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Acer crammed a quantum dot display into a 10-inch tablet
While it may not be the first name in tablets, Acer has produced some respectable touchscreen devices in the past. Last month, the company unveiled a wide range of new 2-in-1 devices in its compelling Switch line of Windows 10 machines. Today, in advance of Computex in Taipei, the company is adding a pair of 10-inch, Android 7.0 Nougat devices to its tablet lineup: one focused on media and one designed with connectivity in mind.
Unannounced Acer Iconia W3 8-inch tablet leaks on Amazon, priced at $380
Acer's Iconia W3 tablet hasn't been formally announced, but that hasn't stopped Amazon from giving the TBA product a shiny new home on its website. The page appears to be a bit incomplete, with the summary listing an "1.5 GHz Apple A4" in the processor field, which we can't imagine is correct. The product description below might be a bit more on point, though. There you'll find a dual-core Atom Z2760 processor, an 8.1-inch 1280 x 800-pixel CrystalBrite LCD display, integrated graphics with 64MB of memory, 32 gigs of internal storage, 2GB of RAM, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, 2-megapixel front- and rear-facing cameras, and a two-cell 3,500mAh battery, keeping the Windows 8 tab powered for up to 8 hours. There's no word on when the 1.1-pound slate is set to ship (or when it'll make an official debut, for that matter), but assuming the Amazon web producers have managed to input pricing info correctly, you'll be able to pick one up for $380 sometime in the future. [Thanks, Jake]
Acer's 7.9-inch Iconia A1-810 outed with quad-core CPU
Acer doesn't seem to have officially announced the Iconia tab A1-810 yet... at least not that we can see. But French retailer Rue Du Commerce already has the 7.9 inch listed, though, since it was first spotted the spec sheet has been cleared. Thankfully, MiniMachines caught the page before someone scrubbed it clean. If the numbers are to be believed, then the Taiwanese company has the Nexus 7 and iPad mini squarely in its sights. The A1-810's crams some reasonably impressive internals into a diminutive and affordable package. Under the hood is 1GB of RAM, and a 1.2GHz quad-core processor. Granted, the Cortex-A9 chip is produced by MediaTek instead of one of the bigger boys like Qualcomm or NVIDIA, but it should prove plenty robust for everyday tasks. The 1024 x 768 IPS panel puts it right in league with Apple's mini, but it also means a lower pixel density than the middle child of the Nexus family. You'll also find 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS radios inside, along with a 3,250 mAh battery -- which is quite a bit smaller than its competitors (despite its 10.5mm thick, 430g body being quite a bit larger). The biggest news about this Android 4.2 device though, is the price: it's yet another uber-cheap slate, currently listed at €199, or about $259.
Acer Iconia Tab A110 reaches North America on October 30th for $230, faces a tough fight
Acer hasn't had an easy mid-year: it trotted out the Iconia Tab A110 at Computex as a budget Android tablet that could still claim Tegra 3 speeds, only to watch the Nexus 7 arrive and leave virtually every other comparable tablet in a tight spot. It's North America's turn at the A110 this month, and the side-by-side looks aren't getting much easier. When the 7-inch Jelly Bean slate ships to the continent on October 30th, it will cost $230 in both the US and Canada for the lone 8GB version -- a better value than we see in Europe, but still a slightly awkward middle ground between an 8GB Nexus 7 at $199 and its $249, 16GB edition. We're guessing that Acer is counting on the microSD and micro-HDMI expansion to tempt would-be North American buyers away from a less flexible (if Google-blessed) rival. %Gallery-168615%
Acer Iconia Tab A110 comes to Europe this fall with Jelly Bean, £180 UK price
Acer missed its summer launch target for the Iconia Tab A110, but it's making amends for its timing. The 7-inch, quad-core tablet is now reaching Europe in the fall, but it's also carrying that rumored upgrade to Jelly Bean -- including the same mini-tablet interface that we know best from the A110's arch-rival, the Nexus 7. Hardware hasn't moved on since then, however, so you'll still have to cope with a lower 1,024 x 600 resolution and likely the same 8GB of storage, even with a 2-megapixel front camera offering a slight upgrade. That feature loadout may make the sales prospects difficult, at least in the UK: Brits will have to pay £180 ($292) versus the £159 ($258) Nexus 7. Let's hope that any US plans involve a price slash.
