Report: Acer To Launch Windows 7 PC On Oct. 23

Bobby Watkins, country general manager for Acer U.K., told Pocket-Lint that Acer's recently unveiled Aspire Z5600 all-in-one PC will be available with Windows 7 pre-loaded starting on Oct. 23. Watkins also said that customers that buy Windows Vista-based models after Sept. 24 will receive a free upgrade to Windows 7.

A Microsoft spokesperson contacted by Channelweb.com declined to comment on Watkins' statements.

Microsoft has begun offering the Windows Release Candidate to testers and will serve it up to the public on May 5, and indications are that the company will be able to get Windows 7 out the door in time for the holiday season. Microsoft recently said it will launch Windows 7 in Microsoft's 2010 fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30, 2010.

The Aspire Z5600 features a 24-inch screen with 1080p resolution that was designed specifically to utilize the touch-enabled features of Windows 7. The Z5600 also includes a TV tuner, webcam, and Blu-Ray DVD player writer, the latest MXM graphic processors, and storage capacity of up to 2 terabytes.

Windows 7 will reportedly include multi-touch powered tools for editing and arranging digital photos, as well as interactive mapping applications similar to the Concierge offering developed by Microsoft's Surface team.

However, some of Microsoft's channel partners have questioned whether there will be enough of a business case for multi-touch to entice companies to upgrade en masse.