Acer's 12-inch Switch tablet is five devices in one
Thought Acer's Aspire Switch 10 tablet was a true jack-of-all-trades? It's already outclassed. The PC maker has officially revealed the Aspire Switch 12, a 12.5-inch sibling that's a little more flexible. On top of the tablet, laptop, display (screen facing out) and tent (upside-down) modes from before, the new Windows slate adds a fifth desktop mode where the keyboard is detached. Yes, if you don't mind the small screen and keyboard, this latest Switch can do its best impression of an all-in-one.
Whether or not you need that shapeshifting ability, you're definitely getting more under the hood. The larger tablet packs a much sharper 1080p screen, a speedier Core M processor and either 60GB or 120GB of solid-state storage; despite the more demanding components, you should still get about eight hours of battery life. You'll also get micro-HDMI video output and micro-USB 3.0 for peripherals. The Switch 12 is a tangible upgrade, then, although you'll have to be patient to get your hands on it. Acer only ships the 12-incher to North America in early 2015, and it hasn't divulged pricing so far.
