Greetings to you all.
I apologize if this is in the wrong section. I am having a heck of a time choosing between these two tablets.
Acer Iconia Pros:
Nice size
better front camera
Has a LED Flash
AFAIK a STOCK version of HC.
Has better sound ( Dolby )
REAL USB 2.0 port ( full size )
EASY TO FIND!!!!!
Cons:
Heard that Playing 1080p HD Video is horrible ( according to reviews that I have seen on youtube ) ( I consider 1080p to be be HD while 720p is more medium def )
Heard that it is not Gorilla Glass ( although I saw a thread that proved otherwise )
Heard that video recording and pics are "meh" at best.
Locked bootloader * Thanks to Lorimere for telling me about that *
and onto the Transformer:
Pros:
Slightly better battery life
IPS Panel Display
Dock that doubles as battery extender
Cons:
Aparently the Transformer has a LOT of issues. Sleep of Death, Non responsive screen, dock problems, massive light bleeding
So I was wondering what you guys would think? Give me your honest opinions ( as long as they are polite....I have no tolerance for rudeness )
I already have a Galaxy Tab 7 inch and a iPad 1 wifi 16GB.....so those who like to say "Get a ipad and be happy with it" Been there. LOL!!!!!
I have had both. And honestly you can't go wrong with either one.
I decided to keep the Acer for 2 reasons.
1) the USB host on the tablet. (after using both, I realized I really didn't need the dock, so the Iconia won here) ** just to add I use the USB port a lot, so for me tablet without it now is a no-go **
2) The build quality on the Iconia was better than on my Transformer.
If I was going to use and carry the dock a lot, the transformer would be better. But In the 2 weeks of having them both, I only felt the need for a real keyboard once. And plugging in a usb keyboard for that hour i needed it worked great.
The Transformer screen is nicer though (mine only had a very small amount of light bleed.). The Acer screen is not bad by any means, but the transformers colors were better. (but after selling my transformer I don't really miss its screen honestly.)
The only thing that keeps me from 100% recommending the Iconia is the locked bootloader. I think it will be cracked or unlocked eventualy. But the fact is as of now it is still locked.
Hmm.....did not know about the locked bootloader. Good to know. Thank You.
I have had two acer iconias. Now I have the asus transformer. And I love it very much. The asus screen is better and this tablet preforms better. The acer constantly woke up on it's on. And if left in stand by for long periods of time the screen would become unresponsive. The only way to fix this problem was to do a hard reset.
Both tablets are very good, but the asus just wins in every category except sound. Not to mention it has great software. Mycloud, Mynet, and slashtop are all exclusive to asus. And the support for acer is lacking. Asus on the other hand has issued four updates each with detailed change logs. And asus will released Honeycomb 3.1 tomorrow 5/31.
So don't believed the bad news about asus transformer all the bugs have been rectified in a timely manner. I have only had my transformer for a week and I have not experienced one problem, besides minor light bleeding. I also have the asus dock and functionality is remarkable. Two usb ports and sd card slot, and a touch pad, with a extra battery. I'm completely satisfied
I had 2 Transformers and returned them both because of excessive light bleed and a gap in the bezel on the upper left hand side which would allow dust behind the screen.
That said, if they have fixed these build quality issues and weight vs connectivity is not an issue for you then the Transformer is the better tablet, certainly in the screen department.
If weight vs connectivity is an issue for you then the Acer is a better tablet, simply because to get similar on the move connectivity as the Acer, the Transformer has to be carried with the optional keyboard dock which essentially turns it into a netbook, and doubles the weight to a hefty 1.4kg vs the Iconia 765g.
As for software glitches and random screen ons, not really an issue for me. Honeycomb is still pretty much a work in progress, and in it's current state it does everything I need it to, and therefore for me it will only get better as Acer release updates.
If you do go for the Transformer then load up a black jpeg, go into a darkened room and whack the brightness up to full to check for light bleed, because for me that was a deal breaker. A simply stunning IPS screen like that hampered by shoddy build quality just wasn't acceptable.
If you want to know what I mean, this is the level of bleed I got on both my Transformers, though not forgetting that they may well have sorted out their manufacturing issues for later batches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80pSCclf9Eg
At first I wondered about the $50 difference in the two. After playing with the Asus at Bestbuy and reading reports I think build quality is one major reason the Acer is so much more. It's well worth it in my opinion, although the locked boot loader for me is a big regret(I'm a big FOSS advocate)
I really agree with Lorimere. The USB port is really useful for me. And the USB port can be use for keyboard and mouse, too!
Actually I really wanted to try Transformer. But ASUS reps in my country (Indonesia) were really don't know when the tablet will go on sale. ASUS really need to fix this. Some are selling it through forums, but it's way too expensive. 16 GB Transformer worth the same as 32 GB Iconia!
I just got update from @acerID (ACER Indonesia twitter reps account), that lots of Iconia accessories will start coming in right away. Yaayy, finally!
As most posts above have stated, the biggest differences are:
USB Host: Acer (built-in) vs. ASUS (on dock)
Display: ASUS generally better than Acer's (unless you get a unit with light bleed)
Build quality: Acer generally feels better made than ASUS
Bootloader: ASUS has an unlocked bootloader vs. Acer's locked
For me the biggest thing in this list is the onboard USB host. Being able to plug in a USB drive without having to carry around essentially 1/2 of a netbook to dock the unit into is a major win for the Acer.
The display issue is really pretty minor I think, unless you want to set your tablet up on a desk and watch a movie while moving around, in which case the ASUS' ISP display will be better with less viewing angle restrictions.
Other items to consider:
ASUS ships with Exchange support, although that's been added in the latest firmware update to Acer's tab; in addition, rooted Acers are able to use the ASUS apk, and some Market Apps (Touchdown is my favorite right now, particularly with the $7.99 pro license from Amazon appstore vs. $19.99 normally)
Update frequency: ASUS has apparently been pushing updates out more frequently
ASUS is more likely to get 3.1 update out first, although Acer's also said they'll be shipping it in June (test of ASUS' 3.1 has already been spotted)
Acer has better sound system (Dolby Mobile)
Final thoughts:
The issue w/ the Acer screen coming back on randomly appears to have been resolved in the latest firmware (mine hasn't turned itself back on since the .114 update).
ASUS in general appears a bit more committed to the Android platform than Acer (at least after the replacement of their prior CEO.)
Oh yeah, and you can BUY the Acer a lot more easily than the ASUS
The only reason the Asus has gotten more updates is because it had way more bugs than the Acer initially....
lord_voldemort666 said:
The only reason the Asus has gotten more updates is because it had way more bugs than the Acer initially....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, but that is just FUD!
There are plenty of reasons to pick an Acer over an Asus, and vice-versa, but this frankly isn't true.
Regards,
Dave
lord_voldemort666 said:
The only reason the Asus has gotten more updates is because it had way more bugs than the Acer initially....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A Very Big +1
Don't need updates every week for something that isn't broke.
I have had generic tablets. Viewsonic G.tablet. Xoom. And tried the transformer of a friend(he later returned it for Acer). I am very happy, with my A500 as is my friend. Sure there are a couple bugs here and there...but for 98% of the time I use my tablet...it just works. I pick it up and it almost seems eager to do all I want it too.
As for what to pick...want a tablet...get the Acer....want a net book with identity crisis...get the Asus. Or sit on the fence...a few months down the road...bigger names will enter the game and may have a more current version of honeycomb or ice cream sandwich or whatever google finds in their cafateria that sounds tasty :-D
Hi,
i have hesitate for a long time between transformer and a500. And now, don't know why so long hesitating, because a500 is far more efficient than the transformer.
My unique "regret" is the non avaibility of the 16Gb version wich is at the same price than the 16gb transformer.
