Google's Android operating system  isn't just for cell phones anymore. Number-three PC maker Acer has announced two new Android-based products -- a touchscreen smartphone called Acer Liquid and a netbook version of the Aspire One laptop that boasts a dual-boot system, running both Android and Windows XP Home.
Android is a mobile operating system based on the Linux kernel which allows developers to access it via Java libraries.
The Liquid is the latest touchscreen phone to try for a piece of the market dominated by Apple's iPhone. It boasts Android 1.6, the latest version of the operating system, code-named Donut, as well as Qualcomm's new Snapdragon processor. Liquid supports high-speed Web access via High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) mobile networks.
'Smart' Move
Android will "clearly be a major OS for smartphones, and Acer's decision to use it on their new phones is a smart one," said Tim Bajarin, principal strategist at Creative Strategies, in an e-mail.
But just having Android won't be enough in the highly competitive race for the top of the smartphone market. Acer must distinguish itself through a user interface that is "easy to use and easy to navigate," Bajarin said.
The phone features a high-definition capacitive touchscreen, improved power management for longer battery life, a new user interface that emphasizes entertainment and web access, a camera with geotagging so users can easily identify where photos were taken, and sharing with friends, Acer said.
Liquid is clearly a Web 2.0 phone. Acer said it features "smart integration " with social-networking applications like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr, and provides real-time update notifications. It's also meant to compete with the iPhone on style, with an elliptical form factor, a choice of colors, and ergonomic design.
But, Acer said, the real breakthrough will occur in the future with an expected explosion of Android apps that could one day rival Apple's App Store. Indeed, Liquid's success will depend on third-party apps, Bajarin said. "They need to make sure the third-party software community backs their version of Android if they are to have any real market success with the Liquid phone," he said. (continued...)
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