Acer launching world's first Android-based netbook in Q3

Acer's been straightforward with the fact that it's been dabbling with Android on netbooks. In fact, the entire industry seems to be. Now we've got word that Acer will in fact launch an Android-based netbook in the 3rd quarter of 2009. The move was announced by Acer's global president for IT products, Jim Wong. The Android netbooks will run Atom (sorry Tegra hopefuls) and presumably cost less than Windows XP-based netbooks that require an estimated $25 tithe to Microsoft. Acer will continue to offer Windows-based netbooks along side the Android builds. Whether Android, an OS designed for smartphones, will succeed in gaining back market share lost to Microsoft remains to be seen. But if Microsoft's boasting about consumers wanting netbooks offering the same OS experience they're used to is true, well, how can Android succeed where those early Linux distros failed?

[Lionel Yelibi @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:07AM]

well they would have to make it as user friendly as possible, if people are not bothered by it, and they like it. they will adopt it. also if android based netbooks, are cheaper than those will windows, it might do the trick too why not.

[arash @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:27PM]

no one will not waste its hardware for 25 dollars

[Ernesttechuser @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:07AM]

Atom = Fail.

That means, presumably that the screen will still be super low res. and Android will move at snail's pace and have crapy battery life.

Why not use the ARM based Snapdragon, as with the one showcased yesterday.

It's great that they're giving us the choice to avoid the M$ tax, but it'd be nice to avoid the Intel one, too!

[poke @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:02AM]

ARM based = no windows available.

I reckon they thought twice creating this with ARM chip so that consumers can still install windows if they chose on the x86 atom, or am I completely way off the mark?

[elBravo @ Jun 2nd 2009 1:50PM]

@poke:

That is a possibility. Although if acer is going to sell android side by side with windows models, it would be cheaper for consumers to just buy the windows models. AFAIK the cheap netbook xp license is only available through OEM's and customers installing it themselves would need to pay full price.

I believe that an ARM would be better suited here. Cut the ties from windows and leverage the power of a true mobile platform. I am also something of a netbook fundamentalist and think that xp on a netbook is wrong in principle. XP gives consumers the idea that netbooks should match laptops in form and function, when that is not the true meaning of the platform.

[Homeboy @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:28AM]

The only problem I see with android is running windows application like Microsoft Office, Photoshop(yes netbooks are getting more powerful) and even certain games. And I doubt that Android natively support Windows software. This is one of the reasons why Linux has failed to gain mainstream appeal, it's too alien. Hell it took Apple some considerable years and hard work to attract big software developers. With that being said, Android should stick to smart phones because as someone else would put it "who wants a beefed up smartphone?"

[giuliop @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:36AM]

Your point is moot.
Office 2007 is more alien to its previous versions than OpenOffice is. And fact is, Linux hasn't failed: its penetration in the netbook market has simply levelled with that of the other markets. It had 100% penetration when netbooks launched but that, of course, wasn't realistic: that figure simply reflected the fact that there was no other choice. It's only natural that when Microsoft entered the market, it would gain its monopolistic market share. Moreover, the 'big developers' you're talking about have always been developing applications for the Apple platform; indeed, some even developed exclusively for Apple in the past, when Apple's market share was even smaller.
And lastly, a smartphone is a scaled down computer, so a beefed up smartphone is, guess what? A normal computer again.

[y3k.nik @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:47AM]

Going with your point, how do I 2 or more applications? It wont have a taskbar. Also, I wont be able to have more than one window up on the screen. And there is the application support issue as well.

It might be perfect for someone who wants to use it exclusively for surfing internet and nothing else at all, but that is it, in my opinion.

[poke @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:17AM]

"And lastly, a smartphone is a scaled down computer, so a beefed up smartphone is, guess what? A normal computer again"

You have to take into account the OS as well. Typically you have a different OS on a computer than you would a smart phone. Windows/Windows Mobile, OSX/iPhone OS ... Android on both smartphone and computer is interesting. I am guessing as it was built for the smartphone it probably wont be as useful on the desktop.

These manufacturers see an OS and a potential gap in the market so they will try and make good use of it. Doesn't mean that it is a good idea.

[Alan Strangis @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:25AM]

@ giuliop: Why would you want to put a stripped down version of Linux on a netbook perfectly capable of running Ubuntu or maybe Moblin 2.0? THAT makes no sense.

[giuliop @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:56AM]

@y3k.nik
I guess 'Desktop Android' is not going to be 100% the same as its smartphone sibling.

@poke
That's because no other OS has the flexibility of Linux, which scales from embedded versions for tiny devices to full-fledged desktop and server OSs. Mind you, I'm not saying that it is necessarily a good idea; all I'm saying is that the 'alien' and 'a phone OS and nothing else' points are moot.

