Acer joins HD DVD spin team

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

6th September 2007 16:14 GMT

If you thought Acer's move, announced last week, that it will support the Blu-ray Disc optical disc format was a sign it had hopped off the fence, think again. The computer maker - soon to be the world's third largest - today reiterated its support for HD DVD.

Acer Aspire 5920
Acer's Aspire 5290: HD DVD here

Acer said it has joined the HD DVD Promotional Group, the body charged with persuading World+Dog not to buy the propaganda put out by its opposite number, the Blu-ray Disc Association. Which is, of course, equally busy countering the HD DVD PG's spin. They're both at it.

Acer unveiled its first HD DVD products - laptops fitted with read-only HD DVD drives - back in April 2006. Since then it has released a number of Ferrari and Aspire brand laptops with HD DVD support, most recently the Gem-design Aspire 5920.

Acer TravelMate 8210
Acer's TravelMate 8210: Blu-ray on board

A die-hard HD DVD backer, then? Well, clearly not given last week's announcement - and the fact that a fair few of its TravelMate laptops are already available with Blu-ray Disc drives aboard.

In short, like LG and Samsung, Acer is, quite sensibly, keeping its options open.