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Tag: Acer

  • Acer Suffers Data Breach, 160GB of Data For Sale Online

    Acer Suffers Data Breach, 160GB of Data For Sale Online

    Acer has confirmed a data breach, one that has resulted in 160GB of data being posted for sale online.

    According to BleepingComputer, bad actors compromised “a server hosting private documents used by repair technicians.” The data, some 160GB worth, was allegedly stolen in mid-February and has since been posted for sale on a popular hacking forum.

    Acer confirmed the breach in a statement to BleepingComputer:

    “We have recently detected an incident of unauthorized access to one of our document servers for repair technicians.

    “While our investigation is ongoing, there is currently no indication that any consumer data was stored on that server.” – Acer.

    Hopefully, Acer’s initial evaluation will prove true. Unfortunately, not only have major data breaches been on the rise, but it’s becoming far more common for initial investigations to reveal only half the story, with subsequent investigations revealing the scope of the breaches being far more than originally thought.

    For now, anyway, customers appear to have dodged the bullet. We will continue to monitor and update as more details become available.

  • CES: Acer Announces Chromebook 15 With 15.6-Inch Display

    At the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas, Acer announced a new Chromebook, which is the first of its type to offer a 15.6-inch display. It’s called the Chromebook 15.

    The device uses 5th Generation Intel Core i3 and next generation Intel Celeron processors based on Intel 5th Generation Core micro-architecture.

    “The Acer Chromebook 15 is a true powerhouse – it provides fast mobile performance and a large display to help customers accomplish more every day,” said Jerry Kao, president of Acer Notebook Business Group. “Acer has been a leader in the Chromebook market, from providing the latest in technology and trailblazing battery life to designing new form factors. We’re driving the category forward again with the world’s first 15.6-inch display Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook 15.”

    “This large size increases productivity by giving customers more real estate to view multiple tabs and apps,” Acer says. “The crisp and vibrant display comes in two options. The full HD display has a 1920×1080 resolution that ensures sharp and legible text as well as vivid, clear videos and photos. It also reveals more content on screen to reduce scrolling. In addition, it has wide viewing angles, so customers can comfortably share content such as movies, e-books and games. The second option is an HD 1366×768 resolution display that is ideal for budget-minded customers. Both options are Acer ComfyView displays, so they have anti-glare properties to minimize the amount of reflecting light for less eye strain.”

    The device has two full-sized upward facing speakers.

    Options for the device include: a 16GB or 32GB SSD drive and either 2GB or 4GB or RAM. Pricing and availability vary by region, but prices start at $249.99 in the U.S.

    The company is also expanding its Chromebook 13 line with new touchscreen models. These will be available in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa this month for €329.

    According to Gartner, Acer dominates the Chromebook segment with about 40% market share.

    Image via Acer

  • Acer Announces Two New Affordable Tablets Ahead Of CES

    At CES next week, we’re going to see some truly powerful tablets. Those tablets will cost hundreds of dollars, however, and are not exactly mass market material. On the other hand, other manufacturers will show up with more affordable tablets as they race to the bottom to see who can make the cheapest hardware.

    Acer partially revealed its CES hand this morning with two new affordable Android tablets are frontrunners in the price wars. The Iconia A1-830 and Iconia B1-720 are both small tablets – with the first being a 7-inch and the other being a 7.9-inch – and both feature the kind of specs you would expect to see in cheap tablets.

    The Acer Iconia A1-830 is the 7.9-inch option, and costs $180. For that price, you get a 1024×768 display, Android 4.2.1, 1GB of RAM, Intel Atom 1.6GHz CPU, 16GB of onboard storage and up to seven hours of battery life. As far as affordable Android tablets go, the Iconia A1-830 is a pretty good choice. For those just looking for a second screen to browse the Web or watch video, the A1-830 is an affordable and attractive option.

    If $180 is still too much for you, Acer has an even more affordable option in the works with the B1-720. The 7-inch tablet sports a 1.3GHz dual-core CPU, 1GB RAM, 5 hours of battery life and not much else. You’ll be able to pick up this particular tablet for $130 which puts it among some of the most affordable Android tablets ever made.

    Both tablets will make their public debut at CES next week. The tablets will then hit retail in the next two months.

    [h/t: Engadget]
    Image via PhoneArena

  • Acer CEO Resigns, Layoffs Announced

    Acer is one of the top worldwide PC brands, but that hasn’t insulated the company from the recent downturn in the PC market caused by the growth of mobile technologies. Acer this week announced major changes to its executive structure and a restructuring plan that includes massive layoffs.

