Android And Netbook -- Engadget

android,netbook posts

Acer Aspire One AOD250 impressions: Android gone bad

by Paul Miller posted Oct 29th 2009 at 12:23PM

We admit, we were pretty stoked when we first saw the Acer Aspire One AOD250 running Android in dual-boot mode. What could possibly be bad about it? Fast start-up, Google apps... other good things that aren't coming to mind at the moment... what could go wrong? Turns out, just about everything. See, the Aspire One AOD250 has an unfortunate lack of Google blessing, so that means no Gmail, which is really Android's killer app, and no Marketplace either -- so no opportunity to track down a different killer app. You can use your Google account for hooking up with Gcal, Gtalk and Google Contacts, but your Gmail account gets set up as a webmail shortcut to the included Firefox app -- which does an alright, slightly hacked-on job of augmenting the standard Android browser, including support for Flash. Unfortunately, with connection woes over WiFi and Ethernet (as seen on the video), there wasn't much redeemable even there, and perhaps the best news about the device is that it can be fully booted to XP at any time by clicking on the corner of Android's home screen. We still think there's promise for Android on a netbook, but it's going to need some serious TLC (also, Gmail) before it's ready for prime time. Check out our video impressions after the break.

Continue reading Acer Aspire One AOD250 impressions: Android gone bad

Acer's dual-boot Aspire One AOD250 netbook gets doubly official

by Donald Melanson posted Oct 15th 2009 at 1:51PM

Alright, so we've already seen this one in the wild and up for pre-order, but it's not everyday that someone releases a dual-boot Android / Windows XP netbook, so we can understand Acer wanting to get extra official with its new Aspire One AOD250 model. Of course, this one's about as standard as it gets once you move beyond its dual OS nature, including an 10.1-inch WSVGA screen, Atom N280 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and a six-cell battery. You can get it in your choice of four different colors though, and the $349.99 list price is certainly right for anyone looking for an easy way to jump into Android.

Acer Aspire One D250 Android netbook gets fondled and photographed

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 14th 2009 at 4:28PM

Acer (a company that we always knew as ambitious... but not too ambitious) finally launched its Aspire One D250 dual boot Windows 7 / Android netbook today, and as you can imagine the ears of the gadget world have all perked up a little bit. According to Pocket-lint, the implementation of the open source OS on a touchscreen deficient PC is not without its issues. For instance, without any designated Android keys, one can find themselves going to the trackpad and ESC key a bit too often. Also worth noting is that this machine will only boot Android -- to access Windows you've got to select "Switch OS" from within Android itself and then wait for Microsoft to take over. According to Register Hardware, Acer VP Jim Wong explained that the company expects people to use Android for the majority of their computing while only hitting up Windows while looking to use software and tools specific to that OS. And sure, that's a decent rationalization -- but why not give us the choice? Either way, we know you're jonesin' to get at all the red hot hands-on action contained within the read links below. And what are you waiting for? Go on!

Read - PHOTOS: Acer Aspire One D250 with Android
Read - Hands on with Acer's dual-OS netbook

Acer's Android netbook now up for pre-order, Windows 7 version coming soon

by Tim Stevens posted Oct 13th 2009 at 8:27AM

Acer's Android netbook now up for order, Windows 7 version coming soon

It's totally not Q3 anymore, but Acer is finally fulfilling its promise to ship an Android-powered netbook, a pre-order page showing up on Amazon offering a reconfigured Aspire One D250. However, the company is apparently a little unsure of its open source OS offerings, so it's throwing Windows on there as well. Your $349 will get you a dual-booting machine with good 'ol XP taking up the other partition -- a good thing, that, because Android in this application has been said to be half-baked at best. Meanwhile, Acer is also showing off a version of the D250 running Windows 7, which is set to hit Japan next week. Hopefully a Win7/Android super combo will soon be on offer as well, which sounds a bit more tasty than WinXP/Android.

