Today Acer announced their latest entry to their Iconia series of Android tablets, the Iconia Tab A200. Here’s a quick look at the specs:

• Dual-core Tegra 2 processor
• 1280 x 800 10.1-inch display
• 2MP front-facing camera
• MicroSD slot and full-sized USB 2.0 port
• WiFi, Bluetooth and DNLA
• Android 3.2

The A200 will ship with Honeycomb but will be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich sometime in mid-February. It’s available in 8GB or 16GB options, the lesser of the two starting at an attractive $329 price tag, while more storage will run you only 20 bucks more. January 15th is the US launch date when it should be available in local stores and online electronics retailers.

[Press Release]

If the HTC Jetstream is a bit out of your price range for an AT&T tablet, perhaps the Acer Iconia Tab is a bit more your speed. The model number is actually the A501, differentiated it from the A500 WiFi-only version. The difference being that it will connect to AT&T HSPA+ network offering data anywhere you can pull a couple bars of signal. Specs are pretty much the same as the Tab A500, with a 10.1 inch 1280×768 touchscreen display, 1Ghz Tegra 2 dual-core processor, 5MP rear and 2MP front cameras, Android 3.0 Honeycomb with 3.1 said to be coming soon. It will be available from AT&T on September 18th for $479 without signing a contract, and $329 when you sign a two year contract with a $35/month 3GB data plan.

Press Release:

Maximize Entertainment on the Go With the New Acer Iconia Tab A501
Acer’s Popular 10.1-inch 4G Tablet with Android 3.0 OS Coming Soon to AT&T Retail Stores Nationwide at www.att.com

Dallas, Texas, September 12, 2011

AT&T* today announced it will begin selling the Acer Iconia Tab A501, a 10.1 inch, AT&T 4G** mobile broadband capable tablet featuring Android™ Honeycomb, online at www.att.com and in AT&T company-owned retail stores nationwide beginning Sunday, Sept. 18.

Designed for both consumers and small businesses, the newest wirelessly enabled member of the Acer Iconia family of tablets gives customers the freedom to enjoy technology around the clock on the AT&T mobile broadband network. AT&T’s HSPA+ technology with enhanced backhaul provides up to 4 times faster data transmission than AT&T’s already fast mobile broadband network.

The tablet’s 10.1-inch multi-touch screen provides precise finger-tip control for leveraging social media, email, productivity applications as well as games and entertainment. Powered by a NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 mobile 1GHz dual-core processor and integrated GeForce™ GPU, customers can enjoy high-definition video, speedy browsing, multi-tasking, digital media playback and flash-based sites, games and applications.

“For tablet users it needs to be always on, connected, and readily available to access the content they want, including entertainment, social networking, email and Internet browsing,” said Glenn Lurie, president, emerging devices, AT&T. “We’re connecting the Acer Iconia to the AT&T 4G network and we’re offering several data options, both prepaid and postpaid plans, to ensure the best experience, the best value and the greatest flexibility for our consumer and small business customers. We also plan to prominently feature the Acer Iconia in our AT&T stores across the country.”

“Fast and fluid, the Acer Iconia Tab A501 is one of simplest ways to stay informed and entertained whether it’s playing games or viewing a video on its high resolution capacitive touchscreen,” said Sumit Agnihotry, vice president of product marketing, Acer America. “This tablet is not only intuitive, but it’s svelte, stylish and comfortable to hold and carry, which appeals to consumers on the go.”

The Acer Iconia Tab A501 will be available at AT&T company-owned retail stores nationwide and online beginning September 18 for $479.99. AT&T customers may also choose to purchase the Acer Iconia at a discounted price of $329.99 after committing to a two-year agreement for a new $35, 3GB monthly data plan.

Customers who do not choose a long-term commitment may still select one of two existing monthly billing options:

Postpaid: $14.99 for 250 MB or $25 for 2 GB. Customers on the 2 GB plan who exceed their monthly data allotment will be charged $10 per 1 GB of overage. Customers on the 250 MB plan who exceed their monthly data allotment will be charged $14.99 per 250 MB of overage. Charges will appear on customers’ monthly wireless statements.
Prepaid: $14.99 for 250 MB or $25 for 2 GB. Customers on the 2 GB plan who exceed their monthly data allotment may choose to purchase an additional 2 GB for $25. Charges will appear on customers’ credit card statements.
Offering the simplicity of a single bill, the postpaid option will show up on customers’ monthly wireless bill after the data is used. The new postpaid billing option will be available online at www.att.com and across AT&T retail locations.

