Acer ICONIA Tab W500 is a 10.1-inch convertible internet tablet running Windows 7 Home
Premium. It's not only a tablet PC, but it can "transform" itself into a traditional laptop. The W500 docks
into a portable, attachable keyboard and you've got a laptop-like device in your hand. It’s made from
capacitive glass and aluminum and feels solid to hold. It’s nicely ergonomic, too. Acer did a very good job
of using a weight, balance and thickness that is maneuverable enough to easily flip and move without feeling
cheap or flimsy.
The Acer ICONIA Tab W500 is powered by a AMD C-50 processor at 1 GHz frequency, which includes a
circuit Radeon HD6250 for the video card. With the latest Dual-Core AMD C-50 processor, this hybrid Tab
has the power to handle Flash 10.1 HD. The ICONIA Tab W500 has a 32GB SSD (solid state drive), 2GB of
DDR3 RAM, the WIndows 7 Home Premium 32-bit operating system that handles video muvies at 1080p
resolution.
It also
features a Wi-Fi 802.11n module, Bluetooth 3.0 standard, a memory card reader, a USB port, an HDMI
output, a headphone jack and a slot for a 3G module. The multipoint touch screen has a diagonal of 10.1
inches, a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels and a format 16/10 . The brightness announced by producer
is 350 cd / m 2 and the contrast ratio is 500:1. The W500 features dual cameras, a 1.3 megapixel
front-facing camera for video chatting and a back camera for photo snapping. It's also got built in Dolby
speakers which are very loud and clear. The batery life is about 5-6 hours, which is OK, but not
great.
The W500's
dock is quite interesting, it magnetically attaches to the tablet, so you don't have to juggle multiple
pieces of equipment. It's easy to pop off, but when securely seated the magnets are very strong and it
stays nicely in place. The keyboard dock is pretty ergonomic and it was easy to type on, although the
clickable mouse buttons are a bit awkwardly placed. Don’t try to close the W500 like a laptop! We’ve all
been trained for 25 years to close a laptop a certain way, and when docked, the W500 feels just like a
laptop, and as such, you’d naturally expect it to close like one. But you can’t, you must remove the
slate unit from the dock first. This isn’t a big deal – you can pop off the W500 from its dock with one
hand – but will take some getting used to.
One issue with the
Tab W500 might be that 32GB SSD (solid state drive) is not enough storage memory for most people. You
will only have about 17GB after WIndows 7 and Acer programs are installed. You may need to use the SD
slot and add additional memory, up to 32GB. But, it will not combine with the 32GB SSD, it will be a
separate 32GB memory. You can also use the USB ports to plug in external hard drives.
The Acer
Iconia Tab W500 is a very interesting and very useful take on the convertible PC. It really combines the
best of both worlds – a pure touch environment for casual gaming, web browsing, and watching TV and
movies, and a type environment for writing mail, working with documents and other text-heavy scenarios.
If you’re looking for a great touch experience, but also want the convenience to work in a more
traditional way, check out the W500.
Amazon Product
Description
The sleek and stylish Acer Iconia Tab W500 delivers the mobility
of a Tablet combined with the productivity of a notebook, making it the perfect tool for home or on-the-go. The
hybrid design offers the best of both worlds: the convenience of HD multi-touch Tablet portability, and the
full productivity of a standard Notebook via a dockable keyboard. Advanced technology such as Windows 7 OS
makes this Tab one smooth operator with enhanced usability and the AMD Brazos CPU provides dual-core power to
speed through tasks and enables vivid and smooth multimedia playback. You’ll be blown away by what the Acer
Iconia Tab W500 can do- rethink how you go mobile!
