‘PC Does What?’ commercials take you right to the danger zone
That “PC Does What?” ad campaign from the likes of Dell, HP, Intel, Lenovo and Microsoft isn’t a rumor anymore. As Business Insider notes, each of the five spots highlights a different aspect of modern Windows PCs including their svelte designs, gaming prowess and convertible configurations. The series of 30 second ads will start airing October 19th, but if you’re the impatient type you can hop past the break and see them embedded below.
[Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Via: Business Insider
Source: Intel (YouTube)
Acer makes its new all-in-one portable by adding a battery
With the PC market dwindling and Microsoft itself now providing some of the best Windows 10 models (like the powerful Surface Book convertible), third-party OEMs have to do something to stand out. That’s perhaps why Acer has decided to put an internal battery in its 17.3-inch Aspire Z3-700 all-in-one (AIO) to take it to a new place — the road. The form factor and relatively small 2-kilogram (4.4 pound) weight suggest that it’s more a big tablet than an AIO, but Acer says the dual kickstand and 1080p, 10-pound multi-touch screen also make it a fine desktop PC. Slideshow-328073
It’s not a bad idea for graphics designers or others who might prefer a desktop form factor but need a big, reasonably portable tablet from time to time. As such, it has a battery that can run it up to five hours and support for a dedicated stylus. It’s also equipped with the latest Intel sixth-generation Core Skylake or Celeron CPU, an SSD or HDD and up to 8GB of RAM. It’ll arrive by the end of the year in Europe starting at €599 ($680).
The other product revealed by Acer today was a new Aspire R14 convertible notebook. It’s pretty similar to the last, Lenovo Yoga-like R14 model (not the one with the easel-like hinge), except that it now has a fancy new “diamond-cut” edge design and a smaller, 360-degree dual-torque hinge. That’ll give you laptop, tent, display or tablet modes, depending on how you orient the 1.9-kilogram (4.1 pound) device. It also comes with sixth-gen Skylake CPUs, SSD or HDD disks and up to 8GB of RAM, though Acer didn’t mention the 14-inch screen’s resolution. That model will arrive in the US by the end of the month starting at $699. Slideshow-328074
Source: Acer
Windows 10 didn’t stop PC sales from dropping this summer
Windows 10 may have breathed new life into your PC, but it didn’t do anything to juice PC sales this summer. Both Gartner and IDC estimate that computer sales dropped several points year-over-year (between 7.7 and 10.8 percent) in the third quarter, right when the new Windows arrived. That’s one of the steeper drops in recent memory, in fact. Not that it comes as a complete surprise. As the analyst firms explain, Microsoft’s fast-tracked release left many PC makers shipping existing systems with Windows 10, which weren’t going to drive demand as much as brand new models. You’re not going to buy a months-old laptop just because it’s running new software, are you? The big question is whether or not the wave of new Windows 10 PCs launching this fall will make a difference — if there’s still a sharp decline, the industry is really in trouble.
The new platform wasn’t the only factor at work, of course. The researchers blame the downturn on a combination of a stronger US dollar (which hiked PC prices in many other countries) and a transition away from old Windows 8 PCs. Some vendors fared better than others, though. As a rule, big-name brands like Apple, Dell, HP and Lenovo (the market leader) have emerged relatively unscathed — it’s the smaller, more vulnerable companies that are shedding legions of customers. Even Acer and ASUS saw sales plunge by over 10 percent. It’s too soon to say if Windows 10 will stop the bleeding, but the days of booming computer businesses appear to be long gone.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu]
Is Acer’s Predator 8 tablet a Shield-killer or just a nice try?
Does another promising device bite the dust?
At IFA 2015, it was quite obvious that Acer is aggressively pushing its Predator line of elite devices. There was a whole flashy area dedicated to it, surrounded with the brand’s industrial, red-accented theme. To recap, we were shown powerhouse gaming laptops, large curved monitors packed with Nvidia’s G-Sync technology, a smartphone with a 10-core CPU monstrosity, and a sweet-looking 8-inch gaming tablet – the Predator 8.
