Acer Icornia Tab A510 User Review

Acer Iconia Tab A510 User Review

This is my 2^nd tablet, and My 3^rd Android Device, The First on Android 4. This would be my point of view in this review.

My First tablet was a 7in no name brand tablet, purchase more than one year back. As a gadget it was disappointing, need to be charge every 2.5 hrs or less even with no wifi on, brightness at minimum, but there were I started to learn Android (V.2). A Tablet to me is a portable gaming computer & browser with some computing functionality. 

My Next Android is my Samsung W, a much better gadget, better built and equip, and its a 4 in smartphone. Now I just purchase my 3^rd Android, a 10in tablet running on Android 4 with out 3G, for my Family to play around with. It’s a pretty Good buy I must say. 

Android V4 vs V2 comparison

Those who have use Android V2 will have no difficulty, it’s almost the same ……, The Acer Ring is new though, provides you with short cuts to 4 locations eg settings, camera, screen shots and volume control every where, its built in the lock screen as well.

Opinion: This Tablet seems to be optimize for screenshots…..

Tablet Built

Overall high standards, more then 600grms, but thin, feels heavy though. Just minor

The volume rocker, feel loose, the micro usb location , (I am not complaining) not too happy where it is, but then I suppose that to dock the tablet, the micro usb have to be it that position at the bottom edge. ( Further the tablet, which charge through the micro usb as well means that y ou cannot use any usb device when you are charging)

Image / Screen & Camera

I have no complaints here. More then adequate for me. Tablet should only have front camera. A back camera have no use (for me that is) unless we use it to take photo of visitors.

Manual

No paper manual is provided other then the warranty, and a quick start guide, You want the manual, download it your self at Acer website!.

Openion: Cost cutting, Eco conscious Company, Why cant you have the Manual In the tablet its self as a EBook? Convenience for the customer!

Home Screen

Controls pretty well thought out, No actual physical buttons so everything is on the edge as software buttons, Notification is at the bottom left with time, Apps is at the top left, Google Search and Voice is at the top right, and at the bottom right is the all important back bottom, the Home button, and the last apps use botton.

Apps & Software

The Acer A510 come preloaded with some software / apps, some are evergreen, and some of them are the latest porpular apps. Among those preloaded are A510, Aupeo, Calculator, Clearfi, Email, Evernote, Gmail, Google+, latitude, Lumiroad, Media Server, Messenger, Movie Studio, People, Places, Play Music, Play Store, Polarios Office, Tegra Zone Game, Virus scan, You Tube.

On my own in a 12 hours marathon, (thanks to setting up my Samsung W, that time took me 3 days downloading and discarding apps) to down load 20 games (including the 4 angry bird games), 2 dictionaries, A first aid guide (British red cross), some update of the apps already in the tablet and a couple of tools (GPS coordinates, compass, speed test, conversion calculator, Battery Widget) all totaling around 300mb. All the apps I choose were free & from Play Store the successor of Google Market. .

Opinion : This the beauty of the Android Software, You can get tons and tons of good basic software & games (call apps) for Free (other then downloading it), and for those with money to spare they can get uprated upgrade versions with increase function ability when you pay for it. The same can be said for Apple soft ware, I suppose. From what I understand, android has more free apps. 

Battery

Having had a 2.5hrs its time to recharge tablet, and Samsung W Smart Phone, which have a recharge cycle of around 8 hours, with the Wifi on, 3G off, Bluetooth off, GPS off,Screen On, Downloading Apps from Google Apps (the W last me 3 days, with wifi off, 3G off, GPS off, Screen on 0% brightness, location off, background data off), I was shock by the A510 Tablet. 

This no 3G/2G Tablet Wifi only Tablet drop a total of 60% of the charge, for my 12 hours marathon, downloading, with location on, wifi on, auto sync on, screen on auto brightness). A fluke? Nope, the next day my kids have a Game Playing marathon, with the wifi on the whole time, After 12 hours, Battery remaining is 40%

.

Opinion : Any Tablet that can last at least 12 hours on full charge (with wifi on) playing games or down loading is Excellent. (12 hours is my guideline for a full day at work, or out of house playing/travelling) My Toshiba NB305, Net Book when new only give me around 6 to 8 hours with wifi on. So with 40% remaining after 12 hrs of downloading with wifi on, it more then Excellent.

Final Observation(for now - Day 2)

• Happy!
• The battery is a killer! See Above!

Acer Iconia Tablet A510, First Impression

Acer Iconia Tablet A510, First Impression

I have been eyeing a budget tablet for a long time, for a 2^nd computer at home for my wife (email, facebook, dictionary, movies) and My Kids (games, dictionary, movies). I more a less settle for a Acer Iocnia Table 200, due to its special raya promotion price of RM1099 at a few of those discount electrical shop, as it has a normal usb port, can plug in thumb drive & Hard disk, mouse, keyboard directly and did not have a fancy camera.

