Database Users

Manufacturing Imperfections (Sketchy Build Quality)

Alright, so right off the bat I just want to say that this isn't a doom and gloom thread (I hope), but it's an issue I wanted to ask you guys about since I'm on my 2nd phone now and I've had cosmetic issues with both. I want to love my phone, I just want one that won't give me problems first! I will post pictures soon, to show you guys what I'm about to describe below.
Both phones have had minor (but very annoying) imperfections involving the casing. My first phone was the most problematic. First off, the battery cover did not sit flush. I did not realize how much of a difference this made in terms of build quality until I got my second phone. My 1rst phone would creak and click when pressure was applied to the back and it just did not seem like a very sturdy device. This was not the case with the second phone (which had a back cover that fit perfectly) as there was no creaking or clicking, it felt rock solid just like its supposed to. Also, there was a small chip and discolouration of the teflon coating on the bottom left front face of the first phone. Again, nothing major but still not something that I was not pleased about given the price of the phone.
Unrelated but my first phone also had the purple tint issue which is the main reason I returned it and bought a new one (I couldn't outright swap because I don't live in the US). My second phone came in and luckily it did not have the tint issue. All I can say is WOW, what a difference it makes having a proper screen!! The black colours actually look crisp and dark, and there is absolutely no tint at low brightness.
So the screen was good. I checked the bottom left hand to see for any issues with the teflon, and there were none. I checked the backplate and like I mentioned earlier, it was perfectly flush. So far so good BUT.. again there were some cosmetic issues! Along the left side of the phone there was a tiny chip and some of the grey finish was off. Also, on the back, the bottom teflon piece did not sit flush with the rest of the device.
Once again, these are minor yet annoying things (but who knows, maybe I just have OCD!). The big issue from the first phone was the screen and the creaking, both of which are resolved with the second device, but I'm i'm contemplating whether I should return this one as well to go for one that is "perfectly built".. I mean, if this phone was store bought I would have no hesitation. I would just go there and make them open the boxes until I found a device that had no imperfections.. But it's just a real hassle having to continually ship my old device back, purchase a new one (while waiting two weeks to get credited back my $600 for the first device), and waiting for it to arrive. I also don't want to risk getting another phone with the purple tint issue..
Sorry for the long winded post, but basically what I wanted to ask was do you guys have any manufacturing imperfections with your phones??. I'm not talking about faulty screens or weak antennas, but actually design or cosmetic flaws. Do you guys have any and have you learned to just accept them or have you returned your devices and successfully gotten the "perfect" device.
Thanks, and hopefully I can get some pics up soon. Feel free to post your own so we can compare!

I got mine for free at this year's Barcelona MWC and luckyly i've had no issues whatsoever regarding hardware or aesthetics. An I say luckyly because obviously if I haven't bought it and I don't live in the US I would most definitely not get it replaced.

jasrups said:
Sorry for the long winded post, but basically what I wanted to ask was do you guys have any manufacturing imperfections with your phones??. I'm not talking about faulty screens or weak antennas, but actually design or cosmetic flaws. Do you guys have any and have you learned to just accept them or have you returned your devices and successfully gotten the "perfect" device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So which are you really looking for? Manufacturing defects or design flaws?
Are you looking for functional defects or cosmetic only defects?
Are you look for process-gone-completely-wrong defects or are you looking for minor imperfections resultant of process variation?
It is certainly possible to have a bad screen or a bad antenna as a manufacturing defect. There is also minor variation in any manufacturing process - this is normal. The trick is to keep the variation controlled well enough that the process consistently produces acceptable quality product. Note: No manufacturing process produces perfect parts, and minor imperfections are not necessarily defects. Normally, a design flaw impacts manufacturing quality only if the design requirements are too stringent for manufacturing capability.
I know you started out saying you did not want yet another thread bagging on the N1, but without clearer objectives, you've left it wide open for just that.

Mmm I love the build quality, it's very rigid and solid.
There is one imperfection that I noticed like 3 weeks of constant use.. The bottom piece, the one with "htc" on it, is a little bit more raised on one side (in comparison to the silver band on the back) than the other side. I'm talking 0.5mm difference that you can't see, only feel when comparing.
I'm writing that off as absolutely negligible and too tiny to even think about.

DarkDvr said:
Mmm I love the build quality, it's very rigid and solid.
There is one imperfection that I noticed like 3 weeks of constant use.. The bottom piece, the one with "htc" on it, is a little bit more raised on one side (in comparison to the silver band on the back) than the other side. I'm talking 0.5mm difference that you can't see, only feel when comparing.
I'm writing that off as absolutely negligible and too tiny to even think about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. I thought about popping it off (it's just retained by a couple of clips) and attempting to re-seat it, but I see no problem with it. It's not like the 2nd batch of the iPhone 3G, where there was 1mm gaps between the plastic back and chrome bezel. I'm shocked no news blog picked up on that, it was fairly widespread.

ATnTdude said:
Same here. I thought about popping it off (it's just retained by a couple of clips) and attempting to re-seat it, but I see no problem with it. It's not like the 2nd batch of the iPhone 3G, where there was 1mm gaps between the plastic back and chrome bezel. I'm shocked no news blog picked up on that, it was fairly widespread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it's the almighty apple, they don't wanna disappoint their readers that the calculator that they paid $500 for is also cheaply built.

