AT&T kicks off $50 netbook-with-a-catch trial
By Donald Melanson 
posted Apr 1st 2009 4:13PM
posted Apr 1st 2009 4:13PM
We'd already had some indication that Dell's Mini 9 and Mini 12 netbooks were headed to AT&T stores, and it now looks like those and a few more are now finally available from the carrier -- in Atlanta and Philadelphia, at least. From the looks of it, Atlanta is the real test bed for the trial, with customers there now able to snag netbooks with built-in 3G at prices "starting at $49.99," assuming they also sign up for AT&T's "Internet at Home and On the Go" broadband bundle, of course, which itself starts at $60 a month for a 200 MB per month mobile data plan and basic DSL service. AT&T only goes so far as to say that it's offering "similar mini laptop promotional rates" at eight AT&T stores in the Philadelphia area. In addition to the Dell netbooks, you can also choose from an Acer Aspire One or the little known LG Xenia (apparently an MSI Wind rebadge), or even a full-fledged Lenovo X200 ultraportable, although the latter will set you back between $750 and $850 depending on your choice of plan.[Via GigaOM]
Update: According to AT&T, that "similar" pricing for Philly actually starts at $99, with the premium apparently resulting from its lack of residential DSL in the area.
$60 for 200MB!! In the UK we would get a free laptop and 3GB of data (HSDPA) for around £30 a month!
the $60 includes dsl lite for your home as well, it's $40 for the stand alone 200mb plan or $60 for 5mb. learn to comprehend what you read before you make stupid comments
William, don't be an angry little fart. The article didn't make much sense and your explanation was even worse: "it's $40 for the stand alone 200mb plan or $60 for 5mb." Whaaaa?
it's the same plans at&t has had for quite some time now, how does that not make sense? and the fact that along with the $40 200mb plan you can add the $20 dsl lite plan it becomes $60, can you do math?
@William -Dude, you still said "it's $40 for the stand alone 200mb plan or $60 for 5mb"
That does not make sense. Proof read.
exactly, because it is exactly as i said. $40 for 200mb, $60 for 5gb or $60 for 200mb plus dsl lite. why do i need to proof read, maybe you need to comprehend.
LOL. Hilariousness, thy name is surreptitious retraction.
200mb is nothing.
William,
You said 5MB the first time then 5GB the second time. PROOFREAD YOU FREAKING IDIOT!
in none of my posts did i say 5gb more than once, what the hell are you talking about and oh you're such a man by calling somebody an idiot from behind a computer! i'm shaking!!!!!!!!
William your first post in response you said 5mb.
Ha. I love that he still does not get it.
Read your first post ONE more time William. Knowledge is power.
haha, silly william
"$60 a month for a 200 MB"
What the hell is that......sounds like Rogers Canada kind of shit.
200MB? It's a joke right? April fools...
Noooo!
It's a trap.
Just kidding, it's not a bad deal.
From carrier crippled phone to carrier crippled computers...We have it all!
Can you reformat these and do with them as you will?
200MB...enough for a few youtube videos
This is probably the April fools one. Can't believe it took all day.
Off topic But i want to say Thank You to Engadget: Tha.k you for not turning your website to some childish, porn-filled, all-day april fools joke. Thank You for not wasting mine or anybody else's time.
Enjoy your slow, crippled internet.
William,
Wow... DSL Lite... Thats often given away free with mobile contracts here - Orange for example give 8Mb broadband (ADSL) away with mobile phone contracts
Whatever way you look at it, $60 a month for DSL lite and 200MB of mobile data is a rip off.
I have to agree. Total rip.
and? we're not in europe...this is competitive with other companies in america. since when does Orange sell service here? that's right...they dont, so why would at&t care what they offer? now if Verizon offered those kind of rates things might change, but even they can't offer dsl to the majority of the country
ok.,now that u mention it.,$1.98 a gallon here in usa,how much it cost there.$8.45 ,exactly silenced u muttha chucka
I've seen ATT's DSL and you couldn't pay me to use it. It's slower than 3G and more expensive! When I go to my GF's house I turn my phone's WiFi off because the DSL is shit.
Why would you need this, I have an iPhone and it does everything that a netbook does, at a more portable form factor. Plus, iPhone has GPS, and a phone, a music player, a tip calculator.... in the palm of my hands.
I know exactly what you mean. There's no way that silly atom processor has anything close to the computing power of the mighty iPhone. Those netbooks will never be able to play music or calculate tips. The battery life is obviously shorter, and the touch screen keyboard is far more comfortable to use. Also, the iPhone's screen is so much larger than any netbook on the market!
... Different strokes for different folks man - they don't target the same market.
No but soon they can tether. This bundle sucks.
Let me guess, only the Windows version of the Dell minis are supported, right?
And... what if I already have home DSL and don't want AT&T DSL? Can I do $60 for regular AT&T mobile broadband instead? (5GB/mo with no DSL)
yes to your second question, have no clue about the windows question
AT&T has done for the mobile data community what AOL has done for the Internet community; kept prices high and stagnated service improvements.
att dsl 800kbps thru a land line $14.95 a month.with no contract required.
umlimited 3g data/email/google maps/gps on iphone either $20 or $30 month.
free roll over of any unused anytime minutes/free mobil to mobil/free nights n weekends etc.,
att uverse tv/hidef 1080p/dvr in everyroom/uverse app thru iphone,speeds up to 18 mbps for residential/over 120 hidef channesl.as low as $90.,exactly which one of those services is stagnant n overpriced. U must be a true welfare recipient..
800kps!! LOLOLOLOLOL good luck trying to see that!
200mb will probably be up in a couple of hours of Youtube or GameTrailers or Gamespot or Hulu.
i don't even see a point of this.
the only people that will end of buying these are the same people who get tricked into signing contracts they know nothing about.
all they see is a cheap phone.
ignorance is not bliss.
im better off going with iphone 3g,.,$30 plan and iphone $99.,.,dee dee deee!!!!!!!!!!!1
ok.,now that u mention it.,$1.98 a gallon here in usa,how much it cost there.$8.45 ,exactly silenced u muttha chucka..
So what exactly is your point? That Brits are more stupid because they pay more at the pump? WFT...
I would say: shame on their gaz stations and shame on our 3G providers.
I find that US 3G prices really suck and I would love to see some Swedish prices here. They pay about 12 bucks for a 3G flatrate. That's a ok price I would say...
at&t just sucks. period. they are the largest tier 1 backbone and yet they can only offer 5GB for a wireless card because of bandwidth? they know damn well what people use computers for and when it was for just business that's one thing but to sell a computer with a 5GB limit is absurd. they brag about the amount of petrabytes they process everyday but they are so out of touch with a real customer it's not funny... engadget, please do us a favor and not do anymore interviews with ralph delafucka.
aint nobody gonna buy this shit