Acer unveiled its new Aspire R7 today in New York City and the device seems to want to do it all. It looks like a laptop, but thanks to Acer's hinge system (what the company is calling an "Ezel" hinge) the device can turn into a desktop or simply function as a tablet quite easily.
The name Ezel is fitting for the hinge system, as the device works similar to an easel. You can pull the display closer to you, to right above the keyboard and use the screen as a touchpad. The screen can be flipped in reverse, pushed completely flat or just used like a standard laptop.
As far as specs go, the 15.6-inch notebook should come with Intel Core i5 processor, up to 12GB of memory, and up to 1TB hard drive or a 256GB SSD, according to TechRadar. Acer has been teasing this device for a little while now, with a Star-Trek inspired commercial and teaser page.
The R7 will also have a full HD display and works with what the company calls a "Screen Grasp" technology. It's probably something similar to LeapMotion or PointGrab, allowing the user to pinch and pull objects on the screen, according to the Verge. In addition to touch and keyboard input, you can use the tablet with a digital pen. The $1,000 product will be in stores in mid-May, sold exclusively at Best Buy in the U.S.
The company also unveiled the P3 Ultrabook, another Intel-inside device that pops off from a laptop style design to become a tablet. The company hasn't been specific about the features for that yet but the device should come with either Intel Core i3 or i5 processors and your choice of 60GB or 120GB SSD. The P3 is available now for around $800.
Acer also announced an update to its Iconia line, the Iconia A1, with a 7.9-inch IPS screen. That product will be available in June retailing for $169.
