CES: Acer announces new cloud service, copies Apple's iCloud presentation

In promoting its new AcerCloud service, Acer chose to mimic not only Apple's iCloud, but also directly lifted a slide Apple used to introduce iCloud in a keynote presentation last year.

Acer's "blatant iCloud ripoff" was highlighted by The Verge, which noticed the similarities between Acer's promotional image and Apple's keynote slide. The slide in question relates to Acer's "PicStream" service, which has similar rules to Apple's PhotoStream functionality in iCloud.

Both graphics represent their specific services by showing a cloud floating above with content stored in it, and the words "30 days" written. Down below, a trio of devices are shown with photos pushed to them from the cloud.

Any differences between the two images are minimal, and all three show photos being pushed from the cloud to a smartphone, tablet and PC. The offending graphic can still be found in Acer's official press release for AcerCloud.

"Copycat" tactics by the competition have been a major issue for Apple, which has taken to filing patent infringement suits against companies it feels are stealing its ideas. For example, Apple has argued in court filings that Samsung's smartphones and tablets "blatantly imitate" both the software and hardware of Apple's iPhone and iPad.

Acer attempted to call out Apple for starting a so-called "patent war" last July. The company's chairman, JT Wang, accused Apple of being an instigator in taking patent infringement suits against rivals like HTC and Motorola.

Acer was once king of the netbook market, which collapsed thanks, in part, to the release of Apple's iPad in 2010. However, the company has publicly stated it remains committed to netbooks, particularly in emerging markets.