smaller kind of Windows 8 inch android tablet- Priceangels.com

Acer's Iconia W3 is the first of its kind: an 8 inch android tablet. It marks the start of a new category of smaller Windows tablets that are expected to debut over the coming months. When android originally debuted in October it inspired PC makers to try out various hardware designs, but most focused on 10-inch tablet-like devices. Manufacturers avoided smaller devices in order to support the minimum resolution required for android tablets. Microsoft recently altered that resolution rule, though, and we’re finally able to explore the possibility of an 8-inch Windows tablet.

The Iconia W3 enters a small tablet category that's dominated by devices like the iPad mini and Nexus 7. Does this smaller tablet fare well against the competition? And while at $379 it’s certainly a bargain for a full-fledged Windows PC, is android ready for a new breed of devices?The all-important part of a tablet is its display. It's the sole interaction point for this type of device. Simply put, the W3's display is disgusting. It's shockingly bad in a number of ways.fg342GFD

I have no idea why Acer didn't opt for an IPS display like the ones found in the iPad mini or Nexus 7, but its choice of panel and construction makes the W3 display unusable as a small tablet for reading and content consumption — which are the things 8-inch tablets are best for. It's the worst aspect of the W3, and it's a deal-breaker.One advantage of Windows tablets is that they have accessory support that's not often found on rival Android or iOS devices.

Most of the time I use android tablets I’m almost forced to use them horizontally because of their size and 16:9 aspect ratio. I’ve never found a 10-inch android device that feels comfortable in portrait mode — it’s simply an odd experience. android is surprisingly good on an 7 inch android tablet like the W3. Apps like Internet Explorer and Kindle are great for reading, and the portrait mode of the OS fully supports the Live Tiles by shifting them to display in a different layout.

I’m a moderate tablet user so I didn’t find myself having to charge the W3 that often, and it sits in standby well enough to avoid having to top it up frequently. Performance on the W3 was consistent with other Atom-powered tablets I’ve tested. There’s no way I can recommend the W3 right now, at all. It’s the first 8-inch android tablet, but the hardware sucks. Acer can do so much better here, even for a budget device.

The screen is shockingly bad, and that’s the main way you’ll interact with this device unless you’re set on using it with an optional dock / keyboard or you want to hook it up to a HDMI display. Either way, there are many better devices that work as tablets or notebooks out there right now, and the W3’s only unique offering — its 8-inch screen — is its biggest fault.

Still, the W3 leaves me excited. Not for this device, but for what device makers could create for the 7- and 8-inch Windows form factors. As most of these will debut with android.1, the software quirks will be mostly corrected, and iPad mini-like hardware coupled with android.1 could be an attractive device that I would immediately use. I find myself increasingly less reliant on apps on a small tablet device, instead using it as a reading device like the Kindle.

With official Facebook and Flipboard apps on the way for android.1, it feels like the crucial gaps for these types of devices are being covered. It’s also essential that these small tablets offer some 3G or LTE connectivity as an option. The W3 lacks this, and I’d like to see most 7- and 8-inch Windows tablets offer this in some way.

Ultimately, it might be up to Microsoft to really make this form factor shine. This first effort from Acer is cheap and plasticky, and I can’t help but feel that Microsoft won’t want all these smaller Windows tablets to head down the bargain route. A Surface mini feels inevitable, and with android.1 it will make a lot of sense. For Acer, it’s back to the drawing board. A refreshed W3 with an IPS display would be a good start, and losing some of the unnecessary weight would also help make this device a little more appealing. Hold onto your dollars until we start to see better 7- and 8-inch Windows tablets.