Multimedia
We tested the multimedia performance of the Iconia A1 with a number of file types. The built in media player was able to cope with most video formats without issue, however it wasn't able to decode the audio track on our MKV test video. For this, we had to download MX Player which features the correct codecs.
The Iconia A1 was also able to handle flash video playback on YouTube through the inbuilt browser without issue. The video playback was extremely smooth indeed and we didn't notice any hiccups throughout our tests.
We also tested the tablet with BBC iPlayer which worked flawlessly. The 8 GB model won't be ideal for iPlayer going forward, though, as there won't be much space to store programs when they become available for download in the near future.
The inbuilt music player is the standard version of Google Play that is bundled with Android. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though as it's easy to navigate and makes it simple to sort music into playlists. It also features a music store for those who want to purchase and download content directly onto the tablet.
There isn't anything particularly impressive about the quality of sound produced by this tablet, however we don't have any complaints. It will certainly suffice when watching movies and for casually listening to music.