    Acer Chairman and CEO J.T. Wang has announced he will be stepping down as the company’s CEO. He will also be resigning his chairmanship sometime in June 2014. Acer President Jim Wong will take over the CEO position starting January 1, 2014.

    “Acer encountered many complicated and harsh challenges in the past few years. With the consecutive poor financial results, it is time for me to hand over the responsibility to a new leadership team to path the way for a new era,” said Wang. “Together with the management team, we have crafted a far-reaching plan for Acer’s transformation. I wish to thank the board members for their support and to Jim for assuming the CEO duties. I feel optimistic toward Acer’s future.”

    In addition to the management changes, Acer has announced its intention to under go a massive restructuring effort. Board member Stan Shih and Acer co-founder George Huang will lead a committee to formulate the restructuring plan, which Acer stated could change its “company vision, strategy, and execution plans.”

    Current restructuring plans include layoffs and product plan terminations. The plan terminations are expected to cost the company $150 million in the upcoming quarter. The layoffs, which are predicted to affect 7% of Acer employees worldwide, are predicted to save the company $100 million per year.

    “After making structural adjustments, we will introduce more competitive products within the existing PC, tablet, and smartphone business and stabilize our market share,” said Shih. “This will be the basis of our transformation and for developing new business opportunities.”

    (Image courtesy Acer)

  • Acer Has A New $249 Haswell-Powered Chromebook

    The past week has been pretty good for Chromebook. Google and HP launched the new HP Chromebook 11 on Tuesday, and now the company has another Chromebook from Acer ready for the holidays.

    Google announced on Thursday that the Acer C720 Chromebook is now available for purchase online. The $250 Chromebook will also soon be available in stores across the U.S., Germany, UK, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and India soon.

    So, what sets this newest Chromebook apart from the rest? For starters, it’s the first Chromebook to use Intel’s new Haswell CPUs. That means it will use less power which translates to 8.5 hours of battery life. It’s also thinner than the previous Acer Chromebook at only 0.7 inches thick. In fact, the only downside to the new Acer C720 is that it has no ethernet port so you’ll have to rely solely on WiFi.

    Like most Chromebooks, the Acer C720 is equipped with a 16GB SSD. To make up for it, Google will give you 100GB of free Google Drive storage for two years. You’ll also get a 30-day Google Play Music All Access free trial.

    Unfortunately, Google didn’t think to bless the new Acer C720 with the same kind of ads that the HP Chromebook 11 got. That means no pop culture references for you. Google is, however, accepting nominations for the “unsung heroes of the Web.” Winners will receive a free Chromebook. You can find out more here.

    [Image: Google]

  • Google Announces New Chromebooks For The Holidays

    The Chromebook has had a successful year thanks in part to how affordable Google’s notebooks are. It’s hard to argue against a $199 notebook that can do almost everything you would normally do on the Web. Now Google and its partners are ready to continue that momentum with all new Chromebooks.

    Google and Intel announced on Wednesday that its manufacturing partners are releasing a number of Chromebooks this holiday season. These new Chromebooks will be equipped with Intel’s new Haswell processors that promise at least twice the battery life over previous Intel CPUs.

    Starting with Acer and HP, these preexisting Chromebook partners will be shipping out all new Chromebooks this holiday season. The HP Chromebook 14 is a lot like HP’s previous Chromebook, but it has a little over twice the battery life thanks to the new Haswell CPU.

    As for Acer, it’s new Chromebook is also a lot like its previous one. The difference is that it also sports twice the battery life of its previous generation Chromebook while being thinner and weighing less.

    Aside from the Acer and HP Chromebooks, Google has also partnered up with Toshiba and Asus to make Chromebooks. We don’t know much about these devices just yet, but Google says that the Toshiba Chromebook is versatile and portable. As for Asus, it’s making a Chromebox – a small computer that can plug and play into any monitor.

    Google says it now offers Chromebooks from six of the top notebook manufacturers. That’s something to be proud of as Chromebooks are still relatively new, but have already become one of the best selling computers in the low-price market. It shows that OEMs are increasingly putting more faith in Chromebooks as the traditional notebook market continues to decline.