Acer’s new elite tablet brings some fresh features to the gaming tablet segment, a segment that previously existed by one other – the Nvidia Shield tablet. So does the Predator 8 stand a chance? Let’s check it out.
In picking up the device for the first time, you can tell one of Acer’s objectives for the Predator tablet was to wow the user with the design. This thing is flashy and totally not for someone who doesn’t want to draw attention. Everyone will know this tablet is special, a completely different take from the subtlety of the Nvidia SHIELD. I love it.
Unfortunately, the feel did not back up the awesome appearance. There’s no other way to break it down, it feels cheap. The chassis is mostly plastic. OEM’s sometimes make plastic work, but Acer just didn’t with the Predator 8. My word to Acer: You can’t skimp on build with a premium device.
Okay, so it’s apparent Acer cut some corners to make the Predator 8 a reality, but how far does that fact extend? Let’s go over the performance, but first, a breakdown of the specs:
In addition, one of the staples of the Predator 8 are four front-facing speakers. You read that correctly, four. Like many OEM’s are doing these days, the external audio is supported by some Dolby Audio software trickery.
So with all that said, how does it sound? It’s good, just not superb. It can get loud, but the quality leaves to be desired. It is treble-heavy, almost shrilly sometimes. It reminds me a lot of the Nexus 6 speakers, where Motorola obviously made loudness a priority over quality. On the Nexus 6, bass was almost non-existent. I would have to do a review of the Predator 8 before I can conclude the same, as Acer’s booth wasn’t the quietest environment.
Next up is the display. Unfortunately, it left to be desired as well. This is often my experience with Acer displays, but I was hoping a premium product of theirs would be of better quality. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not terrible. Looking at the screen straight-on it’s fine, and colors have particularly nice vibrancy. However, tilt the device and the image slightly (but noticeably) washes out. We should be past the days of washing-out displays. Maybe I’m just spoiled by Samsung’s fantastic S-AMOLED panels.
And last but not least is the gaming performance. Bear in mind that this is not a full review, and I give the Acer the benefit of the doubt of maybe not having finished software. Asphalt 8 was loaded up on the device, which serves as a good gaming benchmark.
For some reason the gameplay stuttered, too much for my taste. It was playable, and bits where it didn’t stutter were smooth, but every time action ramped up (i.e. crashing into a wall, because I suck at racing games), the performance struggled. On a normal tablet I could look past this occurrence, but not on a “gaming” tablet.
So can I recommend the Predator 8? It depends. Acer does bring some neat things to the tablet, that weren’t there before, such as quad, front-facing speakers and gaming-tuned haptic, vibrational feedback. Only, quality isn’t where it should be for a stand-out, elite device. It’s almost like a normal tablet in disguise.
If you can look past the cut-corners and really want a sweet-looking, gaming tablet, there’s no other that pulls it off like the Predator 8. If you want a better overall package, look to the Shield.
Both tablets have near-stock software, 8-inch 1920×1200 displays, front-facing speakers, and run $299 retail. However, Nvidia’s Tegra K1 chipset should have significantly more gaming power than Intel’s HD graphics.
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Acer Predator 8 tablet hands-on and first look
When it comes to gaming tablets, the available selection is quite limited, but there is going to be a new one to pick from soon. We go hands-on, and give you the first look at the Acer Predator 8 tablet!
Along the lines of the Acer Predator PCs, the Predator mobile devices are meant to deliver a high-end gaming experience on the go. The Predator 8 is a very unique-looking Android tablet that is designed to bring a fantastic gaming experience to a compact form factor.
The Predator is an 8-inch tablet, and you can see right off the bat that it has a look unlike any other mobile device we’ve seen so far, with its sharp and aggressive body line, and the corners, where the speakers are located, flaring out from the main body. There’s one speaker in each corner, for a total of four front-facing speakers, which Acer likes to call “Predator Quadio.” This setup is of course intended to deliver an audio experience like no other, and they do sound extremely good.
