Wokka wokka wokka: Acer to acquire Gateway to acquire Packard Bell

The rumor was spot-on: Gateway has delivered a binding offer to acquire all shares of PB Holding Company S.à.r.l. from Lap Shun (John) Hui and Clifford Holdings Limited. If approved, Acer would nab themselves an improved foothold in Europe as part of their acquisition of Gateway announced back in August. Final regulatory approvals for the three-way love-in are expected before the end of the year or Q1 at the latest.

[MastrCake @ Oct 9th 2007 2:02AM]

Wewt! PAC-MAN FTW!!!

[Major Malfunction @ Oct 9th 2007 2:07AM]

What? Did you say something? Sorry, I didn't hear you. I was too busy looking for my Mandarin and Cantonese flash cards. I wonder which will be more popular on the east coast, or if I'll have to move to California when I'm forced to work in an iPod city. Hmmm...

[Scott G. @ Oct 9th 2007 2:13AM]

And microsoft will acquire acer and own the world

[michael @ Oct 9th 2007 7:14AM]

I personally doubt Microsoft would want little from these companies.

They're small, and as far as I can tell, one of the least popular computer companies. It's true. So I doubt Microsoft would want to touch them at all.

[Grant @ Oct 9th 2007 2:34AM]

i had no idea acer was any decent size at all.
but then again, gateways been on the redux for the last decade or so.

[Jon @ Oct 9th 2007 2:46AM]

Acer is the market share leader in EMEA region in the laptop sector and is the third biggest PC vendor in the world.

[scottjamez @ Oct 9th 2007 2:51AM]

YEAH MAN... Acer is HUGE in Europe and just about all parts of the world except for North and South America. Not only are they a major player, but they make real quality products. Right up there, if not better, than Toshiba and the higher grade IBM/Lenovo Thinkpads. Gateway has been up and down. Usually been a darm good pc especially for the price. And their more expensive models, just a tad below top-notch. When Gateway abandoned their "Country Stores" when that was the only place to buy one... That was expected. I actually expected for them to be bought out by Dell just after Gateway went the way of the supply chain method (Best Buy, Comp USA, etc). I think that would have given Dell a huge share in the marketplace of the less expensive consumer PC.

Now that it has become Acer takes Gateway; I think that Gateway still has enough of a name and reputation for Acer to piggyback on it to get a good hold in the US market.

[Gil @ Oct 9th 2007 4:05AM]

scottjamez is right Acer is huge in Europe. Go into any university in Central Europe and count the brands of laptops students have. You'll get something like 60% Acer followed by HP, Dell and Apple (all 3 in that 40%)

[CL @ Oct 9th 2007 3:01AM]

Best.Graphic.Evar.

[Don Wilson @ Oct 9th 2007 3:04AM]

Yay for Acer

[Montusama @ Oct 9th 2007 3:38AM]

Wow....a very good image for this article

[turn_self_off @ Oct 9th 2007 4:47AM]

i was wondering about the title at first, but when seeing that big yellow circle it dawned on me that it was the sound made as it moved about :D

[gilo @ Oct 9th 2007 8:30AM]

Why would Acer or Gateway need PB and its no so hot image ?

Btw Acer is more of a DELL/Gateway wannabe ,
low cost/high value and subpar quality on the low end notebooks .

I don't see why they need Gateway other then to get into the US market
which they can do better by pushing the new Gemstones more aggresively
and introducing them to consumers as a first wave .

[Majortom1981 @ Oct 9th 2007 7:33AM]

Acers laptops are very good. But there tech support in the US is Very Very VEry bad. I called them up to find a driver a notebook that was maybe 6 months old and their tech support stated they werent helping me and told me to "Find it Myself" and proceeded to hang up on me.

[YCH @ Oct 9th 2007 9:44AM]

Acer acquired Gateway in order to prevent Lenovo from acquiring Packard Bell. The major target is PB. It was a smart move. And, Acer is now big enough so that HP is suing Acer for infringing some patents. Moreover, Dell starts channel sales in addition to direct sales to compete with Acer. The major credit for Acer to become a market share leader in Europe must go to Mr. Gianfranco Lanci, who is from Italian and now CEO of Acer.

[simon @ Oct 9th 2007 10:24AM]

Sounds like Acer will be riding the tricycle Ted Mosby style.

[JohnnyGTO @ Oct 9th 2007 4:36PM]

OH wow it's been years, such fond memories working for Cal-Abco the the then "parent" of PB. Our form of punishment in support was a 1 wek stint on the support phones at PB. They really earned Packard Hell rep.

[dcny @ Oct 9th 2007 3:20PM]

So when does Acer Become the new Packard Bell or Getaway

[dcny @ Oct 9th 2007 3:23PM]

Oops i ment Gateway

[Gazmik Fizzwidget @ Oct 10th 2007 12:10AM]

Hm. I bet that before these deals will close, Packard Bell will announce a deal to acquire Acer.

[Emperor Woowoo @ Oct 15th 2007 9:58AM]

I'm a badger, I'm a badger! I'm a scruddly scruddly badger! Woo woo! Woo woo! Snarfle garfle pid pod. I is a gumpsy pid pod poo and the benjamin has scrollup you whole in his basket, friddle snar. Wooo. In his basket.