CES: Acer launches Aspire S5 and Timeline ultrabooks

LAS VEGAS: Acer has unveiled two ultrabooks ahead of CES 2012 as the firm aims to get the jump on rivals going into the new year.

Full specifications of the Aspire S5 and Timeline ultrabooks are yet to be confirmed, but the devices pack some interesting features. Acer claims that, at 15mm, the Aspire S5 will be the thinnest ultrabook to date.

The 1.35kg chassis comes with a 13.3in LCD screen and a motorised MagicFlip panel that opens to reveal HDMI, USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt connectivity, the latter of which has only been featured in Apple products up until now.

Acer will offer a choice of the latest Intel Core processors and the Aspire S5 will feature an SSD to speed boot times. The firm claims that its Green Instant On capability allows the device to instantly resume in 1.5 seconds and prolong battery life.

Meanwhile, the firm's Always Connect feature means that users will be able to wake up the Aspire S5 from their smartphone or tablet and access documents, music, pictures and video files.

For users looking for an ultrabook with a larger screen, Acer is set to offer the Timeline Ultra in 14in and 15in models. This range will come with features such as Green Instant On and the Always Connect software and Acer also claims that the ultrabooks will have an eight-hour battery life.

Timeline Ultra devices will also have dedicated graphics card and a DVD Super Multi optical drive for those users who have yet to move completely to the cloud.

President of Acer, Jim Wong, was confident that ultrabooks will be a big hit in 2012.

"It's a new trend that will become the mainstream for mobile PCs and customers will see the unique features gradually extended across Acer's notebook family," he said.

The Aspire Timeline Ultra will start shipping in the first quarter of 2012 and the S5 is set to be launched in the second quarter with pricing to be confirmed.