It's no secret that the only feature I am lacking in my Acer Iconia a500 is the ability to stream movies via Netflix Instant Streaming. This afternoon I was doing my usually weekly Google search for a solution. I was even open to the idea of looking for a way to root my Iconia a500 to get this ability. But to my surprise, I accidentally stumbled across a great discovery (which requires no root, and since 3.2 isn't easily rooted on the Iconia a500 I figured it was worth a shot). I will go on record to say that I did not come up with this solution, the hardwork belongs to ezterry and snickle at the XDA Developers forums.
I found a link to the XDA Developers forums which provided a promising solution patched by ezterry and refined by snickle on the forums.
Apparently, ezterry made the initial edits allowing the Netflix apk to work on the Iconia a500. But according to snickle's post, screen rotation didn't work (I didn't try ezterry's apk first). So snickle did a little refining to it and got screen rotation to work.
I can verify that snickle's version of the apk does work. When I initially ran it, after logging in to the service via the app, I got a white screen with some errors in the top corner. I closed out of the app and relaunched and it worked just fine on my Acer Iconia a500 running stock (non-rooted) Honeycomb 3.2.
Since the update to Honeycomb 3.2, the only feature I hadn't tested out on my Acer Iconia a500 was the GPS or navigation features of the tablet. One of the things I have been curious about was how the tablet would go about using the GPS features in conjunction with Google Maps (or equivalent) without having a Wifi signal.
In my test this afternoon, not so good. In fact, I never managed to get the GPS signal to lock. I tried twice (mostly due to my battery already being low in the first place). The first time I let it poll for a GPS signal for about 5 minutes while I was in our local UPS Store. The second attempt, I let it poll for about 3 minutes or so while pumping gas. Neither attempt was successful.
Despite not getting a lock on a GPS Signal, I did attempt this using two different apps. The first being Google Maps and the second being Mapdroyd. Both did nothing when it came to using the GPS feature. If anybody out there has gotten it to work, drop me a comment and let me know if I'm doing something wrong.
All of you Acer Iconia a500 tablet owner's out there rejoice! We have been granted video calling compatibility with the Skype app! In the recent update the app has increased support for 14 more devices (both phones and tablets).
The update will bring video calling to not the Acer Iconia a500; but also for various HTC phones (including the Nexus One), LG Phones and Motorola phones (the Atrix and Bionic inlcuded). Users of both the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Motorola Xoom are included as well.
If you haven't received the latest OTA Update for the Acer Iconia A500 tablet, you may want to force the device to check the server for you. If you are still seeing the 'Your device is up to date' box after force checking; keep in mind that Acer apparently rolls out the OTA Updates via serial number. So it may be that your devices number hasn't been "called" yet. So, how do we accomplish force checking for updates?
Simply tap the 'Apps' icon in the upper left hand corner of the screen and locate and tap the 'Settings' icon.
Next, tap the very bottom menu option 'About Tablet' option and hit the 'System Update' tab.
In the pop up that appears on the check, take the option to force the check for the update. If you're device hasn't updated yet, it should pull down an update.
One quick note, if you happen to take the option to 'Download Later', good freakin' luck trying to get your update. If you haven't kept up with my previous experience getting the Honeycomb 3.1 download, be sure to go back and read those posts (7-11-2011-Acer Tech Support post) and see the the chat transcript between myself and a representative at Acer's Support Site.
So, as mentioned in a previous post; I received the Honeycomb 3.2 OTA Update last night on my stock Acer Iconia a500. It weighed in a little over 350MB's, and took four attempts to download before completing successfully.
One of the big questions with every Honeycomb Update is: 'What does it do/change/fix?'
Apparently, there isn't too much significant included in the update. It improves SD and USB notifications when attaching these devices, smoother scrolling, and proper stretching/zooming for apps designed for smaller screens (the a500 sports a 10.1 inch screen). So far, that seems to be about it.
