We all know that Windows 7's arrival will also bring about new notebooks. Even if the notebooks aren't entirely new, OEMs will almost certainly refresh current designs with faster processors or more memory, but at the same older price point.
In addition to its first touchscreen laptop, Acer this morning announced a new CULV thin and light notebook with an 11.6-inch LED backlit screen. Acer bills it as the Aspire Timeline AS1810TZ, which is suitable for "all day computing" with its full-size keyboard and 8-hour battery life. Even with the standard 6-cell battery, it weighs 3.08 pounds.
"Acer is providing consumers with the best of all worlds with the new 11.6-inch Timeline--an affordable ultraportable that delivers long battery life and great performance in a compact and stylish design," said Ray Sawall, senior manager of product marketing for Acer America. "By adding dual-core processors to the entire line, we've taken affordable mobile computing solutions to a new level."
Those in need of a larger display or an optical drive will have to look at the bigger, heavier models. The AS3810 weighs 3.5 pounds and offers a 13.3-inch display while the AS4810 adds an optical drive and 14-inch display and weighs 4.4 pounds. The AS5810 adds a dedicated numeric pad and weighs 5.3 pounds and features a 15.6-inch screen.
Prices start at $549.99 and you'll be seeing these in stores starting October 22 with Windows 7.