    [Image: Google Chrome Blog]

  • Windows RT Tablets Are About To Get Cheaper

    Nobody really wants Windows RT. That much was obvious when manufacturers started to pull their Windows RT tablets from store shelves. Now Microsoft is trying to increase interest in RT with a new pricing strategy.

    Bloomberg reports that Microsoft is lowering the price of Windows RT licenses. The hope is that manufacturers will pass their savings onto consumers in the form of low-cost Windows RT tablets. It could definitely work, but Microsoft will first have to convince manufacturers that Windows RT is worth it.

    It’s been a bit of a problem for Microsoft lately as Samsung confirmed earlier this year that it would not be bringing its Windows RT tablet to the U.S. despite showing it off at CES. A few months later, the company pulled its Windows RT tablet out of Germany citing weak demand. Other PC makers have also ditched Windows RT to work on Windows 8 Pro tablets, laptops and hybrids instead.

    So, will the price drop encourage those who have ditched Windows RT to come back? The report indicates that those who were burned on Windows RT before are now taking a wait-and-see approach.

    These manufacturers will then want to closely watch Acer in the coming months as it’s set to introduce its first 8-inch low-cost ($379) Windows 8 tablet shortly. It’s the first such device after Microsoft lowered the minimum requirements for Windows 8 devices allowing manufacturers to make tablets with lower resolutions, and by extension, smaller screens. It’s not Windows RT, but its success could at least convince manufacturers to create smaller (and cheaper) Windows 8 and Windows RT devices.

    Will smaller tablets be the saving grace for Windows RT? It’s hard to say. Even at a cheaper price, it’s hard to justify Windows RT over Windows 8 Pro. Microsoft should maybe just stick to Windows 8 Pro, and its upcoming Windows 8.1 update, and relegate Windows RT to the mound of good, but ultimately flawed, ideas.

  • Chromebooks Are Now Available In Six More Countries

    Chromebooks Are Now Available In Six More Countries

    Chromebooks are slowly making their way around the world as Google introduces more consumers to its idea of what personal computing should look like. Now consumers, schools and businesses in six more countries can take advantage of the affordable computing provided by Chromebook.

    Google announced today that Chromebooks are now available for purchase in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and The Netherlands. Consumers can go ahead and pick up a new Chromebook from Google itself or a licensed reseller today.

    The Chromebooks available for purchase today include those from Acer, HP and Samsung. It’s not immediately clear if the $1,300 Chromebook Pixel will be available in these countries as well.

    As for schools and businesses, Google expects that those organizations may have some questions. For schools, Google in Education will be hosting a number of Hangouts next week to address any questions or concerns schools may have with the Chromebooks for Education program:

  • Australia – Event on March 28th at 10:00 EST
  • Canada – Event on March 28th at 14:00 EDT
  • France – Event on March 29th at 16:00 CET
  • Germany – Event on March 28th at 17:00 CET
  • Ireland – Event on March 26th at 17:00 GMT
  • The Netherlands – Event on March 27th at 17:00 CET

    • Most of today’s news may be focused on Europe, Oceania and our neighbor up north, but Google has a small announcement for the U.S. Chromebook market as well. Starting today, Chromebooks will be available in 1,000 more Best Buy stores around the country for those who prefer to still buy computers at retail stores.

  • $99 Tablet Might Not Make It To The U.S.

    $99 Tablet Might Not Make It To The U.S.

    A rumor emerged last week that said Acer was preparing a $99 Android tablet. That rumor is looking to be truth as more reports are coming in on the device, dubbed the Iconia B1, and one report says that the budget tablet may never make it to the U.S.

    The Wall Street Journal spoke to a person “with direct knowledge of the project” to score some details on the new tablet. First up, the price will indeed be $99 and the price will reflect that. The device will have a resolution of 1024×600 and a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor. In fact, the tablet is reported to have specs rivaling that of first generation Kindle Fire devices. It’s expected to be sold in emerging markets, like China, where Apple’s iPad might be too expensive for most consumers.

    So where does that leave the U.S.? It’s unknown if Acer will ever release the device here, but it has been submitted to the FCC for certification. It shows that Acer is at least considering a release in the states where low cost tablets are beginning to take some market share away from Apple’s premium iPad tablets. The WSJ’s source pointed to this directly saying that Google’s Nexus 10, which is priced at $499, has changed what’s considered competitive pricing in the tablet market.

    It’s also being reported that Acer plans on releasing a lower priced version of its Intel-based Windows 8 tablets next year as well. A different source told the WSJ that its current devices are too pricey, and a lower priced alternative would be very attractive for those wanting to get into Windows 8.