Up front is an 8-inch IPS LCD display with a Full HD resolution, that uses zero air gap technology. Acer also claims that this display supports a 100% of the NTSC color gamut, which is certainly very impressive for a screen on a tablet. Granted, it is hard to say actually how accurate that claim is without more technical testing, but it is a very good looking screen, with great viewing angles, color saturation, and brightness.
Under the hood, the Acer Predator 8 comes with an Intel Atom x7-Z8700, backed by an Intel HD Graphics GPU and 2 GB of RAM. 32 GB or 64 GB of internal storage options are available, which can also be further expanded via microSD card, by up to an additional 128 GB. For a device designed with gaming in mind, the amount of RAM sounds a little bit low, but the Intel chipset should make for a solid gaming experience and good overall performance. Should you ever need to take pictures or do video chats, there is a 5 MP primary camera on the back, along with a 2 MP front-facing unit. As is the case with most tablet cameras, this camera setup is likely not going to be very impressive though.
The Predator 8 also comes with what Acer calls TacSense technology, that provides vibrations and tactile feedback on the screen and throughout the body of the tablet when gaming, similar to what you would experience on the DualShock controller of the PlayStation 4. This is meant to provide for a more immersive experience when playing games, and it definitely does add to the experience. The vibrations are nice and strong, but not overly so that they feel like a distraction.
On the software side of things, the Acer Predator 8 is running Android 5.1 Lollipop, and it is a very stock-like experience, with the unfortunate exception of a lot of pre-installed bloatware. Acer has done a great job with keeping everything else as clean as possible however.
So there you have it for this first look at the Acer Predator 8 tablet! The tablet will be available in the month of November, priced at an affordable $299, and if you are looking for a gaming tablet that could potentially rival the Nvidia Shield tablet, the Acer Predator 8 tablet is likely going to be your best bet.
Acer’s CEO says merging with Asus is unlikely due to Taiwan’s Fair Trade laws
It wasn’t too long ago that Asustek was muted to be discussing a takeover of its struggling local rival, HTC after its own mobile division posted a profit. However, the takeover rumour was strongly refuted by HTC shortly after becoming public news. Today, we have Acer’s CEO, Jason Chen, shooting down talk of a merger between itself and Asustek, stating that the joining of the two companies would violate Taiwan’s Fair Trade laws.
A merger between Acer and Asustek would result in a combined market share of over 70% in Taiwan, creating an unhealthy monopoly in the eyes of the government’s regulatory bodies.
That being said, Acer’s CEO isn’t against the idea of the company being taken over by someone. Acer’s stock price has plummeted by 50% since April, and the company made just $5.4 million in profit for the first half of 2015 compared to $15 million the previous year. The trend is continuing, because July’s revenue saw a year-on-year decline of 33%.
All of this makes Acer a target for a hostile takeover, something that Acer founder, Stan Shih, actually welcomes as he believes the buyer could end up buying an empty shell due to the existing management quitting Acer. Whether it’s merely bluster or shrewd business sense, it’s clear that Acer’s situation could result in significant changes ahead for the Taiwanese manufacturer, although a merger with local rival Asustek would appear to be off the cards.
Source: DigiTimes
Via: PhoneArena
Come comment on this article: Acer’s CEO says merging with Asus is unlikely due to Taiwan’s Fair Trade laws
Acer is making a phone with a deca-core processor for gaming
Acer is pushing all the limits at IFA 2015 this year. They already announced a new insane gaming tablet and now a gaming phone to go with it. Both the phone and tablet look awesome with a black and red color scheme.
