Acer's Aspire One gets official
By Ryan Block 
posted June 3rd 2008 8:28PM
posted June 3rd 2008 8:28PM
- 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 LED-backlit display
- 1.6GHz Atom N270
- 512MB DDR2 SDRAM (expandable)
- 1.3 megapixel camera, SDHC and multi-format media readers
- 802.11b/g, Ethernet, three USB 2.0, VGA, and 3.5mm audio out
- One free mini PCI slot for WWAN
- 80GB hard drive (with XP) or 8GB solid state (with Linux)
- 2.5 or 5 hours on 3 or 6-cell batteries in XP model, 3 or 7 hours on Linux
- 1kg (2.2 pounds)
[Thanks, Garry, via El Reg]
Blue.
Considering the really low cost (sub-$1k) of "normal" 14 to 15" laptops, I can't understand the attraction of a completely gimped $400 to $600 sub-notebook with a crappy screen, and a ridiculously cramped keyboard.
These are barely worth $200 in terms of hardware value, and the linux versions can't even claim bundled software as an excuse. The prices on these sub-notebooks is beginning to approach that of standard laptops, yet with barely 25% of the functionality.
If size is the factor, I've seen some nice micro sized Toshib alaptops for well under $1000 that have full speed procs, 1GB or more of memory and really nice screens and lots of extras. This new crop of so-called bargain sub-notebooks look like garbage, and from what I've read, they are cheap construction and failure-prone.
It's because of their ultra portability. Before these were made you would have to pay a premium for portability. They used to range from $1800 to well over $2500. People are now able to get that kind of mobility out of reasonable systems that they can afford. There are tons of road warriors and students (etc.) out there who want a laptop that won't break them to lug around but will still be able to keep them connected (with the addition of a near-full sized key board, so should they need to type something up they can.). I am one of those people. I have chronic pain problems and lugging even my 5lbs laptop is a pain. (Especially with textbooks added to my bag.) Add the fact that I can more easily get work done on a laptop and that I have small fingers and a very limited budget and you can see how these ULCPC's are popular.
I really like these acer's. All except for the $600 price for the XP version. I would rather start myself off with a different linux distro. (Ubuntu in particular) Just because it's a completely new OS and I need something I know really well to stay as productive as I want to be. (Though I'm really excited to start to learn about Linux. I don't understand why the OS's can't get along. I mean the people who support them. Of all the big heartless corporations out there microsoft isn't that bad. Bill Gates sends HUGE sums of money to help the world and I've always found their products work for me. I hope Linux will turn out as good for me.)
wow... this acer actually looks good
(Kind of like Dell's UMPC)
I just bought the 13.3 inch Toshiba with an Intel dual core processor, 2 gig of ram, 160 gig hard drive, true bright screen and very nice keyboard, webcam, etc. It cost me $600.00. You may keep your EEEs, Winds, and mini Dells. I cannot figure out why I would spend $600.00 on a 9 or 10 inch screen and tiny keyboard. Call me clueless on the whole "I gotta have a mini thingy".
The Wind has bluetooth, which would definitely be nicer for DUN purposes. If I get one of these (which I doubt I will, but still) I'd get the Wind.
... the asus has Wlan N, no need for bluetooth, with wlan-hotspot on your mobile device (N82, N95 or winmobile) ... i would take a 901 ... or the G10IL
If your phone has Wifi, which my q9c does not.
I hope other companies adopt these kind of hard-drive options.
So I have to pay $200 more for XP and an 80GB disk? These companies are killing me with their configurations on these! I want Linux, storage space(or let me buy my own), and expandable memory. The first gen eee did that, but then they did a 180 and started jacking up the prices and offering crappy hardware/price options.
£199? If I didn't already have my Eee 701 I'd be sold!
£199!? that would be something like €250?!?!?!?!
you pay €300 for the eeepc700....
well thats one hell of a bargain o_O
I'm pretty sure they'll raise the € price to €299 for whatever shady reason.