I have one recommendation for Google or Acer concerning Honeycomb Updates: How about including a change notice with the Update Dialog when the device gets prompted for the new OTA Updates? Theoretically, it should be fairly easy, it could be handled the same way permissions are displayed prior to installing a new app or .apk file. Right now we just get to see the name of the update and what the download size is. A little more info would be nice, just a thought.
For those who root or run ROM'd versions of the Acer Iconia a500; you better hold off on updating (as of this writing) since there currently isn't a way to root Honeycomb 3.2 on the Iconia yet. And you will loose your custom ROM should you apply the OTA 3.2 upgrade.
And it appears that Netflix still isn't supported on the Iconia a500 (as we guessed).
Tonight my Acer Iconia a500 tablet pulled down the latest Over The Air update contains Honeycomb 3. It is rather large at a little over 350MB's in download size. I did bump into a little issue when I downloaded about 250MB worth of the download and it would either mysteriously end the download or it would restart by itself.
After four attempts I am finally running Honeycomb 3.2. I'll do some digging around and see what has changed or been added and will update tomorrow or so.
If you are have at any point been an iOS fan/gamer you may have either seen or even played one of Gameloft's coolest titles: N.O.V.A.: Near Orbital Vanguard Alliance for the Apple's iDevices. I actually still play this one on my iPod Touch. It's that awesome. So, I was more than thrilled to see that it's sequel: N.O.V.A. 2 has an Android port, and that it runs flawlessly on my Acer Iconia a500 Tablet.
If you were able to get in on their back to school sale, the game was only 99 cents on the Android Market. It looks like it has gone back up to $6.99 recently. But even at $6.99, this game is awesome. The sequel to the much acclaimed N.O.V.A. brings back the on screen controls and outstanding graphics that originally made it such a hit with mobile gamers.
So, for those who don't know...What is it? N.O.V.A. 2 is a first person shooter for Android and iOS devices. It is based in a sci-fi world where the story picks up 6 years after the first game. The game's intro video is amazing for a mobile game. And the gameplay is just as awesome. The story throws your character into the middle of a crazy civil war between human colonists and a central government with shady intentions.
In the first few minutes of actual gameplay, you get a crazy action sequence that involves some Halo style features. The sound is much of what you'd expect from a first person shooter. So nothing crazy there. But where this game shines (and I can't say thing enough) is in the graphics department. The game's visuals are amazing for a mobile device. I use my tablet for reading, web surfing, and watching the occasional video clip on YouTube. So to jump from those uses, into a game of this quality is awesome.
The game also includes online play (which I haven't tried yet). I have the bad habit of playing too much multiplayer and not enough single player modes, that I try to save the multiplayer for later. My personal preference. So are there any downsides to the game?
In my opinion, only one. It's the controls. Sure, the controls are pulled off via on screen overlays. But I tend to find myself drifting my thumbs up and down the left and right edges of my tablet. Making it easy for me to throw my view and aim off in crazy directions. Especially when the crap hits the fan during fire fights.
What I would like to see accomplished with the controls, is support for controllers and gamepads in Honeycomb 3.2 devices. Other games have pulled this off (Riptide GP by Vector Unit) so I don't see why Gameloft doesn't grant us that option with N.O.V.A. 2. That would make an already awesome mobile gaming experience all that more better.
It is obvious that games like Halo seemed to lend some inspiration the the game's developers. Gameloft is one of those companies who are notorious for publishing games that borrow aspects heavily from other game titles (often people cite Gameloft titles to resemble the art style of games like WoW, GTA, Halo, and some others).
So when it comes right down to it. What is the verdict on N.O.V.A. 2? Is it a must buy or a pass?
Verdict:
-Must Buy!
For mobile gamers looking for a great looking and challenging game, check it out. Likewise, fans of First Person Shooters in general shouldn't pass this one up.
Cons:
The cons are pretty limited on this one. I would like to see controller and gamepad compatibility. And one issue I have read about (and seems to plague Gameloft's titles in general) is hardware support. It will either work or it won't be compatible. I can confirm that is runs great on the Acer Iconia a500 tablet.
