Acer smartphone anyone?

Budi Putra , Contributor The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 08/10/2009 1:24 PM

Acer M900: Courtesy of Acer Indonesia

If you're seeking a new smartphone in Indonesia, you might be considering a certain product from Nokia, Samsung, RIM or HTC - to name a few. But now there's another alternative worth trying: An Acer smartphone.

What?! Yes, that's right. Following a global launch in Barcelona earlier this year, Acer - the Taiwan-based company that is the third largest computer manufacturer in the world (by sales) after HP and Dell Inc. - is launching in Indonesia four smartphones called the Acer Tempo Smartphone Series. The devices will be distributed here through an agreement between the Acer Smart Handheld Business Group and PT Golden Victory Indonesia.

According to Kama Kahar, director of business development and strategic partnerships for the Smart Handheld Business Group, following the acquisition of ETEN and the creation of the Smart Handheld Business Group in 2008, the computer giant set out to demonstrate its commitment to providing mobile solutions across a range of products, from netbooks to smartphones.

"We are confident about entering the Indonesian market," he told The Jakarta Post at a dinner meeting in Jakarta last week.

"Acer smartphones will be offered through all Acer computer outlets here, so we can deliver high-quality after-sales service to our customers."

Targeting business-oriented and technology-savvy people, Acer Tempo smartphones run on the Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system and are equipped with the new Acer UI 2.0. And especially for Indonesia's market, the smartphone comes with a pre-installed IDX Mobile application that enables you to monitor stock market movements on the go.

DX900: One device, two SIM cards

Acer claims the DX 900 (priced at Rp 6 million) is the world's first-dual SIM and dual-stand Windows Mobile smartphone supporting 3G and 2G networks. As well as addressing the needs of the many Indonesian consumers who have more than one SIM card, this capability is also ideal for frequent business travelers who can take advantage of it by using one SIM card for their home country and a local SIM when traveling abroad.

Powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 for Pocket PC Phone Edition and Samsung S3C 6400 mobile processor (533 MHz), this device has 128 MB SDRAM for user applications and storage and a 256 MB flash memory for the operating system and embedded applications.

Its CMOS camera offers 3 mega pixels auto-focus with LED flash, up to 2048 x 1536 and VGA resolution fixed-focus front camera for video calls and a display with 2.8 inch VGA TFT LCD touch screen, 640 x 480 pixel resolution and 65,536 colors

X960: Compact and slim

Do you need more than one device to organize your life on the go? No, Acer says. Designed for people who expect everything from their phone, the sleek Acer X960 (Rp 5.5 million) is the quintessential all-purpose performer. Running on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, X960 is equipped with a Samsung SC3 6410 533 MHz Processor with one DRAM and 256 MB flash ROM, 128 MB SDRAM, and offers widget-based navigation, making it ideal for quick access to online needs.

The X960 comes with preloaded software including Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile, Microsoft Office Word Mobile, Microsoft Office Excel Mobile, Microsoft Office PowerPoint Mobile;, MSN Messenger, Microsoft Transcriber, Windows Media Player 10 and Microsoft Reader (depending on the region).

As for its camera, this device has a 3.2 mega pixels auto-focus CMOS camera - up to 2048 x 1536 resolution - and 0.3 mega pixels fixed-focus CMOS camera for video telephony usage. You can enjoy any pictures you take in its 2.8 inch, 640 x 480 (VGA), 65,536-color, TFT-LCD display.

F900: Instant access to the Net

The F900 (Rp 6.5 million) has a new easy-to-use touch keyboard and new user interface. Users can enjoy the pre-loaded Google services - having the Internet in your pocket. Running on genuine Windows Mobile 6.1, this device has HSDPA, HSUPA, GSM/EDGE, GPRS/EGPRS, WLAN and Bluetooth connection capability.