Transformer is the tablet who makes you dream when you have to buy : ips is the best, the dock is nice idea, water theme is fun... But in reality, i can't find one to buy where i live. An more, if i want usb, have to buy the heavy dock (big major issue). The IPS is really nice... IF it's perfect as ipad... and it's not ! because quality built of transformer is not as good as it seems to be. Asus is active about their transformer (updates), because they are in late, it's seems have been built in emergency at many points, to solve now.
Acer is far more efficient. no hard (and loose time) developpment for any dock to fixed to the tablet, used spva screen which is really availlable (all ips are used by ipad), full simple connectivity, don't loose time on thick (like samsung), don't loose time on weight (few grams more and so ?), and maybe some less quality "electronics" (wifi, gps ?). But the tablet is really available, even here in martinique (it's a sign^^), and it really works well in my hand, it's a fact, it's not a dream, it's a fact.
For the updates activities : asus want to do well and have to work hard to be really good if they want to follow acer tab a500 who already sell their tablet in mass. Acer seems more confiant in their product, take time for update and 3.1.
at this time i have NO reasons to wait transformer, and for sure if acer know that, asus know that too
What akwaba972 said is exactly how I felt. I'm no longer thinking of Transformer right now. It's sweet, but if you can only dream of it, forget it!
Which way do I go!!!
I too am torn between the Transformer and the A500. I do not have either one of them but first leaned to the Transformer because of it low price. But one could not get it anywhere around. Since then I have been reading and now lean toward the A500 because of the USB ports. I may be a few bucks more but seem like a better build.
Thanks!!
Well it appears that fate has smiled upon me. I just got $400CDN from a friend of mine that I forgot owed me money! I have then decided to get BOTH....for now.
The Acer Iconia will be purchased when I can get up to Owen Sound Staples or will be ordered from NCIX.
The ASUS Transformer has been already ordered from NCIX and has been shipped already ( 16GB Variant ) and depending on the quality and on how I like it then and only then will I purchase the dock.
I will continue this thread to help other people out and see how these two tablets fare. If I decide to keep them both then I will sell my iPad as I will have no use for it. ( Wifi 16GB 1st Gen )
bear in mind, the asus transformer is getting a 3.1 update today, so it's safe to assume ASUS is argubly more dedicate to the firmware support than Acer. and no one seems to mention in this post the dock gives extra 6-7 battery hours plus TWO usb ports, this is crucial to me as I normally want to plug in both of my western digital passport and a mouse...(and now you can even use two xbox360 controllers!)
The 3.1 update will be the absolute FIRST thing that I will do with both devices as I get them.
I feel like a kid with a new toy...come on Purolator where ARE YOU!!!! LOL!!!
magicpork said:
bear in mind, the asus transformer is getting a 3.1 update today, so it's safe to assume ASUS is argubly more dedicate to the firmware support than Acer. and no one seems to mention in this post the dock gives extra 6-7 battery hours plus TWO usb ports, this is crucial to me as I normally want to plug in both of my western digital passport and a mouse...(and now you can even use two xbox360 controllers!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I make a cruise ship in april, and many people on it have an ipad or ebook reader.
It's at this time my wife tell me she will like to have one, and me looking for the best tablet (except the locked ipad).
If i take the example of this ship cruise, i can easily imagine somebody give me his usb key to quickly share immediatly some pics or songs on my a500 who is in the bag with the towel. Easily reload the tablet at night (8 hrs nice enough for a day).
With the transformer, first, i have to carry the dock in luggage , but still ok for now. AFTER, when l'm on the pool deck and someone give me an usb key... have to go to my room, get the dock, back, connect for finally have the usb accessibility. I cannot have the dock already at pool, because it take more place, very more weight and finally may be you do not use it at all.
Of course, it's not a dramatic issue, it's just a real example of use among many others. acer in my example is an all in one simple device.
but i agree that in your case, the dock may be fine.
I wanted the Transformer for a long time i bought the Iconia last week since i wanted a tablet for a week long work trip, i love it, with the full size USB i can mount my NTFS 1TB drive and watch my 12GB 1080p videos, you cant do that with any other tablet.
Transformers only pro to me is the dock... but go look at logitechs new bluetooth keyboard that is also a stand...
Well I got my TF....still waiting on the Acer.
Time will tell........
Related
Of these 3 latest tabs, I think we have the best deal owning the Acer. I been trying to keep up on both Asus' and Xoom forums. Looks like the Acer has the least amount of bugs.
Both Xoom and Transformer continue to have bugs even after many updates. The only known bug that I think is real problem for Acer is the wake on sleep but that should be fixed with the update.
Im here in Cali and never got the update, but I don't have that problem
Thanks Acer
If knew "for sure" the update would fix the sleep issue, I would buy one again now (for the third time). Since I do not even trust myself, I will wait and see.
I keep recommending the Acer to people in other forums who are looking for a honeycomb tablet, but they all crow about Acer having a bad track record and the fact that it's not the thinnest and lightest device on the market. I'd much rather have USB host support and no bugs vs. thinnest and lightest with glitches, personally.
That's the problem with spec-sheet monkeys...
Oo oO
That all said, the sleep mode issue is a pretty dag-burn big bug and glitch. If it really gets fixed, cool- I will buy another, since I agree it's the best total cost alternative for features and function.
I actually prefer waiting longer for a fully functioning 3.1 update. That Xoom is a mess and looks to be worse after their 3.1 update.
Transformer has had numerous Asus updates that tend to maybe make things worse for it. I think the only thing it has going for it is the IPS screen, but really, are you going to be viewing your Acer at 178 degrees? no. Our screen is fine, especiallly when you get some awesome wallpaper going on there.
But, yes, I know it sounds like this is another "I love my Acer Thread".
I just want people to notice that our Acer is by far, no where near as buggy as the Transformer and Xoom, other than the standard Honeycomb issues.
The reason why I think it might fix the sleep issue, from another forum:
"some info for you:
Below are the most important product improvements listed being covered by this update, which will further enrich the overall user experience;
1. Bluetooth Keyboard support added (currently for English language mapping only)
1. Touch panel performance improvement
1. G-sensor calibration
1. Fix for A500 turning off and on in sleep mode (Screen turning off and on when asleep?)
Firmware version change after FOTA update:
1.016.05_EMEA_GEN1 --> 1.139.05_EMEA_GEN1
Countries covered by EMEA_GEN1:
UK / France / Italy / Spain
This update will also become available for the other countries soon, but as the exact release schedule is not fully available yet we are not able to provide you with any reliable release date at this moment."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
chay03 said:
I actually prefer waiting longer for a fully functioning 3.1 update. That Xoom is a mess and looks to be worse after their 3.1 update.
Transformer has had numerous Asus updates that tend to maybe make things worse for it. I think the only thing it has going for it is the IPS screen, but really, are you going to be viewing your Acer at 178 degrees? no. Our screen is fine, especiallly when you get some awesome wallpaper going on there.
But, yes, I know it sounds like this is another "I love my Acer Thread".
I just want people to notice that our Acer is by far, no where near as buggy as the Transformer and Xoom, other than the standard Honeycomb issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although I agree in principle, I've never owned a Transformer or Xoom so couldn't say from experience. But having poked my head into both forums over the last month or so, I do feel confident in having gone with the Iconia in that, it seems to me, there are far more 'troubled' users on the other forums than this one.
The lack of head-to-head Transformer vs Iconia reviews (that are granular and don't grant value to specs alone) are few and far between - and of those there are, they focus too much on specs and first impressions, not on enough on the full experience.
The Iconia would most certainly take the crown. But the Iconia is the less popular option, however, due mostly to misinformation and whatever hang-ups people have against the brand itself. I can't deny it's a solid user experience, with what I would refer to as 'basic' functions that all tablets should have for a price point that sets the bar - above and beyond.
chay03 said:
Of these 3 latest tabs, I think we have the best deal owning the Acer. I been trying to keep up on both Asus' and Xoom forums. Looks like the Acer has the least amount of bugs.
