Acer Iconia Tab A200 - Specifications. Review and testing of the tablet Acer Iconia Tab A200 Information about the size and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, offered colors, certificates

Design, controls

The tablet has a calm appearance, at the same time, it immediately recognizes the device from Acer, it looks a bit like the Iconia A500.

On the left side there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack, microUSB, a full-fledged USB port (a separate section will be devoted to it) and a power button. You have to get used to its location, because it is usually located on the upper end. By the way, there is a light indicator on the power button, it glows red when charging, white when the tablet is charged, and blinks when new notifications appear.

A slot for a microSD memory card and a Reset hole are hidden under the flap. Thanks to the plug, the slot is protected from accidental clicks (users of many other tablets, which do not have a plug, complain that sometimes they accidentally press the card and it is pulled out).

On the top you can see the volume rocker, the switch for automatic screen orientation and the microphone hole. The rocker has a short stroke, it is not very convenient to press it. At the same time, it has small protrusions, thanks to which it is easy to find it in the dark.

On the right, there is a place for its own connector for charger.

The back is made of rubberized plastic. It is matte and virtually fingerprint-free. Due to this material, the tablet is comfortable to hold in your hands, it does not slip. There are also two speakers on the back, their volume level is above average, but the location is unfortunate, when you hold the tablet in your hands, you involuntarily close them with your fingers. But if you keep it upside down, then there is no such problem, it is a pity that the manufacturer did not install the speakers on the upper part of the back.

There are no complaints about the assembly, the tablet is assembled perfectly, there are no creaks or backlashes.

Dimensions (edit)

Acer did not pursue the thickness of the case and light weight, the A200 has impressive dimensions, judge for yourself:

• Acer A200 Dimensions (LxWxD) 259x175x13 mm, weight 720 g
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Dimensions (LxWxD) 257x175x10 mm, weight 588 g
• Archos 101 G9 Turbo Dimensions (LxWxD) 276x167x13 mm, weight 649 g

As you can see, Acer A200 is heavier than its competitors, I let several friends use the tablet, they noted this heaviness as a virtue (you feel that you are holding a thing in your hand, not a plastic toy), but I prefer lighter devices.

Display

The tablet uses a usual 10 ”TN-matrix with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. However (I don’t know what it’s connected with), the screen quality is much better than that of competitors with the same TN-matrices. First, the A200 has good viewing angles. Secondly, the image looks sharper and brighter than on the same Archos 101 G9. In the sun, the screen almost completely fades, it is very problematic to read something from it. The screen is covered with Gorilla Glass, attempts to scratch it with keys were unsuccessful.

Autonomous work

The A200 has a 3260 mAh battery. A very small capacity for modern tablets, but let's look at the battery life in different modes.

In reading mode (screen brightness 10%, auto-scrolling enabled in the Moon + Reader program) the tablet lasted exactly 13 hours.

In HD-video viewing mode at maximum brightness using a software decoder in the MX player, the tablet worked for 6 hours.

In HD-video viewing mode at maximum brightness using a hardware decoder in the MX player, the tablet worked for 7 hours and 30 minutes.

When used in quiet mode (an hour of surfing the web and twitter and half an hour of reading), the tablet charge was enough for 3-4 days. Despite the small, by modern standards, battery capacity, the A200 gives good results in terms of battery life.

Operating system and add-ons from Acer

The tablet has the latest version of Android 4.0. You can read more about it in a separate article.

Lock screen... To unlock the device, you need to swipe the lock icon to the right. And on the left side there are four customizable shortcuts to open the application, just swipe in its direction.

Acer ring... There is a green dot in the center of the notification bar. When you tap on it, a ring with settings opens. There are four shortcuts around it, by default they are browser, gallery, quick screenshot and settings, but you can easily change them in the same settings. The standard combination of buttons on + volume down for screenshots also works. Interestingly enough, screenshots taken with the ring are saved to dcim / screenshots, and using a standard combination - to piсtures / screenshots. To the right of the ring is the volume slider, and to the left is quick access to your bookmarks. A beautiful and functional addition, and most importantly, if you wish, you can turn it off.

Weather & Clock Widgets... Two beautiful widgets from Acer.

Paid version of Astro File Manager... Acer pre-installed the paid version of Astro, its interface is optimized for tablets, and it works correctly with external drives.

Performance

The model is based on the NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor. The volume of RAM is 1 GB, the volume internal memory varies by model, 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB options are available. The tablet already has a game store from NVIDIA - Tegra Zone.

In fact, there are slowdowns when scrolling through desktops and periodic browser crashes. Both are solved by installing third-party software (for example, Yandex.Shell and Dolphin Browser HD). Apart from the tables and the browser, there are no complaints about the speed of work, the video is played without brakes, the programs are launched without jams.

Reading

The tablet has a very nice screen. At the minimum brightness, it is comfortable to read from it in the dark, the eyes do not get tired at all. The maximum is suitable for reading in public transport... And, as I already said, the screen quality is higher than that of other TN-matrices, the letters themselves look clearer and more accurate. Initially installed is a simple program for reading LumiRead.