    Acer’s tablet, if it launches in the U.S., could beat a rumored $99 Asus tablet to market. There have been rumors for quite some time that Google was building a $99 Nexus 7 with Asus, but nothing has come out of that except for some random hearsay. Directly speaking to the WSJ, Asustek flat out denied that the company is building a $99 tablet, but such a response is to be expected until an official announcement is made.

    As for the ultimate fate of Iconia B1, it will probably come to the U.S. if Google and Asus announce a $99 tablet. If not, there’s no reason to release such a cheap tablet in the U.S. beyond just having a cheap tablet. Asus’ Nexus 7 is selling decently well at its $199 price point and Asus needs to focus on competing with that. A $99 tablet with half the power of the Nexus 7 wouldn’t make a dent in Google’s dominion over the Android tablet market.

  • $99 Acer Android Tablet is on the Way

    It’s been rumored for a while now that Google is developing a $99 version of its Nexus 7 tablet. Those rumors were based on manufacturing reports from Taiwanese gadget makers, such as Google’s Nexus 7 partner Asus. Now, it seems that a different Taiwanese company has beaten Google to the punch.

    Today, phoneArena is reporting that Acer is building a 7-inch tablet called the Acer Iconia B1. Judging by the device’s hardware specs, it’s clear that the device will sell for a relatively low price.

    According to the report, the Iconia B1 will have a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 512 MB of RAM, and 8GB of storage. It will also sport a low 1024 x 600 resolution screen. The tablet is also rumored to have Bluetooth and GPS capabilities, a microSD card slot, and some sort of wireless data connectivity, judging by an FCC filing that shows a SIM card slot. It will arrive running the latest version of Android, 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

    With the iPad Mini beginning to pick up steam and challenge Amazon in the 7-inch tablet market, now would be the time for new players to try their hand at entering that market. When Apple, Amazon, and Google begin refining their designs for the iPad Mini, Kindle Fire HD, and Nexus 7 next year, there won’t be much room for any other companies to sell a significant number of mini tablets.

    (via BGR)

  • Self-Branded Google Chromebooks May Be In Our Future [Report]

    Self-Branded Google Chromebooks May Be In Our Future [Report]

    The Nexus line of hardware was a major turning point for Google. The search giant and software developer finally made a splash in hardware production. A new report from this morning indicates that Google may also be getting more involved its first foray into hardware – the Chromebook.

    The China Times reports that Google has ordered the components for a new series of self-branded Chromebooks. What makes these Chromebooks different from Google’s Nexus hardware is that the company will be building these themselves without the help of OEMs like Samsung. The report says that Google will be relying on Taiwan-based Compai to manufacture the new Chromebooks.

    So, what will a Google-made Chromebook look like? The report doesn’t get into specifics, but it mentions that it will have a touch display. It doesn’t seem like Chrome OS would benefit from a touch display all that much, but Google could be going for a redesign similar to Windows 8. If that’s the case, Google could directly compete with Microsoft’s much more expensive touch display notebooks and Ultrabooks.

    Speaking of competition, Google would also be directly competing with the current Chromebooks made by Samsung and Acer. Earlier this year, Microsoft made its OEM partners angry by announcing the Surface without telling them about it first. One would hope that Google wouldn’t make the same mistake by being transparent with its partners before launching any new hardware itself.

    Current Chromebook makers don’t have anything to worry about yet, however, as Google has reportedly ordered a small amount of Chromebooks. TechCrunch figures that Google could just be internally testing these new Chromebooks while having no intention to ever sell them to the public at large. It’s a likely scenario as companies build new hardware all the time that never actually sees the light of day.

    Regardless, Google building its own Chromebook makes a lot of sense. It would let Google undercut the competition from Windows 8 even more, and it may even lead to other self-branded Google products. The company may rely on third-party partners now to build its Nexus line of smartphones and tablets, but we may see a Google-built Nexus smartphone or tablet in the future.

  • Acer And Google Unveil An Even Cheaper Chromebook

    Acer And Google Unveil An Even Cheaper Chromebook

    Google began to aggressively pursue its Chromebook business again last month with a $250 Chromebook from Samsung. At the time, Google said that the new cheap notebook was for everyone. The $250 price tag may have been a bit too much for some, however, as Google has partnered with Acer to bring an even cheaper Chromebook to the masses.

