Acer today introduces its newest premium Windows 8 Ultrabook devices - the Aspire S7 Series - at Computex Taipei. Available in two sizes, 13.3-inch and 11.6-inch, these are the thinnest and smallest, respectively, Full HD touch Ultrabooks. Both feature a sleek aluminum metallic unibody design and provide a more engrossing computing experience. The larger model additionally sports a glossy, sculpted glass cover, delivering a trendy and elegant appearance.

With the aluminum unibody design, the S7 Ultrabooks are exceptionally slim and light, yet durable enough to handle the rigors of everyday use. The 13.3-inch model offers up to 12 hours of battery life, while the 11.6-inch model can run for up to 9 hours, to ensure a full day of on-demand productivity and media consumption from a single charge. To make the best of the powerful performance components, Acer designed its innovative Acer Twin Air cooling system to produce efficient cooling and deliver the best thermal comfort.

AMD will welcome attendees, customers and partners to COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2012 with system demonstrations of the second generation AMD A-Series Accelerated Processor Unit (APU) and the newest AMD E-Series APUs, both designed for best-in-class PC entertainment, gaming, and battery life. A debut event the morning of June 6 in Taipei will underscore the diverse range of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and independent software vendors (ISVs) supporting AMD's 2012 product offerings, provide updates on new products, and demonstrate the powerful applications leveraging the unique processing power of the APU. A live webcast of the "Life More Brilliant" event will be available.

"There could not be a better location than COMPUTEX in Taiwan to recognize our customers and technology partners, and celebrate their contributions to the rapidly growing APU ecosystem," said Lisa Su, senior vice president and general manager, AMD Global Business Units and host of the upcoming event. "AMD saw consumers wanting a more visually-demanding, entertainment-focused PC experience long ago and created a product strategy to enhance those experiences. This week we will proudly share with the rest of the world the latest advances and accomplishments we have made with our customers."

Acer today announces two new Windows 8 all-in-one (AIO) PCs at Computex Taipei: the Aspire 7600U (27-inch) and the Aspire 5600U (23-inch).

The striking Aspire 7600U supports up to 64-point simultaneous touch from all angles, enabling use by multiple users at once. It features 0 to 90 degree viewing and swivels at four sides when laid flat for enjoyment by more than one user. At just 35 mm thin, the 7600U is ultra-slim. It delivers Full HD visuals and Dolby Home Theater surround sound. This AIO is made for modern day explorers who want a cutting-edge multimedia experience.

Designed to meet the needs of SMB and SOHO for multi-task processing performance, efficiency and reliability, the new Acer TravelMate P243 add to the mix a pleasant yet practical design. All details have been fine-tuned by Acer to offer the optimal user experience whether at home or on the go.

The new TravelMate P243 series takes advantage of the third generation Intel Core processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology ensuring smart performance that adapts to users' needs, giving a significantly faster performance to speed through demanding tasks and boost productivity, while saving energy. In addition, these processors provide built-in capabilities for enhanced multimedia creation and enjoyment.

Once again Acer pushes the boundaries of mobile computing to the extreme and created a family of Ultrabooks that are destined to impress and leave a mark. The all new Aspire M5 series reaches unprecedented levels of performance, convenience, connectivity and battery life.

Simply thin and light and not compromising with 14" and 15" form factors, the Aspire M5 represents the new experience of instant use and anywhere mobility. The Aspire M5 series are stunning laptops from any point of view, starting from the ultra-thin and smart design all the way through the powerful processors and graphics, the advanced audio technology and the seamless connectivity.

The recent explosion of video content requires display technologies to be as cutting-edge as computers to showcase amazing visuals and to deliver exceptional graphics for action packed gaming. This is what the new Acer G6 display series does best: it offers the perfect blend of style and technology to fully enjoy terrific cinematic views of the latest high-definition content.

Along with technologies designed to deliver clearer and sharper images, the G6 series flaunts a unique design with smooth and rounded surfaces creating a strong visual impression and giving a highly distinctive look. The glossy X-shaped base offers sturdy support and highlights the sleek, modern appearance, while evoking speed and performance. The result is an eye-catching design that will make a stunning addition to any room.

