PIKOM PC Fair 2011 (I) @ Ipoh

Ipoh is the final venue for PIKOM PC Fair 2011 (I). It’s so pathetic, you know, since PIKOM PC Fair (II) will kick off in Johor Bahru next weekend!

Anyway, I dropped by Stadium Indera Mulia this morning, the usual PC Fair venue, to check out what the vendors have brought us this time. I went without having anything in mind to buy since I am well stocked up but I wanted to check out tablets and GPS devices. Yes, I STILL have yet to get one.

This PC Fair, we have new Garmin products on display; their Edge and Forerunner Series. These are training devices for running and cycling used to track speed, distance, elevation, heart rate and speed/cadence. Obviously not what I need since I am not sporty at all.

And I am happy to see that I now have more tablet choices in the form of Huawei S7 Android tablet and Dezibel capacitive multi-touch tablet PC. Both have 7in screens but Huawei S7 which retails at RM999 during PC Fair in Ipoh runs on Android Froyo 2.2 while Dezibel (a Spanish brand, I have been told) which also retails at the same price of RM999 runs Android Gingerbread 2.3 and comes with free leather keyboard, USB cable, earphone, HDMI cable and 4GB external MicroSD card. HHmmm

But then again, current tablets in the market are still not up to my requirements yet. I still need a full-fledged notebook to run multiple programmes which is not possible to do on a tablet PC. Acer Iconia Tab W500, which runs on Windows 7, could be the answer as it IS a tablet alternative that comes with detachable keyboard that also acts as a dock. This is one of the newer Acer models that uses Acer PowerSmart Long-Life battery which could be used for up to six hours of internet browsing.

Acer Iconia Tab W500 is selling at RM1699. We could even go for the interest-free instalment plan of RM142 per month for 12 months. I’m giving this serious consideration. However, Acer is not my first choice when it comes to electronic devices and the “tablet” even without the keyboard is pretty heavy for my hands.

By the way, the Acer Iconia Tab A500, which is the first Acer tablet to run Android Honeycomb, is retailed at RM1599 or RM133 per month X 12 months if you opt for an interest-free instalment plan. Cheaper than the lowest capacity WiFi+3G iPad 2.

But then again, I prefer a laptop-tablet hybrid…

Event: PIKOM PC Fair 2011 (I) @ Ipoh
Venue: Stadium Indera Mulia, Ipoh
GPS Coordinates: N 04 36.613′ E 101 6.142′

Date: 20th – 22nd May, 2011
Time: 11am – 9pm

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