[Via netbooked]

Read - Android Aspire One D250 Pre-Order
Read - Windows 7 Aspire One D250

Motorola Sholes to launch by holidays, along with the BlackBerry Storm 2 and Nokia Booklet 3G

by Nilay Patel posted Oct 5th 2009 at 12:28PM

Well well, it looks like the Android-powered Motorola Sholes will be out on Verizon by the holidays. That's at least the impression we're getting from a bunch of leaked Verizon retailer documents posted up by Boy Genius Report, which also indicate the BlackBerry Storm 2, Curve 2 and LG Chocolate Touch will hit Big Red in time for eggnog, along with an unspecified netbook -- we're guessing this Gateway number. Speaking of netbooks, a similar document from Best Buy Mobile also leaked over the weekend, and it looks like the Nokia Booklet 3G will be exclusive to Best Buy and compatible with AT&T 3G. Oh, and the Pixi is coming, but you already knew that. Here's the real mystery, though: "There are multiple Android launches across multiple carriers, along with some new technology that doesn't exist today." That's certainly open for interpretation, so we leave it to you -- is Best Buy Mobile about to start selling teleporters, or what?

Read - Sam's Club and Target Verizon docs
Read - Best Buy Mobile docs

Alpha 680 Android netbook spotted, still unavailable

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 2nd 2009 at 6:59PM

While all the other kids on the block are letting themselves become duly distracted by Google Chrome OS, at least Skytone is still out there in the trenches, fighting to get its Android-powered Alpha 680 netbook to market. Initially it looked like this one would be making the scene sometime this summer, and although this has not come to pass, the OEM (Airis) is still strutting it in front of vendors and threatening us with an eventual release. According to Le Journal du Geek, who managed to get its hands on one and snap plenty of pics, the device is still "not really stable." (Take your time, guys...) Hit that read link for plenty of glamor shots of the this stark white, 7-inch resistive touchscreen wonder -- you'll be glad you did.

Acer reaffirms that Android-based netbook still coming in Q3

by Darren Murph posted Jul 30th 2009 at 7:14AM

In an effort to quell all sorts of kicking and screaming that resulted from an evidently erroneous report earlier in the week, an Acer representative has reportedly reaffirmed that an Android-based Aspire One is still on schedule for a Q3 release. If you'll recall, we first heard of Acer's intentions to dole out an Android-laden netbook during Computex, and now it seems as if those very plans are still perfectly on track. So there you have it, folks -- no need to keep pounding those heart medications.

Doug Anson, Dell's operating system Renaissance man, digs Chrome OS, Moblin

by Tim Stevens posted Jul 16th 2009 at 8:17AM

Dell's Doug Anson, the operating system Renaissance man, digs Chrome OS, Moblin

When it came to Android, Technology Strategist Doug Anson wasn't exactly coy in indicating that Dell was evaluating the OS for inclusion on its netbooks. He calls this time of OS intrigue, with Linux, Android, and WebOS gaining favor, a sort of "renaissance," saying: "These alternative operating environments are truly 'different' from the traditional Windows platform - they don't attempt to simply 'mimic' Windows" -- forgetting, perhaps, that the foundation of all of those alternatives was itself an attempt at mimicking various flavors of Unix. Anson says that while Dell is not ready to sign on to Chrome OS just yet, it is evaluating it for future inclusion in its little mobile products, and goes on to say that the company is "very interested" in Intel's Moblin, another lightweight Linux flavor and possible Chrome OS competitor. Confused by all these disparate OS choices with similar goals? You're not alone, which is perhaps another reason why the big two continue to dominate.

Acer's dual-boot Android and XP netbook launching in August?

by Thomas Ricker posted Jul 13th 2009 at 5:39AM

You remember Android right, Google's other OS that actually exists? Well, Acer's set to launch what could be the world's first Android-based netbook in August. At least that's what DigiTimes is reporting second-hand via Chinese-language Apple Daily. While two suspect sources won't turn a rumor into fact, Acer's already on record with plans for an Android netbook in Q3 in dual-boot XP configurations. So hearing that Quanta and Compal will have these out smack in the middle of the quarter isn't much of a stretch.

Engadget Podcast 154 - 07.11.2009

by Trent Wolbe posted Jul 11th 2009 at 3:25PM

The podcast is a little late this week, but for good reason -- special guest Michael Gartenberg joins Josh, Paul, and Nilay this week as they sort through the Google-dominated week in news. We've got Chrome OS, the myTouch 3G, some more HTC Hero hands-on time (as well as a Magic flashed with the Hero ROM), and the leaked Sony Ericsson Rachael on tap -- oh, and to top it all off, Sony backtracked huge and released its first true netbook, the VAIO W. It's a bit of a wild one, we won't lie -- buckle up.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Guest: Michael Gartenberg
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: No Rain

Hear the podcast

00:01:22 - Google announces Chrome OS, coming to netbooks second half of 2010
00:26:37 - myTouch 3G hands-on (with video!)
00:39:35 - New HTC Hero ROM leaked, Flash 10 already chugging along on a few lucky G1s
00:56:25 - Sony Ericsson Rachael UI video leaks out, Kiki comes for the ride
01:04:55 - Android 1.5 gets official SDK for native development
01:12:58 - Sony announces VAIO W... netbook!