Alliacense today announced that Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has purchased a license for its CORE Flash Portfolio Licensing Program. The agreement resolves the ITC Investigation and District Court lawsuit recently filed against the Korean electronics giant. Samsung joins a rapidly growing list of CORE Flash Portfolio licensees, including Lexmark, ASUStek, Philips and Lenovo.

In order to protect the investments of the CORE Flash licensee community, the successful CORE Flash Licensing Program has been dramatically enhanced with aggressive enforcement activities -- including the filing of two separate waves of patent infringement complaints with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) and US District Court against nearly 40 companies in the past 9 months.

The Aspire One 725 was designed to skillfully combine a tasteful and stylish look with terrific performance enabling users enjoy a sensational visual experience for superb multimedia - movies, games, photos, videos - wherever they go. This netbook delivers a state-of-the-art user experience and amazing HD visuals anytime, anywhere.

The Aspire One 725 definitely stands out and not only for performance. Available in two color options, Caribbean blue and Volcanic black, it flaunts a gorgeous glossy, glittery cover. The soft matte finish of the palm-rest matches the color of the cover, for a more pleasant look, and prevents fingerprints and palm smudges. Thinner than 1-inch and around only 1.2 kg, it easily fits into any handbag or backpack while providing a comfortable viewing thanks to the 11.6" screen.

Here are some of the first pictures of Acer Aspire E1-421, which caught the eye of a shopper in Asia. Its most distinctive feature is AMD E1-1200APU "Brazos 2.0", driving the machine. The dual-core APU is clocked at 1.40 GHz, and packs Radeon HD 7310 graphics. Other vital components include 2 GB of DDR3 memory, and 320 GB HDD storage. A DVD SuperMulti drive handles removable storage. The notebook's 14-inch screen packs 1366x768 pixels resolution, the GPU utilizes 256 MB from the system memory. 802.11 b/g/n WLAN, and a 6-cell battery make for the rest of it.

Acer America today has unveiled the Acer B243PWL, a new 24-inch ergonomic display with premium IPS technology, which provides excellent wide angle viewing and color saturation. It's designed to meet the needs of business, education and government customers who require first-rate color reproduction.

Leveraging an IPS panel, the Acer B243PWL delivers uniform color temperature at nearly every point for consistent images even when the screen is viewed 60 degrees from the center - up to 178 degrees horizontally and vertically - making it ideal for swiveling and pivoting and multi-monitor set-ups.

Acer revealed that a few Intel Ivy Bridge Core-powered models among its V3 series notebooks will start shipping first in Japan, starting this weekend (ahead of other markets). The Aspire V3-571-H78F is part of the launch. This 15.6-incher will be driven by Intel Core i7-3612QM quad-core processor clocked at 2.10 GHz (3.10 GHz Turbo Boost), 8 GB of DDR3 memory, and a sad resolution of 1366x768 pixels. This model will be priced a little over the equivalent of US $1100. The V3-571-H78F, and other Aspire V3 series notebooks will start shipping this Sunday onward.

Acer Inc. Board of Directors today announces the Q1 2012 financial results: consolidated revenues reached NT$113B (US$3.8B), operating income reached NT$138M (US$4.7M), profits-after-tax (PAT) reached NT$331M (US$11.2M), and earnings-per-share (EPS) was NT$0.12.

The financial figures for consolidated revenue of Q1 2012 represented 11.4% decline quarter-on-quarter (QOQ), in line with expectations; while operating income was slightly better than Q4 of last year. In addition, PAT included non-operating income.

Acer announced a pair of G Series 21.5-inch LED-backlit LCD monitors, the G225HQLAbmid and G225HQLAbd. Both monitors pack a glossy TN-film panel, with 1920x1080 pixels resolution, 5 ms response time, 250 cd/m² maximum brightness, and 1000:1 static contrast ratio. The monitors feature Acer Crystal Brite technology, and up to 100 million colors reproduction. The Eco Mode feature works to conserve power. Where the two models differ is inputs and speakers. While the G225HQLAbmid features HDMI, DVI-D (HDCP), D-Sub, and built-in 2W stereo speakers; the G225HQLAbd lacks HDMI and built-in speakers. Both will be released to market towards the end of May.

