Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I must preface the review by stating my time with Android devices has been limited. I have had more iOS devices and spent more time with that platform. I have always respected the Android platform, its functionality, and the value it presents. Nevertheless, this Acer Iconia A1 with Intel Atom processor has more than impressed me. The first thing? The speed of the device. The internet browsing, app launching, startup, etc. are all nice and speedy. This is a very important factor when looking at tablets. Surely, the 1GB of RAM helps too. You never feel as though you're waiting around for a page to load or application to launch. It just works and works as it should! My primary iPad is a third generation with retina display, and the speed of this Acer Iconia A1 is much more impressive. The form factor of the device? A perfect size. Hold it one hand or two hands, the choice is yours. It's comfortable. While a full size iPad I find uncomfortable in bed, I can use this product in bed for at least a few minutes without feeling uncomfortable. Lying back on the couch to read a book? That is enjoyable and comfortable. I can do that a couple hours. Sure, the Iconia A1 weight more than an iPad mini and it isn't quite as sleek, but I am not complaining. The screen? The size of the screen is fine as again it adds to the comfortable form factor of the device. The screen size and resolution is the same as the original iPad Mini, which sells for approximately one hundred dollars more than this device. The quality of the screen is "ok," for the price point. It is similar to original iPad mini screen in quality, but doesn't pop quite as much. Compared to a retina display on the retina iPad Mini or retina iPad, this screen looks poor! Sure, you can still comfortably read, navigate around etc. If retina displays did not exist, it would be fine, but with retina available today, you do truly notice the low resolution display. Still, for less than two hundred, something has to be cut. Build Quality? The Iconia A1 feels anything but cheap. In fact, it feels solid, looks beautiful, and fits right in your hand. It has a beautiful aluminum finish on the back. I have many Apple devices, and the build quality is right up there close with say an iPad mini. It really does look cool. Storage - 16 GB of internal storage is good for the price. 16 GB is the same amount on an entry level iPad, but the Iconia offers expandability with a microSD card slot, something iPad never offers. Software - You can do almost anything with this tablet. The Google Play App Store is at your fingertips. All the apps you can imagine are there. Hundreds of games, news, music, etc. Name an App on iOS, and it is probably available on Android too. The only thing, for someone like me, if you already own apps on the iOS App Store, you will of course have to re-purchase them on Google Play, but if you're a long time Android user, all your applications and preferences will transfer over immediately when powering on the tablet the first time and entering your Google ID. Google makes the process simple and painless. Well done Google. They keep you backed up too! The included Android version is Jelly Bean, and it runs smoothly. There are a few pre-installed apps for games, several for music, etc. I find these rather annoying, but I simply remove them from the main screen and use the more popular apps like Google Play, Amazon MP3, Pandora, SiriusXM, etc. I have DirecTV service, and I can even stream a selection of channels to the device in the DirecTV App (available via the Google Play store for free) when I am on the same network as my DirecTV receivers. Voice recognition is near perfect. I find it better than Siri and voice recognition on iPhone/iPad. Google gets what you say right, almost every time, if not too complex. Search your tablet, search the web, compose an email. Android's voice over support is superb! The screen seems to hold onto fingerprints a bit more than iPad's oleo-phobic screen, but I have a little display cleaner to use on it at the end of the day, no big issue. Camera? Both a rear and front camera are included. Personally, I never use the cameras on any of my tablets. Phones have much better cameras. Spakers, fine if you need to hear something in a pinch. Otherwise, plug in some headphones. Your Ecosystem - It's hard to leave your ecosysystem, rather Google Play or iOS App Store. I have so many purchases on App Store. Furthermore, I love features like Airplay in iOS so I can scream content on my iOS devices to Apple TV. Nevertheless, there are similar alternatives for Android. Even being locked in iOS ecosystem, I am happy to add this product to my arsenal of devices. It fits in nicely, and I can do almost anything with it! Overall, Acer is presenting an incredible value with the newest Iconia A1. The Intel Atom processor makes your experience smooth. You never feel you are waiting on the tablet, and that makes for a good experience. Battery life is acceptable. Most of all, at a very low price point you get a speedy Android 7.9-inch tablet, a comfortable size and it gets into the Google Play ecosystem of incredible applications a click away. Plus, you have Amazon's App store available, Kindle Application, as well as Amazon MP3. Amazon videos are not available on any Android devices (except Kindles which are specific Android devices). Web browsing, music with headphones, book reading, email review, and quick games are a joy on this device. The display will let down your videos, photos, and sharp text somewhat, but the price point with the fluidity of the device makes it a compelling product. I was skeptical before using the A1, but I can now see it being a part of my life nearly every day. It is small enough and light enough to take anywhere, and when you do take it, you can count on a device that you know will work with the applications you need! Very much recommended!