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Acer’s lifted the lid on its latest smart phone, the oddly-dubbed Liquid Glow — a curvy mobile that comes in a range of colours, that’s powered by Ice Cream Sandwich, the very latest version of Android.
Style-wise, the Liquid Glow is highly reminiscent of previous Acer efforts such as last year’s Liquid Mini, but it ups the stakes by being even more, err, rounded. Design is jazzed up with some chrome edging, and there’s a 5-megapixel snapper glued to the centre of the Liquid Glow’s rear.
The screen measures 3.7 inches on the diagonal, making it a fraction bigger than the iPhone 4S, which has a 3.5-inch display. It’s nowhere near as massive as gigantic phones like the 4.7-inch Samsung Galaxy Nexus or the 5.3-inch Galaxy Note though, so the Liquid Glow is unlikely to unduly bulk out your pockets.
The headline news for Android geeks is that the Liquid Glow will arrive running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The newest iteration of Google’s mobile OS brings features like the ability to unlock your phone using your face, and a new multi-tasking button.
Although Ice Cream Sandwich has been available for months, I’ve seen several manufacturers announce new phones that will launch running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. I’m pleased that Acer hasn’t gone down that route.
It’ll come in pink, white or black, and lurking inside is some near
field communication (NFC) tech as well. Right now, that’s not useful for
much other than sharing photos or contacts with another Ice Cream
Sandwich phone with NFC. But it could one day be used for making
payments using your handset.
There’s no word on pricing or availability yet, but based on what we know, I’d guess this smart phone won’t be as costly as high-end devices — this looks like a mid-range smart phone to me.
Acer will be showing off the Liquid Glow at Mobile World Congress next week, so expect hands-on photos and video very soon. In the meantime, let me know what you reckon in the comments below, or over on our Facebook wall.
For more Mobile World Congress news, stay tuned to mwc.cnet.co.uk.
