Acer Unveils Three New Tablets

Acer, long known for its laptop lines, has decided to throw its hat into the tablet ring. Specifically, the company on Tuesday announced three new tablets: a 7-inch and a 10.1-inch Android-based tablet, and a 10.1-inch Windows-based tablet. As of press time, there were no official model names. The 7-inch Android tablet has a touch screen with a 1,280-by-800 resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio. It also has a front-facing HD Webcam and support for HDMI. It will have a dual-core processor (no word from which chip maker), as well as Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. The 10.1-inch Android tablet, measuring about 13.3mm thick, sports an aluminum chassis accented with a glossy finish around the bezel. It has a capacitive touch screen, and, like its 7-inch counterpart, offers 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity. It also features a built-in HDMI port and 1080p capability. The 10.1-inch Android tablet has a unit 10-point multitouch and gyro-meter control for running and playing HD and online 3D games. The 10.1-inch Windows tablet measures about 15mm thick and sports a high-resolution display. It will run on the next-generation AMD platform and have Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. It sports two 1.3-megapixel cameras—one rear and one facing front—a strange design choice. Why not just have a camera that can swivel, as with the Dell Inspiron Duo? Unlike its Android-based counterparts, the 10.1-inch Windows tablet comes with a docking device that include a full-size keyboard and additional connectivity options. According to Acer, the 10.1-inch Windows tablet will be available this coming February, while the two Android-based tablets will be rolled out in April 2011. Prices are still to be determined. Also on Tuesday, Acer unveiled an unnamed, 4.8-inch smartphone for AT&T, a dual-screen laptop it called Iconia, a media-sharing system known as Clear.fi, and a digital platform known as "alive."