Both Xoom and Transformer continue to have bugs even after many updates. The only known bug that I think is real problem for Acer is the wake on sleep but that should be fixed with the update.
Im here in Cali and never got the update, but I don't have that problem
Thanks Acer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What xoom bugs are you referring to? I've owned both at the same time for several days all the xoom bugs I experienced were also apparent with the Iconia.
Sent from Desire HD or Inspire 4G or whatever this thing is called via premium XDA app.
chay03 said:
I actually prefer waiting longer for a fully functioning 3.1 update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume everyone has already seen this? (Acer getting 3.1 in June)
http://tech2.in.com/news/tablets/asus-and-acer-tablets-to-get-android-31-update-in-june/219952
chay03 said:
The reason why I think it might fix the sleep issue, from another forum:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not seeing "US" or "NA" anywhere though....
Thanks, none the less. Where is the source for the info?
Thanks!
lrs421 said:
What xoom bugs are you referring to? I've owned both at the same time for several days all the xoom bugs I experienced were also apparent with the Iconia.
Sent from Desire HD or Inspire 4G or whatever this thing is called via premium XDA app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't say exactly. Im just gathering my info from lurking in the other forums. Honeycomb on 10" tablets to compare within the forums.
I have only had my Acer. I played with the Transformer in Frys but my thought was that the transitions scrolling was noticeably slower than Acer. A coworker had the Xoom and took it back to BB within 4 hours. In his case, I think it was more Android related than the hardware itself. He walked out with the Ipad2.
Some of us don't have the time or maybe even the extra cash to make side-by-side comparisons. im just saying, in my opinion from what i read, It seems the others are more problematic than the Acer. Yes, the Acer has its own issues, but for the most part, I think our issues are more bareable than lets say, the Transformer dock not charging, or the Xoom Sd slot not recoginizing.
I almost took back my Acer to get the Transformer (being cheap to save$50). I am thankful I didn't.
chay03 said:
I can't say exactly. Im just gathering my info from lurking in the other forums. Honeycomb on 10" tablets to compare within the forums.
I have only had my Acer. I played with the Transformer in Frys but my thought was that the transitions scrolling was noticeably slower than Acer. A coworker had the Xoom and took it back to BB within 4 hours. In his case, I think it was more Android related than the hardware itself. He walked out with the Ipad2.
Some of us don't have the time or maybe even the extra cash to make side-by-side comparisons. im just saying, in my opinion from what i read, It seems the others are more problematic than the Acer. Yes, the Acer has its own issues, but for the most part, I think our issues are more bareable than lets say, the Transformer dock not charging, or the Xoom Sd slot not recoginizing.
I almost took back my Acer to get the Transformer (being cheap to save$50). I am thankful I didn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand where you’re coming from and I do think the Acer is great too but these threads tend to be a little one sided (it is in the Acer forum afterall ). While I’m not accusing you of doing this many people in threads like this are just simply trying to justify their purchases. When I purchased my Gtablet a few weeks ago I was trying to convince myself upgrading to anything else would be a waste of money, I did the same when I purchased the Acer (I still feel as if they’re great in their price range). I don’t have lots of excess cash either but I was fortunate enough to play with the Gtablet, Acer and Xoom side by side for several days. I too watched all the forums closely and saw the dev frustration with the Acer and one who returned his after bricking it. In the end I chose the Xoom and decided the $150.00 premium was worth it for these reasons:
1) Working recovery. If you brick the Acer right now you have no way to return to US factory stock without sending it to Acer.
2) Dev support, while this may have to do with time in the market place the Xoom forum offered more possibilities right now, I realize this may change.
3) Accessories. This may seem trivial but it was important to me. Googling the word “Xoom” brought back a myriad of custom accessories like docks, car chargers and multiple cases.
4) Proven manufacturer support. When the Moto got 3.1 on launch that showed me that both Google and Moto were committed to keeping this product up to date. The jury is still out on what Acer is going to do beyond 3.1. I’m certain the Xoom will live on (well atleast for 18 months ).
5) The screen, don’t get me wrong, the Xoom screen isn’t stellar but the grid lines on the Acer drove me nuts, damn OCD!!
There are a few things I miss about the Acer, fully functional USB support being one of them. After owning virtually all of these devices though I have come to the conclusion that the perfect tab doesn’t exist. I really thought I was going to keep the Acer long term but in end the end I chose otherwise. Don’t get me wrong, I still believe that the Acer has lots of potential and will be a tough tab to beat once/if the source is released and we get a working recovery. I may be back if they do.
One more thing, the Xoom issues I mostly experienced were and are honeycomb issues. Running a customer kernel makes the xoom an absolute monster (IMO). You’ll read about more problems simply because more people have it and it’s been rooted and torn apart which opens the door to other stuff….
points well taken.
You wanted something more and paid the premium. I couldn't pay that much more as I would not want to root mine. I was in the market for a glorified Internet tablet and this is good enough. I too had the G-Tablet and sold it the next day.
Bottom line, Xoom works great for you, Acer works great for me.
chay03 said:
Bottom line, Xoom works great for you, Acer works great for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldn't have said it better my self
having just looked at all 3, watching quite a few reviews, and lurking the same 3 forums for the past week, i finally bought one of them.
the transformer.
reasoning is, i've seen less complaints from them, the complaints that are there in general are more niggles about little things. also, it seems that asus' support is more involved in getting things updated. they've already received 4+ OTAs to update software, fix bugs, and remedy general problems.
granted, it does have its share of problems, but i spoke with my money, and bought the one that i felt was the best all around and grabbed the asus.
own the Acer and the transformer. Am on the second transformer and both suffer build quality issues.
Light bleed is noticeable when viewiong in the dark even at lowest brightness settigns. Also there is some flex or creak in the case.
The quality of the screen however is much richer.
The annoying alignment grid pattern of the pixels on the iconia bothers me because I usually view with it about 1 foot away and for them to not be noticeable to my eye s I need to hold the tablet more like 18 inches away.
Transformer is warmer and sharper without the grid appearance even at 6 inches away. Also off axis viewing is nicer on the transformer and I love the dock concept for extra battery life and more productivity etc while giving the adde dports for when I need them.
My Acer has been solid with only software glitches and 1 tiny dust spec under the screen but seems built more solid.
It ios thicker and heavier though and battery life is apparently a bit shorter but have not made a comparison myself.
Decisions decisions.....if i had no lightbleed hands down the transformer is better tablet for me but the iconia seems built better. I don't need a usb port on the tab if I have a keyboard dock. sure I i want access to an external HD on my tablet the usb port is ice, but chances are if I did I would want access to the dock anyway for the added battery life or the keyboard for creation work
lrs421 said:
One more thing, the Xoom issues I mostly experienced were and are honeycomb issues. Running a customer kernel makes the xoom an absolute monster (IMO). You’ll read about more problems simply because more people have it and it’s been rooted and torn apart which opens the door to other stuff….
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My primary buying point isn't how customizable the tablet is (it's a factor sure, but a tiny one). No, the most important factor for me is the Out Of the Box experience. I still haven't made my choice yet, but I've been into the store several times and spent time playing with each of the Xoom, Transformer, and Iconia, and so far for me, the Iconia has the better OOB experience.
From outset, it just does MORE than the other two can do and that's an important factor because 95% of people who buy a tablet will not be rooting it.
FloatingFatMan said:
My primary buying point isn't how customizable the tablet is (it's a factor sure, but a tiny one). No, the most important factor for me is the Out Of the Box experience. I still haven't made my choice yet, but I've been into the store several times and spent time playing with each of the Xoom, Transformer, and Iconia, and so far for me, the Iconia has the better OOB experience.