When the local computer shop offer a A200 for RM999, and have a o% offer on the credit card for a 12 months installment, I thought that it time to get one, especially it’s the school holidays as well. Well the A200 they have on offer was a old model, the Google Play Icon was actually a Google Market lcon, and it was running a Android 3. (they try to upgrade it to Android 4, but it did not work) 

They then show me the Acer Iconia Table A510, which is basically a New Model, thinner, have what the A200 offer, but with higher Memory (32GB), it’s a Quad Core 1.3 mb, have a micro/mini USB that does what the A200 does though it need an adepter for normal size usb, a 5MP Back Camera & 1MP Front Camera, and running Android 4 for just a extra RM400, and I though why not.

So What was my First Impression with this Tablet?

Pros (+)

• A long life Battery
• Connects to Hard Disk, Usb thumb Drive, mouse, keyboard
• Smooth in touch operation
• Quad Core 1.3
• Quite Thin
• Back Camera 5MP with a Front Camera 1 MP
  

Con (-)

• No LCD Light
• Micro USB
  

My first impression is a good table, it’s more then what I want and need, other then what I listed above and my personal dislike, the battery is non customer removable (which other then one or two) which is like all tablets out there.

Operation is smooth, (quad core you know), set up was easy, if you know Android 2 (plus) as Android 4 is just almost thee same in term of operation. 

What really stand out is The Battery Life span is remarkable after 12 hours of constant use the battery still have 40% charge left, In day 1, I spent close to 12 hours, with Wifi on, downloading apps, in Day 2 My Kid way playing with the table again for 12 hours, with wifi on, playing games. Of course this tablets does not have 3G, and its screen was set at auto brightness, and both days the tablet was in a room and not outdoors in the bright sunlight.

Is the Age of Android here?

Is the Age of Android here?

Android software are now not only limited to smart phones, there are android tablets, in car entertainment units and to a limited extend notebook/netbook computer and even TVs. I read somewhere that 550,000 Android devices a day is being activate, that a large number and thankfully there are many manufacturers for you to choose from! I like competition, as with competition, customer needs always come first.

Why did I choose Android, for me it’s fairly simple to use, (for a person who is a bit techy), very customizable and if you are not too choosy you can customize your phone for free, pricing of the devices available is in a low to high range, further more importantly I can change the battery on my own. In other word I tell you what I want, not you tell me what you think I want!

I Pick up my second Android devise (Samsung Galaxy W) some 6 months back, never did much to customize it back then other then the very necessary (Apps to activate the LED as a Flash light, and a E Book reader), as I need to understand how to operate it by it self first, now 6 months down the road, I felt it time, to customize the phone to my liking and to the maximum it can go (for free – other then Wifi)

So for the past 3 days (off days from work), I have been checking out Apps, downloading them, (auto install from Android Market, now Google Play), trying them out, uninstalling (Very easy process) them when they do not fit my criteria of being partially “Off Line”, especially for games and emergency informative I need this everywhere apps, keeping those I need.

Basically there are widget n apps for you to play around with, when customizing the devise, there is the Built in widget n apps provided by the manufacturer, the free widget and apps, and the paid for ones. In general free widgets n apps are provided by NGO’s, or earn back their money by advertising products, or marketing their developer. But why not just use the Built in Widgets? Even the Free widget and apps can be better than the Built in widget n apps. (that the beauty of android)

Widgets are basically Apps that once install to your Home Pages, will either display information or will do a specific & simple task when tap on, there are some that will do both, within the ability of the devise.

Examples of this are a “Retro Clock” & “Retro Date” replacing by built in Clock and Date Widget, as beside displaying the Time and Date, when click clock will send you to the Alarm Clock, Date will send you to the Calander, 2 in one function! Which free my having to have the Alarm Clock, and Date widget on screen.

Some other widgets are “Task Killer” to free up valuable Ram space, Battery Display widget that tell you how much “Juice” you have still with your phone, call “a” specific person, right from the home screen so you do not have to go digging into the menu’s.

Just find what you like! Some u Pay, Some u can get for free! Your Choice!

Application or Apps are basically software that does a Task, Ie Retrieve Information from the net, Retrieve Information store on the Devise or Memory Card, Enable you do performed a task within the capabilities of the devices, or Enable you to use the functionality of the device for some other purpose . Some are built in, some are available for free, and some have to be paid for.