Acer's first desktop PCs with the 3rd Generation Intel Core Processors will be available immediately in several configurations ranging in price from $699.99 to $1,199.99. Both Acer and Gateway-branded desktop PCs will be equipped with the new processors. Below are two examples of systems that will be available from retailers this next week.

Several models of the Acer Predator AG3620 desktop line will be the first with the new processors. The Acer Predator delivers performance and graphics benefits for power-users who want an advanced PC for entertainment, gaming and digital media. The Acer Predator AG3620-UR21P is equipped with a 3rd Generation Intel Core i7 3770 processor running at 3.4GHz as well as NVIDIA GT 630 graphics to deliver blazing fast speed and realistic graphics. The system also has 16GB of memory and 2 TB of storage space. It has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $1,199.99.

Acer America today announced a new commercial offering, the Acer AC100 micro-server. It delivers the latest server-class features and utilities in a compact form factor to suit the needs of small and medium businesses.

Featuring an easy to configure micro-tower enabling quick upgrades, the new Acer AC100 not only reduces the time and costs associated with maintenance, but also provides excellent expandability in its class. In addition to Energy Star certification, it boasts a high-efficiency 200W 80 PLUS power supply, which makes the AC100 more than 80 percent energy efficient at 20, 50 and 100 percent rated loads, reducing electricity use and bills.

Acer has this week announced the European release of its HN274HBbmiiid 3D monitor featuring support for NVIDIA's 3D LightBoost technology. This 27-inch display has a 120 Hz Full HD (1920 x 1080) panel, a built-in IR receiver, an LED backlight, a 2 ms response time, a contrast ratio of 1,000:1 (DCR is 100,000,000:1), 300 cd/m2 maximum brightness, and D-Sub, DVI and triple HDMI connectors.

The HN274HBbmiiid comes bundled with a pair of NVIDIA 3D Vision 2 glasses and can be found selling for € 474.99.

New demand from all-in-one desktop PCs combined with requirements for new processors, lower power consumption and a thinner, smaller storage alternative to existing 3.5-inch hard disc drives (HDD) will help create a viable market for 2.5-inch HDDs beginning next year, according to an IHS iSuppli Storage Space market brief from information and analysis provider IHS.

Shipments of 2.5-inch HDDs to all-in-one PCs are forecast to reach approximately 1 million units in 2013, up from virtually zero this year. Shipments will then increase to 3 million units the following year and move up steadily until they hit some 7 million units in 2016. The HDD market for all-in-one PCs will continue to be dominated by 3.5-inch discs, with shipments by 2016 estimated at 31 million units, but growth will be much slower for the segment during the same period.

Acer's new EMEA head-quarters is now completed and ready to house Acer's main operations in the region. The innovative new building will host all executive functions, marketing, finance and logistics, and lays a solid foundation for the company's future.

Designed and built by the Tarchini Group Studio in conjunction with an international team of architects and consultants, the building is situated in Bioggio in the Canton of Ticino (Switzerland), near the Lugano airport and major highways.

With eager OEMs such as ASUSTek, HP, Acer, and Lenovo breathing down its neck, Intel is reportedly pulling forward the official launch date of its 3rd Generation Core processor family based on 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" silicon, to the 23rd of April, from its older date of 29th April. 23rd April will be the day Intel announces all its processor models originally slated for the 29th.

Notebook OEMs are expected to launch their products based on these chips at the earliest, by May. The date of market-availability of these chips in the retail channel, however, remains unclear. One possibility is that Intel will announce and make these chips available on the same day (23rd), while another possibility is that it announces these chips on the 23rd, allows the media to digest them (by posting reviews), and open them up for sale on the 29th. Two models every PC enthusiast and their cat are looking out for, are the Core i7-3770K and Core i5-3570K.

The worldwide PC market saw a slight increase in volume during the first quarter of 2012 (1Q12) compared to the same quarter in 2011, with shipments rising 2.3%, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker. The results are slightly above IDC's February projections of a 0.9% year-on-year decline due to hard disk drive (HDD) supply constraints in addition to weak economic conditions, competition from other devices, and uncertainty about Windows 8.

