yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Acer Iconia A500] kxs783kms:
I can't keep anything that won't allow me to come back from the dead. So with no recovery(as of now) and a locked bootloader, its probably going back this weekend or next weekend when my 14 days are up. If it did have a recovery, I would easily choose this over the Transformer. So I guess its waiting on the next best tablet for me.
[Acer Iconia A500] rushless:
NTFS works with the NTFS patch. Needs root, but that is easy.
[Acer Iconia A500] rushless:
Divx works for me, but I use Rockplayer and not the stock player.
[Acer Iconia A500] butterflygirl:
Yep...already done that...but would really like to use my ext3 formatted drives without copying 1tb of media files to another drive and then reformatting. But, it's not as big of a deal now that I have root and ntfs mount.
[Acer Iconia A500] icetrap06:
I purchased out of frustration with the ASUS not being available. Now that I have played with it considerably, I really love it. The few issues that I do have are issues with Android (i.e. App availability) and not Acer. Also, even though there are a few video issues, I have seen these same issues reported with ASUS. So, I will certainly keep it.
[Acer Iconia A500] rushless:
@butterfly,

Good point. Would be nice option.

@ice,

The issue is the Tegra 2. Nvidia actually had good beta drivers that leaked to the gTablet and they worked well. For whatever reason, the drivers were changed and some file types stopped working in accelerated hardware mode. To get the good beta drivers you had to be using Froyo and the correct version that worked with Nvidia. The trade-off was not worth it.

Nvidia needs to support codecs better than they are, so not an issue with the OEMs but the chipset support. I am okay (for the most part) with what is supported, but can see why some folks would not be.
[Acer Iconia A500] Lorimere:
Like many here. I was planning on buying the ASUS. But now that I have the ACER I am happy with it. So I don't plan on returning it.

The dock for the transformer is nice, but now I am not sure I could go to a tablet that doesn't have usb on the tablet itself. Its just too convienent.
[Acer Iconia A500] Vintage144:
Ive heard people whine about the weight , I dont get it , my Ruger Redhawk .44 magnum weighs more than this tablet and I dont have a problem carrying that (full time ccw), but maybe for those so worried about the weight , get a smartphone instead !
[Acer Iconia A500] butterflygirl:
I like to use a tablet for an ereader as well as a comic reader (probably 50% of my usage) and it gets kinda heavy after holding in portrait for a while. It's easier to hold something lighter and a smartphone screen is too small. That said, I have a stand I've been using and that works just fine as well.
[Acer Iconia A500] michaelg1030:
I think I may be returning it. Getting recovery for this is going very slow and I am starting to get concerned it will not be achieved.

I only have til Tuesday so hoping lots of progress is made. If not, I think ill get the Asus as stock should be arriving shortly. USB is not as much a necessity to me as a better screen, lighter, full root and recovery, and $50 in my pocket are.
[Acer Iconia A500] thor2002ro:
best tablet I've tried so far ....

I've tried xoom felt really cheap I thought the thing will break in my hand...

Asus no usb host + the color is a real deal breaker for me...

So a500 all the way we will get it all.. not really in a hurry... even if we don't get recovery going there's other ways to get overclocking and other stuff without ever needing to touch the kernel or the recovery...
[Acer Iconia A500] rushless:
Wifi is my main issue with the A500, since is weaker than most of my devices (all but one). gTablet is much better with wifi signal and stability of connection.

As far as the Transformer:

1. No USB on the tablet means no buy for me, since as reviews and users have pointed out, the keyboard has stability issues, which I can almost guarantee are Honeycomb related.

2. Having to always rely on an attachment for Host that takes up more space and adds more weight seems counter-intuitive to the premise of a tablet- it becomes a netbook at that point and not a tablet. Plus adds a net $100.

3. Asus already stated global supplies are 10,000 this month and will not improve until late in June. The Asus will be harder to find than expected until July (if Asus info is correct).
[Acer Iconia A500] michaelg1030:
If I bought the transformer I wouldn't get the keyboard dock so that extra $100 isn't a factor for me so the Acer is $50 more. If i wantto usb a kb, theres always bluetooth, right? Again the USB, although a nice feature, not a priority to me. The 10,000 units was a rumor. They said it will be 100,000 this month and and another 100,000 in june than 300,000 each month after. Although not sure how much I can believe them.

