Defying the general perception of a “slow” year and the perceived need for caution and consolidation, Gateway is pushing ahead with their Philippine launch entitled HotSpots [Revealed], and it’s not just a single product that’s being introduced, as the HWZ boys saw last February 24, 2009 at the Renaissance Grand Ballroom.

Where does this Gateway lead to?

The event was very much a defiant hoorah in that it involved a large number of different models, and radiated an atmosphere of pure zest and enthusiasm – in fact, the whole event seemed to me a tongue-in-cheek exercise of self-depreciation; that is, Gateway seemed to want to come across as a company that serves its customers with speed and efficiency, but coupled this image with a whole lot of friendliness and fun.

There were cows...

Cowboys...

...and a whole lot of cow-themed models.

Gateway’s trademark black-spotted packaging took form during the event as cows, cowboys, cowboy hats, and the excellent beef medallions at the buffet table. Coupled with random moo-ing sounds and the random Acer/Gateway executive decked out with jeans, plaid shirts and holsters replete with a loaded (toy) gun, and the assembled media could not help but be buoyed along with the organizer’s confidence in the brand, as displayed by the wholly fun atmosphere.

The MD7802i. Note the black brushed aluminum.

The MD 2601i, with the same brushed aluminum design, but with an AMD processor.

With all the hubbub, the stars of the launch almost went unnoticed, that is, until we were shown some truly delicious-looking hardware that’s affordable to boot – in my opinion sealing its position as the perfect purchasable for those looking for good brand quality coupled with affordability in the coming months of 2009. Separated into three main groups, we have Gateway’s MD and UC notebook series and the ZX All-In-One series. The MD series is the multimedia representative for Gateway Notebooks, and is composed of two classy models – the MD2601i and the MD7802i, both boasting 3GB of DDR2, a 15.6” HD UltraBright LCD (running at 1366 x 768), a Mobility Radeon HD3650 with 512MB of dedicated VRAM, and the essential HDMI port complete with HDCP and S/PDIF support.

The UC7811i, sporting the neat circular touchpad.

All four initial laptop models from the UC and MD series have Vista Home Premium installed.

The UC series is Gateway’s mainstream representative, currently comprising two models: the UC7308i and the UC7811i. Two gigabytes of RAM comes standard, while display duties are handled by the combination of 13.3” LCD and Intel’s GMA 4500M with 128MB of dedicated VRAM. The UC series is also blessed with HDMI ports with HDCP support, but without the S/PDIF support, necessitating an additional audio cable for sound output to an external device. Both the MD and UC series are admittedly not as sleek as other costlier alternatives, but design elements such as a circular touchpad, black brushed aluminum cladding, tasteful silver trim, and uniquely-designed easy-access buttons.

Not shown in this shot is the integrated speaker system at the rear.

The third and probably the most significant series that was released that day was the ZX All-In-One series, represented by a single, compelling model: the ZX2300W. Compelling due to the combination of specifications and price – this ZX is powered by an Athlon 2650e processor, a much more powerful alternative to the Atom N270 and still relatively power efficient with its TDP rating of 15W. An 18.5” HD LCD running at 1366 x 768, 1GB of RAM, a powerful audio system and a “Touch Capacitive Input Panel” – all combined into a compact form factor that takes up much less space than a traditional desktop, makes this ZX2300W a steal at around P27000.

The latest entry into the netbook market: the LT1001i.

The FX edition seems to be a doozy of a performer with its specs.

It’s important to note too that this is merely the first batch of products from Gateway and represents only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to number of products. For example, we had the privilege to see both Gateway’s netbook entry the LT1001i, and their impressive FX edition gaming laptop. Both are still unavailable, but we here at HWZ were promised an FX gaming laptop in the coming months for review. Watch out for that review!

Acer Philippines General Manager Mr. Manuel Wong giving the opening statements.

Acer and Axis Global executives. Axis Global is one of Gateway's local distributors.

In the meantime, Gateway pulled out all the stops to acquaint the media to all of the available and incoming models, with each model having a working demo unit set on cow-spot themed center tables. Each model was designed with Gateway’s philosophy of aesthetic functionality in mind, coupled with Gateway’s desire to treat the customer with respect and deliver service, quality and value. Gateway seems determined to make a grand entrance into the local market, and with this light-hearted event, the company seems set to take on the established competition with affordability and quality, while ensuring that the customer remains relaxed and comfortable with the brand – an easy thing to do once you take in Gateway’s unique style. More pictures to follow.

Parting Shot.