Acer Aims for Android Tablet Sweet Spot with Iconia Tab A100

Remember when we asked whether Android devices were disposable? Apparently, that’s a touchy subject for a lot of people, and sparked some lively debate. I believe the price tag for many Android devices seems high because manufacturers tend to abandon support of older products as new technologies are rolled out. But Acer is addressing the investment issue with its new Iconia Tab A100 7-inch tablet, featuring a surprising price tag.

The Acer Iconia Tab A100 7-inch, which runs Android Honeycomb, starts at an attractive $329.99. That’s cheaper than a lot of other 7-inch or 8-inch tablets running Honeycomb, and it’s outfitted with the powerful Nvidia Tegra 2 CPU (same as the Galaxy Tab 10-inch) and 1GB of RAM. Tack on the 8GB of internal space, an SD card reader that supports up to 32GB and a 1024×600 capacitive touch screen, all weighing in at less than a pound, and you’ve got a nice little package.

Here’s the weird part: Acer is targeting this tablet to “Mom” as a Goldilocks tablet that has just the right size and feature sets for toting around in a bag while she’s toting around the kids. It’s also being billed as the perfect little sharing device, since HDMI out is supported with full 1080p and screen mirroring. Front and rear cameras come standard for video chatting, and of course, you can run Flash on it, too.

But I think Acer should target the A100 to a tech-savvy group as the price-conscious powerhouse that it is, billing it as the perfect Honeycomb companion for those who don’t want the bulk of a full-sized tablet, but need to do some heavy lifting in the background. Acer could also position the device as a unique platform for games because of the Nvidia-powered graphics in the Tegra 2, and the arguably more portable size. But even more ideal, the Iconia Tab really belongs in the hands of IT admins who are doing a swath of multitasking, UC communication, monitoring and more.

I’ll do a quick 30-second review when I get my hands on one at a retail outlet. But until then, keep an eye on the Iconia. Acer is clearly trying to attack the right market at the right price point, especially amid all the pricey 10-inch Android tablets out there that will be outdated and worth half their value in just another six months.