We haven't heard much about Acer's tasty-looking ICS tablet since CES, but today the company made the quad-core Iconia Tab A700 available to pre-order in the US and in Canada.

Lest you forget, the tablet's specs are quite impressive (if a bit more run of the mill now than they were in January) - here's a rundown:

  • 1920 x 1200 "HD" display (that's a 16:10 aspect ratio, though Acer apparently has the gall to market it as a 1080p screen, which would really be 16:9)
  • 10.5 hour battery life
  • Dolby Mobile 3 and 5.1 Channel Dolby Surround Sound via HDMI
  • microSD card slot and microUSB 2.0 ports
  • 1.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core CPU (with the now-famous "4-Plus-1" design)
  • 12-core GeForce NVIDIA GPU
  • 1GB of RAM
  • Android 4.0 with Acer's "Ring" interface
  • GPS
  • WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
  • 32GB of flash storage
  • 9.8mm thickness
  • 5MP rear-facing and auto-focusing camera
  • 1MP front-facing camera
  • Black and silver colors

Both national retailers and Acer's own online store now have the tablet on pre-sale for a reasonable $449.99. There's also a portfolio case that you can buy now for a slightly less reasonable $39.99.

While Acer didn't manage to keep its promised June 11th shipping date, we certainly look forward to the A700's launch, as it should breathe new life into the company's Android offerings if nothing else.

Here's the official press release:

SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwire - Jun 13, 2012) -

Editor's Summary:

  • Vibrant, precise images brought to life on 1080p Full HD Display with 1920 x 1200 resolution
  • All-day entertainment with long battery life of up to 10.5 hours for video playback
  • Tablet features Dolby Mobile 3; 5.1 Channel Dolby Surround Sound via HDMI to home entertainment system
  • Highly capable and expandable with MicroSD card slot, micro-USB
  • Pre-sale starts today in U.S. and Canada; 32GB Iconia Tab A700 is $449.99

Acer America today debuts the Acer Iconia Tab A700 tablet with a premium 10.1-inch full HD 1080p display.

The Acer Iconia Tab A700 presents high-quality images in a new level of clarity and realism with a remarkable 1920 x 1200 resolution that delivers 55 percent higher pixel density compared to 1280 x 800 displays. This results in sharper images and greater details in everything from websites and text to photos and video. The bright and detailed visuals are further enhanced by Dolby® Mobile 3 with 5.1-channel home theater surround sound capabilities.

Powered by an NVIDIA® Tegra™ 3 quad-core processor and running Android 4.0, the Acer Iconia Tab A700 delivers industry-leading performance and responsiveness for running multiple apps, smooth HD video, fast web browsing and console-like gaming. The tablet can be used as a central part of a digital life; it can be connected to other displays via the HDMI port, and to other devices via its micro-USB port for syncing and transferring files. Plus, consumers can enjoy additional content with the convenient MicroSD card slot.

"Consumers have embraced their tablets as a mobile hub for their daily lives, and the full HD display on the Acer A700 will give customers a fresh new perspective on the apps, games and digital media they enjoy," said Paul Tayar, director of product marketing for connected devices, Acer America. "Customers looking for a no-compromise tablet will get the features and performance they want in the new Acer A700."

Visually Stunning Display Paired with Incredibly Rich Sound

The Acer Iconia Tab A700's full HD 1080p LED backlit display gives customers a visually rich experience; 1080p videos and photos look more vibrant and realistic, and social media networks and online shopping will be enjoyed with more clarity and precision. Many of the most popular Android apps -- such as 3D games, reading and digital media -- already support 1080p, so they can be enjoyed in greater detail on the new Acer A700 tablet.

Ensuring an optimal viewing experience, the Acer A700's display has a 16:10 aspect ratio, 800:1 contrast ratio and a wide 178 degree viewing angle. Plus, the display is a 10-point touch capacitive screen, so it delivers a remarkable degree of accuracy and responsiveness.

In addition, customers can share video stored on the Acer Iconia Tab A700 on other monitors, displays, and TVs via the tablet's built-in micro HDMI port. The new tablet also supports dual-displays, so customers can share videos and photos on an external display. Plus, the tablet can be used as a console to play the latest games on a TV.