From outset, it just does MORE than the other two can do and that's an important factor because 95% of people who buy a tablet will not be rooting it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure I agree with you about oob experience. The Acer and moto were pretty even in that regard, the grid lines were pretty bad IMO. Without tweaking though the edge goes to the iconia because of cost. 95% of the general public won't consider rooting but 95% of xda'rs will.
Sent from Desire HD or Inspire 4G or whatever this thing is called via premium XDA app.
Out of the box the asus was the best. It has dlna and cloud storage. It has built in remote desktop functionalityand it has the best office suite available.
For those that prefer produtivity the dock with keyboard is a definite plus.
I think of these three as a spectrum. Xoom is best built but screen is so so and it is most costly.
Iconia offers all the xoom does in a more affordable package. So i see no reason to get a xoom unless you want knowledge that google will always be supporting and updating its reference tablet.
Asus offers best value and modular configuratioon giving laptop ornetbook functionality. It has the nicest screen so far on a honeycomb tablet as well. Its only drawbackright now is lack of supply and some build quality issues which might be related.
Samsung sounds like it wants to be the ipad of android tablets. For those that dont carle about expansion it will be lightest and thinnest design. But it will carry xoom pricing for the wifi model.
For the masses it will likely be the most populari option as i suspect most tablet buyers want an ipad but dont want to be tied to apple and itunes and want flash in their browsers.
Anyone choose the Acer over Asus Transformer?
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
mikec86 said:
Anyone choose the Acer over Asus Transformer?
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL... here we go again !
You're in the Acer A500 forum and asking the above question ??
That's like me seeing you driving a Mercedes and asking you if you chose the Benz over the BMW
... better put on a flame suit ...LOL
I know everyone here has the Acer, my question was who was down to choosing between the two and why the went with the Acer? Sorry for the confusion.....
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
I think also it's good to someone know what is better
If I go to BMW I ask
what you got better than MERCEDES... sell me your product
ok
- Asus
Better screen but got some light leaking...
More battery but overweighted (with keyboard 1.2kg arround but 16 Hours of battery... hu...)
Keyboard... well can be usefull sometimes and that serve as a dock so...
Nice weather stock widget ( I love it)
Less bloatware (maybe)
after I can't tell
ACER
all in one : USB, hdmi, sdcard
battery 8 hours (normal usage, game a little, wifi etc...)
FULL USB.... plug a little hub and you got mouse (3.1), keyboard, and also.... HardDrive 1TB(maybe 2TB max) can be plug in...
DOLBY that sound is great.
stronger material... my opinion.
sanaell said:
I think also it's good to someone know what is better
If I go to BMW I ask
what you got better than MERCEDES... sell me your product
ok
- Asus
Better screen but got some light leaking...
More battery but overweighted (with keyboard 1.2kg arround but 16 Hours of battery... hu...)
Keyboard... well can be usefull sometimes and that serve as a dock so...
Nice weather stock widget ( I love it)
Less bloatware (maybe)
after I can't tell
ACER
all in one : USB, hdmi, sdcard
battery 8 hours (normal usage, game a little, wifi etc...)
FULL USB.... plug a little hub and you got mouse (3.1), keyboard, and also.... HardDrive 1TB(maybe 2TB max) can be plug in...
DOLBY that sound is great.
stronger material... my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also Acer has flash for rear camera and manual lock for screen rotation. I was thinking if I wanted a tablet to look like a netbook I would have just picked up a netbook, it would be alot cheaper...
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
sanaell said:
I think also it's good to someone know what is better
If I go to BMW I ask
what you got better than MERCEDES... sell me your product
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL... ofcourse
But.... This is a community forum with device specific... We are not trying to sell you anything
Opinion...yes.... but not coming to someone's domain and ask if other were better.
Let me drop by your house and post the question to you like:
is your house better or the one down the street better ?
Your reaction would be ?
maybe I was "playing" on the OP's wording of the question
alright... back on topic... and I'm staying far away from this thread...starting now
mikec86 said:
Anyone choose the Acer over Asus Transformer?
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did. my friends recommend transformer because of its popularity, so I went to store and played with the sample, it looks ugly. here are some reasons I picked a500:
1. for $30 more you get 32G and a case
2. metal case, looks solid and for sure a little bit heavier
3. nice design, in my opinion it is the most beautiful android tablet. I compared asus, fujitsu and toshiba, cosmetically, a500 is the best
4. I love the usb port, mouse, keyboard, u-disk, you name it.
my only complain is that it doesn't do usb charging. well, others don't do it either.
besides, you can get it from costco, if you don't like it, take it back. costco.com also sells other tablets, but they are all over priced in my opinion.
I just got the Acer because of the USB port. Right now target has them for 399 and somewhere around the a500gb is a coupon for $50 off tablets @ staples. I believe you can have them price check targets price can use the coupon. Transformer has a better screen but the acers USB can come handy. I love my new a500!
Can't find the post but here's the coupon: http://reg.e.staples.com/c/s/tagfrm/hBOHH28B7SHGCB8cS0jNsq8x311/coupon.html?storeId=10001&AID=10428703&CID=AFF%253A552179%253A552179%253A10428703&cm_mmc=CJ-_-552179-_-552179-_-10428703&SID=VGg5cWlnb0JDalFBQUdAbEdmQUFBQU11&PID=552179&n=550
Act quick because coupon expires today.
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
I actually had a Transformer and returned it for the Acer. Most reviews do seem to come out in favor of the Transformer, but if you read between the lines, it is always the keyboard dock that tilts it in the Transformers favor. Putting a battery in the dock to extend the battery life is a great idea. Unfortunately, based on what I read, it doesn't work. When the tablet is docked to the keyboard, it doesn't go into a deep sleep, which drains the keyboard battery. Asus does say they will fix it. You need to consider if the keyboard is worth it, over a bluetooth keyboard you could get for the Acer.
The reasons I returned my Transformer was the screen leakage problem, and the fact that the left speaker is noticeably quieter than the right. These are both very common problems. The speaker thing really annoyed me. It wouldn't matter so much if it was just one mono speaker, but with one speaker being quieter, you will actually be missing audio.
I do like the USB slot on the Acer, as well as having a cover for the microSD card. On the Asus, I believe the card sticks out of the tablet, and is easily ejected. The power supply for the Acer is also better. I found the 30 pin connector for the Asus on the bottom to be awkward when trying to use the tablet when charging.
movie playback
Hey guys this thread is helpful, thanks. I was leaning towards the transformer because of some of the video playback issues (not being able to play). The Transformer had no issues playing along side, here's the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyTXevfSIVk
Fast forward to 07:00
So my question is has this been resolved or is this still an issue?
Thanks guys!
Also, has anyone tried doing the Skype Video Chat? What's the experience/quality like? Will a Bluetooth headset (like a standard Jawbone) work with it? How's the Bluetooth Audio quality (assuming its capable)? I would like to use a wireless headset (stereo).
Thanks again!
The better speakers full usb on the tablet and it looks nice. besides that all the tablets have the same tegra cpu so not like your losing anything performence wise
Had 3 transformers, all with serious light bleed round the edges. Got sick of exchanging it so went for the acer and very glad I did.
Not really anything to choose on the screen, but for me, build quality is better and you have the advantage of full size usb.
On the down side it cost a little more (especially here in rip-off britain), but on the plus side, I ordered the keyboard for the transformer direct from asus when it first came out for 50 quid and sold it on flea-bay for 130 - result
Go to transformer forum and ask the same question.good luck
I have an Acer Iconia a501 and an Asus Transformer TF101 (won with BINGO!) here and put them side by side.
For colors, Asus is my favourite, colors are warmer and colors seems to be more deep and natural; the Acer produces washed out colors in comparison. Green grass on the Asus is light-green (onnatural) grass on the Acer.
The Asus screen is an IPS type and doesn't got the weird honeycomb pattern seen the Acer as bright pixels in sunlight and under certain angles; has something to do with their touchscreen tech in the display.