    Google and Acer announced today that the C7 Chromebook will be available in the US and UK tomorrow for $199. For the price, consumers will be getting a pretty decent notebook out of the deal. The C7 features a full-size keyboard, fully clickable trackpad, 11.6-inch display, an Intel Core processor, a 320 GB hard drive, and 3.5 hours of battery life.

    Like every Chromebook before it, the internal components aren’t that important. Google’s vision is that the Chromebook complements any existing computers in the household, not supplant them. Much like a tablet, the Chromebook is hardware built specifically with Google’s Internet services in mind. That’s why every Chromebook comes with 100GB of free storage on Google Drive. It also integrates with all of Google’s other services under a single account so that users can access all of their content at once.

    The Acer C7 Chromebook will be available tomorrow in the US on Google Play, BestBuy.com and in select Best Buy stores. The UK will have a larger variety of choices available with the C7 offered on Google Play, Amazon UK, PC World and Currys. Google says it’s working to bring the C7 to other countries soon.

    With a $249 and $199 Chromebook, Google is now poised to take some decent business away from the traditional notebook market. Granted, the category isn’t that popular anymore due to the proliferation of tablets, but Google stands to gain with lower prices compared to the higher prices of Windows PC notebooks. It will be interesting to see if Chromebooks are able to outperform notebooks this holiday season.

  • Megan Fox, Marine Biologist, Stars in Acer’s New Ad

    Acer’s new line of Ultrabooks, the S7 series, is the first set to boast touchscreens. Acer’s ad line for the new line has called them “the world’s thinnest touch Ultrabooks,” and the new computers will run on Windows 8. In order to sell the sleek new series, Acer has employed a head-turner for a new 90-second spot: Megan Fox.

    In this new ad for the Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook, Megan Fox uses the device to launch herself into the field of marine biology – which we learn is her true passion anyway.

    All she wants to do is talk to dolphins. Check out the ad to see if she succeeds.

  • Acer Announces $230 Price For Its 7-Inch Android Tablet

    Acer this week announced its new 7-inch tablet at a slightly higher price point than both Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD and the Google-branded Nexus 7 tablet. The new Iconia Tab A110 will launch on October 30 and will cost $230.

    The mini-tablet has a 1024 x 600 resolution screen and weighs just 0.86 pounds. It has a micro USB port, a MicroSD slot, and a MicroHDMI output.

    Inside, the mini-tablet has an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of storage. Acer states that it has a “battery life” of up to 7.5 hours. The device will come running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Google’s latest mobile operating system, meaning customers won’t have to wait for a promised upgrade.

    “Today’s consumers are increasingly mobile and want easy and instant access to entertainment at all times,” said Paul Tayar, senior director of product marketing for connected devices, Acer America. “The Iconia Tab A110 is another example of how Acer is meeting the needs of consumers, by providing tablet form factors that combine portability and performance for fun and gaming, at affordable prices.”

    It’s interesting that Acer couldn’t shave that extra $30 off the price to offer the A110 at the seemingly magic price of $200. The tablet looks nice and comes with all of the latest hardware and software. However, the device might have a hard time competing in the increasingly crowded mini-tablet market, especially when Apple’s iPad Mini or the rumored $99 Nexus tablet hit store shelves.

  • Google And Alibaba Have Android Beef

    Google And Alibaba Have Android Beef

    Acer was set to unveil a new smartphone last week, but the launch was reportedly postponed after Google expressed concerns with the operating system, developed by Alibaba, and apparently based upon Android.

    Google has always painted Android as an open platform, but this philosophy has had its share of critics. That “openness” debate has come back into the spotlight as a result of the Acer phone situation.

    Google’s point of view in this case is that Alibaba’ s Aliyun operating system, while built upon Android, is not compatible with the rest of the Android ecosystem, and that’s a problem, as the company sees it.

    “When we first contemplated Android and formed the Open Handset Alliance, we wanted to create an open virtuous cycle where all members of the ecosystem would benefit,” says Google’s SVP of Mobile and Digital Content, Andy Rubin, in a blog post. “We thought hard about what types of external factors could intervene to weaken the ecosystem as a whole. One important external factor we knew could do this was incompatibilities between implementations of Android.”

