New Acer all-in-one PC showcases Windows 7 touch navigation

by Stevie Smith - Apr 8 2009, 16:30

Evidently not content with hogging the hardware limelight with the notable unveiling of its new 11.6-inch Aspire One Netbook and Ion-based AspireRevo mini-desktop computer, Taiwan-based Acer has also used today’s annual ‘refresh’ event in New York to introduce its Z5600 all-in-one PC.

Set for release under the popular Aspire banner, the new all-in-one platform has apparently been specially engineered by Acer in order to “maximise the full promise of the next operating system from Microsoft.”

That engineering sees the clean lines of the Z5600 clearly punctuated by a dominating 24-inch touch-screen display that supports 1080p high-definition and will enable users to tap into the touch-based navigational features expected to arrive as an integral part of Windows 7.

“With the simple touch of a finger it’s possible to select, to browse through files, start applications and to navigate menu options to manage data, audio, video and image files,” trumpeted Acer in its official announcement.

“At any time, the touch screen option can be easily converted and the Aspire Z5600 can be used like a general mouse and keyboard PC,” it added, keen to point out the system’s navigational versatility.

Beyond certainly looking the part as an elegant desktop that has its overall aesthetic value somewhat tainted by a keyboard and mouse that are inexplicably wired, there’s presently not a great deal known about the Z5600 in terms of what lies beneath its hood.

In that sense Acer remains vague and non-committal, only revealing that its upcoming all-in-one line will include a selection of Intel’s “latest generation” processors and up to 2TBs (that’s two terabytes) of data storage via HDD. Similarly, graphic chip duties aboard the Z5600 will be handled by unspecified “latest generation” MXM processors, according to Acer.

Currently there’s no mention of the computer’s connectivity credentials, although it does look suited for multimedia fans as an integrated TV tuner, Web camera and an on-board DVD/Blu-ray drive will definitely be included in the overall package.

As with its upgraded 11.6-inch Aspire One (751h), Acer has not as-yet offered any pricing or release details for the Z5600, instead choosing only to tease that its “mainstream and affordable” retail positioning will burst the premium pricing bubble for all-in-one PCs.

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