GoKawiilHadlee Simons / Android Authority
TL;DR Acer has announced the Project DualPlay Mini concept handheld.
This device looks like a conventional handheld but opens up to deliver a netbook-style experience, complete with a physical keyboard.
Acer also unveiled the Predator Atlas 7 handheld PC.
Acer is no stranger to handheld gaming, as its Windows handhelds have been around for a while. Now, the company has revealed its new Predator Atlas 7 handheld, along with a radical concept handheld.
Starting with the concept device, Acer has unveiled the Project DualPlay Mini handheld. This gadget looks like a large Windows handheld at first, complete with all the expected controls. However, the device opens like a laptop, revealing a large, backlit physical keyboard. The 8-inch screen also swivels inwards to complete the laptop/netbook transformation.
Acer adds that the Project DualPlay Mini can connect to an external display, giving you a larger screen for work or play. The device also packs an unnamed Intel chip and the same dual cooling fans seen on the Atlas 8.
The biggest downside to this handheld is that it’s merely a concept at this stage. We also don’t know whether it’s comfortable to use, if there are any weight issues (e.g., heavy design or top-heavy), or if it can withstand repeated folds and swivels. Windows handheld pioneer GPD has long offered netbook-style devices with the gamepad controls crammed above the keyboard. So Acer’s solution seems like an intriguing alternative to this established approach.
Predator Atlas 7: A smaller (but still large) handheld
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
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