Tech Savvy Mama

Parenting in the Digital Age

Acer Iconia Tab: Windows 7 Tablet PC and Keyboard in a Portable Package

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Acer Iconia Tab
PC users who desire a powerful machine with a large screen and other bells and whistles to support multitasking often compromise portability and would do well with the Acer Iconia Tab ($531.08 on Amazon) as a portable computing solution. The Acer Iconia Tab is a two part machine consisting of a touch screen tablet and a keyboard.  The tablet can be used by itself or docked for full access to a keyboard.
Docking the tablet into the keyboard feels a little awkward at first.  The tablet portion makes the computer feel a little top heavy once it slides on to the connectors but once it clicks into place, it feels secure while upright.  The dock tilts (probably to prevent damage to the connectors when the tablet is bumped) but has one set angle for viewing that is comfortable to look at whether on your lap or flat surface, even if the surface is the tray table on an airplane.
The tablet docks into the included keyboard so no
Bluetooth connection is necessary.

The tablet and keyboard fit neatly together when not docked. Laying the tablet face down the keyboard and sliding the latch connects the two pieces into a netbook-like package.  Permanent printed diagrams above the keyboard remind users of the proper way to connect and disconnect the two parts.

Tablet and keyboard fit securely together into a nice neat package.
When used by itself, the tablet is a more portable version than your home PC. It runs Windows 7 and features an AMD Dual-Core Processor C-60, a netbook grade processor that won’t necessarily win any speed contests when compared to your home PC but is great for a portable machine on the go.  The processor is a similar speed what is in an iPad however, the Iconia Tab is running full blown Windows 7 desktop OS whereas the iPad runs a stripped down iOS.  In relation to an iPad, the Acer uses half of the available hard drive space just for the operating system and default applications. 

Users who are used to an iPad will find the Iconia Tab heavier and not as sleek.  The touch screen’s responsiveness depended on the tasks being performed.  It does just fine when double tapping to open items and dragging but using miniaturized versions of the icons on the top right corner proved difficult. 

The tiny Xs to close out windows or minimizing windows was not always the easiest given the teeny size. Instead of using the touch screen, the keyboard features a belly button style mouse in the middle of B, H, and G keys and right and left mouse buttons on the bottom edge of the computer.  If you’re not great at using the belly button to navigate the screen, perhaps a stylus might help but then that’s just an extra cost and object that you need to carry around.  I’d rather use a wireless mouse in favor of a stylus for precision purposes and the ability to right and left click.

Acer Iconia Tab W500 Features:
  • 1 GHz AMD Dual-Core Processor C-50
  • 2GB RAM
  • 32GB Solid State Drive
  • 10.1” HD Multi-Touch LED-backlit Display with ATI Radeon HD 6250 Graphics
  • Windows® 7 Home Premium
  • Ports include: SD card, HDMI for plugging into a TV, 4 USB (2 on the tablet, 2 on the keyboard), and a headphone jack
Summary:
For just over $500, the Acer Iconia Tab does a lot more than an iPad thanks to Windows 7, making it a great secondary machine for frequent travelers, commuters, or anyone craving a portable solution to their desktop machine or large laptop. Stick close to an outlet though since I exhausted the battery in 3 1/2- 4 hours with constant use.
As an AMD Tech Mom, I received the Acer Iconia Tab for review purposes and am compensated for my participation in the program.  All opinions are my own and based on personal experience with the product. Amazon Affiliate link contained in this post. Images courtesy of Acer.

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Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
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