The Asus' dock with keyboard is a nice gadget but if I looked for this I'll be sticking with my 'old' Asus EeePC I have.
I choose the Iconia in favor of the Asus for these reasons:
- full USB and micro usb support on tablet itself
- hardware rotation lock switch
- 3G model is already on the market (got one!)
- The brushed alu look cover is very nice and sturdy
- back camera with led flash (quite bright!)
- few paid and full games included
Although I won the damn thing, the Asus is going bye-bye... because:
- No USB and micro USB support on tablet itself
- only software rotation lock (3 clicks too many!)
- 3G model is to be expected in August or even September!
- Case is nice to see, but it feels kinda plasticy.
- No flash with camera.
- No including games (even though they're only cost couple of $$)
Asus' screen wins (IMHO) over the Acer screen because it produces warmer colors and has more dedicated colors (262K vs 16M), the Acer uses 'dithering' instead.
But as in many things, you can't twist about someones personal taste.
Porto412 said:
But as in many things, you can't twist about someones personal taste.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hit the nail on the head with that.
I bought the Acer because I had some gift cards to HSN to use up and at the time, they didn't have the transformer. I had considered sending the Acer back now that they have the transformer but the Acer has won me over. I'm not sure I could get by without the USB right on the tablet. I have a wireless keyboard and mouse that are amazingly plug and play. I also have a 3G dongle which also works.
I love to connect the hdmi out to my TV and use the wireless mouse and keyboard to surf the internet, watch movies and play games from across the room.
richdaley said:
Hit the nail on the head with that.
I bought the Acer because I had some gift cards to HSN to use up and at the time, they didn't have the transformer. I had considered sending the Acer back now that they have the transformer but the Acer has won me over. I'm not sure I could get by without the USB right on the tablet. I have a wireless keyboard and mouse that are amazingly plug and play. I also have a 3G dongle which also works.
I love to connect the hdmi out to my TV and use the wireless mouse and keyboard to surf the internet, watch movies and play games from across the room.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you get the dongle to work??...you on 3.1??
Sent from my XT720 using XDA App
vari9 said:
How did you get the dongle to work??...you on 3.1??
Sent from my XT720 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am running Primee v8-4 and I have the Huawei E173 dongle. I had to do the steps in this post to remove the mass storage:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1118639
I am not sure why Dexter discontinued the ROM and dongle support and left xda. It is a bummer.
Sorry if im thread jacking but im in the market for one of these tablets an was wondering if they display apps and everything over hdmi out? Thanks
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
I have an Acer Iconia a501 and an Asus Transformer TF101 (won with BINGO!) here and put them side by side.
For colors, Asus is my favourite, colors are warmer and colors seems to be more deep and natural; the Acer produces washed out colors in comparison. Green grass on the Asus is light-green (onnatural) grass on the Acer.
The Asus screen is an IPS type and doesn't got the weird honeycomb pattern seen on the Acer as bright pixels in sunlight and under certain angles; has something to do with their touchscreen tech in the display.
The Asus' dock with keyboard is a nice gadget but if I looked for this I'll be sticking with my 'old' Asus EeePC I have.
I choose the Iconia in favor of the Asus for these reasons:
- full USB and micro usb support on tablet itself
- hardware rotation lock switch
- 3G model is already on the market (got one!)
- The brushed alu look cover is very nice and sturdy
- back camera with led flash (quite bright!)
- few paid and full games included
Although I won the damn thing, the Asus is going bye-bye... because:
- No USB and micro USB support on tablet itself
- only software rotation lock (3 clicks too many!)
- 3G model is to be expected in August or even September!
- Case is nice to see, but it feels kinda plasticy.
- No flash with camera.
- No including games (even though they're only cost couple of $$)
Asus' screen wins (IMHO) over the Acer screen because it produces warmer colors and has more dedicated colors (262K vs 16M), the Acer uses 'dithering' instead.
But as in many things, you can't twist about someones personal taste.
New Iconia A500 Owner
I just bought an A500 over the Asus for a few reasons.
1) The recent price drop here in the US to $399 along with a $50 gift card from Target stores made the $550 price of the Asus a non starter.
2) I own an Asus laptop and it has had poor build quality and miserable support, so the current issues with power drain on the dock and light bleed made me leery of Asus.
3) The 40-pin power/dock connector makes me really nervous about long term reliability and there aren't any replacements currently available.
Now in fairness to the Transformer, there are some pluses compared to the Acer
Slightly sharper display
nice feel of the back(less slippery)
More USB ports when docked
Longer battery life(when docked)
but I just couldn't justify a $200 delta for the Asus...
i am still not sure i want to by the Acer,,, or the Asus..
be honest with me.. why did YOU buy the Acer.
it doesnt have to be Asus vs Acer. it can just be why you got the Acer.
was it the usb port?, the expandable memory? price? (target has them for $399 so i am really tempted.)
so what pushed you over the edge to buy the Iconia ?
i also am still not sure if it cna see dSLR cameras on the USB port to read the images off the cameras memory card so if someone says it works for their dSLR then thats a huge game changer for me.
i own an ipad and its really really a tough choice given the app and game availability on the ipad, but i am an android phone user so i am very familiar with Android.
USB Full
All the features, mainly usb
To be honest, it was down to the Acer or the ASUS for me although I did like the fact the hardware was working at launch (SD slot, USB etc).
While everyone seems to be complaining on the Acer ROM update schedule, or lack thereof, I am happily running a custom ROM (of which there are several now) which is now at 3.2
What drove me to the Acer was it was available when I decided to buy. Otherwise, it would have been a hard choice. But, I think after actually looking and holding the ASUS I would have picked the Acer.
I use it primarily for business (sales) showing customers products by using well bookmarked PDF files, email (I moved my domain over to Google Apps for business and quick lookups while I am on the road (WiFi tether to my HTC phone) so I don't need a seperate data plan.
No complaints.
do either of you own or owned an ipad to give me your thought comparisons outside of the obvious massive App lead that the ipad has?
I got it for free... kinda... I traded some work for it.
I needed an upgrade from the Archos 101 which was only about three weeks old at the time I saw the upcoming Acer. Preordered it from BB.
I still would have gotten the Acer if Asus TF was available. I need the USB. Period. And I don't care about the TF dock feature.
Well I just plugged my Canon Power Shot A1100 IS in and the Aconia recognized it right away and the pictures showed up right away.
I haven't tried my Nikon or Canon DSLR yet but no reason why they shouldn't work as well on jpg files.
I bought it because of the USB slot, expandable memory, HDMI and the price.
Bought mine for simple reasons
I did the stupid thing and did not bother to do any homework before going out and buying my first tablet (apple I pad 2) - returned to the store the next day. Had no idea it had no native flash support (the "solution" was to use Skyfire for crummy flash support).
Went home, did my homework - when it came down to simple price/vs features the Acer Iconia seemed like the best choice - microSd, full size USB port (awesome for me - it works with a USB hub also, I have lots of USB devices).
Not sure we can claim apple has much if any "app lead" over android tablets - and once you consider how many apps are written for the Android phone but run great under Honeycomb as well. Don't feel much of an app shortage here, the Droid market is freaking huge.
All in all, very happy with my purchase.
I bought mine largely due to the full-sized USB port as I'm an avid retrogamer, so getting to play emulators with the actual controllers (I have USB adapters for them) on my tablet was pretty much a childhood fantasy come true ^_^.
Anyway, that and I really love the metal casing... it just feels solid and sturdy, not large or bulky at all even though it's the heaviest tab of the bunch. I'm sure in some instances, like holding it up over your head in bed or something, you'd notice the weight, but really, there are no heavy or bulky tablets in this category at all, only those that are impressively small like the Galaxy Tab 10.1.
I will note that Acer is so far the worst at getting updates out, but the community here seems pretty devoted, not to mention there's a ton of cross-developer action as the Tegra 2that all of these share means much of the software can just be transplanted from one brand to another. So, if you're going to root and run roms, software becomes a bit less of a concern. As far as the hardware goes, I love it myself.
