Who is keeping their A500?

[michaelg1030]

Not sure about you guys, but I bought the a500 because the transformers launch was a complete let down. I got my at best buy so I have 14 days to return it and I have a transformer on order hoping it comes in shortly. I really like the a500, but not sure I have the need for the USB to justify the $50 dollars and miss out on the features the transformer has. I really liked the office type suite that the transformer comes with.

I get some issues with my a500, but nothing incant deal with. It does that thing where it wakes up after the screen is off for a min, USB doesn't recognize my digital camera, getting some FC, wifi signal is weak. My biggest issue is then lack ofncev support. I known it has been rooted, but the transformer has a much stronger following and seems to be the choice for all the top dev's. XDA is drsgging their feet with a dedicated a500 section which is really annoying. If i don't see some real dev support before my return period, in think I will be returning.

I think I have to get a thumb drive and try playing some movies on it. That may persuade me in to keeping it.

 

[rushmore]

A500 has a dedicated forum section at XDA now: http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1133

Also, the A500 is already rooted and it is as simple as setting the device to debug, making sure a microsd is installed (nobody is sure why this is needed), install the root apk, run it and then you have root.

I am happy with the A500. The stock apps it has are actually useful and the games it ships with are fun. The display IMO is as good as the iPad 2, sans extreme horizontal angles and more importantly to me: USB host and micro usb data are on the tablet.

Most of the issues I have ran into are due to apps not designed for Honeycomb. I have zapped some supect apps and things appear better now. I find the wifi to be good and about the same as my gTablet and M11X (both are good for wifi, per most users).

 

[Acidicvision]

I like it. Played with with both at Best Buy and I can tell you the sound out of the A500 is MUCH better. And I really like the USB drive and form-factor.

I have had it since the beginning of this week and have had no problem. Sound and USB were worth enough to me to pay the extra $50. The Transformer doesn't really offer anything more than the A500 except a keyboard that I could care less about.

In the end it comes down to what you want from the device. If you can sacrifice sound and USB capabilities to save $50, then go for the transformer. If you want the Asus strictly for it's keyboard feature, well the Acer will have that soon AND that keyboard adds another $100+ to the Transformer cost, so it actually ends up being more expensive than the A500.

 

[michaelg1030]

Finally a dedicated section on xda. Well guys ill be heading over there. I encourage all you a500 users to move to that forum as well. Ill check back here as I am constantly reading the phandroid news.

 

[alicia4065]

I looked at getting the transformer but decided to go with the acer instead I like how it looks plus it compliments my acer timeline with the brush metal. Having a IPS screen didn't matter to me since I have a Ipad 2 and wanted a Android tablet to go along with my Ipad. Playing movies off a 16gb USB drive works very well I even have movies in 1080p and it still looks wonderful. I am looking at getting a bigger USB drive though since I have a lot of movies. Keyboard not needed since I always carry my MacBook Air when I need to do extensive work.

 

[rushmore]

I looked at getting the transformer but decided to go with the acer instead I like how it looks plus it compliments my acer timeline with the brush metal. Having a IPS screen didn't matter to me since I have a Ipad 2 and wanted a Android tablet to go along with my Ipad. Playing movies off a 16gb USB drive works very well I even have movies in 1080p and it still looks wonderful. I am looking at getting a bigger USB drive though since I have a lot of movies. Keyboard not needed since I always carry my MacBook Air when I need to do extensive work.

Suggest getting the Rally 2 64gb thumbdrive. Works great with the A500 and gTablet and can be bought for about $100

I am watching movies and playing PSX games with it

Stay away from the Lexar 64gb. Though it is a good TD, it does not work with the Acer or the gTablet.

 

[alicia4065]

Suggest getting the Rally 2 64gb thumbdrive. Works great with the A500 and gTablet and can be bought for about $100

I am watching movies and playing PSX games with it

Stay away from the Lexar 64gb. Though it is a good TD, it does not work with the Acer or the gTablet.

Thanks will do my 16gb one is made by SanDisk

 

[HeadOffice]

Other than the ridiculously short charging cable (and my current contacts issue) I'm impressed with the device. I use the Google cloud for all my email, docs, calendar, apps and it's performing flawlessly.

 

[hjoneshjones]

im definitely keeping my Acer... dolby mobile speakers + monster beats pro headphones = winning. Music sounds great.

 

[EuclidsBrother]

I'll probably keep mine. I tried watching a movie (DVD RIP to MP4 via handbreak) and put it on a 4G U3 Cruzer USB and it ran choppy. Gonna try copying it locally and see.

