Acer A500, User Manual

Page 1: ...1 User Guide ...

Page 2: ... only models and A501 Wi Fi 3G models First issue 03 2011 Acer ICONIA TAB Model number __________________________________ Serial number ___________________________________ Date of purchase ________________________________ Place of purchase ________________________________ ...

Page 3: ... touchscreen 13 The Home screen 14 The onscreen keyboard 20 Editing text 22 Connecting devices to your tablet Connecting to AC power 24 Inserting a micro SD card optional 24 Connecting to a PC as a USB storage device 24 Connecting a USB device to your tablet 25 Connecting a Bluetooth device 25 Connecting to a television with HDMI 26 Connecting to the dock optional 26 Going online Managing Wi Fi co...

Page 4: ...r Wi Fi 3G models 51 Adjusting connection settings 52 Internet sharing 53 Advanced settings Sound 55 Screen 55 Putting your tablet in Airplane mode 56 Activating or deactivating connections 56 Adjusting Bluetooth settings 57 Connecting to a PC 57 Synchronization 57 Setting the date and time 58 Setting alarms 58 Changing language and text options 59 Managing applications 59 Updating your tablet s o...

Page 5: ...s of this Agreement 7 Transfer your rights under this Agreement to any third parties 8 Export the Software in contravention of applicable export laws and regulations or i sell export re export transfer divert disclose technical data or dispose of any Software to any prohibited person entity or destination including without limitation Cuba Iran North Korea Sudan and Syria or ii use any Software for...

Page 6: ...conditions of this Agreement In such event you must 1 Cease all use of the Software 2 Destroy or return to Acer the original and all copies of the Software and 3 Delete the Software from all devices on which it was resident All disclaimers of warranties and limitation of liability set forth in this Agreement shall survive termination of this Agreement GENERAL This Agreement represents the complete...

Page 7: ...ime it is recommended that you immediately register it This will give you access to useful benefits such as Faster service from our trained representatives Membership in the Acer community receive promotions and participate in customer surveys The latest news from Acer Hurry and register as other advantages await you How to register To register your Acer product please visit mobile acer com Click ...

Page 8: ...act your dealer immediately Acer ICONIA TAB Quick Guide USB cable AC adapter Warranty card Getting to know your tablet Front 1 2 3 view No Item Description 1 Touchscreen 10 1 inch 1280 x 800 pixel capacitive touchscreen 2 Front facing camera A 2 megapixel camera for video chatting and self portrait images 3 Light sensor Detects ambient light and automatically adjusts the screen brightness ...

Page 9: ...minate images 2 5 MP camera A 5 megapixel camera for taking high resolution images 3 Speakers Emits stereo audio No Item Description 1 Power button Long press to turn the tablet on press briefly to turn the screen on off or enter sleep mode press and hold to turn the tablet off 2 3 5 mm headphone jack Connect to stereo headphones ...

Page 10: ...s to a computer with a USB cable 6 USB connector Host Connects USB devices to your tablet 7 Reset button Insert a small thin object such as a paperclip to reset power to the tablet No Item Description 1 Volume control key Increase and decrease the tablet volume 2 Screen rotation lock switch Use this switch to lock the screen rotation or allow the screen to match the tablet s orientation 3 Card slo...

Page 11: ...only for Wi Fi 3G models on page 51 Charging your tablet For first time use you need to charge your tablet for four hours After that you can recharge the battery as needed Connect the DC in jack to your tablet and plug the AC adapter into any AC outlet Note It is normal for the tablet surface to become warm during charging or long periods of use Important Certain tablets include a SIM slot for int...

Page 12: ...portant You must sign into a Google Account to use Gmail Google Talk Google Calendar and other Google Apps to download applications from Android Market to back up your settings to Google servers and to take advantage of other Google services on your tablet If you want to restore existing settings from another device with Android 2 0 or later installed you must sign into your Google account during ...

Page 13: ...set of dots that must be tapped in the correct order Open the Home screen and tap Apps Settings Location security Configure lock screen Note If you forget an unlock pattern or PIN please refer to Unlock pattern on page 62 Using the touchscreen Your tablet uses a touchscreen for selecting items and entering information Use your finger to tap the screen Tap Touch the screen once to open items and se...