It was a choice between the Acer and Asus for me. I got the Acer because I was impatient, but I ended up not returning it because after using it I couldn't see myself getting by with no usb and no flash. I considered the new Galaxy Tab as well but for the same reason I decided not to wait.
If I DID end up waiting, I'm sure I'd have decided to wait for a Kal-El based tablet. At some point in the 'waiting for better to come' game, you have to take a step or you'll never buy a product. I use the tablet daily, even my wife uses it now and so it's proven it's value to me.
I use the flash for extremely stupid things, but tbh to each his own, right? One of these things is to sneak into bed at night. By the time I go to bed sometimes my wife is already sleeping and she's a very light sleeper. Flicking a light on to see where I'm going would surely wake her up and it's sometimes difficult to navigate around the bed (without smacking off a big or little toe). I thought, "can I live without the flash? Sure!" But it would be an inconvenience, especially if I do ever find myself in a slightly more important scenario where I need it and don't have (for taking a pic in low light, for eg).
The USB is a must as I travel a lot and the big reason for getting the tablet beyond using it in my home is so I can travel light (without having to use my laptop). With the usb I can plug flash drives or hard drives in and watch my tv series and movies or use it to juice my phone if I strain it chatting too long or whatever.
Other than that, I didn't like the feel of the Transformer and I didn't want to depend on getting/using the keyboard part to have usb functionality. I had been keeping up with all the pics of the light bleed and saw it first hand. Who wants to worry about getting a tablet with light bleed at a time when they weren't in very many stores? That would have meant back and forth shipping. Not my thing.
The Acer is fully usable as-is, with the Asus and Samsung you MUST buy accessories for them to get a usb port.
I also considered resale value, like any tech head . If I am to resell my Acer A500 right now, I'm going to get ~$400 for it (not everyone knows about the sale price of 350 at certain stores). In a few months, I will lose another $50 to depreciation...as by then I'm sure the price will further fall to something more attractive to fringe and impulse buyers.
The Samsung with added accessories to make it function similarly to the Acer is already in the $550 region, but it will depreciate exactly the same as the Acer, unfortunately. Same with the Asus.
So after you buy the accessories to get USB (if you need it), you still end up selling the other tabs (with accessories) for approximately the same price as the Acer, as resale value for accessories is little to nothing and you can very rarely if at all sell them on their own. (This is based on the many, many times I've seen people reselling their tablets with accessories like docks and cases for way, way less than what they got it for).
In essence, you lose more money with the other tablets IF you need* to accessorize them. *(to play catch up to the A500, like buy the keyboard section for Asus or buy the proprietary addon for the Samsung to get USB)
I replied before reading the whole thread and missed the inquiries into the Apple side of things <insert evil grin>... imma hate me some on Apple, hoo wee. Android is slowly doing to Apple in the mobile market what Microsoft did to Apple in the computer market. What's amazing is that everyone always said Microsoft beat Apple because of developer support, because Windows had all the software, all the games. Now, we've seen the exact opposite, Apple with all of the software goodies and their competitor standing out alone on their OS alone... but what happened this time? Android is proving once and for all that Apple's walled-garden approach, their almost communistic approach to electronics just isn't going to appeal to the masses once they are exposed to the idea of choice, something Android offers in spades. We all want to do whatever we want with our devices... they are OUR devices after all, not Apple's or Samsung's or HTC's or Google's. Apple has made it clear that they intend to impose strict control over their hardware and software, whereas Google has opened the door wide and invited everyone in with a gentle wave. I, for one, after having had (and at the time loved) an iPhone for 2 years, will NEVER buy a single Apple product again.
entropy.of.avarice said:
I did the stupid thing and did not bother to do any homework before going out and buying my first tablet (apple I pad 2) - returned to the store the next day. Had no idea it had no native flash support (the "solution" was to use Skyfire for crummy flash support).
Went home, did my homework - when it came down to simple price/vs features the Acer Iconia seemed like the best choice - microSd, full size USB port (awesome for me - it works with a USB hub also, I have lots of USB devices).
Not sure we can claim apple has much if any "app lead" over android tablets - and once you consider how many apps are written for the Android phone but run great under Honeycomb as well. Don't feel much of an app shortage here, the Droid market is freaking huge.
All in all, very happy with my purchase.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not a huge Apple fan at all but in their defense they do have a huge "app lead" and it's not necessarily the number or amt. (though it certainly does have that as well) it's the popularity of the device. The iPad has had hulu and netflix forever and Android is just getting it now. It's not a huge deal but the fact is, apps will almost always hit IOS first, and that IS saying something.
I agree with you though, I don't feel a shortage. I have every app I need (and many I don't, lol) so I'm not worried. With Hulu and Netflix now on 2.2/2.3 and heading soon to 3.1 I can safely say I'm completely happy with my purchase as well.
v_lestat said:
do either of you own or owned an ipad to give me your thought comparisons outside of the obvious massive App lead that the ipad has?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't, my daughter and son-in-law do (Ipad 1 & 2). I had enough time to use theirs but to each his own they say.
I like being able to read/write office files (Polaris) and maybe you can do that in the App Store?? I also don't like needing to use iTunes for everything (and maybe you don't?).
Like I said, no regrets on my part.
If I was going to be torn between devices it wouldn't be between the Acer and the Asus it would be between the Acer and the Toshiba Thrive.
I have the ipad2 32gb 3g Verizon. Stood in line on March 11. It's nice I play w/ it occasionally. I really like my Acer a500 though. It does more than the ipad can. Imo the Acer is a better machine.
I have the Nikon d3100 dslr. Both tablets will display the jpegs. I pop out the SD card and use a card reader, in the Acer, or the adapter, in the Apple, to access the pictures.
Also, starting tomorrow, the Acer is $350 at Target ($399-50gc).
Like most people, full size USB. All Android tablets are pretty much the same... this had full size USB so easy choice.
However, if I had to make a choice now, it'd be a bit harder cos the Tosh Thrive has it as well but that looks massive! But you can get it in pretty colours.. oooh!
edit: Oh, I also see it has a full size hdmi! I've already broken 2 micro-hdmi cables on the Acer cos all u need to do is put a tiny bit of pressure on the cable and the end snaps off!
For me it was all about the SD expandability, if I had known about the Toshiba Thrive, I probabbaly would have waited. It's not all about micro-weight and thickness with me. Acer tab has micro SD up to 32 G, Toshiba has full SD up to 128 G I believe.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
has anyone compare this acer iconia a500 to the viewsonic gtab, which have similar hardware. only difference is the older android 2.2. it has usb and hdmi and etc... i am debating between the two. also gtab aonly cost 260 buck at amazon
As far as the gTablet goes, the software isn't a concern since roms for all of these Tegra 2 devices are becoming plentiful and easy to install, so finding 3.0 or 3.1 on the gTablet is likely a piece of cake. Now, as far as the SCREEN goes ...
The aspect ratio on the gTablet is just off... everything is squished just a little, so round things are slightly ovular, squares are slightly rectangular... I got a Pocket eDGe off of woot a while back and it was the exact same way. The screen on the gTablet is also off-center with that thick-ass bezel along the bottom. Personally, I originally wanted a gTablet until I saw that screen, but if you can live with it and wanna run a custom rom, it's the cheapest way to get a Tegra 2 tablet, and it even has a full-size USB port on there, which was one of the reasons I'd originally considered it. As for how it feels in the hand, I played with one and it feels like a cheap Xoom... similar thickness and feel to the edges, but obviously a lower (though acceptable) build quality. I still think the way my Acer feels in my hands is the best of all those I've tried, including the Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1 (oh but the GTab 10 is f-ing sexy... my bf has that one). If you can afford the Acer, I'd still say go for that one, but if money is your primary concern and you're not bothered by the screen, go for it. Just remember, the screen's resolution is slightly lower (1024x600 vs 1280x800 on the rest), and there's only 512MB RAM in there vs the 1GB the others have... also only a front facing cam, none on the back, but I never take pics with my tablet anyway... that's what my phone is for. Otherwise, it's Tegra 2 all the way... it's definitely worth what they're going for these days, but so is the Acer even though it costs more.
