Acer announced two new smartphones in their beTouch line today, both of them running Google's mobile OS.  Billed as the Acer beTouch E120 and the Acer beTouch E130, the handsets feature hardware sets likely intended for entry-level Android users.

Both handsets share similar components that include a 3.2 megapixel camera module, aGPS, WiFi, 3G, stereo Bluetooth, FM radio, 3.5mm audio jack, microSD card expansion (up to 32GB) and a 1,500 mAh battery.   Core hardware for both systems  consist of  ST Ericsson 416MHz processors, 512 MB of ROM and 256 MB of RAM.

The Acer beTouch E120 will sport a conventional touch-based form factor with a 2.8-inch touchscreen (240 x 320 resolution).  Going the semi-odd route is the Acer beTouch E130, which features a Blackberry-style candybar design with a 2.6-inch landscape touchscreen  (320 x 240  resolution) and a full QWERTY keyboard right under it.

Far from groundbreaking  smartphones, both beTouch models will be running the veritably ancient Android 1.6.  To spice the OS up a little, Acer's adding its own UI, along with a few apps of their own, such as Spinlets (for media sharing) and UrFooz (for social networking).

Expect the Acer beTouch E120 to hit shelves in mid-July, with the Acer beTouch E130 starting August.  Both handsets will come in two colors, black and white.  No pricing has been announced yet.

[via Softpedia]

We've had Ferrari-branded laptops for a while now, so it was only a matter of time before a mobile phone followed suit. And it's coming in the form of the Acer Liquid E Ferrari Edition, a rather pedestrian Liquid E dressed in the luxury automaker's trademark cues.

Shown off during Computex, they're billing it as "the most exclusive smartphone in the world," although I've seen a few jewel-encrusted handsets that could lay claim to the same title. Customizations are, expectedly, cosmetic by nature, such as the glossy red skin, a carbon fiber “Scuderia Ferrari” shield around the rear and Ferrari-related content preloaded, including wallpapers, photos, videos and ringtones.

In case you're not familiar with the stock handset, the Acer Liquid E features a 3.5 inch capacitive touchscreen (480 x 800 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera module, aGPS, 3G with 7.2 Mbps HSDPA/2.0 Mbps HSUPA, Bluetooth 2.0 and microSD card expansion. Powered by a 768MHz Snapdragon processor, it runs Android 2.1 at the helm and Acer UI 3.0 on top of it. The Ferrari Edition, of course, gets all the same details.

According to the press release, the specially-outfitted case offers extra resistance to shock and dust, so this limited edition should prove more durable than your regular Liquid E models. They're also bundling a special Ferrari-branded Bluetooth headset in the box, which boasts noise and echo cancellation, along with automated volume regulation.

No word on pricing or release date was given for the Acer Liquid E Ferrari Edition. With the luxury branding in tow, expect it to cost more than a smartphone normally would, though.

[Acer]

Acer announced its latest Android phone today. Called the Acer Stream, it's being billed as “the utmost expression of technology, design, performance and entertainment.” Whatever that's supposed to mean.

Like most new smartphone releases running Google's open-source OS, it will get Android 2.1 at the helm. More than featuring the OS' much-lauded features and bevy of apps, however, Acer claims the device takes multimedia seriously. In fact, they refer to it as a "high-end multimedia smartphone," with hardware and software capabilities that are "optimized for watching movies (and) listening to music." It does sound plausible on that end, as it comes with a number of entertainment-centered features, such as Nemo multimedia player, Dolby Mobile sound processing, 720p video processing, Universal Plug n Play (UPnP) support and an HDMI out.

Details of the Acer Stream include a 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen (WVGA resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera module with 720p video recording, aGPS, accelerometer sensor, stereo Bluetooth, 2GB of internal storage, 8GB memory card preloaded (with support for up to 32GB), WiFi and 3G with HSPA. Core processing power is handled by a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM and 512MB of ROM.

No default Android interface for the handset, as it comes with the Acer Touch 3D UI, which features social networking integration along with various customizations for a more efficient smartphone experience. Unique software additions include Spinlets (a free streaming music app), three variants of predictive keyboards, a smart dialer and a redesigned contacts list.

Sounds like a great phone. Hopefully, Acer follows their previous efforts and prices the Acer Stream lower than competition, though, I doubt that will happen. No pricing or release date has been announced.