Its camera offers 3.2 mega pixel resolution with auto focus and display with a 3.8 inch WVGA TFT LCD touch screen, 480 x 800 pixel resolution, 65,536 colors. The device's multimedia features include pictures & videos, camera/camcorder, album, streaming player and media player.

M900: Secure management device

Don't worry about data security. This device looks to be aimed at the business user, boasting a full QWERTY keyboard - with a sliding physical keyboard, fingerprint sensor and also sporting a bunch of multimedia goodness. An embedded biometric fingerprint sensor - so you don't need passwords or logins - secures the device and simplifies password maintenance.

The M900 sports a 5 mega pixel auto-focus camera with flashlight, up to 2560 x 1920 resolution and a huge 3.8 inch 800x480 flush screen. Just like other smartphones, the M900 (Rp 6.5 million) allows access to all contacts and files through synchronization with a notebook or desktop computer.

Will these devices be able to compete in an open market such as Indonesia? There are many robust business-oriented phones out there - Nokia's ESeries, RIM's BlackBerry or Samsung's Omnia, for example - so it will be interesting to see how the computer giant deals with the smartphone market and users.

The writer, a blogger, can be reached at bp@budiputra.com and twitter.com/budip

Related Articles:

China Unicom signs iPhone deal

Sky-high travel phone bills nearly bust house payment

Nokia unveils its first Linux phone

Dell Mobile Phone Launching In China Within Days

Nokia to enter PC industry with first netbook

Reuters, By Tarmo Virki, European technology correspondent, Mon Aug 24

HELSINKI (Reuters) - The world's top cellphone maker Nokia said on Monday it would start to make laptops, entering a fiercely competitive but fast-growing market with a netbook running Microsoft's Windows operating system.

Nokia had earlier this year said it was considering entering the laptop industry, crossing the border between two converging industries in the opposite direction to Apple, which entered the phone industry in 2007 with the iPhone.

Nokia has seen its profit margins drop over the last quarters as handset demand has slumped, and analysts have worried that entering the PC industry, where margins are traditionally razor-thin, could hurt Nokia's profits further.

"We are fully aware what has the margin level been in the PC world. We have gone into this with our eyes wide open," Kai Oistamo, the head of Nokia's phone unit, told Reuters.

"There's really an opportunity to bring fresh perspective to the PC world," he said, adding that Nokia would introduce extended battery life and continuous connectivity.

Nokia has produced PCs before, but divested the unit in 1991 when it started to focus on the mobile phone industry.

But Nokia's first netbook, the Nokia Booklet 3G, will use Microsoft's Windows software and Intel's Atom processor to offer up to 12 hours of battery life while weighing 1.25 kilograms. Netbooks are low-cost laptops optimised for surfing the Internet and performing other basic functions. Pioneered by Asustek with the hit Eee PC in 2007, netbooks have since been rolled out by other brands such as HP and Dell.

"The question is: How will Nokia differentiate? This is already a crowded market. If they manage to differentiate it's going to give them competitive advantage," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi.

CUT-THROAT SEGMENT

Research firm IDC expects netbook shipments this year to grow more than 127 percent from 2008 to over 26 million units, outperforming the overall PC market that is expected to remain flat and a phone market which is shrinking some 10 percent.

"Nokia will be hoping that its brand and knowledge of cellular channels will play to its strengths as it addresses this crowded, cut-throat segment," said Ben Wood, director of research at CCS Insight.

"At present we see Nokia's foray into the netbook market as a niche exercise in the context of its broader business."

Nokia's choice of Windows software surprised some analysts who had expected the company to use Linux in its first laptop.

Analyst Neil Mawston from Strategy Analytics said the technology choices were a good win for the U.S. companies.

"We believe ARM and Symbian are among the main losers from the Nokia Booklet announcement," he said.

Read whole story ...

YouTube Video Promo

Related Articles:

Could The Nokia Booklet Cost Nearly $800?

Nokia Booklet 3G Refines the Netbook Design