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Acer Iconia Tab A200 review
It's a tired promise for too many gadgets: Ice Cream Sandwich, just like the Gingerbread man before it, is coming... soon. You have to hand it to Acer, then, for bypassing those vague release schedules and actually pushing out a software update to the A200 on schedule. And though its specs are fairly run-of-the-mill (a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 display and 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 SoC), it could nonetheless be a tempting deal -- after all, you don't see too many $330 10-inchers running Android 4.0. The problem is, better things are around the corner, and the price wars rage on in the meantime. As it is, the A200 went relatively unnoticed at CES as Acer unveiled the Tegra 3-toting A700. The existence of that next-gen tab alone should raise a few red flags for consumers thinking of hopping aboard the Android tablet train. What's more, NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang has already promised sub-$300 Tegra 3 tablets are on the way (ASUS even confirmed one!). So is this just a case of bad timing for what is an otherwise respectable tablet? Should you hold onto those hard-earned greenbacks until the market becomes flush with affordable quad-core slates? Or will its immediate availability and reasonable price make for an irresistible purchase now? Join us after the break as we tackle those very questions and give this tablet the fair shake it deserves.
Acer Iconia Tab A200 hands-on (video)
Here at CES, you'd expect little 'ol Tegra 2 to get lost in the mix amid the Medfield prototypes, Windows 8 samplers and quad-core Tegra 3 devices. Not necessarily -- not if the price is right, anyway. The Acer Iconia Tab A200 packs NVIDIA's last-gen SoC, and no, it's not the slimmest or lightest tablet on the block, but for $330 you get a 10-inch slate on the brink of an ICS update. That counts for something, right? We'd say so, especially if Ice Cream Sandwich does indeed correct some of the sluggishness that's plagued Honeycomb tablets (even Tegra 3-powered ones). We got a few minutes of hands-on time with it today, and though we can't speak to potential deal-breakers like battery life or everyday usability, we came away feeling that all of the sacrifices Acer made in order to hit that $330 price are quite reasonable. Take the build quality, for instance. Although the A200 trades the A500's aluminum backing for plastic, it still has a soft, slightly textured finish that feels pleasant to touch and also makes cradling the thing that much more comfortable. It's noticeably chunkier than the Transformer Primes of the world but then again, it's also one of the few tablets with a USB 2.0 port, which would help explain the thickness. The 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) display is the same middling one you'll find on the A500; it doesn't compare to the A700's 1080p screen, but its relatively narrow viewing angles won't be an issue when you're streaming Netflix by your lonesome. It's missing a rear-facing camera, but do you really mind? (At this price, we don't.) And though you don't need the so-called Acer Ring for launching apps, it's an easy to use UI that manages not to get in your way. For now, this could be a tempting deal for people who don't have $500 to spend, but after seeing other companies tease their wares here at CES, we're concerned that the price wars haven't yet hit a plateau. We know, we know: there's always going to be something faster, thinner and better, but in this case, that something better might cost less too. Take ASUS, for instance: the company is readying a 7-inch, quad-core tablet that will cost just $249. If this is where the market is headed (and recent remarks by NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang suggest it is), who knows how inexpensive Tegra 2 / 3 tablets will get over the coming months? The A200 seems fine for what it is; we just wonder if perhaps it's a transitional product, with a transitional price. Update: To clarify, the A200 starts at $330 with 8GB of storage, as previously reported. The higher-end version has 16GB, and will sell for $350. Billy Steele contributed to this report.
Acer Iconia Tab A200 arriving January 15 for $330, Ice Cream Sandwich coming mid-February
After slipping not-so-quietly through the FCC, we knew it was only a matter of time before Acer's Iconia Tab A200 arrived here in the US of A. Well, we just got word it'll go on sale January 15th starting at $330 -- not too shabby for a 10-inch tablet on the brink of an Ice Cream Sandwich update. According to Acer, the tablet is shipping with Honeycomb (version 3.2, to be exact), but should be getting that ICS upgrade in mid-February, about a month after it goes on sale. To be clear, that $330 price gets you 8GB of storage; the 16GB version will set you back an extra twenty bucks. Either way, it has a microSD slot for expansion, NVIDIA's dual-core Tegra 2 SoC, a modest 2MP front-facing camera, a 1280 x 800 display and a battery rated for up to eight hours of runtime. If all that sounds rather ho-hum, remember that this is still one of the only tablets with a full-sized USB 2.0 port for moving files on and off the device.
Acer Iconia Tab A200 gets sentimental, strengthens families and makes video debut
Acer wants you to know that Apple doesn't have a monopoly on sappy tech commercials -- no Siri, Bob! The Taiwanese manufacturer wants to run with the big boys when it comes to overselling the emotional power of a gadget. Take, for instance, this promotional clip for the upcoming Iconia Tab A200. Yes, we understand that the 10-inch slate can play games and "share memories" but, what exactly Honeycomb has to do with creating family rituals or why you'd bring a tablet camping is lost on us. Sadly, the clip doesn't reveal too much about Acer's new slab. We can see that vanilla Android is out, simply by looking at the navigation icons, and there's a new feature called Acer Ring, which appears to be some sort of task manager with shortcuts to common tasks, like taking screenshots. It also appears to be sporting a full-sized USB port and a microSD slot but, otherwise, we've still got very little info on the spec front. Check out the video after the break. [Thanks, Manuel]
Acer Iconia Tab A200 leaves the FCC larger than expected
The consensus was that the Iconia Tab A200 would be the intermediate device 'twixt the 7-inch A100 and 10-inch A500 -- not so if the ruler-wavers at the FCC are doing their job properly. The schematic above shows a diagonal measurement of 29.6cm, around 11.65-inches. Given Acer's love of a thick bezel, it's safe to assume this will carry a 10-inch (or thereabouts) display. Now that it's been passed fit for human consumption (as much as you can with WiFi and Bluetooth, anyway), we should be hearing a lot more soon --including whether it'll be running Ice Cream Sandwich or disappointing us with yet more Honeycomb.
