Computing and communications are among the tech developments that will take center stage at this week’s IFA 2015, where Acer will launch its game-focused Predator line of desktops, laptops, a tablet and monitors.
Acer will also unveil its first computing devices incorporating Intel’s latest generation of Core processors, and it said it will develop gaming-optimized smartphones and video projectors.
For its part, Huawei will display its first smart watch, available in the U.S. later this month, and unveil a flagship Mate S smartphone with a host of user-interface enhancements. They include the ability to switch among apps by drawing a shortcut letter on the screen. It also will offer Force Touch technology, which lets users complete different actions by applying different levels of pressure to the touchscreen.
Here’s what the companies plan:
Acer: Fourth-quarter availability is planned for the Predator gaming products at prices that weren’t disclosed. They include the Predator 15 and Predator 17 notebooks with sixth-generation Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, solid-state drives, and up to four built-in speakers and two subwoofers. The Predator 8 Android tablet with 8-inch FHD display features four front-facing speakers, virtual surround sound, Android 5.1, and TacSense, which provides tactile feedback and real vibrations.
Acer’s Predator GT-810 -inch 8-inch gaming tablet
Acer’s Predator G6 and G3 desktops feature an armor-covered design, sixth-generation Intel Core processors, up to 64GB DDR4 RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics. The Predator G6 adds “one-punch overclocking.”
The Predator Z35 display features a 35-inch 21:9 UltraWide FullHD (2,560 by 1,080) panel with a 2000R curvature, and the two Predator XB1 monitors consist of 27-inch and 28-inch Ultra HD 4K models.
In addition, Acer will update its Aspire V Nitro series notebooks with sixth-generation Intel Core processors, and it will launch six new Liquid-series smartphones, four with Android 5.1 and two with Windows 10. Timing for a North American launch hasn’t been firmed up.
Huawei: The company’s first smart watch, unveiled early this year, will be available in six models priced from $349 to $799 for a rose-gold-plated model with link bracelet.
The Huawei Watch, running the Android Wear OS, is priced from $349 to $799
Starting today, U.S. consumers can pre-order the Huawei Watch on GetHuawei.com, Google Store, Amazon.com and BestBuy.com. General availability and pre-order shipments will begin Sept. 17.
The stainless-steel and black models are available for pre-order today, with rose gold models available later this year.
The Android Wear features a 42mm-diameter circular design, 1.4-inch touch-sensitive AMOLED 400 by 400 pixel display, and ability to display 40 different watch faces. Different watch straps are available. The watch tracks calories burned, heart rate, climbing height, steps taken, distance traveled, and sleep time.
The watch works with iOS phones and Android phones, including Huawei’s new flagship Huawei Mate S, which features a full metal shell, a 5.5-inch AMOLED FHD screen with 2.5D Gorilla Glass, arched back, and side edges measuring only 2.65mm. It will be available in more than 30 countries later this year, but a decision on selling into the U.S. hasn’t been firmed up.
Huawei’s 5.5-inch FullHD Mate S smartphone
The Android phone is touted for its user interface features. They include Force Touch technology, which lets users complete different actions by applying different levels of pressure on the touchscreen. Fingerprint Sense 2.0 technology is said to be faster and more sensitive to improve recognition speeds by 100 percent. Users can also quickly switch between apps by drawing a shortcut letter on the screen. And Knuckle Sense 2.0 technology lets users elect features and functions by tapping the screen with a knuckle.
The phone’s camera features are also promoted as offering professional-grade shots via a 13-megapixel main camera with four-color RGBW imaging sensor, optical image stabilizer, dual color-temperature LED flash lights, and independent image signal processor units.
The 32GB model is priced at 649 euros, and the 64GB version is 699 euros.
