Acer’s all-in-one has Intel’s latest chips and depth camera
Laptops are the biggest winners with Intel’s less power-hungry Skylake chips, but desktop computers do get some perks. Acer has just launched the U5-710, a new all-in-one (AIO), that uses the new CPUs along with Intel RealSense cameras. The high-end Aspire U (U5-710) model gets the latest Core i5 or i7 6th-generation desktop chips, most of which have four cores and a modest performance bump over the last-gen Haswell models. They do use slightly less juice, however, and support up to 16GB of faster (and pricier) DDR4 RAM. Slideshow-316657
The Intel RealSense camera, meanwhile, will let you scan 3D objects or log in to Windows 10 using facial recognition, rather than typing a sketchy password. Other features include a 23.8-inch 1080p IPS monitor with 10-point touch, USB 3.0 and up to 256GB of SSD storage (2TB with regular hard drives). You can also get discreet NVIDIA 940M graphics or stick with Intel Iris 530, but either is a big improvement over the last-gen models. It’s arriving in Europe for €999 (no word yet of US availability), which might be a hard sell unless you really need to update your existing desktop.
Tags: acer, AIO, all-in-one, Intel, PC, realsense, sixth-gen, Skylake
Acer has a gnarly gaming phone with a deca-core processor
Acer’s at IFA in force this year, showing off a wide array of gaming PCs, laptops, tablets, and now, a phone. The Predator 6 looks a lot like the company’s new gaming tablet, with some super-gnarly black-and-red styling and four front-facing speakers. Details are thin on the ground at the moment, but inside is an unspecificied MediaTek deca-core processor with 4GB of RAM and dual haptic feedback motors for rumbles. It has a 6-inch HD display, it runs Android, and around the back there’s a 21-megapixel camera. We don’t have pricing or release date on this just yet, but rest assured we’ll keep on poking Acer until someone gives us more info.
Filed under:
Gaming, Mobile, Acer
Tags: acer, android, gnarly, mobilepostcross, predator, predator6, xtreme
Watch Acer unveil new stuff at its IFA press event
You may have already noticed, but Team Engadget is on the ground in Berlin covering IFA, Europe’s biggest and busiest consumer tech show. As it happens, we won’t be liveblogging Acer’s keynote, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still follow along from home. Click here to watch the livestream, and then stay tuned as we post our inevitable first impressions of all the company’s new stuff.
Source:
Acer
Tags: acer, ifa2015, livestream
Watch Acer unveil new stuff at its IFA press event
You may have already noticed, but Team Engadget is on the ground in Berlin covering IFA, Europe’s biggest and busiest consumer tech show. As it happens, we won’t be liveblogging Acer’s keynote, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still follow along from home. Click here to watch the livestream, and then stay tuned as we post our inevitable first impressions of all the company’s new stuff.
Source:
Acer
Tags: acer, ifa2015, livestream
Acer releases a pair of unlocked Liquid series smartphones in US
Acer on Thursday announced a pair of new “Liquid” smartphones which are to be released in the US. Offered as unlocked handsets, the duo are powered by Android 4.4 KitKat and offer 4G LTE connectivity.
The Liquid Jade Z is available today and features a 5-inch HD display, 13-megapixel (F1.8) rear camera, and front-facing 5-megapixel selfie shooter. The device draws power from a 1.5GHz quad-core processor and comes in two options. At $229 you get 1GB RAM with 8GB of storage while the $249 option doubles down at 2GB RAM and 16GB storage.
Other details include HD speakers with DTS Sound, a 2300mAh battery, and dual-SIM support. The Liquid Jade Z is sold in charcoal gray.
Due in September, the Liquid Z410 is a 4.5-inch experience that comes with a little less hardware prowess. The rear camera is listed at 5-megapixel while the front-facing unit is 2-megapixels and the processor is a 1.3GHz CPU.
Like its sibling, this one can be purchased in two configurations. The 1GB RAM/8GB storage option is $129 while the 2GB/16GB unit retails for $149.
The post Acer releases a pair of unlocked Liquid series smartphones in US appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Acer announces two smartphones coming to U.S. market
Acer has announced two of their smartphones will be coming to the U.S. market. The devices include the Acer Liquid Jade Z and the Acer Liquid Z410. Both smartphones will support 4G data speeds and come in thin, light form factors that Acer hopes will attract buyers.
