14 DAY TRIAL // According to the latest news on the Internet, computer maker Acer plans to release into the wild its latest three mobile phones running under the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system, out of a total of eight that the company announced for this year. It seems that the three handsets, F1, C1 and L1, should come to the market as soon as September 2009 (the first Acer phones, DX650, X960, M900 and F900, already went on sale globally).
The first of the Windows Mobile-powered smartphones, F1, comes to the market with a 3.8-inch touchscreen display, and has been designed to offer an enhanced experience when it comes to Internet browsing. At the same time, the device also sports the company's own user interface, a Qualcomm chipset, HSPA connectivity, as well as a 5-megapixel photo snapper.
The other two mobile phones, C1 and L1, although smartphones, are expected to hit the shelves at rather affordable prices. According to the news, the former should come to the market for around US$40-$50 on a contract, while the latter, which features a slide-out numeric keypad, should be a little more expensive. Even so, the two devices seem to be great options when compared to other smartphones or with some feature phones already available.
The Acer C1 includes a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, and is expected to come to the shelves in two versions, one packed for 3G and the other aimed at EDGE. The L1 features a 3.0-inch touchscreen and a sliding form factor. According to Aymar de Lencquesaing, president of Acer's Smart Handheld Business Group, both handsets are aimed at attracting feature-phone users into the smartphone area.
“In this economic crisis, the replacement rate of feature phones has slowed down,” de Lencquesaing said during a press conference in Taipei on Tuesday. He added that both C1 and L1 would come as inexpensive smartphones that include similar features as conventional handsets, while also sporting touchscreen displays. Unfortunately, Acer hasn't unveiled any details on the pricing of F1, which should include more functionality than the other two.
