IN a move aimed at capturing Hong Kong's emerging home PC market, Acer has introduced a new line of computers squarely aimed at local children, students and computer novices.
Based on the popular Chinese cartoon series McMug published by Bliss Press, the Acer.McMug line of 486 and Pentium PCs comes with a collection of software custom-developed by Bliss to make the new machines even easier to use than Plug 'N Play systems. Acer is selling the PCs, which are only available in the territory, with the slogan Pluck 'N Taste.
According to Michael Mak, Acer Hong Kong's managing director, the Acer.McMug line represents part of the company's corporate philosophy of a global brand with a local touch.
'It is very local because McMug is a local cartoon figure,' Mr Mak said. 'In South Africa we are using teddy bears to associate with our PCs. I wouldn't say it is a global policy but according to local requirements we would do what is necessary to get close to our customers.' The Acer.McMug PC comes fully configured with DOS and Windows, plus a complete program manager and file manager replacement based on the McMug characters. The software eliminates the multiple windows which are a common feature of most Windows systems and brings everything into two basic windows.
One window is used to manipulate program manager groups and launch applications. A row of icons along the bottom of the window allows users to call up any group while colourful icons across the top of the windows handle useful functions. For example, a pig icon which acts as a delete function and comes to life in an eating animation whenever an icon is dragged onto it to help children and computer novices make the connection with the removal function.
The file manager replacement also includes the animated pig trash can and adds features not found in the standard Windows version including drag and drop file compression to ZIP archives and the ability to treat ZIP files as directories and easily expand individual files within an archive.
In addition to the custom Windows interface, McMug software includes additional wallpaper graphics, screen savers and fonts designed to resemble highly stylised children's handwriting.