As part of its annual GPC event, Acer has announced a whole slew of new products, including laptops, desktops, beamers, displays, concept devices, and much more. The Chrome OS expert has also presented a new Chromebook and Chromebox, the Spin 513 and the CXI4. They're joined by a Google Assistant-equipped smart speaker with a low-res LED display and RGB lighting, making for some crazy Nest-Audio-meets-gamer-hardware aesthetics.

The Halo Smart speaker comes in a look that makes it feel right at home in an apartment equipped with Google devices. The mesh pattern and the four Google Assistant LED dots could make you think it's another Nest Audio speaker. The base presents a harsh contrast, though: The translucent bottom lights up in RGB colors which you can match to the music or adjust depending on your mood. There are also color schemes for night and day. On the top, you'll find a physical mute switch, a play/pause button, and volume adjustment options, all sitting in a black plastic squircle. The speaker supports DTS audio.

Above the Google Assistant LEDs, there's an optional low-res LED display that allows you to check the time, view your alarms, or see the weather. Acer says it's currently developing an app that will let you personalize the display with a custom message or a low-res image. The LED display could make the Halo an interesting alternative to the recently released Nest Audio, as it seems to augment the Assistant's answers with additional information.

The Halo Smart Speaker will be available in North America in Q1 2021, starting at $109. People in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia can purchase the device for €119 beginning this December.

Source: Acer