Acer to launch Android tablet PCs in Q1 2011

Acer is set to enter the tablet race with the launch of Android 3.0 tablet PCs with 5, 7, and 10-inch screens in the first quarter of 2011. The company currently is said to be in the process of deliberation over Qualcomm's Snapdragon and Nvidia's Tegra 2 processor to adopt in its forthcoming Android 3.0 (Gingerbread) tablets.

In May the company had revealed a 7-inch tablet operating on the Android platform and expected to ship by end 2010.
 
The launch of the 5-inch, 7-inch and 10-inch Android 3.0 tablet PCs would be preceded by x86 architecture based tabled PC unveling with an Intel processor and Windows 7 operation system as a pilot test for the tablet PC market according to Digitimes.

Analysts say going by the recently-concluded IFA Electronics Show and CES 2010 earlier this year, Acer need not worry about the tablet PC market and especially the Android PC market which is projected to grow.

The company is in talks with Compal Electronics and Quanta Computer for manufacture and development of the three Android 3.0 tablets with 5, 7, and 10-inch touchscreen displays, respectively. Meanwhile, Android 3.0, is set to launch later in the year possibly in conjunction with Google's music service announcement in December.

While Acer's 7-inch and 10-inch Android 3.0 tablet design follows the mainstream tablet form-factor, the Acer 5-inch tablet occupies a position between a smartphone and a large-screen tablet.

Acer expects the upcoming 5-inch Android 3.0 tablet, in particular, to appeal to telecom operators and carriers given it can work as both a mobile handset and a regular tablet PC.