To make my devise more useful for me, I have down loaded dictionaries (Malay, English, Mandarin), First Air (By British Red Cross), E book reader of the format of e book that I have), Mandarin Phase Book (talking), a Diet app, a Metric – Imperial Conversion apps etc …..

To customize to my liking, a home page launcher, the Go Launcher Ex, & some themes, a calculator that give me a % key without having to flip the device.

To Make use of the Device built in Functionality as it should be, I have down loaded 2 GPS apps, slightly different formats and information,

To use the Device built in functionality for other purpose, a compass, a metal detector (more of a magnetic detector actually), a spirit level, and an apps that is suppose to deter mosquitoes?

It was a fun 3 days, frustrating at times, in weeding out the chaff, downloading something good and then realizing that it only work “on line”, but rewarding in the end, as the end result is a devise that look different with a functionality that fit you.

Samsung Galaxy Review Part 4 – Home Screen Widget and Apps Set up

Samsung Galaxy Review Part 4 – Home Screen Widget and Apps Set up

To see my other reviews on Samsung Galaxy Wonder - Click on Tab -> Galaxy W :-), More review coming over the next few weeks? on the Phone, The Apps on the Phone and New Apps that I will download.

Functionality of an Android Phone, come from 3 main factors, the Apps you install, the OS in this case Gingerbread 2.3.5 play a part, and what the manufacturer does as a Overlay over the OS.

Customization of the phone is via installation of Apps and Widgets on to the phone, further it is possible to have Shortcuts to these Apps and Widgets on the home page or home pages, in my case I have 7 home pages (Tw Launcher) to fill with short cuts, to make operating the phone easier for me.

I have, divided up the 7 home pages

On Home Page 1 – Phone Operations

I have set up Time, Weather, (GPS Reserve), Calculator, Clock, Mini Paper, Camera, Program Monitor

On Home Page 2 – Call Operations

Here there is Power Saver, Buddy X 12 - Frequent Calls, actually the power saver can be omitted as I is almost a duplicate of the power saver in the notifications.

Home Page 3 - Games Page

Now Empty

Home Page 4 - Utilities Page

I have set up, Settings, Kris Air, Flash Light, Office, Reader, My Files etc

Home Page 5 - Internet Page, (non news sites)

Home Page 6 - Internet Operation Page,

Google Search, Market, Gmail, Internet browser, Download, news portals X 8

On Home Page 7

Agenda (Month - List), a list of events up coming

Samsung Galaxy Review 1 week Impressions (Part 5)

Samsung Galaxy Review 1 week Impressions (Part 5)

To see my other reviews on Samsung Galaxy Wonder - Click on Tab -> Galaxy W :-), More review coming over the next few weeks? on the Phone, The Apps on the Phone and New Apps that I will download.

I have been using this Samsung Galaxy W for one week, Overall this phone (especially when compared with my Nokia 5800) is a Wonder, Its GPS Lock in seconds instead of minutes, It’s Hardware specifications is more than adequate, the touch screen is responsive, Internet pages load much faster and the battery life is encouraging, I find it the perfect companion, the only thing is that I cannot seem to find a working Voice Navigation soft ware that support MFM, and /or MalSingMaps at the present moment, that will make it perfect.

As a companion, it’s Size just nice to hold, done not cost a arm and leg, works well as phone, as a Ebook, (for me to while away the time while waiting for appointments), play some games, play music, get information via the net, from Open Wifi sources etc, customizable through easily available and free apps, best night camera I have ever use and so on There are some compromise that I have to make though, eg the screen is a tad small for easy viewng, there Is no garmin etc

I definitely have no regrets in changing over to this phone, though I still have a steep learning curve ahead of me, in order to use the phone efficiently and fully. This is where Android phone loose out as it’s so customizable that The Phone Manual have become almost useless, other then as a guide for the built in apps that Samsung provides.

Initial Impression of the Samsung Galaxy Wonder (First Week)

Plus

• User Friendly Quite Intuitive

• Fast GPS Lock

• Wonder Camera – super clear night shot even without setting

• Just the Right Size to hold and To View

• Internet Zips along much faster (compared with Wifi) can almost replace net book

• Moving files easy, can do many files at one time

• Kris Air, Work on Any PC with Wifi, No Need Soft Ware, No Need Cables

• Mobile9, seems to have a good stock of Epub E Books (have some Txt and PDF) configured for Samsung Galaxy W

Minus

• Browser – Miss the front key, there is back key

• No Dedicated Camera Button

• Cannot use Garmin NT

• No Papago compatible to gingerbread 2.3.5 V yet?

Well I am still in the progress in learning this phone, so more reviews on the phones, Its applications, its widget, user tips etc will be posted up, so stay tune to this channel.