The phone is called the Predator 6, and where it really shines is the specs. The Predator 6 is for hard core gamers and has to have the power for them, which it does. We don’t know all the details just yet, but it will feature a MediaTek deca-core (10-core) processor with 4GB of RAM and dual haptic feedback motors for rumble. It also has a large 6″ HD display and obviously runs Android. The camera is 21-megapixel and it rounds things off with dual front facing speakers. Since it was just announced, there is no word on pricing or a release date at the moment.
Source: Engadget
Come comment on this article: Acer is making a phone with a deca-core processor for gaming
Acer announces four new Android smartphones
At IFA 2015, Acer has announced several new smartphones to be released this fall all along the pricing spectrum, including four devices powered by Android 5.1. Acer says all of their new smartphones will feature a new technology called Acer BluelightShield which is designed to limit users’ exposure to blue light from their screens. All of the devices will also get DTS Studio Sound and their camera app will provide independent exposure and focus adjustments. Acer is also including three different layout options for their user interface, including a Basic Mode designed for kids. To further protect children, Acer is also offering a Kids Center protected environment.
The top of the line phone being released by Acer is the Acer Liquid Z630. The Z630 gets a quad-core 1.3GHz processor with 2GB of RAM to help drive a 5.5-inch full HD IPS display. Acer has packed in a whopping 4000 mAh battery in the Z630. Both front- and rear-facing cameras will be 8MP units and the front lens will be capable of recording 1080p video. A Liquid Z630S version will also be offered with an octa-core processor, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. The Z630 pricing will start at €199 ($224 USD).
The mid-tier of the model line is the Acer Liquid Z530, powered by a 1.3GHz MediaTek processor and 1 or 2 GB of RAM. The Z530 gets a 5-inch HD IPS screen and an 8MP front facing camera for selfies. For consumers interested in stepping things up a bit, Acer plans to offer a Liquid Z530S variant that will get an octa-core processor upgrade, 3 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of internal storage. Pricing for the Z530 will start at €149 ($167 USD).
The final two devices fall in the budget tier. The Liquid Z330 is a 4.5-inch display unit that comes with 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage powered by a Snapdragon 210 processor. Acer equipped the Z330 with 5MP cameras front and back. The Liquid Z320 gets a Qualcomm 8209 processor, a 4.5-inch screen and 1 GB of RAM along with only a 2MP front-facing camera. Unlike the other smartphones which are all 4G LTE compatible, the Z320 will only support 3G service. Both the Z330 and Z320 will be priced at €129 ($145 USD).
All of the new Acer phones will be available in EMEA starting in September for the Z630, in October for the Z530 and Z330, and later this year for the Z320. You can read the full press release from Acer below.
2015-09-02
Acer Reveals New Range of Android and Windows Smartphones at IFA
BERLIN, GERMANY
Come comment on this article: Acer announces four new Android smartphones
Acer launches new Android smartphones, tablets, and Chromebook at IFA
Acer is off to a huge start for its 2015 showing at the annual IFA trade show. Today sees the company introducing a whole slew of new consumer products, a handful of which happen to fall into the AndroidGuys wheelhouse. Among the fresh crop are four Android smartphones, an Android tablet, and a convertible Chromebook.
Liquid Smartphones
Whereas each of the smartphones has its own unique specs or selling point, they all share several features. Acer BluelightShield, for instance, limits the exposure of blue light from the display, making it less likely to keep you wide awake in bed as you browse Reddit.
The DTS Studio Sound offers up high-quality audio for movies, music, and games while Acer QuickMode provides three distinct layout designs for specific user types: Standard, Easy, and Basic.
- Standard Mode for those familiar with a smartphones;
- Easy Mode for those who are just learning
- Basic Mode that offers a range of protective options for kids offers Kids Center, a protected environment with parental control
The Acer Liquid UI has been refreshed and is touted as more consumer friendly than in past iterations. Key applications are designated “Float Apps” and take up a small portion of the screen, providing quick access to browser, calendar, maps, and more.
Select models also include camera software enhancements for selfies and other shots. Gourmet mode, Favorite Shot and Bright Magic Selfie are designed to help produce better images in various situations.