I have a question that (um..) kinda relates to this. I'm having a hard timing saying this so bare with me. You know when technology is first released that is has alot of problems and bugs but overtime it seems that the problems die down because the companies that produce the phones (xboxs, iphones, ps3, etcs) get smarter and make things differently or better...
Well my contract with t-mobile is up in 46 days and I was planning on getting a nexus one. I don't plan on getting it engraved. My question is that do you think my phone will be made when I order it or do you believe its been sitting in a warehouse since March 26th (guess) just waiting for somebody to place a call? I've seen those cool "making of nexus one" videos on youtube and figured i'd ask you guys. Thanks to whoever answers.

yup, i have similar issues. i initially thought they actually shipped a refurb unit to me. turns out i'm not the only one. now i'm not that worried

attn1 said:
So which are you really looking for? Manufacturing defects or design flaws?
Are you looking for functional defects or cosmetic only defects?
Are you look for process-gone-completely-wrong defects or are you looking for minor imperfections resultant of process variation?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
attn1, I could have been more clear in my last statement, 'design flaw' was a vague term. I meant cosmetic only defects and minor imperfections as a result of process variation. I know that with any product that is mass produced on an assembly line you will get variation from device to device. This thread wasn't meant to bash this variation but just to compare what other people have experienced with their phones.
Like I said, my first phone was awful, it had both functional and aesthetic problems. My second phone seems to be fully functional but still has a few (albeit minor) aesthetic imperfections. I must say though, I got my Brando Gel case in today and it looks great on the phone! It covers up the unevenness on the bottom teflon piece as well as the blemish on the left side of the phone very nicely.

My nexus came with a scratch or bubble on the inside of the screens glass. They told me i'd get a refurb in exchange(even though it's about a week old), I told them i'd think about it. Think i'll be calling back and demanding a brand new device.

ihearttreo said:
My nexus came with a scratch or bubble on the inside of the screens glass. They told me i'd get a refurb in exchange(even though it's about a week old), I told them i'd think about it. Think i'll be calling back and demanding a brand new device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That kinda scares me because I'm picking up a nexus one in 46 days (contract with t-mobile will be up then) and I dont want something like that to happen to me. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I would demand a new one too

Have had no issues with mine until yesterday when the trackball stopped scrolling left. Refurb sans engraving rolling in tomorrow. All told still much better quality then my G1 or Blackberry.
Sent from my Nexus One using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk

No tint nothing amiss as far as build quality that I can notice. This is the best built (visually and as far as any creakiness or such) phone I have ever owned and the first one I have had without any perceptible flaws out of the gate.

OK! So to all of you who has a Nexus One with cosmetic imperfections on the BOTTOM plastic piece on the BACK, with the labeled HTC, i may have a cure for you.
So, with me I HAD a slight imperfection on the right side, about a 1mm gap. It was annoying and I have some slight OCD (used to be worse). One day last week or so, that part of my phone became VERY hot, probably 101-105℉. While that plastic was hot, it was a little bit bendable. I used a rather large amount of force, and over about three times of doing this, the plastic is flush with the metal, and the rest of the phone.
So try that if you're super partial to your device like me. Or if you dont wanna deal with HTC, like me.
ZachTM

"refurbished" sounds bad but really its a more taken care of device isn't it? It's been tested to a further degree so its more likely to come without flaws perhaps or am I reaching?

DMaverick50 said:
"refurbished" sounds bad but really its a more taken care of device isn't it? It's been tested to a further degree so its more likely to come without flaws perhaps or am I reaching?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no. you're reaching high... its been refunded and fixed.. haha
so you are using someone else's phone who now owns probably a new device. brand new is the way to go, especially if your device is a week old...

One week, three Tabs

The Tab is my first Samsung product after several HTC android phones, Magic, Hero, Nexus, all have had top notch visual build quality and good screens.
Tab1, gaps between screen and frame right above the speakers, seemed a little much but decided I could live with it. At a friend's house the first night and throw the Tron trailer onto YouTube, looked awesome but that is when I noticed it, a bright faulty pixel smack dab in the middle or the screen, visible on all brightnesses with medium to black backgrounds. Exchanged.
Tab2, excellent visual build quality, Haptic keys seem a little finicky compared to my Nexus, screen is pretty good, no defective pixels, back-lighting is a bit uneven but really you only notice it under unrealistic viewing conditions, full brightness in a dark room, I can live with it. Completely unresponsive after failed flash, cannot help but wonder if it would have booted at least back into download mode if the battery was able to be cycled. Exchanged
Tab3, visual build quality is pretty good, rim around screen seems a little lower in the bottom left corner but otherwise fine. Back lighting is good, dim faulty pixel in lower left corner, visible in low light with 50%+ back light but pretty much unnoticeable under normal usage, I think I can live with it. Haptic keys seem noticeably better than Tab2.
Feeling a little introspective after "bricking" my first device after multiple dozens of flashes of different HTC models for myself and friends. Wondering about the pros and cons of non replaceable batteries and the overall build quality of Samsung device as I didn't really care for the GalaxyS phones that Bell, Telus and Rogers picked up.
Where does one draw the line with lack of build perfection in our gadgets, I mean I'm not perfect myself and overall I feel that perfection is an unrealistic goal to strive for so how can I demand that of the stuff I buy. Anyone have any thoughts about build quality, where do you draw your must exchange or return lines?