[Acer]

Acer's first smartphone running Android is finally here, a refreshing change of pace from the company's previous releases, which are all based around Windows Mobile.  Billed as the Acer Liquid, could it be the handset that finally sets up Acer as a serious competitor in the market?

Physically, it's a mixed bag.  The fun design, while not sleek, looks moderately attractive.  It makes no attempt at covering up the cheap-looking plastic shell, although it does feel good when you hold it in your hand.  Highlighting the front face is a large 3.5-inch screen (800 x 480 resolution), with a series of touch-sensitive buttons under it.  The display is both bright and relatively sharp, but other Android handsets have used better.

As a phone, the Liquid manages satisfactory calls, with clear sound and natural voices.  Speakerphone is a bit on the poor end, however.   The device runs on a 768MHz Snapdragon processor, which makes for impressive performance, able to navigate between menus quickly and launch new apps while others stay running in the background.  Battery is rated at 5 hours of talk time.  Since this handset comes with little bells and whistles, it will probably last you a good two days of regular use.

Acer did practically nothing to spruce up the Android interface.  Considering they're going up against a league of HTCs and Motorolas that boast exceptional UIs, however, it's a bit of a disappointment.  Not that it's all bad.  It won't match the usability gains that HTC, for instance, endowed their handsets with, but Android is good enough on its own.  Plus, the lack of compatibility issues with a custom UI means upgrading to newer builds might prove easier in the long run.  For customization purposes, they did throw in a few nice widgets.

It comes with all the usual Android fare, such as Gmail, Maps and everything in between.  They also added a few modifications in the background, such as being able to merge the address book with your Facebook contacts.

Feature set is pretty standard:  HSDPA, Wi-Fi, stereo Bluetooth, GPS and a 5.0 megapixel camera.  The download speeds are excellent, making for quick browsing and nearly-seamless YouTube streaming.  Image quality for the camera module is only average, though, with very few editing options.

Despite the lack of much customization, the Acer Liquid actually sounds like a good deal for an Android phone, especially at the selling price of between $550 to $600 unlocked (depending on where you buy).  Yes, Android is good enough to stand on its own (even without Sense UI or MotoBlur) and it does so very well here.

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Priced slightly higher than the bottom-of-the-barrel E101, the Acer beTouch E200 still falls in the budget category for full-featured smartphones.  This time, though, it comes with a few interesting capabilities, along with relatively admirable performance.

Physically, it's an unusually styled phone.  Ever saw a slider Windows Mobile handset that revealed a standard T9 keypad?  I don't remember if I ever saw one either, but that's what the E200's form factor is.  Suffice to say, it is a strange design idea. Overall build appears solid, with a sturdy sliding mechanism and great feel in the hand.  It's also quite a looker in its own right.

The E200 sports a 3-inch touchscreen with a 320 x 240 resolution.  Colors are rich and lines are sharp, but the resistive touch capability once again leaves a lot to ask for.  It also doesn't help that it's running Windows Mobile 6.5, which still retains much of the same hard-to-finger touch elements beneath the revamped surface.

As a phone, it manages above average call quality, with voices sounding crisp and clear on both ends of the conversation.  Speakerphone performance is also decent.  The device itself feels speedy, removing much of the lag we've come to expect from Windows Mobile handsets.  Battery life should be good for around two days or more of regular use.

The range of features is about what you'd expect from a typical smartphone.  There's 3G support, onboard GPS and stereo Bluetooth, but no Wi-Fi.  HSDPA performance is decent, but we've seen speedier connections from similarly-rated handsets.  It comes Windows Mobile's wide range of messaging support, so you should be taken care of on that end.  The 3.2 megapixel camera takes surprisingly good photos, although it lacks a good amount of editing options.

Overall, the Acer beTouch E200 is a decent Windows Mobile phone.  That is, if a sliding T9-style keypad makes sense to you.  The design decision is a bit far out for me, but this one comes in at a decent price, so it might be worth looking into.

The Acer beTouch E101 is the cheapest model in the company's newest line-up of Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphones.  If you're in the market for a sub-$300 device with Microsoft's latest handiwork, this is probably the way to go.  The ride after won't be such a smooth one, though.

