Acer launches new line of smart handhelds

MANILA, Philippines – The Smart Handheld Business Group of Acer Inc., the third largest vendor in the global PC market, has officially released its new line of smart handhelds in the Philippines, following a global launch in Barcelona earlier this year.

The devices will be distributed in the Philippines through an agreement between the Acer Smart Handheld Business Group and Topstrasse Global Inc.

The new smart handhelds represent a strategic move for Acer toward becoming a leader in the “mobility market,” having provided mobile Internet solutions to 20 million consumers in more than 100 countries.

The devices were designed to cater to the demands of increasingly sophisticated handheld users, and signal the company’s continued ambition to break down the barrier between technology and people and make mobile Internet attractive and accessible to all.

“As the world’s number one in the netbook market and ranked second in the notebook market globally, Acer has become a strong player in the mobile segment, continuing to offer our customers compelling solutions to their mobile requirements,” said Glen Ng, head of sales in Southeast Asia of Acer’s Smart Handheld Business Group.

“This official launch in Manila marks the next step our Smart Handheld Business Group has taken in Southeast Asia, following the recent launch in Singapore, and marks our company’s ambitions to become one of the top companies in the fast-moving mobility market,” he added.

Targeted at business-oriented and technology-savvy Filipinos, Acer’s smart handhelds are designed to deliver a seamless convergence of functionalities for both personal and professional use.

The new Acer DX900 model (P29,990) offers a dual-SIM function that allows users to keep track of personal to business communications in one device, while the Acer DX650 (P24,990) takes user-interface convenience to new levels with a dual-face design, featuring a touch screen on one side and a finger-friendly keypad on the other.

To cater to consumers seeking multiple features without having to carry several devices, the sleek and compact Acer X960 (P28,990) is the quintessential all-purpose performer.

Two additional models, the Acer F900 (P35,990) and Acer M900 (P39,990), will be on the market starting this month.

Developed to give total control over Web browsing on the go, the F900 has a new easy-to-use touch keyboard and is able to display more information on-screen to offer a superior browsing experience.

For those who need to have access to e-mail and files at all times, the M900 allows access to all contacts and files through synchronization with a notebook or desktop computer. An embedded biometric fingerprint sensor secures the device and simplifies password maintenance.

“It is with great pleasure that we partner with global powerhouse brand Acer for its smart handheld business in the Philippines. With the handshake of Acer’s global/local brand strength and reputation in quality IT products and Topstrasse’s local market experience and dominance in WinMo devices, it is truly a great force to reckon with,” said Chris Uyco, president and chief executive officer of Topstrasse Global Inc.

“We believe that with Acer’s entry into the local mobile phone and PDA device arena with sleek yet powerful devices, it will definitely enhance the Filipinos’ mindset and user experience of an all-in-one mobile communication tool,” Uyco said.

During the launch, Acer unveiled a total of nine models to be released in the country this year.