Page 14: ...ation on the Internet tap the Google Search icon in the top left corner Simply enter the text you want to find Tap the arrow or Enter key to search the Internet or tap one of the suggestions applications or files shown in the list Note In order to search or browse the Internet you must be connected to a cellular data if available or wireless network See Going online on page 27 Voice search If voic...

Page 15: ...some applications Tap this icon to open a list of options The extended Home screen The Home screen extends to either side of the initial Home screen giving you more room to add widgets or organize shortcuts To view the extended Home screen swipe your finger to the left or right A total of five pages are available two to the left and two to the right To change or add widgets on any of the screens s...

Page 16: ...ine of the second page will be shown on the side of the screen Swipe the outline towards the center of the screen to switch pages Tap and hold an icon to add a shortcut to one of your Home screens While a shortcut is selected thumbnails of the Home screens are shown below the list of applications simply drag the shortcut to a screen Status and notification area Status and notification icons are sh...

Page 17: ...usic is playing Status and notification icons Connection and batterystatus icons Note Network connection icons are blue if you have an active Google account Icon Description Icon Description Connected to a wireless network waves indicate connection strength Battery is very low An open wireless network is available Battery is low Bluetooth is on Battery is partially drained Connected to a Bluetooth...

Page 18: ...able Problem with sign in or sync System update available Uploading data Virtual private network VPN status Downloading data Download finished Icon Description Icon Description Cellular signal strength Roaming Connected to GPRS network No signal GPRS in use SIM card is invalid or not installed Connected to EDGE network New unread SMS MMS EDGE in use Problem with sending SMS MMS Connected to 3G net...

Page 19: ...shortcuts to applications and settings you can drag to a Home screen Tap Wallpapers to change the current wallpaper You can choose from a set of pre formatted wallpapers images stored in the Gallery or Live wallpapers featuring animated or interactive backgrounds Tap More to add icons shortcuts groups of contacts or links to specific settings To move any item on the Home screen tap and hold the it...

Page 20: ...nscreen keyboard will appear Simply tap on keys to enter text Tap the 123 button to see numbers and special characters and then tap the More key to see more options Tap and hold a key to select alternative characters if available such as letters with accents The layout of the keyboard varies slightly depending on the application and information that is required Changing Android keyboard settings T...

Page 21: ...t keyboard type tap the Keyboard status icon this will open a menu listing the text input methods available on your tablet Tap your preferred input method Typically three options are available two types of Android Keyboard keyboard and voice and XT9 Text Input XT9 Text Input The XT9 keyboard provides an alternative to the standard Android keyboard Tap the 123 button to see numbers and special char...

Page 22: ...ted below the text Note The cursor indicates where text you type or paste will be inserted 2 If the cusor is not in the desired position simply drag it to the correct position If you previously copied see below text a Paste button appears briefly above the cursor Tap the button to paste the text 3 Modify the text Type paste or delete text 4 Tap Enter on the keyboard or tap the Close Keyboard butto...

Page 23: ...ext The selected text is highlighted with a tab at each end of the selection 2 Drag either tab to expand or reduce the amount of selected text or tap Select all 3 To cut or copy the text tap the Cut or Copy button ...

Page 24: ...rd slot cover Check card capacity in the External SD card section of Apps Settings Storage Transferring files between a microSD card and your PC Remove the card from the tablet and use a card reader or USB adapter to access the card as an external storage device Note Check your tablet is not using the microSD card before removing it from the tablet Take care when removing the card the slot is spri...

Page 25: ...es on a USB storage device Note Your tablet only supports USB storage devices that use the FAT or FAT32 file system You can access media files photos music and video on USB storage devices with your tablet s multimedia apps Caution Before removing USB storage make sure your device is not using data on the USB storage device Note Please check for updates to the tablet s software that may add suppor...

Page 26: ...nect a micro HDMI Type D cable to your tablet then plug the other end of the HDMI cable into a TV or monitor with an HDMI port Connecting to the dock optional The optional dock holds your tablet and allows you to easily charge the battery with a single connection The dock provides extra connectors that replace your tablet s built in connectors while it is docked Please check the dock s specificati...

