I haven’t been much of a fan of Acer laptops until recently, when they launched their Gemstone-line of notebooks. I always went for IBM Thinkpads, HP/Compaq Presarios, and now the Asus Eee.
However, Acer seems to be getting in the game of ultraportable notebook computers, with their rumored release of a 8 inch and 9 inch notebook later this year.
Acer plans to launch low-cost notebooks available with 8- and 9-inch displays late in the first quarter or early second quarter of this year, with the products aimed at competing directly at similar sized Eee PCs from Asustek Computer, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report. Prices of Acer’s low-cost notebooks will be as competitive as those of the Eee PCs, the paper said.
To me, this is good news. More competition only means (1) better innovation, and (2) lower prices.
Asus is in a good position to have been the leader in all this. Sure, there have been a handful of ultraportables before the time of the Asus Eee (like those from Fujitsu, Toshiba and even Sony). But the price point was what made the game for Asus.
At $400 you’re paying about 20% of the price of other similar-sized notebooks. Sure, specs-wise you’re at a disadvantage. But I wouldn’t expect too much from a diminutively-sized notebook, anyway.
So Acer, bring it on! Maybe you can send me beta or production units for review sometime! You know where to contact me.
[via Eee site]