Well, I don't take a micrometer to the case, for one thing.
Can't really blame Samsung for a bricked device, they didn't make it for enthusiasts to tinker with, they made it for consumers. The bad flash was totally on you.
And the back cover DOES come off, for that matter, couple of video teardowns out there, it's not that hard, it reassembles just fine, there weren't even any warranty seals though technically it voids it. So does flashing, yet you still exchanged it at no cost to you but some time. Think about that for a bit.
HTC (and more importantly their carriers) have probably had more than enough bricked returns over the years, which is why the mid-year and onward HTC devices started getting more and more locked down. I wouldn't be surprised if they are as tight as a Motorola and Sony next year.
Samsung is still going Wild Wild West with their ROMs, but I don't expect that to last either, the carriers will make them clamp down the firmware tighter in the future just to avoid the customer service issues.
And finally, if you had a Tab with capacitive keys more ****ed up than a Nexus One (which has the most ****ed up capacitive keys in the history of ****ed up capacitive keys), you got a rare one indeed.

gotta say, the haptic keys on mine are great! Really responsive. Sounds like you were just very unlucky!

I have to agree that the OP is unlucky. I picked up my T-Mobile Tab the 10th (release day) and I have not had a single issue with it. Mine has been rock solid.
Posted from Samsung Tab

A good reply deserves a thoughtful response.
Croak said:
Well, I don't take a micrometer to the case, for one thing.
heheh no micrometer, just fingers, when you grope 3 tabs over the course of a few days you can feel the subtle differences, the lip around the screen is pretty distinct.
Can't really blame Samsung for a bricked device, they didn't make it for enthusiasts to tinker with, they made it for consumers. The bad flash was totally on you.
Sorry if I came across that way, definitely not blaming Samsung, as per Clubtech its looking like the bad flash was due to older Odin which is totally my fault, I've flashed a lot of gear over the years and usually the tools are dedicated flashers for a particular firmware, or as long as the device is recognized you're good to go with your current flasher, I guess somewhere along the course of my Odin flashing research I guess I spaced out on the need to always use the most current version, especially with the fresh fresh firmware.
And the back cover DOES come off, for that matter, couple of video teardowns out there, it's not that hard, it reassembles just fine, there weren't even any warranty seals though technically it voids it. So does flashing, yet you still exchanged it at no cost to you but some time. Think about that for a bit.
Oh I know I got a nice freebee with the over the counter Tab exchange, I thought about it quite a bit as I was driving from south granville to coquitlam to exchange it , whoever gets that Tab as a refurb though will get a very nice one.
Sure the battery can come out but it's not like you can just pop the back off, swap the battery and carry on. I was more musing about the pros/cons of design, with my friend's iphone if he forgets to charge he is kind of sol until it charges enough to leave the house with whereas I can just power down the Nexus and pop the spare battery in.
HTC (and more importantly their carriers) have probably had more than enough bricked returns over the years, which is why the mid-year and onward HTC devices started getting more and more locked down. I wouldn't be surprised if they are as tight as a Motorola and Sony next year.
Samsung is still going Wild Wild West with their ROMs, but I don't expect that to last either, the carriers will make them clamp down the firmware tighter in the future just to avoid the customer service issues.
Its quite possible, although the HTC dev community rises to all challenges. I would probably not buy Moto due to their antagonistic relationship with their customers. Although people have complained about Samsung's firmware releases in the past they seem to be on the right track right now, its such a bad joke that Sony is just releasing 2.1 for the x10, even Dell managed to jump from 1.6 to 2.2 with the streak.
I've got to give one to Samsung here, their Galaxy S/Tab line is so easy to carrier unlock it is kind of startling. Frankly I'd prefer to always buy truly unlocked devices off contract like the Nexus (amazing how high the resale value is on this phone) in the future, although the future isn't looking too bright in this regard, hopefully the google flagship devices with always be more enthusiast friendly.
And finally, if you had a Tab with capacitive keys more ****ed up than a Nexus One (which has the most ****ed up capacitive keys in the history of ****ed up capacitive keys), you got a rare one indeed.
lol, the keys on my Nexus are quite fine, and really the keys on Tab2 were totally usable, just required more of a deliberate touch, whereas the new Tab seems to be a bit more responsive, I'd be happy with either though, again these are just observations that come with handling multiple devices over a short period of time
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

[Q] Problems occurring in batches?

After reading all of the crappy review for the transformer, it looks as if 50% are happy 50% are not.
I am wondering if the problems are occurring in batches because I just ordered mine from American TV and it will probably be here tomorrow or the next day.
A lot of the problems I have found are from the batches that have already been purchased and I don't know what to think.
Two things:
When asus was first bringing these to market, it could the problems are coming from they just naturally skimped on manufacturing quality because they are so damn cheap. Or they had a bad batch to get them to market quickly.
Asus could also just had normal manufacturing quality before and NOW since there is a high demand, newer units may experience worse manufacturing quality. Or they could be better because they knew of the problems.
Hope its not too confusing, what do you guys think? Newer units = worse quality? Older Units = better than newer?

i think logically you could expect the first units to have the most problems, however, we dont know if asus had enough complaints, or realized that there are defects (if there are--aside from software side) to be able to retool and make changes during the assem process to produce better revised hardware.
I actually gave this exact topic a lot of thought a few days ago, i thought about everyones complaints and how it was hit/miss it seemed, and i wondered whether the people that are complaining were truly the "first" adopters and got REV 1 hardware. Obviously, since they are playing with the tab and most of us are anxiously awaiting its arrival i would assume it just may be the case. Heres to hoping that these little glitches were an easy fix at the factory level (but knowing how they operate i doubt its a simple/cheap/quick process, which makes me doubt that the tabs that me and you will receive this week will be any diff from the ones recieved by the people last week and the one prior. the time frame is just too small, but then again, anythings possible).

