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Six weeks ago I ordered the Asus Transformer. Even though the retailer was happy to charge my card right away, I later found out that they never had it in stock and I keep being told it will take more time.
So, I am starting to look into the Xoom once again. I almost pulled the trigger on one right before the Transformer was released.
Did they ever fix the SD card slot? This was a major reason I didn't originally place my order.
Does anyone have any hands on experience with both of the devices? I came across a pretty sizable thread on the topic but it seemed to mainly just be speculation with the Transformer and not actual hands on comparison.
The SD is an Android problem not xoom and no it has not been addressed yet
Sent from my captivate BLAZING on firefly 3.0
The SD slot is still not fixed by Moto/Google/whoever else is to blame. However there are custom kernels out there which enable it.
Here's the reason I wouldn't go for the Transformer though: OK, it has SD access stock but it does not have a USB connector. Sure the dock has USB but I don't want the dock, I will never use it. Apart from using the USB ports on the thing the dock would be completely useless to me.
Note I said useless to ME, if you'd like a netbook with HC on it fire ahead, who am I to say what anyone else might want.
burden010 said:
The SD slot is still not fixed by Moto/Google/whoever else is to blame. However there are custom kernels out there which enable it.
Here's the reason I wouldn't go for the Transformer though: OK, it has SD access stock but it does not have a USB connector. Sure the dock has USB but I don't want the dock, I will never use it. Apart from using the USB ports on the thing the dock would be completely useless to me.
Note I said useless to ME, if you'd like a netbook with HC on it fire ahead, who am I to say what anyone else might want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the onboard USB port is a big plus in reconsidering a Xoom. Although, I'm not sure if it has been released yet, but one of the official Asus accessories is a USB adapter that plugs into the proprietary port. I have also read that a USB 3.0 male to female adapter will also do the trick.
However, proprietary ports suck and is one of the major turn-offs of the Transformer.
Love the Xoom
I purchased a Xoom after having an Acer A500 for a month.
The Acer has full size USB A, micro USB and micro HDMI as well as SD support out of the box.
The Xoom accessory and dev support along with the Motorola name is why I switched. The A500 is a solid device and $150 less than the Xoom. A better option than the Asus if you're still wavering.
the chance of getting a xoom with good qc i'd say is greater than the tf. check the tf forum for issues. note, not everyone has them and those that don't have a wonderful working tablet.
Xoom needs to be customized to reach its full potential
If you think that there is no sdcard support I guess you're not rooted with the latest HC update and overclocked Tiamat kernel. I have external sdcard and smooth, fast scrolling, browsing and gameplay. This Xoom wifi has hardly been out of my hands in the last 3 weeks. It has completely replaced my notebook when I'm working away from the office. The stock Xoom was fine when I bought it, but since I've customized it, it's fantastic. It's so well built and so powerful and easy to unlock and root..the wonderful development community (especially BigRushDog) will make sure that the Xoom experience will continue to be improved. I feel like I'm going to get a lot of use out of it for a good long time.
love xoom. more than ipad 2, not mentioning asus transformer, which really look and feel cheap. tried on at friend's house. feel much cheaper than xoom feels.
Transformer screen is a lot brighter and displays colors a little better in my eyes. I had one for about a week but switched it out for a Xoom because of horrible light bleeding. After reading up on the forums I found out it is a very well known issue, so the QC on the Transformer doesn't seem to be so good. If you can live with a proprietary port, I'd personally recommend waiting for the Galaxy 10.1. If you want stock USB support, and an awesome modding community, go with the Xoom. I LOVE my Xoom way more than my ipad. There's something about the build quality that just feels right to me.
I have heard that the Acer screen is brighter though. If there was one thing I could change on my Xoom it would be the screen
Don't forget the Xoom will always get updates first until it's outdated.
If you know what fastboot is, and you know that the Transformer doesn't have it (and doesn't even have kernel images in the "standard" Android format), then you have your answer.
But the galaxy tab may lack a sd card slot and that is a must have for me
Sent from my captivate BLAZING on firefly 3.0
I'd go with the Xoom due to the fact that it's a reference device so it will get updates quicker. Not to mention the fact that it's easily unlocked to boot.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
I just had them change my order from a 32GB Transformer to the Xoom. They even price matched Walmart's $569 price tag along with free shipping and no tax. Because I would have had to get the Transformer from another retailer, I would have spent close to that price anyways after tax and shipping so I am quite happy with my new order.
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........
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?
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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??
