Acer Pulls Back From Windows To Focus On Android and Chromebook 253
SmartAboutThings writes "More bad news for Microsoft: Acer is apparently rethinking their Windows strategy, planning to offer fewer Microsoft products and focus more on products delivered by Redmond's rival Google, in the form of Chromebooks and Android devices. This comes after Acer's second-quarter earnings call, where the Taiwanese company posted a surprise second-quarter loss, having unexpected lower sales and rising expenses. Acer's change of plans comes not long after Asus' CEO announced that the company would no longer make Windows RT products until Microsoft proves there's real demand."
Re:From the ashes into the fire? (Score:5, Informative)
Considering they were profitable with those, they have learned.
I just bought an Acer C7 Chromebook for my 5-year old son. He uses it to watch YouTube videos. My wife liked it so much, she has taken it over and I'm buying another one.
99% of what she does in through the browser. Actually, make that 100%. There isn't anything she uses the computer for that doesn't have a web interface. Stick AdBlock Plus in Chrome and you have a machine that boots from cold to fully ready in 7 seconds, with a fast, clean browsing experience w/Flash and PDF support. (And the only time it boots from cold is when there is a full Chrome update that requires a restart.)
Chromebooks are fantastic devices for what 80% of the population does with computers. For $199 it was by far and away the best thing out there.
Re:From the ashes into the fire? (Score:5, Informative)
Why?
You can put the thing in dev mode and do whatever you want. You can even install another OS. So you get a $199 laptop meaning no great loss if it gets dropped or destroyed by the kid and he gets a great first computer.
Re:From the ashes into the fire? (Score:3, Informative)
Then they'll most likely never earn enough to pay for all the DRM protected content they wish to consume.
Re:Bullshit (Score:4, Informative)
This is probably a troll, but I'll play along...
I thought the same thing until I checked Amazon and Best Buy. Search either one for Chromebooks and you'll turn up a bunch of products with thousands of reviews. This one's even listed as a #1 Best-Seller [amazon.com] among laptops. Go ahead and do the same for Windows RT. It's okay, I'll wait here.
Now I'm not endorsing Chromebooks. I didn't even realize they were still available because I'm sure as hell not buying one... but that's two major retailers that have tons of models (including ones from Acer) that seems to be doing ok.
So I guess their "negotiation strategy" is going to be really really effective, because it also happens to be true.
Re:Bullshit (Score:0, Informative)
He obviously has a problem with OSs that don't run the apps he needs. So does anyone who needs to actually get work done on a computer.
Ah, yes, because such hallmarks of computer tools for productivity and advanced learning, such as Pinterest, Facebook, Soundcloud, and Twitter all work fine on ChromeOS.
Re:Kaboom! (Score:3, Informative)
Re:From the ashes into the fire? (Score:5, Informative)
Actually, as the people who found the first RT jailbreak noticed, the only thing keeping Windows RT from running ARM compiled applications (which you can create in Visual Studio, even!) is a policy that mandates that only Microsoft-signed executables can run outside of the WinRT environment. If Microsoft removed that restriction by changing a single registry key, all of that compatibility would suddenly appear. In fact, .NET apps distributed in PE form and compiled for Any CPU would be able to run without being recompiled at all.