    “Imagine a hypothetical situation where the platform on each phone sold was just a little bit different,” he continues. “Different enough where Google Maps would run normally on one phone but run terribly slow on another. Let’s say, for sake of example, that Android implemented an API that put the phone to sleep for a fraction of a second to conserve battery life when nothing was moving on the screen. The API prototype for such a function might look like SystemClock.sleep(millis) where the parameter ‘millis’ is the number of milliseconds to put the device to sleep for.”

    “If one phone manufacturer implemented SystemClock.sleep() incorrectly, and interpreted the parameter as Seconds instead of Milliseconds, the phone would be put to sleep a thousand times longer than intended!” Rubin says. “This manufacturer’s phone would have a terrible time running Google Maps. If apps don’t run well across devices due to incompatibilities, consumers would leave the ecosystem, followed by developers. The end of the virtuous cycle.”

    Alibaba’s point of view is that Aliyn is not part of Android or its ecosystem, so it doesn’t need to be compatible. Liz Gannes at AllThings D shares some comments she received from John Spelich, Alibaba’s VP of international corporate affairs.

    “Aliyun is built on open source Linux,” he’s quoted as saying. “It has our own applications (e.g. email, maps, etc.) Designed to run Cloud apps designed by parties in our own ecosystem It has the ability to run some but not all Android apps. But it is not an Android fork.”

    “It is ironic that a company that talks freely about openness is espousing a closed ecosystem,” he added. “Aliyun OS is not part of the Android ecosystem, so of course Aliyun OS is not, and does not have to be, compatible with Android. This is like saying that because they own the Googleplex in Mountain View, therefore anyone who builds in Mountain View is part of the Googleplex.

    He didn’t stop there. Read Gannes’ piece for the entire thing.

    Rubin, had the following words for Spelich on Google+:

    Andy Rubin

    Andy Rubin1 day ago

    Hey John Spelich — We agree that the Aliyun OS is not part of the Android ecosystem and you're under no requirement to be compatible.

    However, the fact is, Aliyun uses the Android runtime, framework and tools.  And your app store contains Android apps (including pirated Google apps).  So there's really no disputing that Aliyun is based on the Android platform and takes advantage of all the hard work that's gone into that platform by the OHA.  

    So if you want to benefit from the Android ecosystem, then make the choice to be compatible.  Its easy, free, and we'll even help you out.  But if you don't want to be compatible, then don't expect help from OHA members that are all working to support and build a unified Android ecosystem.

    The Benefits & Importance of Compatibility
    We built Android to be an open source mobile platform freely available to anyone wishing to use it. In 2008, Android was released under the Apache open source license and we continue to develop and in… 815    153 Powered by socialditto

    Both parties make reasonable points, but to me, it seems Alibaba will face a pretty big uphill battle in getting widespread adoption of its own ecoystem, in competition with Android and others on the market.

  • Want To Repair A Broken Nexus 7 Tablet? Watch This Video

    Google’s Nexus 7 tablet is one of the hottest tablets on the market right now. It’s cheap enough to have mass appeal while having enough power to run even the most demanding of Android apps. It’s going to start facing some stiff competition at the hands of the Kindle Fire HD soon enough, but the tablets can co-exist. Of course, what happens if you break your tablet? Do you just buy a new one? Or do you fix it yourself?

    For the more adventurous consumers out there, fixing technology yourself isn’t that big of a deal. In fact, it can be pretty easy and even fun. The Nexus 7 has proven itself to be pretty good about being taken apart and put back together. That’s why it’s probably best for you to just fix it yourself.

    The guys at Direct Fix has created a video guide on how to take apart a Nexus 7 tablet for repairs. The main focus of the video is obviously the repair aspect, but it’s fascinating to see the innards of the Nexus 7 up close in video form. Google and Asus really went all out on this one and it shows in the hardware.

    The true benefit of the video is that it shows you how to disassemble and then reassemble the Nexus 7. Too many guides only show you to disassemble devices and just expect you to follow the directions in reverse when it comes time to reassemble the device. If you’re like me, going in reverse has never been easy.

    It should be noted that these repairs should only be attempted by somebody who knows what they’re doing. The video directions are obviously a help, but even the slightest mistake could ruin the tablet for good. Make sure you have all the proper tools and accessories when making any kind of technology repairs.

  • Acer Announces New Line of All-in-One PCs

    Acer Announces New Line of All-in-One PCs

    Today, Acer has announced a new line of all-in-one PCs to compete with Apple (and others that have since followed in Apple’s footsteps). According to ITProPortal, the all-in-one packages are designed to cater to business and enterprise users as well as those in the at home PC market.