While I don't plan on rooting and adding custom rom's anytime soon, I know I will be in the future. The locked bootloader on the Acer and lack of support that they will not provide to the devs is a major concern if you every want to root.
[Acer Iconia A500] atomicwedgie:
No USB is without question unacceptable in a tablet. What is part of the use of a tablet be to transfer pictures and videos from things like cell phones and cameras?

When I go on vacation I would much rather be the able to just carry the tablet then to also bring a laptop along.

And the fact that I can connect a 500 gig portable hard drive to the Acer loaded with videos means never getting bored.
[Acer Iconia A500] butterflygirl:
Exactly :)
[Acer Iconia A500] Dalrimple:
This is a concern for me as well... however if cracking the bootloader can be done, it will be done by the great devs we have.

I remember people were saying the Droid X would never get custom ROM's due to their locked bootloader too, but it did eventually get cracked and now it's swarming with choices and mods.

I hope that a similar breakthrough happens on the Acer... I'm not a dev, so I don't know the differences, but I have a feeling a little bit of patience from us, and we'll see some custom ROM's and kernal enhancements eventually.
[Acer Iconia A500] michaelg1030:
Yeah but bestbuy only gives you 14 days of patience......

After thinking it over, ill probably keep it.
[Acer Iconia A500] timehunter:
For my Archos I have the 70IT w/ 250GB HDD internal (formatted to ext3). Not near enough to handle my entire media library (well more than 1 TB), but all of my 5200 music files and enough movies that I don't have to choose ahead of time what I might want to take with me.

And with a little jiggering, I can get the Acer to read NTFS drives, so no file size limitation. Still jammed though by the media file format support and I have a LOT of files that would need to be redone. I bought the $40 Acer brand case for the Acer though, so I guess that means I'm keeping it.
[Acer Iconia A500] butterflygirl:
Yep, got NTFS on mine now, so one more reason to keep. Still debating...
[Acer Iconia A500] kalric:
Returned today

Just returned mine today. Problems with GPS, cell battery drain and it relying totally on wi-fi for Google Maps to work was all a deal breaker for me.

Talked to the lady at BB and she said 1-2 a week are coming back mainly because of the GPS issues.

I liked it at first, but as I played around with it more the little things started popping up and just didn't think it was ready for prime time.

I'm going to wait to see what comes out later this year and hopefully it will be fixed. :)

S
[Acer Iconia A500] Lorimere:
Really hoping for a GPS fix soon. (although honestly I don't use it), My phone is just a lot more handy.

As for google maps only working with wifi. I hope you realize that is the case with all wifi tablets and not just the acer. Google maps needs a connection in order to function. Only way you will get real time maps with out wifi is if you download maps to the device itself with like copilot. Or wait for a 3g/4g tablet and pick up a data plan, so it works like your phone.
[Acer Iconia A500] kxs783kms:
Returned mine today. The lack of Acer support, locking the bootloader and not providing a good recovery(which leads to you having to send the tab in if anything software related goes borked) was to much of a negative to me. Other than that, I loved the build and feel of it. If a recovery is achieved, I'll be picking it back up if I haven't found something else along the way.
[Acer Iconia A500] qhinton:
headed back tomorrow

GPS issue plus its too heavy. I will wait to play with a transformer and toshiba.
[Acer Iconia A500] Iconia:
Gonna sell mine . .

I've decided i'm going to sell mine, as my mrs has just gotten me a ipad-2 for my birthday pressie ( albeit early but hey )

If any one from the uk is interested let me know i can and will add photo's for you with my name and date ect, also if you want it shipped anywhere else let me know first as i will try and find the cheapest viable shipping option available.

I am after £390 for it, as it also comes with a 16GB Class 4 sd card aswell.
[Acer Iconia A500] 00mred00:
Huawei s7 slim wins... my weekend with Nook color, Acer A500 and the new S7 slim

n the end..the a500 is going back or going on ebay....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.

