The Acer Liquid Android phone is a bold move for the Taiwanese computer cobbler. It’s made Windows Mobile blowers before, but the switch to Google’s OS and less brick like look mark its first bid at a real consumer phone for us non suity sorts. Can it match HTC, Motorola and the rest? Read on and find out in our full Acer Liquid review.
Before powering the Acer Liquid on, you’re likely to be disappointed by the hardware. As slick as the Acer Liquid looks in press shots, it feels too wide, with a bulky bezel that attracts far too many fingerprints for our liking, leaving us longing for the awesome teflon coating of the HTC Hero.
Turning on the Acer Liquid will dispel any build concerns you may have. Its 3.5-inch, 800×480 screen is absolutely gorgeous and superbly responsive to prods. If a PC maker can stroll right into the smartphone market and come out with one of these, what on earth is Apple using its low res 480×360 iPhone displays for still?
There’s a 3.5mm socket and microSD slot for music heads, and while the five megapixel camera on the Acer Liquid isn’t lifechanging, it’s still decent for a smartphone. Android works just as expected, but it feels snappier than we’re used to, despite the high screen resolution, thanks to the zippy Snapdragon processor inside the Acer Liquid.
Read our Motorola Milestone review now
Unfortunately, Acer’s no frills approach to the software on the Acer Liquid is a bit of a let down. The Android OS here is vanilla, stuck on version 1.6, while other plain jane Google phones are racing ahead onto version 2.0. Acer has told us the 2.0 update will come some time this year, but frankly, we don’t see why we should have to wait.
In fact, if you’re not fussed about the build, it’s only really this that stops the Acer Liquid matching the Motorola Milestone. We found Moto’s flagship smartphone had a creaky keyboard, and with a faster processor under the bonnet and an only marginally smaller screen, the Acer Liquid could make Android 2.0, the Milestone’s real selling point, work just as well.
There is one other factor you’ll need to consider: the Acer Liquid is only being sold SIM free online, so with no network subsidies, you’ll have to pay £350 upfront. But if that’s not an issue, and you’re about brains and brawn over beauty, the Acer Liquid is one of the best Google phones yet you can buy. Us though? We’re holding out for the Google Nexus One.
