Acer Aspire R7 and P3 Ultrabook bring new slant to touch-screen laptops

A major problem with using Windows 8's touch-screen interface on a traditional computer has been having to reach across a keyboard to touch the display. Today, I was able to see firsthand a touch-screen laptop design that may solve this problem in the form of the 15.6-inch Acer Aspire R7.

The Aspire R7's display floats on a hinge that lets you move the display forward and closer to the keyboard so it's easier to reach, as with an all-in-one desktop. The display also twists in various positions including flat, allowing the R7 to take the form of a tablet.

At the press event I attended, Acer said that the R7 weighs 6.3 pounds, but didn't provide a lot of technical specs. But the Aspire R7 is now available for pre-order, for $999.99, at Best Buy's site, which says that it includes an Intel Core i5 processor, 6GB of memory, 500GB hard drive, and 24GB solid state drive, a backlit keyboard, HDMI output, but no DVD/CD drive.

Acer also introduced the P3 Ultrabook, a detachable model that doesn't have a trackpad. Instead, the display is tilted to make touching it easier. Acer also introduced a new Android-based tablet, the Iconia A1.

The Acer P7 ultrabook with its tablet-like touch screen over its keyboard.