Acer to Push on Chromebooks and Android, less Windows PCs

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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May 9, 2000
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Microsoft continues to be the excuse for many of the PC manufacturers for losses in PC sales. Acer is the latest company to back away from what was once the Microsoft gravy train. The 4th largest PC manufacturer has announced the company will pursue more non-Windows business in the near future, namely more Google based devices.

The announcement will come as another blow to Microsoft, which this week slashed the cost of its own Windows 8 Surface Pro tablet in the US and other territories. The firm has already taken a $900m hit to its bottom line over its Surface RT tablet.
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honestly in my opinion, its not really about Microsoft (though they could have helped a bit to balance sales, I doubt by any big margin), with the economy and really tech wise I don't really need the sense to buy a new computer. heck if I wanted Windows 8, I would not buy a new pc, I would only get the OS instead. goodluck with chromebook, and with Android, personally there a heck alot of devices out there, and with the current fragmentation, It really is a mess, Only Android systems I would prefer really are the Nexus lines...
 
I agree with Acer's decision. Like Acer, I also am trying to get as far away from Windows 8 as possible.
 
I guess I gave this answer in the wrong thread, but...

I thought people bought chromebooks to put desktop linux on them? You can have a new netbook for $100 less than the equivalent Win8 machine. Except with today's hardware so its a bit better than during the netbook era.
 
I still want Windows machines but the likes of Acer/Toshiba/HP etc are not bothering to make anything desirable or interesting for us to buy.

Windows is moving on but the manufacturers are largely sitting on their backsides producing lazy, boring and nasty products.
 
Given that Acer makes boring crap devices, this isn't much of a loss.

IMHO, the biggest issue with Microsoft and Windows 8 vs. Windows RT is that they stupidly tried to make them look the same. So consumers assumed they functioned the same (and as such, expected desktop applications to run on the RT tablets). I think that was their biggest blunder. Forcing a touch-oriented interface on a desktop OS was the second biggest blunder, and could have been fixed by (what would appear to me as) relatively simple adjustments.
 
Not surprising given that Acer has been probably the most vocal anti-Windows 8/RT/Surface OEM and has been struggling pretty hard. Unfortunately for Acer's sake they do make a lot of crappy hardware. Like the Iconia W3, being the first small Windows 8 tablet it gained a lot of attention, Microsoft is even promoting it in an ad vs. the iPad Mini: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J09HaPkExA. But the screen is terrible and it's obvious and why Acer launched so a high profile product which such a bad screen is strange. Rumor has it that there is a new version of the W3 with a better screen so I'm not sure why Acer even launched this one.

At any rate Android and Chromebooks aren't going to help Acer if they can't deliver quality hardware.
 
Today's game: who's been burned by Windows RT? :D

Imma going with Acer.
 
ASUS also calls it quits with RT: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7213/...ting-vivotab-rt-sales-stops-making-rt-tablets

This morning, ASUS Chief Executive Jerry Shen stated, “It's not only our opinion, the industry sentiment is also that Windows RT has not been successful.” Citing weak sales and the need to take a write-down on its Windows RT tablets in the second quarter, ASUS will be focusing its energies on more productive devices. Specifically, Shen goes on to state that ASUS will only make Windows 8 devices using with Intel processors, thanks to the backwards compatibility that provides—and something Windows RT lacks.​

Ouch, that's a bit of a hit at AMD too: ASUS just essentially stated it's not making AMD-based tablets and you can probably infer that the lower power AMD chips are not competitive at all in that segment.
 
pxc said:
ASUS also calls it quits with RT: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7213/...ting-vivotab-rt-sales-stops-making-rt-tablets
This morning, ASUS Chief Executive Jerry Shen stated, “It's not only our opinion, the industry sentiment is also that Windows RT has not been successful.” Citing weak sales and the need to take a write-down on its Windows RT tablets in the second quarter, ASUS will be focusing its energies on more productive devices. Specifically, Shen goes on to state that ASUS will only make Windows 8 devices using with Intel processors, thanks to the backwards compatibility that provides—and something Windows RT lacks.
​
Ouch, that's a bit of a hit at AMD too: ASUS just essentially stated it's not making AMD-based tablets and you can probably infer that the lower power AMD chips are not competitive at all in that segment.
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Only you would infer that :rolleyes:
 
I with all the system builders would come together and publicly shame MS into removing Metro so people can start using their computer to get work done again.
 
fdiaz78 said:
I with all the system builders would come together and publicly shame MS into removing Metro so people can start using their computer to get work done again.
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That would be a great idea if any work could be done in the Start Menu.
 
