25th Mar 11
Acer launches Windows and Android tablets next month
by Paul Russell
Looking to crack the burgeoning market for tablet computers, Acer announced the upcoming launch of its own tablets running the Android and Windows operating systems.
From 8 April, UK shoppers will be able to choose between the Iconia Tab A500 and the Iconia Tab W500. The launch gives gadget-buyers an even greater choice of tablet operating systems that includes Apple’s hugely-successful iOS, as well as Google’s Android, Microsoft’s Windows and HP’s WebOS from Palm, as well as RIM PlayBook, which supports Android and Java apps.
The Acer A500 first appeared in February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The A500 is based on Google’s Honeycomb version of Android 3.0 and has a 10.1-inch screen running on the Tegra 2 dual-core chipset from nVidia.
Two versions of the A500 will be sold in the UK. The WiFi-only version will be priced at around £449. The 3G-version, called the Icona Tab A501, will come in at £549.
Apple has just launched its iPad 2. Pricing for the Apple product comes in at £50 cheaper than the corresponding models from Acer.
The Windows version of the Acer tablet, the W500, runs on Microsoft Windows 7 and is priced at £449, making it a direct price competitor for Acer’s own A500. Acer is also offering a bundle deal for the W500 that throws in a Bluetooth keyboard for £529.
Acer is likely to be offering a keyboard-package deal for the Windows version of its tablet as that OS has come under substantial criticism for being less than completely finger-friendly. Google’s Honeycomb is probably a better deal for users keen to maximize their use of the touch-sensitive interface.
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