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is the A500 a market failure?

kristalsoldier

Android Enthusiast
Hi...

I was just going through PC World's list of the current top five tabs and I don't find the A500 listed. Here is the link to the list.

Does this mean that the A500 has not been a market success?

Thanks
 
I don't think so. From all I have seen it was one of the top sellers.
PC magazine is probably just bias.
All the reviews I have read are as far as I can tell.
 
I think the iconia is doing better than revealed. Costco sold the 32 gb version for 350 and sold out before the week promo was done. There just isnt a lot of buzz around it. But it seems that acer hasnt forgotten us, because we did get hc 3.2.
 
Yeah...I found the same thing in the sense that all users (going by their experiences) of the A500 are very happy with their tabs, but there is not much visibility and consistently the reviews appear to be biased. I am more than satisfied with the tab (though I have not got the 3.2 update yet - but I am sure it will arrive in the fullness of time!).
 
What could be the reason for this sustained biasness? Is it somehow connected to the brand image of Acer?
That's what I was wondering.When I get home I'm going to update my tab to 3.2 someone build a new rom with 3.2 and I'm going to flash it. Mine keeps shorting off when I hit the sleep botton so time to move on.
 
That's what I was wondering.When I get home I'm going to update my tab to 3.2 someone build a new rom with 3.2 and I'm going to flash it. Mine keeps shorting off when I hit the sleep botton so time to move on.

You were using the Xoom build right? I am waiting for the 3.2 release and then I'll start flashing roms! Can't wait!
 
Magazine. Bias in some cases.
Just had a email from a well known mag asking me to vote for among other things.
Best tablet of the year. The Acer was not even on the list yet the Hp touchpad was.
Go figure.
 
Magazine. Bias in some cases.
Just had a email from a well known mag asking me to vote for among other things.
Best tablet of the year. The Acer was not even on the list yet the Hp touchpad was.
Go figure.

Yeah...the Touchpad probably figures due to its fire sale price! ridiculous!
 
You were using the Xoom build right? I am waiting for the 3.2 release and then I'll start flashing roms! Can't wait!

Yes I was using xoom but i switched to thrive worked great for a couple of.weeks and still works solid.except for random shut downs.
I must have forgot to update what I was using..
Also I thought in.d mention. I saw no noticeable differance between zoom and thrive with battery life.
When I get home I will update my tablet again to 3.2 and let you know how it runs. Unless you do it first and let me know...
 
I would say the Iconia is a sleeper. Once people find out more about it they really want to try one out. I was working out of town this week, doing some emails while at a restaurant and I got the typical response .....is that an I pad?!?!.....I tell them no....its better because its nt locked up like an I pad. Then I show them the USB port, the micro USB for syncing, and the HDMI as well as the expandable memory and they all go WOW! I didn't know something like that existed. One guy was going that day to buy either an Asus transformer or an I pad.......after seeing my Iconia he was pretty convinced that that was the device for him. His only concern about getting something other than the I pad, was not having internet every where he was. He also mentioned that he does a lot of over seas travel. Then I told him about the new Motorola Photon which is usable all over the world and you can tether the Iconian to the phone , and use the phone as the hotspot. He looked at his Blackberry and then said, "really"! I think I may have found my new tablet as well as a new phone. I also told him about Android forums, and how much info is available here.
 
I don't think so. From all I have seen it was one of the top sellers.
PC magazine is probably just bias.
All the reviews I have read are as far as I can tell.

Have to agree, I wrote a review of an article in the Australian APC magazine that compared the current load of tablets, these guys did not have a clue so they made stuff up and outright lied to fit in with their agenda, whatever that was.

APC - Australian tech news, how to and computer help.

Pete
 
Have to agree, I wrote a review of an article in the Australian APC magazine that compared the current load of tablets, these guys did not have a clue so they made stuff up and outright lied to fit in with their agenda, whatever that was.

APC - Australian tech news, how to and computer help.

Pete

Lol! That's that was an interesting read. What was even more striking was the excuses the Editor made.

Thanks for posting the link.

As an aside, I think I am coming around to the view that the folks who tout the iPad as being the epitome of tablets are indeed on some kool-aid or another.

Just the other day, someone at work wanted to handle my A500. After playing around it for some time, she said..."but this is not an iPad"!

