've even been better if I had a car, window, or dashboard mount. all tests was while it was in my lap or on the passenger seat, or when I propped it up with GPS facing the up on my center console right before my transmission gear selector stick. I can see this working great for people driving, hiking, or even flying. it now sees alot of satellites and always hold the locks. no more dropped GPS reception or going off the grid..lol

Thanks to Asus for allowing me to test this out in advance and Thanks to members involved in a Positive movement of Prime forums. Thanks also to all the great developers we have in developement section using their free time to make this product even better for us. Its greatly appreciated. Also Thanks to members actually helping out others here in XDA. All we want is to learn more about our devices, share information and tips, and learn how to modify device with the best tweaks, mods, and custom ROMS/Kernels. People don't want to be up here fighting with each other everyday. There comes a time when enough is enough. Can't wait to see what else Asus has in store for us in the future. Whether it be software updates, any further hardware tweaks, or future products. All I can say is, in my experience, Asus has treated me well. They have done more than any other company I've seen before. Especially here in the forums. They are trying their best to fix problems and provide solutions and that's all that matters. Asus has me on board for future products as the Prime was my first Asus experience. For me, its been a great one. A very exciting roller coaster ride here in XDA..lol

P.s. something I forgot to add. another member pointed this out. MAKE SURE TO REMOVE THE 2 RUBBER PLUGS IN THE DOCK CONNECTORS BEFORE YOU ATTACH THE GPS DONGLE

UPDATE: NEW HIGH RES PICS ADDED!

Up Close front of dongle. part that will facing you



Back of dongle. part that covers back of tablet.


A look at the 40pin connector inside the groove of dongle piece



Up close look at 40pin connector



GPS Dongle attached to my prime. Front view


GPS Dongle attached to prime. view from the back. I know the back of my prime needs cleaning..lmao


[UPDATE 4/19/2012]

Well some people have started receiving their dongle. We have a member, Dude2k5, who has opened up his dongle to see what makes it tick inside. So thanks goes to him for these new pics of what the GPS dongle looks opened up.





update: Gps(Dongle) Extension Kit Test Videos link added. Courtesy of JJdevega
if you want to see confirmed videos of the dongle getting locks indoors, outdoors(stationary), and while driving, Click on the link
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1610199

pix will be back up soon

All I can say is, kudos to ASUS for coming up with a solution for, probably, 99% (or some large percentage) of Prime owners out there. Yes, it's conceivable that a person might have a 12-hour road trip where they want to use the Prime for navigation and never have breaks for charging (where the quick charging nature of the Prime is an advantage). So, it's not a solution for EVERYONE. Personally, I'd use a dedicated GPS unit for that kind of trip, but that's just me--I'm not saying it's not a disappointment for some, just that the number of folks who will be impacted is likely minimal.

As far as it not working in the dock, again, that's a theoretical disadvantage for most and might be an actual disadvantage for some people. Proof of the adage that you can't ever please everyone.

As far as Apple fans attacking the Prime and ASUS, that's of course ridiculous. The iPad wifi-only (the actual competitor to the Prime) has no GPS whatsoever, and the Prime will work identically to the iPad without the dongle. I can't see how the option of excellent GPS with the dongle isn't vastly superior to absolutely no GPS on the iPad, but then perhaps those particular Apple fans live in an alternative universe where logic doesn't apply.

For those people who bought their Primes and exceeded their return policies before the GPS issue was widely acknowledged, I think there's reason to be disappointed. I think ASUS should continue to offer refunds for those people.

For everyone else (in particular people who kept their Primes but could have returned them, while being fully aware of the GPS issue), I think ASUS has gone above and beyond. Certainly, there's nothing stopping them from producing a device that, like the iPad, has no GPS. So long as they've marketed it without GPS (and no, I don't think having GPS listed obscurely on the box is "marketing it" as having GPS). So, they could at any point have simply left it as, "The Prime has no GPS capabilities. Don't buy it if you're looking to use a tablet for navigation." But they didn't--they came out with a solution that will work extremely well for anyone who doesn't need to use it for greater than, say, the 8 hours the Prime will last on a charge or with the keyboard dock. And, they're providing that solution for free.

As far as I'm concerned, we're square...

Well just to poke the bear, I thought I'd throw an observation in there.

One of the unique features of the Prime's OE GPS spec. was the addition of reception of the Russian Glonass GPS satellites. Only a few devices have these receivers. the Prime being one of them. In all the previous testing (before 'dongle'), you'd see satellite #'s up to ~34, those would be U.S. GPS satellites. You'd also see #'s in the 60's 70's and 80's (IIRC); these are the Glonass Satellites. Looking at Demandarin's test pictures, all the satellite #'s are in the 34 and below category; meaning a standard U.S. GPS reception chip is in the dongle.

I've used GPS a LOT, and even with a sensitive receiver, there are weather patterns, solar issues, etc that can mess with the GPS; so having an extra 24 satellites to receive from could make a measurable difference on a 'bad' day. Is this all splitting hairs? Probably, but this dongle doesn't complete the OE spec outlined, and I'm probably only 1 in a million that even noticed that bit in the first place. This dongle goes a long way towards fixing one of the issues that was known and ignored in the rush to production... If I were them, I'd have put a wi-fi receiver in the thing as well.

CBers said:

I'm glad ASUS came up with a fix, but the fix doesn't allow you to use the dongle and the keyboard attached, or dongle and charge.

I know this has all been said before on other forums, but when you spend £500 on a device that includes a keyboard dock, you shouldn't have to expect an add-on to negates the keyboards use.

A good interim solution, but hopefully ASUS will come up with a better solution, or allow us to trade in our Primes against the TF700.

Thanks for the great post though.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

This to me is the solution. We didn't have to pay for it so nothing is coming out of our pockets. It's not a big deal that we can't plug in our docks or be able to charge it while dongle is attached. As for me if I'm using GPS out on the road. I don't use my keyboard dock since all I'm using it for is the Navigation. I won't need to have it plugged in since it doesn't drain battery and putting in power save saves even more. Just be content and happy that Asus is doing this for us. You can't say that for the rest of them and I understand how you feel about it. But the past is in the past can't change it. I'm moving forward knowing that I'm satisfied with my prime dongle and all

For hardware hackers only:

Dongle charger mod should be straightforward. TF101 can be charged using 5V@2A or 15V@1.2A. TF300T also uses the same power adapter in its FCC doc FCC doc. Prime likely has same arrangement.

Partial pin-out of 40-pin connector here. If you need a spare 40-pin connector, see this thread.

Mod a female Standard-A connector into the dongle housing somewhere. Since Prime will be mounted upside-down in your vehicle (so dongle will be at top), it's up to you to find a suitable location & angle to mount the connector so it doesn't look ghetto. Connect USB connector to pins 1-4 of the 40-pin connector on the dongle, per pin-out above. Plug into an iPad 5V@2A charger, and cross your fingers. If you see smoke, RMA. Cause: defective charger. Just don't tell them it's DIY.

As has been mentioned in TF101 threads, charge indicator probably won't come on. But charge current should be sufficient to keep battery from being depleted.