    The line will be called the Acer Veriton Z46xx, and is similar to the Veriton Z line, but with better performance and more storage space. It will ship in either the 21.5in or 23 inch model. Both come with HD two point touch screens and 5 millisecond monitor response. It will feature the Intel Core i3 processor with up to 8GB of RAM, an Intel HD Graphc card, up to 1.5 Terabytes of storage. Each also comes with 2 upgraded USB 3.0 ports.


    The case will be in black and silver matte finish.

    Acer will attempt to draw business users with the touch screen display and added security features. The Z46xx comes with Acer ProShield, Acer’s security software and the option of selecting other software packages installed, including Backup Manager and Acer eRecovery Management. Both are designed protect and safely restore in the event of a crash.

    So far this is just and announcement, with no prices or release date available. The Veriton Z series sells in the range of $650 to $850, so expect the Z46xx to be on the higher end or more for its increased performance.

  • Acer Aspire S5 Ultrabook Coming at the End of June

    The most recent news in the realm of laptops/ultra books has been the new line-up of Macs. Right now anyone is going to have a hard time competing with Apple’s Monday release. But Acer is attempting to just that with the Acer’s Aspire S5. The product, which was announced at CES, now has a release date of June 25. This may or may not be enough time for the MacBook to run out of steam; we shall see.

    The ultrabook weights merely 2.65 pounds and is only .44 inches at its thinest spot. .59 at the thickest. Ultabooks are entering the market in high numbers this year, each of them claiming to be the thinest, lightest, smallest, et cetera. Toshiba now has the medal for the lightest. You can give Acer the award for the thinnest.

    The Aspire S5 will have a price tag of $1,399. Pricey for an Acer, but it does come with some top of the line features, including Ivy bridge i7 processors and plenty of RAM.

    Here’s the specs:
    13.3-inch LED-backlit display (1366 x 768)
    3rd Generation Intel Core i7-3517U Processor (4MB L3 cache, up to 3.0GHz) with Turbo Boost Technology
    4GB DDR3 dual channel RAM
    256GB SSD
    2 USB 3.0 ports
    1 Thunderbolt port
    2.65 pounds
    12.77 inches x 8.95 inches by 0.59 inches (tapers to 0.44 inches in the front)

    The casing is designed black with magnesium alloy and a brushed metal chassis, so it is very easy on the eyes. Something that cannot be said for all Acers. It also comes with some cool extras that make it even more worthwhile. It features a ‘MagicFlip I/O Port’, which pops out to reveal USB 3.0, HDMI and a Thunderbolt (only a handfull of ultrabooks come with Thunderbolt). The MagicFlip conceals all of the ports, adding to the ultrabook’s sleek appeal.

    It will be the first Acer product in the U.S. to include AcerCloud, which is exactly what it sounds like. AcerCloud allows remote access to Cloud storage on the ultrabook, as well as their Android tablet and smartphone.

    [The Verge]

  • Acer Shows Off New “Ultrabook” for 2012

    Acer Shows Off New “Ultrabook” for 2012

    Acer, one of the world’s largest PC makers, today highlighted its new 2012 line up of products.

    Acer’s new “ultrabook” is the Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3. It features NVIDIA graphics hardware and is only 20 millimeters thick. Acer claims it is the first two-spindle, full-featured, 15-inch “ultrabook” with approximately eight hours of battery life.

    Acer is aiming its M series at an in-between market. Sumit Agnihotry, vice president of product marketing for Acer’s Americas region says the product will straddle the “rare territory” between a flagship product and a product that is accessible for mainstream users.

    I don’t know of any real people that would fit into that category, but Agnihotry seems to think there are plenty of them:

    “It’s for the consumers who are looking for a laptop that will meet their needs today but also anticipate the things they’ll be doing nine months to a year out,” Agnihotry says. “You are able to multitask, play premium video games and so on, but at the same time, it’s portable enough that you can take it with you at any time. Looking at that experience overall, we think it’s something that will become a must-have instead of nice-to-have today.”

    Here’s a pic of this “must-have” laptop looking very shiny:

    Acer's Aspire Timeline Ultra M3

    Acer worked with Microsoft engineers to improve the boot-up speed and battery life of the device. About the boot-up time, Senior Director on the OEM engineering team at Microsoft Johnny Liu said, “Today Acer’s fastest system, the S series, is coming in around four seconds, down from about nine seconds as recently as last year. We’re collaborating on the M series to achieve similar results,”

    Other 2012 products highlighted by Acer include the lightweight TravelMate TimelineX, the new S3 “ultrabook,” the super-thin (15 millimeters thick) S5, and the Aspire Z5 series of all-in-one PCs that feature high definition touchscreens (pictured below).

