Acer Introduces Three Tablet Models Due Early Next Year

Although the Taiwan-based manufacturer declined to give a model name for any of the tablets, there's one running Windows 7, another running Android OS and, possibly, an upcoming Google Chrome OS device.

The company introduced 7-inch and 10.1-inch Android-based tablets, as well as a 10.1-inch Windows-based tablet during a press conference in New York. The Windows 7 version includes a docking keyboard that effectively turns the device into a traditional PC suited for the enterprise space, while the Android tablets support Flash 10.1 and seem to be more tailored to consumers.

Acer said the 10.1-inch Windows tablet is scheduled to arrive in February 2010, followed by the Android-based tablets in April. Acer also said during the press conference that it will offer devices running the upcoming Google Chrome OS in the future.

Each of the tablets includes Wi-Fi and 3G networking capability. The Windows 7 tablet runs on an AMD processor, while the 10.1-inch Android version runs on Nvidia's Tegra 2 processor, and the 7-inch Android version includes a dual-core CPU from Qualcomm.

The Windows 7 tablet and the 10-inch Android version both feature two 1.3-megapixel HD cameras, one facing each side, while the 7-inch Android tablet includes a single front-facing HD camera.

The company took the opportunity to showcase several other offerings, including a 4.8-inch smartphone which Acer says has the "soul of a tablet." Acer introduced the dual-screen "Iconia" notebook, the "Alive" digital content platform, and the "Clear.fi" home-networking solution, which all three new tablets support.

The wave of Acer devices comes as analysts forecast sky-high tablet sales resulting in the cannibalization of PCs and other embedded devices, and as Apple prepares its second -generation iPad for an increasingly competitive tablet market. Acer did not provide details regarding pricing for any of the tablets.