Acer wants to buy a PC competitor, bury Lenovo

[ryengineer]

Saw this news, thought it could be worth sharing.

Acer wants to buy a PC competitor, bury Lenovo
March 12, 2007 4:24 PM PDT

Acer is going to try to make a major purchase in the PC world this year and says it will pass Lenovo to become the third largest computer maker in the world.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Acer Chairman and CEO J.T. Wang said the Taiwan-based company wants to make a meaningful acquisition of another PC maker this year. "We are looking at some candidates which we want to pick up," he said.

With an acquisition under its belt, Acer would likely pass Lenovo to become the No. 3 PC maker in the world. Even without an acquisition, however, Acer will likely pass Lenovo, based in mainland China, anyway, Wang said. Acer will likely grow units by 30 percent or more this year, he said, while the industry will grow at a slower rate.

Acer has been one of the key companies to watch in the PC sector for the last several years. It has grown faster than any other major PC maker since 2003, outpacing larger rivals like Dell and smaller ones with greater name cachet like Apple and Toshiba that have benefited, respectively, from music players and increased shipments of laptops.

In 2003, the company only had 2.9 percent of the worldwide market and wasn't in the top five. In the fourth quarter of last year, market share went to 7.1 percent, more than twice the 2003 number.

The company's strategy has largely been to make notebooks and desktops that are some of the least expensive in the mid- to high-price bands. It has also concentrated on growing markets like Europe and Asia, although it will start to put more emphasis on North America.

Posted by Michael Kanellos (editor at large at CNET News.com)

[Turbo Audi]

I saw a similar article on the inquirer, but now I can't find it. Maybe they pulled it, I swear I just read it this morning!

The gist of the article is there are no more computer companies to be bought.

EDIT:

Found it.

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=38159

[Temetka]

Am I the only one bothered by this? IMO the Aspire and Travelmate laptops are utter crap. I can't begin to count the number I have fixed, or raped for parts. They are total crap with very cheap design and build quality.

Their LCD line is not too bad though.

[Turbo Audi]

Am I the only one bothered by this? IMO the Aspire and Travelmate laptops are utter crap. I can't begin to count the number I have fixed, or raped for parts. They are total crap with very cheap design and build quality.

Their LCD line is not too bad though.

I have Dual Acer AL2216Ws Widescreen LCDs, and they are ok. Nothing to write home about.

[Temetka]

You noticed I said they are not to bad. I have a 19" non-widescreen LCD. It's acceptable. Great price. Works fine. A smidgen on the dim side.

My 17" Dell LCD blows it away in color reproduction though.

Acer reminds me of Packard Bell. I hope they suffer the same fate. Crap products for uneducated consumers.

*shivers*

[Turbo Audi]

Ok then we agree!


In a year or so Ill sell these and grab a Apple 30" Cinema or a Samsung or Dell of equivalent intenseness.