The Acer Guy

It’s been an entire month since I last put my fingers to work and came out with a real article.

Yet no matter how often or rarely I pump out stuff here, the site’s still getting the best part of 1000+ unique visits a day which just goes to prove that mine isn’t the voice people come here for. It’s yours.

I’ve been noticing a LOT of support from regular visitors and names that keep popping into the comments section. Todd, Ferry et al, you’ve done an awful lot of hard work and I thank you.

The biggest change I wanted to bring to the new site is to divide it into sections which will allow you to have greater control over the content. That way, there will be a (semi) official blog (my rants), a “how to” section where I get to upload simple instructional videos or articles for newbie owners, a section where you can write your own, more in-depth articles called “expert voices” and of course the forum where you can just let loose.

One of the most qualified - and certainly the most generous - people here is of course Morris and many of the ideas were developed around the kind of input he’s brought to the site.

But Morris is only human (sort of). If there are any others out there who have something to share (anyone from Acer? no eh?) give me a shout and join the “Expert Voices” team.

Oh, and by the way, this is what the new site will look like. As you can see, the “Expert Voices” is slap bang in the center where it belongs.

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Got this post in my “TheAcerGuy” section. Apologies to Kim for taking it down which is why I’m re-posting it here, along with my response.

I don’t normally keep track of what’s available as the global market’s too darned hot for my liking. I prefer to leave that to shopping search engines or newsgator.

Hi Mike,
Like you, I have become an Acer fan. I tested the Aspire AS5610-4537, a 15″ notebook. A great machine, superb “Sony-like” display (HP, Gateway and Toshiba don’t get even close to this quality), superb sound quality, and I love the fact that they put a $/euro keys for users, nearby the arrow keys, instead of leaving the spaces empty like in many notebooks. What a waste…
Oh yeah, the SignalUp rocks!!
I have 2 questions and I think you might be able to help me on these:
1) I’d like to get a 14″ Acer Aspire 5590 notebook. The closest thing easily available on the US market is the 5580-7697.
But I want the 5590.
2) Is there any Acer 14″ in the market with a Core2Duo proc higher than the Intel T5200, i.e., with a clock faster than 1.6Ghz?
Thanks a lot for your help.
Kim

In answer to your questions, Kim, I have forwarded your question over to the US guys as they’re in a far better position than me to say what’s available and where.

In the meantime, I’ve had a look round a few US sites and can’t find a way of getting the 5590 to you. In addition to the logistical problems of buying outside your home market (keyboard setup like you mentioned in addition to battery voltages or just mains socket differences), there’s also the pain of warranty. I know this is unfounded and I’ll probably get kicked for saying this but I always like to buy things I might need serviced locally (think of the cost of importing and then servicing a low-production British sports car like the Marcos you just ordered from the factory).

Tiger Direct currently has a pretty good deal on a “refurbished 5570” while Amazon.com has a good selection of 14.1” Aspires on this link (no they aren’t affiliates).

I guess you saw the 5580 at Directron.com for $929.00. That’s the only place I found it.

It all boils down to how much you’re prepared to spend for a short-term performance benefit. At $599.99 for an Aspire 5570 you really can’t go far wrong, particularly if you compare that to the $1,859.97 for the stunning Ferrari 1000 from the same shop.

Having said that, if you’re going to want to run Vista with all the bells and whistles, a couple of hundred bucks more will make a dramatic difference to your Windows® Experience Index!

For your second question, as far as I’m aware the answer is no. If you’re after a speed rise, then you’re gonna have to wait a couple more months at least.

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You remember recently there was that furor when Microsoft and Edelman (and AMD) teamed up and handed out something like 100 Acer Ferrari notebooks to some of the planet’s top bloggers?

Well I’ve just come across a fascinating vlog posted by one of them, Hugo Ortega the guy behind Ubertablet.

Ever wanted to see the world’s first Ferrari 1000 TABLET?

Check it out..

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While I’m on the subject of awards, I just read here that the Acer Ferrari 1000 and Ferrari 5000 “are winners of the 2006/7 Good Design Award accredited by the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization. The Good Design Award is among the world’s most famous historical design awards, and since 1957, has served to identify excellent design products that promote the quality of life via the power of design.”

Knowing how painstakingly thorough the Japanese are when it comes to aesthetics, this award is yet another recognition of the level of care and thought that went into these outstanding designs.

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There is an interesting article over on BusinessWeek called Acer’s Hot New Designs. Lots of high-res pictures and quotes from senior management.

I particularly like the quote “The Taiwanese PC maker is … releasing new designs to give its budget image a tune-up”.

