Acer should start innovating and stop complaining

I had to smile at this series of points from Acer’s top man into today’s FT regarding the impending launch of Microsoft’s Surface:

Acer, the world’s fourth largest computer manufacturer by shipments, has attacked Microsoft’s planned move into tablets, highlighting the growing rift between the software company and its former allies among PC makers.

JT Wang, chairman and chief executive of Acer, said Microsoft’s plans to launch its own “Surface” tablet in October – in direct competition with his company’s Iconia or HP’s TouchPad tablets would be “negative for the worldwide ecosystem” in computing.

…

“We have said [to Microsoft] think it over,” he told the Financial Times. “Think twice. It will create a huge negative impact for the ecosystem and other brands may take a negative reaction. It is not something you are good at so please think twice.”

I’d imagine that the on-going smartphone and tablet disruption is far more ‘negative’ for the status quo than Microsoft trying to do something, anything to stay relevant. Isn’t Apple and Google a bigger problem? What about the redefinition of computing taking place right now? And how about supporting Microsoft with their attempts to break into the tablet market properly?

Time to get real, Acer.

Indeed there’s little point in you saying anything, Mr Acer, especially if your chief comment is to ask Microsoft to stop and think a little whilst Apple ships another 250m iPhones and 150m tablets by the end of the year.

Microsoft would, I reckon, be quite delighted to sit in the corner making billions from Windows, Office and Exchange whilst the rest of the computer industry did the hardware innovation.

By the way, kudos to the team at Venturebeat for their post on the subject — I love the headline: Acer CEO warns Microsoft about Surface tablet (translation: Acer is terrified of Surface)