The A700's display is complemented by the tablet's impressive sound capabilities. It comes with Dolby Mobile 3 and is 5.1-channel surround sound ready, so it can be connected via HDMI to an external sound system for a high-fidelity audio experience. The excellent audio can also be enjoyed through the stereo speaker.

The sound recorder captures audio in a variety of environments. Students can record lectures and panel discussions, since the Acer Iconia Tab A700 will record multiple voices while suppressing background noises. While in concert mode, the tablet can record sound from further away such as a children's school performance. Sound capture is also improved for video conferencing, so friends and families feel like they're nearly face-to-face.

NVIDIA Tegra™ 3 Quad Core Processor, Features for Performance, Power

The Acer Iconia Tab A700 features the industry-leading NVIDIA Tegra™ 3 Mobile Processor that provides a unique Super 4-PLUS-1™ Quad Core CPU design with a fifth Battery Saver Core.

The processor dedicates up to all four cores to demanding tasks such as watching video and playing next-generation graphics-intense mobile games. Plus, the high-performance 12-Core GeForce NVIDIA GPU delivers incredibly detailed graphics and imagery, while the tablet's full 1GB of RAM(2) contributes to its fast mobile performance. As a result, the Acer A700 is incredibly responsive, delivering smooth video playback, fast navigation and console-quality gaming on-the-go, with performance rates that are 2.6 times faster and graphics that are three times faster compared to previous-generation processors.

The fifth Battery Saver Core handles less demanding activities, ultimately using less power and improving battery life. Plus, the 9800 mAh battery extends the tablet's battery life for all-day usability of up to 10.5 hours of video playback, or nearly 8 hours of web-surfing(1). Customers can use the integrated GPS and e-compass to enjoy location-based services and maps. The tablet easily connects to Wi-Fi networks with reliable Acer 802.11 b/g/n wireless technology.

Connections Make it Expandable, Feature-Rich

The Acer A700 comes with 32GB of flash storage integrated into the tablet, so customers have extra room to store games, photos, music and videos.(2) Plus, additional content can be accessed from the MicroSD card reader that supports up to 64GB MicroSD cards.(2) The micro-USB 2.0 port can be used to transfer data and files on and off the tablet, and can also be used to charge it.

The Acer A700 has two integrated cameras: the 5MP rear-facing camera is auto-focusing, and provides the ability to take snapshots while recording HD video, while the 1MP fixed-focused front-facing camera is great for video conferencing, as it features an improved zoom. Customers can capture video and photos, enhance them on the go, and then conveniently store them in Google+ and upload to other social networks.

Suite of Extras Boost Productivity

The Acer A700 tablet comes with the apps that make it a productivity booster. Polaris™ Office 3.5 allows customers to read and edit documents on the go. The tablet also comes with Evernote, a personal assistant that lets customers easily capture and save web pages, photos, ideas and documents and then store them to the cloud for access from other devices. Printing from the tablet is seamless with Acer Print, which is compatible with 87 percent of brand name printers in the market and supports a wide range of printing formats (doc, pic and browsers). In addition, the tablet features integrated Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (enhanced data rate), so it can connect to a variety of other devices, such as headsets and printers.

Intuitive Experience with Android™ 4.0, Acer Ring and clear.fi

Running on Android™ 4.0 OS, the Acer Iconia Tab A700 delivers many benefits, such as intuitive navigation, fast browsing, as well as enhanced app and folder management options. The unique interactive Acer Ring interface is a welcome addition to Android 4.0, as it can be customized by users to launch favorite apps, programs and websites through a single one-touch button. Additionally, the Acer Ring's screenshot feature can be used to capture images of an app, website and even photos from a video conference.

The chassis' soft-touch finish has a patterned texture that makes it comfortable to hold. It easily fits in a purse, briefcase or book bag, as it weighs just over 1.47 pounds and measures 10.23 (L) x 6.89 (W) x 0.43 (H) inches.

Available in U.S. Starting at $449.99

The new Acer Iconia Tab A700 is available for pre-sale starting today in two models -- the Acer A700-10s32u (silver) and Acer A700-10k32u (black). The tablets are available at http://us-store.acer.com/ and at national electronics retailers in the United States at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $449.99 USD.

Customers can purchase the portfolio case to protect the Acer A700 tablet. The sleek design prevents slipping on surfaces and also allows convenient access to the connectors and ports. It is available through Acer at a price of $39.99.

Source: Acer; pre-order link: Acer Store