Computer manufacturer Acer America shook up the burgeoning tablet market with the release of the Iconia Tab A700 tablet with a 10.1-inch Full HD 1080p display and a price of $449.99. The tablet, weighing in at 1.5 pounds, runs on Googles latest Android operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, and is powered by an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor. The CPU design features a fifth Battery Saver Core, which extends the tablet’s battery life by handling less demanding activities.
The 10-point touch capacitive display has a 178-degree viewing angle, supports dual-displays for sharing videos and photos on an external display, and offers the ability to be used as a console to play video games on a TV. The A700s audio specs are also impressive; Dolby Mobile 3 with 5.1-channel home theater surround sound capabilities complements the high-definition video technology, while recording features let users suppress background noise or record sound from further away through a Concert mode feature. Sound capture has also been improved for video conferencing.
The tablet can be connected to other displays via the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port or other devices via the micro-USB port for syncing and transferring files, or with the MicroSD card slot, which supports up to 64GB MicroSD cards. In addition, the A700 comes with 32GB of flash storage integrated into the device. The tablet has two cameras: A 5-megapixel rear-facing camera is auto-focusing and provides the ability to take snapshots while recording HD video, and the 1MP fixed-focused front-facing camera allows video conferencing and features an improved zoom.
Acer has also loaded the A700 up with productivity applications, including Polaris Office 3.5 for reading and editing documents on the go, and Evernote, a personal assistant for capturing and saving Web pages, and media documents and then storing them to the cloud. Integrated Bluetooth technology connects the A700 to printers and other wireless devices, while the Acer Print application is compatible with 87 percent of major brand printers in the market, a company release claimed.
Other features include integrated GPS and e-compass for location-based services and maps and Acer 802.11 b/g/n wireless technology for WiFi connectivity. The Acer Ring interface addition to Android 4.0 allows users to customize the way they launch favorite apps, programs and Websites through a one-touch button. Acer is also offering a protective case for the A700, which is available for $39.99. Consumers have embraced their tablets as a mobile hub for their daily lives, and the full HD display on the A700 will give customers a fresh new perspective on the apps, games and digital media they enjoy, Paul Tayar, director of product marketing for connected devices for Acer America, said in a prepared statement.