For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit www.att.com.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

**4G speeds delivered by HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. Not available everywhere. Deployment ongoing. Compatible device and data plan required. Learn more at att.com/network.

Full Press Release:

Acer America expands its Acer Iconia™ Tab line of tablets with its first 7-inch tablet – and the industry’s first 7-inch tablet running Android™ 3.2 (Honeycomb) – in the United States and Canada. The new Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 features an incredibly portable sub-one pound design, a vibrant 7-inch multi-touch display, and a sleek, thin design that is comfortable to use and take virtually anywhere.

With the Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 tablet, customers can have a single portable device for enjoying entertainment such as games and websites as well as productivity applications such as a calendar and email. The tablet comes pre-installed with Adobe Flash Player 10.3, so Adobe Flash games and websites can be enjoyed right out of the box. In addition, the WiFi device is the ideal size for moms, families and individuals who want to stay entertained and productive, since the screen is large enough to enjoy video and other multimedia, yet the device is portable enough for comfortable single-handed use.

Weighing in at a mere 0.92 pounds and measuring only a half-inch thick, the Acer Iconia™ Tab A100’s super-portable size makes it easy to take anywhere. The vibrant 7-inch TFT WSVGA screen displays social networking sites, photos and more in 1024×600 resolution and high-color contrast, so customers can enjoy crisp, vibrant content enhanced by a 16:10 aspect ratio and 75-degree wide viewing angle. Plus, the 7-inch capacitive touch-screen is incredibly responsive and accurate for convenient finger-tip control.

“The Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 tablet delivers the ultimate combination of portability and performance for fun and gaming as well as staying in touch,” said Sumit Agnihotry, vice president of product marketing, Acer America. “Families are spending more time social networking and enjoying web-based digital media, so a highly portable tablet like the Acer A100 will let them get more done and stay connected on-the-go to enjoy their lives more fully.”

Ultimate Companion for Mobile Moms and Families
The Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 is the ultimate companion for mobile consumers such as moms and families who want a single device for gaming, fun, entertainment and staying in touch on the go. Customers can enjoy movies right out of the box with the Google® Movies app that allows users to rent and play movies on the Acer A100. Also, Google® Music gives customers instant access to their personal music collection on the web without the hassle of wires or syncing. Customers can also use NemoPlayer® for video, photos and music and Aupeo! for enjoying online radio. Dolby® Mobile Technology on the tablet delivers dynamic sound to enhance the enjoyment of music and movies. In addition, the Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 can be connected to a TV via its HDMI port, so customers can share full HD videos in 1080p resolution. Game play can also be extended to a big screen TV or display with the Acer A100’s HDMI port and dual-display support. As a result, more people can watch and enjoy the game as it is mirrored to the larger screen. Plus, the Acer A100 can be used as a controller for the game as the player watches the image on the larger display.

In addition, games are crisp, fast and realistic thanks to the performance technology and six-axis motion sensing gyro meter. Customers can enjoy rich and exciting Adobe-flash based Web pages, games, videos and animations with Adobe Flash Player 10.3. Thousands of additional apps can be easily downloaded from the Android Marketplace.

Save Memories, Shop Better, Stay Connected with Cameras
The Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 allows customers to always be ready to take photos and video on-the-go and quickly share them by email and on social media sites. Lighter than most SLR cameras, the Acer A100 has a 5MP rear-facing camera with flash, so families will know they have a great camera with them to capture all of life’s fun and unexpected moments. It also records clear and detailed HD Video at 720p at 30 frames per second. Plus, the rear-facing camera can be used with many available apps to read bar-codes and QR codes for shopping and other promotions. The tablet also has a 2MP fixed-focused front-facing camera and webcam for video chats.

Reading and Productivity Apps Let Moms and Families Get More Done
The Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 e-reading functionality will be appreciated by a range of family members. Moms and dads can download e-books to enjoy during quiet moments in comfortable single-handed usage. The tablet comes pre-installed with Google® Books eReading app for enjoying e-books. Plus, the color screen vibrantly displays children’s e-books, so they’ll always have something to enjoy during long or unexpected waits. Extra features like the realistic page turn effect make reading even more fun. The auto-rotation allows customers to enjoy e-books, games, movies and more in either landscape or portrait mode.