I also had some issues with wacky things like That wifi issue some are having 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.

The external sd card cannot be read via a computer, you have to remove it and add etc via a reader

Stupid Short power cord, and the lack of USB charging of the unit

Ridiculously bad about finger prints and smudges (I know I know..a screen protector would help here..but this was just out of the box comparison of the three)

I am sure some of the issue with the a500 will be solved over time if the Devs can get a working recovery on it.

All three were ridiculously easy to root...but there really is no good recovery option for the a500 or s7 slim yet. I am sure this will be solved over time.

The rooted nook had a real "neato" factor..but hardly practical for my use. After an hour or two navigating through the menus and hitting softkeys and downloading some apps I knew it would be going back.

I am at work so I'll add more later...and though my "needs" aren't the same as everyone else the s7 fits them adequately (for now :P)
[Acer Iconia A500] rushless:
Returned mine today due to wifi not being stable in one or two bar areas of my house (A500 going in and out of connection about once every five or so minutes). My gTablet, M11X, Incredible, Droid 1 and iPod 4 (to name a few) all work stable in one or two bar areas. For me, the A500 did not and I even bought a new Netgear N600 to see if that helped, but did not. Point is all my other main devices work fine.

Like everything but the wifi on the A500, so I hope they improve the wifi in an update. ADDED: Or I had a bad one? Seems it would either work or not though, so doubt it.

BTW, one thing that does suck is how the internal storage is read by a computer (windows). Though it is easy to transfer data TO the A500, it is problematic copying all data FROM the A500, since windows will only see certain files and will stop transferring- without warning (do not assume everything gets transferred if you do- check).

I noticed this when moving my stuff out of the A500 before returning. Not sure if the mapping of storage is a Honeycomb constraint or Acer, but it kind of sucks, none the less.
[Acer Iconia A500] timehunter:
Well, turns out it isn't the device that is limited, but rather the software. Downloading moboplayer and a codec pack resolved using AVI files. Now to find an answer for the WMA files.
[Acer Iconia A500] deedub334:
I'm pretty sure I'm keeping mine, even though when I bought I was definitely in the "I'll wait and see" camp. There are a couple of things I don't like, but they are software related and I'm sure there will be updates or XDA solutions to them. I am happy with the actual hardware.

Rooted the A500 today, went very smoothly. :D
[Acer Iconia A500] Koturno:
Before getting the A500, I was going to buy an Ipad2 but got fed up with the 6~12wk wait. I like the A500, but was hoping to be able to run Skype video chat, and looks that I can't. I've also tried Fring & Tango, and same problem. Does anybody know about an existing Android working app for video chat? I have 10 more days before returning the Acer, and if I don't find a solution I guess I'd rather go for an Ipad2 and its Face Time...
[Acer Iconia A500] Dalrimple:
Apologies, I know this is off topic -

The best Android program I've found for video chat, is "Talk"... it's gmail-based. I believe it will work with anyone with a web-cam on their PC... I've tested it from tablet-to-tablet, and am planning a test to a friend with a PC laptop across the Atlantic this Friday.

Got my fingers crossed that it will work tablet-to-PC.

I won't deal with Skype... hidden charges and such (friends in other countries, and what I believe to be false-advertising skype-wise). So I'm really just hoping that Talk will do it, from a gmail perspective.

Anyone with experience with this?