Standout features of the various models:
Liquid Z630 “Big on Power and Size”
- 5.5-inch HD IPS display
- 8-megapixel rear camera
- 8-megapixel front-facing camera
- Android 5.1
- quad-core 1.3GHz processor
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB storage
- 4000mAh
Liquid Z630S
- 5.5-inch HD IPS display
- 8-megapixel rear camera
- 8-megapixel front-facing camera
- Android 5.1
- octa-core processor
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB storage
- 4000mAh
Liquid Z530 “Perfect Selfie Smartphone”
- 5-inch HD IPS display
- 8-megapixel rear camera
- 8-megapixel 84 degree wide-angle front-facing camera
- Android 5.1
- 1.3GHz quad-core processor
- 1GB/2GB RAM
- 8GB/16GB storage
- Cat4 LTE
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity
Liquid Z530S
- 5-inch HD IPS display
- 8-megapixel rear camera
- 8-megapixel 84 degree wide-angle front-facing camera
- Android 5.1
- ocata-core processor
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB storage
- Cat4 LTE
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity
Liquid Z330 – “Android for Everyone”
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor
- 4.5-inch WVGA wide view angle display
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB storage
- Android 5.1
- 5-megapixel front facing camera
- 5-megapixel rear camera
- Cat4 LTE
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity
Liquid Z320 – “Pocket Friendly Android”
- Qualcomm MSM 8209 processor
- 4.5-inch WVGA wide view angle display
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB storage
- Android 5.1
- 2-megapixel front facing camera
- 5-megapixel rear camera
- 3G connectivity
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity
For now, the aforementioned smartphones will be sold in Europe, Middle East, and African markets. Pricing ranges between €129 and €199, depending on model and country.
Predator 8
Considered a dedicated gaming tablet, the Acer Predator 8 is an 8-inch FHD (1920 x 1200 pixel) experience that runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. Powered by an Intel Atom x7 processor, the tablet is a mere 8.7mm thick and weighs only 350 grams.
To ensure you hear every little music note or game sound effect, the slate boasts a four array front-facing speaker setup with virtual surround. For an added aesthetic touch, Acer has included a red stainless steel mesh which delivers a distinct, if not aggressive look.
Key hardware includes up to 64GB internal storage with microSD support for up to 128GB external space and 802.11a/b/g/n wireless with 2×2 MIMO support.
The Acer Predator 8 will be available starting on November 6; Newegg gets a two week exclusive followed by other retailers. The tablet will sell for $299 and will be pre-loaded with Asphalt 8 and 320,000 game credits ($50 value).
Chromebook R11
As Acer’s first convertible Chromebook, the R11 is the perfect type of device for users who like to write, edit, and create documents and media. Powered by an Intel Celeron processor, this one can be transitioned into four different modes: laptop, pad, display and tent.
The 11.6-inch display allows for ten-point touch and features a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution. Other specifications include a USB 3.0 port, 2×2 MIMO 802.11ac wireless support, and 360-degree hinge.
The Chromebook R11 will be offered in North America as early as October with prices that start at $299. We might assume this to mean multiple storage capacities and memory options are on the horizon.
The post Acer launches new Android smartphones, tablets, and Chromebook at IFA appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Acer launches new Android smartphones, tablets, and Chromebook at IFA
Acer is off to a huge start for its 2015 showing at the annual IFA trade show. Today sees the company introducing a whole slew of new consumer products, a handful of which happen to fall into the AndroidGuys wheelhouse. Among the fresh crop are four Android smartphones, an Android tablet, and a convertible Chromebook.
Liquid Smartphones
Whereas each of the smartphones has its own unique specs or selling point, they all share several features. Acer BluelightShield, for instance, limits the exposure of blue light from the display, making it less likely to keep you wide awake in bed as you browse Reddit.