In addition, everyone can stay up-to-date with extended family and friends via Acer’s Social Jogger, which puts Facebook® and Twitter® in one place for quick and easy reading and updates. Moms can keep their family schedule organized with the easy-to-use Acer “Day Planner” application that gives an easy-to-view list of upcoming activities. Working moms and those with busy schedules will appreciate that the Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 helps them stay productive. Customers can set up multiple email addresses and view Microsoft® Office documents using the trial version of the “Docs to Go” app for getting things done quickly.

Android 3.2 Brings Additional Benefits for Browsing and Entertainment
The Acer A100 comes installed with Android 3.2, the latest version of Honeycomb to give customers the latest in advanced mobile browsing. Customers can browse the Internet with speed and ease, even web pages built with Flash, thanks to Adobe Flash 10.3 that comes pre-loaded on the Acer A100 tablet. In addition, Android 3.2 lets customers have more control over their entire browsing experience, such as managing web pages by tabs, more advanced privacy settings, and proper sizing of apps and web pages for the 7-inch display.

Connectivity to WiFi and Other Devices
The Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 can quickly and easily connect to Wi-Fi networks via the integrated Acer InviLink Nplify 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED wireless technology to access the Internet, the Android marketplace for apps and more.

Customers can enjoy their own digital content on the Acer A100 tablet by transferring files such as videos, movies and eBooks to it through the tablet’s micro-USB port or by using the Micro-SD card reader that can read Micro-SD cards with a capacity up to 32GB.Plus, the integrated Bluetooth allows consumers to connect the tablet to a variety of other devices, such as headsets and keyboards.

High-Performance for Maximum Enjoyment
The Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 packs maximum performance into its incredibly portable size. It uses a high-performance NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM to give customers blazing fast access to multiple programs and apps at once. The Ultra Low Power GeForce® GPU enhances gaming, web, and multimedia for a more realistic, responsive experience.

The Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 provides solid uptime with a 1530 mAh Li-polymer battery for up to five hours during Internet browsing with WiFi, up to four hours during web-streamed video and up to 4.5 hours during 720p video playback.(1)

Sharing Digital Media is Easy with clear.fi
Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 comes with Acer clear.fi, which connects with any other DLNA-compliant device to quickly and easily share and enjoy digital media. It automatically detects clear-fi-enabled devices on the wireless home network (smartphones, notebooks, HD media players, etc.) and gathers and organizes media files by type (video, music, photo, pre-recorded TV).

Priced Starting at only $329.99
The Acer Iconia™ Tab A100 is available in the U.S. now at national retail stores and will be available in Canada next month. The Acer Iconia™ Tab A100-07u16u with 16GB of memory(2) has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $349.99 U.S and $399.99 CAD, while the Acer Iconia™ Tab A100-07u08u with 8GB of memory(2) has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $329.99 U.S. and $349.99 CAD.

About Acer
Since its founding in 1976, Acer has achieved the goal of breaking the barriers between people and technology. Globally, Acer ranks No. 2 for total PCs and notebooks.(3) A profitable and sustainable Channel Business Model is instrumental to the company’s continuing growth, while its multi-brand approach effectively integrates Acer, Gateway, Packard Bell, and eMachines brands in worldwide markets. Acer strives to design environmentally friendly products and establish a green supply chain through collaboration with suppliers. Acer is proud to be a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Movement, including the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and London 2012 Olympic Games. The Acer Group employs 8,000 people worldwide. Revenues for 2010 reached US$19.9 billion. See www.acer-group.com for more information.

Only on sale for a few days, yet the Honeycomb powered Acer Iconia Tab A500 has already been rooted. The 10.1 inch tablet features Nvidia’s dual-core 1Ghz Tegra 2 processor, 5MP rear and 2MP front cameras, 1GB RAM and 16GB storage.