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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 have got some bestbuy giftcards and now I want a honeycomb tab that is $399 so which of the two would you get or would you have picked the transformer over your Acer?
Thanks guys
I think ill get the a500 because I like the Cam and flash
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It boiled down to the USB port for me. I knew I wouldn't buy the Asus dock, so for me the Transformer didn't cut it. It's ultimately personal preference, as I think they're both great value compared to the competition.
I love the weight of the a500, its solid construction. The full usb did it for me also. But it is a fully loaded Hog. Love it, Went to best buy and felt up all of there tabs. Good luck with your choice, they all work really good. My choice goes to the a500 and soon the a100.
I have had excelent service and proformance from acer products over the years.
Here is my story. I knew nothing of Android tablet. First I drove to 5 different stores, but all out of HP TouchPad. Then I got:
1. Acer Iconia A100: Promptly returned it even with my lack of experience: poor screen, horrid WiFi signal (couldn't detect my router 35-40ft away).
2. Asus Transformer: Excellent device, liked everything about it. Then I found out about the Toshiba Thrive with full size USB, full size SD (+ SDXC support), full size HDMI. Returned Asus.
3. Toshiba Thrive: Excellent device, liked everything about it, good screen quality despite not IPS. Poor camera quality, no LED Flash, so far slower community development than other tablets.
4. Acer A500: Poked about this forum and found out how advance the commnunity development of the Acer A500 is. And the fact it has all the necessary ports including full USB and nicer looking than the Thrive. Sold. Much better WiFi signal than A100, on par with the Asus. It looks like I'm settled with this one.
Personally I would get the A500 over Transformer, due to its full size USB, which open up lots of features, such as connecting mouse, keyboard, game controller, flash drives, 3G dongles(?). I prefer the Acer microHDMI over the Asus miniHDMI, since my phone also uses micro. They both have good WiFi detection and same weight. The performance are basically the same. The Asus has a nicer IPS screen. I can't confirm it, but base on reviews, the Asus will have longer battery life.
Personally, I can never understand these questions, which have been asked ad nausium... You are asking in the A500 forum....we have A500's!!! We chose A500's. We did not chose transformers. It's like asking transformer owners which they would choose, in the transformer forum. Sheeesh. Sorry....just sick of the question.
i actually enjoyed reading the opinions because up until two days ago i was going to buy the transformer....or wait for the tf2, but decided on the Acer Iconia A500 because i can plug in any standard usb device without a dock. That and because i know they are all essentially the same device with minor differences.
Thanks alot for the replies peeps I actually choose the thrive because of the ports on it I travel alot and it was basicly free, because I had buy back on the Droid incredible so thanks I really wanted the a500 but best buy was sold out . Good thing I never looked into the thrive. Plus I was already running late for a flight so thanks alot guys! And to the guy with a stick up his bum yea I asked in this forum because I figured I might get a person that had the a500 and wish or bought something else.
The thrive all in all is a great choice for me as it has up to 130gb SD slot, HDMI not micro, mini USB, and standard USB, yes its a big tab but the rubber grin is really important for me lol sweaty hands and giving its as heavy as first Gen ipad I like that I don't want to break my new toy. And please I'm not saying this to be mean or anything I just wanted to share my thought since you all were nice -1 to share yours!
Thank you again,
Brett
PS sorry for horrid grammar and all I have my 11month old on my lap
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dincdoes.me said:
the guy with a stick up his bum
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Oh brother.
The fact is, if you had just done a little searching, you would have found many threads giving the exact "advise" you were looking for.
TFordham said:
Oh brother.
The fact is, if you had just done a little searching, you would have found many threads giving the exact "advise" you were looking for.
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Please stop. Your post was decidedly negative. You contributed nothing other than to say "omg you suck for asking a question". If you dont like something you should just move on. I sometimes suck at it myself.
If you plan on doing alot of video chatting with the tablet, the A500 is kind of a pain because the FFC is off to the side. You have to hold the tablet at an ackward angle for the other person to have a good view of you.
The Transformer seems to have its FFC in a much better place - almost dead in the middle.
because i tried comparing and this is heavy and screen is not as good as the other 2. Tab is really good. The price though is just off the mark.
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USB port....that was the big reason.
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
1. USB without the need to purchase the overpriced dock like the transformer (after all it's just a keyboard with a battery!).
