In addition to the funky dual-screen Iconia notebook Acer introduced yesterday, the company also revealed its plans for a number of more traditional tablets. The fact that Acer is developing slates is nothing new, but we now have official details on what to expect and when. As one might guess, Android features heavily in the company’s plans. The OS will anchor two devices, one with a 7″ screen and another with a 10.1″ panel. Interestingly, both will offer a display resolution of 1280×800, which is considerably more pixels than you get on an iPad.
For those would would rather enjoy content on even larger screens, both slates come equipped with HDMI outputs. According to the official press release, the 10″ model will be capable of playing 1080p video and “complex online 3D games.” Engadget says there’s a Tegra 2 system-on-chip under the hood of that particular unit, and that a dual-core Qualcomm chip running at 1.2GHz underpins the 7-incher. Both systems support Flash 10.1 acceleration, and I suspect HD video playback extends to the 7″ model, at least up to 720p.
Predictably, cameras, Wi-Fi, and 3G have all been integrated into the Android slates. There’s word of a gyroscope for the 10-incher, as well. Acer is mum on pricing at the moment, but it has revealed that these models will be available in April of next year—a whole four months from now. Because, you know, we haven’t had to wait long enough for Tegra-based Android slates.
For folks eager to get their hands on something a little earlier, Acer will be rolling out another 10.1″ tablet, this one running Windows 7. Before you roll your eyes, note that this model will be based on AMD silicon. Acer isn’t more specific, but I suspect the device will use the Ontario APU that’s a part of AMD’s new Brazos platform. Impressively, the Win7 slate will weigh less than 2.2 lbs and measure just 0.6″ thick. It’s scheduled to arrive in February, although there’s no word on how much it will cost, either.