Video

The situation with video is almost the same as in most Tegra 2 tablets. The tablet perfectly plays video in resolutions up to 720p, mp4 and mkv containers are supported. But with divx / xvid in the avi container, you can only watch it by installing a third-party player. Thanks to good screen, with the A200 it is comfortable to watch videos both while lying on the bed and in public transport. As a reminder, NVIDIA recommends Dice Player for watching videos.

Interfaces

Wi-Fi... The b / g / n standards are supported. The tablet connects quickly and holds the signal well. There are no complaints about the module.

Gps... A full-fledged GPS-module is installed in the tablet, Google Maps are used for navigation. A cold start takes about two minutes, then the location is determined quite quickly (about 10 seconds).

Bluetooth 2.1 EDR... All standard profiles are supported, including A2DP.

Only the Wi-Fi version of the device will be on sale.

Full USB port operation

One of the main advantages of the tablet is the presence of a full-fledged USB port, which is so rare. After two weeks of use, I appreciated the convenience of this solution. It's great when you can immediately plug a flash drive into a tablet or connect a keyboard without using any adapters. External keyboard works correctly, but before using it, I recommend downloading the rukeyboard application and enabling support for an external keyboard in it.

Camera

The manufacturer decided to abandon rear camera... I completely agree with this decision, only a few people use it, and the price is at least slightly reduced. Front-camera remained, the device is not yet certified in Skype, but you can already call, and the subscriber will see you. The quality of the camera is average, the image looks blurry, however, the picture quality is at the usual level for such cameras.

Conclusion

The average cost of the A200 is 13,500 rubles for the version with 16 GB of memory and 14,500 for the version with 32 GB. For this money, you get a great tablet with a good build, a full USB port, a fresh version of Android, a few nice additions from Acer, and a quality screen.

I liked the A200, and I just want to say “a good tablet” about it. For two weeks it spontaneously rebooted only once, otherwise it worked quickly and stably. The company has chosen the correct positioning, the A200 is really suitable for those who are looking for a tablet, but do not yet know why they need it and are not ready to pay a lot of money for it. In addition, it is perfect for users who need a full-fledged USB port.

Last year, Acer became one of the first manufacturers to enter the market with a tablet for Android Honeycomb, and very successfully at once (unlike Motorola). The Iconia Tab A500 has become one of the hits of 2011 due to its functional design and low price. In the fall, Acer strengthened its position by releasing a 3G version of this model (A501), as well as a seven-inch tablet, but also with Android Honeycomb (A100).

In 2012, Acer continues the same strategy (which could be roughly called "faster and cheaper") and releases the first tablet on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - Iconia tab A200. Today we will meet him.

But first - our already traditional plate with the characteristics of the hero of the article and the closest competitors. Besides the two most attractive tablets of the new year - Apple iPad and ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime - we decided to include the future flagship of Acer - Iconia Tab A510 in the table. It is already on sale in North America, and we are about to release it.

* - according to the manufacturer's data
** - for Acer Iconia Tab A200 tablets (maximum flash memory) and ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime (32 GB flash memory), the current average price in Moscow is indicated (dynamically updated); MSRP is listed for The New iPad (32GB Flash) and Acer Iconia Tab A510.

Well, from the comparison of the characteristics, several conclusions can be drawn. First, it is obvious that the Iconia Tab A200 belongs to a lower price segment than the flagship models from ASUS and Apple. Secondly, it is certainly less attractive than the Iconia Tab A510 (due to the fact that it runs on Tegra 2, not Tegra 3, and also due to the lack of HDMI output). But this must be compensated for by the price.

Third, the Iconia Tab A200 retains the basic features of the A500, but there are some differences as well. The main positive difference is Android 4.0 instead of Android 3.0. And the main negative ones are the lack of an HDMI output and a rear camera. Well, we will find out the details already upon closer examination of the device, which we will proceed to.

Packaging and equipment

Acer loves big boxes. IN this case the packaging really impresses with its size.

Inside, we find the tablet itself, a folding (like a card) user manual, a charger, a Micro-USB - USB cable, an international passport of the device (for travelers), as well as booklets about safety precautions, warranty conditions.

Design

The tablet is massive and heavy. This is, without a doubt, a "male" model. And although it is a little lighter than the Acer Iconia Tab A500, the first thought when you pick up the A200 in your hands is “it's heavy!”. Although, objectively speaking, it is not that much heavier than its competitors (the same The New iPad).

The overall contours and design elements are clearly taken from the Iconia Tab A500: rounded corners, tapered top and bottom edges, speakers on the bottom of the back cover.

However, the case material is different from that of the A500. This is a soft-touch rubberized plastic, very pleasant to the touch, and besides, it does not collect fingerprints and micro-scratches.

The location of the connectors is different from the A500. The charger connector is located on the right edge.

There are no connectors on the bottom and top edges, but on top there is a volume rocker and a screen lock lever.

The main set of connectors and slots is located on the left side. This is a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a full-fledged USB-host for connecting peripherals and external drives, Micro-USB for connecting a tablet to a computer. In addition, on the left side we see the Power button and a lid, under which we find a slot for a microSD memory card and a Reset hole.

