Acer had a much more subdued presence at Mobile World Congress this year, having spent most of its energy at CES. However, it did have two new smartphones to show in Barcelona, and arguably some of its best devices yet. Read through for hands-on time with the CloudMobile and Liquid Glow.
Acer has followed up the CloudMobile with a second smartphone due at Mobile World Congress. The Liquid Glow will carry Acer's lightly skinned version of Android 4.0, but with a more modest 3.7-inch display. The newer, curvier design will be its own highlight, with colors such as Alpine White and Sakura Pink on the back that will be matched to the display at the front.
Acer started off the week by launching a new budget Android phone. The Liquid Express revives the 3.5-inch formula seen in the Liquid Metal and even shares its 800MHz Snapdragon and five-megapixel camera, but adds NFC for short-range payments and tag sharing. The company has teamed up with Cityzi to take advantage of tags both for virtual cash as well as for travel info and reviews.
Acer is still a relative newcomer to smartphones, but it's shown signs of evolving quickly. The Liquid Metal (also known as the Liquid MT) is an example of that with better build quality, 14.4Mbps 3G and a radically revamped software suite. We'll find out if it's genuinely better, or if a solid formula has been spoiled, in our Liquid Metal review.
Acer unveiled several new devices at CES last week, among them the Acer Liquid Mini E310. This week, Acer’s latest Android 2.2 device gained FCC approval although it is not entirely certain which carrier will land the phone. Rogers Canada is a likely candidate as it already sells the Liquid E.
Acer officially launched the Liquid Metal, its true sequel to the Liquid E. The new Android phone focuses on speed first and has support for 14.4Mbps, HSPA-based 3G on networks that support it. It also upgrades to the same 800MHz MSM7230 Snapdragon found in the T-Mobile G2 and Desire Z.
Acer today confirmed the existence of the Liquid Metal and gave it a launch schedule. A representative told Electricpig that the Android 2.2 phone is now slated to reach at least the UK by the end of October. The firm declined to confirm either the hardware details or pricing.
Acer's Liquid Stream smartphone is scheduled to be launched in the UK on August 9, according to a listing for the UK electronics retailer Expansys. The device, which first appeared in May, features a 1GHz Snapdragon powering Android 2.1. The UI is presented on a 3.7-inch OLED touchscreen with 800x480 resolution.
Acer is still very much a newcomer to the smartphone arena, but it has been quickly gaining the same reputation it has with computers: cheap but powerful devices for those who like the speed but not the usual price tag. The Liquid E is perhaps the most tempting example: Android 2.1 plus a Snapdragon chip in one of the cheapest contract smartphones should be a promise of success. We'll learn in our Liquid E review if it proves to be a potent cocktail for challenging rivals or if it's sacrificing too much to reach its goals.
Acer used a broad product launch today to reveal a surprise entry into the tablet arena. CEO Gianfranco Lanci briefly demonstrated a 7-inch tablet running Android and with a hardware keyboard underneath. He didn't provide any other details of the device in question but said it would ship in the fall and hinted that it would have 3G and sell through carriers with a subsidized price.
Acer's next Android flagship was detailed in earnest today thanks to an FCC approval and leaks. The Liquid stream S110 would get a more advanced 5-megapixel camera with 720p video capture. It's still expected to run Android 2.1, but it may upgrade to 2.2 or later depending on Acer's release schedule.
Rogers today through a series of hints showed it was on the verge of launching not just new smartphones but new plans to match. Both an article for the company's in-house URMagazine and a leak have shown that the Canadian carrier is finally nearing the launch of the Acer Liquid e. The handset will be Rogers' first Android 2.1 device and also one of its best, with a 768MHz Snapdragon, a 3.5-inch 480x800 screen, 720p video playback and a 5-megapixel camera as its definitive traits.
Acer's first smartphone powered by the Android operating system, the Liquid A1, has recently gone through testing at the FCC, with the documents revealing that it will support AT&T's 850/1,900MHz 3G network. Despite this, there is still no official indication from either from AT&T or Acer about when the Liquid A1 is expected to ship for North American consumption. The FCC filing also reveals the phone will carry the S100 designation as part of its full name.
While it's slightly behind schedule, Acer's Liquid smartphone with Android is now shipping in the UK, with retailers Expansys and Clove stocking the Android smartphone. The handset, which runs on the 1.6 build, is only available in white so far.