HDD supply remained a key constraint through most of the first quarter, although PC makers generally had better access to drives than customers in the retail and distribution channels. As a result, large PC vendors were able to maintain shipments by managing inventory or absorbing price increases, while the impact to shipments from smaller PC makers was in line with expectations.

Acer has this week added a new monitor to its portfolio, the V273HL model featuring a 27-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) TN panel, LED backlighting, and a (dynamic) contrast ratio of 100,000,000:1. Acer's display also has 170/160 degree viewing angles, a 5 ms response time, a maximum brightness of 300 cd/m2, two 1 W built-in speakers, and D-Sub, DVI and HDMI inputs.

The V273HL has a recommended price tag of 299 Euro.

Acer Inc. Board of Directors today approved the financial results for year 2011. Acer's consolidated revenues were NT$475.3B (US$15.7B), declining 24% year-on-year (YOY). The operating loss reached NT$6.4B (US$211M), profits-after-tax (PAT) was NT$-6.6B (US$-218M), and earnings-per-share (EPS) was NT$-2.52.

Acer said the loss was mainly due to the one-time write-off of operations loss in EMEA, as well as the compensation for reorganization. After the operational and strategic adjustments, Acer's current corporate constitution, inventory management, and financial structure are becoming more healthy and stable.

Wintel (slang for Windows+Intel architecture) tablets, which launch along with Microsoft's latest Windows 8 operating system, which grab a greater market-share than WoA (Windows on ARM) tablets by the end of 2012, DigiTimes research predicts. This, despite the fact that the x86 and ARM versions of the operating system will be released simultaneously. PC majors such as HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer, ASUStek and Toshiba, have all pledged 1-3 models of Wintel tablets by the end of 2012. Although still an emerging market-segment, tablets will see a clash between x86 and ARM architectures, as they are wooing for the same exact class of devices for the first time in computing history. Intel has made a lot of progress in miniaturizing the Atom processor, while led by the likes of Qualcomm and NVIDIA, ARM processors are getting stronger.

Acer America today announced five new ultra slim LED-backlight displays. Available in 20-, 23- or 27-inches and with adjustable tilt bases, their slim profile and sleek contemporary designs are also packed with top-of-the line features and technologies. They're ideal for viewing family photos and videos, watching the latest DVDs/movies or for business applications that require excellent resolution, contrast ratios and graphics performance.

With a 100,000,000:1 contrast ratio, Acer's new ultra-slim monitors radiate the brightest whites and deepest blacks. This advanced technology enables a dramatic improvement of gradation and detail, especially in very dim or very bright scenes, for stunning picture quality. Their quick 5 ms response time reduces deviations in transition time, delivering stutter-free moving images.

NVIDIA's Kepler and Intel's Ivy Bridge architectures are a match made in Acer's upcoming VA40 notebook. The notebook combines Intel Core i7-3612QM quad-core processor with NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M discrete graphics, and with NVIDIA Optimus technology, performs dynamic-switching between the GT 640M and Intel HD 4000 graphics embedded into the processor. A Chinese forum user "yknyong1" posted screenshots of the two components using available diagnostic software. We know that CPU-Z 1.6 adds reliable support for Ivy Bridge CPUs, but GPU-Z 0.5.9 has preliminary support for Kepler GPUs, too. At least it knows how to count CUDA cores, ROPs, clock-speeds, and other basic information, even if it gets a few other details inaccurate. Kepler support will be refined and made reliable days ahead of NVIDIA's big launch day, later this month.

The Core i7-3612QM is a quad-core chip clocked at 2.10 GHz, featuring 6 MB L3 cache of the Ivy Bridge silicon, and HyperThreading, which enables 8 logical CPUs. The GeForce GT 640M, on the other hand, is known to be based on NVIDIA's new 28 nm GK107 silicon. It is detected with 384 CUDA cores, 2 GB of DDR3 memory over a 128-bit wide memory interface, 16 ROPs, core clock speed of 405 MHz, and 900 MHz memory. The chip carries a device ID of 10DE-0FD2, and is compliant with PCI-Express 3.0 bus interface. When on light load (desktop), the clock speeds of this GPU were turned down to 135 MHz core with 405 MHz memory. Find more barely-legible screenshots at the source.