Note that the lid opens very tightly. Even if you pry it off with your fingernail, you won't be able to open it - you need to use improvised means such as a knife, paper clip, etc.

It is worth noting that the tablet does not have a dock connector (which was in the A500) and an HDMI output. The latter is really sad.

Screen

The actual size of the sides of the usable screen area is 21.7 cm and 13.6 cm. The diagonal is 25.6 cm (10 inches).

Detailed screen examination using measuring instruments conducted by the editor of the sections "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his conclusion.

The tablet screen is covered with a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, and, judging by the reflection of bright light sources in it, does not have an anti-glare filter. There is no special oleophobic coating on the outer surface of the screen, so fingerprints are relatively difficult to remove.

With manual brightness control, its maximum value was 222 cd / m2, minimum - 27 cd / m2. As a result, at maximum brightness in bright daylight, it will be possible to see something on the screen, but not without some tension, and the minimum brightness will allow you to comfortably use the tablet even in complete darkness. There is no automatic brightness control. The brightness is changed using high frequency pulse width modulation (990 Hz), so the backlight flicker is not visible at low brightness.

This tablet uses a * VA matrix, as a result, the screen has very good viewing angles without inverting shades, even with large gaze deviations from the perpendicular to the screen. True, a color shift is present, for example, with a not very large deviation, pure red becomes noticeably closer to orange. When deviated diagonally, the black field is lightened slightly and does not acquire a noticeable color shade. When viewed from a perpendicular view, the black field uniformity is very good. Due to the fact that even at maximum brightness, the backlight has modulation, it is not possible to accurately determine the response time. The gamma curve plotted at 32 points did not reveal a significant blockage in either highlights or shadows, and the exponent of the approximating power-law function turned out to be 2.32, which is quite close to the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve coincides well with the power-law addiction.

The contrast ratio is quite high - 1600: 1. The color gamut is noticeably narrower than sRGB:

The spectra confirm this:

Apparently, the matrix light filters mix the components a little with each other. This technique allows you to increase the brightness of the screen with the same energy consumption for the backlight. Color temperature balance is not outstanding - grayscale has a color temperature above 6500K, which also changes noticeably when moving from white to darker shades of gray. However, the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (delta E) is relatively small.

The screen is not very bright, which can interfere with using the tablet outdoors during the day, but the tablet is perfect for watching movies, since the type of matrix used differs from any, even the most advanced IPS, by a slight diagonal black field highlighting and high contrast.

Note also that the screen sometimes reacts rather strangely to touch. In particular, it was very difficult to play Shadowgun: you press the shot, and for some reason the position of the camera changes ... or you make some touches, but the tablet does not respond ... Perhaps it is software problem, but the screen may not be very responsive either.

Platform

The tablet runs on good old NVIDIA Tegra 2. In principle, we are well aware of the performance and functionality of this system on a chip. But, nevertheless, we will carry out a set of our standard tests.

In the Quadrant Standard, the tablet showed a normal "average" result - 1974 points. At the same time, we note that many Tegra 2 tablets are left a little behind (for example, Sony Tablet S and Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet).

The result in SunSpider 0.9.1 is also without any surprises: 2160 ms.

* Here and below, for ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime, test results are shown with the latest firmware version (the operating system has been updated to Android ICS). The results of this tablet in SunSpider 0.9.1 on original firmware with Android 3.2 were better.

In the processor test, the Super Pi performed better than the ASUS Eee Pad Slider on the same SoC, but Tegra 3 is still far from the results.

The table below shows the results for all three plates, rounded to the nearest 1 second.

In the comprehensive AnTuTu Benchmark 2.7.3, the tablet scored 4927 points, which is close to the results of other Tegra 2 tablets.

The result in the multiplatform GeekBench, which measures the performance of CPU and RAM, is again predictable.

And, finally, the results of the graphics subsystem performance in NenaMark2 (v2.2).

Of course, at this point in time, the performance of the Tegra 2 looks insufficient. In particular, this tablet even with the use of hardware acceleration (in Dice Player), I could not play a 720p MKV file without slowdowns. But, however, for the smooth operation of the Android 4.0 interface, this is quite enough, as well as for the games of last year.

Operating system and applications

The tablet comes preinstalled with Android 4.0 OS. However, Acer has made its own shell. More precisely, not even a full-fledged shell, but additional widgets.

First, it is a widget showing time, date and weather. Secondly, a special widget called up by a round yellow-green button in the center of the lower bar. The widget is a translucent ball, on the right side of which thumbnails of sites added to favorites are displayed, and on the left side there is a volume control scale. In the center of the circle itself there is a button that calls the search for the tablet, and next to it there are icons for taking a screenshot, Gallery, Settings and Browser.

Apparently, this set of icons cannot be changed. As for this widget in general, I would not call it very useful, although some users may think otherwise.

From preinstalled programs worth noting Astro. It includes a file manager, a backup tool, a dispatcher running applications(task killer).

There is also a SoundHound service for streaming music, AUPEO! There is also an office suite Documents To Go, but, alas, only in a trial version (more precisely, a free version that only allows you to view, but not create and edit documents). And here they saved ...

