Posted 10/21/09 at 09:28:49 AM by Paul Lilly

Jumping on the fast emerging 3D bandwagon, Acer today announced its new Aspire 5738DG notebook, the first from Acer to sport 3D viewing technology.

"This holiday season, we are seeing 3D content become more prevalent in popular films and games," said Ray Sawall, senior product manager for Acer America. "The new Acer Aspire 5738DG notebook enables consumers to enjoy exciting new 3D entertainment on a mobile PC that can also replicate a 3D experience from standard 2D content."

The new notebook achieves its 3D effect using TriDel 3D technology, which in addition to a 3D screen and special software, also means you'll need to don a pair of 3D polarizer glasses. When you do, you'll be able to filter 2D content into 3D, while also being able to toggle between the two types of displays with the click of the mouse, Acer says.

While the 3D capability steals the show, other specs include an Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 processor (2.2GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz frontside bus), 4GB of DDR2-1066 memory, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 with 512MB of dedicated video memory, a 320GB hard drive, multi-card reader, 8X DVD burner, four USB 2.0 ports, 6-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Acer says the Aspire AS5738DG-6165 will be available later this week starting at $780.

Read More

Posted 10/15/09 at 08:34:06 AM by Paul Lilly

It's official - the touch revolution is in full force and you can expect to see several product announcements from companies jumping on the multitouch bandwagon. The latest is from Acer, who announced its sleek looking Aspire Z5610 all-in-one PC.

The touch-enabled Windows 7 PC sports a 24-inch high-def touchscreen with full multitouch support, and its backed by a spec sheet that's at least serviceable. The all-in-one's DNA consists of an Intel Pentium Dual Core E5300 processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD4570 graphics, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. So while you probably won't be playing Crysis, there's enough muscle to handle some casual gaming when you take a break from groping the display.

Look for the all-in-one to ship in time for the holidays at just $900.

Read More

Posted 10/14/09 at 08:13:10 AM by Paul Lilly

Acer, the world's third largest PC maker, unveiled its Aspire 578PG notebook., the company's first laptop with a multitouch capacitive screen. Unlike competing models from HP or Lenovo, Acer didn't integrate touch optimized software of its own to run on top of Windows 7, but users will still be able to pinch, zoom, two-finger scroll, and perform other standard multitouch gestures.

Inside the 15.6-inch LED notebook sits an Intel Core 2 DuoT6600 processor (2.2GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz frontside bus), 4GB of DDR2-667MHz memory, a 320GB hard drive, ATI Radeon HD 4570 graphics with 512MB of dedicated DDR3 video RAM, an 8X DVD burner, webcam, HDMI port, four USB 2.0 ports, 6-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium.

Acer says its new notebook will coincide with the launch of Windows and be available starting October 22 at "leading retailers" for $800.

Read More

Posted 10/13/09 at 04:56:43 PM by Bart Salisbury

 Acer has made clear its intent to be on the Windows 7 gravy train when it leaves the station with the announcement it will ship a version of it’s Aspire One D250 netbook with Windows 7 when Microsoft’s new operating system makes its debut next week.

The Aspire One D250 comes with a 10.1-inch screen, with a resolution of 1,280 by 720; a 1.66GHz Atom N280 processor; and a 160GB hard drive. Battery life, according to Acer, is 3.5 hours, with a long-life battery capable of 7.5 hours available as an option.

Read More

Posted 10/13/09 at 01:25:03 PM by Paul Lilly

Over the weekend, Acer issued a voluntary safety recall for several of its Aspire notebooks, noting that a misplaced cable could pose an overheating hazard. But not to worry, say Taiwan notebook makers, who insist the recall is not indicative of a production issue.

Instead, the sources note the issue is most likely due to a defective assembly process and has nothing to do with the overall design of the affected models. Even though the high-density cable used in ultra-thin notebooks are more than capable of overheating the units, notebook makers say that current cooling technologies are more than up to the task.

This isn't the first time in recent memory Acer had to issue a recall because of an overheating hazard. Back in March of this year, Acer said it had received two reports of its Predator desktop PCs short circuiting, resulting in melted internal components and external casing. Acer determined that the problem would occur when insulation on the internal wiring would become bent or stripped.

Read More

Posted 10/12/09 at 11:45:23 AM by Paul Lilly

Acer over the weekend issued a voluntary safety recall for several Aspire notebook models that the company warns could overheat under specific conditions.

According to Acer, affected models include the AS3410, AS3810T, AS3810TG, AS3810TZ, and AS3810TZG manufactured prior to September 15, 2009. Said models suffer from a defect whereby the microphone cable is prone to overheating when "extreme pressure is applied repeatedly to the left palm rest." In such cases, Acer says units could become warped or stop working altogether.

If you think you may have an affected unit, Acer has set up up a website where you can enter your serial number or SNID to find out for sure.

Recall Notice and Lookup Form

Read More

Posted 06/29/09 at 04:38:45 PM by Andy Salisbury

Acer has been releasing plenty of new machines as of late, and now it looks like they’re jumping towards the realm of desktops with their latest offerings, the Aspire M5800 Tower, M3800 Tower, X3810 low-profile PC and the H235H monitor.

The M5800 tower will come with a 2.66GHz Core 2 Quad processor, 8GB of RAM, 1.5GB GeForce GT230 graphics, a 740GB HDD and HDMI out. The M3800 and X3810 are about the same, packing a 2.5GHz Pentium processor and an integrated X4500 GPU. These machines will run you $800, $450 and $529 respectively.

Their monitor, the H235H, measures 23-inches, will support resolutions up to 1080p, sports a 2ms response time, a 160-degree viewing angle and a 100,000:1 contrast ratio for $239.

Read More

Posted 06/24/09 at 04:24:25 PM by Andy Salisbury

Acer, always looking to turn their laptop line into a laptop army, recently added the Aspire AS7735Z and the Aspire AS5536 (pictured) to their arsenal.

The AS7735Z will come with a 17.3-inch display, and feature Nvidia’s PowerSave functionality (allowing users to get prolonged battery life by activating variable graphic settings). Under the hood it’ll come with an Intel T4200 processor, a 250GB HDD, and an 8X DVD-super multi double-layer drive (sounds like a Japanese game show!).

The AS5536 will come with an Intel Core 2 Duo mobile processor, 4GB of RAM, a 250GB HDD and a 15.6-inch screen. This machine is being marketed as a “mobile multimedia powerhouse,” and is reported to feature a Dolby Home Theater surround sound system, two built-in stereo speakers, an Acer Tuba CineBass booster and 5.1-channel audio output.

Both of these machines will come with high definition CineCrystal LED-backlit 16:9 displays, and the AS7735Z and AS5536 will cost $599.99 and $479.99 respectively. They’ll be available for those of us in the US at the end of June.

Read More