Acer Iconia Tab A110 allegedly caught brandishing Jelly Bean in press shots
When we last left Acer's Iconia Tab A110, it was going to be yet another 7-inch Android 4.0 tablet. No big deal. The proposition just became a little more intriguing now that online shop Ebuyer has posted what might be formal press shots of the A110 sporting a fresh coat of Jelly Bean, making it one of the first third-party Android 4.1 tablets that we've seen. Assuming the gallery isn't just a clever attempt to whip customers into a frenzy, the posting suggests Acer's design will follow the Nexus 7 formula all the way through to the stock interface. About the only differences are that empty home screen and incredibly generic wallpaper. Where it goes awry is the timing: without any hint of a release date, we don't know if a Jelly Bean update would push the A110 beyond its original summer launch target. Any truth to the story, however, can only mean good things for the tablet's larger A210 sibling.
IDC: Apple's still king of the tablet hill with 68 percent of the market
IDC's cabal of statisticians, nerds and people who just love spreadsheets have handed down their latest document about the state of the tablet market. Of the 25 million slates shipped in the second quarter, 17 million of them were iPads -- giving Apple 68.2 percent of the market. Samsung came second with 2.4 million devices and Amazon third, although since the Kindle Fire maker doesn't reveal numbers, there's probably some guesswork involved there. Rounding out the top five are ASUS and Acer, although the former should expect to move up a place (or two), depending on the success of the Nexus 7 when Q3's results are released in a few months time.
Acer's Iconia Tab A210 Android tablet hits the FCC
Acer wasn't divulging much about availability when we first caught sight of its Iconia Tab A210 at Computex last month (beyond a general "Q3"), but the 10-inch Android tablet has now at least cleared one hurdle on its way to a release. The device has just passed through the FCC, which could indicate that it's headed for stores sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, there's not much else to be found beyond the tablet's label and a few test reports, so you'll have to wait for a future filing if you were hoping for a peek inside the device -- feel free to revisit our hands-on in the meantime.
Acer Iconia Tab A700 review: a 10-inch ICS tablet with Tegra 3 and a 1,920 x 1,200 display
We'll skip the long contextual intro about how high-powered Tegra 3 tablets are becoming a dime a dozen and get straight to the meat: the new Acer Iconia Tab A700 is an NVIDIA-powered slate with a super-charged screen. Yes, this device is all about the display, and we're talking 1,920 x 1,200 pixels on a 10.1-inch panel. And until ASUS' Transformer Pad Infinity goes on sale next month, this is the only Android tab with that resolution you can get your hands on. More Info Acer unveils $450 Iconia Tab A700: 1,920 x 1,200 display and Tegra 3 under the hood Acer Iconia Tab A700 hands-on PSA: Acer Iconia Tab A700 shipping now At the risk of spoiling our whole review, bright colors and a high resolution make navigating Acer's branded build of Ice Cream Sandwich a treat, and its quad-core Tegra 3 insides make the tablet more than just a pretty face. But the WiFi-only Tab A700, retailing for $450, is not the only good ICS option around -- and it's not the most budget-friendly, either. Let's take a closer look to see if its considerable advantages make it worth swiping that plastic.%Gallery-159083%
Acer Iconia A510 Olympic Tab now on sale in the UK for £349, gold medal not included
Aligning perfectly with what we'd heard a few weeks ago, it looks like Acer's Londonized Iconia A510 will finally be hitting UK doorsteps, just in time for next month's Summer Olympics. To give you a quick refresh, this special edition Olympic Tab boasts a Tegra 3 CPU, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of built-in storage -- though, we can't leave out any mention of that fancy Olympic logo on the tablet's rear and those Eurosport channels to help you stay on top of the action coming from the renowned event. For all that, you'll have to shell out £349 (around $550) at Carphone Warehouse, where it's now up for grabs and being shipped gratis to folks who want to show off their Olympian support.
