This $400 PC runs on Android

The latest Acer personal computer will be an All-in-One (AIO) model that runs Android, the company has confirmed. Currently available All-in-Ones from Acer run Windows 8 and retail for $900-$1,900; the new unit is priced around $400 or less at online retailers.

In advance of Computex next week, Acer has been dropping strong hints about the latest hybrid tablet touchscreens, like the following uber-teaser:

Android-running computers have been around, at least conceptually, since 2009-2010, when a slate of Android-powered netbooks hit the market — or at least newsstands. A Chinese version was announced in early 2009; Nokia said it was developing one for a 2010 launch. HP followed suit in February 2010, and today we’re all walking around with Jelly Bean computers!

Except we’re not. Most of those products never really materialized. Today, we’re still oohing and aahing over the fabled Android PC as though we hadn’t already been through the same rumor mill.

The difference is, Android today is a far cry from Android in 2009. It’s more polished and powerful, and it’s got a lot more market share and marketing visibility. And it doesn’t have two separate forks for phones and tablets.

HP’s recently released Slatebook x2 is a tablet-laptop hybrid that runs Android (and costs around $480). Rumor has it Samsung is also working on an Android PC for the 5.0 version of the operating system.

Acer confirmed its own Android AIO offering to reporters just yesterday, stating the machine will sport an Intel Haswell chip.

Image credit: Acer