Dual Sim phones have never really come to anything. They always seem to be a good idea but never really deliver. Back in the days of Windows Mobile they existed and didn’t really take off and more recently Viewsonic have released a few under specced dual sim devices, again these didn’t really take off.
Samsung have been mentioning the Galaxy S DUOS which is a dual sim version of the Galaxy SIII, which is obviously going to cost a lot. Acer have announced something that is definitely not going to cost that much.
The Acer Gallant Duo and the Gallant are mid range ICS devices and the dual sim version should hopefully appeal to business users and travellers. I would fall into both brackets and I’m looking to see how Acer go with this one.
Quite how Ice Cream Sandwich deals with two sim cards remains to be seen. Normally the radio hardware is a hsdpa chip and a lower spec gsm chip. So calls and sms on one sim and mobile data stuff on the other.
Here is the Press Release from Acer:
Acer announces a winning twin of smartphones, the Liquid Gallant and Liquid Gallant Duo. With their advanced features and rich functionalities, these smartphones are the perfect companions of modern day’s explorers.
From the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, to the dual-sim dual stand-by model, ideal for globetrotters or for who wants to choose the better rate, these smartphones are designed to offer an enhanced user experience.The Liquid Gallant and its dual-sim twin brother, the Liquid Gallant Duo, sport a 4.3-inches display with a qHD resolution, offering a clear and detailed rendering of every image and text on screen. The unique design, that makes the Liquid Gallant (Duo) so comfortable to hold in your hand, is further enhanced by the power button placed on the back of the phone, so that lighting the screen when you slide it out of your pocket has never been more convenient. The Liquid Gallants are available in two colors: Gentle Black and Ceramic White.
“This new Acer smartphone mission is quite simple: bring the best experience to all the modern days’ explorers, which results in creating a very affordable phone with no compromise on performance and usability” says Allen Burnes, SPBG EMEA Vice President.
Indeed the Liquid Gallants combine powerful processors and plenty of memory to enjoy an exceptional browsing experience. They run Android ICS 4.0.4 for a smooth and user-friendly performance. As usual, Acer has improved the user experience, adding cool touches such as the convenient unlock screen, the improved notification area, the famous Swype keyboard and more.
The 5 MP rear camera with LED flash deliver advanced features for an extraordinary experience. Taking a one-time shot in a circular path you’ll be able to capture a 2.5D view of your beloved. With automatic smile detection, you’ll never miss a person smiling. You can take pictures with higher contrast and rich of details and easily assemble them into a single panoramic photo. What’s more you can set the focus point where you want simply by touching anywhere on the viewfinder.
Finally, the Liquid Gallants bring a premium clear and loud sound experience to the users with enhanced Surround Sound, whether they are used as hands-free conference devices or as portable music players.
The Liquid Gallant Duo will start hitting the shelves in September 2012, closely followed by the Single-sim variant.
Come discover these striking twins at the Acer booth at IFA – Hall 12 booth 101, from Aug. 31st to Sept. 5th.
They have also released a full spec list for the two as well.
Size Dimensions
129 x 65.5 x 9.9 mm
Weight
145 g
Battery
Talk time
Up to 6 hours
Standby time
Up to 250 hours
Capacity
1500 mAh
Radio
HSPA
900/2100 MHz
GSM/EDGE
850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
Bandwidth
DL: 7.2M, UL: 5.6M
Processing
CPU/Modem
MTK 6575 1GHz
ROM/RAM
4GB/1GB
Imaging
Camera
5MP AF and LED flash
Video
HD720p @30 fps
Display
LCD
4.3” qHD
Touchscreen
Capacitive touch
Connectivity
WiFi
802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
Class 3.0+EDR
FM Receiver
FM receiver + RDS
GPS
Yes, with A-GPS support
MicroSD slod
Yes
SIM Slot
Dual Sim (in the Duo)
Micro-USB
Yes
Audio out
3.5 mm standard audio jack
Sensors
Built-in sensors
Accelerometer, E-compass, Light sensor, Proximity sensor
Hard keys
Volume
Up/Down
Power
Power key
OS
Version
Android Ice Cream Sandwich
Text entry
Keyboard
Google virtual keyboard / Swype Imput Method
Productivity
Office
Polaris Office Viewer
SAR
SAR values
0.49 W/kg (head / CE)
Source – Acer
Image Credit – Pocket Lint