Acer Still Has Plans for Windows RT Devices
Despite all the rantings over Microsoft's Surface tablets, Acer is still in the Windows RT boat for now.
Earlier this week, Microsoft confirmed four OEMs that are scheduled to release Windows RT devices: Asus, Dell, Lenovo and Samsung. Toshiba said it was pulling out of the Windows RT race due to problems in acquiring components for a "timely" release. Acer was also excluded from the list, but a spokesperson for the company confirmed on Thursday that it plans to produce Windows RT devices at some point.
"Acer plans to incorporate Windows RT into our product roadmap, but we have not yet confirmed the timing of our product launches," an Acer spokeswoman told Computerworld. The acknowledgment backs up a previous statement made by Acer President Jim Wong back in June who said a Windows RT "portable device" would not arrive until 1Q13.
Acer CEO JT Wang has been one of several within the company to be extremely vocal towards Microsoft over the past month, lashing out at the Redmond company for producing its own Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets based on the new Windows OS. He said the devices would drive a wedge between it and its OEM partners, and even urged Microsoft to "please think twice" about building the Surface tablets.
"We have said [to Microsoft] think it over. Think twice. It will create a huge negative impact for the ecosystem and other brands may take a negative reaction. It is not something you are good at so please think twice," he said.
Even Acer founder Stan Shih has thrown his two cents into the Microsoft lashing, saying that Microsoft's entry into the tablet hardware sector was merely designed to promote Windows 8. Essentially he's right, but his comment seemingly meant to imply that Microsoft was only out to make tons of money off Windows 8, and screw the OEM partners and their need to generate revenue too.
"I sincerely recommend they withdraw from the hardware market when they get what they want," Shih said.
Just recently there have been rumors that Microsoft will offer its Windows RT tablet starting at $199. Acer CEO JT Wang advised Microsoft against such pricing, claiming that it would have a significant, negative impact on partners. Instead, the Surface tablets should retail for $499 to $599. So far Surface pricing is a big mystery despite rumors.
"Suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to availability, and is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC," Microsoft previously stated.
The cost to build each Surface RT tablet alone is estimated to run the company up to $600, hence the OEM paranoia -- especially in Acer's case -- regarding the rumored $199 pricetag.
If they're really that worried, than make a better product. Plain and simple. Stop saying that MS should bugger off just because their tablet may be better. Start making high quality products instead of low end products.
Or in other words:-
Allowing developers and ecosystem to thrive is a good way to achieve success in the market, and making a device that DIRECTLY competes against their biggest customers is a huge mistake.
I'll say this. Most of the companies that were big but failed through the years make one similar but avoidable mistake every time: De-emphasize your core competency and get out rushed plans for the "new thing".
Things MS should have done:
-Allowing legacy users to have a fallback mode and allow natural transition to Metro.
-Make a good reference design that manufacturers can resell
I'm disappointed that Dell is still making the RT though. Dell is a crap company and can't make anything better than half way.
As a Glock owner I can attest that polymer can take quite a beating when done right. Now does some trash company like Acer or Dell do it right? Ah no.... but they wouldn't do anything right. Gaston Glock always demanded that his products be the absolute best in the world, not just in quality and performance but also price (for non gun owners out there Glocks are around 500 bucks which puts them at the bottom of the top tier market). These companies though are not ran by a Gaston Glock, they are ran by business suits who only understand cutting costs and cutting corners to make an extra dollar. They don't understand making a great product and this has been proven over the past two decades. Again this is why they are getting their asses handed to them by Apple.