The general impression of the software is as follows: they paid attention to it, tried to make it convenient for the user, but they didn’t give anything really valuable (like, for example, a fully functional office suite).

Autonomous work

Unfortunately, AnTuTu Tester was not installed on the tablet (for some reason it does not work on tablets with Android 4), so there will be no synthetic battery life tests. But there will be practical tests.

First, video playback. True, again, not quite according to our method, since the 720p video, which we have been using recently, was very slow on the tablet. Therefore, I had to put a video 480p. With the screen brightness set to maximum (the only comfortable mode, in our opinion) and the sound volume sufficient for watching a movie with headphones, the tablet worked for about 7 hours. Wi-Fi was turned off. The result is not bad, but not outstanding either.

As for games, then Angry Birds Space (the screen brightness is again at maximum, but Wi-Fi is on, and the sound is off) will be able to play for about four and a half hours - five hours. Also not brilliant, although quite acceptable.

Camera

Unlike its predecessor - Iconia Tab A500 - the novelty has only one camera: the front one. There is no rear camera.

The front camera has a resolution of 2 megapixels and is designed for video communication.

conclusions

The Acer Iconia Tab A200 is a solid but slightly dated tablet. Even the fresh OS Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich does not save you from the feeling that this device should have been released last year. True, last year there wouldn't have been much sense from the A200, because if it weren't for Android 4, this A200 could be called just a slightly tweaked version of the Iconia Tab A500. Although ... and with Android 4.0 it is still a slightly tuned A500, it does not surpass it in any way functionally, since the owners of the A500 have already got the opportunity to update to Android 4.0.

In terms of all the main parameters, we have a typical middle peasant: a system based on an NVIDIA Tegra 2 chip (no longer a leader, but not a complete outsider), an average battery life, an average screen (not IPS, but not TN, with good viewing angles, but with not the most saturated colors and not the highest resolution). I liked the design, which differs from the A500, although it is also not for everybody: the tablet is heavy (by today's standards) and not at all thin.

Perhaps, if a lesser-known company had released such a tablet, it would have been completely lost against the background of more ambitious competitors. But Acer has a name and reputation, including in the fledgling tablet market - the company performed very well last year. Therefore, the successor to the popular A500 will certainly not be overlooked. But in order for people not only to look at it, but also to buy, the main thing is required: an adequate price. The manufacturer's announced price of 14,990 rubles for a 16GB model seems overpriced to us and does not favor good sales. Let me explain why. Acer Iconia Tab A500 had the same price at the start (then it even dropped a little). But at that time Tegra 2 and a 10-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x800 were top-level. It was also the first Android 3.0 tablet. Therefore, this price looked extremely attractive. Today Tegra 2 and a resolution of 1280x800 are not at all top-end. Therefore, asking for the same money for the middle peasant as for the flagship a year ago is at least strange. However, something tells us that soon this price will significantly decrease, since the Acer Iconia Tab A510 model will go on sale. Recall that it will have three significant advantages: firstly, Tegra 3 instead of Tegra 2, secondly, HDMI-out, and thirdly, a much more capacious battery (9800 mAh instead of 3260 mAh). At the same time, the recommended price for the version with 32 GB flash memory will be only 2,000 rubles higher than for the A200 with the same memory capacity. We will definitely test this model, and so far we cannot give it an estimate, but judging by the characteristics, with the difference in price equal to 2000 rubles, I would definitely recommend the A510. Most likely, Acer understands this, so we can most likely predict that immediately after the release of the A510, the price of the A200 will be reduced so that the difference with the A510 is at least 5-6 thousand. And then this model will really be attractive.

2 years ago

1) Android 4.0.3 out of the box 2) Cool display, ranging from resolution, viewing angles, responsiveness, etc. 3) Tempered glass above the display 4) Full usb: you can connect a mouse, keyboard, flash drive or hard - there are no problems 5) Loud speakers. The previous tablet had problems with this 6) Good hardware stuffing: the games are beautiful, they go smoothly, but I hardly play them 7) Battery: according to the characteristics it should be figurative, but in fact it keeps confidently, for 3 days Internet Wi-Fi + online viewing video a little 8) I like the plastic at the back och. It is convenient to hold, it does not slip at all.

2 years ago

2 years ago

1) Powerful battery, I charge 2-3 times a week! 2) Android 4.0, and this is "cool" for today! 3) Excellent sensor, big screen, good resolution 1280x800. 4) Good value for these features. 5) Can work with external drive 1TB and 32GB onboard storage. 6) Solid body materials, fits comfortably in the hand. 7) High-quality assembly and fast WI-FI, GPS.

2 years ago

High-quality assembly -The presence of a full-size USB -Non-bad matrix -The case is very reliable in terms of scratches, etc. -Good autonomy, I charge 2-3 times a week

2 years ago

Price, excellent sensor, good display, speed of work, android 4.0.

2 years ago

1) Price !!! 2) USB !! smartly reads flash drives and recognizes the mouse ... 3) 32 memory + card slot, if someone does not have enough space for video, but it is more convenient to insert a USB flash drive and not bother. 4) battery - up to 9-10 hours with constant video viewing, it saves well at airports and travel. If you play hard games - 5 hours. If you work a little and not for long up to a week of work on a single charge.

