[Q] Curious - How come there isn't similar buzz for the Acer A500?

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I'm in the market for my first Android tablet - and the Asus EEE seems to fit the bill via price / performance. I had a chance to test drive the ACER A500 at local Electronics store - and it's pretty nice with similar price point / and specs to the ASUS.

The ASUS Transformer has it's own XDA forum - with activity < I'm assuming that means there will be a Developer support for Custom ROMs in the future >

I would think the ACER would have a similar following - but I'm not seeing it on this site. I've seen a couple thread topics I can find via google search - but there's no Acer A500 forum - that suggests community interest?

What am I missing here. Besides the $50.00 price difference - why is Asus getting all the buzz - while the similar Acer device seems to garner little interest?

Thanks

Acer has bad rep when it comes to laptops already so that may have something to do with it... especially among IT people (trust me, I know).

If you can't make well laptops which is an established product among electronics, how can you be expected to make tablet any better, a fairly new product in electronics?


IPS screen on asus is another one.

Dock is another one

IPS screen and the keyboard dock with a battery which can give 16+ hours of life are the key differentiators for the transformer.

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App

also the extra free software included that's actually stuff people want. Splashtop remote Polaris office and one free year of online storage.

I've been following both products closely and I agree with the OP's confusion. I personally don't regard Acer as any less competent a technology company that Asus. IPS screen, Keyboard dock & $50 are the big benefits for Asus; however, Acer has a the full USB port and a flash on the rear camera.

Regardless, I am testing the Acer right now from BB for a few days and my Asus comes in next week, so I'll compare the screen between the two and let you know what I find. FWIW, I use a NC which has a 7" IPS screen and the Acer screen might not compare but it's certainly not too shabby on its own merit.

Edit: Acer also has a hardware rotation lock switch, something I believe neither the Xoom or Asus has. Coming from a brief stint with the iPad, I would normally welcome this feature - however, it just doesn't work too well on HC. Market auto-forces landscape, my comic reader auto-forces whatever I set through settings - all of this just confuses HC and the hardware lock, causing it to act wonky at times.

Originally Posted by nook-color

I'm in the market for my first Android tablet - and the Asus EEE seems to fit the bill via price / performance. I had a chance to test drive the ACER A500 at local Electronics store - and it's pretty nice with similar price point / and specs to the ASUS.

The ASUS Transformer has it's own XDA forum - with activity < I'm assuming that means there will be a Developer support for Custom ROMs in the future >

I would think the ACER would have a similar following - but I'm not seeing it on this site. I've seen a couple thread topics I can find via google search - but there's no Acer A500 forum - that suggests community interest?

What am I missing here. Besides the $50.00 price difference - why is Asus getting all the buzz - while the similar Acer device seems to garner little interest?

Thanks

Asus has blown up the hype for the Transformer by doing 3 things...

1. hitting everyone over the head that it has an ips screen with gorilla glass®
2. enticing us with the 2for1 thing (tablet to netbook, voila!)
3. selling it at a killer price
4. ADVERTISING..

..and they've been doing this for months. Acer on the other hand, hasn't really buzzed up the Iconia Tab A500. I heard about it ONCE before release. They haven't advertised it and it's really no big deal on their website. It's just another device for them. Seems more like an afterthought and anecdotal "we have one too" tablet, than something they're proud or truly excited to sell.
Asus however, has been advertising the Transformer for months, releasing ads for it, putting up a Facebook page for it and talking about it. Suffice it to say, their hyping is now paying off.

There's interest for the Acer, it's just a whisper vs. the shout for the Transformer. But the proof is always in the pudding so personally I'm trying to patiently wait and see which one is better for me. Currently I own the Iconia Tab and I really like it, though I am quite interested to feel out the Transformer and see how much nicer the screen is and if it would be worth giving up my led flash, usb host port, reset button and sturdy build for.

I picked the Asus because I have the impression that Asus is going to do a better job of supporting the tablet with updates. So far, that appears to be true, especially if some of the developers just responded in the bricked tablet thread. I was sorely tempted by the Acer because of the USB port, I don't particularly care to get the keyboard for the Asus; it's just a tablet for me, I already have a laptop.

Originally Posted by Neoprimal

Asus has blown up the hype for the Transformer by doing 3 things...

1. hitting everyone over the head that it has an ips screen with gorilla glass®
2. enticing us with the 2for1 thing (tablet to netbook, voila!)
3. selling it at a killer price
4. ADVERTISING..

..and they've been doing this for months. Acer on the other hand, hasn't really buzzed up the Iconia Tab A500. I heard about it ONCE before release. They haven't advertised it and it's really no big deal on their website. It's just another device for them. Seems more like an afterthought and anecdotal "we have one too" tablet, than something they're proud or truly excited to sell.
Asus however, has been advertising the Transformer for months, releasing ads for it, putting up a Facebook page for it and talking about it. Suffice it to say, their hyping is now paying off.

There's interest for the Acer, it's just a whisper vs. the shout for the Transformer. But the proof is always in the pudding so personally I'm trying to patiently wait and see which one is better for me. Currently I own the Iconia Tab and I really like it, though I am quite interested to feel out the Transformer and see how much nicer the screen is and if it would be worth giving up my led flash, usb host port, reset button and sturdy build for.

All Asus has done is hang around on facebook, they literally haven't done any advertising besides facebook and 1 internet only commercial.

Originally Posted by seshmaru

All Asus has done is hang around on facebook, they literally haven't done any advertising besides facebook and 1 internet only commercial.

What has Acer done?

Hanging around Facebook for one, is in and of itself pretty potent advertising. And any commercial is still a commercial, no matter how silly it is.

For me, and I think for many people, what really sets the Transformer apart is what gives it the name: the ability to use as a tablet or as a notebook. It's just different/more than a tablet + Bluetooth keyboard, because it's integrated and because the dock has a second battery.

The $399 starting price doesn't hurt, either. And $399 sounds better than $449 no matter how you slice it.