Acer shows off next-gen Iconia Tab A210 and A110 at Computex, we go hands-on (video)
No press release, no media alert, not even a splashy press conference with Adele blasting in the background. The only reason we know these two tablets exist is because we happened to catch them on display here at Computex. What we have here are the Acer Iconia Tab A210 and A110, presumably the successors to the 10-inch A200 and the 7-inch A100. Apart from a wholesale redesign, which we'll walk you through after the break, both tablets have been upgraded to quad-core Tegra 3 processors and will ship with Ice Cream Sandwich. An Acer rep staffing the event said both are scheduled to go on sale sometime in Q3. No word on pricing or regional availability just yet, but if you accompany us past the break we've got impressions, two hands-on videos and a run-down of tentative specs. %Gallery-157268%
Acer unveils 11.6-inch Iconia W700, 10.1-inch W510 Windows 8 tablets (update: hands-on)
And the flood of Windows tablets begins! With only four months or so to go before Microsoft finalizes the OS, we had a feeling Computex 2012 would bring lots of Win8 devices, and it looks like we won't be disappointed. Acer just used its press conference here in Taipei to launch its long-awaited first Windows 8 slates, the Iconia W700 and Iconia W510. That first flavor packs a relatively massive 11.6-inch full HD (1920 x 1080) display with touch support for up to 10 fingers, and ships with a cradle that positions the device at 70 degrees for landscape viewing or 20 degrees for touch use. It offers more than 8 hours of battery life and also includes a trio of USB 3.0 ports, along with Dolby Home Theater for enhanced audio. Acer appears to be marketing the W700 as a "desktop replacement" when paired with a cradle and keyboard. Unlike the W510, the dock is only used to hold and position the device -- you'll need to use Bluetooth to add an external keyboard. The tablet includes a bevy of connectivity options, including Thunderbolt, micro HDMI, USB 3.0 and a power jack on the left side, a pair of red-grilled speakers on the bottom, and a power button, headphone jack and volume rocker on the right. There's also a five-megapixel autofocus camera and microphone on the rear, and a Windows key and front-facing camera flanking the large, high-res display.%Gallery-156786% The Iconia W510 includes a 10.1-inch IPS display and a detachable chiclet keyboard dock that doubles as an extended battery, enabling up to 18 hours of use. You can also rotate the device 295 degrees for presentations -- assuming you're lecturing a small group and not a packed auditorium, of course. On the bottom, there's a docking port and latch, speakers on each side, a SIM card slot, microSD, micro-USB and HDMI ports, followed by a volume rocker and microphone on the right, along with a power button, lock toggle and headphone jack up top. The dock itself includes a full-size USB 2.0 port on the right hand side and a proprietary connector on the left. Both the tablet and dock are very thin and light, and offer very responsive performance -- no qualms there. Sadly, there's no detailed specs, pricing and availability to speak of just yet -- we're hoping to see that hit later in the week. For a closer look, hop over to our pair of hands-on videos just past the break.%Gallery-156787%
Tips have Acer, ASUS and Toshiba showing Windows 8 tablets at Computex, color us unsurprised
We know Computex will involve nothing less than a deluge of new laptops, but if we believe Bloomberg, it's going to be a Windows 8 tablet-topia as well. Hot on the heels of the Windows 8 Release Preview, it's claimed by the ever-present "people with knowledge of the matter" that Acer, ASUS and Toshiba will all be showing tablets with the new OS at the Taipei show. ASUS will reportedly get the star treatment at Microsoft's keynote and show off Transformer-style Windows 8 tablets that we suspect are hinted at in ASUS' slightly cryptic trailers. Processor loyalties could be split across the wider group, though: ASUS is said to be spreading the love by showing both an Intel-based tablet as well as one using NVIDIA's ARM-powered Tegra line, but Acer's previously rumored tablet is poised to go the Intel-only route, and Toshiba's may exist solely in a TI OMAP-based ARM camp. It's not apparent if anyone else will join the Windows 8 tablet frenzy, although Qualcomm is expected to show yet another Snapdragon-running test device. We'll be on the ground at Computex next week, so you can be sure that we'll give you the full rundown on Windows 8's opening salvo.
