Acer launches affordable high-end Android smartphone

Liquid Metal aims to attract users with £299 price

Acer has unveiled the Liquid Metal, a new smartphone which could attract business users with its affordability and high-end specifications.

The manufacturer is touting the handset's speed and functionality, claiming that the preloaded Android 2.2 operating system runs five times faster than its predecessor.

The Liquid Metal is powered by a Qualcomm 7230 800MHz processor, which is only slightly slower than the 1GHz processors in high-end Android devices such as the HTC Desire HD and Samsung Galaxy S.

The smartphone comes with a 3.6in capacitive WVGA multi-touch display capable of a "quality internet experience", according to Acer, and Flash support.

Connectivity includes 3G, Wi-Fi, HSDPA and DLNA/UPnP, and the handset can be tethered to a PC, share files wirelessly and act as a Wi-Fi hotspot for other devices, all of which could be useful for business users.

Acer will also ship the device with its latest interface overlay, similar to the one found in the Acer Stream, which allows users to manage and customise applications and widgets.

The handset features a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus, face and smile recognition, and an LED Flash. Acer has also incorporated HD video recording at 720p (30fps), and high-resolution video playback in Xvid format.

The Liquid Metal will start shipping from mid-November priced at £299.