Talk about unsung heroes. Have these people heard about Empowering Technology, seen a list of the proprietary technology installed across the product range or even held a Ferrari 1000 in their hands and felt the exquisite solidity of the case? There is nothing budget about any of this.

My Acer notebooks have seen me through serious battles and have never failed (even when I accidentally blew one up I managed to recover the hard disk contents). Budget? The correct word is Dependable.

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There are times when being an innocent bystander is a magical thing.

I got word of Edelman’s latest through Scoble and I personally think he’s right about the ethics.

Still, hearing positive comments like Scott Beale’s about the Acer Ferrari 1000 and Ferrari 5000s “given” to some of the world’s leading bloggers by Microsoft in collaboration with AMD to promote Vista really made me chuckle.

Brilliant move I say. But then I would, wouldn’t I?

Update 1: For the record, Acer’s PR team here in EMEA new nothing of this. I wish we had - I’d never have passed an opportunity like this to push the Ferraris.

Update 2: I think MS has a soft spot for Acer when it comes to big launches. When Bill Gates launched Windows XP Tablet edition back in 2002, he used an Acer C100 to do it.

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Don’t believe the hype.

If ever there was a phrase that sums up the fear, uncertainty and doubt surrounding marketing campaigns for cult objects, this is undoubtedly it.

Hype is what gets brands noticed and, if they’re not careful, it’s where they fall. There’s no getting away from it. You’ve either got it or you don’t.

The Ferrari name has got it. In fact I’m not sure how many brand names evoke so much passion (love, envy, call it what you will) and at the same time elicit so much expectation. A Ferrari is the end of the rainbow, right? An exotic dream whose sole purpose is to transport its lucky owner into an almost surreal reality.

A bit more down to earth, maybe, but the Acer Ferrari 1000 has got it too. Anyone who’s read my earlier posts in this blog will have noticed that I’ve picked up on some negative sentiment here and there towards this stunning little ultraportable. Doubts over its coolness, and whether the outboard DVD can mess up your life continue to surface, and I wanted to find out for myself whether or not they were valid concerns.

So I borrowed one for the week-end.

First things first. The Ferrari 1000 is gorgeous. The moment you open the box, you know this isn’t your run-of-the-mill notebook. The thought and care that has gone into the details is on an entirely different level here.

Details like dedicated cases for each of the external components. They’re well designed, well made and look stunning. In fact, I wouldn’t feel at all ashamed at pulling the Ferrari 1000 out of my briefcase at a meeting.

And before you even begin to talk about the big, black, masculine Ferrari badge, both my 10-year old daughter and my tech-loathing wife loved it too, so I guess that sets that record straight.

While we’re on the subject, we had some friends over for dinner on Saturday. The Ferrari 1000 was sitting on the table in the living room and one by one, each of our guests commented on how cute/cool/fabulous it was.

Fact 1: this PC attracts attention like no other I’ve ever had.

Fact 2: it’s seriously cool – no matter what cynics may tell you.

So what about all the technical side of things? Hey, I’ll leave the performance ratings comparisons to those that actually care. For me, the Ferrari 1000 has just about everything I’d want from a second PC. I say second because, just like its automotive namesake, you really wouldn’t want to use it as your only means because its unique compactness is a little uncomfortable if you need to sit in front of it day in day out, even if it is a nice place to be.

Don’t get me wrong, the CrystalBrite screen is almost easier to look at than my 24” desktop monitor and the keyboard is a joy to use. But 12 inches of screen is, well, half of what I’m used to. Great for brief use, a bit of a strain if you overdo it.

Having said that, the Ferrari 1000’s got a port replicator port at back, meaning you can use it with a bigger monitor and standard keyboard while in the office, yet still enjoy all the benefits (and there are hundreds) of its seriously compact, lightweight design when you leave. In that sense it’s an ideal combination.

I’ve also noticed that the battery duration has been questioned. Well for starters the Ferrari 1000 comes with two batteries (three and six cells – neither made by Sony) and pressing the Empowering Key brings up an easy-to-use menu that allows me to switch from maximum performance to maximum battery life – which, incidentally, was 3 hours and 53 minutes – in just three clicks. If that’s not enough, you can pull out the 6 Cell battery and slip in the 3 Cell one for an indicated 1 hour 39 minutes of extra ultraportable freedom. That’s 5 and-a-half hours - more than enough for me.

All in all, the Ferrari 1000 ticked all my boxes. I personally have never handled such a well-built laptop. No creaks, beautifully solid keyboard, and a joy to use. When you’re used to 15”+ screens pressing down on your thighs (this is my “old” TravelMate 4670 for a size comparison - it weighs almost double too and generates twice as much heat), having this lightweight gem resting almost imperceptibly on your lap is a revelation.