Now - on-topic - I will definitely be keeping it! I love it.
[Acer Iconia A500] urdaddi:
I tried to use PlayOn, butit did not seem to work on my Acer.
[Acer Iconia A500] fredderf81:
returning

i will be returning my iconia tomorrow. the cell standby battery drain issue is severely annoying to me. i honestly say i like the tablet. it has a good price and good features. i contacted acer about the issue and they said they were working on it but there was no update planned in the future. i am a manager for a retail chain and we also sell the xoom and a few others. looking over the displays today the iconia was the only tab that has the cell standby issue. it sucks though because i really did like the tablet. the only other thing that was annoying as hell is the way the internal memory is set up as an sd card. many apps dont like that.

i will be waiting for the toshiba ant. which will come out sometime in june...late june...probably the last week in june....for about $50 more than the iconia.
[Acer Iconia A500] propagandax:
You guys are quitters!
[Acer Iconia A500] timehunter:
I use Trillian for a multiple service text chat client, but I have never tried using it for video chat. I don't see a setting in it for that, though, so I really don't know.
[Acer Iconia A500] g0t0:
I intend to keep mine. coming over from the g tablet, so its all a plus! still have my g tablet, but the kids use it now. I don't see myself getting something else for another year. great tablet so far!
[Acer Iconia A500] g0t0:
rock player is your friend
[Acer Iconia A500] 00mred00:
What is this cell standby issue....I left work at 7 and mine was fully charged. Its been asleep since and now 4 hours later I wake her up and she is still at 100%
[Acer Iconia A500] Koturno:
Hey Dalrimple, I can't find this "Talk" app when searching the Markeplace. Would you be so kind to provide me the complete name and developer name? Thanks!
[Acer Iconia A500] cynikalJ:
I am definately keeping mine. I already have an Acer desktop and laptop. I love this thing, I am getting rid of my laptop now.
[Acer Iconia A500] elec2glide:
Keeping Mine

I bought a Xoom after a week wifi went out, took it back played with the Iconia" much better" IMHO. I wish I could get into a Bootstrap Recovery and get a backup up made now that it is rooted.
[Acer Iconia A500] groaner:
I'm hoping to keep it but I need to ensure I get good WiFi everyewhere in my house. I was able to tweak the signal last night by getting rid of the wifi on the crappy modem my provider gives us (SMC modem with built in wireless) and hooked up my old wireless router. It's better but still not as nice as I'd like. I get a decent wireless connection on my top floor (router is in the basement) on my phone but with the iconia I do not.
[Acer Iconia A500] RazorbackFan:
I first purchased the Xoom on the day the WiFi version was released from BB. I enjoyed using the tablet, but noticed too many things that seemed buggy. Also, when placed next to my wife's first gen iPad the screen looked horrible. I returned after about 30 days and picked up the Acer since the Asus TF wasnt yet available. I have been playing around with the A500 for about a week and really like it. There are alot of pros and cons between the A500 and the Asus TF. The USB host on the A500 is great, but the screen while pretty good still isnt an IPS like the TF. Also, the cell standby battery drain issue is pretty major IMHO. I have NOT been getting good battery times and have tried Airplane mode and disabled everything that can be draining the battery, not to mention that I really havent been using it that much. I think the speed is very good and the touch screen is very responsive. The DLNA app is decent, but has some strange inconsistencies unlike what I have heard with the DLNA app on the Asus TF. Another thing to consider is that it seems that the TF is getting all the hype, which in turn drives devs (software, hardware, cases, etc) to produce more support for a specific device. When it comes down to it, the only thing the A500 has up on the TF is the USB host. If USB host is important to the user, then he/she should stick with the A500. If screen, dev support, bootloader, etc is more important as well as 50 bucks cheaper price is important, then I think the TF is a more suitable solution. I am hoping that my local BB has some TF units in stock by next week so that I can try one out and make my decision.

I think everyone on this forum has excellent input and advice...I'm just giving my 2 cents.
[Acer Iconia A500] markteacher:
If you take a look at the Transformer, check it for light bleed in a darkened room with a black screen on half then full brightness, in particular look at the area around the software keys, and then examine the seal which holds the screen in to the metal surround.

I have had three (yes, I know!) and they have all suffered from terrible light bleed and a gap in the seal at the top left hand side (barely visible, but wide enough to slide a piece of paper into), which will ultimately allow dust into the screen enclosure.

I have returned mine for a refund and am now actively looking at the A500 or the Xoom, though erring towards the Acer because of the full size usb (with host) and the fact that the micro sd is working without a messy root and work around like the Xoom, also I have played with the Xoom next to the Acer, and it seems pretty laggy screen wise in comparison.