Physically, this batch of releases from Acer is a huge step up from their previous Tempo line.  While not being particularly attention-grabbing, the beTouch E101 looks like a proper smartphone.  Despite the plastic build, it handles very well and appears to have sturdy construction.  The navigation array, particularly the clickable scroll wheel, is admirably designed.

Display is a 3.2-inch resistive touchscreen (with 240 x 400 resolution), which manages to show very clear and vibrant images.  Unfortunately, touch response is among the worst we've seen on a Windows Mobile handset.  If you're planning to use this without a stylus, be prepared for a world of frustration.

As a phone, the E101 manages very good call quality on both ends of the conversation, with clear, natural-sounding voices.  Speakerphone works similarly well, albeit with a lot more echo.  Windows Mobile 6.5 works as 6.1 has always done - a little too lacking to be relevant at the current market.  There are some noticeable lags, but it's not too bad - a credit to Acer's hardware.  Battery life is rated at up to five hours of talk time, enough for a couple or more days of regular use.

Forget about connecting to the web.  The phone has neither 3G nor Wi-Fi, so you're stuck with GPRS or EDGE for data connections.  Kind of makes it odd that  the handset comes with a YouTube app on board.

It has all the usual Windows Mobile features, including a robust messaging suite, stereo Bluetooth, GPS and some pre-installed apps.  The 2.0 megapixel camera manages decent-looking snaps, although it comes with neither flash nor a good amount of settings.

Overall, the Acer beTouch E101 is a tough phone to recommend, unless it's the "only" Windows Mobile 6.5 handset you can afford at your budget.  Core hardware is actually pretty powerful (528MHz processor, 256MB of RAM), but the touch implementation begs a lot of improvement.

On paper, Acer should be killing it with the Acer neoTouch.  Sporting a fast 1GHz processor, a large 3.8-inch touchscreen and an attractive price, it's a tough deal to ignore.  Yet, it feels, once more, like an almost-but-not-quite effort.

Physically, the Acer neoTouch is a gorgeous phone.  With a front panel dominated by a large 3.8-inch display and notably slimmer lines than their previous releases, the computer company is starting to get mobile right.  Do note we said "starting," as the device sports a cheap build that feels like it can crack with one fall.

You can't help but love the large-size screen, which manages an 800 x 480 resolution.  It displays images sharply, with rich and vibrant colors.  With Windows Mobile 6.5 running at the helm, Acer could have done without the home page skinning.  They did it anyway with Acer Home, which, unfortunately, doesn't really add any value to the experience.  A custom phone app, a new address book and a better onscreen keyboard round out the modifications to WinMo.

As a phone, the neoTouch manages excellent voice calls.  Speakerphone lacks a little volume, though, which makes it tough to use.  Overall phone performance is quite fast, especially when compared to the company's previous Tempo line of smartphones.  Battery is only good for a day and a half of regular use, so best carry a charger around if you're a heavy user.

Feature set is pretty rich, including HSDPA connectivity, Wi-Fi, stereo Bluetooth and GPS.  It naturally comes with Windows Mobile's full set of messaging capabilities (e.g. Exchange push email), some excellent productivity apps (e.g. Mobile Office) and a social networking software.  Web browsing is pretty snappy with fast-loading pages.  Performance won't eclipse more popular smartphone choices, but it's better than many Windows Mobile phones we've seen.

Media playback, especially movies, is highly enjoyable with the large display.  Quality is pretty good, too.  There's also a 5.0 megapixel camera with LED flash and autofocus, which manages poor to average shots, depending on the surrounding brightness.

Priced at around $600 unlocked (depending on retailers), it's quite a bargain for the hardware set alone.  It's a sexy looker, too.  That, of course, is if you can live with the decidedly plastic build.

Not a fan of Acer's spate of Windows Mobile smartphone releases during the year?  Maybe you'll find a little more to like in the Acer Liquid A1, the company's first Android handset.

Refusing to hold back on the hardware for their newest effort, Acer is fitting the Liquid A1 with a pretty spiffy hardware suite.  Chief on the specs list is a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU and a 3D-capable chipset, making it the very first Android device to offer that level of computing power.

The phone will feature a capacitive touchscreen with 800 x 480 resolution (no word on size), a 5.0 megapixel camera module, onboard GPS and 3G connectivity.   Acer is also touting improved power management for the phone, claiming longer battery autonomy for heavy users.