I have approached the topic of how much I love my Acer Iconia a500 tablet on this site before. As well as how much I loath Acer's update process for the device. In my opinion, it is a great tablet and has handled everything I have thrown at it since I purchased it. And believe me, it gets a work out. As a matter of fact, I'm using it right now to author this post.
My only real complaint is that Netflix has yet to rollout an app compatible with the Iconia a500 for streaming video. And I know it isn't Acer's fault; the issues lie with Netflix themselves. Their streaming app works on select devices. But not my Acer tablet. I had read on a blog about a month ago that with the Honeycomb 3.2 OTA Update, there may be a chance of getting Netflix to work. Initially, that news was exciting. After all, my iPod Touch can stream from Netflix, but my tablet cannot. It just doesn't seem right.
But after trolling around some forums tonight, the general understanding seems to be that the 3.2 Update will not usher in Netflix to us. Time will tell when the update finally hits (it has been delayed several times now); however, I'm not getting my hopes up. As of right now, you can get it Netflix to run. But only on a rooted and possibly cutom ROM'd Iconia a500. And I'm not sure if I am ready to go quite that far yet.
But if Netflix doesn't get on the ball, then I may be heading down the road to rooting. Rest assured, if rooting becomes an option for me; I will document my experience here for future reference. I would hope it doesn't come to this though.
This wasn't much of a surprise, but the Honeycomb 3.2 update never rolled out for the Iconia a500. Now word is Acer had some issues with GPS and 3.2, and the new street date is (drum roll please)...
September 10th...Time will tell, and as far as Acer's previous update history goes I wouldn't exactly hold my breath.
The other week I expressed my frustration with Acer's handling of the Honeycomb 3.2 Update. Prior to that, I really expressed my frustration with Acer's handling of OTA Updates period and the lack of the ability to manually install the OTA Update from an official source (via a download section on Acer's site, etc.) without having to jump through hoops getting the update files from 'unofficial' sources. Meanwhile, the Acer Iconia a100 was released recently with Honeycomb 3.2 preloaded.
According to a post on Acer's Malaysian Facebook page a couple of weeks ago, the update was pushed back to August 25th for Iconia a500 owners. Now whether this means everyone will get it or just those on the other side of the planet will get the update remains to be seen. I guess we will find out tomorrow (on 8-25-11). Just to note, the delay wasn't just an Acer problem. But it was Google enforcing policy changes for Acer to abide by.
The major updates within Honeycomb 3.2 are pointed at devices sporting 7inch displays (including better support and better resolutions for these smaller screens). So many of us a500 owner's will not experience much (if any) if a change with the update; since the a500 tablets have 10inch screens. However, my fuss with updating in a quick and timely manner points more towards future updates and support.
With the release of Honeycomb 3.2 we are essentially one step closer to seeing Android's 'Ice Cream Sandwhich' release which is claimed to be a 'unifying' version of Android which will aim to close the gap between Android versions for smartphones/earlier tablets and Honeycomb on the more recent tablets. And if this is what will actually happen, than some of the fragmentation of apps in the Android Market will get better as well.
As reported from Android Police, the new Acer Iconia a100 has is now available in North America. That's all good and well. At least until I looked through the specs for the device. Seriously Acer, roll out Honeycomb 3.2 on your newest device and let those of us who decided to support your products and get the 10 inch big brother to this device (the a500), just received Honeycomb 3.1? That's kind of messed up.
With the only hint of Honeycomb 3.2 showing up on the a500 anytime soon is an article over at AndroidCommunity mentioning us a500 users could see the OTA update by the end of August. Apparently, word on the web is somewhere around August 25th. It would be nice if the end of next week I was able to report a happy upgrade to 3.2. However, I wouldn't hold my breath.
Oh well, if you'd like to read more on it see Android Police's article.
