Acer CloudMobile S500 Android phone review
When I recently took a quick shufti at the alternatives on offer to anyone harbouring doubts about the iPhone 5 I stuck my neck out and awarded a Recommended badge to a phone I’d only used briefly at a trade show. After using it for a week has my enthusiasm waned? Nope. Acer CloudMobile S500 Android smartphone Bargain blower: …
This topic is closed for new posts.
Hmm
This would be very good if it wasn't for the Nexus 4. Better phone for less dosh.
Re: Hmm
I'd agree with you, if it was actually possible to buy a Nexus 4 for the advertised price.
O2 want £399 for it, no stock on Google Play, and I heard a whisper today that in some countries LG are selling it direct for even more than O2 are asking.
With this, if I wanted to I could order one from Expansys now....
Re: Hmm
depends if expandable memory is a big deal for you or not.
Re: Hmm
Expandable memory is handy but I'd take support and updates every day of the week. So it would be the Nexus 4 for me.
Replaceable battery and expandable storage
Sadly this will never catch on...
Support?
Acer UK support is terrible, just bear that in mind before parting with your cash!
Re: Support?
Indeed, not forgetting the lousy reliability of their products, I've had a pair of Acer 'flagship' laptops die on me on a number of occasions. Really can't be bothered describing those experiences, but I do wonder how this phone will fare six months down the line.
As for cost, I bought a Sony Xperia T, and had it unlocked (not cheap at £25, but I got half back for posting a vid of unlocking it), for £265 on eBay, you can get one for around £320 quite easily, and they are obviously under most of Sony's 1 year warranty.
So new Acer, vs slightly used Sony, the latter wins.
Re: Support?
Sony has a two year warranty. Sent me a freepost document and turned my Xperia Arc S around in four working days when replacing the cracked bezel and gave me a new screen while they were doing it. The phone is 13 months old.
LG Optimus x4
And what about this phone? Essentially it *is* the Nexus 4, but with the addition of a Micro-SD slot and removable battery. These can be picked up for ~£300 brand new and unlocked for the 16GB version.
It was even rated on the Reg as the best phone.
Re: LG Optimus x4
The LG Optimus 4X is a much older phone and is *not* essentially the Nexus 4; it's a completely different phone based on the Nvidia Tegra3 chipset. This means a locked bootloader and no 3rd party roms which are essential if you have a phone reliant on LG to provide the software.
Nexus 4
The Nexus 4 has a quad core Krait, not dual core.
It also has a 2100mAh battery, albeit integrated.
Some may want the larger screen which would be better for browsing.
Additionally, storage is only an issue, if it's an issue, some will want expandable storage in which case the Acer is a good option, but if 8 or 16GB is enough then the Nexus is a serious contender.
The Acer is on Expansys for £275 as well.
Round bottom
Not sure about the round bottom, looks like it might be harder to lean-up on my window sill when I'm having a shower to listen to the radio on it (Tune-In). Not the first priority of everybody, granted.
Unless it has a Weeble's bottom, perhaps?
Just out of interest, why did the iPhone5 get 90% for a very similar review?
Probably because the Acer looks terrible. Industrial design, we've heard of it.
@Toxteth O'Gravy
Is that the thing that produced the iPhone 4's glass back and bridgeable antennae? Because I've heard of those things as well.
Can this "acercloud" stuff be got rid of, or is it there whether or not you like it?
As I don't like it....
IT? as it's the nearest we have to a questionmark...
acercloud apps
No, you can't install them without rooting the handset. They only take up a few MB of space though so it's not the end of the world.
Al
Re: acercloud apps
And there was me thinking Android gave you the freedom to have your phone how you want it. But no, you have to root it (effectively like jailbreaking)
On WP8 you just uninstall the bundles crap you don't want. operator apps, bundled apps can all be removed.
Re: acercloud apps
(effectively like jailbreaking)
Rooting an Android phone is not really anything like jailbreaking an iOS device.
As for WP8, are you saying that all the HTC or Nokia content like the HTC app on the 8X can be easily removed? I'd be surprised if that is really the case.
sweet
a dual core processor and decent graphics are more than enough for a smartphone. and if those cores are krait's than you do not really need more processing power on a phone. those dual core kraits pack quite a punch while taking it easy on the power.
Display
" the freaky super-saturated colours of the Galaxy SIII’s AMOLED display."
SETTINGS:DISPLAY:SCREEN MODE. Set to 'NATURAL'. Fixed.
Re: Display
Fair comment but the Acer's screen still has the more natural hue to it when you place the two side by side.
Et, Voilà! ... the first Corporate-branded humans
but never mind that, El Reg - just bring more bread and circus (==gadgets and tits) to keep our latter-day plantation niggers quiescent, thanks.
Another alternative
Just wanted to throw another option into the sub-£300-decently-specced-Droid mix. Ladies and gentlemen, the Sony Xperia Acro S (LT26W): 720p 4.3" screen, 16GB onboard, v4.0.4 out of the box, micro SD slot, 12MP camera with a physical "shutter release" button, 1910mAH battery, dual core with reasonable graphics, and the main selling point for me - it's waterproof. As my wife has killed two iPhones in the past by dropping them down the toilet, this has been a required feature ever since...
Re: Another alternative
Well spotted. I've been badgering Sony for some sort of news on an official UK release for the Acro S but with no luck so far. No joy either via the usual third party channels like Expansys and Clove.
And I was wrong about the the CloudMobile being the only 720p 4.3 inch smartphone. Like the Acro the HTC 8X has one as well.
Re: Another alternative
Got mine on Ebay - there are a couple of Titanium Power Sellers on there doing them for £299.
Nice enough. As has previously been said, the price point of the Nexus 4 kinda nullifies it a little.
Good to see a bit more competition in the market from others oustide the usual suspects though.
Acer are not very good with ongoing support
So even though the price and spec are good, I would not touch one.
Don't expect any android updates after 6 months, it will effectively be EOL'd.
Just the same as their tablets!
Impressive
This looks like an excellent device and the design reminds me a little of the Sony Ericsson Xperia arc. Yes, a Nexus 4 is a better device but this phone will at least give you expandable storage and a replaceable battery which Google are moving away from.
I've seen a few videos of this phone in action and it looks very smooth and is pretty much running stock ICS which is another plus. They have made a few tweaks around the edges and bundle a few Acer apps but other than that it should be about as close to a pure Google experience as any non-Nexus device is likely to get short of installing a custom ROM.
If I couldn't get my hands on a Nexus (and by all accounts there is now at least a 6 week delay, perhaps longer) then I'd buy one of these like a shot. It ticks all the boxes and that screen is superb.
Shame your Amazon link doesn't show up any of these for sale. As far as I can tell only Expansys are selling these for less than £300 in the UK.
This topic is closed for new posts.