It will ship pre-installed with version 1.6 of the Android OS (Donut) and, based on the press release, sounds like it will use a custom UI that revolves around entertainment features and web bookmarks.  Other software capabilities include address book integration with Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Picasa and Flickr, as well as an exclusive multimedia application called Spinlets.

No details on pricing or release date have been give for the Acer Liquid A1, which looks a lot more like a modern smartphone, compared to the company's previous releases under the Tempo line.   Rumors are going around, though, that they're prepping it for a November debut.

[via Talk Android]

Acer has a tough sell on its hands with its Tempo line of touchscreen smartphones.  The Acer Tempo F900 continues the trend, offering a decent but unexceptional feature set, along with a more affordable price.

Just like other phones in the Tempo line, the F900 comes in at a bulky frame and runs Windows Mobile 6.1 with Acer Shell skin.  It's the biggest phone in the range, touting a large 3.8-inch display (800 x 480 pixels) that's bright, clear and eye-catching.  Looks aren't spectacular, especially next to the only other 3.8-inch WinMo phone in the market (the HTC Touch HD), feeling more slab-like.  Build appears to be sturdy.

As a phone, it facilitates average-sounding voice calls, but the speakerphone is a bit lacking.  It supports all standard connectivity options, including 7.2Mbps HSDPA, 2Mbps HSUPA, Wi-Fi b/g and stereo Bluetooth.   Messaging support is extensive, as Windows Mobile handsets go, but you're stuck with the same old kludgy UI.  It rocks a 1530mAh battery, which should be good for at least two days of typical use before recharging.

It uses the same processor as the dual-SIM DX900 (533MHz Samsung S3C), but appears to run even slower.  Overall, it's a frustrating phone to use because of the navigation lag.  I recommend ditching Acer Shell (which is especially slow) and either working with Windows UI natively or using a different skin.  The touch response is also not up to par with many modern handsets.

While the F900 suffers a lot of problems, the feature set is not one of them.  Like many of their other phones, Acer outfitted this as tightly as they can. It comes with the Opera browser built-in, with fast page loads and decent performance.  The accelerometer is a bit frustrating (it doesn't always re-orient the screen when you turn it), but I can live with it.

It also comes with a 3.2 megapixel camera (average photo quality), aGPS (with SiRF Star III pre-installed), a very good music player and numerous apps.  One omission they overlooked is adding a better media player here, as the phone offers one of the best mobile viewing experiences available with a screen that big.

Like their other smartphone efforts, the Acer Tempo F900 fails to impress.  Unfortunate but not surprising, since Acer doesn't really try that hard with this handset.  The days when you can slap a beefed-up hardware package and call it a top-of-the-line phone are just long gone.  Acer needs to find a way to get their head out of that thinking.

The latest in the electronic company's attempt to make its mark in the smartphone landscape, the Acer M900, is a huge phone. Justifying the additional size, however, is a large display panel, coupled with a side-sliding full QWERTY keypad and a host of high-end features.

Intended to rival similar QWERTY-toting business touchscreen phones like the HTC Touch Pro 2, the M900 fits in all the modern conveniences you can ask for in a handset. Well, all except a pocketable size, as it measures a large 119 x 62 x 17.1mm and weighs 188 grams.

Display is a huge 3.8-inch touchscreen panel, with 800 x 480 resolution and very good quality. Text and images all look bright and crisp when viewed in it. Controls are decent and even adds in an uncommon fingerprint sensor, which can double as an optical directional pad. The keyboard offers good spacing, although it feels a bit shallow. Keying in punctuation requires you to "shift" via the Fn key first, which is hardly the most impressive design we've seen.

We've talked about Acer's Shell UI before and it's here too - working as good as ever, with its office-like design. Connectivity is tops on the unit, which includes high-speed 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. Other features include a very snappy camera (suprisingly good quality), an FM radio, a task manager application and custom onscreen keyboard (which works way better than the WinMo default).

Voice calls are good, though, it could use some improvement. Video calls, on the other hand, were generally unsatisfying because of pasty video processing.

On the specs sheet, the Acer M900 packs every modern convenience users will expect from a high-end phone. In reality, though, there is no reason to buy this over similarly-priced high-end units, such as the iPhone and those from HTC. If you can get a good deal on it, however, as was being planned originally for its US release (free on contract), it may prove a compelling choice for the hardware quality alone.

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