A Gateway for all seasons

Nigel Gore, general manager for Australia, Gateway told CRN the company's cow design will only be used for marketing material.

"We want to push the product to consumers that are tech savvy, yet conscious of fashions and trend," he said.

"These consumers are usually aged 24-35 and buy technology which represents an extension of their personality."

One of the first models to be introduced in the range will be the Summer Breeze Collection LT Series netbook.

It features an 11.6-inch high-definition display with built in Wi-Fi, webcam and Dolby Headphone technology and will cost $799.

The Winter Snow Collection NV Series is priced from $1099 and comes with Dolby Sound Room technology and can play multimedia content.

Priced at $1399, the Spring Butterfly Collection EC Series has an eight-hour battery life on a single charge, claimed Acer and has a thin, lightweight design.

The Autumn Shade Collection ID Series contains a 15.6-inch LED, backlit, frameless widescreen display and will retail for $1999.

Gateway will also release the P Series FX, aimed at the high-end gaming, video-editing and graphic-design market, at the cost of $3999.

While the initial sale of the products will be through mass retail merchant Harvey Norman, Gore said stand alone resellers will also be able to sell these products.

"We are in the recruitment stage with channel partners," he said.

"One more mass merchant retailer will be signed on.

"Gateway and our distributor, Synnex are currently qualifying 60 channel partners. These guys will have stand alone retail shop fronts in a couple of locations."

Gore said these resellers must currently be talking to consumers in the 24-35 age brackets.

"The resellers will be provided with marketing material and training on Gateway products," he said.

"While product margins are confidential, resellers will have competitive margin price on the products.

"These aren't low-end products and will fit resellers who are currently selling SMB products to consumers."

Gore said all products come with a one year warranty, with an extension option. Also products with products will be serviced at Gateway's Sydney centre.