As I write, I’m doing a home study course on SEO techniques. It’s DVD-based with lots (hundreds) of videos to get through. On Friday and Sunday I used the Ferrari 1000 and sat through about 3 hours of videos each night with no trouble whatsoever. Once it had sniffed out my wireless network, flicking back and forth between the Flash presentation screen and the web to check on real-life examples was child’s play. I could have done it all night. Well actually I did.

It’s got 3 USB’s, a built-in 4-in-one card reader, integrated webcam and the brilliant Bluetooth handsfree VoIP phone (Skype users rejoice), and enough storage and processing power to handle everything you could possibly throw at it. Objectively, it’s really hard to find anything to criticize, except perhaps the fact that tomorrow I have to give it back.

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I’ve slept on it and have decided that The AcerGuy needs a bigger home.

I want to be able to explore everything about Acer, its products, strategies and beliefs but on a more permanent level, then discuss what I find here, where conversation is free to flow.

For example I have persuaded them to lend me a Ferrari 1000 for a while. I have already posted here about the unfavourable review it got over at ShinyShiny (its got a Ferrari badge) and the fact that many preferred other ultraportables because the Ferrari 1000 had an external DVD.

Now you can’t please all the people all the time fair enough but I wanted to find out for myself just what, if any, drawbacks there are to having an external DVD and whether the Ferrari badge really does cramp your style (unlikely in my case).

The problem is at the end of the month this review, along with the others, will be archived away; unceremoniously placed in the folders on the right whose sole purpose is to show how long I managed to stick it out in Web 2.0.

These reviews – any reviews for that matter – deserve a more permanent home. Somewhere they can be used as open references. Then we can discuss.

Hey, I’m a marketing guy. What do I know about web design…? For now I’ll have to make do with (and learn more about) this format. With a bit of luck though, what I write will be interesting enough to stand the test of time.

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I’ve been a bit slow off the mark lately. I’ve just tracked down a vlog on Shiny Shiny’s site this morning. Susi Scarlett gave a quick one minute overview of the Ferrari 1000 which I think deserves a mention.

I like the Shiny Shiny site. It’s quick, easy and very girl-oriented and a lot of fun to keep up with. Thing is, quick and easy doesn’t always paint a proper picture.

I know I run the risk of getting flamed by a lot of girls over this but this isn’t an anti-girl thing. Quite the contrary…

First of all, while I can fully understand that car-branded products don’t exactly tick every girl’s desire box, given a bit of thought, there’s more to the Acer/Ferrari co-branding than cheap products and car sounds.

Acer and Ferrari may or may not be cool in your part of the world, but they are recognized the world over for their technology-driven values and share some serious appeal, proven year in and year out by their unstoppable growth.

Look even closer, you’ll find that “cheap” is in fact a cruel interpretation of “value”, with Acer delivering more features per pound/euro/dollar/yen etc.. than almost everyone else, again yet another reason why Acer is so popular.

Acer is an official sponsor of Scuderia Ferrari and anyone who saw Schumacher’s final fling in Brazil will always remember the car he did it in. Not a bad team to be involved with if you ask me.

Susi also mentioned brand popularity amongst her male friends. I’d love to have sat in on that top trumps conversation. Bentley and Aston Martin… both undisputedly great brands but suitable for PCs? Really? They may be fast but they’re hardly light (one of the most important decision makers when choosing a notebook). Ferrari gets weight down with carbon fibre, Bentley adds weight with chrome, walnut and wilton – all magnificent for cross continent adventures, but hardly the sort of values you need when your job requires you to haul your notebook around all day.

Audi I agree with. It shares values that are closer to IT standards but does anybody seriously think Audi could out-brand Ferrari? They may win at Le Mans but it’s not as high profile as F1. Besides they win with diesel engines which even Susi’s ultra-high-fashion male friends would have a hard time associating with cool. And let’s not even begin to talk about the appeal of an estate car…

Brand issues aside, I also would like to point out that the “Bluetooth adapter” Susi mentions is in fact the first integrated Bluetooth-enabled VoIP phone on the market, designed specifically to make internet phone calls a reality and to avoid having to wear those bundled headphones you get with webcams or even worse, leaning over at weird angles to shout into the built-in microphone. Oh, it also has hands free capabilities to you can talk and type, for free.

It’s the little details like these that makes technology easier to use. Making technology work is what Acer and Ferrari represent, and is why it’s a perfect match.

A one minute video may be quick and easy, but it’s nowhere near enough to show the plusses and the minuses of a serious product and all too quick and all too easy to get it wrong.

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