The Acer Iconia W500 is a new breed of tablet (hybrid tablet) that offers netbook and tablet features in one unified device. But how does this tablet stand up in the world of tablet devices that is pretty much dominated by the iPad?
What are the reviews saying?
One way to get a sense of how its doing is to check out reviews from sources you trust. You should not only look at the various features and specs of the device, but you should also consider how previous users and technology experts rate the device.
This is not a be-all-end-all type strategy but hopefully this should give you a good idea whether or not this tablet is the device that best suits your preferences as well as your expectations.
Hybrid device
The Acer Iconia Tab W500-BZ467 is a 10.1 inch tablet that can convert into a netbook with a full size chiclet keyboard. This hybrid device runs on an AMD dual-core processor C-50 and uses a Windows 7 Home Premium operating system.
The device also includes dual 1.3 MP Acer Crystal Eye webcams with 1280 x 1024 resolution. In addition to Bluetooth and WiFi capabilities, the tablet also has two USB ports and an Acer PowerSmart 3-cell Li-polymer battery that provides four to six hours of power.
Those who put stock in good screen resolution (who doesn’t) may also like the sharp images and rich, vivid colors that make the smooth multimedia playback come to life. The device is also compatible with HDTV with an HDMI output. If you plan to carry your tablet/netbook on the go, the device is lightweight at only three and a half pounds and the design is meant to be sturdy enough to help it stand up to the demands of travel.
How does it compare
Many users tend to enjoy this device and claim that it is definitely on par with other well-known tablet devices in features. Some laud the tablet because of its touch screen capabilities. However, some users say that the device works better with a Windows 8 system, but of course this upgrade will cost more. Still, there are users that agree that the device does everything it is supposed to for its $500 price tag, lower than many other tablet devices.
There are also a few users who claim that the keyboard is not as efficient as it could be. There are also claims that the battery life is much less than what the manufacturer claims. Furthermore, there are users who say the device is too heavy for reading or watching films and video. For others, the device appears more as a laptop. However, many users appear to like this tablet overall as it suffices as a tablet.
Innovate, innovate, innovate
Really, what its going to come down to is how much you are willing to spend versus the features that are needed. Acer has been making reliable computers for years so there is some brand recognition here. But is that enough? And, frankly, I wonder whether Windows 7 is a hindrance or a boost to the tablet as compared to something like Honeycomb (previously) or Ice Cream Sandwich that now comes on the Asus Transformer Prime.
One thing is for sure, as users, and manufacturers for that matter, figure out how to move tablet computing from more of a consumption device to a productive device, innovation will continue to surpass current technology – which is exciting, allowing for new ways to get the job done. Which also means, that we will probably continue to see hybrid type computers continue to hit the marketplace.
