Today at CES 2016 in Las Vegas, Acer has launched a slew of new products, with the one standing out the most being the first Chrome OS desktop to be powered by Intel’s Core processors. Along with the new Chromebase, they also launched a new 11 inch Chromebook, an affordable 8 inch Android tablet, and a new 2-in-1 Windows notebook. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take a look at the new Chromebase…
The new Chromebase unveiled today features a beautiful 23.8-inch full HD IPS multi-touch display, Intel’s Core processors (at this time, it’s unclear of which processor(s) they’ve chosen to include), and up to 8GB of RAM. Just by this list of known specifications, we can already tell this Chromebase is bigger, faster, and more powerful than last year’s model (obviously).
“Intel Core processors work seamlessly with Chrome OS to deliver the incredible performance and graphics that consumers and businesses expect from an all-in-one desktop,” said Gregory Bryant, Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Desktop Client Platforms Group, Intel. “With smooth video conferencing, a great HD video experience and ability to multi-task, the Acer Chromebase 24 with Intel Core is an exciting all-in-one design.”
As you can tell, this desktop computer looks very similar to an iMac with it’s chunky, black bezel around the screen, silver portion below the display, and adjustable silver “foot” which enables the display to be tilted from -5 to 30 degrees. This looks to be a very promising desktop for a lot of people.
Other specs, such as processors, RAM types, and storage options will vary by region.
The second Chrome OS computer Acer announced today is an addition to the company’s Chromebook 11 lineup. The new Chromebook, according to Acer, is more durable than the previous generation and has a more premium look and feel.
The new Chromebook 11’ CB3-131’s cover is made with a nano-imprinted pattern which gives it a premium look and feel while also boosting durability. The Chromebook 11 has been reinforced like Acer’s models for commercial and educational customers to handle extra-stressful environments. It can handle up to 60kg of downward force on the top cover, while the corners can tolerate up to 60cm drops without damage. The reinforced case results in greater resistance to twisting and stress.
The slim and portable form factor makes the Acer Chromebook 11 ideal for use anywhere – at home, school, work and on-the-go. It measures only 0.73 inches (18.6mm) thin and weighs only 2.42 pounds (1.1kg).
Here’s a quick rundown of some of the other notable specs of the new Chromebook 11:
- 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 non-glare ComfyView display (135ppi)
- 2GB or 4GB RAM
- 16GB or 32GB storage
- Up to 9 hours battery life
- 2×2 MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth 4.0
- USB 3.0, USB2.0, SD card reader and HDMI
Pricing will start at $179 in the US and €329 in Europe when the new Chromebook 11 launches in February.
One thing I wasn’t expecting out of Acer today was an Android tablet, but boy did they deliver. Today, the company, alongside the Chrome OS products above, launched the new Iconia One 8, an ultra-affordable Android 5.1 Lollipop 8-inch tablet. The tablet will only cost $99 in North America, which is very affordable for tablets these days.
The Iconia One 8 (B1-850) features an 8-inch HD IPS1 display with 10-point multi-touch, providing bright and vivid images with wide-viewing angles, while supporting a better touch experience for gaming. Running Android 5.1, it features 9 hours of battery life, a MediaTek quad-core processor, a 5MP rear camera, a 2MP front-facing camera, 1GB DDR3L RAM, 16GB internal storage, and a storage expansion slot which supports up to 128GB Micro SD cards. The new Iconia One 8 is available with white or blue back cover options.
This tablet is also designed to be kid friendly, with apps such as Kid Center for clean and friendly entertainment, ease of use for young ones, and daily time limits of tablet use.
The Iconia One 8 (B1-850) ships preloaded with Kids Center, an app featuring a simplified child-friendly user interface, and pre-screened content appropriate for children, including videos, games, books, and websites. It also features parental control features such as blocking access to unapproved content, pre-selecting content for children, or even setting a daily time limit for using the tablet.
The tablet will launch next month and, as previously noted, will only cost $99.
Keeping to the tradition of different gadgets built for different operating systems, Acer today, alongside everything else (and if that wasn’t enough), also launched a new 2-in-1 laptop called the Switch 12 S. It’s the latest addition to the Switch line up of laptops, and this one is no exception.
The Acer Switch 12 S has a 12.5-inch display and a flexible 2-in-1 design that, utilizing Continuum on Windows 10, can be easily used in four modes – notebook, tablet, display and tent – making it an ideal portable device for anyone who wants a flexible way to stay productive and connected for study, work and play. It is powered by the 6th Generation Intel® Core™ M processors and will ship with Windows 10.
The elegant anodized aluminum chassis is both a sleek and modern design statement and a technology innovation. The new patented Acer ExoAmp antenna is discreetly embedded into the metal chassis to provide optimal WiFi performance while maintaining the device’s unified look and feel. This innovative antenna placement avoids system noise, so the 802.11 b/g/n/ac WiFi and 2×2 MU-MIMO is not only up to three times faster3 , it’s more stable and reliable. The sturdy anodized aluminum cover has diamond-cut edging that enhances the clean and polished design.
The Aspire Switch 12 S features Thunderbolt™ 3 on USB-C for ultra-fast charging as well as data and video streaming of up to 40Gbps between devices or to an external HD display, including up to two 4K models simultaneously. Thunderbolt 3 also allows consumers who need even more powerful graphics for gaming to connect an optional Acer Graphics Dock to boost the performance of the Switch 12 S. The advanced Intel® RealSense™ Camera R200 on the rear of the tablet allows Aspire Switch 12 S customers to capture movements for 3D model generating, or 3D scanning for objects or even a whole room.
Jerry Kao, President of Notebook Business Group of Acer decided to say a few words about the latest 2-in-1 from the company:
“The fusion of technology and design in the Acer Aspire Switch 12 S solidifies its spot at the pinnacle of our popular 2-in-1 line,” said Jerry Kao, President of Notebook Business Group, Acer Inc. “The Aspire Switch 12 S makes an immediate design statement; many of the features that give it its premium and modern look also incorporate advanced technologies that translate into profound improvements for everyday life.”
The laptop will cost $999 when it’s officially launched in February.
We’ll have much more coverage of CES 2016 as more announcements are made! Stay tuned!
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