Acer just delivered its first Windows Phone device, the Allegro, but it’s been a little while since we heard about the company’s efforts in the world of Android. Acer just announced its Gingerbread-running Liquid Express for a European release, and while it may be quite the low-end piece of hardware by today’s standards, it’s significant in representing Acer’s first model with NFC support, a feature the company has said will be present in all its future Androids from this point out.

From a 3.5-inch screen, to an 800MHz processor, it’s no surprise why we’re so underwhelmed by the majority of the Liquid Express’s components. Granted, the company could have made some even more budget-aware choices – at least you get a five-megapixel camera – but this one had the potential to be quite tricky to get excited about on its own.

NFC is still quite the rarity on smartphones, so it’s great to see Acer making such a strong commitment to it. While other smartphone manufacturers take their sweet time introducing the feature, especially when it comes to lower-end handsets, Acer’s really giving some of this otherwise-inconsequential hardware the chance to stand out. For a novice smartphone shopper deciding between a budget model and a budget model you can use to make mobile purchases, an innovative feature like that might just act as the tipping point.

The Liquid Express has been confirmed for release on several UK carriers; you should be able to find it presently.

Source: Acer, NFCWorld

Via: Pocket-lint