The computers at Microsoft Stores don’t have the crapware that Windows PCs typically come with, but they still have an assortment of Microsoft and Adobe software. Most controversially, they include Windows Live Essentials and Microsoft Security Essentials.
By Emil Protalinski | Last updated October 28, 2009 8:15 AM CT
I’m all for technology advancements–a new OS, a slicker smartphone, Tang, whatever. Now Acer’s making an odd-but-interesting bet with its new Aspire 5738DG laptop: a 3D display. Yep, the future is now–watch out for flying DeLoreans!
Before I crack any more jokes, let me explain what goes into Acer’s 3D technology. Ray Sawall, senior manager of product marketing for Acer America, took a few minutes to break it down for me. Forget fancy proprietary names (TriDef 3D screen!), what’s at work here are polarized plastic shades, a 60-Hz polarized display, and software working in tandem to trick the image into seeming three-dimensional.
With 3D movies (like, say, Monsters vs. Aliens), it works. It also does the best it can to represent 2D images in 3D. I haven’t had a chance to test it just yet, but the spokespeople say I need to check out The Lord of the Rings–and I will soon, since I expect to see a review unit any day now.
3D: Must-Have Tech, or Gimmick?
Obviously, the big deal here is what this could mean to gamers. I should know; I’m a card-carrying member. The video game crowd’s been chasing that 3D dragon for ages, with some of the best results coming from real-time strategy titles like Command & Conquer 3. Most recently, Resident Evil 5 is a great example of what 3D can do to make the action jump off the screen.
Or maybe Excel spreadsheets will come alive as you get lost in cells–exciting, I know.
Is 3D too much of a niche gimmick? I’m inclined to think so. 3D seems to be the new rationale to sell movie theater tickets, special-edition Blu-ray discs, and apparently PC hardware.
Even Acer’s Sawall seems to agree: “My gut is that [touch-screen technology] has more traction than 3D. Honestly, I’m not sure if there’s a home for 3D in mobile.”
Still, Sawall says the Aspire 5738DG’s been better received by retailers than expected.
Decent Specs for a Good Price
The Aspire 5738DG, available later this week with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit edition, packs decent hardware for the $780 asking price: an Intel Core 2 Duo processor T6600, an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 GPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB 5400-rpm hard drive. Stay tuned and I’ll give you the skinny on how well this machine works when I get my hands on it.
What are your thoughts? Substance, style–or something in-between? Hit the Comment box below or send e-mail to PC World with “ATTN: Laptops (3D? I can barely handle two dimensions)” in the subject line.
Need even more nerdity? Follow PC World Senior Writer Darren Gladstone on Twitter (gizmogladstone) for oddball links, 140-character game reviews, and whatever else comes to mind.
Jeff Bertolucci
Oct 18, 2009 11:44 pm
I’ve just upgraded my main notebook computer to Windows 7. The process took four hours, windows 7 microsoft upgradeand despites a few minor glitches, was pretty much painless.
So I’m using Win 7 now. It’s a little faster and a little prettier than Vista. (Check out PC World’s Windows 7 review for the specifics.) But as I explore Microsoft’s latest operating system, I find myself wondering why Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade, the main version for consumers, costs $120.
Will home users pay that price? I’m betting they won’t. True, some Microsoft diehards will line up on October 22 to grab the first copies of Win 7, but most consumers will spot the price tag and walk away.
As much as I like what Microsoft’s done with Windows 7, the improvements don’t warrant such a steep fee, particularly for home users upgrading from the much-maligned Vista. And XP users? Well, migrating to Win 7 is a complex chore that requires a clean install. You may have to upgrade your hardware too. Add up the cost of Windows 7, plus more RAM and maybe a new graphics card, and a new PC starts to seem a lot more affordable.
Isn’t Software Free?
Consumers have grown accustomed to free apps. So many programs cost nothing these days, including Web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome), security apps (windows 7 microsoft upgrade, Microsoft Security Essentials), productivity suites (Google Docs, OpenOffice.org, MS Office 2010 Starter Edition), and photo editors (Google Picasa). I’m not suggesting that home users expect a free operating system too, but that $120 sounds awfully expensive in today’s give-it-away software environment.
It’s possible that Windows 7 Home Premium’s sticker price is an illusion, much like the MSRP of a new car. It’s the pseudo price that no savvy consumer would every pay. This doesn’t mean that shoppers will be able to haggle with Best Buy clerks — “I’ll turn around and walk out now if you don’t throw in a cordless mouse!” — but that Microsoft will immediately discount Windows 7 to reflect its true value.
In fact, that’s already started. Microsoft is offering a steep Windows 7 discount to students, who’ll pay just $30 for the Home Premium version through January 3. And the $150 Windows 7 Family Pack, which lets you install Win 7 on up to three PCs, slashes the upgrade price to $50 per computer.
What would you pay for Windows 7?
Contact Jeff Bertolucci via Twitter (@jbertolucci) or at jbertolucci.blogspot.com.
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