Acer's New ''Web Surf Station'' is Between Monitor and All-in-One in Functionality

[btarunr]

Acer made the PC monitor a little smarter by giving it PC functionality, without being a PC. The new DX241H "Web Surf Station" is a 24-inch full-HD monitor that has an in-built web-browser based on Google Chrome, and DLNA-based media player, that give users the ability to surf the web and access their media collection, without needing a PC. The monitor comes with a "Web Surf Station" remote that gives media controls, and a slide-out QWERTY keypad. The monitor can connect to the internet over wired Ethernet, a wireless network adapter can also be plugged in to the monitor's USB 2.0 ports. The monitor uses these USB 2.0 ports to access USB flash drives, external hard drives, and drive enclosures, or pretty much any media that uses the USB Mass Storage framework. A multi-format card reader is also included.

As a monitor, the DX241H is full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels resolution), and uses a TN panel. It features 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, fast 2 ms response time, and display inputs that include D-Sub and HDMI. It is available for pre-order in Europe, priced at €299.



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[Thrackan]

The remote looks rather cheapish, I hope it doesn't have shortcomings like the arrow keys not changing orientation when you start using the keyboard.

Otherwise, this looks very usable.

 

[Mussels]

thats.... rather interesting

 

[HossHuge]

Two things:

1. Are you supposed to use the arrows on the remote as a mouse?
2. I'd rather just use a wireless keyboard than that little thing.

 

[Kreij]

I like the idea that it's built into the monitor and does not require a dual boot or some type or virtualization on the PC itself.

 

[erixx]

nice! only missing network access to home pc's drives

In fact most what we do in our living room is 'surf' and 'browse' music and video sites. An OS is overkill most of the time.

 

[Mussels]

nice! only missing network access to home pc's drives

In fact most what we do in our living room is 'surf' and 'browse' music and video sites. An OS is overkill most of the time.

that would be tied into the DLNA player, at the very least it will work off USB drives.

 

[erixx]

going to research about "DLNA", but I mentioned pc drives, knowing that USB pens are just good enough for last minute copies but not for a HD movie session: but then you always could plug in an external USB HDD...