Superuser access is now available courtesy of the GingerBreak exploit tool by ChainFire. Instructions from XDA Developers, original thread here:

1. make sure usb debugging is turned on and unknown sources is selected
2. have a micro sd card inserted and turn the tablet on portrait and lock it with the switch to fix it in portrait
3. download and execute the attached apk. (i had to download from my comp and transfer to the tablet for it to work)
4. once the apk is installed run the root procedure within the app which was installed
5. wait and you will receive full root access

[GingerBreak .APK download mirror]

Today Acer America announced the availability of the Iconia Tab A500. Acer’s first Honeycomb tablet in the US will be available in Best Buy stores and online starting April 24th. The press release says it’s available for pre-order at online now at BestBuy.com but we couldn’t find seem to find where. In store pre-orders start on April 14th. The WiFi only tablet has a MSRP of $449.99, with no contracts or rebates.

Specs:

• nVidia Tegra 250 dual-core 1Ghz processor
• 10.1 inch 1280×800 TFT WXGA display
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB of storage (32GB model is planned) with support for 32GB microSD card
• 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi
• 5MP camera and 3MP front camera
• Two 3260 mAh Li-polymer batteries
• GPS, Bluetooth and HDMI port
• 10.24(w) x 6.97(d) x 0.52(h)-inches (1.69 pounds)

Full Press Release:

Acer Iconia Tab A500 Tablet Super-Charges Mobile HD Entertainment,
Connectivity

First Acer Tablet with Android 3.0 for US Market Now Available for Pre-Order at Best Buy; Provides Superior Mobile Entertainment, Connection to Internet, Games, Movies, Social Networks

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 8, 2011 – Acer America today debuts the Acer Iconia Tab A500 in the United States and announced that it is available for pre-order online exclusively from Best Buy. The Acer Iconia Tab A500 is the company’s first 10.1-inch tablet running Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) in the new Acer Iconia family of tablets for North America.

The new Acer Iconia Tab A500 tablet enables customers to interact with and enjoy technology in ways that are both truly natural and exciting. The 10.1-inch multi-touch screen provides accurate finger-tip control for personal access to applications, games and entertainment. The tablet provides an enhanced level of performance with its NVIDIA Tegra 250 1GHz dual-core processor and integrated GeForce™ GPU that lets customers enjoy HD gaming, 1080p video and faster browsing, as well as running multiple applications and digital media playback at the same time.

Customers can take advantage of these capabilities with the new Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) operating system, which gives them the flexibility to customize their experience to suit their interests.

The Acer Iconia Tab A500 was built for usability on-the go. Its slim and modern aluminum design weighs only 1.69 pounds and measures only 0.52-inches thin. It also includes forward and rear-facing cameras for capturing videos and photos as well as video conferencing.

A Best Buy exclusive, the Acer Iconia Tab A500 with WiFi is now available for pre-order online at bestbuy.com and may be pre-ordered in stores beginning April 14. The Acer Iconia Tab A500 with WiFi will be available in stores and online beginning April 24. The Acer Iconia Tab A500 has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $449.99.

“Staying connected and entertained are firmly embedded as a part of our everyday lives – and the Acer Iconia Tab A500 does this and so much more in a performance-minded, sleek and stylish design,” said Sumit Agnihotry, vice president of product marketing, Acer America. “This tablet absolutely delivers on the expectation that customers can be entertained, stay in touch with family, friends, colleagues and social networks, as well as keep up on the world around them in a way that is intuitive and fluid, and also incredibly enjoyable.”

Best Buy’s vice president of computing, Jason Bonfig, stated, “Tablets are paving the way for people to enjoy a whole new form factor in entertainment and connection. We’re pleased to have Acer join our tablet selection and to offer our customers an opportunity to try this tablet out for themselves at any Best Buy store.”

Extraordinary Mobile Entertainment and Fun; Two Great Games Included
Navigating through the interactive environment with the touch of a finger-tip is incredibly natural. The 10.1-inch capacitive touch-screen tablet delivers a remarkable degree of accuracy and responsiveness. The high-resolution 1280×800 TFT WXGA display is crisp and clear, and provides an 80-degree wide viewing angle to ensure an optimal viewing experience. The large 10.1-inch size is ideal for comfortably accessing and enjoying a number of applications – from movies and games to social networks and scrolling through photos in the photo book application.
Designed for HD entertainment, the high-color contrast 10.1-inch widescreen display allows customers to enjoy exhilarating HD 720p video in a 16:10 aspect ratio. Customers can also use the Acer Iconia Tab A500 as their media hub and share full 1080p Blu-ray-quality video via the built-in HDMI port with other devices, such as a high-definition big screen TV or monitor. Dolby Mobile technology completes the entertainment experience with heightened audio.