2 years ago

1) price 2) android 4 3) work with an external 1tb drive on the built-in usb 4) 32 GB microsd everything is ok 5) 10-inch screen 6) untamo cover as convenient as an ipad (bought separately) 7) auto-rotate (after installing additional po) 8) high screen resolution 9) wifi works fine

2 years ago

graphics! (tegra 2 is quite enough) the display is super (viewing angles, too, nothing like that) there are many advantages (you can't rewrite everything)!

2 years ago

Full-size YUSB, connected a 120 GB screw, works great. 32 GB, just gorgeous, the main criterion. Pleasant body materials, good fit in the hand, easy to use. Works smartly. Great price.

2 years ago

A very cool display with good responsiveness, Gorilla glass, the presence of a full-fledged YUSB reading flash drive FAT, FAT32, NTFS, pleasant-to-touch plastic of the back panel, fast WI-FI, GPS.

2 years ago

Nuuuuuuu with this everything is complicated ... I don't even know: maybe the weight is 700 gr. this is not a fluff, but it does not break off. 3ji no, but I got used to throwing Wi-Fi through the phone, where not :-)
and all

2 years ago

2 years ago

Opera freezes, and the built-in browser is inconvenient, but this is no longer the problem of the devices today, but of the software being developed.

2 years ago

When the charger is connected, the sensitivity of the screen sensor is very low (as in many devices)
- sometimes there is not enough screen brightness if you are outdoors
-Maybe it seems to me, but at the edges of the screen, the sensitivity of the sensor is lower than in the central part

2 years ago

I did not find it, I found what I was looking for.

2 years ago

1) not a feather, felt in the hand, but this is subjective.
2) regularly loses wifi ... and stops the Internet radio, torrent (only if you are not working, and the tablet is on the shelf)
3) sometimes work with internal fire fails, but this is rather a minus of the android, and not of this model.

2 years ago

1) heavy
2) just one camera
3) the opera hangs, the built-in browser is inconvenient
4) uploading via usb to the built-in memory of 32GB goes at a speed of several KB per second - therefore, I use the internal memory only for other small things. From an external hard drive to a memory card and back it swings very quickly, so I do it now, or I immediately take out a memory card and insert it into a computer. The yusb driver on Windows xp did not get up, it only works with win7
6) the installed player does not show, but mxplayer with updates shows everything without problems

2 years ago

sound (if adjusted in the equalizer it will be normal), there is no built-in support for 3g, sometimes it loses the wi-fi network.

2 years ago

the display is not much dim in the sun.
Sometimes Wai Fai loses the network.
Sometimes, after a long idle time, it does not respond to the sensor, you have to reboot (there was this 3 times already in 4 months).

2 years ago

A bit heavy, lacking in the database file manager, which means that without an Internet, it is immediately useless. When downloading a 4-gigabyte movie at a speed greater than a mega bit, the system slows down, but nothing freezes.

The Acer company, like other manufacturers of personal computers and laptops, after the release of the first iPad, began to release their models, how successful they have become, or vice versa, will be judged by the buyers. But deserves its attention Iconia tablet Tab A200 was the first gadget of the company running the famous and popular Android 4.0 operating system.

Specifications

• Screen: 10 inches, resolution 1280x800 pixels and Gorilla protective glass;
• Microprocessor: dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2, with a core frequency of 1 GHz;
• Operating system: Android 4.0;
• RAM: 1 GB;
• Graphics controller: GeForce GPU;
• Built-in memory: from 8 to 32 GB, plus a slot for a flash-card;
• Video filming: the only front-facing 2 MP camera;
• Internet connection: Wi-Fi;
• Dimensions: 175x260x12.4 mm;
• Weight: 760 grams.

Appearance

At first glance, it seems that the gadget is compact and light, like a "fluff", however, everything changes when you take it in your hands and understand how heavy it really is. And, obviously, the pill is designed for the male half of the buyers. On the front side you can find emblems: the manufacturer's company and the tablet line, in addition, there is a single camera in the center of the upper bezel.

The design is largely, so to speak, "rolled" from the previous model Tab A500: the same rounded corners, placement of speakers on the back, and more.

Center, with back side another emblem is placed, and the panel itself has a rough surface, which is undoubtedly a plus.

Slots and control keys

However, in terms of connectors in this specific model the manufacturers reduced the set a little, which negatively affected the demand for the device, here the developers clearly miscalculated.

On the top side you can find:

• Microphone hole;
• Non-standard volume control key;
• Lever to lock the screen.

On the right side there is a single connector for charging the device, as you can see, this model uses an outdated charging connector, many modern devices use micro-USB.

But on the left side there is a much more interesting set: a power key, a headset jack, a micro-USB for a computer, a full-fledged USB for working with peripherals, as well as a slot for a memory card and a Reset button under a rather tight plug. Unfortunately, this device was left without HDMI and a docking connector: very, very sorry.