I was wrong. They're gonna be even more expensive than that. German tech site heise.de reports €329 for the Linux version and €400 for the Windows variant.
Greedy bastards.
If it really appears for £199, I'm sold.
yea, if they can actually do it for £199, these will sell out in minutes! and the blue looks very nice!
I really don't need one of these. But this Acer is perfectly speced and priced; I really want one!
Why 200 bucks difference? I thought that MS had decided to charge 30 bucks per unit for the XP license on these small notebooks.
What gives? This isn't the only case of this. XP costs the mfr 30 bucks, but it's prices over 100 bucks higher in most cases. That's quite a markup.
I have to have the smallest possible FULL keyboard as well. That's what 11-13 inches, depending on the configuration of the keyboard?
I just can't justify buying a computer that's neither a phone nor a computer.
I like trading processor for battery life, but I just can't give up a keyboard. I find a keyboard key to a useful computer.
Linux version in Blue please :)
Eh
Its in the running, but Im not a huge fan.
Im kinda wanting a larger resolution screen. Thats what the 2133 has thats keeping my attention.
Still, at that price, its certainly cheaper than the 2133.
Ill have to wait for some more reviews and a few more NetBooks to be released before I do buy one.
I can't believe all the whining about these nettops. As a former owner of a Poqet computer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poqet_PC), I can tell you for a fact that you can do REAL work on a small keyboard. Add massive battery life and no moving parts and, IMHO, you have it all. Sure, you can't slice cake, but what else couldn't you do? When my Panasonic CF-W2 (Toughbook) finally dies I'm gonna get me one.
I'm sure there are people that can type perfectly fine and quick on a Blackberry (in fact I can and I have larger than average fingers), but some people are very used to a full desktop-sized keyboard and the change is hard.
I do have to say though, that if you find a unit hard at first, use it for a couple of days (if your return policy allows for this) and see if it doesn't get better. If you have decent dexterity in your hands it most likely will.
I like the white keyboard on this for my mum. She doesn't like the mostly standard white symbols on black keys for readability. I am looking at buying one of these for her because she needs something light and small (so she can e-mail/internet/use Microsoft Word from anywhere around the house), but I am going to wait a few months to see what shows up.
If the Dell is promising I will likely go with them, esp. since they are US-based (I know almost every part of their business is overseas, but you guys know what I mean). Most of these brands are based in Taiwan and obviously the UK is a bigger market for these types of machines since they are getting them first.
Heh it's funny though. In Japan you can get an inexpensive cellphone that is probably almost as powerful as some of these machines and has ~5mbit wireless net speeds. Same probably goes for South Korea but I keep a close eye on Japan since I will be moving to Kyoto when the funds in my bank account allow it.
Oh come on! 8GB SSD for the Linux.....why not shove in a 20GB SSD like the EEE and I'm friggin' sold!.....I know what you might say that I should go for the HDD but hell no, I've learned my lesson with those things.
I wouldn't mind a 20GB SSD plus the pricing for this thing is amazing! EEE 900 here in the UK cost around £330 ($660 US) if Acer actually releases these babies with a reasonable 20GB SSD and keeping the £200 price point near enough, this would ultimately end our obsession with the EEE PC.
OMG! this is as close we get to a sub notebook under $400 (provided of course if Dell doesn't dish out its mini-inspiron under $400...cheap parts of course)
could someone explain what it means that it can come with 3G? I have verizon for my cell... does that mean I can extend my verizon service to cover the laptop? I'm guessing no, but I don't get it...
If this thing cost $300 then HELL YES. They just won the entire market hands down. This is it Dell. S**t loads of money. The EEE pc is down on it's kness right now, and you have the power to finish it all. $400 even would be pretty good, though it would be a slow death for Asus. Finish it quickly (and give me my $300 laptop lol).
Sorry, I feel incredibly stupid right now, "This is it DELL.", please replace Dell with Acer. Excuse my stupidity.