As a new user, I have had trouble finding information on the Padfone Infinty A86. So, I've decided to create a general FAQ wich could be made sticky once all the questions are answered.
1. Can I safely use official ASUS firmware updates cross SKU (eg: use the WW one for a CHT device)?
2. How can one identify the hardware SKU other than looking into Settings -> About?
3. What are the exact steps to update the firmware and can it be done without an SD card?
4. Are there any Kit Kat or later custom Roms available for the A86 (MIUI, etc)?
5. Would the docking station work on stock Android or some other custom Rom?
6. Is there a specific utility which allows to remove some of the blotware in the ASUS ZenUI?
1. Can I safely use official ASUS firmware updates cross SKU (eg: use the WW one for a CHT device)? Yes, but it's not officially recommended by Asus... But I'm here from the beginning, and I haven't seen it go wrong...
2. How can one identify the hardware SKU other than looking into Settings -> About? Not, when I bought my first gen Padfone there was only the CHT SKU, but when I bought the NPFI I didn't know if I got a TW or a CHT (turned out to be CHT). But that's because I imported from Taiwan, if you buy in the EU or America you'll get the WW SKU...
4. Are there any Kit Kat or later custom Roms available for the A86 (MIUI, etc)? The bootloader of the NPFI is still not unlockable, so we can't make custom recovery which means no custom ROMs can be installed.
5. Would the docking station work on stock Android or some other custom Rom? I don't know where you want to go with this, but the PFI A80 and NPFI A86 are the only ones that fit in the station because they're designed for each other, installing any other ROMs on the phone is not possible as I've explained in the previous question.
6. Is there a specific utility which allows to remove some of the blotware in the ASUS ZenUI? I'm not sure if you can remove stuff in the ZenUI, anyone else who can answer this?
1. I can confirm I succesfully writen the WW firmware on the device that had CHT. It works ok and most of the Chinese blotware has been removed.
5. The end game is: we would still have docking station functionality if a stock android or custom rom, other than asus is installed? How is it working for the other padfone varieties
The custom ROM that I've crated for the first gen Padfone (and there are even other ROMs created by other devs) are simply based on Asus's ROM, but we just enhanced it, there is not really something like "Stock Android", sure there is, but that's where Asus bases their ROM on, custom ROM developers usually base them on the devices native ROM...