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Acer intros the Iconia W4, its second 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablet: brings improved screen for $330 (hands-on)
Once Intel shows off an unannounced tablet at one of its press events, the jig is up: the product may as well be official at that point. That's what happened with Acer's Iconia W4 Windows 8.1 tablet, which recently surfaced in public, but wasn't officially announced until today. As the successor to the W3, this is Acer's second 8-inch tablet, and it corrects many of the shortcomings that doomed the original. Chiefly, it steps up to a 1,280 x 800, optically bonded IPS display, so you should notice less glare, even in harsh conditions. (Take a look at our outdoor hands-on shots if you're skeptical.) Additionally, as rumored, the W4 packs a faster Atom processor -- specifically, one of the chips from Intel's new Bay Trail series. Though we only had a few moments of hands-on time, we noticed some brisk transitions between menus and apps, and programs were quick to launch as well. If ever we pressed the Start button, for instance, the tablet wasted no time in switching back to the Start Menu, or to the desktop. In terms of the exterior hardware, the tablet is slightly lighter (0.91 pounds instead of 1.1) and thinner, too (0.42 inch versus 0.45). Also, whereas the W3 had 2-megapixel cameras on both the front and the rear, the W4 rocks a 5MP main shooter (the front webcam is still 2MP). Rounding out the list, the W4 keeps the same basic ports as the W3 -- namely, micro-USB, micro-HDMI and a microSD slot. And, as before, you can use it with an optional keyboard. Look for it this month, starting at $330 with 32GB of built-in storage and $380 for the 64GB model.
Acer's first venture into Windows Phone arrives in France as the Allegro
Remember the Acer W4? After seeing it at IFA 2011, it seems that it's finally ready to make some first impressions, and its blind date is with France. Known officially as the Allegro, Acer's inaugural Windows Phone isn't going over the top in the spec department: it has a 3.6-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, 1GHz single-core Qualcomm MSM8255 CPU, 8GB internal storage, 5MP rear camera with LED flash and a 1,300mAh battery. However, a unique addition to this €299 ($425) device is a feature called Fast Charge, which allows the Allegro to get juiced up to 2.5 times faster than the rest of the company's lineup. Expect the device to land in France in mid-November with two color options -- white and dark blue iceberg. Just make sure, Acer, to walk your date all the way back home from dinner.
Acer W4 hands-on (video)
Hey, it's our old pal, the Acer W4. We've heard tell of the device and seen our share of mockups, and this week at IFA, we actually got to play with the thing. The 3.6-inch handset is fairly compact, and pretty slick looking, with its black front and curved white backing. It's not particularly exciting on the spec side, with its 1GHz Qualcomm processor. Nope, what's most exciting here is the inclusion of Mango, which should look rather familiar to Windows Phone 7 owners, while adding some welcomed updates to the mix. According to Acer, the handset should be arrive some point next month, though the company isn't offering up much in terms of pricing. Check out a hands-on video after the break.%Gallery-132610%
Acer W4 Windows Phone Mango handset eyes-on (video)
It'll be a little while before Windows Phone 7 Mango phones pop up in the shops, but here at Computex, Acer decided to give us a little tease with a mockup of its upcoming W4 handset. Before you get all excited, though, the hardware specs are pretty yawn-inducing: there's a 3.6-inch 800 x 480 display of unknown type, 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 CPU, up to 8GB of storage, 5 megapixel auto-focus camera, and DLNA support. Hardly anything new here, which is a surprise given that we're looking at a Mango device -- a phone to be shipped with a major WP7 refresh. Anyhow, you'll also find the usual radios like 802.11 b/g/n plus Bluetooth 2.1 here, but interestingly enough, it looks like the W4 will be coming in two SKUs: one with HSPA 850 / 1900, and one with HSPA 900 / 2100 -- obviously a potential problem for globetrotters. As for look and feel the W4's well within the comfort zone of Acer's smartphone ID, and the curved back felt nice and solid in our hands, but we shall save our final judgement for the real deal. When we hear a release date, you'll know it as soon as we do. %Gallery-124954%
