Acer Unloads at Computex: 8.1-inch Iconia Tablet, Spate of Haswell-Powered Ultrabooks and AIO, and Its First Phablet
You expect to see lots of product announcements at a show like Computex, but Acer is announcing a slew of them, starting with the previously-rumored Acer Iconia W3. The 8.1-inch (1280x720) tablet runs a full version of Windows 8 and comes with Microsoft Office pre-installed. It runs on an Intel Atom Z2760 chip and weighs in at just 1.1 pounds and 0.45 inches thick.
Iconia W3
There’s an optional full-size Bluetooth keyboard, front and rear 2MP cameras, micro-HDMI, micro-USB, and 802.11b/g/n for connectivity. The device purports to offer 8 hours of battery life and comes in 32GB or 64GB capacities. Preorders start June 4th, and the Iconia W3 will cost $379 (although Acer says it might be lower in the U.S.).
Aspire S7-392
Acer also announced a pair of new ultrabooks with the 13.3-inch Acer Aspire S7-392 and S3-392, both of which run Intel 4th-generation (Haswell) processors and NVIDIA. The S7 is Acer’s flagship ultrabook, and it packs a 10-point multitouch 2560x1440 display, the Acer TwinAir cooling solution, a light-sensing EL backlit keyboard, Intel WiDi support, RAID 0 SSD, and dual-array microphones, all wrapped in an aluminum unibody.
Aspire R7
In addition to the two ultrabooks, Acer has a new (quasi) convertible notebook called the Aspire R7. The 15.6-inch (1920x1080) device has a special hinge that lets it pivot into different configurations. Under the hood there’s an Intel Core i5 processor, 6GB of memory, a 500GB HDD/24GB SSD storage combo, and a full-size backlit keyboard. In addition to a volume button, ports include an HDMI port, SD card reader, three USB 3.0, audio jacks, and a converter port that supports VGA, Ethernet, and additional USB ports. It runs about $999.99.
Aspire Z3
Acer also has a new all-in-one, the Aspire Z3 AIO. The machine has a 23-inch 1080p Full HD display with 10-point multitouch capabilities, an adjustable HD webcam, and Harmon Kardon speakers with Dolby Home Theater v4 technology. Inside there’s an Intel Core processor with Intel HD graphics, and the Z3 series has an SD card reader, USB 3.0 (x2), 2-in-1 audio combo jack, and HDMI.
Liquid S1
Finally, Acer announced its first phablet, the Acer Liquid S1, which boasts a 5.7-inch (1280x720) display, a 1.5GHz processor, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It uses the Acer Float UI, which allows for multiple windows to remain open for better multitasking, and has the option of a digital pen. Other features include voice unlock, 8MP/2MP rear- and front-facing cameras, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of onboard storage, and easy sharing capabilities.
Iconia W3
There’s an optional full-size Bluetooth keyboard, front and rear 2MP cameras, micro-HDMI, micro-USB, and 802.11b/g/n for connectivity. The device purports to offer 8 hours of battery life and comes in 32GB or 64GB capacities. Preorders start June 4th, and the Iconia W3 will cost $379 (although Acer says it might be lower in the U.S.).
Aspire S7-392
Acer also announced a pair of new ultrabooks with the 13.3-inch Acer Aspire S7-392 and S3-392, both of which run Intel 4th-generation (Haswell) processors and NVIDIA. The S7 is Acer’s flagship ultrabook, and it packs a 10-point multitouch 2560x1440 display, the Acer TwinAir cooling solution, a light-sensing EL backlit keyboard, Intel WiDi support, RAID 0 SSD, and dual-array microphones, all wrapped in an aluminum unibody.
Aspire R7
In addition to the two ultrabooks, Acer has a new (quasi) convertible notebook called the Aspire R7. The 15.6-inch (1920x1080) device has a special hinge that lets it pivot into different configurations. Under the hood there’s an Intel Core i5 processor, 6GB of memory, a 500GB HDD/24GB SSD storage combo, and a full-size backlit keyboard. In addition to a volume button, ports include an HDMI port, SD card reader, three USB 3.0, audio jacks, and a converter port that supports VGA, Ethernet, and additional USB ports. It runs about $999.99.
Aspire Z3
Acer also has a new all-in-one, the Aspire Z3 AIO. The machine has a 23-inch 1080p Full HD display with 10-point multitouch capabilities, an adjustable HD webcam, and Harmon Kardon speakers with Dolby Home Theater v4 technology. Inside there’s an Intel Core processor with Intel HD graphics, and the Z3 series has an SD card reader, USB 3.0 (x2), 2-in-1 audio combo jack, and HDMI.
Liquid S1
Finally, Acer announced its first phablet, the Acer Liquid S1, which boasts a 5.7-inch (1280x720) display, a 1.5GHz processor, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It uses the Acer Float UI, which allows for multiple windows to remain open for better multitasking, and has the option of a digital pen. Other features include voice unlock, 8MP/2MP rear- and front-facing cameras, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of onboard storage, and easy sharing capabilities.