@Alan
A netbook perfectly capable of running Ubuntu is much closer to a standard notebook than the original concept of netbook. 'Real' netbooks are, by definition, limited both in functionality and capability and have trouble running the full version of Ubuntu decently; a stripped-down version maybe, but then we're back to Android.

[Carl @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:14AM]

"But if Microsoft's boasting about consumers wanting netbooks offering the same OS experience they're used to, well, how can Android succeed where those early Linux distros failed?"

Microsoft used EXACTLY this pitch when it launched WindowsCE/Pocket PC/Windows/Mobile into the smartphone market. How's that working out for them? Oh yeah -- the user experience that people rave about it is radically different from the one they're used to.

Moral: suitability > familiarity.

[poke @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:08AM]

But we are talking about netbooks here not smartphone. You can run NORMAL windows on these machines.

Taking a smartphone OS and installing it on a netbook is the unknown here. Microsoft didn't take a desktop OS and put it straight onto a smartphone.

[gfar @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:26AM]

I tend to agree with Poke...

I wouldn't want an iPhone or BlackBerry OS on my laptop!

[Gregorian @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:15AM]

It's worth a try. It might work. It might not.
As long as they don't whisper the dreaded Linux word which would be the kiss of death.

Push hard the great Android apps available, and how easy it is to download and install them.

[Ali @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:27AM]

Dammit, Engadget! I just woke up and I've already been smacked by two super awesome breaking news stories.

I need my coffee.

[AlCabone @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:55AM]

So Android runs on x86 CPUs as well. I didn't know that.

[superhobo @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:58AM]

Meh.

[superhobo @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:58AM]

The Acer Mehbook, mehbe?

[Jagger @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:19AM]

I guess since it's not Windows, it's just meh. Acer should apologize to you for being so meh.

[ShirkPower @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:25AM]

Wow, an inferior phone OS on a netbook... why?

[Alan Strangis @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:21AM]

@ Jagger: if you're gonna run a phone OS, might as well use it on a phone, and carry around a bluetooth stowaway keyboard. It takes ups less space, and will give you the same experience.

Whether it's Windows or Ubuntu, I want a grown up OS on my netbook (was using Ubuntu until I installed Win 7 on my Acer).

[Josh @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:54AM]

That's a MSI netbook in the picture. Right.

[Chris von Eitzen @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:14AM]

You are correct. That's an MSI Wind netbook. Way to go Engadget. Use an MSI product in a post about Acer.

[barry99705 @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:23AM]

You hear that Neo?
That's the sound of linux stepping on Microsoft's toes again.
That's the sound of millions of MS fanboys saying "meh", and secretly wondering about their loyalty.
That's the sound of the slow cancerous death of Windows.
That is the sound of inevitability.

[L @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:48AM]

^ and that above, dear audience, is the sound of delusion.

[superhobo @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:23AM]

Ah, I was mistaken. I thought it was the sound of Android sucking.

[Alan Strangis @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:27AM]

@ barry99705: Here that barry? Those are the voices in your head. You really shouldn't listen to them when they tell you to post. Especially if they're wearing bunny suits.

[arash @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:34PM]

even if this shits that you say are going to happen microsoft was that loyalty for human race history that you haters could not even dream of.

[arash @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:52PM]

even if this shits that you say are going to happen microsoft was that loyalty for human race history that you haters could not even dream of.

[arash @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:53PM]

barry
even if this shits that you say are going to happen microsoft was that loyalty for human race history that you haters could not even dream of.

[arash @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:55PM]

wow wtf happened there

[chrise524 @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:31AM]

w/e moblin all the way. I would prefer to use a full linux distro as apposed to one made for cell phones. I really don't understand this rout that they going on. Why?

[L @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:49AM]

Yeah, +1 for Moblin. Much slicker and more adapted to netbooks.

[superhobo @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:24AM]

The Android app store probably.

[theregoesdave @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:58AM]

Headline fail. Skytone Alpha 680 is already the first Android. Engadget even covered it.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/27/skytones-alpha-680-tablet-android-interface-gets-underwhelming/

[Nomi @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:08AM]

This sounds like such a bad idea. At least Linux has a large software suite...what software am I going to install on this? Not even Firefox!

[David @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:13AM]

Ha, angry robot

[Boards of Canada @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:51AM]

Look a lot like the mini 10... a lot a lot a lot.

[danimaldan @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:52AM]

when Android starts being sold on netbooks, Google better let us have root without having to find some loophole in the OS to get root. idk if i would buy one or not at this point anyway. But blocking root all together was a bad move. I understand why they did it. But I think they should have gave us a choice if we wanted it enabled or not.