Is the cell standby issue a killer (had one of the first Notion Ink Adams which suffered from drain by cell standby and Robeet produced a rom which disabled it) or is there a workaround already?

Also I have read that wifi reception is not wonderful with the Iconia, what are peoples opinions?

Help me decide guys (I would wait for the Galaxy 10.1 and the new Toshiba, but I have a feeling they are going to be asking pretty stellar prices - and, I don't want to wait!!)
[Acer Iconia A500] michaelg1030:
Its Google talk. Its already installed on your tab. Its just listed as talk as the app.
[Acer Iconia A500] michaelg1030:
Its called Google talk and its comes preinstallled on your phone. It's a messenging service but they added video chat to it.
[Acer Iconia A500] michaelg1030:
Today's my day to decide. I really want to keep it, but not sure I can with the bootloader being locked, Acer"s lack of support, and Acer not being mentioned as one of the of Google's preferred carriers at today's io.

I don't want to be at the mercy of Acer for updates.
[Acer Iconia A500] viking2.0:
i dont see any cell standby issues in my acer. i left it at 100% yesterday morning and when i came back it was at 90% ... i dont see much of a drain there. Is that the issue you guys are seeing.

One issue i see is the screen keeps waking up every few mins and i am not able to find a solution for this.. please share your experience regarding this

I am still debating whether to keep it as in today's I/O conference acer is not supported as a reference platform by google
[Acer Iconia A500] butterflygirl:
Reluctantly, I'm going to take mine back. I like the tablet, but it doesn't do that much more than my Archos 101 and I really can't justify keeping it. I also have some concerns after seeing some posts that this tablet may not be one of Google's preferred carriers. Coming from Archos (who gets no Google support at all - market has to be hacked), I really don't want to get into that situation again unless I REALLY love the tablet. Since I like it about as well as my 101, I guess it's going back...sigh

I may pick up another one later if it looks like it will be getting updates and if the devs are able to crack it :)
[Acer Iconia A500] riven58:
Im absolutely sue TO keep my A500; it works smoothly, honeycomb it's nice band almost alla the apps in the market area running very well; I like all the features such as external ad usb port and the connectivity. Last but note least it'cheap.
[Acer Iconia A500] hmoobguy:
keeping mine. I bought squaretrade's warranty with accidental damage handling.. just in case as accidents do happen. :D
[Acer Iconia A500] kebsood:
Haha you answered you're own question. There is always a next big thing. I fear you will wait forever...
[Acer Iconia A500] snowowl89:
Keeping it!

The transformer's IPS display and dock gives it an edge, but with all the bugs with the cameras and interface, not to mention the lag noted in all the unboxing videos, I'd say I will stay with Acer's more vanilla version of honeycomb. Furthermore, I figure if you're going to have a tablet, make it a dedicated tablet, not a netbook/tablet hybrid... But that's just me!

That said, I picked mine up today & will be rooting it and enjoying it until there is a tablet available with the upcoming tegra 3 soc and an amoled display. Until I see those two innovations in one device I'll be sticking with my new Iconia, at which point it may be bequeathed to my technically challenged parents!
[Acer Iconia A500] lrs421:
After comparing this to my Gtab for the past few days the A500 stays. Mostly because it's not my phone. I already have an Inspire 4G rooted and running CM7. With that in mind I don't need an over-customized tab, the stock(ish) experience the A500 provides is good enough for what I do. I rooted the A500 and froze some bloat, I'm content, for now ;)
[Acer Iconia A500] dhruvmp:
I am still undecided. I like the idea of having a tablet in the group of partners with google, but I think we will be fine as long as enough enthusiasts buy into the iconia.:cool:
[Acer Iconia A500] cdkizzle:
I was going to Staples to buy one today, but after seeing those Sammy 10.1s at the Google I/O I've been invigorated with patience :D
[Acer Iconia A500] HelloManny:
I'm keeping my A500. It's a good product at a good price. While other people are waiting for the perfect Android tablet to arrive (probably at a higher price), I'm enjoying some quality time with my A500.