slowhatch said:
i think logically you could expect the first units to have the most problems, however, we dont know if asus had enough complaints, or realized that there are defects (if there are--aside from software side) to be able to retool and make changes during the assem process to produce better revised hardware.
I actually gave this exact topic a lot of thought a few days ago, i thought about everyones complaints and how it was hit/miss it seemed, and i wondered whether the people that are complaining were truly the "first" adopters and got REV 1 hardware. Obviously, since they are playing with the tab and most of us are anxiously awaiting its arrival i would assume it just may be the case. Heres to hoping that these little glitches were an easy fix at the factory level (but knowing how they operate i doubt its a simple/cheap/quick process, which makes me doubt that the tabs that me and you will receive this week will be any diff from the ones recieved by the people last week and the one prior. the time frame is just too small, but then again, anythings possible).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely have to agree. My guess they are the same and it is so difficult for Asus to actually respond to problems and transfer a fix to the manufacturing of the units. The only real thing I am worried about is the light bleed/dead pixels.
Moreover, the problem seems to be 50-50 and my estimate came from the assumption that there is manufacturing quality loss through increase production speed to meet the high demand. I tend to believe this because of the poor quality control. I am assuming (after reading the post about the guy receiving a 2.2 model) is that they do perform screen quality checks, to a certain extent. Some may have just slipped out.
Lets just hope we get a solid model.

I tend to side with the second poster...it's all about quality control....how many get out the door without their defects being noticed OR....being flagged as a defect.
I've worked around assembly lines all of my life...25+ years and I can understand some defects got through unnoticed....but the question is: when were they noticed and what steps were taken to prevent the same issue from occurring again?
And the second point is valid also....speed equals a mindset of "this one little corner-cutting decision won't make that big a deal in the long run...."
Unfortunately, rushing things to market to fill orders at a breakneck pace means that issues are more likely to get by...that's a fact of life.
When cash is on the line...decisions get made that might not otherwise gotten made.
I hope mine comes today without the glaring errors that I've seen here...crossing my fingers...

My only real complaint is the light bleed. I know it isn't the only device that's had this problem. I remember when I was reading the Evo 4G forums it had a similar problem when it first came out and recently the iPad2 had light bleed issues too.
The light bleed isn't a huge deal, but it is distracting while watching certain tv shows and movies imo.

I've had 3, first one was the very first batch in the UK, arrived mid April or thereabouts. The next one was around the end of April and the the latest one I received around the 6th of May.
1) Mid April
Some lightbleed on 3 of 4 edges. Perfect screen in terms of pixels. Imbalanced speakers. No sleep of death in 2 weeks or so. No gap in glass.
2) End April
Terrible lightbleed. 14+ stuck pixels (I gave up counting). I think the speakers were imbalanced too. No sleep of death, but only used it for a few minutes. No gap in glass was noticed.
3) Start of May
Some lightbleed, probably akin to 1. Around 8 or so stuck pixels, seen on black screen. Perfectly balanced speakers. Had 1 incident of the sleep of death within 5 days. Glass does not fit perfectly on left hand side (gap of 1-2mm allowing dust inside and glass to be lifted by nail)
Had I known what would happen I would now gladly stick with the first! So, from this small sample it seems that in my case the earlier devices were better in some ways but not in others. We'd have to have a huge sample to be able to answer definitively. I still love the tablet though.

I have a first US batch version and it's fine.

This is why I just ordered the Acer. I got mine and had some light bleed. It got worse. The creaking got worse. Now there is a small piece of dust under the screen. It is not very noticeable except on white background but it worries me that in 6 days of ownership it is getting worse. I now see a dust spec under the camera glass.
The edges of all the ports are razor sharp and can take off skin.
I love the weight the price and the ups screen but the build quality is very disappointing. If it was only the light bleed from day one I would keep but I can't handle how much more has happened in 1 week of ownership.
I got a 32 DB Livonia using coupons from staples for only 40 dollars more than a 16gb Asus cost me. The screen in store was quite good. The build quality seemed much better and despite the added weight it seemed more comfortable. To hold given the curved shape. If availability were better maybe I would exchange my Asus but no stock around.
in the end I might just opt for the new galaxy tab as it seems to be most like the load in size and weight.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

Just received
I just got the TF in the mail today. It is nice.. but there are some drawbacks from the xoom that I miss.
Xoom felt nicer in my hand and had that led notification. But the screen on the TF is WAAY better.
I do have light bleed in small sections, not terribly noticeable. Speakers are fine. no dead pixels, yet. not really a creaky sound, just when I press harder than normal on the screen. No glass misaligned. I will seal up the beast with a vinyl cover. Screen is responsive, no probs yet.

A bit disappointed
I received my TF this Thursday and was so very happy. After unwrapping it I pressed the power button and I got nothing. I thought OMG it's not working. Then I thought, maybe they didn't have time to charge the battery. So I charged it. I checked on in within a hour and pressed the button and it came on. I began to play with it and realized that after the TF wasn't in use for more than 5 mins the power button whenever pressed didn't wake the TF up... SO i pressed and pressed.. nothing.. so I waited about 30 sec after a press of the button and it came on.. After going thur this over and over I figured it was a defect and I RMA'ed it. I'm hoping that they didn't just push out a product that will have a lot of issues...