The Acer Liquid Jade Z is equipped with a 1.5GHz MediaTek processor and a 2300mAh battery powering a 5-inch IPS display. Acer used Gorilla Glass 3 for the device and used Zero Air Gap technology to reduce screen glare. The Liquid Jade Z gets a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front facing camera. The Liquid Jade Z will be offered with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory for $229 or it can be upgraded to 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage for $249.
The other device Acer is bringing to the U.S., the Liquid Z410, comes with a 4.5-inch IPS display, a 5MP rear-facing camera and a 2MP front-facing camera. Acer has equipped the Liquid Z410 with their QuickTouch technology so the device can be controlled with one finger using a variety of letter shaped swipes. The Liquid Z410 will retail for $129 for a 1GB RAM/8GB memory version or $149 for an upgrade to 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage.
Both devices will come equipped with Android 4.4. The Liquid Jade Z will be available in charcoal grey and Acer says the device is now available at “leading retailers.” The Liquid Z410 will go on sale in September and will be available in dark brown.
Come comment on this article: Acer announces two smartphones coming to U.S. market
Acer Liquid Jade Z and Z410 are two new budget options for the US market
As several carriers say goodbye to contracts in the US, we’re already seeing the unlocked phone market start to grow. While some consumers who go the off-contract route are going to be perfectly fine with spending $400, $500, $600 or more — others will be looking for more affordable options. That’s why we are now seeing so many OEMs throw their budget offerings into the ring here in the states. The latest contender is Acer with the Liquid Jade Z (left) and Liquid Z410 (right).
The most affordable of these options is the Z410, a quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6732M powered device with either 1GB of RAM and 8GB storage or 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. Other specs include a 4.5-inch 960×540 resolution display, 2MP front shooter, 5MP rear shooter, a 2000 mAh battery, and Android 4.4 KitKat-powered software. Pricing starts at $129, or is $20 more for the 2GB RAM/16GB storage configuration.
A bit further up the ladder we find the Liquid Jade Z, which offers a MediaTek MT6732 running at 1.5GHz and the RAM/storage configurations as the Z410. One of the bigger differences with the Jade Z is the upgrade to a 5-inch 720p display, and a better camera package with a 13MP rear cam and 5MP front cam. The battery here is also 2300 Mah, and unfortunately we are still stuck with KitKat as well. Pricing begins at $229, or $20 more for the higher-end configuration.
Let’s be honest, there are plenty of phones with similar or better specs for about the same price points, though neither of these devices are particularly bad — just not impressive either. The Jade Z is available right now with the Z410 coming in September.
Acer Chromebook 11 C740 Review
Chromebooks can be impressive laptops. We’ve seen some excellent options come from Samsung, ASUS, and even Acer. Some might be on the pricey side, but Acer recently introduced the Acer Chromebook 11 C740, a Chromebook for those who want a small form factor and are on a budget.
In my time with the C740, it’s been an impressive machine, even at its low price point.
Design
Acer’s Chromebook 11 C740 features a compact design, making it easy to carry this 11.6-inch laptop just about anywhere.
The design is thin and very compact, making it easy for travel. It’s nicely designed, with an elegant metallic look.
The only real downside is that the hinges aren’t weighted, so you will have to open the Chromebook with two hands. However, that’s a luxury, and doesn’t impact the overall elegancy or usability of the Chromebook.
The most impressive part of the design of this Chromebook is the focus on durability. Acer says the device can withstand 60kg of force and the corners won’t normally get damaged up to a 45cm drop. It’s a really hefty looking Chromebook without weighing too much, and with a focus on portability, that’s a good feature to have.
Hardware
The C740 sports an 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 HD Acer ComfyView display with anti-glare properties built in. While it’s said to be an HD display, you’re just not going to get much detail out of it due to the low resolution.
It’s not too bothersome, but it’s disappointing when you consider even sub $300 tablets often have a much more detailed display in tow.
If you’re coming down from a much larger display, whether that be 15-inch or a 30-inch, it’s going to take some getting used to.
Coming from a 21-inch display, it was very uncomfortable at first, but you do adjust to it. It’s still very disappointing that Acer chose to go with such a low-res display for this model, as a good media experience is what’s really missing from making this the perfect portable Chromebook.
On the left side, this Chromebook features its power insert, HDMI cable, a USB 3.0 port, and an audio jack.
On the right is an SD card slot and a USB 2.0 port. It was disappointing to see Acer not opt for all USB 3.0, but it’s not likely that you’ll be transferring large file sizes from your Chromebook, so users may not see the file transfer speed differences.