Acer's Iconia Tab A200 Honeycomb tablet emerges at Bluetooth SIG
Who's amped about another Honeycomb tablet? Go on, we'll wait for the hands to rise. All jesting aside, Acer's presumably forthcoming Iconia Tab A200 has just surfaced over at the Bluetooth SIG, where a filing has proved that a) Acer's new Honeycomb tablet will look pretty much like every other Honeycomb tablet we've seen, and b) it'll have Bluetooth and WiFi. Sadly, the rest of the details are still under wraps, but you can bet we'll be bringing 'em to you as soon as we hear more.
Sony Alpha A200 DSLR review roundup
Although the A200 has been on store shelves for a tick since its US debut at CES, we wouldn't blame you for clutching that $700 / $900 tight until a handful of reviews hit the 'net. Thankfully, that time has come, and here's what we're hearing. Overall, the highly anticipated successor to the A100 was deemed a "solid entry-level DSLR that doesn't really stand out in its very competitive field," but that's not to say it's not worth checking out. When viewed in isolation, most reviewers found the build quality, built-in image stabilization, battery life, dust reduction system and respectable image quality to be above average, but those already slinging an A100 will find very few reasons to upgrade. Still, critics on the whole found more to love than despise about Sony's A200, so be sure and give those eyes a workout on the review links below if you've been fiddling with the idea of picking one up.Read - PhotographyBLOG (4.5 out of 5; Highly Recommended)Read - Steve's Digicams ("...a worthy competitor in the entry-level market...")Read - CNET (7.0 out of 10; Very Good)Read - Digital Camera Resource Page ("...reminded me a lot of my experiences with the Pentax K10D...")
Sony working on an A200-ish DSLR with flip-out LCD?
Well, Sony finally got official with its A200 DSLR this week, but it looks like Sony's got even more in store for camera nuts. According to the Dyxum forums -- which tracked down these images on some Chinese / Taiwan forums -- Sony's prepping this here DSLR with a flip-screen, and that's all that's known at the moment. The main body is pretty similar to that of the A200, but the internals and other modifications are anyone's guess. [Via Dyxum]
Video: Sony's A200 out in the open
A simple announcement not good enough for you? No worries -- Mahalo Daily's Veronica Belmont gets up close and personal with the all new DSLR and even takes a peek at the menu system 'round back. Granted, it doesn't look a whole lot different than its predecessor, but if stills just don't get your juices goin' quite like live video, hop on through the break and take a look.
Sony Alpha A200 announced for US
Remember that post on the Sony A200 DSLR that we just posted, oh ... four hours ago? Well, they've gone ahead and confirmed that the camera's coming to the US and were even kind enough to bless us with a date and price for their new "mainstream" DSLR. The $700 DSLR-A200K kit comes with the body and a DT 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 3.9x zoom lens, while the $900 DSLR-A200W includes the camera body, the aforementioned lens, and a 75–300mm f4.5-5.6 lens. Strangely, there's no mention of a body-only option. Both models ship in February but you eager beavers out there can place your pre-orders online starting tomorrow. Go on, git!%Gallery-12770%
Sony Alpha A200 DSLR announced
Sony has announced details of their Alpha A200 DSLR to Swedish news sources and though our Swedish ain't so great (har du sedd min kaslonger), that hasn't stopped us from digging into the specs as translated on Photography Bay. The 10.2 megapixel camera seems awfully similar to their previous Alpha A100 DSLR (is this the supposed successor?) with some obvious changes, including a slightly bumped 2.7-inch LCD (up from 2.5-inch) and a 750 shot lithium-ion battery (up from 600). No word on release date or price, but we'll keep our ears open, okay?Update: It's been announced for the US, details here. %Gallery-12770%
Toshiba brings the Satellite Pro back with the A210 and A200 laptops
We're pretty certain we just saw a new Satellite Pro-branded Toshiba laptop in August, but Toshiba's making some big noise about "re-launching" the label with its new A200 and A210 business lappies, and who are we to spoil a party? The new machines both rock 15.4-inch screens, 120GB disks, dual-layer burners, and XP Pro, with the Santa Rosa-based A200 rocking a 2GHz Intel T7250 Core 2 Duo, X3100 integrated graphics, and 1GB of RAM, and a dual-layer burner for $999, and the AMD-based A210 crunching bits with a 2GHz Turion 64 X2, ATI X1200 graphics, and a more generous 2GB of RAM for $899. No word on when these are shipping, but none of this tech is particularly bleeding-edge, so we'd guess it's going to be soon.[Via Laptoping, thanks, Danijel]
