Acer Liquid A1 review

Acer has traditionally been a manufacturer associated with Windows Mobile devices, and that’s not a surprise from a company more used to PCs than smartphones.

However, it didn’t come as a surprise when the company announced late last year that it would be entering the Android market. After all, it’s the current fad, and who is Acer to be left behind?

Sadly, the resultant fruits of this Android vision are not aesthetically pleasing. Indeed, the a href="http://www.itpro.co.uk/616291/acer-unveils-android-powered-liquid-smartphone" target="blank"]Acer Liquid A1[/a] is an ugly-looking device.

Its white glossy plasticky casing feels cheap although this does mean the device is pretty light at 135g. The front is just as hard on the eye, as you cast your eye past the touch screen down to the black panel at the bottom. Even the least of fashionistas will find it a little off-key.

The touch screen, however, is a sight for sore eyes. At 3.5in (480 x 800 pixels), the screen is stunning – better than we’ve seen on past Acer devices - and it’s capacitive too, which is always a nice feature to see on a spec sheet.

It’s a joy to operate when using your finger to swipe, but not so responsive when using the keyboard. This could be down to the fact that the letters are so small and only hobbit-like hands would be able to tap away with any speed, but it is a serious flaw. After all, Apple, HTC and Samsung have all managed to make typing work on touch screens.

So back to that rather unsightly button panel below the Liquid A1’s screen. It’s pretty much Android fare – shortcuts to the home screen, search, back button and Android’s context sensitive menu button. Like the touch screen, they’re a little hit-and-miss. Tap and nothing will happen. Tap a little harder and they might respond - if you’re lucky.