For users inclined to carry their desktops around the house, Acer has unveiled a light-weight, all-in-one PC that offers 5 hours built-in battery backup.
The launch of the Aspire Z3-700 all-in-one was part of an event on Monday in Taipei at which the company debuted two devices including a convertible notebook, the Aspire R 14, built around Microsoft's new Windows 10 operating system and technologies such as the Cortana personal assistant, the Microsoft Edge browser and Continuum that lets Windows phones dock to a large display, keyboard and mouse.
Built around Pentium or Celeron processors and featuring up to 8GB of DDR3L system memory and an option of SSD or HDD storage, the 17.3-inch Aspire Z3-700 has a 15.6 millimeters chassis and weighs 2 kilograms, according to Acer. It has a full HD (1920 x 1080) 10-point capacitive multi-touch screen, which also supports a stylus. A couple of kick stands allow it stay erect or recline flat like "a jumbo tablet," Acer said.
The company did not specify the pricing or availability in North America of the new all-in-one, though it said the device would ship in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) by the end of the year for 599 euros (US$680)
Acer's immediate focus is on rolling out its Aspire R 14, which will be available in North America later this month at prices starting at $699. The R 14 will also ship in EMEA this month though it is to be priced higher at 799 euros and above.
18.5 mm thin and weighing 1.9 kg, the convertible runs on 6th generation Intel Core processors, and has up to 8GB DDR3L system memory and SSD storage. It also offers MU-MIMO for faster downloads than 802.11ac products. The "multiuser multiple input, multiple output" wireless technology lets wireless routers transmit to and receive data from multiple Wi-Fi devices at the same time.
The convertible's keyboard can be used in the usual laptop mode or can switch to a "display mode" by placing the keyboard behind the screen to make a tent or laying it flat under the display.
Both devices provide audio with immersive sound with Acer's True Harmony Plus technology with Dolby Audio. They also offer four modes to control blue-light emission from the screen and reduce eyestrain, using Acer's BluelightShield.
The Taiwanese company also demonstrated the Liquid Jade Primo smartphone, first revealed at IFA 2015, which is a 5.5-inch smartphone which uses Microsoft's Continuum technology to give users a PC-like experience on Windows 10 universal apps, when the phone is connected to a secondary display.
Acer also announced Monday cuts in the prices of some of its earlier models, if purchased before Oct. 18, ranging from $100 to 200.
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