Here's my two cents:
Got my TF from Fry's in LA on May 5th. 32GB don't know manf date.
For light bleed - minimal sround the left lower edge and upper right edge. Dark room, bright up full, about a 1mm bleed - very slight and almost unnoticible.
Running latest update with no issues, just updated again today with no issues.
Sometimes after a long sleep it won't power back up with the power button, so I press the vol down and pwr at the same time (shut down) and it shuts down and restarts fine...Seems a sw glitch.
Other than that it's an awesome machine!
Dock - arrived on the 12th. charged up fine, docked fine, no mouse, brick or other issues other than the backspace key is touchy (actually not touchy -takes some effort), but all other keys work well. I think I'll RMA it later depending on how many show in production (I can live with this for now).
Case - had to cut a small hole in bottom to allow charging while case is closed. Otherwise great.
I hope this helps.
BTW, I don't follow these threads too much, so if you need something please PM me.

I feel like I've said this before, but I'm honestly surprised to hear of all of these issues. Mine doesn't seem to have any of them. No gaps around the screen, the glass fits perfectly, the casing for the tablet seems sturdy and doesn't budge at all. There's very little noticeable light bleed, if any. I've never had anything like a "Sleep of Death". I couldn't be happier with the quality of this beast.
EDIT: I should mention I have a 32GB version that I purchased from TigerDirect on Wednesday, got it this past Thursday.

My tablet and dock were among the older units. I had only one instance of SOD and the green screen with the camera issue which has been fixed via firmware update.
The tablet itself appears to be of high build quality,the bezel is secure, no gaps around the screen seal, no dust,no dead pixels,very minimal light bleed that I had to actively look for.

no problems to speak of
eGoing on 2 weeks ownership using various each day.
The only thing a few times I've come back to an unresponsive unit. Then I just held power button down 10 seconds and then rebooted. I take that with a grain of salt.
But. I am not going to update software for another week or so. Until I read more positive reviews

Many problems with mine
I ordered mine from The Best Buy batch on May 22nd, and it came with a not-smooth not-particularly-responsive screen; it then got two light leak spots, the clock disappeared from the menu bar once, and it bricked when I ran the 3.1 update. I sent it back, but I wonder, are the screens really not as smooth or responsive as the Xoom or Acer A500?

>>> Build Quality - The Good, Bad, Ugly <<<

Good : Well i love the new tablet and in hand its light and a pleasure to use, the Plastic back is nice in hand and not slippery and visually this tablet is great. But ...........
Bad and Ugly : Here's my issue with the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
What is happening and i can see this being a big problem down the road of use is that when i hold the Tab with my left hand in portrait with the dock connector on my palm of the left hand, the thin piece of the housing is getting bent and pulled away from the glass and over time i see this getting stretched out. i think Samsung should have built the aluminum edging more webbing in the glass to keep that delicate piece from being so flexible and flimsy.
Anyone else having/noticing this issue or any other flaws, defects ????
Here's a few pics of what i am mentioning :
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/204/img0528y.jpg
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/34/img0529ze.jpg
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/854/img0534n.jpg

Damn, and here I was pondering returning my Transformer for a better build quality Samsung. Shootz!
I still may do it though since I never use portrait mode and for the most part it will be on a stand, but still, it sucks to see that.

You must have a 10.1v
I have the Google i/o edition and the side looks different than your with regard to the placement of those round hole covers on either side in relation to the curve.
I think that on the i/o (hopefully it will be the same as the 10.1) it has resolved that issue. I am trying to hold it as you are mentioning and I see no movement whatsoever. even if i try to pry at it, it is super solid.
is your a 10.1v?
R

^^ No mines the 10.1

H0CKEY said:
^^ No mines the 10.1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same as the previous poster my LE from I/O does not look like that either. So what 10.1 do you have?

cosimoss said:
Same as the previous poster my LE from I/O does not look like that either. So what 10.1 do you have?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mines from San Fran USA - Dev Conference , its the white back Limited Edition

Everyone needs to specify details regarding there unit if they have one. It is clear that the limited edition/early release galaxy tabs are not identically the same as the one yet to be released.

thats really strange, your tablet looks way different than mine which also came from the recent i/o event.
picture attached...
it would seem there were multiple version of the same device if you have the limited edition white backed then...
anyone else? which do you have?
R

im trying to re-create your picture to make sure its not an optical illusion, but your bottom half of the silver bezel looks so angular/curved compared to mine which as you can see from the picture above is much less curved. Espeically noticeable with the small round hole covers on either end of the connector, mine are not very curves, yours seemvery curved and angular.
???
R

three weeks left and still so many questions and so little definitive answers! oh the humanity
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

RTessi said:
thats really strange, your tablet looks way different than mine which also came from the recent i/o event.
picture attached...
it would seem there were multiple version of the same device if you have the limited edition white backed then...
anyone else? which do you have?
R
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No mine looks the same from that angle , here's a pic
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/84/img0535cj.jpg/

I don't understand - are you using it while something is plugged into the dock connector, or is just from normal use? Maybe you are just holding it wrong?

normal use , i take very good care of my toys hahaha
And no i don't have it plugged in when using it
if you hold it left handed its normal i find that the palm and strong of the thumb seem to put stress on the thin strip of aluminum and slightly pulls it away from the glass since on mine the thin strip is not any thicker under the glass as what i can see visually. so its seems to be a weak point of the aluminum bezel

Bummer i wonder if a port plug would help.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App

