Acer today announced that it has been named an International CES Innovations 2014 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree for the Acer S7 Ultrabook and Acer R7 notebook.  Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, independent engineers and members of the trade media to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting edge consumer electronics products across 29 product categories.

The second generation of Acer’s award winning Aspire S7 Ultrabook Series, the S7-392, continues to be praised as one of the best Windows 8-based touch Ultrabooks to date.  As thin as a tablet at just 2.87 pounds, the Aspire S7 has a simple, streamlined design with embellishments kept to a minimum to maintain a clean and elegant look.  The use of straight lines, glossy white Gorilla Glass 2, glowing light and anodized aluminum have culminated in a notebook that champions cutting-edge technology alongside innovative design.

The latest generation of the S7 features 4th Generation Intel Core i5 and i7 Processors for enhanced performance and improved battery life.  It also features a keyboard with deeper keystroke, a quieter fan and Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) technology for connecting wirelessly to a TV.  In some regions, the S7 is available with a Wide Quad High-Definition (WQHD) display. With 4X as many pixels as an HD display, the WQHD display portrays amazingly crisp and vivid detail.

The Acer R7 was made for the new computing lifestyle, which increasingly combines touching and typing.  With a repositioned keyboard and a revolutionary “Ezel Hinge” that moves the display forward and into different positions, the R7 makes the combination of touching the screen and using the keyboard more intuitive and natural.  Its ergonomic design allows users to explore and determine their own preferred way to interact with technology.  It can easily be used as a traditional notebook, a table top pad, a display, or switched into “Ezel” mode, allowing the screen to float over the keyboard at various angles.

Acer has also complemented the R7’s powerful features and high-definition display with a premium sound system that includes Dolby Digital Plus and four 2-watt speakers.  Because of its transformative design, the audio channels automatically reverse when switching modes, so sound is always perfect.   For the consumer that wants it all, it includes the performance of a premium laptop, the fun and versatility of a tablet and the visuals and audio clarity of an HDTV.

“Acer is committed to creating products that enable consumers to explore beyond their limits and accomplish much more with technology,” said Michael Birkin, Acer Chief Marketing Officer. “We are pleased that two of our most exciting products have been recognized by such a prestigious panel for their outstanding design, innovation and usability.”

The prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards are sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)^®, the producer of the International CES, the global gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technology, and have been recognizing achievements in product design and engineering since 1976.

The Innovations entries are judged based on the following criteria:

• Engineering qualities, based on technical specs and materials used
• Aesthetic and design qualities, using photos provided
• The product’s intended use/function and user value
• Why the product deserves the Innovations award, including specifics regarding its unique/novel features and features that consumers would find attractive
• How the design and innovation of this product directly compare to other products in the market place

Products chosen as an Innovations honoree reflect innovative design and engineering of the entries. Examples may include the first time various technologies are combined in a single product or dramatic enhancements to previous product designs.

Innovations 2014 Design and Engineering honoree products are featured on CESweb.org/Innovations, which lists product categories, as well as each product name, manufacturer information, designer, description, photo and URL.