The DTS Studio Sound offers up high-quality audio for movies, music, and games while Acer QuickMode provides three distinct layout designs for specific user types: Standard, Easy, and Basic.
- Standard Mode for those familiar with a smartphones;
- Easy Mode for those who are just learning
- Basic Mode that offers a range of protective options for kids offers Kids Center, a protected environment with parental control
The Acer Liquid UI has been refreshed and is touted as more consumer friendly than in past iterations. Key applications are designated “Float Apps” and take up a small portion of the screen, providing quick access to browser, calendar, maps, and more.
Select models also include camera software enhancements for selfies and other shots. Gourmet mode, Favorite Shot and Bright Magic Selfie are designed to help produce better images in various situations.
Standout features of the various models:
Liquid Z630 “Big on Power and Size”
- 5.5-inch HD IPS display
- 8-megapixel rear camera
- 8-megapixel front-facing camera
- Android 5.1
- quad-core 1.3GHz processor
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB storage
- 4000mAh
Liquid Z630S
- 5.5-inch HD IPS display
- 8-megapixel rear camera
- 8-megapixel front-facing camera
- Android 5.1
- octa-core processor
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB storage
- 4000mAh
Liquid Z530 “Perfect Selfie Smartphone”
- 5-inch HD IPS display
- 8-megapixel rear camera
- 8-megapixel 84 degree wide-angle front-facing camera
- Android 5.1
- 1.3GHz quad-core processor
- 1GB/2GB RAM
- 8GB/16GB storage
- Cat4 LTE
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity
Liquid Z530S
- 5-inch HD IPS display
- 8-megapixel rear camera
- 8-megapixel 84 degree wide-angle front-facing camera
- Android 5.1
- ocata-core processor
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB storage
- Cat4 LTE
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity
Liquid Z330 – “Android for Everyone”
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor
- 4.5-inch WVGA wide view angle display
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB storage
- Android 5.1
- 5-megapixel front facing camera
- 5-megapixel rear camera
- Cat4 LTE
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity
Liquid Z320 – “Pocket Friendly Android”
- Qualcomm MSM 8209 processor
- 4.5-inch WVGA wide view angle display
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB storage
- Android 5.1
- 2-megapixel front facing camera
- 5-megapixel rear camera
- 3G connectivity
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity
For now, the aforementioned smartphones will be sold in Europe, Middle East, and African markets. Pricing ranges between €129 and €199, depending on model and country.
Predator 8
Considered a dedicated gaming tablet, the Acer Predator 8 is an 8-inch FHD (1920 x 1200 pixel) experience that runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. Powered by an Intel Atom x7 processor, the tablet is a mere 8.7mm thick and weighs only 350 grams.
To ensure you hear every little music note or game sound effect, the slate boasts a four array front-facing speaker setup with virtual surround. For an added aesthetic touch, Acer has included a red stainless steel mesh which delivers a distinct, if not aggressive look.
Key hardware includes up to 64GB internal storage with microSD support for up to 128GB external space and 802.11a/b/g/n wireless with 2×2 MIMO support.
The Acer Predator 8 will be available starting on November 6; Newegg gets a two week exclusive followed by other retailers. The tablet will sell for $299 and will be pre-loaded with Asphalt 8 and 320,000 game credits ($50 value).
Chromebook R11
As Acer’s first convertible Chromebook, the R11 is the perfect type of device for users who like to write, edit, and create documents and media. Powered by an Intel Celeron processor, this one can be transitioned into four different modes: laptop, pad, display and tent.
The 11.6-inch display allows for ten-point touch and features a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution. Other specifications include a USB 3.0 port, 2×2 MIMO 802.11ac wireless support, and 360-degree hinge.
The Chromebook R11 will be offered in North America as early as October with prices that start at $299. We might assume this to mean multiple storage capacities and memory options are on the horizon.
The post Acer launches new Android smartphones, tablets, and Chromebook at IFA appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AIVAnet 