I am not experiencing that same problem, but the glass in one of the corners does appear to be pealing up. Link below. Hoping that this is as far as it raises, but who knows... I talked to the Samsung guy at Google I/O and had my first device replaced for a similar issue I noticed there, and he said this first batch was made by hand in a bit of a rush so that they would be available for us googlers. I expect that the automated and machine driven build process for the production units will have more consistent quality.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/854/imag0206a.jpg/

brianwilcox said:
I am not experiencing that same problem, but the glass in one of the corners does appear to be pealing up. Link below. Hoping that this is as far as it raises, but who knows... I talked to the Samsung guy at Google I/O and had my first device replaced for a similar issue I noticed there, and he said this first batch was made by hand in a bit of a rush so that they would be available for us googlers. I expect that the automated and machine driven build process for the production units will have more consistent quality.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/854/imag0206a.jpg/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Harsh that looks bad. I think the quality of the aluminum bezel is to thin and over time with alot of use our holding styles will cause these kind of issues.

H0CKEY said:
Harsh that looks bad. I think the quality of the aluminum bezel is to thin and over time with alot of use our holding styles will cause these kind of issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just got off the phone with Samsung about this issue. They will allow me to send the unit to them for repair/replacement. Im just a little worried about going through the whole process only to find that they will send me back a unit with similar or worse build quality issues... Anyone else noticing problems with the screen raising up? Might just stick with what I have for fear of winding up with an even worse unit. Really was starting to fall in love with this thing.

brianwilcox said:
Just got off the phone with Samsung about this issue. They will allow me to send the unit to them for repair/replacement. Im just a little worried about going through the whole process only to find that they will send me back a unit with similar or worse build quality issues... Anyone else noticing problems with the screen raising up? Might just stick with what I have for fear of winding up with an even worse unit. Really was starting to fall in love with this thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm getting the same thing. Mine was this way out of the box at the conference, and with the plastic back pulling back, it looked like the tablet was warped. I popped it back into place and it looked good so I didn't say anything to anyone at the conference about it. I probably should have though, because now the screen is separating from the housing again in those two corners.
I stupidly threw away the blue card they gave at I/O that had the contact info for Samsung, who did you talk to about getting it repaired?

Not exactly getting a warm fuzzy feeling from this thread. I pre-ordered online. Starting to think I might want to cancel that and just wait for it at Best Buy, if even the Samsung tablets are having build quality issues.

Oh no. I was afraid these reports would begin to surface on the 10.1. Some of these issues described Ive seen in the 10.1v as well, although my biggest gripe with these is the severe backlight bleeding. I have now exchanged this device with Vodafone AU twice and seen a total of 6 units and all have had backlight bleeding and inconsistent build quality.
With the first unit I received both right corners of the screen were popping out over the bezel a little. I believed it to be a problem with the adhesive used, because if you were to put pressure on the corner it would hold for a second then release, and you could hear the "sticky" sound as the adhesive separated.
All the units I've sampled though have had really shocking problems with backlight bleeding/leakage. If you're someone who planned to watch movies on this tablet in dimly lit rooms, you could find this distracting. I do. Its a shame really because I otherwise like the quality of the display, and both 10.1 models are nicely designed and nice to hold. In a lot of ways I prefer the feel of the 10.1v over the iPad 2. Too bad though that the build quality is questionable across the range of what is now 3 different variants of the 10.1 that Samsung has produced. What's the deal Samy?!
I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet but most likely I'll return this 10.1v to Vodafail for a refund and wait it out for the 8.9. Perhaps I'll have better luck then?
Sent from my GT-P7100 using XDA Premium App

Considering a Nexus 7... screen separation?

So what's the consensus? I was really considering picking up a Nexus 7 until I read about the screen separation issues. I used to have an ASUS Transformer and really liked ASUS's build quality. Is the Nexus 7 really that bad? I don't like the idea of buying a $250 tablet and then having to open it up and modify it just to make it work properly. (Especially since the iPad Mini is rumored to be released next month.)

primalmu said:
So what's the consensus? I was really considering picking up a Nexus 7 until I read about the screen separation issues. I used to have an ASUS Transformer and really liked ASUS's build quality. Is the Nexus 7 really that bad? I don't like the idea of buying a $250 tablet and then having to open it up and modify it just to make it work properly. (Especially since the iPad Mini is rumored to be released next month.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally loved my Nexus 7, and I'm one of the lucky ones who had their screen crack. I should be getting it back today, as it was supposedly fixed under warranty without a charge (guess I plead a good case when I called 4x reminding them I won't be paying for it). Keep in mind just how many of these units were sold. There's a handful of people here on the forums and AndroidCentral, etc., posting about this issue, yes... but go onto an Apple forum and you'll see the same thing.
Has the iPad mini even been announced yet? I keep hearing rumors but nothing solid. If you're somebody who doesn't mind iOS, it's not a bad option to wait, but you'll almost undoubtedly pay more for a similarly spec'd tablet. I personally wouldn't consider it, but that's just my 2c. If you're somebody who is pretty agnostic about it, waiting to see what more options come about is never a bad thing. Just don't catch the waiting disease... if you wait too long, you'll find yourself in a constant waiting hole with no devices you could otherwise be enjoying. :good:
I will say this, though. If you buy a Nexus 7, buy it from a local retailer. It's the same price as the N7 from Google Play, and plus you cut out the shipping time. Sorry Google, but being able to return a faulty N7 (in the event you get one) at a B&M store two miles away is still quicker than your (albeit, still fast) shipping turn around time.

The issue is not as great as the forums would make you believe. After all every single product ever made has a small number of defects.
Don't worry about it would be my suggestion.

