Android 3.1 leaks for Acer Iconia Tab A500

Emil

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Acer's Android 3.1 (codenamed Honeycomb) update for its Iconia Tab A500 tablet has leaked out. It first appeared on the Chinese website bbs.gfan.com (via XDA Developers).

While this update isn't official in the sense that Acer has not yet released it via its own channels, it is the real deal. The leaked update.zip file supports multiple languages and including Google Apps. This means that Android 3.1 ROMS like HoneyVillian and Minimalist 3.1 are no longer required for Iconia Tab A500 owners.

The update brings resizable home screen widgets, support for a variety of new input sources and motion events, the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) API for audio, and other improvements that Motorola Xoom and Asus Eee Pad Transformer users have been using for a while. If you would rather not flash your own tablet, you will have to wait for Acer to start pushing Android 3.1 over the air. In Europe, that will happen on July 5, 2011 (dates for other regions have not yet been announced, save for "late July").

The Iconia Tab A500 is a 10.1-inch (1280 x 800 resolution) tablet powered by a dual-core 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 250 SoC, which is quick enough for 1080p video playback and mobile gaming. The slate carries a display with 80-degree viewing angles and the ability to register input from all 10 fingers. You'll also find 1GB of RAM, 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, a microSD card reader that can handle up to 32GB cards, a 5MP rear camera with flash and auto-focus, as well as a 2MP front camera.

Connectivity includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI-out, USB, and GPS. The device gets roughly eight hours of gaming or video playback per charge and up to 10 hours of browsing. It is a tad bulkier than competing tablets, weighing 1.69lbs and measuring 10.24 x 6.97 x 0.52 inches. It is also preloaded with Acer Clear.fi to quickly share media with other DLNA-compliant devices. Support for Adobe Flash and the Android Market are a given.

The Iconia Tab A500 is Acer's first tablet with Android 3.0 (codenamed Honeycomb). It's good to see that the company is keeping it updated with Android 3.1 (codenamed Honeycomb). Pricing starts at $450.00 while accessories such as a full-sized Bluetooth keyboard, a dock with an IR remote, a protective case, and a power adapter set with four connectors are an extra $30 to $70.

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