Page 27: ...etect nearby networks Tap the name of your network and enter a security password if needed Browsing the Internet In order to browse the Internet with your tablet you must be connected to a the Internet Using the browser To start browsing tap a bookmark from the bookmark widget on the Home screen or open the Application menu and select Browser To enter a website address tap the address box at the t...

Page 28: ...Speak now prompt is displayed state your command or query Note Voice search is available only in some regions Setting up Gmail Google mail 1 Make sure your tablet is connected to the Internet 2 From the Applications menu tap Gmail If you did not enter an Gmail account address and password when you first started your tablet follow the on screen instructions Note You need to activate a Google accoun...

Page 29: ...ations may include Acer Sync Sync your data between your tablet your computer and the Google servers SocialJogger View updates to your social networks in one location Maps Get easy to follow directions using Google Maps Talk Chat with your friends with text sound and video Navigation Turn by turn navigation with live traffic multiple visible layers and text to speech take you where you want to go ...

Page 30: ...nt settings refresh the page auto play and add or remove custom pages Adobe Flash Player Adobe Flash Player is not installed on your tablet If you want to use Flash content on in your browser you can visit the Android Market see below to easily download and install Adobe Flash Player Android Market Note The Android Market may not be available in all countries and regions Note You need to activate ...

Page 31: ... told which services contact information wireless access GPS etc the application requires access in order to function correctly If none of these services seem unusual tap OK to proceed with the installation You may keep track of the download progress from the status area Important Some applications may require payment before you can download them You will need to have a Google Checkout account in ...

Page 32: ...ocated on the top right corner of the screen Alternatively you can go to Settings from the application menu and select Applications Manage applications Tap the application you wish to uninstall tap Uninstall and confirm the uninstall Google Talk Note Google Talk may not be available in all countries and regions Note You need to activate a Google account before you can use Google Talk Tap Talk from...

Page 33: ...application menu eReading Games Multimedia or Social Tap the shortcut to open a screen containing applications from that category Using the content folders Each category already contains shortcuts to essential applications Simply tap a shortcut to open the application The shelves along the bottom of the screen may contain links to portals that allow you to download related applications from trustw...

Page 34: ...s sign in the top right corner and select one or more applications from the list Tap OK to add shortcuts for the selected applications You may view up to twenty shortcuts on a single screen If you add more than twenty shortcuts swipe the screen up to see additional shortcuts Moving or removing Tap and hold an item to select it Drag it to an new position to change the order or to the trash can in t...

Page 35: ...s must be connected to the same network Note When using an external USB storage device to access media files the device may not be recognized for a few minutes Tap clear fi Acer clear fi will automatically detect devices that are connected to the network and are also running Acer clear fi These devices are displayed at the bottom of the screen with your tablet as the default device on the leftmost...

Page 36: ...ected device showing an arrow Select Play or Save To upload a photo to Facebook or Flickr via Acer Photo Uploader or to paired devices using Bluetooth tap and hold a photo thumbnail then tap Share clear fi videos Tap a folder under Collection to view the thumbnails Tap and hold a folder or video thumbnail to view the menu panel You can play videos found on any of the connected devices and save the...

Page 37: ...ouTube tap and hold a photo thumbnail then tap Share clear fi music Tap a folder to list the audio files Tap and hold a folder or audio file to view the menu panel You can listen to any audio file found on any of the connected devices and save them Tap and hold an audio thumbnail then tap and hold any of the connected device showing an arrow Select Play or Save To send audio files as an email atta...

Page 38: ...t to send media content to other UPnP enabled home entertainment devices that are connected to a home wireless network To set up the media server open the application menu and tap Media server You will need to enable Share contents before you can start using the service You may select to share Video Photo or Music Tap a category to control which files are shared Dolby Mobile To access Dolby Mobile...

Page 39: ...f you have activated a Google account that includes contacts your contacts will be synchronised automatically See Synchronization on page 57 Importing contacts Tap the Menu button and select Import Export Tap the option that describes where you contacts are stored When the contacts are found confirm to import the contacts in a new group Adding a new contact Tap New to add a new contact You will be...

