Acer to sponsor 2005 Women`s World Cup of Golf

In what is a first for South African professional golf, Acer South Africa, a provider of IT solutions that empower people, will provide a comprehensive IT infrastructure that will include among others gems, a wireless scoring solution at the 2005 Women`s World Cup of Golf (WWCG).

This prestigious event will be showcased at The Links at the Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate from 11 to 13 February 2005. As the official IT sponsor, Acer believes this event is an extension of its social responsibility policy of supporting sports. Sentech and Internet Solutions are the other sponsors involved in setting up the wireless WAN and scorecard software.

Acer South Africa managing director David Drummond says: "The IT infrastructure has been planned in such a way that it will cover the entire golf course. The network will include PCs, servers, notebooks, handhelds, monitors and digital cameras with the Acer Tablet PCs playing a key role.

"We are extremely excited at the prospect of providing the wireless scoring. Deployed at each hole, this will be delivered through a complete solution of Acer desktops and servers, driven by Acer TravelMate C112TCi wireless tablets," he adds.

Featuring ultra-low voltage Intel Pentium M processor technology at 1.1GHz, the TMC112TCi offers superior performance along with sophisticated wireless connectivity. The product runs on Microsoft Windows XP Professional and seamlessly switches between WLAN and Bluetooth modes as needed.

The TMC112TCi comes with a 10.4-inch LCD screen that swivels easily between conventional notebook and tablet modes. The tablet also features an external DVD/CD-RW combo, external floppy drive, Intel 855GM chipset and audio system. At 2.5cm thin, the light form factor of the computer makes it very easy to hold, whether sitting, standing, or moving about.

"This is the ideal product to be utilised at the WWCG showpiece," says Drummond.

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"As the WWCG is an international event, we have paid particular attention to the needs of the media," adds Drummond. "Acer will provide access to up-to-the-minute scores and developments as they occur. Our wireless notebooks will be available in all the media tents, and we have also made provision for Acer servers, PCs and notebooks that will be used in the hospitality areas to enable a smooth flow of information to the outside world.

"Our technology incorporates all the necessary mission-critical functionality businesses need to remain productive and profitable," he continues. "Built-in redundancy features, including hot-swappable drives and multiple processors, as well as a host of other features, will ensure that the IT system operates to the best advantage of all users.

"This may not be a new technology, but it will be the first time the golf fraternity sees it brought together in this way," he adds.

"Historically we have been involved in other women`s golf initiatives," Drummond notes. "We sponsor the Acer Women`s South African Open on the local women`s tour, and also support the Girls Golf Programme, a project aimed at empowering the daughters of caddies who are trained to participate economically in the game.

"This three-year contract provides us with the platform to grow our brand awareness, showcase our products and services on offer as well as generate increased international awareness of the country," he concludes.