And in the meantime, here is a shot of what it looks like:
I have always had an affinity for art. I love to draw, sketch, and when I have time I like to paint. However, there has always been several determining factors in when I get to take part of this little hobby. Supplies are big factor, whether or not I have a spare sketch pad or paper laying around to use. Painting can be rather messy and get out of control pretty quick. And a lot of times, there just isn't enough time in the day to setup an easel break out the paints and go at it. I live a pretty busy life.
So here's my solution (and my art fix). I use my Acer Iconia a500 android tablet. Why not? I used to have a Wacom Bamboo Tablet for my PC that was awesome, but required me to stay at the computer to use it. So I started trying out some of the more Art-centric Android apps in the Google Android Market. What did I find?
I found 2 apps that really stood out and 1 app that is nice for a quick time wasting doodle. See below for information on all 3.
2 min. paint of my dog in Fresco Lite
The first app I tried was Fresco Lite. For free you have access to 2 layers, 2 filters, and 3 brushes. You can export your drawings into the .PSD format for use in Gimp or Photoshop. It's a lot of fun to use and with a little skill could be used to make some cool art. If you like it you can always purchase the full version to unlock about 30 brushes and more layers.
The second option I found was called dscribble Tablet. It's functionality is somewhat limited. However, one neat aspect of this app is that you can post your scribble to their site for others to checkout from within the app. You can even view other people's scribbles with an in-app viewer. For a little quick inspiration and the social aspect, dscribble is a neat app. Plus, it's free.
Finally, the last app I tried out has been the one where I have spend most of my doodling time as of late. Simply because it is awesome. Both dscribble and Fresco Lite has the own unique points making them both fun art apps but both bring about the experience in a little different way. Fresco Lite captures more of a painting aspect. While dscribble is more like the napkin from lunch that you doodle on during a conference call.
But the app that has become my art-go-to or my tablet's almost equivalent of Photoshop or Gimp is: AutoDesk's SketchBook Mobile Express. AutoDesk is an industry leader with software such as AutoCad, 3DSMax, Inventor, Maya and SketchBook Pro for the PC/Mac. So why is SketchBook Mobile Express awesome? Easy, it allows for multiple layers, has an outstanding amount of usable brushes. The input tracking is pretty responsive, so depending on your device's specs you should have a pretty smooth experience with it. The brush effects are so fluid you'll swear you were actually using a pencil and a sketchpad by the time your done with your first "masterpiece". lol
There is the capability to do freehand or mirrored drawing. You can use an onscreen ruler for measuring, not to mention the control over opacity and color picking is awesome. They have managed to streamline the UI for the app by hiding it altogether. There is a small button at the bottom center of the screen. When you tap that button it will open the user interface and a nice selection wheel will pop up. You can use this selection wheel to quickly switch brushes, brush sizes, and several other options.
After finding SketchBook Mobile Express in the Android Market I was sold after playing around for just a few minutes. So I decided to buy the full version, since SketchBook Mobile Express is free. The full version will set you back $4.99, but in my opinion is well worth it.
My quick doodle in SketchBookPro
After you pick the drawing/sketching/doodling app of your choice, you could always go one more step. I found drawing with my finger tip just didn't feel right to me. I wanted to hold something while drawing. So I picked up a Targus Stylus Pen from Walmart (Best Buy carries them too). It set me about about $12.00 or so (they are $14.99 at Best Buy). This completed my drawing toolkit on my Android Tablet. Plus, I now have a full drawing studio wherever I take my tablet. Sure beats lugging around a sketchpad and a box of pencils everywhere. Plus it's a lot of fun even if you're like me and just like to doodle.
Just an update for my fellow Acer Iconia a500 users. Check your Tablet's Update menu for a rather small update that was rolled out tonight. My tablet downloaded it and installed it in about 5 minutes. Not quite sure what was updated yet, but will do some hunting on it tomorrow. Good night!