Page 40: ...cond entry Tap the minus sign to remove an entry Tap Add another field for more categories To assign an image to your contact tap the silhouette and select an images from your tablet s picture gallery select Gallery if requested You may also take and crop a new photo Tap Done to finish and save the contact Tip Set each phone number to match the type of network as this can determine some functions ...

Page 41: ...favorite contacts Editing a contact on your computer If you have synchronised your Google account and contacts you can use your computer to access and edit your contact list Open the Internet browser on your computer and go to contacts google com Sign in to your account then select and edit contacts from the list the next time your tablet synchronizes with your computer these changes will also be ...

Page 42: ...nt facing camera is for video chat Use the camera so the person you call can see you while you can see them on the screen Normally the video chat software you are using will provide controls for switching between the front and rear facing cameras To activate the camera open the application menu and tap Camera Camera icons and indicators Note Not all controls are available when using the front faci...

Page 43: ...hting Auto Incandescent Daylight or Fluorescent Color effect Choose an effect to change the colors in your photos None Mono Sepia Negative Solarize or Posterize Scene mode Choose a mode to match the type of scene to capture Auto Action Portrait Landscape Night Night portrait Theatre Beach Snow Sunset Steady photo Fireworks Camera settings Activate or change special settings Store location Focus mo...

Page 44: ...a setting is not described below then check the camera description 1 Ensure you the options described above are set to your preferences 2 Frame your subject and steady your tablet and zoom in or out as needed 3 Press the camera button down fully to begin recording 4 Press the camera button down fully to stop recording Icon Description Start stop recording Flash mode Choose if the flash should be o...

Page 45: ... can view it in the Gallery by tapping the thumbnail in the bottom left corner of the screen Alternatively open the application menu and tap Gallery then Camera Select the photo or video you want to view videos are marked with a small play symbol From the Gallery you can share the file directly using various services Tap Menu and then Share Note Share options vary depending on the file type Type F...

Page 46: ...s either defined by the book or a generic book cover To change the book cover tap and hold the book to see more information If you have many books you can swipe the screen up or down to display more titles Note To add books to the bookshelves see Adding books to your tablet on page 48 Tool bar The tool bar is at the top of the screen This area displays icons that allow you to look for new books or...

Page 47: ...hold a book then drag it to one of the tags shown at the top of the screen Drag the book to the to create a new tag Removing a tag To remove a tag tap the name of the tag at the top of the screen so that only book with that tag are displayed Tap and hold the book then drag it to the trash can select the option that removes the tag Dictionary The Dictionary allows you to check the definitions of wo...

Page 48: ...ickly tap twice on a word to highlight it then tap a second word to highlight a section of text between the selected words Tap the Highlight icon and add a note if desired tap Save to highlight the selected section Note You can also tap twice on a word to search for it in the dictionary or on the Internet Jumping to Contents Bookmarks or Highlights You may jump directly selected sections in a book...

Page 49: ... displayed in on the bookshelves Note Folders that begin mnt sdcard are on your tablet s internal memory Folders that begin mnt external_sd are on the micro SD card Tap Add Book Folder look for the folder in the list and tap the circle on the right to select it tap on a folder name to see sub folders When you have selected all the folders you want to add tap Add Books in the selected folders will ...

Page 50: ...Settings button 3 Tap Register Adobe ID 4 Tap Create an Adobe Account 5 Enter the information requested to create login information for your account Note The email adress you enter will be your Adobe ID Make sure you remember your password 6 Select Continue Your Adobe ID is now registered Entering your Adobe ID To register your tablet follow these steps 1 Open LumiRead 2 Tap the Settings button 3 ...

Page 51: ...clude a SIM slot for internet access To take full advantage of your tablet s Internet capabilities you should install a SIM card with data subscription before turning on your tablet 1 Turn off the tablet by pressing and holding the power button 2 Insert the SIM card as shown SIM card 3 Replace the card slot cover Note Ensure that the SIM card is inserted all the way into the card slot Caution Turn...

Page 52: ...net settings Tap Apps Settings Wireless networks Mobile networks to adjust your network settings You can turn data connection on or off when roaming restrict the connection to 2G networks only specify a network operator and define access point names Selecting a network Your tablet will automatically detect your carrier network settings when you insert a new SIM card However you may prefer to manua...

