Amazon committed major boo-boo after posting about the first small-screen Windows tablet, the Acer Iconia W3-810-1600, on its online shelf way, way before its supposed launch. The listing has since been yanked out, but not before some people take screen shots of it.
While rumors about an 8-inch Windows 8 tablet have surfaced since last month, the appearance of the Acer Iconia W3 comes as a surprise. All Windows 8 tablets released in the market so far have at least 10 inches of screen surface. Why, you ask? Because when Windows 8 was being developed, smaller tablets like the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire were unheard of.
Since the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft has revised a lot of the operating system’s features and specs to create an environment conducive to smaller tablets. For instance, Windows 8’s hardware certification program has recently dropped the minimum screen resolution for compatible tablets from 1366 x 768 to 1024 x 768.
Amazon describes the Acer Iconia W8 as packed with a single-core 1.5GHz Apple A4 processor, 2GB SDRAM, 64MB Intel Graphics Media Accelerator, WiFi capability, and up to 8 hours of battery life. It also features a 2-megapixel rear-facing camera, 32GB on-board storage, and comes in a silver casing.
But what really gotten the Acer Iconia W3 noticed is the price, as the online retailer leaks a retail price of $379.99. It is way more expensive than both Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7, while only $50 more than the cost of the iPad mini, but W3’s “suggested” price could be a place holder for all we know.
But at that price, the Acer Iconia W3 could be offering consumers a full Windows 8 experience, which might include access to Microsoft Office 2013. Looks like we will have to wait for its actual launch to find out.
Source: PC World
