Acer announces Liquid S1 Phablet at €349

After teasing it at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, Acer has now announced its first phablet at Computex today. Dubbed as Liquid S1,  it is targeted to the mid-range buyers and offers a decent set of features.
According to Acer, the Liquid S1 will be coming to a bunch of European countries including France, Belgium, Netherlands, Ukraine, Russia, UK and Germany in Q3, 2013 for 349 euros.
Acer Liquid S1 features Android 4.2, quad-core 1.5GHz MediaTek processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, and 5.7-inch 720p HD display.


“The Liquid S1 combines the work efficiency of a tablet PC with the convenience and multimedia-rich features of a smartphone. It is an all-in-one mobile device that opens up more possibilities for users to communicate and explore,” Acer noted in a press release.
To effectively use the screen real estate, Acer has included something called “Float UI” on this giant smartphone. This interface allows users to open multiple apps simultaneously like you would do it in you windows PC.

“Acer Float User Interface allows several app windows to stay open so users can multitask without having to back out of one app to work on another. The press of a key brings up the Float Apps shortcut; apps on a translucent screen float over the function being used. It is easy to access or switch Float Apps anytime. These apps include camera, maps, calculator and notes,” Acer explains in the press release.
“A Float Caller notification ensures that users will not be interrupted by incoming calls that take over the full screen. When a call comes in, the Float Caller mini-window pops up and the user can choose to take the call or reply with a quick message,” Acer added.

Acer has also included Auto Profile feature on the phablet, which switches select settings on the device based on user’s location.  Other nifty software additions include Voice Unlock to open apps or unlock phone, Traffic Manager to manage 3G data, Acer Cloud for cloud storage and Live Screen to share photos or notes in group of devices.

Acer Liquid S1 key features

*5.7-inch 720p display
*1.5GHz quad-core MediaTek processor (probably MT 6589′T’)
*Dual-SIM support
*1GB of RAM
*Android 4.2
*8MP rear camera with f2.0, 28mm lens, BSI sensor, and LED flash
*Front camera
*2400 mAh battery
*8GB of internal storage, microSD card slot
*Dimensions: 163 x 83 x 9.5 mm, 195 g

To be sold in Black and White colour options
Price: 349 euros ($453, INR 25,660)