Acer Aspire Gemstone Blue Notebook PC Series Now Available in North America

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Acer, the third largest vendor in the global PC market (source: Gartner data, 4Q 2007), today announced the Aspire Gemstone Blue notebook PC series is now available via Acer authorized resellers and select retailers in North America. Unveiled in March 2008, the Aspire Gemstone Blue range features the PC market’s first 18.4- and 16-inch notebook form factors with true HD cinematic capabilities.

Powered by Intel Centrino Duo processor technology, the Aspire Gemstone Blue notebook series offers the latest dual-core processing capabilities allowing users to effortlessly multitask. Targeted for home users seeking Full HD, 16:9 entertainment with centralized multimedia management, for gamers who want high-resolution support with superior display quality, and for creative professionals and SOHO users who require maximum multimedia resources and powerful communication, the Aspire Gemstone Blue notebook PC series is an excellent choice for everyone.

The 18.4-inch Aspire 8920 features:

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T9500
Mobile Intel® PM965 Express chipset
1 or 2 hard disk drive, up to 320GB each
Integrated Blu-ray Disc drive or 8X DVD Super Multi double-layer drive
18.4-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution Acer CineCrystal display
Discrete NVIDIA® GeForce® 9650M GS or NVIDIA GeForce 9500M GS
6-in-1 card reader
Express Card™/54 slot, HDMI port with HDCP support
802.11a/g/n WLAN, Bluetooth®, gigabit LAN, V.92 modem, integrated webcam

The 16-inch Aspire 6920 features:

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T9500
Mobile Intel® PM965 Express chipset
Hard disk drive up to 320GB
Integrated Blu-ray Disc drive or 8X DVD Super Multi double-layer drive
16-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution Acer CineCrystal display
Discrete NVIDIA® GeForce 9500M GS
6-in-1 card reader
Express Card™/54 slot, HDMI port with HDCP support
802.11a/g/n WLAN, Bluetooth®, gigabit LAN, V.92 modem, integrated webcam

Both the Aspire 8920 and Aspire 6920 notebooks include the second generation Dolby Home Theater technology with powerful audio technologies – CineSurround, Tuba CineBass booster, and up to five integrated speakers for True5.1 sound output – the new standard for the notebook sound and the ideal choice for Full HD movies and gaming.

The Aspire Gemstone Blue notebooks ship with Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate or Windows Vista Home Premium preinstalled. Additional installed software includes Acer Empowering Technology (Acer eAudio, ePower, eDataSecurity, eRecovery, eSettings Management), Acer Arcade Deluxe featuring Cinema, Album, Music, Acer HomeMedia, Acer InstantOn Arcade; Acer Bio-Protection; Acer Crystal Eye; Acer GridVista; Acer Launch Manager; Acer GameZone; Acer Video Conference Manager; Acer Video Conference Manager featuring Video Quality Enhancement (VQE); Adobe Reader; CyberLink PowerDirector trial version; Norton Internet Security; NTI Media Maker; Microsoft Works 9.0 with Office Home and Student 2007 Trial.

Pricing and Availability

The new Aspire Gemstone Blue notebooks are now available through Acer authorized resellers and selected retailers throughout North America, with pricing beginning at US$1299 for the Aspire 8920 and US$849 for the Aspire 6920.

All Acer notebooks come with a standard one-year parts and labor warranty, which includes concurrent International Traveler’s Coverage that can be extended to three years with the Acer Advantage service that also covers accidental damage to the notebook. Additionally, all Acer notebooks are backed by toll-free service and support.

About Acer America

Since its founding in 1976, Acer has constantly pursued the goal of breaking the barriers between people and technology. Focused on marketing its brand-name IT products around the globe, Acer ranks as the world’s No. 3 vendor for total PCs and No. 2 for notebooks, with the fastest growth among the top-five players. A profitable and sustainable Channel Business Model is instrumental to Acer’s continued growth, while the successful mergers of Gateway and Packard Bell complete the company’s global footprint by strengthening its presence in the U.S., and enhancing its strong position in Europe. Acer Inc. employs 5,000 people worldwide. Estimated revenue for 2007 is US $14.07 billion. For more information, please visit www.acer.com/us.

Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Incorporated. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. Other trademarks, registered trademarks and/or service marks, indicated or otherwise, are the properties of their respective owners.