Torisen said:
For me it was all about the SD expandability, if I had known about the Toshiba Thrive, I probabbaly would have waited. It's not all about micro-weight and thickness with me. Acer tab has micro SD up to 32 G, Toshiba has full SD up to 128 G I believe.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm right there with you. I'm still within my return window, so I'm seriously considering returning the a500 and getting the thrive when it comes in august. I've always been a toshiba fan.
My only concern is will the toshiba be locked down and unrootable.
Mainly because of Android (aka not an oversize iPod) and the USB slot.
Would have gone for another if it was thinner. Now with the acer case on it's darn fat and heavy. If you don't really care about the USB go for samsung 8.9. I'm still torn between the two.
Target plus $50 gift card
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
I am debating on which to buy. I've been wanting a tablet for awhile now and have slimmed it down to these two options, but would like some feed back if possible.
I'm looking for s-off and root (quickly glancing at the forums, it looks like both are able to achieve this. I like to toy and tinker with things and having a root, with s-off, is a must for this.
Are there any huge differences between the two? I am liking the additional dock available for the Transformer.
Going to post this in the Transformer forum as well. Iconia people, win me over!
The major differences are that the Transformer has that keyboard dock and a slightly better screen, while the Iconia has built-in USB host and slightly better sound.
I personally greatly prefer having the USB host port built into the device rather than in a bulky dock.
ASUS also appears to be doing a slightly better job of providing software updates than is Acer.
I'll be ordering an Iconia on Friday. I have seen both in the flesh and normal use as at work there's 1 guy with an Iconia and 2 with Transformers. The Iconia seems solidly built and no slower than the Transformer on 3.1, and the screens are almost identical. Not to mention the built in USB.
On the other hand both Transformers have been replaced already, one with a strange screen issue that looked like a liquid under the glass when you touched the screen, and one because the case doesn't line up properly - it creaks noticeably if you hold it landscape fashion.
Also I've been buying Acer kit for years (3 laptops and a netbook so far) and the oldest is still going strong after 5 years, no build quality issues in any of the Acer kit i've bought contrary to popular belief, and they've lasted longer than some of the so called premium brands we use at work.
I have a500 and a Transformer so, I think I can answer to your question... If you want my 2 cents opinion, the a500 is way better. I think the screen is more responsive and more brighten. Plus the transformer's screen get incredibly dirty very quickly. The usb thing has no comparison. Just, for example, I bought a cheap silicon keyboard and it works pretty well with the iconia. Same about the mouse. The transformer has just 2 advantages: 1) it's lighter 2) it has a way better microphone. About all the rest it is inferior or equal to the iconia.
If the mic, for you, is a must then buy a Transforemer. If it's not... then buy a a500.
Try both and decide for yourself. You will be happier.
Don't let others do your thinking for you.
If you can, definitely try both as bungaboy suggests, your own preferences may certainly steer you in a different path. In the end it could quite simply come down to something as off-the-cuff as the location of the front-facing camera.
In terms of companies, I currently have an Acer laptop (very happy with) and an Acer monitor (happy with), and have purchased and installed about 6 ASUS motherboards and video cards over time (only 1 less-than-stellar experience with those) so I'd happily recommend either company in general.
Just a quick reply before I go to work. I live in Japan. I don't have a Best Buy here. They have a Iconia A500 at the BX and I've played with it some, but can't compare to the Transformer.
I'll reply back later today when I have more time. Thanks for all the good input!
inifekt said:
Just a quick reply before I go to work. I live in Japan. I don't have a Best Buy here. They have a Iconia A500 at the BX and I've played with it some, but can't compare to the Transformer.
I'll reply back later today when I have more time. Thanks for all the good input!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright. Thanks for all your replies everyone. I am and will decide for myself but since I cannot try out both I was reaching out to the community to give me their pro's and con's so I can weigh them for my own decision.
I'll have to go back to the BX later and play around with the Iconia some more. I didn't really play with the form factor, but what I really like from the Transformer is the keyboard/battery/etc dock. From my understanding it'll be future-compatible too.
why do you like the dock? will you carry with you all the time? if not, pointless. if you want a tab and a keyboard, wait a few more months till the asus eee slide comes out. i got an iconia, and as much as everyone at work bashes me for it, i can do much more than their ipad2
shdw03 said:
why do you like the dock? will you carry with you all the time? if not, pointless. if you want a tab and a keyboard, wait a few more months till the asus eee slide comes out. i got an iconia, and as much as everyone at work bashes me for it, i can do much more than their ipad2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was going in with the idea of selling my laptop and leaving the dock at home and use while I'm there. And what is the eee slide? I was also looking at the ASUS W7 tablet they have.
Iconia is my preference... cause of USB port.
Is the Iconia capable of good tablet drawing?
bluemax137 said:
I have a500 and a Transformer so, I think I can answer to your question... If you want my 2 cents opinion, the a500 is way better. I think the screen is more responsive and more brighten. Plus the transformer's screen get incredibly dirty very quickly. The usb thing has no comparison. Just, for example, I bought a cheap silicon keyboard and it works pretty well with the iconia. Same about the mouse. The transformer has just 2 advantages: 1) it's lighter 2) it has a way better microphone. About all the rest it is inferior or equal to the iconia.
If the mic, for you, is a must then buy a Transforemer. If it's not... then buy a a500.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol, ignorance is bliss, eh? it is a well known fact that the Transformer screen is the second best android tablet screen on the market right now (after Gtab 10.1) while the Iconia screen is far behind.
OP, just go in store and compare the two side by side with the screen set at max brightness. You'll see the big difference especially when viewing from an angle. The Asus blows the Iconia away in this respect.
my 2 cents:
Asus Transformer
-way better screen (most important feature in a tablet, imho)
-a lot lighter then the Iconia (Iconia is the heaviest Android tablet)
-faster updates
-less freezes & runs smoother
-dock option
Acer Iconia
-USB port (the Transformer only has this on the dock)
-better built? allegedly. (my Asus is also very solid but the Iconia metal back feels stronger)
-better sound
-better camera (with flash)
For me it boils down to needing a USB port or not & to wanting the dock option or not.
If you don't need the USB port, then the Transformed is the obvious choice.
If you do (and don't want to spend the extra $150 for the dock) then go for the Acer.
Also if you really want a better screen and the dock option, again the obvious choice is the TF.
good luck & enjoy your new toy either or!
I just purchased the Iconia myself. But from forum postings of people who have bought both and checked them out, it seems people are generally more satisfied with the Transformer (apart from the people who got bleeding screens).
The guy above summed it up pretty well.
I bought both when the Staples coupon came out (Inconia from staples, TF from Office Depot), and kept them sealed in box for a couple of days while I did my research on which one I wanted to keep.
I spent a couple of hours over a few stores comparing and then read a bunch on forums, etc.
There is really no reasonable argument for Acer screen over the Asus. The TF is brighter and displays more colors, this is a fact, not opinion. I also thought things looked slightly sharper on the TF (perhaps it was due to the better contrast). I did not like the one port pulling all duties and its location (understandable as its for the keyboard as well). I have no intention of using a keyboard with any tab that use (I have laptops for that). The TF design appeals to me more, I like it's shape more.
I chose the Iconia over the TF due to the additional ports, better xda dev support and numerous reports of quality controls issues on the TF. Frankly, the last issue was the biggest factor in my decision.