2. Alluminum back - believe me, once you've used a device with alluminum body, plastic feels cheap. I tried them both in the store and it was like trying a SGS and a DHD. One feels light and cheap like a plastic toy, the other - like a real high-end gadget. Also the pattern on the back of the transformer is not my thing - if you have sweaty hands it might help not dropping the tablet but otherwise it's just annoying.
3. Screen difference is not that great compared on full brightness. Surely not enough to compensate for the USB and premium feel.
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...if im not mistaken the a500 uses a little better RAM then the rest. I believe its low power ram that has an edge in performance. I could be off though
I tried 3 different Transformers but couldn't get one without significant light bleed or body build quality issues.
I went for the Iconia as a replacement over the xoom because the larger bezel makes it much easier to hold, and of course the excellent connectivity.
As for the tab 10.1, it wasn't available at the time my 'early adopter' monster screamed 'I NEED A TABLET' in my ear.
I wouldn't change my tablet now, I dont need the keyboard dock from the transformer, and neither it nor the tab has those all important usb ports.
Yes the screen is inferior to the Transformer, but you really have to look hard to tell the difference.
Pretty much the same here
USB port was a big positive for me, I cannot count how many times carrying my tab and a standard USB -> MicroUSB cable in my backpack has saved the day for my cell phone's battery or the battery of friends
Being able to mount a NTFS USB HDD is a *huge* plus for me, I have a 32gb MicroSD in my Iconia and love being able to plug into the external drives of friends to snag a few files from them.
Before purchasing my a500 I went to a local Best Buy and compared it with the Transformer as well as the IPad2, Samsung Galaxy tab and the Asus tab - the a500's screen seemed pretty much the same to me, but that is just my experience.
Had my a500 for a few months now, running the latest Taboonay 3.2 ROM with custom kernel, overclocked to 1.4 - 1.6 depending on useage (also great to be able to switch the CPU to "conservative" mode via SetCPU when battery life is getting low) and I am pretty damn happy with the performance.
My only complaint? The damn screen picks up smudges/fingerprints so easy! I find myself cleaning it quite often.
The Samsung 10.1 tab isn't available in Australia and i wanted a full size USB port and I wanted 3g. The A501 was the only option..
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I chose it over the galaxy because the screens are almost I identical until you get about an inch away from the screen and it does not even have a microsd slot! Its identical to the Ipad and I want funtionality, not looks. Also like the Ipad its expensive for little features.
And for the Asus, its a very nice tablet, but I use USB a lot and I want a Tablet not a netbook. That what makes me mad about reviews and the dock is what always beats the iconia. Once there a keyboard its a net book not a tablet. The dock would be awesome for trips where I could use the extra battery and a stand. But I don't want to carry around a keyboard with me.
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Iconia over the transformer:
1) USB
2) build quality
3) price (it's more expensive than the iconia to start with, and then you add $150 for the keyboard dock??? I paid $35 for a leather portfolio case with integrated keyboard for my iconia, and I love it, I actually think it's a better keyboard than the transformer one, and it doesn't suffer from the "yet another netbook" look that the transformer has)
Iconia over the galaxy tab
1) USB
2) HDMI
3) SD
4) price (you want me to pay MORE for a tablet that does LESS?)
c'mon! it has NO connectivity options and NO expandibility! if I wanted something that ridiculously locked down I'd buy an ipad... ok, maybe not, but I still can't see why anyone would want a device that has no expandable storage and no connectivity options.
As mentioned, the USB port was a very strong deciding factor.
To me, the Acer tab is one of the better all around tabs on the market. I love the portability and asthetics. The Acer looks further from Chinese knock off apple tablets. When people see it, they know it's not an ipad (not that I'm against I pads.) people claim it's one of the heaviest tabets on the market, and that's true in a sense........but it's actually one of the lightest for what comes with it. Sure the Asus is lighter, but add that dock just to gain acesss to a USB port, you have a three pound tablet.
If only the tablet had the ability like the Toshiba thrive to change out batteries would this tablet be supreme in my book. Oh yeah, better update support would be a good thing too.
USB!!! Endless possibilities!
And HDMI and a whooooole lot of other things!
I am VERY happy with the Iconia and have been since day one, I see people bashing it everywhere but the fact is that its one awesome machine for a hell of a good price!
All the same.
USB
Price
Aluminum back
...
USB port comes in handy sometimes, but mostly because the transformer wasn't in stock and I needed it for a project that day...
What I don't understand is how all of these "early adaptors" want functionality out of their tablets with USB slots. With Google and apple both moving into cloud storage and wifi file transfer apps isn't USB and micro SD going the way of the dodo?