Up top, right above the screen, is a webcam for video conferences via Hangouts and other mediums.
Performance
The Acer Chromebook 11 C740 sports a Intel Celeron 3205U dual-core 1.5GHz processor paired with 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM. To help keep things running smooth, a 16GB solid-state drive is packed in this machine as well.
Overall, it’s a very nice package–everything ran like it should have, if not better. Applications opened much quicker than some of my previous machines, switching between applications was as easy as it could be, no lag or delays whatsoever, and it was generally a smooth experience.
Battery
The Acer C740 has a 3-cell LiPolymer battery, said to last up to 9hrs of straight usage. In my time with the machine, it did last around that amount of time, even in playing video and music.
However, most people aren’t going to sit down for 9-hour chunks of time with the Chromebook. In normal scenarios, it could last you up to a couple days of battery life, especially if you’re only using it here or there for checking up on your favorite websites, the occasional YouTube video, and so on.
Obviously everyone who uses the device will have different experiences, but for the most part, it most certainly won’t let you down when you need it most.
Software
As you would assume, Acer’s Chromebook 11 C740 is running the latest version of Google’s ChromeOS, which works excellently. It does require Internet to use, however, there are offline options for writing and editing documents with Google Docs and so on.
What you might find surprising is just how fast ChromeOS runs, even on a smaller and low spec’d Chromebook. I came across no issues, and during my time using ChromeOS, I found that my productivity was up just because of how fast it was switching in-between applications, documents, spreadsheets, and more.
It’s a shame that ChromeOS isn’t more popular. It’s plagued by misconception that the Chromebook has to have Internet to work, whereas it doesn’t. Most of its basic functionality is all offline.
There’s also the misconception that one could never replace their laptop with a Chromebook because of its limited abilities with software and offline work. But let’s face it. The average user will use their laptop for browsing the web, whether that be Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and that’s about it.
With a low price point, Acer’s Chromebook 11 C740 just makes sense as a replacement for the traditional laptop or even desktop.
Closing
The Acer Chromebook 11 C740 comes in at $279.99, although some online retailers are selling it for as little as $199.99. You can find it through marketplaces like eBay for cheaper, albeit that might not be your best option if you’re concerned with things like warranties and the unrelilablilty of eBay sellers.
Overall the C740 is an impressive and compact Chromebook from Acer, but it might not be the Chromebook you’re looking for. It’s by no means a bad device, but there are certainly better options out there for not much more than Acer’s advertised price.
On the other hand, if you need something that’s quick and extremely portable, the Chromebook 11 C740 is your best choice.
Come comment on this article: Acer Chromebook 11 C740 Review
Acer Predator gaming tablet on way to market as production commences
With the tablet market cooling off so much recently, companies are starting to look for niches where special purpose tablets may make sense. One of those companies is Acer which announced plans to produce a tablet device that targets gamers. The only device on the market now that really focuses on the gaming market is the NVIDIA Shield. Acer hopes to capitalize on interest from gamers with the Acer Predator 8 tablet.
The Predator will be an 8-inch tablet based on an Intel Atom processor running at 1.6GHz, although it will have boost capabilities of up to 2.4GHz used to power the Android operating system and hopefully whatever games are thrown at it. Acer is also mixing in dual force feedback mechanicals and a quad-speaker setup.
A release date has not been announced, but it is expected to occur before the end of 2015, especially now that Acer has moved the device into actual production.
source: DigiTimes
via: G for Games
Come comment on this article: Acer Predator gaming tablet on way to market as production commences
The 17 best laptops you can buy today
Our last buyer’s guide update had a pretty solid list of laptops, so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? We do have a couple of new additions to spice things up, however. We felt compelled to add the agile ASUS Chromebook Flip, which serves up a 360-degree rotatable touchscreen and killer battery life. For PC gaming, MSI’s power-packed GT80 Titan is definitely worth a look. It offers top-of-the-range graphics and processing options, along with a large display and full mechanical keyboard. There are plenty of great choices out there right now, so if you’re in the market for a laptop or thinking of an upgrade, it’s worth taking a spin through the gallery below. Feel free to swing by our complete buyer’s guide, too, for a rundown on some of the best gadgets across the board.
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Filed under:
Laptops, Apple, Samsung, ASUS, Google, HP, Dell, Acer, Lenovo
Tags: acer, apple, asus, buyers guide, buyersguide, dell, engadget buyers guide, engadgetbuyersguide, google, hp, lenovo, samsung
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