(Originally Posted by stevegar)
This may be a stupid question/s 1. In laptop mode can I connect a printer (I've never printed off an Android device) just like with a windows laptop? 2. In laptop mode can I connect an LCD projector (RGB adaptor)? 3. In Laptop mode can I connect a usb flash drive and or an external USB hard drive (How many USB ports does it have)? 4. I assume there is no dvd drive, can I connect 1 through the usb port? 5. Can this device replace my windows laptop (Dell inspiron) if not what are the drawbacks? 6. What is a good price for the entire set unlocked?
No stupid questions, stevegar: only questions that aren't asked
When fully docked, the only accessible port on the tablet is the headphone socket.
The keyboard has 2 USB ports and a (full-sized) SD card slot on it (+ the proprietary Asus charging port that can't be used for anything else).
So:
1. Printer. Sorry, I don't know enough about Android to definitively say yes or no: other forums I've looked at suggest wireless printing can work with caveats: suggest you investigate
1) PrintBot (for any printer)
2) SmartOffice 2
3) HP ePrint Home & Office for HP Printers
4) Samsung Print for Samsung Printers
2. LCD projector: highly unlikely in laptop mode (unless you could find a USB-VGA adapter with Android drivers). However, the micro-HDMI port on the phone would likely see a projector just the same as any other screen: suggest removing the phone and plugging it directly into the proj as a workaround would highly likely work.
3. USB flash and external HDD: I've succesfully copied between 2 USB drives, the (external full-sized) SD card slot and internal memory/uSD card. However: these were formatted FAT/FAT32. My ext HDD winds up OK, but the machine doesn't "see" it: think this is because its formatted NTFS. I will reformat a smaller HDD at some stage and report back with results.
4. DVD drive you are correct, there is no optical media drive on the unit: again, I will try an external unit once at home and report back.
5. Laptop Replacement: TBH, it really depends on what you're trying to do.
I have a Windows background & found the learning curve for most of the office suites pretty steep. Having stated which, I can now do 95% of my daily duties on the PadFone (and take my data with me and use it!)-which I think is pretty good for only having been around Android for 3 months.
You're unlikely to find replacements for speciality programmes -eg CAD or Accounting software-and I wouldn't go producing high-end, macro'd-up spreadsheets on the unit.
I look at the unit as a whole as about the functionality of a well-specc'd netbook (with a better keyboard than most) with an "unusual" operating system-not bad, just needs learning-but with a full multimedia stack.
6. Price: no idea sorry as to what is a good price in your part of the world.
For comparison: the bundle has more functionality than an iPad, has a great, usable keyboard (that charges the other parts) is an excellent phone in its own right and you can take, access and use your data wherever you are.
IMO, if you can buy the set for less than the price of a good tablet and an excellent phone you're winning
Hope that helps: as said, will report back once I've had a play with some of the other aspects.
Edit:
Just received my replacement PadFone (my old one died and I got a full replacement): with firmware update 4.04, the unit _can_ both read and write to NTFS-formatted drives. Now if I could only rename the drives (or have the phone pick up their "windows" names) I'd be a very happy camper!
As it is-there's no longer any reason for me to carry a netbook when travelling: massive battery life plus the ability to copy photos from camera, SD card and USB to HDD makes this a 1-stop device for me.
= the feeling when your shiny new gadget gets outdated... )
