Packard Bell dot spotted in UK

Oh, look! It's another netbook in the wild! This one is Packard Bell's dot, and according to the boffins at Pocket-lint it's now available for purchase across the pond by anyone who can find a reason to care. The Aspire One-like specs and style are just what you'd expect (do we really need to recount the Atom 270 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 160GB hard drive yet again?), and while there's the promise of being able to add internal 3G connectivity at some point in the future, right now the only thing setting this one apart is the red dot on the hinge. (Which, we confess, is a nice look.) Still no mention of when or even if this one will be appearing domestically -- though if it does it'll probably be as an Everex anyhow.

[Hey Ya @ Nov 20th 2008 9:06AM]

No trackpad buttons?

[Hey Ya @ Nov 20th 2008 9:07AM]

Never mind. I guess they just, kinda, blend in with the pad.

[Fusion Fuzo 05 - Proffessional @ Nov 20th 2008 9:11AM]

they are on the sides of the track pad

[Marza @ Nov 20th 2008 11:09AM]

If you look closely there are lateral click buttons on the trackpad...just like the HP model

[adam @ Nov 20th 2008 5:02PM]

it makes the keyboard look huge. i want it.

also, it'd match my nice packard bell sandals...

[Flaystus @ Nov 20th 2008 9:07AM]

Its disgusting how badly I'd love to own a new netbook with a PackardBell logo on it just for the seer WTF factor of the other computer nerds around me.

[bob sakamano @ Nov 20th 2008 9:09AM]

pretty nice and clean cut

[Hao @ Nov 20th 2008 9:49AM]

Doesn't Acer own Packard Bell now? Why would this become an Everex when it's available in the States? Though I doubt that's going to happen anyway.

[strider_mt2k @ Nov 20th 2008 9:54AM]

Many Boffins died to bring us this information...

[Valicore @ Nov 20th 2008 9:55AM]

Packard Bell? I'm traumatized just seeing their name. Releasing a Packard Bell product in the U.S. with that brand name would be a disaster, kind of like Packard Bell.

[Squee @ Nov 20th 2008 10:35AM]

I could be mistaken but...

HP = Hewlett-Packard =? Packard Bell?

Im using a HP laptop now and theres no mention of Packard Bell but I thought they were one and the same. Can someone please correct me.

[Magnanimous @ Nov 20th 2008 11:11AM]

This looks just like my acer aspire one, even the red dot on the hinge is like it...
in/outputs in the same places
Mouse buttons in the same places...
Same overall shape...


...I call shenanigans!

[mrklaw @ Nov 20th 2008 11:37AM]

Packard Bell is commonly sold in DSG stores (PC World, Currys) in the UK. It may be exclusive to them, perhaps they bought the brand name for the UK?

If it is DSG, it may be a rebadge of an aspire one. DSG already sell the Advent 4211 which is a rebadged MSI wind (for quite a lot less than a wind)

[couchpundit @ Nov 20th 2008 2:05PM]

Packard Bell? They're still in business?

[drinkdrink @ Nov 20th 2008 3:17PM]

Gateway and Packard Bell are both owned by Acer. They're badging the Aspire One with whatever brand is recognized or carried by the stores in a region.

Don't be surprised to see Gateway Ones soon, perhaps as low cost desktops.

[james @ Nov 20th 2008 4:13PM]

Packard Smell, Packard Hell, these nicknames were well earned. I had the misfortune of having to deal with a number of their PCs back in the 386-Pentium era and they were universally known as the biggest piles of excrement one could buy, of course that didn't stop them from selling well. Anyone remember those awful soundcard/modem combo cards that liked to burn out, or the 2GB hard drive that was actually a leftover 1.2GB and 800MB drive striped together? When they went away it was good riddance, why anyone would resurrect that maligned name is beyond me. They'd be better off branding them Yugo.

And no, Packard Bell has nothing, zero, zilch to do with Hewlett Packard aside from a coincidental sharing of one of the names, something that I'm sure HP wishes were not the case..

[Cassini @ Nov 21st 2008 3:38AM]

Packard Bell? Oh my gosh... run... run for your life.

[marcin @ Nov 21st 2008 5:04AM]

its a AcerONE with Packard Bell desing. Nothing more. the keyboard is just like acer has, seen at mediamarkt in Holland.Also the box and sleeve are almost thesame