Key Features
10.1” HD Multi-Touch LED-backlit TFT LCD Display: (1280 x
800) resolution, wide viewing angle
AMD Dual-Core Processor C-50
2GB DDR3 Dual-Channel Memory
Windows® 7 Home Premium 32-bit
Microsoft® Office Starter 2010
ATI Radeon™ HD 6250 Graphics
32GB Solid State Drive
Dual 1.3MP Acer Crystal Eye Webcams (1280 x 1024)
resolution
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™
Bluetooth® 3.0+HS
Dolby® Advanced Audio® v2 Audio Enhancement
High-Definition Audio Support
2- USB 2.0 Port
1- HDMI™ Port with HDCP Support
Full-Size Acer FineTip Keyboard
Acer PowerSmart Battery 6-cell Li-Polymer
Learn More
From Tablet to Notebook in a Snap!
Enjoy powerful dual-core performance at home or on-the-go with the unique hybrid
design.
Choose how you go mobile with the Acer® Iconia
Tab W500-BZ467. With the unique hybrid design you have the option to take this Tab on-the-go or
insert it into the docking station with full-size chiclet keyboard for convenient two-handed text
input.
The dockable keyboard offers more than just comfortable typing… It also features an Ethernet port
for fast Internet connections and a USB port for external devices.
With the latest Dual-Core AMD C-50 Processor, this hybrid Tab has the power to handle Flash 10.1 HD
while also enjoying long battery life. The discrete-class graphics provide rich and vivid colors,
sharp images, and smooth multimedia playback anywhere- even on a big screen HDTV via HDMI
output.
Integrated battery provides 4 hours HD video playback and 6 hours Internet browsing so that you can
enjoy the freedom to go anywhere, anytime- without worrying about finding the nearest outlet!
32GB of Solid-State Storage provides fast data access, is light and quiet, and features a sturdy
design for your ultraportable Tab. 2GB Memory delivers quick system response and fast boot
ups.
An Absolute Touch Experience
Scroll effortlessly through your favorite applications with your fingertips using the fun and
simple Acer Ring Control Interface!
The 10.1" 720p HD capacitive multi-touch
display with wide viewing angles enhances your digital world and makes everyday activities simple.
From checking email and social networking, to enjoying HD content like movies and games- this Tab
lets you experience them in a new and exciting way!
The W500-BZ467 optimizes your touch experience in the Windows® 7 Home Premium environment with
bigger icons and a dedicated control bar so you can be more productive and interact with your
familiar Windows programs easier than ever.
The Acer Ring Control Interface is your entry point to entertainment. Simply place all five fingers
on the screen in a grab gesture to launch the unique touch portal and scroll effortlessly through
your favorite applications and utilities with your fingertips.
Connect Like Never Before
Stay fully connected with friends and the latest buzz wherever you go.
SocialJogger puts your social life in one place
so you can connect to Flickr, Facebook, and YouTube instantly and simultaneously. The 1.3MP HD
front and rear-facing cameras offer a special way to keep in touch with family and friends.
Acer Clear.fi™ allows you to manage, store, share, and enjoy media between any Clear.fi enabled
devices, in any room throughout your home.
Connect to the Internet reliably with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ and Gigabit Ethernet LAN
conveniently delivering rapid connectivity from your home, at work or on-the-go.
Acer ICONIA Tab
W500 PROS AND CONS
PROS:
Great built quality (looks and feels nice in your hand)
Windows 7 Home Premium full operating system
High resolution screen
Touch Screen is responsive and acurate
Great Dolby speakers
Audio quality from the headphone jack is excellent
Decent battery life (about 5-6 hours)
USB port (makes file transferring easy)
Full size SD slot (you can expand the memory by another 32Gb for a total of
64GB)
HDMI output (easy projection to your HDTV)
Very affordable (excellent features for the money)
CONS:
The W500 is not very light
No stylus is provided by the manufacturer
When attached to the keyboard, it sits at one angle (no ajustment)
32GB SSD (solid state drive) fills up quick (you will have only about 17GB to use
out from the box)
No GPS on this unit (but will be available in the future)
Acer ICONIA Tab W500 Video
Reviews
Where can you find the best deals on Acer ICONIA Tab
W500?
Amazon usually has the best prices and free
shipping.
This video features the new tablet from Motorola - Motorola XOOM. It is one of the first
tablets to run Google's Android 3.0 (Honeycomb). Click here to see a full review of Motorola XOOM.