Thanks for the suggestions. I guess my main concern is the reports of people going through 3 or 4 Nexus 7's, even at a retail store, before they find one that is acceptable.

I've had my Nexus 7 since it came out. Not a single defect or issue, its been great so far and I love it.

primalmu said:
Thanks for the suggestions. I guess my main concern is the reports of people going through 3 or 4 Nexus 7's, even at a retail store, before they find one that is acceptable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As with pretty much any product out there, I always take the online reviews with a grain of salt. A larger percentage of the people who had problems are likely to post compared to those that didn't have problems. Any time I buy something that causes me grief, I am generally ticked enough to want to post about it somewhere, but it rarely occurs to me to post something about products that work as promised and don't have issues.
This does not apply to my N7 because I love it so much I can not stop telling people. Mine has a tiny bit of screen lift that I would not have noticed if I had not read about it. Certainly not enough to want to try to return it. I may try one of the posted fixes but even that seems unlikely. Can't find the downtime...

The issues are there and they are real!
First Nexus = Creaking and Screen separation
Second Nexus = Screen separation
Third Nexus = Screen separation
Fourth Nexus = Severe creaking
Its sooooo sad as I love everything else about this freaking tablet! But the quality issues are out there just so you know it.

Huge issues
I think the screen lift screen crack and screen becoming un responsive is a HUGE Issue.. Its not just this forum where you see compalints.. You see it from tech reviews and so on.. I know that this is Hyped up causing to to be a bigger issue then it is . But the issue is not just the defects . Its how google and Asus has chosen to deal with this.. They have had my money cost of 3 tablets locked away due to exchange waiting . I Call and email with no response other then we will foreword it to a specialist .
I say get One From a Bick and Mortar store with a good reputation for taking care of there customers .. Buy a Extended warranty to where the STORE Has to deal with your device If and when it breaks.. I have never in my life seen such a Lack of Customer Service or Lack of Response for such issues .. Im left to where if i do not get a shipping confirmation and PAYMENT BACK TO MY BANK i will Have to file a complaint because im near the required time to do so with my card ... This is Pathetic..
so to everyone who says THERE IS NO ISSUE. READ THE INTERNET... im happy you have a perfect device it does happen But im getting the feeling there are as many defective ones as good ones...
OP if it seems like im trolling your Thread i am very sorry .. Just want to clear up some of the above GET IT GET IT COMMENTS. There are issues with this device . yes you can get lucky and get a good one.. JUST BE AWARE TO NOT GET IT FROM GOOGLE PLAY

"so to everyone who says THERE IS NO ISSUE. READ THE INTERNET... im happy you have a perfect device it does happen But im getting the feeling there are as many defective ones as good ones... "
Good advice, because everyone knows that everything you read on the internet is 100% true!!!!

I have one that has slight screen lift and creaking, but It's honestly not bad enough for me to worry about. I can't detect it unless I carefully look at it from the side, or press on the screen hard enough to make it flex. The case I have it in completely hides the problem.
Now, should it happen? No. But I bought a Nexus 7 because it was a fairly high-spec tablet that I didn't have to pay $500 for. I'm willing to accept a few compromises, especially when the cure (on-phone time, a bad refurb replacement) could be worse than the disease.
To minimize hassle, do what others have suggested and buy locally from a retailer with a good return policy.

dparrothead1 said:
"so to everyone who says THERE IS NO ISSUE. READ THE INTERNET... im happy you have a perfect device it does happen But im getting the feeling there are as many defective ones as good ones... "
Good advice, because everyone knows that everything you read on the internet is 100% true!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bonjour!!! - state farm commerical. lol

primalmu said:
Thanks for the suggestions. I guess my main concern is the reports of people going through 3 or 4 Nexus 7's, even at a retail store, before they find one that is acceptable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The prevalence of screen lift is not being exaggerated. It's a widespread flaw, the cause of which is present in every unit. That's not to say that every display is separated, but the way the devices have been assembled through August (C8O serials) has left every Nexus 7 with an inadequate bond under the left side of the display.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=29194958&postcount=372
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=30703449&postcount=1
Although the adhesive is weak in that area, some other stress should be required to actually force the underside of the display away from the frame. That force is either frame warp or pressure from internal components. ASUS has begun omitting screws from the left side of the device in an attempt to remove some of the stress behind the separation. This points to frame warp as the primary contributor, but it's a partial fix at best.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1870556
The fact that ASUS is now implementing reductive measures against screen lift as part of its assembly process should lay to rest any doubts about the scope of this flaw.
Having said that, I would not advise against buying a Nexus 7. It's still the best 7" tablet available, not to mention the best value for a tablet of any kind.
I went through three units with lift before deciding to wait it out, but this was not necessarily the correct decision. My second unit had merely the slightest lift and was well worth keeping, but users on this forum misled me to believe that screen lift was a rare thing so I exchanged it. My third one had more lift and exhibited distortion when pressed along the left side. That one was not worth keeping, so I decided to return it and wait for this issue to be fixed. Not sure if that's going to happen.
Like JaSauders said, the probability of lifted glass cracking during normal use seems very low, and if flexing the display caused a row of dead pixels, or any other sort of display failure, that would be covered under warranty.

I will say this, i never noticed the screen separation until I came to these forums and read about it, HOWEVER, now that I know about it, it drives me crazy.
On the flip side, if you plan to use a case that covers the bezel, you experience or see it anyway, so its not a big deal.
I haven't experienced any other issues aside from the screen seperation, and even then its not noticeable until you start messing with it.