Internet connection settings

Access to the Internet via a wireless connection is one of the main advantages of a tablet over other computer devices, so every self-respecting owner should be able to set up a connection, even with closed eyes. Therefore, we turn on the touch device and launch the settings menu: through the quick access panel or by clicking on the corresponding shortcut in the application menu.

Work in Wi-Fi networks

As soon as the settings menu has opened, immediately click on the Wi-Fi parameter and along the way move the switch to the active position and wait for the list to be formed on the right side of the panel. If you are looking for a specific point, then you can immediately use the search, but it is better to wait until the scan is completed.

Finding available points

As soon as the list is formed, we find the desired point and select it with one click, enter the password if necessary and click the "Connect" button. We are waiting for the system to verify the authenticity of the password and complete the connection, while the tablet will be assigned its own network address.

Password input

In order not to go to the settings menu in subsequent times, the connection can be made through the quick access panel: by activating the corresponding icon, and after stopping use, deactivate it in the same way. In this case, the autonomy of the device will be significantly increased.

Setting up a 3G modem

If in the previous paragraph we just needed to turn on the module and connect to a wireless point, then when setting up 3G we will have to make some effort, since this tablet does not have a built-in module. And since installed version the Android operating system does not have built-in mechanisms for working with mobile networks you will have to create them manually.

Therefore, to begin with, we will configure the external modem, which you have most likely already purchased. Download the program for a computer from the link: https://yadi.sk/d/0205ETy1dVMcx and install it immediately.

Main window

Now we take the modem and be sure to take out the SIM card from it, if you have not already done so, and connect it to the computer via USB. We launch the just downloaded program and press the highlighted button and wait until everything is completed, after that we disconnect the modem, return the SIM card and put it aside, take the tablet instead.

If you want to return the parameters to the factory settings, then you need to click "Additional functions" and select the appropriate item.

Setting up a tablet

We connect the device to the Internet and download the PPP Widget application through the PlayMarket store, which will help to set up a 3G connection. However, for it to work correctly, you must have root rights, as described at the end of the article in the corresponding section.

After installing the application, such a widget should appear on the desktop, if you did not find it, then you should add it manually. Simply pressing your finger on an empty table space and add a widget from the list through the pop-up window. Now you can connect the modem and click the “Configure” button in the widget to launch the settings menu.

Making a connection

Next, you need to fill in four fields with the appropriate information. Please note that you must enter carefully and avoid mistakes. Data for a new 3G point can be obtained on the official website of the operator or use the table below.

Point data

After you fill in the fields, close the application and restart the touch device, now reconnect the modem again and launch the application. The utility will automatically detect the modem, then you can close the window again and click the "Connect" button on the widget. Choose your modem and this is the setting mobile internet completed successfully.

3G wifi modem

Classic modems are already gradually beginning to lose ground in the tablet market, since their setting causes a lot of problems in the process, and their use is not very comfortable. After all, it is not very convenient to constantly carry a modem sticking out of the case, so many owners give their preference to 3G Wi-Fi modems, which are much easier to use.

Setting up this device is very simple: buy a SIM card, put it in the slot and turn on the modem. Wait until it is done automatic setting; using Wi-Fi on the tablet, we connect to the modem. How does he work? Receives Internet via 3G network and distributes to surrounding users via Wi-Fi. You can find out the password and the name of the point that will be created after turning on the modem on the delivery box or on a special card.

Additional settings

If you are a confident user of modern computer technology and the Android operating system, then additional settings such as: getting root, flashing or unlocking the bootloader will seem very interesting, and most importantly, useful to you. But at the same time, do not forget that any wrong actions will have a bad effect directly on the tablet itself.

Unlocking the bootloader

We will get root rights on the Acer tablet through a computer, but first you need to unlock the bootloader, so we will download and install the drivers: https://yadi.sk/d/toooZAVJdUwoe.

Now you need to download the file itself for rooting, which is located at the link: https://yadi.sk/d/DTna9tncdUwcX.

Pay attention if you have an operating room Windows system 7 and higher, then you must definitely run it as an administrator, most likely, an error will occur that can negatively affect the operation of the device.

Gadget settings

We take the tablet in hand and launch the settings, where we go down to the "For Developers" parameter and put a tick in front of the "USB Debugging" item. Now we connect the device to the computer and install the drivers, we kindly ask you not to touch the device during this - wait for the complete installation.

The second archive should already be unzipped, so open the folder and run the file called AcerA200SimpleToolRus with the bat extension. To the first question in the window, we answer in the affirmative, that is, 1 - "yes installed" and the second also 1 - "unlock the bootloader". Now two icons will appear on the tablet screen: a door and a lock, both open.

Please note that you need to act quickly, the menu on the tablet screen may close due to the time limit and then you will have to repeat it all over again.

Use the volume minus key to select the lock and use the volume plus button to confirm the intention, after unlocking there will be a request to reboot: press any key on the keyboard and the unlocking is completed.

Installing root and broken Recovery

The loader was successfully unlocked, now using the same bat file, select the second item or 4 at once, in order to install root rights and a broken bootloader in one pass.