 

[alicia4065]

@ EuclidsBrother I run my movies off a 16gb SanDisk USB and I used the setting in Handbrake set to AppleTV. I have a Ipad 2, MacBook Air and AppleTV 2nd gen and wanted one setting to play on all devices including my Acer that I have now. No choppy movies at all.

 

[gabeyong]

@ EuclidsBrother &
@ alicia4065

Just install Mobo Video Player from Android Market.
It plays all formats without format conversion... similar to VLC

MoboPlayer Website <-- here

cheers

 

[backudog]

A500 has a dedicated forum section at XDA now: Acer Iconia A500 - xda-developers

Also, the A500 is already rooted and it is as simple as setting the device to debug, making sure a microsd is installed (nobody is sure why this is needed), install the root apk, run it and then you have root.

I am happy with the A500. The stock apps it has are actually useful and the games it ships with are fun. The display IMO is as good as the iPad 2, sans extreme horizontal angles and more importantly to me: USB host and micro usb data are on the tablet.

Most of the issues I have ran into are due to apps not designed for Honeycomb. I have zapped some supect apps and things appear better now. I find the wifi to be good and about the same as my gTablet and M11X (both are good for wifi, per most users).

I took a quick look at that forum and it just seemed like a lot of people arguing about whos tablet is the best, like back in the good old snes vs megadrive(genesis) days! Lol! This forum seems to contain more level headed people imo....Also the snes was the best!.. So ner! ;p

 

[rushmore]

I took a quick look at that forum and it just seemed like a lot of people arguing about whos tablet is the best, like back in the good old snes vs megadrive(genesis) days! Lol! This forum seems to contain more level headed people imo....Also the snes was the best!.. So ner! ;p

Nah, the Turbografx (PC Engine) was best

Well, it was for shooter fans and Galaga 90

 

[Wonder Strike]

Mobo Player is still slow on HD videos though if its using software. Not found a single decent video player that can cope with non mp4 HD files.

 

[Mr. Ed]

I too am having video issues. I have video via the mobo app but garbled audio. Have had the tablet for not. Even 24 hours but on the fence. It was pure impulse buy ....as of right now. I have not found many reasons to keep it.....but I am still looking

 

[rushmore]

I am still not sure. Build, usb host, display, battery life and UI are all great, but the wifi is weak compared to my gTablet and loses signal in areas of my house that the gTablet does not. The A500 is unstable with signal if two bars or less and disconnects/reconnects every ten minutes or so with my A500. I have to be in a three or full signal bar area to keep a stable signal. Wifi Analyzer also confirms the weaker unstable signal.

Also, no 5ghz support for a brand new Honeycomb tablet seems a bad miss.

 

[mysticcorp]

www.teamviewer.com + A500 = Change res to make fit tab and you have a PC in bed, Lazyman Shitter Reader, or just a remote spay for any oter PC = why I am keeping my a500

Remote desktop is main reason I wanted a tablet. And there are many remote desktop programs out there, but I use this for my own plus customers, so I use it mainly for its ease to explain to a customer to set up.. lol download, run, let me work, then delete.

But it runs GREAT on the a500.

Now if I can just get yahoo with video to work... (time to look at rooting i guess)

 

[GeekClass]

My a500 makes me realize how much I want a Transformer. I love HC now, but the a500 itself is too heavy, creaks each time I touch it, and of course doesn't have a keyboard dock like the TF (really important for me). It's made me realize that the lighter TF with a keyboard would have been perfect.

Still, unless a store near me comes out with the TF really soon, I'm sticking with it (will not order online). HC outweighs the few flaws of the a500 itself.

 

[rushmore]

My a500 makes me realize how much I want a Transformer. I love HC now, but the a500 itself is too heavy, creaks each time I touch it, and of course doesn't have a keyboard dock like the TF (really important for me). It's made me realize that the lighter TF with a keyboard would have been perfect.

Still, unless a store near me comes out with the TF really soon, I'm sticking with it (will not order online). HC outweighs the few flaws of the a500 itself.

The A500 is only about an ounce heavier and the Trans is actually a pound heavier with the keyboard, so respectfully not getting the weight comparison.

None the less, both are great devices, but it may be a while before the Trans has stable keyboard and storage function. It is a lot for hardware unfriendly Honeycomb to deal with, but Asus is working on it.

 

[GeekClass]

The A500 is only about an ounce heavier and the Trans is actually a pound heavier with the keyboard, so respectfully not getting the weight comparison.

None the less, both are great devices, but it may be a while before the Trans has stable keyboard and storage function. It is a lot for hardware unfriendly Honeycomb to deal with, but Asus is working on it.