Acer Iconia Tab A700 hits FCC approval process head-on, comes out victorious
The Tegra 3-touting tablet from Acer known as the Iconia Tab A700 hasn't made the rounds since CES, just over four months ago. It's finally hit the federal stage, with the WiFi-only version getting the seal of approval from the FCC, which tells us that its absence from the public spotlight doesn't mean Acer has stopped preparing it for its eventual (and still unannounced) launch date. Sadly, the docs are pretty limited in details, but there's plenty of reason for us to be excited -- the ICS-running tab should ship with a 1.3GHz quad-core NVIDIA SoC and a 10.1-inch 1080p display. Let's hope this is followed up with some news out of Taiwan sometime soon.
Some Iconia Tab A500s getting Ice Cream Sandwich early, Acer Ring is MIA
Last week, Acer announced that Ice Cream Sandwich would make its way to Iconia Tabs A100 and A500 in Canada and the US starting April 27th, but Phone Arena reports that some owners of the 10.1-inch A500 are getting the option to update a day ahead of schedule. If you're one of the lucky few to be in on the early upgrade, you should be ready to rock with Android 4.0.3 after a 30-minute install. The one potential downside to getting ICS ahead of time? You'll have to wait for the Acer Ring hub, which didn't make the cut for this update.
Acer's A100 and A500 tablets getting Ice Cream Sandwich on April 27th
With April nearly over, it's high time Acer came clean on when exactly its promised Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade for the A100 and A500 would land. Today the company did just that, revealing that US owners of either tablet can opt-in for their frozen makeovers starting on the 27th. Bad news if you're rocking AT&T's variant of the latter though, as the listing on the company's support page for the A501 says "no update planned." Those not tied Ma Bell can expect Acer's skin -- including that ring launcher -- grafted onto Google's latest, much like the A200's ICS upgrade back in February. Already pumped? Go ahead and bookmark that source link. Do it, we won't judge.
Acer Iconia Tab A510 now available, 10.1 inches of Olympian ICS and Tegra 3 for $450
Ah, Acer's Olympics-themed Iconia Tab A510. If you'll recall, after months of staying quiet about its A500 successor -- which was already viewable in public -- Acer finally made the 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) slate official when it went up for pre-order last month. Fast forward to today, and the company's US website is now listing the tablet as in-stock and ready to ship. Notably, the A510 is Acer's first tab loaded with NVIDIA's quad-core Tegra 3 SoC and Android Ice Cream Sandwich (slightly modified) -- a duo of delicacies seldom found together in tablets up for grabs as of late. To refresh your memory, its $450 price tag also gets you 32GB of storage with 1GB of RAM, your choice of a white or black bezel and other goodies, including a 1-megapixel front-facing camera and an auto-focusing 5-megapixel shooter on back. Not too shabby for device that can reportedly handle 12 hours of video playback. Sweet tooth tingling? Hit up the source link below for all the details. [Thanks, Daryl]
Acer Iconia Tab A510 with Tegra 3, Android 4.0 arriving in the US and Canada for $450
The curious thing about the Acer Iconia Tab A510 is that it's been out in the open for months -- we've even handled it -- but for whatever reason, Acer's never publicly acknowledged it as the successor to last year's A500. When we got hands-on at CES, for example, it wasn't at Acer's suite, but NVIDIA's booth (this is Acer's first Tegra 3 tablet, don'tcha know). Well, the company's finally ready to come out and say, "Yes, we made this thing." The A510 is up for pre-order today in the US and Canada, with a price of $450. Though you can get it in black or white, it's available in one 32GB configuration for now. To recap, this is a quad-core slate with 1GB of RAM, a 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) display, 5-megapixel auto-focusing rear camera and a single-megapixel shooter up front. And though it loses the USB 2.0 port that made the A500 fairly distinctive, it gains a battery rated for 12 hours of video playback -- a good thing, since it'll have stiff competition from ASUS, Apple and Samsung in the endurance department. Acer also confirmed the tablet will ship with Android 4.0, with the company's usual light OS tweaks in tow. Still no word on when, exactly, it'll ship, but if you want to get a feel for it in the meantime be sure to hit up our hands-on from CES if you missed it the first time around.
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.
Refresh Roundup: week of February 20th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!