Acer has released a 2-in-1 business tablet in Australia, dubbed the Aspire Switch 10 Pro, with the Windows 8.1 device featuring a stylus called Active Pen as well as a magnetic detachable hinge.
The new device is targeted at the business market and is set to compete directly against Microsoft’s 12-inch Surface Pro 3 and Lenovo’s ThinkPad 10, as well as Android devices such as Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1.
Meanwhile, Apple is expected to update its iPad lineup at an event later this week.
Acer claims a battery life of up to 8 hours for the tablet, which is powered by an Intel Atom quad-core processor. It also includes a 2-megapixel HD webcam with 1920 x 1200 resolution and 1080p Full HD audio/video recording.
The Aspire Switch 10 Pro includes a technology Acer calls LumiFlex, which automatically adjusts the display settings based on lighting conditions, as well as a brushed aluminium rear cover.
It comes with 64GB of storage with an additional 500GB in the keyboard, and is available through Asus’ partner retaielrs, including Synnex, BlueChip IT and Ingram Micro.
The device will retail locally with a starting price of $749, making it less expensive than an equivalent 64 GB iPad Air, which is available from Apple for $799, or Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3, which begins at $979 but includes a larger screen.
Andrew Sadauskas is a former journalist at SmartCompany and a former editor of TechCompany.