[leahzero @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:53AM]

This is better for Android than it is for netbooks.

[Netbook Reviews @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:56AM]

IMO, Android will fail just like Linux did (granted there are still people that love to use Linux on their netbooks), but I just don't think there will be enough of a market adoption to warrant this segment of netbooks.

http://www.netbookreviews.com/why-i-pre-ordered-the-asus-eee-pc-1008ha/

I'll take the Asus Eee PC 1008HA anyday :)

[Neoprimal @ Jun 2nd 2009 11:41AM]

I think Android is pretty flexible. It's going to be a departure from Windows and Linux for sure, but it might work. I really love my G1. It's dead simple and apps never crash...not to say that Windows or Linux based books crash or anything, but I think the Android experience on a netbook would at least be very interesting. As long as people realized that these machines were literally only for very light tasks.

Sometimes limits are good too - on a Windows XP machine you're going to stuff it with everything you're used to [even things you don't really want or need - familiarity can be a bitch] and then complain about how slow it is after a while. With Android, 100 free apps installed on an Atom/512mb of RAM I bet it's as fast as a fresh XP install.

What I'd like to see though - is what people will do without a taskbar. Although applications run in the background, you're still limited to one open program on-screen at a time, right? Unless they change that for the netbook experience, I imagine that will confuse people. Look at how people carried on about Windows 7 Starter having a 3 open app limit? [Not to confuse app with process]. On the Android you can't have your browser open AND do a word-proc. document simultaneously. Though you can do a word-proc. document or browse the net, and say, listen to music (which continues playing in the background, unless you purposely stop it).

For $99 I'd get one for sure. For more than that I'd get it if I was sure I could install Windows or Linux on there in case I didn't like Android on it.

[misterfuzz @ Jun 2nd 2009 11:58AM]

I really like Android, but I find myself somewhat sceptical as to its potential with netbooks. Of course, OpenOffice would be a leap and a bound for that potential, if it ever gets released for Android.

[elBravo @ Jun 2nd 2009 2:14PM]

IMO, netbooks are either a failed platform or just implemented wrong. The original Asus Eee's were spot on, as just firefox with a keyboard. But then once windows came installed, people wanted them as cheap laptops, and then were frustrated with the slow performance. Now they want more power, bigger screens and larger keyboards. The result being $600 netbook that slower than cheaper priced laptops. I love my mini9, but use it primarily as mobile firefox, with some extras. ssh (use constantly) and remote desktop (use moderately) and thats it. An ion netbook to playback 1080p videos?? Get a laptop, they are cheap now.

[NickDG @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:17PM]

People need to stop looking netbooks as small laptops and more as a large PDAs. (Remember those?)

Why I would want an OS like Android on a netbook

- Instant on. Yes windows and OS X wake pretty quickly, but at a cost of battery life.
- Long battery life. I want a netbook that can get through the day (16-18 hours) with moderate to heavy use.
- Applications. (Tons of applications available in the Android app store.
- OS designed for mobile use. Android was built with mobility in mind.

I don't need a full desktop OS on a netbook. I have a MacBook Pro for that.

[Fanfoot @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:59PM]

This is kind of a half-bet on ASUS part. Looks like they're NOT actually building a different hardware platform, just using one they already have and putting Android on it.

The problem with this? Well, Atom uses more power than an ARM core would, and is probably overkill for Android. So the battery life WON'T improve with this model, when it might improve quite a bit with a design targeted at Android.

Some of the things might be overkill. Like the keyboard. What's the Windows key for? What about the Alt and Ctrl keys? Or the PrtScn button. Or Pause? Etc. You could probably do a better keyboard in a small space if you punted these keys. Maybe they'll find something useful to do with them, like launching applications or something. But probably won't feel right.

If this thing has a big hard disk, with spin up time and power consumption and all that, what is it for if you're running Android? The only reason you need a lot of storage on your "phone" is to store media--MP3s and Video. With crappy speakers, and it being too big to use in the car, or carry around with you, or go to the gym with, its not really an MP3 player is it? Would make more sense to just outfit the thing with a small SSD (16GB or something) and make the thing smaller, lower power, faster.

Then there's the question of Android applications. How many are going to adapt well to the larger screen size? And will there be the sort of web-browsing, music listening, video watching, flash streaming applications we've come to expect on netbooks? So far the video side of Android has been lacking from what I've heard (but haven't read a review of CupCake yet... have they fixed this?)

[Chris Abraham @ Jun 3rd 2009 9:45AM]

Based on my experience with my G1, installing Android on my Netbook will reduce the battery in half. Either way, I would love to have one.