Acer Iconia Tab A501 Pro Reviews

If you loved the Acer Iconia A500, and you need the added connectivity of a data plan from Ma Bell, you'd be better off opting for a tethering plan with a device you're already toting around. AT&T makes the addition quite easy for your smartphone or mobile broadband device, and you'll be able to share the connection with your other tech and not just the tablet. Going this route also lends itself to any number of alternatives in the Android realm that could end up being a much better deal, including the more expensive Galaxy 10.1. You'll have to forgo the USB port and microSD slot should you settle on Samsung's offering, though. The Eee Pad Transformer 16GB WiFi model is another solid option and can be picked up for a cool $399. Not only is the price comparable to the Acer Tab, but for another $150 you can grab a keyboard dock that adds two USB 2.0 ports, an SD slot and hours of extra battery life. At $330 with a contract, the inclusion of a WWAN radio on the A501 simply becomes more of a financial burden and not much else. But, if you've got some coin to spare and you don't mind paying for a data connection for only one device, you could certainly do much worse.

Given that the A501 is exactly the same device as the A500, just with an AT&T 4G connection, this is a very minor upgrade. People that weren't fans of the original tablet aren't going to be converted here, unless they're desperate for a decent (but not stellar) 4G connection. But if you appreciate the hardware and its performance, as I did, and you were just looking for an excuse to shell out for a pretty darn good Android tablet, the new 4G connectivity might just be what the doctor ordered. There may be a couple of minor issues with the A501, including the an outdated OS version and mounds of bloatware that plagued its predecessor, but otherwise it's a modestly priced (subsidized, that is) Android tablet that performs quite well. Just be aware that you won't be getting anything else new in this model besides the new antenna.

The Acer Iconia Tab A501 4G (AT&T) is the A500 with HSPA+ connectivity at a very competitive price compared to other 4G tablets; however, its adherence to Android 3.0 limits its appeal.

While I would have preferred it if Acer had priced the Iconia Tab closer to the 20K mark rather than the 25K mark, I find it hard to complain about the Iconia's price-tag of Rs. 27,999 for the 16GB 3G+Wi-Fi version.??Overall, the Acer Iconia Tab A501 is a good device and probably the first Android tablet I would recommend. It still has some issues but also does a lot of things well.