Since when does, "We are going to sell other stuff as well", equate to, "Microsoft is in big trouble"? Although I do not like much or want an Android, Chromebook or iOS device, competition can only be a good thing. :)

Of course, for those who really want Android to take over, where will your data be stored again? *Hint: something called the cloud I believe. :rolleyes:
 
what can you actually do on chromebook and android?
it's just a glorified netbook, yes?

I would not want to spend $200 just to get on the stupid web. I can do that with my current 3 year old laptop.
 
fdiaz78 said:
Yes I "START" there when I want to do some work. Windows 8 will never touch my machine's hard drive until the bring back a start menu.
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And how is that different or more efficient from anyone wanting to do some work by starting from the Start Screen?
 
heatlesssun said:
And how is that different or more efficient from anyone wanting to do some work by starting from the Start Screen?
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I don't have to leave my current application to some intermediate screen and then into my application.

People actually use these machines. They don't just get them running for someone else and occasionally launch one application for themselves and close it. During the highlight of my day, I'll have 3 browser windows open, mail, 3-7 instances of excel, maybe a word doc or two, and some obscure data analysis software. I'm constantly going in and out of 3-6 assorted applications. And yes sometimes they are actual windows so I can use a couple simultaneously.

The most streamlined way is to use the taskbar with both launch icons and tasks right there as well as the start menu for anything obscure.

I can do the first two from the W8 deskstop, but then that kind of makes the whole start screen a pointless waste of a new interface I don't want to pay for. .
 
Acer makes some of the worst shit ever, if they make terrible android stuff guess what will happen?

The only acer product ive ever owned was something ancient and it was a pos then too.
 
Good luck with Chromebooks. Last I checked, Chromebooks COMBINED have sold about 300,000 units over 2 years. Windows RT is considered a "failure" but sold 900,000 in 2 months. I guess you just need to redefine the term "failure"?
 
Gibbage said:
Good luck with Chromebooks. Last I checked, Chromebooks COMBINED have sold about 300,000 units over 2 years. Windows RT is considered a "failure" but sold 900,000 in 2 months. I guess you just need to redefine the term "failure"?
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Its just acer making big claims because they are still butt hurt that microsoft made a better device then they ever could and made it cheaper then they (acer) ever would have.

Their CEO was tweeting his displeasure with the fact that they (ms) were making the Surface Pro for weeks/months.
 
Trimlock said:
Its just acer making big claims because they are still butt hurt that microsoft made a better device then they ever could and made it cheaper then they (acer) ever would have.

Their CEO was tweeting his displeasure with the fact that they (ms) were making the Surface Pro for weeks/months.
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Why should Acer's CEO get upset about that? Hardly anyone even buys Windows 8 laptops or desktops and it's pretty obvious even fewer people spent money on a Surface Pro mostly because they could buy a more full-featured and familiar iPad for less money that has a lot more battery life.

I think a claim about shifting to Chromebooks is probably mostly grandstanding for the public because Chromebooks sell about as well as Windows 8 tablets which is to say almost not at all. If people working for Acer have a reason to be upset with Microsoft it's moreso because they messed up their latest OS release which hurt new PC sales really bad. I bet that's the reason why they're exploring alternative operating systems, to protect the company over the life if Windows 8 and 8.1 with growing markets until a new OS is released by Microsoft that generates increases in sales.
 
Gibbage said:
Good luck with Chromebooks. Last I checked, Chromebooks COMBINED have sold about 300,000 units over 2 years. Windows RT is considered a "failure" but sold 900,000 in 2 months. I guess you just need to redefine the term "failure"?
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They rebrand their windows netbooks as chromebooks. They don't make specific chromebooks. Its no real cost for them. They ditch MS's charge for W8 and probably get a small subsidy from google.

The thing about chromebooks now is that they work in concert with Chromecast. Just guessing here, but an audio counterpart of Chromecast seems logical to me. And if that's the case, google plans to build an ecosystem around Chrome eventually.
 
Trimlock said:
Its just acer making big claims because they are still butt hurt that microsoft made a better device then they ever could and made it cheaper then they (acer) ever would have.
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I am sure they are "Butt hurt" that Microsoft is loosing million on the Surface and the failure of an OS as Windows 8 is, you are right. :rolleyes:

In the business world you have to go where the money is, Microsoft is loosing their ass and Google is on the rise like never before. Acer made the right decision, which will make them more money.
 
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