One of the tablet’s most impressive features is its ability to run and play premium HD arcade games and complex online games. The 10-point touch display and six-axis motion sensing gyro meter control guarantees an entertainment experience on par with the best game consoles. Plus, the Acer Iconia Tab A500 comes with two full versions of leading games already on it. “Need for Speed: Shift” gives customers a sense of exhilarating speed and power as they “steer” the ultra-responsive tablet to maneuver through courses with dynamic HD graphics. In “Let’s Golf,” customers choose their character and swing for a hole in one on a variety of courses from around the word in vibrant color.

Taking along hundreds of books and magazines is easy with the Acer Iconia Tab A500. The tablet supports eReading and comes pre-installed with Acer LumiRead and Google Books eReading apps for enjoying eBooks, while Zinio is pre-installed for reading full-color digital magazines.

The technology in the Acer Iconia Tab A500 delivers a thrilling level of performance. It features a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 250 Cortex A9 1GHz processor, supported by the ultra-low power GeForce graphics and 1GB of RAM for blazing mobile performance. It also supports flash.

The new tablet comes with an integrated 16GB of flash storage for programs and apps to give customers incredibly fast access while limiting weight and noise. The platform can support a larger storage capacity of 32GB, which is planned for future models. The Micro-SD card reader supports up to 32GB Micro-SD cards, so customers can access and download their own digital content, including videos, movies and eBooks.

The Acer Iconia Tab A500 can be used in a range of environments thanks to its ambient light sensor. The integrated accelerometer provides auto-rotation between portrait and landscape modes for viewing movies, websites, games and more.

Staying Connected and On-the-Go
Today’s customers are connecting with their social networks in a real-time way that brings more meaning and convenience to their lives. The Acer Iconia Tab A500 connects to Wi-Fi networks with reliable Acer InviLink Nplify 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED wireless technology at home and on the go for updating social network apps, Twitter feeds and accessing the Internet. Customers can also set up multiple email addresses in the tablet and even open and view Microsoft Office documents using the trial version of the “Docs to Go” app to boost their productivity.

The two webcams boost customers’ ability to stay in touch. The 5MP rear-facing camera has a flash and is auto-focusing, so it captures excellent video and images. The 2MP fixed-focused front-facing webcam is ideal for video conferencing and recording HD video and comments for YouTube and Facebook. Customers can utilize the built-in GPS with various apps to enjoy navigation and location-searches while traveling and driving. Plus, the integrated Bluetooth allows consumers to connect the tablet to a variety of other devices, such as headsets and printers.

Customers will enjoy extra-long uptime with their Acer Iconia Tab A500. The system’s two 3260 mAh Li-polymer batteries provide up to eight hours of playback for casual games, eight hours of HD video playback and 10 hours of WiFi Internet browsing.

Superior Mobile Browsing Experience with Android 3.0
The advances in Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) build on the leading-edge performance in the Acer Iconia Tab A500 to deliver a mobile experience unlike anything customers have experienced to date. Specifically optimized for a tablet environment, Android 3.0 runs on the Acer Iconia Tab A500 to deliver superb browsing with an array of features that make online time rewarding and productive.
Plus, customers can get even more out of their Acer Iconia Tab A500 by customizing it with Android apps of their choice from the Android Market and other Android-based app sites.

Innovative Design Boosts Usability
The Acer Iconia Tab A500 will be used in a very personal way, so it was designed with great attention to detail. Customers will enjoy using it as a primary connection to their world from wherever they take it. The design boasts an Alpine Silver brushed metal aluminum chassis that is cool to the touch and comfortable to hold. The design’s upscale look and feel features a high-gloss finish decorated with engraved patterns that create a subtle sophistication.

The Acer Iconia Tab A500 is incredibly easy to use and enjoy. It easily fits in a purse, briefcase or book bag. It measures 10.24(w) x 6.97(d) x 0.52(h)-inches and weighs only 1.69 pounds.

Acer offers several options for customers to further personalize their Acer Iconia Tab A500. They are:
· The full-sized dedicated keyboard connects to the tablet via Bluetooth to boost productivity. MSRP is $69.99.

· The dock with IR remote securely holds the Acer Iconia Tab A500 into a secure position with two tilt angles. The dock charges the unit and includes a connection for an external speaker or headphone. MSRP is $79.99.

