Modding 101 – Missing Optimus Device IDs – LaptopVideo2Go Forums.
The always helpful community at LV2G forums, and Super Member Nautis1100 in particular, has a solution for Gateway ID49C owners struggling to update their drivers.
It Seems Acer/Gateway/Packard Bell are not participating in NVIDIA’s awesome Verde driver program.
I don’t feel brand loyalty to any particular company, I am a big advocate of getting the best deal you can for something that makes you happy to use it. In my case it always seems to come down to products from a couple of companies; Apple and Acer.
Apple gives me pride of ownership but it comes at a premium cost and often omits things that I, as a gadget freak, covet. Things like Blu-Ray, HDMI, the latest GPUs, and cool operating temperatures. Acer on the other hand seems to create products that appeal to my sense of value for dollar, but they are usually a little rough around the edges.
Frankly I think it is easier for Acer to become like Apple than the other way around. And the Gateway ID49C is the best evidence of this to date.
What does $749.99 CDN (regular price) get you? Read the rest of this entry »
While Acer is getting lots of attention due to its awesome Timeline X series – with includes 14″ and 15″ models that have power dedicated video systems while maintaining 8 hour battery life – Gateway has not been standing still either. Perhaps a little rivalry between product managers across the hall form each other (Acer group owns Gateway). Whatever the motivation, it looks like Gateway has a winner on its hands in the ID series.
Similar in a lot of ways to the Timeline X series, the Gateways offer a healthy dose of metal construction, Nvidia Optimus, appealing design and a few innovations. In particular a glowing mutltitouch touchpad. The Core i series CPUs and Geforce 330m GT also feature prominently in the specifications. All of this is bundled into a system that sells for $750 CDN – regular price (ID49C).
Every couple of years Acer drops a new computer that re-sets my price point expectations. Acer’s Aspire 5112 WLMi offered dual core and solid GPU for a great price back in 2006. Their TravelMate 2428 WXCi was selling for netbook like prices that same year. Then, in 2008 the Acer owned Gateway launched affordable gaming computers in the FX series. Now, Gateway brings us a $699 that offers the latest CPU, GPU, mobile platform and screen technology.
Whether you like Acer or not, this price pressure will drive down the cost of acquiring a similar machine from your vendor of choice, and that’s a good thing. Thank you Acer! Read the rest of this entry »
My next review will be up soon and it pretty much obliterates my assumptions about $700 notebooks.
Because I have a serious crush on their version of Gateway’s P-7811FX gaming notebook.
As you probably know, Gateway and Packard Bell were consumed by Acer a few years back. Packard Bell had been languishing under the rudderless NEC Corporation – a company that can not decide what exactly it does from one day to the next. I really expected Packard Bell to go the way of Commodore – a curious footnote in the PC history books like Wang and Olivetti.
But Acer has big plans for Packard Bell – its going to be the hip brand in Europe. Wow. Can this be done? Is it a sign of insanity to even attempt this? You could easily answer yes to either of these questions – but I like how Acer has started.
Delivering gaming products through the Packard Bell iPower line is a good idea. These computers are essentially identical to the well received FX series from Gateway. The FX series really put Gateway back on the map.
This is marketing 101 – get the ‘influencers’ interested in your brand and saying good things about it. That is exactly what has occurred in North America. Gateway’s FX notebooks routinely sell out at Best Buy because they offer terrific performance at a fraction of the competition’s price. Even if you thumb your nose at the brand, you can’t say anything bad about the specifications delivered for the price. The success of the Gateway P-6831fx, P-6860fx and P-7811fx prove this.
Acer’s buying power easily trumps whatever goodwill and gamer cred Alienware and Voodoo have earned for their owners (Dell and HP). Now they will put this to work in Europe.
And boy are the Europeans ever lucky. Look at the specs delivered for 1400 Euros:
I’ll be leaning on my family in Europe to send me one when this notebook launches in October.
Gateway has been on a roll since being acquired by Acer last year. Acer’s aggressive pricing for decent specifications combined with Gateway’s newfound sense of style makes the Gateway M-6864FX its $750 to $999 street price a notebook of interest.
Hardware Highlights:
My review of this fine little netbook is up. Please head on over to the Tech Report for the details.
Next up is the Asus Lamborghini VX3 and Gateway M-6864FX. Stay tuned!
Montevina notebooks are popping out everywhere and that means there are deals to be had on Intel’s previous platform; Santa Rosa. This is great news for value-centric consumers.
Gateway has been on a roll since being acquired by Acer last year. Acer’s aggressive pricing for decent specifications combined with Gateway’s newfound sense of style makes the $599 Gateway T-6321 a notebook of interest.
Hardware Highlights:
I picked up a Gateway T-6321 a couple of days ago. When I complete the Asus VX3 review I will this latest Gateway. It’s amazing what kind of notebook you can buy with $599.
