totally sad

Wait, so A500 and 501, are they the same?

 

Shipin Padmakumar: Hi, my name is Shipin Padmakumar. How may I help you?

Jamie: Hey Shipin, I just have one question.

Jamie: I have seen articles where Acer would be announcing the 4.0 update/ICS in April, could you please verify for me that the update is on the way?

Jamie: I am not in a rush, I've just heard talk of the A500 not receiving the update.

Shipin Padmakumar: I understand your concern.

Shipin Padmakumar: I understand that you would like to know the date of release of the ICS update for A500 tablet.

Shipin Padmakumar: Jamie, please refer the web link:

Acer Support - Answers, E-Mail, Chat - When will Android Operating System 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) be available for my Acer Android tablet?

Jamie: That would be nice to have a date, or a general idea would be fine. Mostly though I just want to make sure the A500 is going to receive the update.

Shipin Padmakumar: Yes, the A500 will get the update around April 15.

Shipin Padmakumar: Jamie, to conclude we have provided the information. If there are no additional questions on this topic, I will close the chat session.

Jamie: So it will receive an actual update, and not an announcement? I'm only asking because "TBA" generally states they will announce a date, but not necessarily release the update.
Shipin Padmakumar: The date will be announce around April 15, however it will be around the same date only.

Well, I had a chat session, still don't feel confident in his final answer, but checking the link it did verify there was no update planned for the A501. If I'm reading it right, what he said is that the update should shortly follow the update, but I could have misunderstood that last statement.

Also, I know that doesn't regard an update for a 501 update, and I do apologize for that, but I just wanted to get a little bit more information for both models, as I didn't realize there were two models one digit apart that weren't practically identical.

 

Think that the only difference between the A500 and the A501 is 3G... the sim port on the A500 is only covered up (as there's no use for it) where as the A501 has the missing hardware in it

 

Considering how long the Xoom 3G/4G had to wait compared to the wi-fi one, who knows when/if the 501 will get it.

 

It really would depend on how important 3/4G is to you.

I have been watching the CM9 thread that is on XDA and they have been saying that, once the code drops for the official release, they will be doing CM9 for the A501. I realise that, from what you are saying, it won't drop for the A501, but I am sure that they will be able to mod the A501 code!

 

If the tab is 3G, there's probably a carrier involved. If there's a carrier involved, the carrier wants to make $ off the data plan whether you use it or not. Maybe add more bloat than Acer is willing to do.

I know there's Acer phones, but not too readily available here. Samsung and Motorola do make substantial numbers of phones, so probably easier to get tablet updated even if it takes forever.

 

This is why I will never by a tablet with 3G/4G. Just don't want the hassle of dealing with a carrier for my data. I have a phone, and can tether if I absolutely have to have data on my tablet while on the go. But for me that happens very seldomly.