My reaction: "Yeah...that's kinda obvious ain't it!"

Cheers!
 
The ipad is a status symble for the yuppies. The android is for people who acatually want something that works.
My wife hates me saying that cause she says there aren't any yuppies anymore.
Yeah right.
 
I was in the local magazine shop a few days back looking at one of the main computer mags, and it was doing a roundup of current Tablets. The A500 was about the second or third unit reviewed, it got an equal high score of 8/10 with a few others (lost points for being heavy).

Over the last few weeks I have visited a few major electical shops and all have had the A500 on the bench with a few other makes. That's where I found the A500, played with it, and bought it. (It was just so far ahead of my Flytouch 3 I had to have it).

So I'd have to say in South Australia the A500 is a success, and certainly not taking a back seat.
 
the Iconia was definitely not a flop i just hate how everyone that sees a tablet automatically think Ipad (Iscam)
 
I mostly get that ipad-remark from women..... How is that??
Is it because women are more prone to fall (fail?) for trends? :-)
 
the Iconia was definitely not a flop i just hate how everyone that sees a tablet automatically think Ipad (Iscam)

Trouble is that iPad got the market jump, and saturated it nicely. So now everyone who sees a tablet just thinks "Ipad" as a generic name.

I guess it's up to all of us to push the Android barrow when ever we hear "Is that an iPad?"

I certainly sell the merits of an Android phone every time someone asks for advice on an iPhone. (More of my work colleagues now have a HTC Desire than an iPhone).
 
Like most folks here,as soon as someone sees mine, once they notice its NOT an Ipad, and they see what it can do, they are impressed, and surprised they have never heard of it. I know three aquaintances who purchased their own after seeing mine. Great minds think alike.
 
I wouldn't say all Acer A500 forums are as inactive as this one. There are 10 active custom ROMs with updates done within the last 30 days all based on HC 3.2.
 
I have my A500 a month now and love it BUT.
I think there is a fundemental problem with Android.
I have a Samsung S2 (after a S1 ann Nexus) and was keen to get android tablet.
With the delays on galaxy tab 10.1 and A500 having USB and MicroSD I went for that one.
The issue I have is that there is too much differnece in stock apps between devices and too much of a delay on updates for all devices. You can buy 1.6, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 devices and as many in honeycomb. Others who bought android tablets complained too on the fact that tablets are similar to android phones unlike apple where most things are 100% the same.

Google needs to up the game on standardisation (ice cream sandwich maybe) and a bit better clarity on tablet apps on market. Stretched phone apps look awful.

And the fact that Microsoft makes more money off android than google adds insult to the open source.

D
 
I have my A500 a month now and love it BUT.
I think there is a fundemental problem with Android.
I have a Samsung S2 (after a S1 ann Nexus) and was keen to get android tablet.
With the delays on galaxy tab 10.1 and A500 having USB and MicroSD I went for that one.
The issue I have is that there is too much differnece in stock apps between devices and too much of a delay on updates for all devices. You can buy 1.6, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 devices and as many in honeycomb. Others who bought android tablets complained too on the fact that tablets are similar to android phones unlike apple where most things are 100% the same.

Google needs to up the game on standardisation (ice cream sandwich maybe) and a bit better clarity on tablet apps on market. Stretched phone apps look awful.

And the fact that Microsoft makes more money off android than google adds insult to the open source.

D

While I definitely agree on the Microsoft point, I think that patent law in this country is beyond ridiculous, I think the non-standardization is one thing that sets google apart from apple in a good way. The different skins that each manufacturer puts on their device gives us choice. I would prefer more choice rather than less. As far as "fragmentation" as my Apple fan-boy friend like to complain/gloat about, it is really not that big of an issue. My thunderbolt just got Gingerbread, and it is NOT night and day difference from Froyo. It is faster, more optimized, and contains a few extra features, but otherwise not drastically different. The only difference between apple and android is that apple gets their update all at the same time, and is a set date, where android is dependant on manufacturers and usually carriers, BUT it rolls out as soon as it is ready, as opposed to waiting for the specific roll-out date that apple sets every year. Tablets, from what I have heard about 3.2 on the Iconia, again, not much difference from 3.1.
 
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