The one complaint I have about the Iconia is the screen. It leaves MUCH to be desired. I'm not sure if it's a problem with the Iconia or with Android tablet screens in general, but you can easily see individual pixels on the screen if you hold the device closer than usual.
Text also is somewhat blurry, not sure if this is an issue with Android text rendering or with Iconia's screen.
Everything else is great though.
Hi, i'm planning to buy an iconia, but i've read on soms sites that the display can only display 265k colors while other devices have 16million.
Is this true? And if so, do you really recognise it if you compare it directly to another device?
Sent out of my Free Candy Van.
Yes Plestiuc, ignorance is a bliss... Even not being able to understand what's written is a bliss... and even attention lack is. If you re-read what I wrote, hoping you're able to focus on all the world and not just on random ones... you will notice I wrote: "If you want my 2 cents opinion". If you do not know the meaning of the word: "Opinion", I do suggest you to go back to elementary school.
Over
even tho the iconia is heavy keep in mind that all of the tablets are to heavy to comfortably hold with one hand for more than 5 min. soo I dont know how much the little wieght difference matters....
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA Premium App
Flussen said:
Hi, i'm planning to buy an iconia, but i've read on soms sites that the display can only display 265k colors while other devices have 16million.
Is this true? And if so, do you really recognise it if you compare it directly to another device?
Sent out of my Free Candy Van.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In all seriousness, you can't see it. I like the colors on both tablets, and the screen on the transformer is superb. But when I play a movie (the guy at the store let me try a video on the display transformer) I don't notice a difference. The black on the TF is a bit darker, and that's about it.
I didn't think that a built in USB was going to matter to me, but I am actually using it a TON. Thank you so much ACER!
these 2 seem to cover opposing needs which overlap with transformer. You need good display and weight then tab. You need expandability, iconia is there and cheap.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
acers too heavy and video playback is gash, otas havent been as frequent and its filled with bloat.
samsung price is too high, connectivity is rubbish, lack of support from samsung, screen problems, touch wizz.
i would have another 7" gtab gtp1000 though, good roms for it and its great for its spec.
put them side by side, looks at the screen transitional rate. Alright, transformer it is.
well long before the TF was out, was xoom and acer iconia. Both of them didnt have a smooth screen transition rate, when android was still at 3.0 honeycomb. so I decided to wait a little longer and see what the TF got to offer. Samsung galaxy tab 10.1 came too late into the market for me =\
I've owned both Asus Transformer and 10.1 and design, weight, and screen goes to Galaxy Tab 10.1. However the lack of ports was a major turn off so I've stuck with the transformer instead. I'm glad I did because its seems to be one with the most development and traffic in terms of tablet in this forum.
At the time I bought my TF the Acer was more expensive. Also, no dock and a cruddier screen almost as bad as the Xoom's.
The Galaxy 10.1 hadn't been announced yet but price, dock and a general dislike of Samsung would still have led me to the TF.
For me it was only ONE reason: The dock-to me it's a total no brainer. These tablets are all pretty much the same, with the only differences being the hardware. Having a built in, removeble, foldable keypad makes the Transformer miles ahead of all the others. Interesting enough, I find that I haven't even uncovered, much less used the USB ports or the HDMI out, as well as the external micro SD slot
Much like fldude99 I bought the Transformer for the dock.
In my look at the time (pre-A500), the Tab was pretty much the cream of the crop when I did research. Especially since I could get a version from my carrier instead of the WiFi only version; although now that I look, it seems they have stopped carrying them :-/. So if I just wanted a typical "Tablet", I would have bought a Galaxy Tab 10.1 or held out for Xoom II. While owning an Android phone, I don't have much use for a tablet unless it can do whatever I can do with my existing system. The ASUS Transformer is almost exactly like the EeePC I have been using, and except for the Android SDK, seems to let me do everything I've been doing in straight Linux (courtesy of a Debian chroot and the Market).
Since I got the EeePC earlier this year, what made it worth my while to upgrade to the Transformer -- excessive of battery life due to the dock.
Which is just good, because I can both work on code longer if the power goes out, and as my fiancee lives 4200+km away -- it is much better suited to plane travel then any other system I could get. Short of buying several battery.
keyboard dock and price.
The iconia was actually my first choice while I was deciding between the TF and the iconia. After using the iconia for a while, I realized the huge advantage of having a keyboard dock option with the TF.
I paid about $300 for the iconia. I paid $380 for the TF+dock. So, money wasn't an issue.
TF over Iconia:
TF not as bigger/fatter
TF not as heavier
TF not better looking
TF screen was nicer
The dock was a very nice option.
TF over 10.1:
TF offered MicroSD card slot (single biggest reason)
TF was $100 cheaper
FT offered a better dock option
I've always hated acer so I don't even look at their stuff. The samsung was too expensive for the same hardware(plus the screen on the galaxy tab is oversaturated)
keyboard and price for me too. and now you lucky late-adoptors can get the keyboard at the tablet's original price point. all the tegra 2 tablets are basically the same...what sets them apart are build quality and accessories.
TF isn't neccessarily the top in terms of build quality (although it's pretty good)...but with the keyboard dock, it's #1 at accessories.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
The dock is the reason I got the TF. If I only needed to consume media than the 10.1 would have been my choice. But the dock moves the TF to a different level of usefulness to me. Typing much more than a sentence or two without a dock is a pain.
I use this as a laptop replacement.
1) USB : Ethernet, 3GB, External Harddrive
2) Dock : Battery, PERFECT RDP client
Neither Acer(usually bad support) nor Samsung (no dock back then)
Asus wins!
1) dock
2) screen
3) never had problems with an Asus product, the only Acer product I've owned was rubish
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
Comparing, in my opinion:
-Acer: looked cheap, felt bulky and heavy, great connectivity and expandability
-Motorola: looked great, felt heavy and bulky, expensive
-Galaxy Tab 10.1: looked great, thin & light, felt fragile, lack of connectivity and expansion
-Asus: looks good, good connectivity and expansion options, size and weight is fine, it feels good in my hands
Also after looking a bit, it seemed that those tabs aren't having a great support from the makers, while Asus was getting the updates and seemed to care more about its product.
The price and the dock.
Right now if I were buying, i'd maybe consider the Xoom due to the price drop.
About a year ago I got the now infamous ZTE Blade, which still is an awesome bit of hardware given how cheap it is and was at the time. Ended up becoming a major Android fan, trying out half a dozen different ROMs and generally playing with it. It's still a cheap and cheerful device though - plasticky, doesn't do Flash - numerous drawbacks. I still use it, and still love it though.
I started salivating over the TF when it first came out - I loved the look of Honeycomb, and really wanted to get my hands on a tab running it properly - not a bargain basement number with it hacked on. I just couldn't financially justify it - I'm not rich, and although any spare income tends to go on PC upgrades or gadgetry, the price of most Honeycomb tabs was way beyond my means. Ultimately, a very kind relative gave me a large cheque for my birthday last month and I found a cheap open box TF+dock on the site I most often use for computer related purchases and figured I was sick of obsessing about it and the should just buy the damned thing.
There were a few things that swung it for me - mainly it was the dock which had the potential (and did in practice) turn a tab from being something that seemed purely luxurious and geared towards media consumption into something that could be used productively. The full size USB ports played a part, as did the price compared to other, similar specced tabs (which all seemed to have less options, storage wise) and the fact it was ASUS hardware - all my self-build PCs have had ASUS motherboards, and I've had a couple of their graphics cards too.
So mainly the dock and the price. I've had it for under a fortnight (I was lucky - got a B05) and I don't regret it in the slightest.
it was simple for me... it had MicroSD right on it, and the propietary dock was not needed with the keyboard in order to use a SD card, external HDD, thumb drive, etc
Price and availability where key points against Samsung tab. Didn't even bother with acer as I'm not very satisfied with acer stuff.
Also the dock and speedy update where an plus for tf
Sent from my LG-P920 using Tapatalk