Page 53: ...networks 2 Tap Use only 2G networks Creating a new access point When you need to add another GPRS 3G EDGE connection on your tablet obtain the access point name and settings including username and password if required from your service provider 1 Tap Apps Settings Wireless networks Mobile networks Access Point Names 2 Tap an existing APN or tap New APN 3 Enter the APN settings Tap an item to adjus...

Page 54: ...net connection with up to eight clients 1 Tap Apps Settings Wireless networks Tethering portable hotspot 2 Tap Portable Wi fi hotspot and Portable Wi Fi hotspot settings 3 Tap Configure Wi Fi hotspot to set the Network SSID and adjust security settings such as adding a password 4 Tap Save to finish ...

Page 55: ...Settings Screen Item Description Vibrate Sets vibration options Volume Sets volume for Media Alarm and Notifications Notification ringtone Sets a ringtone for notifications Audible selection Plays a sound whenever a screen selection is made Screen lock sounds Plays a sound when locking and unlocking the screen Haptic feedback Vibrates when pressing soft keys and on certain UI interactions Item Des...

Page 56: ...atus bar to manage connection settings Adjusting connection settings This section will show you how to adjust detailed settings for your data Wi Fi and Bluetooth connections If your tablet includes 3G features some additional options are available Item Description Airplane mode Disables all wireless connections so you can safely use this device onboard an aircraft Wi Fi Turns the Wi Fi function on...

Page 57: ...lient connector into an available USB port on your computer Note You may need to install drivers on your computer before your tablet can be used with your computer You will now be able to see your tablet s internal memory as a drive in your computer s file explorer Synchronization You can configure synchronization options for many applications on your tablet You can also configure what types of da...

Page 58: ...iple Google accounts such as separate accounts for personal and business contacts you can access and synchonize them from the Accounts settings section Tap Apps Settings Accounts sync Tap Add account in the top right corner and select Google Setting the date and time To set the date and time tap Apps Settings Date time Tip If you travel frequently or live in an area that uses daylight saving time ...

Page 59: ...e top right corner Note You cannot uninstall applications that were pre loaded on your tablet Alternatively you can go to Apps Settings and select Applications Manage applications Tap the application you wish to uninstall tap Uninstall and confirm the uninstall Warning You should only remove programs if you are familiar with the Android operating system Updating your tablet s operating system Your...

Page 60: ...personal information any contacts stored on your tablet and any programs you installed Open Settings from the application menu then tap Privacy Factory data reset click Reset tablet and then Erase everything to format your tablet If your tablet still does not respond refer to FAQ and troubleshooting on page 61 ...

Page 61: ...ed Refer to Multimedia on page 63 for more information Why can t I view my video files You may be trying to view a video that is not supported Refer to Multimedia on page 63 for more information Why can t I play my music files You may be trying to play a file that is not supported Refer to Multimedia on page 63 for more information System information and performance How do I check the OS version o...

Page 62: ...nd erase all data See Clean boot on page 60 Heat The tablet heats up when charging or operating for a long period It is normal for the device to heat up when charging When charging is complete it will return to its normal temperature It is also normal for the tablet to heat up during long periods of use such as watching a video or playing a game All Acer tablets are factory tested before release F...

Page 63: ...ality stereo output Stereo speakers Dual microphone with noise and echo cancellation Dolby Mobile Formats supported USB connectors USB connector host Micro USB connector slave Power DC power in 12 V 1 5 A Connectivity Bluetooth 2 1 EDR A2DP support Wi Fi 802 11b g n WLAN 802 11n 2 4GHz only GPS Type Formats Audio recording AAC LC AMR WB Audio playback AAC LC AAC AAC Not raw AAC AMR NB AMR WB MP3 O...

Page 64: ...on microSD memory card slot up to 32 GB Battery Rechargeable high density Li polymer batteries 3260 mAh x 2 24 1 Wh Note Length of battery operation will depend on power consumption which is based on system resource use For example constantly using the backlight or using power demanding applications will shorten battery life between charges Dimensions Height 260 mm Width 177 mm Thickness 13 3 mm W...