CES 2012: Ultrabook Invasion begins with Acer's Aspire S5, Timeline Ultra

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

So it begins! Acer kicked off the CES 2012 announcements today by launching their Acer Aspire S5 which is the thinnest 13.3 inch ultrabook that Acer describes as, "an ultra-slim device that measures only 15 mm at the maximal point. It weighs less than 1.35 kg (less than 3 lbs.) and is built with a 13.3-inch (34 cm) LCD.

Acer also announced 14' and 15' Timeline Ultra notebooks that meld midrange sized notebooks with Ultrabook styling, long battery life and a two spindle design making these the first ultrabooks we've seen with optical drives and SSD or HD drives.

"The Ultrabook is much more than just a product segment," said Jim Wong, president of Acer Inc. "It's a new trend that will become the mainstream for mobile PCs, and customers will see the unique features gradually extended across Acer's notebook family."

The Aspire S5 joins the Aspire S3 and is expected to be competitive in cost. Acer also announced an updated Iconia Tab with a Quad Core processor and 1080p display. Acer is emerging to be one of the powers in ultrabooks and has managed to create a balance of features, build quality and attractive pricing. Acer recently vowed to stop "making cheap and unprofitable products," and this looks like an excellent place to start.

Like the Acer Timeline Ultra, it offers an instant-on connection, allowing it to turn on within 1.5 seconds. The device will also get the same access to cloud services from AcerCloud.

It weighs less than less than 3 pounds and is built with a 13.3-inch LCD display. It will also have an HDMI port, USB 3.0, and a Thunderbolt connection for ultra fast data and video transfer. Stay tuned for our continued CES 2012 coverage.

 Sources: Engadget.com

               Acer America

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