Tablet 8W /any windows tablet - battery level indicator while charging

I would ask if you can see any battery level indicator while charging the tablet turned off.
My model is the tab 8w and I can see the battery level for a few seconds. Then it disappears and there is no way to see it again. Usually for a device we expect to see the indicator by slightly pressing a key.

I've contacted my local support, and sorry to say, after I've asked it 3 times, finally got a call back. The support at first sight was a bit confused, confirming the need to press a key to do it.
Then admitted the issue and added that is a problem related to windows 8.1 .

I can't see any point for microsoft to do that, why should the indicator appear and disappear?
I've read somewhere (I think here but I can't find it again) about an acer android user reporting the same issue, si it looks like it's an acer problem, not a software one.(and this explains why I asked it to any windows tablet owners)

The way to follow are:
- charge the tablet and leave it plugged for some hours (more than needed time)
- charge the tablet turned on (more time to charge it)

Accepted answers

All comments

padgett

The Microsoft charge spec (have mentioned before) says there needs to be EITHER a LED indicator or an On Screen indicator (common in Android). Both my W510 and W3 comply with an orange/blue LED on the power button. I have seen other devices that do not bother.

billsey

Yes, I have three Acer tablets and they all show an amber light while charging which changes to blue when fully charged. What does yours show?

floxin0

Thank you for both replies. I've supposed all windows tablets without a flashing led. Your models have one and maybe you've not cared about another indicator.
My model has not any led... and Yes what I meant was "on screen battery indicator". Excuse me I didn't know this specific name and my words was not clear. thank you for tell me the correct name.

So I have not any led or on screen indicator. But the weird thing is that it is shown for some seconds (so it has been created). What is not possible to know is if the disappear is a problem of my model or a problem known (although not fixed) by Acer.

Thank you again.

padgett

I really do not know why they came out with 1 GB Windows machines. My typical loadout is just over a GB which means unless you don't do anything it will be swapping like mad.

At a time when I expected 8" tabs capabilities to be expanding (4GB RAM, 64 bit OS), instead they come out with what are supposed to be inexpensive but turn out to be tweeties. The type of thing that will drive people to iOS and Android (and Chrome tabs when they appear).

So in squeezing out the last penny, it is not surprising that the charge LED was left out.

Think "Cadillac Cimmaron".

floxin0

What I can say is that the tablet itself works good in general. Considering the 8" screen I think that the RAM is good sized, it is a temporary device and not intended as a work device(at least for me).

Although a LED could be really appreciated, the fail of the on screen indicator appearing once and disappearing makes me think there is an hidden problem and that Acer does nothing about.

If there is an hidden problem maybe it's not the only one.

Honestly I have decided to give it back, due this problem, but for a lot of things too and first of all is the local support in my country that disappointed me, and the user manual evidently bad copied and pasted from a notebook manual.

Thank you all for the support. Smiley Very Happy

billsey

I believe that the onscreen indication is supposed to go away after a short time. Leaving the screen powered up while charging is just going to slow the recharge down. The indicator is just showing you the process has started.

floxin0

I don't think so. The indicator (when the cable is just plugged in) shows some steps of charge left. Then starts to cyclically fill the empty steps. This is all, because after that it disappears.

Even the panasonic gd92 (early 2000 phone) has both a LED (to show the charge running/complete) and the on screen indicator t(hat shows how much charge is left, the percentage to fill the battery and when it is full charged)