Don't expect it anytime soon, but within a year, ads for Acer's smartphones will be splattered all over the place. Not only that, but some will be free. Free smartphones - including those running Windows Mobile. I'm not sure what kind of customer agreement will provide for the absorbing of such subsidies, but Acer's Smartphone Unit President, Aymar de Lencquesaing, is confident that the tactic will push his company into the top five of mobile phone OEMs within the next half-decade.

Acer already has netbooks for $99 on a two-year contract and a $60-per-month data plan with AT&T. And this auspicious offering makes for a sharp elbow in an industry where the big kids are quick to bully and snuff-out outsiders. This idea didn't just get Acer's foot in the door - it seems as though they now have everyone's ear.  So I think we can expect more netbooks to be available from our carriers in the near future. Keep an eye out for customized mobile data gadgets - basically made to order. As Lencquesaing told PCMAG:

Aside from netbooks and some killer priced devices, like a 1GHz  Snapdragon-powered H2 model, Acer has a couple of Android handsets under development. We've seen what competition and a free market can do to the cost of cell phone software. I can't wait to see how Acer shakes up the handset game. They have stated that they will be offering GSM devices, which places them in T-Mobile and AT&T's turf.

What does this mean with 4G looming around the corner and an increased demand for mobile data? I don't know, but I think some brutal and bitter battles are about to begin.

Via PCMAG