Acer Liquid Z3 is official – cheap Android in a small package

Acer has been working on a new 3.5-inch smartphone for a while now – an Android handset that is supposedly good despite its smaller package. However, we sure hope that the newly announced Acer Liquid Z3 isn't the device the company has in mind. This new low-cost model comes with specs that put it in the entry-level category, including a 1GHz dual-core processor of unknown make and model, a 3.5-inch display of presumably mediocre resolution, 4GB of storage, and a 3MP rear camera. What makes it even clearer that the Acer Liquid Z3 is aimed at budget-conscious buyers is the availability of a dual-SIM version of the device.

The petite proportions of the Acer Liquid Z3 are supposed to be its stand-out feature. It measures 109 by 60 millimeters, with a thickness of 10.4 millimeters, and weighs 120 grams. These figures put it into the same category with low-end rivals like the Sony Xperia E and the HTC Desire 200. The Z3's lead, however, in terms of size is only marginal. Acer is also trying to differentiate its Liquid Z3 smartphone with the implementation of several pre-defined user profiles. These include:

But at the end of the day, the best thing about the Acer Liquid Z3 seems to be its low price. In Europe, the handset will be offered for as low as €99 (about $132), which is dirt cheap for a fully functional Android smartphone. It is also nice that Android 4.2 comes out of the box, which is a fairly recent version of the platform, and support for Acer's cloud-based service called AcerCloud has been thrown in as well. 

Available in black or white, The Acer Liquid Z3 will launch in mid-August across parts of Europe, including Belgium, Netherlands, Ukraine, France, Spain, UK, Italy, Germany and Russia. In addition, Acer will release a selection of accessories, such as flip-covers, replaceable back-covers in multiple colors, and a standard screen protector film. 

source: Acer France via Android Community