I don't believe the problem is that uncommon.
Both units I've received so far have had the problem to some extent. The first one had it really bad and I exchanged it when I heard that it may be causing screens to crack. The 2nd one also had the problem, but the screen lift was so small that I wasn't worried about it. I still ended up exchanging the 2nd unit because of other issues (mostly the oleophobic coating was rubbing off) and should be receiving my 3rd one today.
If it means anything though, even with the screen lift problem, I still consider this the best tablet for the price and I have no interest in the new Kindle Fire or iPad Mini.

myke66 said:
I will say this, i never noticed the screen separation until I came to these forums and read about it, HOWEVER, now that I know about it, it drives me crazy.
On the flip side, if you plan to use a case that covers the bezel, you experience or see it anyway, so its not a big deal.
I haven't experienced any other issues aside from the screen seperation, and even then its not noticeable until you start messing with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Putting case over the edge of the tablet is NOT a fix for the screen separation issues . Eventually the glass will move enough from this causing it to become weak. or a piece of dirt will get under the screen and it WILL CRACK Or crumble. Anytime hard glass is put in a situation where it can move independently being twist or bent It will weaken and crack .
I know this from Structural Engineering classes.. I have been a project manager for high rise construction for much longer then some of those on here are old. . Glass that is scratch / impact resistant MUST BE SECURED PERFECTLY . Must be allowed to expand and contract from edge to edge .. But must be fixed firmly and equally on all sides with no extra pressure or lack of in any area.. THE LAST Sentence here is the ISSUE WITH THE NEXUS TABLET
Now with the above said i to agree its the best Device right now with its size and cpu.. If there were a worthy 7 inch Device i would NOT OWN A NEXUS 7 .. check out the specs on the new corning-FIT Glass... There should be a metal frame for this glass to sit in..and it should over lap the edge of the screen NO GLASS From edge to edge ..
Of course this is all my opinion. Make your own judgement.. But do not Pretend there is not a issue just because you Love your device and you accept less then Perfect...

erica_renee said:
Putting case over the edge of the tablet is NOT a fix for the screen separation issues . Eventually the glass will move enough from this causing it to become weak. or a piece of dirt will get under the screen and it WILL CRACK Or crumble. Anytime hard glass is put in a situation where it can move independently being twist or bent It will weaken and crack .
I know this from Structural Engineering classes.. I have been a project manager for high rise construction for much longer then some of those on here are old. . Glass that is scratch / impact resistant MUST BE SECURED PERFECTLY . Must be allowed to expand and contract from edge to edge .. But must be fixed firmly and equally on all sides with no extra pressure or lack of in any area.. THE LAST Sentence here is the ISSUE WITH THE NEXUS TABLET
Now with the above said i to agree its the best Device right now with its size and cpu.. If there were a worthy 7 inch Device i would NOT OWN A NEXUS 7 .. check out the specs on the new corning-FIT Glass... There should be a metal frame for this glass to sit in..and it should over lap the edge of the screen NO GLASS From edge to edge ..
Of course this is all my opinion. Make your own judgement.. But do not Pretend there is not a issue just because you Love your device and you accept less then Perfect...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My screen never separates to the point where anything could get under it... it just lifts up enough where I can press it back down..I'm not sure that would ever be bad enough to crack the screen. I'm have a C8O build so it may not be as bad as previous models? Im not sure.

steevp said:
I don't believe the problem is that uncommon.
Both units I've received so far have had the problem to some extent. The first one had it really bad and I exchanged it when I heard that it may be causing screens to crack. The 2nd one also had the problem, but the screen lift was so small that I wasn't worried about it. I still ended up exchanging the 2nd unit because of other issues (mostly the oleophobic coating was rubbing off) and should be receiving my 3rd one today.
If it means anything though, even with the screen lift problem, I still consider this the best tablet for the price and I have no interest in the new Kindle Fire or iPad Mini.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update: Got the 3rd unit
It's one of the new C8O models and it's the best one I've gotten so far.
No screen lift, no flickering, none of the issues I had with the previous ones.
It's pretty much flawless as far as my eyes can tell.

steevp said:
Update: Got the 3rd unit
It's one of the new C8O models and it's the best one I've gotten so far.
No screen lift, no flickering, none of the issues I had with the previous ones.
It's pretty much flawless as far as my eyes can tell.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Congrats My C8O had minor lift, but last night I decided to glue it down and now its fine. Two drops of super glue and 5min later I havent had a problem all night/this morning. Played a bunch of 3D games to really heat it up and its golden.

I have the screen lift issue, but I have decided not to replace it. I would recommend that customers purchase the extended warranty at the store if in fact covers broken displays.
That said, I just rub down the face with a microfiber cloth before use and the lift is eliminated for a duration. Helps with the finger prints too.
That said, once a competing tab is released with the same specs I'd recommend that one instead. This QA issue will make me avoid Asus in the future. Google needs to vet OEMs better next time.

I've had four Nexus 7 tablets that have all had screen lift on the left side. Just got my latest one yesterday and it still has the issue. I've purchased lots of tablets and gadgets and this having to exchange something this many times and still getting a defects two months later is hardly normal or expected.
Fortunately the raised glass doesn't impair the functionality of the table (normally) and the tablet is pretty nice with stock Android Jelly Bean, Tegra 3, high DPI screen, and only $200/250. So all it's good points do outweigh ASUS incompetence to manufacture the tablet properly.