Acer Prepping 7-Inch Android Tablet, Weighing Meego Tablet

Acer isn’t content to be a global leader in notebooks and netbooks. The Taiwan-based PC giant, which recently replaced its Chief Executive in a dispute over its mobile device strategy, also wants to be a leader in tablets. To gain a foothold in this fast-moving market, Acer is preparing a number of new tablets for release, including a small, 7-inch Google Android device and Gateway-branded tablets, Forbes has learned. Acer is also seriously considering releasing a tablet based on the open-source mobile operating system Meego, according to two Acer product managers.

The plans, taken together, add up to a wide-ranging tablet strategy. Acer has just come off the launch of its business-focused, Microsoft Windows-based W500 tablet and its consumer-centric, Android-based A500 tablet, both of which sport 10.1-inch displays. In late March, Acer also announced that AT&T would sell a 4G version of the A500. That 4G tablet – Acer’s first to win the backing of a U.S. carrier – will launch in June, says Acer spokeswoman Lisa Emard.

Also likely to arrive in June: Acer’s first 7-inch tablet. The Android device shares many of the same specifications as the larger A500, including a Tegra 2 processor from NVIDIA and the tablet-optimized 3.0 (Honeycomb) version of Android. The smaller size means people will use it more on-the-go – as entertainment for their children, for mobile games or for calendar and personal information management, like a digital Filofax, says Eric Ackerson, an Acer senior product marketing and brand manager. In comparison, Acer believes the 1.7-lb., 10-inch A500 will be most frequently used at home.

Like the A500, Acer’s 7-inch Android tablet will debut initially as a Wi-Fi-only device and probably be followed by a 3G/4G variant. Pricing has yet to be determined but will be less than that of the larger tablets ($449 for the A500, $549 for the W500).

Acer is also evaluating other operating systems for future tablets, says Ackerson. One strong candidate is Meego, a Linux-based project first announced by Intel and Nokia in Feb. 2010. Acer’s support would bolster Meego, which has struggled in recent months following Nokia’s embrace of Microsoft’s Windows Phone mobile operating system. Though Intel continues to invest in Meego and LG appears to be a recent convert, Nokia has made clear that Windows Phone, not Meego, is its smartphone strategy going forward.

Adding to its tablet offerings, Acer is also planning a series of tablets that would carry its Gateway brand. Acer acquired the California-based computer company in 2007 and continues to sell products under the Gateway name, particularly at big box stores like Best Buy. The Gateway tablets will have a distinct look, as well as some special software and variations in features, says Ackerson. They are expected to be ready later this year.

Hardware upgrades are in the works, too. Ackerson says Acer is working on tablets that will have 32 gigabytes of storage, which is double the amount in Acer’s current Android tablets. The company is also planning Android tablets that will incorporate faster, more efficient quad-core processors from NVIDIA, says Ackerson. Acer’s existing Android tablets utilize dual-core processors from NVIDIA.

Though NVIDIA and Acer enjoy a particularly close working relationship, Ackerson hints that Acer may collaborate with Qualcomm on future tablets. “NVIDIA is not [Acer’s] only [chip] partner,” says Ackerson. “We won’t limit ourselves to their silicon.” Acer Product Manager John Karabian notes that Acer has used Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips in some of its cellphones, which are available outside the U.S.