Actually I guess owner's of the supported ASUS Transformer tablet will be getting the Honeycomb 3.2 update rolled out today (7-28-11). This is great news for proud Transformer owners. It was released a few weeks ago that Honeycomb 3.2 was being tested by Motorola and ASUS for the tablets: the Xoom and Transformer (respectively).
Meanwhile, those of us proud owners of the Iconia a500 (made by the other company whose name starts with the letter 'A'; just received the Honeycomb 3.1 update. And from what I've beem seeing and reading a lot of the Iconia a500 owners are still awaiting the update for 3.1. At this rate we'll probably see 3.2 on our Iconia a500's by October and maybe the release of Ice Cream by the end of the year (if this rate of updating continues).
On another note, apparently Honeycomb 3.2 is rumored to bring Netflix streaming support to the Transformer tablet. Maybe one day fellow Iconia users.
I have been using my Acer Iconia a500 tablet for a couple of days now since it updated to Honeycomb 3.1earlier this week. I feel like I've had enough hands on to develop an initial impression of it, even if I may miss some features. I'll hit the high points that I have encountered with my brief hands-on time.
It's no secret that the update process was somewhat painful (if not self induced by me) as you can read in my previous posts concerning the matter. However, all the trouble was worth it. So what do we get in Honeycomb 3.1? A couple of apps, wifi improvements' and a few other little things. First up, if you haven't gotten the update yet, make sure you are in a good wifi area. The update is large weighing in a little over 330MB's. But once it's downloaded the installl is pretty quick.
As far as apps go, we get two noticeable ones. Now we have Google's Movie Editor and Google Videos. The Movie Editor allows some basic editing of video shot with the devices camera (which works pretty well). And Google Videos allows you to not only rent movies and tv shows via the Android Market for a price, but also gives you a central place to show off any video you may have stored locally on the tablet. Also to note (I don't remember downloading either of these apps myself so I assume they were in the update); I now have both the Nook ereader app and Zinio for digital magazine subscriptions. So if they weren't actually in the update, just overlook me. lol
A couple of the other things I have noticed is the 'Cell Standby' process that was reporting battery usage (10% to 20% at times) is now gone. The transitions from the 'Apps' menu back to the Home Screen seem to be a little snappier. And the overall battery life seems to be just a little bit better (of course this could be due to my usage this week as well). But overall, the tablet just feels a little more responsive.
Despite the issues I have had with the Honeycomb Upgrade rollout from Acer, the Iconia a500 tablet is a wonderful device and I have no complaints with the hardware itself (or Honeycomb for that fact). Hopefully, whenever 3.2 is rolled out, my experience will be a little better (of course, as soon as I'm prompted for the next update I'll take it right away instead of 'Remind Me Later').
So after downloading a hefty 356MB download, and sitting through the install, my a500 is rocking Honeycomb 3.1. Some apps have been added: Movie Editor, Google Videos, Nook reader to name a few.
I'll get some more hands on with it tonight and tomorrow and then I'll post up a quick review of the update and a couple of the apps.
Acer Iconia a500 users who have yet to get the Honeycomb 3.1 Update, go ahead and manually check for the update. I just did and I'm downloading it right now. Hopefully the install will go smooth and 3.1 isn't too far away.
Still no news as far as the Honeycomb 3.1 Update goes. But to be fair, I haven't had a lot of time this weekend to bug Acer Support about my update woes. I'll be hot on the trail again on Monday afternoon, so more to come!
Well, got home from work today and thought for some crazy reason I would check and see if my Iconia a500 tablet had prompted me for the Honeycomb 3.1 update...And nope, still nothing. Also, it still says my device is up to date when attempting to manually search for the update as well.
It's about time for a scathing email to be sent to support and possibly another Live Chat just for kicks. Also, the unveiling of the new 'Mad-Droid' is now:
At 11:00pm eastern standard time, still no update.
Did find a blog that rumored Acer estimates the Honeycomb 3.1 update to not be completely rolled out until sometime in August. I'm not sure of the credibility of the blog, but I hope that isn't so...
Techie on Facebook
Techie on Google+