Next week is my 42nd birthday (yikes). When my hubby asked what I wanted for said event (which always coincides with Mother’s Day), visions of shopping, spas and manicures danced through my head. Since I just recently redeemed a spa day that he had given me previously, I ditched the day of relaxation for a bit of technology: I wanted a tablet.
Now, I already have a Nokia Booklet that he bought me when the netbook was the item of choice. I’m not ready to move on from my cute little computer, so I had to think hard if I truly needed a tablet. Although I would love to have an iPad, I just felt that it was too much technology and physically a bit large for my current needs. My iPhone is great for quick access, but I find it difficult to post to my blog. I decided to seek out some advice from The Geek Squad at Best Buy.
I explained that I really wanted something that I could “grab and go”. Although my Booklet is small and can fit in a good-sized purse, it’s a laptop and needs to be opened and set up to be used, so it’s still a bit cumbersome. I want the ability to put up quick blog posts, so I really only need a camera and access to my favorite apps (and games for my son). I don’t own an eReader, but would like to start using one. I want WiFi for those times when I’m sitting in a coffee shop or at a hotspot, and I would like Bluetooth capability. After giving my friendly neighborhood Geek Squad agent all of my specs, he thought that I should really get something that was a “bridge” between my Booklet and my iPhone, and maybe the iPad wasn’t what I needed. After his advice and after reading the near stellar reviews on Best Buy (an average rating of 4.2 stars out of 5), I am now the proud owner of the Iconia TAB A100 by Acer, which is the smallest tablet in this series.
The Iconia TAB A100 has a 7″ HD multi-touch display (1024 x 600) and is 0.5 ” thin, which fits in my Rebecca Minkoff MAC (or my RM Schoolboy, pictured above). This also makes it easier to handle, and typing up blog posts is much easier than using my iPhone for quick write-ups (additionally, I have the option of adding a full keyboard later if I find that I’m using it more than my laptop). It has a Built-in 802.11b/g/n wireless LAN for my WiFi needs and Bluetooth 2.1. I don’t need much to save on it, but it does have 8GB on-board memory and supports microSD and microSDHC formats for storing or transferring media (just in case). I love the built-in front and rear webcams for when my son wants to Skype with Grandma in Las Vegas. It has decent battery life (up to 4 hours and 30 minutes) and it comes in a pretty steel blue color.
Thank you honey for my lovely birthday gift! This little gem fits all of my needs, and will be my technology travel companion for my London trip in August.
(Specification information derived from Best Buy and Acer. Photos 2 & 3 courtesy of Acer.)
