New range of Chrome devices from Acer

CHROME devices run Google's Chrome operating system and are made to be practical, easy to maintain, secure, and affordable.
These devices are not yet that easily available in Malaysia, but Acer Malaysia aims to change that by introducing three new Chromebooks and two new Chromeboxes.
The launch was attended by Acer Malaysia's products, sales & marketing general manager Chan Weng Hong, commercial products manager Andy Tan, and enterprise & SMB lead Eddy Tee.
On paper, the specifications of these devices may look ­underwhelming, but because they are running the light and cloud-centric Chrome OS, these ­devices' modest capabilities are enough to fulfil their function and purpose.
The Acer Chromebook 11 N7 is made with students in mind. It is built tough, up to United States military standards.
It can withstand drops, spills, and pressure, and is meant to survive years of use in a school environment.
It comes in two variants. The C731-C7UZ has 2GB of DDR3L RAM and 16GB of storage, while the C731-C32C has 4GB of the same RAM and 32GB of storage.
Both variants feature an Intel Celeron N3060 dual-core processor, an 11.6in 1366x768 resolution display, a ­webcam, and wireless and networking connectivity.
The whole package weighs 1.35kg, and has up to 12 hours of battery life.
What makes the Acer ­Chromebook 11 N7 an attractive option for schools is that the Chrome OS is made for education.
Its web-based management lets teachers update, manage, and secure all Chromebooks under their care from a single location.
To IT administrators in business and enterprise, these management features are also a boon. For this market, Acer has introduced the Acer Chromebook 14.
This 14in laptop is fitted with a 1366x768 display, an Intel Core 15-6200U processor, 8GB of DDR3L memory, and 32GB of storage.
It also sports a webcam, up to 12 hours of battery life, and wireless and networking connectivity.
Build tough, the Acer ­Chromebook 14 is also built up to US military standards, and on top of that, it is protected by a three-year on-site warranty.
Two additional Chrome OS-based products for the business and enterprise market are the ­Chromebox for large display CXI2, and Chromebox for meeting CXV2. These compact desktops are also powered by Intel processors.
The Chromebox for large display CXI2 could be used to run displays for ads or menu at eateries, while the Chromebox for meeting CXV2 comes with additional accessories, such as a webcam, and omnidirectional microphone that is specifically meant to turn it into a teleconferencing system.
But the most intriguing product at the launch has to be the ­Chromebook R11.
This convertible laptop not only can turn into a tablet, but is also capable of accessing the Google Play store. This makes it the most versatile and flexible Chrome OS device Acer has to offer.
Inside is an Intel Celeron quad-core N3160 processor, paired with 4GB of memory and 32GB of storage. The 11.6in display is capable of 1344x768 resolution, its battery is said to last up to 10 hours, and it only weighs 1.25kg.
All five Chrome OS devices launched are available now at selected authorised Acer resellers nationwide.
The 16GB and 32GB versions of the Acer Chromebook 11 N7 retail for RM999 and RM1,099 respectively.
The Acer Chromebook 14 is priced at RM2,299, while the Acer Chromebox for large display CXI2 and Acer ­Chromebox for meeting CXV2 are priced at RM1,999 and RM4,599 respectively.
Lastly, the Acer Chromebook R11 has a starting price of RM1,499.