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Stardate Tab 10.1 said:
What I don't understand is how all of these "early adaptors" want functionality out of their tablets with USB slots. With Google and apple both moving into cloud storage and wifi file transfer apps isn't USB and micro SD going the way of the dodo?
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For me, I always take my Acer with me when I go out with my telescope at night. The place I set up at is pretty removed from civilization, so no wireless means no cloud storage. I can easily shoot about 2 hours of video which completely fills my cameras internal storage. When it gets full, I just run a USB cable to my tablet, transfer everything over, delete everything off my cam and I'm back in business. Then while my cam continues to shoot more video, I sit down and play Angry Birds.
I dream of the day when I can plug my telescope mount into my tablet and control it through screen swipes. Unless you use Bluetooth I suppose, the USB port would be the only way to do it.
karlkarloff said:
For me, I always take my Acer with me when I go out with my telescope at night. The place I set up at is pretty removed from civilization, so no wireless means no cloud storage. I can easily shoot about 2 hours of video which completely fills my cameras internal storage. When it gets full, I just run a USB cable to my tablet, transfer everything over
I dream of the day when I can plug my telescope mount into my tablet and control it through screen swipes.
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That's a +1 for me. Think of using the Iconia for control and star guiding
I hate bringing my laptop. Bad battery life and heavy. Weight matters when your telecope assembled weighs 70lbs lol
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karlkarloff said:
For me, I always take my Acer with me when I go out with my telescope at night. The place I set up at is pretty removed from civilization, so no wireless means no cloud storage. I can easily shoot about 2 hours of video which completely fills my cameras internal storage. When it gets full, I just run a USB cable to my tablet, transfer everything over, delete everything off my cam and I'm back in business. Then while my cam continues to shoot more video, I sit down and play Angry Birds.
I dream of the day when I can plug my telescope mount into my tablet and control it through screen swipes. Unless you use Bluetooth I suppose, the USB port would be the only way to do it.
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I am not trying to sound like a mean person here... but I believe your the only person in the world that does this. (Edit- I stand corrected) I personally would just get expanded memory for my camera instead using my tablet as a flash drive.
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karlkarloff said:
For me, I always take my Acer with me when I go out with my telescope at night. The place I set up at is pretty removed from civilization, so no wireless means no cloud storage. I can easily shoot about 2 hours of video which completely fills my cameras internal storage. When it gets full, I just run a USB cable to my tablet, transfer everything over, delete everything off my cam and I'm back in business. Then while my cam continues to shoot more video, I sit down and play Angry Birds.
I dream of the day when I can plug my telescope mount into my tablet and control it through screen swipes. Unless you use Bluetooth I suppose, the USB port would be the only way to do it.
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what video are you taking? besides an usb adaptor from the 10.1 is available. And it doesnt weigh as much.
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Stardate Tab 10.1 said:
I am not trying to sound like a mean person here... but I believe your the only person in the world that does this. I personally would just get expanded memory for my camera instead using my tablet as a flash drive.
I very well could be the only person who does this. But the reason I don't get expanded memory for my camera is that I can't. I took apart a Nikon coolpix camera and turned it into an astronomy only cam. When I did, I lost the ability to expand the memory. Such is life. My point still stands though, a Galaxy Tab or transformer just wouldn't work for me. I used to lug my laptop with me all the time, but the A500 is way more portable. And with the addition of a few apps, I have all my star charts, manuals, etc. right there if I need them.
Beyond my very specialized needs, why wouldn't you choose a tablet that has so many more options connectivity-wise and a much more wallet friendly price tag? The main negative for the Acer is screen quality, but comparing it to the Galaxy tab, its a negligible difference to my eye. Everything else is the same or better. I've never had a hands-on with the Asus, but I'm led to believe that the build quality is questionable on more than a few of them.
Just my opinion, but that is why I chose the Acer, and remain very happy with my decision.
to fenguinpower: I take pictures of planets, galaxies, nebulas, etc. while my telescope tracks the object through the sky. I then take the individual frames and stack them to create a rather detailed picture of whatever I was viewing. It about the only way to get a decent picture of deep space objects without having access to say, the Hubble telescope. While I could get an adapter for the galaxy tab, with the Acer I don't have to.
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I have zero knowledge in camera modification, but how does that render the expandable memory useless?
As far as expandable connectivity is concerned, that was my point about cloud storage. Other than your rare need to use your tablet as a micro SD card most people who buy a wifi tablet will be using it where, you know, they have access to wifi.
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