· The sleek protective case guards the tablet without adding weight or bulk. It allows access to the connectors and ports, while also propping it up in two positions while on a desk or nightstand. MSRP is $39.99.

· The Americas power adapter set comes with the four connectors used in North, Central and South America as well as the UK and Europe. MSRP is $29.99.

clear.fi for Digital Media Sharing
Acer clear.fi is installed on the Acer Iconia Tab A500 to connect it with any other DLNA-compliant device to quickly and easily share digital media. Clear.fi automatically connects all Acer devices on a network (smartphones, notebooks, desktops, HD media players and storage devices) and then gathers and organizes media files by type (video, music, photo, pre-recorded TV).

We already saw that Staples is planning on carrying the WiFi version of the Motorola XOOM, which should be launching next month March 27th for $599. And now, thanks to this screenshot obtained by Droid Life, we see their whole tablet lineup revealed. The Dell Streak 7 is already available from T-Mobile, but it will also be coming next month to Staples, perhaps at a lower price.

Samsung’s 8.9 inch Galaxy Tab and the 10-inch Honeycomb tablets from Dell, which should be the Dell Gallo we saw from the leaked Dell tablet roadmap last month. We also expect to see the 10 inch tablets from Toshiba and Acer at CTIA towards the end of this month are shown as “Coming Soon”. And we also see the rumored 10-inch tablet from HTC, said to be coming to Sprint and called the EVO View, a larger version of the HTC Flyer. Sprint is expected to announce the EVO View along with new Android phones at CTIA.

The Motorola XOOM was only the beginning for Android tablets, and 2011 is shaping up to be a great year if you’re looking to get a Honeycomb tablet.

UPDATE: The Staple flyer below shows the WiFi XOOM launching on March 27th, not April as shown in the image above.

The Blackberry style QWERTY packing Acer beTouch E210 has sailed through the FCC according to recent filings. The FCC documents show support for AT&T’s 850 and 1900MHz bands. The modest device is set to launch in the UK next month, but there’s no official word on when it might come stateside. Packing a modest 600MHz processor and a mere 256MB RAM, 512MB ROM, and 3-megapixel camera, it seems to be aimed more toward the business sector to replace Blackberrys than to be a multimedia or gaming power house. A 2.6” QVGA resistive touchscreen won’t have anyone dumping their Droid Pro for this. Or maybe it will just end up being marketed to kids, like the Motorola Charm.

Still no word on pricing.

[via WirelessGoodness]

One of the latest phones to join the ranks of the Gingerbread crowd is the Acer Liquid. MoDaCo forums member roggin has put out a port of the latest Android version for the Liquid. Being a work-in-progress, some things such as the WiFi and camera do not work yet, but other than that, it appears to be a mostly functional ROM. For the brave few that want to try it out, head over to the MoDaCo forums for downloads and feedback, but don’t expect this to be a daily driver yet.

[via AndroidOS.in]

Featuring a 2.6-inch QVGA touch screen, 256MB of RAM, 512MB of ROM, and a 416 MHz processor and runs Android 1.6 as well as an optical trackpad. Now just looking at those specs you would think it’s the worst Android phone ever. But without a huge screen you probably won’t be running many medi-acentric applications. And the form factor will probably appeal most to texters and emailers.

[via Android Community]

In a press release today, Acer announced that it is joining the Open Handset Alliance and is promising an Android smartphone by the end of the year. We already knew from rumors at World Mobile Congress earlier this year that Acer was getting in the Android game, but it’s nice to have more solid news on the matter.

London, 1st June 2009-Acer announces its joining of the Open Handset Alliance and expects to launch smartphones based on the Android platform in the fourth quarter of this year.

As a member of the Open Handset Alliance, Acer will work with its members to contribute to the development of the Android platform and bring consumers a far better user experience than much of what is available on today’s mobile platforms. By joining the Open Handset Alliance, Acer demonstrates its support for Android as an open mobile platform and its commitment to Android’s commercial success.

Android is a complete and open mobile phone software stack, featuring an operating system, middleware and key mobile applications. It includes everything a manufacturer or operator needs to build a mobile phone. Android was built from the ground-up to enable developers to create compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of all a handset has to offer.

There are over 40 members in the Open Handset Alliance, including mobile operators, handset manufacturers, software companies, and semi-conductor companies.

[via press release]