After the steps taken, an inscription will appear: "Everything is in order" - this means that the process of obtaining the root and bootloader was successful, and you got full access to the system of your tablet. The main advantages of rights:

• Installation of broken firmware;
• Cleaning the system from unnecessary programs and files;
• Improvement of the current version of the system or its parts;
• Creation backups and other.

Instructions for gadget firmware

Please note that this method of flashing the Android operating system works only if the tablet was fully functional up to this point and no problems of a global nature were observed. Therefore, first of all, we download the firmware, from the link provided, you can download both official and prefabricated versions: http://w3bsit3-dns.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=337538.

Now you need to unlock the bootloader and install the broken line, how to do this on the tablet, you can find out in the above paragraph, nothing complicated and incomprehensible awaits you. We take an empty flash-card, it is better to format it and transfer the firmware file and a special script there, which can be downloaded from the link:

https://yadi.sk/d/jW_A89fndVFbs.

This script is designed to cleanly format the system, that is, after its launch, there will be nowhere to retreat and you will have to go to the last.

Turn off your tablet and insert the USB flash drive into the corresponding slot, now carefully - simultaneously hold down and hold the power and volume down buttons before the Recovery menu loads.

Broken line Recovery menu

To move between menu items, use the volume keys, and to confirm the selection, use the Power button. Therefore, we go down and select the item - Install zip from sdcard.

File search

In the next window that opens, select the item - choose zip, as shown in the image above, and now through the built-in explorer we find the first archive with the system formatting script.

File selection

Using the keys, we find the first file and confirm our choice in the next window by clicking on the "Yes" item, as soon as the installation is completed we repeat the same steps with the firmware archive.

Confirmation of selection

Now you just have to wait until the file is completely installed and select the "reboot" item in the main menu to reboot. No need to panic if the tablet takes a long time to load - this is normal, you just have to wait and in the end you will receive an updated operating system.

Complete system reset

There are cases, and it is completely normal, when the Android operating system crashes, and sometimes it is very problematic to identify the cause of their occurrence. But what if the tablet freezes and won't turn on? The first thing that can be done is to hold down the power button all the way and hold it for 15-20 seconds and only then try to turn it on.

Reset keys

If it does not work out, then you will have to resort to radical methods, namely, full reset parameters of the tablet, which will lead to the inevitable deletion of all existing personal files, such is the price for system failures. So, switch the screen lock button to the left, hold down the plus volume button and the Power key, as soon as the tablet starts to vibrate, release the power button. And we switch the screen lock lever to the left and right before the screen shows: Erasing Userdata ... and Erasing Cache ... We continue to hold the plus volume, and the system performs formatting and after loading we get a clean tablet, as after purchase.

Alternative way to get root

If for some reason you could not install root-rights through the unlocked bootloader, then you can try to do it through the program - UnlockRoot. But first you need to install the drivers on Personal Computer if you haven't already.

It is important to know that the drivers are installed when the tablet is connected and the "Debugging via USB" option is unchecked.

After installing the drivers, we disconnect the gadget and in the settings put a tick in front of the "Unknown sources" parameter, we also return the "Debugging via USB" checkbox and then you can connect it to the computer.

Security Settings

Run the program and press the "ROOT" button, a window will pop up for selecting a device, if not then the drivers were installed incorrectly - we repeat the procedure. Otherwise, we select our tablet and confirm, followed by more notifications: in the first - we press no, and in the second - yes. Congratulations, the installation completed successfully.

If for some reason you could not install the CWM bootloader, then instead of it you can try the more convenient and gaining popularity TWRP, download from the link: https://yadi.sk/d/n4FprZ_CdVWPk.

TWRP Main Menu

It is installed via a flash-card, detailed instructions are given in the item "Firmware of the gadget", but instead of two files, we drop the newly downloaded archive onto the card and the rest of the steps are similar to those discussed.

Briefly about the characteristics of the Iconia Tab A200

Find your consumers, amateurs, critics. There is no denying that tablets are comfortable, mobile and productive. They are used for both entertainment and work. And while market leaders (Apple and Samsung) are fighting over patents, other brands are putting out really good things. Let's take a look at the ASUS trend with their ASUS Transformer- a tablet-laptop is twice as convenient in work, however, it turned out to be a little expensive, but there is an answer to this too: they made a cheaper ASUS TF300 (changed the case material, reduced the price - that's it, new model). And, as it seems to me, now it is almost impossible to properly and timely understand the market. However, there are manufacturers who do not breed clones, but do something on their own wave. And this wave is successful.

Acer Iconia Tab A200 - continues the line of models A500, A100, but at the same time opens a new line. And for good reason. In my opinion, a line of high-quality, inexpensive, without unnecessary "whistles" devices is always needed. It is necessary for those who strictly know what he wants.

Appearance

The tablet comes in a white and green box, inside which is the tablet itself, some scrap paper, a USB-Micro-USB cable, a charger, and three replaceable plugs for the charger. Nothing extra.

