What's under the hood of the Acer Iconia Tab A500

Icebike

Senior Member
Apr 28, 2011
1,523
186
Hello Guys,

I just bought an Iconia, but a bit confused as how the UBS works. It has a UBS port, and my understanding is that if I plug in a portable hard drive such as a memory stick or a storage device, I would be able to see and subsequently transfer some of the files to my tablet. However, the tablet doesn't recognize the UBS. It keeps asking for the sdcards. Does that mean if I want to move some of my files from my UBS memory stick over, I first need to move them into the sdcards, then over the tablet?


Any suggestion is highly appreciated

You pretty much hijacked a thread that had nothing to do with what you asked.
Please use the Post New Thread button when you have a new topic.

Go to the market and download a file manage. ES File Explorer of File manager HD, your choice.

HD is very very slow finding network shares if you plan to use it to move files wirelessly, but otherwise it works better for novices who don't understand the Linux file system that is used by Android. Hit Home, hit Up arrow icon, select usb_storage.

A better file manager (because it gives a true picture) is ES File Explorer. In ES, you tap the MicroSD symbol, then select the directory /mnt/usb_storage
(This is the true path to the USB drive, HD lies to you about where it really is, which just keep people confused).


The Tablet DOES RECOGNIZE the Memory stick. Its just that you were expecting it to do a Windows thing, and this isn't windows.

The tablet will find all the files it knows how to deal with as soon as you plug in the Thumb drive. If its a big drive it will take it a while to dig thru it looking for pictures, music, etc. You can then open the gallery and it will show you pictures from the Stick. If you put movies on the stick the movie players (get one from the market - free) will find them, but in the case of movie files you sometimes have to tell them where to look (for some reason not all movie players search all plugged in media).

But for copying files you need a file manager. Play with the file manager till you understand it, and then copy your files across.
 

dagda

Member
Nov 10, 2011
3
0
I was unable to discern what pictures, if any, contained the 3g hardware. It is my understanding the the a500 is the same as the a501, it just lacks the 3g hardware. Is that correct? If so, has anyone learned of a way to add the necessary hardware for 3g without having to use an external modem?
 

Icebike

Senior Member
Apr 28, 2011
1,523
186
I was unable to discern what pictures, if any, contained the 3g hardware. It is my understanding the the a500 is the same as the a501, it just lacks the 3g hardware. Is that correct? If so, has anyone learned of a way to add the necessary hardware for 3g without having to use an external modem?

You can't add 3G hardware as an after market upgrade. At least not internally. It has to go through FCC testing and approval for that. Its not an owner upgradeable feature.

Some plug in 3G usb dongles might work in the future but those that have tested them say they don't work now.
 

dagda

Member
Nov 10, 2011
3
0
You can't add 3G hardware as an after market upgrade. At least not internally. It has to go through FCC testing and approval for that. Its not an owner upgradeable feature.

Some plug in 3G usb dongles might work in the future but those that have tested them say they don't work now.

Thanks for your response. I guess I should have been more clear with my question. What I'm interested in finding out is whether or not the A500 hardware is the same as the A501 just without the 3g hardware installed. I would also like to know how the 3g hardware is incorporated into the device. Is it a chip soldered to the board, some type of removable module, etc? I'm sure in the future cheap broken ones will be available with the 3g hardware, and I am wondering if the hardware can be removed and added to a non 3g version. I was unable to discern from the photos where the 3g stuff is located, which is why I've asked this question on this particular thread.
 

Icebike

Senior Member
Apr 28, 2011
1,523
186
The cellular radio will be soldered onto the board, covered with a metal cover, and have antenna leads coming from connection points adjacent. There may be several different models of the radio available, because the radio frequencies used by different carriers are not all the same.

There may be no place on the board for the cellular radio on the A500 motherboard at all. A cellular radio is not real large, certainly not as large as the main processor. It may be about a centimeter square up to an inch square depending on who made it.

Trust me, this is not an upgrade you will be doing yourself even if you have board-level micro-electronics training.
 

dagda

Member
Nov 10, 2011
3
0
Thanks, I kind of figured that was the case. I was hoping it was connected using other means. Guess I'll stick with the external Huawei modems.
 

Greg_E

Member
Nov 15, 2011
248
13
OK, I just received a used a500 from ebay. I see that next to the microSD slot is some other opening covered by a sticker, I assume this is another micro SD slot... Does anyone have any idea if the electronics are present to make this function if I solder a connector in there? Yes I can solder things that small.

Also thanks for the pictures, saves me a step in opening mine until I find an answer to the above question.
 

Icebike

Senior Member
Apr 28, 2011
1,523
186
THat slot is for the sim card on Acer A501 tablets. Those have a 3G radio.
Yours doesn't, and if you put a sim card in there id drops inside and rattles around.

This info is covered in the manual.
 

Greg_E

Member
Nov 15, 2011
248
13
Thanks, I was hoping for a second SD slot. I remember reading about people thinking of soldering the SIM socket in there and that there are probably some components missing as well as how do you add the modem.

I guess I don't open mine until the battery starts to fade or some other issue arrives.
 
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