Hasta La Gadget!

Well here’s one we didn’t expect to come out of MWC. Acer decided to throw some netbook news into its Liquid E press conference with the 10.1-inch Aspire One 532G — the first netbook with NVIDIA’s Ion 2. Not withstanding the addition of the HDMI port and HD display, the Pine Trail netbook has the same chassis as the previously reviewed 532h, but inside it’s a whole different story — its 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, GMA 3150 GPU graphics, 2GB of RAM and 320GB hard drive will be joined by a discrete NVIDIA GPU. As confirmed by the press release below, it will use NVIDIA’s new Optimus automatic switching technology, though it appears Acer is holding out for NVIDIA to officially launch the platform at CeBit to reveal details of the GPU — but a GeForce G310 seems likely from the rumors. The high-def capable netbook should be available in March, but we’ll be listening for a price and more news on this one. In the meantime, hit the break for a relaxing hands-on video and the full PR.

Continue reading Acer Aspire One 532G first to feature NVIDIA Ion 2 switchable graphics

Acer Aspire One 532G first to feature NVIDIA Ion 2 switchable graphics originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer was perhaps the biggest believer in Intel’s Core 2 Duo ULV processors, with its Timeline range running almost exclusively on Intel’s lower voltage parts, so it’s no surprise to hear that the Taiwanese vendor is investing heavily again in Intel’s 2010 ULV variants. We’re talking Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs here, so performance should get a nice boost, but the best news is confirmation of something we’d heard earlier: the final product’s profile will be an aggressively svelte 1.9cm (0.7 inches) in thickness, which will match the headline feature of Apple’s MacBook Air. The plan is to launch “this year,” and indications are that this hero machine will figure heavily in Acer’s push to oust HP from the top spot in global laptop shipments. To say that we’re looking forward to it might be an understatement.

Acer developing ‘ace in the hole’ ultrathin, putting MacBook Air on notice originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s not everyday you get to see six (6!) Android devices pitted against each other in a display-quality grudge match. No, not that sensor sensitivity nonsense again, rather, just a plain ol’ video playback comparison for your subjective observations. Fortunately, the Android-loving kids over at HDBlog shot a video of the MyTouch 3G, HTC Hero, Motorola Milestone / Droid, Acer Liquid, Nexus One, and Samsung Galaxy (laid out clockwise in the image above). In our opinion, the Nexus One with its 3.7-inch AMOLED display packing a 800 x 480 pixel resolution comes out on top with the best overall image (though slightly on the red end of the color spectrum) — good thing the video wasn’t shot outdoors where that AMOLED is all but unreadable. But hey, that’s our opinion, form your own in the video after the break.

Continue reading Android display battle: In the end, there can be only One

Android display battle: In the end, there can be only One originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You could say 3D has hit the mainstream computer today (or something similarly bombastic and partially untrue), as Acer has just released its GD235HZ 120Hz LCD, specially prepped for working with NVIDIA’s 3D Vision active-shutter glasses system. The 23.6-inch, 16:9 display retails for $399, and while it’s going to be great for 3D gaming for the next few months until you grow bored of Avatar and frustrated by Left 4 Dead 2, the 1920 x 1080 resolution is going to really come in handy once the first crop of 3D Blu-ray movies starts hitting. Of course, the NVIDIA 3D Vision kit is sold separately for $199, and requires a compatible NVIDIA card, but that’s a small price to pay for total spatial immersion, right? PR is after the break.

Continue reading Acer’s GD235HZ 23.6-inch 3D display is ready for your glasses-equipped exploits

Acer’s GD235HZ 23.6-inch 3D display is ready for your glasses-equipped exploits originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google is yet to release its Chrome operating system for netbooks but already Acer is betting big on it.

Acer says it plans to ship about one million netbooks this year running Chrome OS.

“For Chrome, we’re aggressively pursuing to become one of the first,” Jim Wong, Acer’s president of IT products division told Bloomberg, “so there’s a change to the Microsoft-Intel environment.”

The Acer netbooks with Chrome OS are expected to be released in the third quarter of the year.

For the fledgling operating system, Acer’s support will ensure it debuts with a bang.

Google introduced Chrome OS two months ago as a lightweight, browser-based operating system that would boot up in seven seconds or less. The first Chrome OS netbooks will be available in late 2010, the company said, through hardware from manufacturers Google has partnered with.

Acer’s support is important for Google as the former is one of the biggest netbook makers. Acer’s also an ambitious company that has set its sights on overtaking HP to become the leading PC maker.

Acer hasn’t mentioned pricing for its Chrome OS netbooks but Google has said that it will cost about the same as those running Microsoft’s Windows operating system.

Acer’s ambitions extend beyond netbooks. At the end of June, the company plans to launch an e-reader with a 6-inch black-and-white screen.

Though Acer has been one of the pioneers in the netbook market, it is a late entrant to the fast-growing e-readers segment. So, instead of competing with rivals such as Amazon’s Kindle, Sony’s Reader and Barnes & Noble’s Nook in the U.S., Acer plans to focus on Europe and Asia.

The company says it will target its e-readers at customers outside North America and build partnerships with publishers in other countries.

See Also:

• Five Things Google’s Chrome OS Will Do for Your Netbook
• Why Google Should Cool It With Chrome OS
• Google Chrome OS Netbook Specs Leaked?
• Google FAQ Reveals Chrome OS Hardware Partners

Photo illustration: Charlie Sorrel/Wired.com; Original photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com