Aspire by Acer re-invents the family computing experience

Aspire by Acer has hit the shelves of South African computer stores, bringing with it Acer`s promise of an unprecedented experience in "easy-ness" for first-time, home computer buyers.

Aspire is the only PC created from the ground up to meet the specific needs of the untrained, first-time family buyer, with a spillover effect sure to appeal to frustrated second-time buyers as well.

Brian Bogaard, general manager of Acer Africa, says the AcerAspire addresses a massive, global market segment.

"Less than half the families in the United States own a PC. The figure for South Africa is a fraction of that, and Aspire has arrived just in time for what we believe will be an explosive period of growth in the family PC market here," he says.

Reasons for the growth in demand include an increasing desire among families - including the elderly - to access the Internet and send e-mail, photographs and videos to friends and family around the world; the use of PCs for research and presentation of school projects; the growing computer games market; and the growth in home businesses.

Microsoft and Intel, two key participants in the Aspire product line, have both endorsed Acer`s strategy for meeting the first-time buyer`s need for an easy home PC.

"No other PC offers as many ease-of-use features as Aspire, which has been specifically designed to lift purchase barriers commonly raised by home computer buyers in the past," claims Bogaard.

With helpful multimedia (sound, text, and video) instructions and an uncomplicated, Out-of-the-Box (OOBE) set-up procedure, the all-new Aspire will teach any user how to buy, set-up, learn, productively use, and maintain a computer system at home.

"Available through Acer`s extensive channel network, Aspire is so family-friendly that even novice computer users - including those who believed they were so `scared` of computers that they would never go near them - can take their PC home with absolute confidence in their ability to use and enjoy it," he says.

Beyond its exceptional value-for-money price - from around R6 999 - and no-compromise computing power, the Aspire family sports a strong mix of features that uniquely address the common needs and frustrations of novice computer users.

Gerald Holzhammer, director of Intel`s Desktop Architecture Lab, says making PCs easier to use has been a significant focus for Intel over the past several years.

"USB, plug-and-play, manageability, instantly available, and the power management initiative are examples of our efforts in this area. We applaud Acer`s work to make PCs easier to use for first-time buyers," he adds.

Yusuf Mehdi, Director of Windows Marketing, Microsoft Corporation, adds: "We`re pleased that Acer is focusing on the needs of the first-time PC buyer, a critically important customer group."

"Aspire humanises the computing experience and brings families together for a strong and exciting start on their computing journey," concludes Bogaard.

Features

Highlights of AcerAspire features include:

Easy buying - The Aspire PC models are supported by non-technical, benefit-oriented point-of-purchase information, and are available where first-time buyers are most likely to feel comfortable purchasing a PC.

Easy set-up - The industry`s only intelligent multimedia set-up software ensures and verifies proper installation - a truly world-class OOBE experience. Easy learning - "My Aspire Guide" is a series of interactive tutorials that help users quickly learn the bundled software applications. The online manual includes how-to videos and step-by-step instructions.

Easy, family-friendly Internet access - Features include one-button Web access, multimedia Web tutorials, and a Just-for-Kids browser with kid-safe sites and "adult approved" site-filtering software. Easy, plug-and-go expandability - Each Aspire PC includes a total of five Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports. These ensure that peripheral devices such as printers, scanners, digital cameras, video cameras and game controllers can be added as simply as plugging a lamp into a wall. No need to open the system box, reboot the system, or install special device drivers to get a new USB device to work.

Easy, ergonomic design - One USB port is conveniently located up front, on the right side of the keyboard, making it easy to plug in a peripheral. Speakers are mounted on the monitor, saving space and leaving another USB port free, while the volume-control button is a simple touch away, right on the keyboard. The entire, space-age design is easy on the eyes.

Easy system maintenance and recovery - One of the most exciting features of the Aspire`s "easy-ness" is the Aspire TimeMachine Technology. It`s a unique system maintenance and recovery utility enabling quick system-restoration without the data loss typical of traditional crash-recovery procedures. In the event of a system software problem, the TimeMachine utility leads users back through an easy-to-navigate interface to the most recent stable version of `missing` or damaged files - a process that conserves both time and data. As a result, most Aspire system-recovery procedures are completed in as little as five minutes with no loss of data. It effectively transforms the "fix" approach from "What went wrong?" to "When did it last work?"

Easy support - Aspire is factory guaranteed for three years and is backed by Acer`s worldwide, AcerCare support service. In addition, every Aspire comes with three free vouchers for on-site support. Any AcerAspire owner living within 50km of an AcerCare centre anywhere in SA, can obtain free on-site support by an Acer technician three times during their first year of ownership. One voucher can be used for installation purposes.

Full capabilities - Aspire is made up of industry-leading components and technologies, with no compromises on specifications. It is equipped to handle a wide range of processors from the Intel Celeron processor 300A/400MHz or the Intel Pentium II processor 350/450MHz, right up to the new Intel Pentium III processor 450/500MHz. The Aspire has 32 or 64MB of standard RAM which is expandable to 384MB. Aspire includes a 56Kbps (V.90) fax modem, a choice of 40X (maximum) CD-ROM or a 6X (maximum) DVD-ROM drive, a choice of 4 -16GB Hard Drives, monitor-mounted speakers, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) keyboard, a contoured scroll-wheel USB mouse, a 3.5" floppy disk drive, and 3-D video with 8MB (maximum) of video memory.

Bundled software - Aspire comes bundled with the latest software including Microsoft Windows `98, Internet access software, Lotus SmartSuite and games.