Acer unveils five new tablet computers as well as its own app store

COMPUTER giant unveils range of tablet computers as well as a new cloud service and app store.

Promotional image of the Acer Iconia. Picture: Supplied

THE world's second largest computer maker has thrown its weight behind tablet computers, unveiling five new tablets due to launch in the coming months.

Acer showed off its new tablet range in New York this morning, revealing tablet computers from 5 to 14 inches in size.

The biggest is a double-screened tablet computer on which one screen can be used as a virtual keyboard or can show off a video or photo library while the other screen plays them at full size.

The Taiwan-based company also appeared to directly challenge the world's biggest tablet seller Apple by revealing its own app store and a cloud computing service for consumers.

Acer chief executive Gianfranco Lanci said the company planned to launch different types of tablet to appeal to keen internet consumers, many of whom do not appreciate the current one-tablet-fits-all approach.

"Today we are launching an entire family of tablets from 5 to 7 to 10 inches in size and with different operating systems," he said.

"Customers require different solutions and different form factors."

Acer's double-screen tablet, dubbed Iconia, will feature Microsoft's Windows 7 software, as will another 10-inch tablet in the range.

A five-inch "superphone" tablet as well as a 7-inch and 10-inch tablet will feature Google Android software. All three feature cameras and added connections, though a mobile internet connection does not come as standard.

The Iconia is due to launch in parts of western Europe early next year for a price of $US1499 ($1540), before reaching other countries, while the other tablets are due to be released later next year.

Acer will wait for Google to release a tablet-friendly version of its Android software called Honeycomb before releasing the tablets.

The company also announced plans to launch Alive, an app store to deliver content including games, magazines and newspapers to the new tablets in future, plus Clear.fi, a cloud computing service that lets users share their media.

It could be some time before the Alive app store reaches Australia, however, with Acer planning to concentrate on emerging markets including Russia and China first.

Acer corporate vice-president Jim Wong said the launches were not a direct threat to Apple, but rather a play to deliver similar services to PC users.

"We're trying to appeal to other users who don't use Apple's services and products and trying to instil loyalty to Acer in the same way that they do with their customers."