    Acer Aspire Z5

    This all sounds pretty good, but we’ll have to wait for the reviews to see if Acer has created products of high enough quality to succeed in the space between Apple’s high-end laptops and netbooks. Acer has not yet announced pricing specs for these products.

  • Acer announces world’s thinnest Ultrabook at CES

    Acer announces world’s thinnest Ultrabook at CES

    Ultrabooks are the new norm for consumers looking for powerful yet sleek laptops and Acer just upped the game.

    Acer unveiled the world’s thinnest Ultrabook at CES with the Aspire S5. The device measures only 15 mm at its largest point. It weighs less than 3 lbs. and has a 13.3-inch LCD.

    The computer features “Acer Green Instant On” for fast boot up times. The service provides instant-resume functionality which essentially means that the Aspire S5 will go from sleep mode to awake in 1.5 seconds. It will also ensure that the battery life will last several weeks which is a life-saver for any laptop user who has found their battery dead after only a few days in sleep mode.

    It also features “Acer Always Connect” which is part of Acer’s new AcerCloud service. This allows users to connect their Ultrabook to any smart device for easy retrieval of all documents and media stored on the Aspire S5. The other advantage of the service keeps users constantly connected with their favorite social services by keeping Facebook, Twitter and Outlook email services open during sleep mode. This allows the user to see all updates instantly upon resuming their work.

    The Aspire S5 keeps up the slim form factor of Ultrabooks with a black chassis that is built to look good while being sturdy enough to protect the computer.

    The S5 is Acer’s first ultrabook to feature what they dub the MagicFlip I/O port panel which is located just beneath the hinge. It allows access to a variety of I/O ports including HDMI, USB 3.0 and 20 Gbps Thunderbolt.

    The innards of the Aspire S5 are nothing to scoff at with an Intel Core processor, SSD storage, Dolby-home theater v4 and a battery life that lasts 3 times longer than traditional batteries.

    The Acer Aspire S5 will start shipping in Q2 2012.

    Acer is looking to compete more aggressively with Apple’s popular Macbook Air line, so it will be interesting to see how Apple reacts to this. 2012 is looking to be the year of the Ultrabook so expect to see more announcements during CES.

  • CES 2012: Acer Announces New Cloud Storage Service

    Cloud storage is everywhere, and one of the biggest PC manufacturers just threw their name in the ring.

    Acer announced at CES the AcerCloud service which will connect personal smart devices and PCs across their network.

    The service’s main feature is their Always Connect service which allows users to retrieve media and data files anytime even when their main PC is in sleep mode. As long as the PC remains in sleep mode, smart devices with AcerCloud can wake up the PC through Wi-Fi to access all data that is on the user’s PC. AcerCloud will use a combination of local and cloud storage to give user’s access to all the data they need.

    Acer is stressing that users can create, acquire and consume on different devices. They use the example of being able to take photos on a smartphone, then view them on a PC later without having to transfer any data. All of it is already stored on AcerCloud for easy access across all supporting devices.

    They announced PicStream which allows users to seamlessly back up all their photos on their PC while sharing them with other smart devices. Photos are backed up permanently on a PC while all photos are accessible for 30 days on the cloud servers.

    In a move to compete with the convenience of Google Docs, Acer announced AcerCloud Docs which will allow users to update documents on their PC, upload them to the cloud and then stream them to a multitude of devices for meetings. Once again, the files will be permanently stored on a PC, and accessible on their cloud servers for up to 30 days.

    The final new software that will accommodate the new AcerCloud service is the clear.fl Media application. This allows users to access any of their multimedia off the cloud for streaming or to download for offline viewing.

    AcerCloud will be bundled with all Acer consumer PCs free of charge starting Q2 2012. It will also support all Android devices, while future support is planned for Windows-based phones. The service will be available in America, Europe, Asia and China.

    This move further solidifies cloud storage as the future. As more people move towards mobile computing, whether it be on phones or tablets, they will need more space to store all their data. It’s not much of a surprise to see Acer jump in the ring, but it will be interesting to see if any other major PC manufacturers jump in the cloud storage business during CES.