In BB, the Xoom felt lighter to me than the the a500 and the TF is lighter than the Xoom. I don't care the actual weight. This thing feels heavy in the middle, making it a pain to hold in landscape. And the dock would be on my desk or bag, so the weight there isn't important to me.

 

[rushmore]

In BB, the Xoom felt lighter to me than the the a500 and the TF is lighter than the Xoom. I don't care the actual weight. This thing feels heavy in the middle, making it a pain to hold in landscape. And the dock would be on my desk or bag, so the weight there isn't important to me.

You might have a bum A500, since the device is solid. If creaking is a concern, next to the Archos 101, the Transformer is king of creaks.

Most people per reviews and users prefer the A500 over the Xoom as far as weight balance, so folks have different perspective.

I am not defending the A500, since still have issues with wifi being unstable with one or two bar signal- A500 disconnects & reconnects at least every five minutes, but is fine with three and four bar signal (this does not cut it for me). I will probably return mine today and get another one to see if the wifi was just a fluke. The wifi range and stability in low signal areas for me has been the most disappointing aspect of the A500.

Odd since others say they get great signal, but the A500 is my only device that loses signal and bounces from one bar, two bar and then nothing on a very steady basis. This is with several routers and comparing to other tablets, laptops, usb wifi, Droid 1, Incredible, 360 and PS3. Though the router is in the basement (in a central spot), all nine other devices have zero issue with maintaining signal- odd one out is the A500.

added:

Everything else about the tablet rocks, but in my house compared to other devices, the wifi sucks.

 

[GeekClass]

You might have a bum A500, since the device is solid.

Mines is solid too, but it still creaks. A tiny creak, and it seems to be less now that it's been used a bit. I'm just not use to it, since none of my other devices do it. Oh well.

Most people per reviews and users prefer the A500 over the Xoom as far as weight balance, so folks have different perspective.

Agreed.

the A500 is my only device that loses signal and bounces from one bar, two bar and then nothing on a very steady basis.

Same here. I'm only one room away from my router and it usually hovers from 2-4 bars, where as my macbook and iPhone get 4 bars. But when the net went out and I was stealing wifi (no shame here ) outside my place, I was able to connect to a router on my a500 with the same amount of bars on my iPhone. Of course it went out a few times too...

Everything else about the tablet rocks, but in my house compared to other devices, the wifi sucks.

My original point was there's so little differentiating between all of these 10.1 tablets.

If I didn't want a keyboard, then my #1 choice would be waiting for the updated Galaxy 10.1. That's what I meant by 'My a500 makes me realize how much I want a Transformer'. That the tablet itself doesn't offer anything better for me than either the TF or Galaxy.

I love HC. I don't love the a500. There's nothing about the hardware I find particularly useful. But HC does outweigh the flaws of the a500 for me.

 

[rushmore]

Well, I returned mine due to the wifi. No point in having the A500 with wifi as unstable as it was for me. I appreciate folks are reporting great wifi results, but three routers (including new Netgear N600) resulted in the same thing:

Stable connection = M11X, Sony Vaio, HP Tx, Incredible, gTablet, 360, PS3, iPod 4, Samsung portable Blu-ray & Netfllix player, Droid 1, Netgear wifi USB (for desktop) and Wii. All work without a hitch in weaker signal areas of the house.

A500 = In 3 to 4 bar areas, no problem, but 1 and 2 bar areas, the connection would start coming and going (about every five minutes). It almost seems like the wifi on the A500 is toggling up and down with power, but it is not noticed until low signal areas (kind of like the water is at the rocks analogy). The Archos 5 and N900 also fail in certain areas of the house, but both devices are infamous for weak wifi. My house is 3,200 square feet, so not a mansion.

I REALLY like the A500, so hope the firmware can improve it, or it was just my A500. I chose not to get a replacement, so when I get one, I will have a fresh 14 days.

Added:

DANG! I miss the A500 already I had it all set up nice & sweet too. Also, my family seems to have too many devices.

 

[Mr. Ed]

That wifi issue is really odd...mine may have been doing it as well ..all I know is the screen kept waking...over an hour period just sitting there it would occasionally wake ..then sleep..then wake...about every 10 minutes or so it would wake to the lockscreen for 5 minutes.

in the end..the a500 is going back....the nook color is going back...and of all three that I tried over the weekend...I am actually keeping the s7 slim. The screen though not as bright had much deeper colors and was much crisper. The UI is fantastic and I didn't get all of the choppiness and lag that was present on web pages and videos on the a500.

the really cool thing about the a500 is that usb port...I could see many people using that for photography etc...but I do caution you...compared to other screen side by side the a500 just didn't display depth and color well at all.