Taiwanese budget computer giant and the Walt Disney Company have teamed up to release their child-friendly laptop: the Netpal. Due to be on sale in the US by July, the move is in stark opposition to current trends in the American toy industry which is seeing manufacturers cutting back on high-priced toy production, and instead opting for cheaper goods.
However, the plans are not only brave, but they also signify an intriguing progression in the development of computer technology. Asus seem a prime candidate for production duties – laptop reviews of previous models frequently commend their value-for-money and simple products – and with the increasing popularity of best netbooks it seems that small, simple, web-surfing, word-processors may be set to make a big impact over the next year.
Whether it will appeal greatly amongst youngsters remains to be seen – and many will be following the popularity of the Netpal with a keen eye. According to Reuters, Mattel, Hasbro Inc and Toys “R” Us have all pushed for cheaper toy production as the recession causes credit-weary parents to cut back on spend this summer. The Netpal will retail at around $350.
In contrast to industry trends though, Chris Heatherly, vice president of global toys for Disney’s consumer products unit, argued: “What parents consistently told us is ‘I’m not looking for the lowest price point. I’m looking for something that is good value for money that my kid is going to get use out of’.”
In keeping with the positive market research, the Netpal will also be occupying a unique space in the market – giving children aged between six and 12 the chance to surf the web and send e-mails, but with better parent-implemented security options.
Yet, another intriguing aspect regarding the plans is the timing. Not only are fewer people spending money on leisure items currently, but I would anticipate that the Netbook will begin to sell better after the summer months and during the colder run-up to Christmas. However, I’m sure Heatherly will have done his research there and it seems that by December the Netpal will be a well-established product within the marketplace – and the first name among kids laptops.
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Last month, Acer Inc has surpassed Dell to become the world’s second-largest computer vendor during the third quarter of 2009. Now, it seems that Acer is now looking at the world’s number one PC maker, Hewlett Packard. In the September quarter, HP has retained its position with about 20.2 percent of the market, whereas Acer reported 14 percent share of the market as compared to Dell’s 12.7 percent.
Acer’s future plans
According to market sources, Acer has shipped in between 3.4-3.6 million notebooks (including best netbooks) in September month, beating both HP and Dell. Recently, Mr. J.T. Wang, Acer Chairman has indicated that it will ship over 40 million notebooks in 2010, a number that would challenge the top position of HP in the portable PC sales. Mr. Wang also added that the company expects a growth of revenue by more than 70 percent over the next three years.
Reasons for the Acer’s success
In the past few years, Acer has become one of the fastest growing PC makers, outshining Lenovo and then Dell to become number two PC maker. Many experts said that the take-over of Gateway Inc. and controlling power of Packard Bell have strengthen Acer’s multi-brand strategy, which targeted to create Acer’s brand awareness in countries like US.
The reason for the company’s high sales and market shares is the low-cost Netbook PCs. Acer expects about 50% gain in sales, but if world’s economy grows, the company anticipates growing even more in the near future. Mr. Wang, who leads the company since 2008, also said that the company’s revenue will touch about $18 billion in this fiscal year. Further, the company anticipates that the handheld market will reach about $200 billion in 2010 and Acer expects a smaller pie out of this with $30 billion revenue. In contrast, analysts expect Acer’s sales to reach $25 billion in 2012.
In its third-quarter results, Acer has reported sales of $5.2 billion, a new high and up 5.3% year on year basis. The company also reports $107.8 million earnings, which jumped 14 percent quarter on quarter basis. However, if there was no shortage of certain components in its manufacturing units, the company would have done even better.
Acer Aspire One series
Aspire One series is the Acer’s line of subcompact notebook computers released in July 2008 that are based on the Intel Atom platform. Aspire One notebooks are behind the high sales of the company in last two years. Recently, the company has introduced Aspire 1820PT, a 11.6” notebook with a swivel screen that transforms it into a tablet computer. Acer also announced that it will launch Android based best netbooks, which will be available by Q3 of 2009.
Entering into Smartphones array
Acer is not only working on PC market, but also entering into Smartphone business with the launch of its new Smartphone, the Acer Liquid A1. The new device is powered by Qualcomm’s 768 MHz Snapdragon processor and Android platform.
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