Before us is a 10.1 inch tablet. The back cover is plastic, the side edges are plastic. On the front face there is glass. Ordinary despondency? But no. The back cover is textured (almost like pores) red soft-touch plastic, it is really pleasant to hold it in your hands. The first feeling is that it is rubber. The case does not slip at all, it is pleasant for hands to hold it. Even nicer than slippery aluminum. Not immediately striking, but the tablet does not have a main camera. There is nothing on the back panel, except for the Acer logo, as well as speaker and microphone holes. And that's great!

The body is tightly assembled, no squeaks, no backlashes. Almost a monolith. On the right side there is a connector for a charger (unfortunately, charging only from an outlet and a branded charger), 12V / 1.5A. Charging, by the way, is a minus. Firstly, as already mentioned above, it is propietary, and secondly, the standard length of the charger wire is 90 cm. This is a mockery. When the device is on charge, you either have to sit near the outlet or not use the tablet at all.

On the left side there is a power button with indication (white, when there is an event, or the tablet is charged, orange - while charging); headphone (or headset) jack; micro-USB; USB-host; as well as a cover that hides a slot for MicroSD and SIM (in the version with a 3G module).

The plug sits quite tightly, you can open it either with a fingernail or with something thin.

There is nothing on the bottom edge, on the top there is a microphone slot. This is a good solution, the microphone is not far from the camera. In addition, on the upper edge are located: an orientation lock lever and a volume rocker. There are cool bumps on the rocker, two on the left and one on the right. Convenient to grope and press.

On the front side - 95% glass, 85% display. In addition to the display, there is a 2MP camera. The camera quality is quite good. In video mode - 720p (focus at infinity).

Around the display is a rubber edging. Cool to the touch, and does not allow the screen to scratch when "lying face down on the table." The glass is easily soiled, there is no oleophobic coating. Without a cloth, perfectionists can immediately hang themselves or gouge out their eyes. The display itself is a TN-matrix with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. Viewing angles are sufficient for everyday tasks. Not maximal, but not as failing as in the A100 (there was a dead zone when tilted "away from you"). The brightness of the display is sufficient. By the way, the tablet does not have a light sensor. Therefore, there is no automatic brightness control. On the one hand, this is a minus. You will have to go into the settings yourself and turn the brightness. But on the other hand, it affects the working time for the better.

The thickness of the tablet is 12.4 mm in the most toast place. To the edges it is about 10 mm. Tablet weight 720 grams. Slightly smaller than the Acer A500 (763g), larger than the iPad (652g). In real life, I will say one thing - buy a case with a stand. Without this, the hands get tired very quickly. Although, thanks to the frame around the display, it is possible to grip it in a comfortable way from either side.

Insides

Inside, the tablet has last year's filling. Nvidia Tegra 2 (Cortex A9 1GHz, 2 cores), 1GB RAM, up to 32GB internal storage. Operating system at the time of this writing, it is Android 4.0.3. (Ice Cream Sandwitch). To Acer's credit, I can say that back in January, both of my A100 tablets received an update to ICS. The performance is slightly higher than that of the A500 (according to the Quadrant). Perhaps it's just the operating system.

Android here is almost without add-ons from Acer. Add-ons touched widgets, lock screen and Acer Ring. With the first two, everything is clear. Acer Ring is a feature that is invoked by clicking on the green-yellow circle in the control panel. A "ring" appears, in the center of which is the search button, in four directions - application shortcuts, on the left - volume control, on the right - visual bookmarks standard browser. Only program shortcuts are customizable. Why the rest - I can’t put my mind to it. But screenshots with this thing can be done. In my opinion, I saw a similar thing on Samsung, but there the menu was at the bottom of the screen.

It is also important that the battery of the tablet is really good. With standard operating mode: at work at lunchtime, watch Youtube, chat in Skype and Google Talk during the day (mostly text chat), in the evening - read the entire Twitter feed, Google Reader, sometimes read Wikipedia, open the maps a couple of times to help mom get to her destination - three days. THREE days of work! And if you load it well - 8 hours. On weekends, I played for 2-3 hours, on Monday, without charging, I took the tablet with me - it had another 70% charge. It's powerful, I tell you. On the same Acer A100, I charge the tablet in the evening (although 30% of the charge remains, but I am a realist, I understand that it will not work with this).

By plugging the wireless keyboard and mouse receiver into the USB host, I was able to immediately open Google docs, edit documents, paint in Photoshop Touch, play Max Payne Mobile, surf, etc. That is, to fully replace the laptop in any area that I use on a daily basis.

Conclusion

Based on the results of communicating with the tablet, I will safely recommend it to those people who have enough cameras on their phone, need a lot of work time, a USB host, but at the same time they do not want a creaky piece of work without support (I'm talking about firmware and warranty obligations).

• Platform: nVidia Tegra 2 (Cortex A9)
• RAM: 1 GB
• Built-in memory: 8/16/32 GB
• Display: 10.1 "WXGA (1280x800) TN 262K
• Front-camera: 2MP
• Wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11b / g / n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• Battery: 3260x2 mAh
• Dimensions (edit): 260x175x12.4 mm
• Connectors: USB-host, Micro USB, MicroSD, Audio Jack (3.5 mm), charger 12 V (1.5 A)

The review was prepared by keddrovik Anton Egorushkov, for which many thanks to him!