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Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget

Engadget Podcast 152 - 06.26.2009: The Day the Music Died 2

by Trent Wolbe posted Jun 26th 2009 at 3:50PM

Yes, that's the one and only MJ to open the podcast -- this one was recorded just shortly after the Engadget crew had learned the news. Join Josh, Paul, Nilay and special guest Chris Ziegler as they deny the Nokia N97, get angry at the HTC Hero, bargain with Windows 7, depress themselves over the fate of the netbook, and finally learn to accept the Zune HD's Tegra processor. We won't lie -- Engadget Podcast 152 was a struggle, but in the end we all learned a little something about life, love, and forgiveness.

Update: Any further tasteless MJ jokes will be met with a swift ban. Be nice!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Guest: Chris Ziegler
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: Billie Jean

Hear the podcast

00:02:26 - Nokia N97 review: a tale of two bloggers
00:26:28 - HTC Hero running Android and Sense UI leaks from HTC's own website (updated, official, video)
00:30:28 - HTC Hero hands-on: Flash, keyboard and ruminations (updated!)
00:48:09 - Windows 7 official pricing announced, limited pre-orders start tomorrow
01:03:40 - HP Mini 5101 cleans up nice, shows the serious side of netbooks
01:05:15 - HP ProBook 4310s hands-on
01:10:25 - Entelligence: Netbooks, R.I.P.
01:22:50 - Zune HD has a Tegra processor, confirms official Zune podcast

Subscribe to the podcast

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).
[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.
[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace

Download the podcast

LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)
LISTEN (OGG)

Contact the podcast

1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.

Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget

Gartner: Android on ARM "more snappy" than Windows 7 on Atom

by Thomas Ricker posted Jun 15th 2009 at 7:41AM

The case for running Android -- an OS developed for smartphones -- on cheap, ultra-portable laptops has yet to be made. However, that hasn't stopped manufacturers from tinkering with the idea as demonstrated by the broad range of Android "smartbooks" running on ARM-based (be it Snapdragon, Tegra, or Freescale) architectures at Computex. Now Gartner, the guiding force for many corporate CIOs, has issued a research note that puts Atom-based netbooks running Windows 7 on notice while giving credence to the emerging smartbook category of ultra-portables. Analysts Christian Heidarson and Ben Lee said the following in Gartner's Semiconductor DQ Monday Report:

When Android did work, we found that the user interface was very snappy on relatively low-performance ARM processors, more so than Windows 7 on Atom.

Of course, Windows 7 scales much better than Vista and as a full-blown desktop OS gives users a lot of flexibility as long as the netbook's chipset is up to the task. Then again, if you're looking for a purpose-built, fanless 10-inch ultra-portable with integrated WWAN data and FireFox browser that costs less than $200 and plays 25 days of music or 10-hours of 1080p video off a single charge, well then a smartbook might be the device for you. We'll see which carrier is brave enough to sell 'em come October.

Mtube II mixes an Android tablet with an XP netbook

by Nilay Patel posted Jun 5th 2009 at 1:07PM

Been thinking about settling down with an XP netbook but can't get the idea of an Android tablet out of your mind? We understand your pain -- and so does Taiwan's Institute for Information Industry, which is showing off the Mtube II netbook / tablet at Computex. The slick remix of an HP Mini 1000 runs XP when in netbook configuration, but then switches over to Android on an unspecified ARM processor when the screen is pulled off and used as a tablet. Yes, it's basically the product most of us have daydreamed about for ages -- much like the Touch Book -- but there are some tradeoffs here: first, the Atom in the netbook base has been swapped for a VIA C7-M, so it's not exactly a rocket, and second, the screen is connected by VNC, so video performance isn't going to be all that great. We're hoping the additional year of development III says it needs will solve some of those problems, but until then you know we'll be doodling this thing all through math class. Videos after the break.

Continue reading Mtube II mixes an Android tablet with an XP netbook

First Acer Android netbook will dual-boot Windows

by Thomas Ricker posted Jun 5th 2009 at 3:34AM

Ha, and you thought that you'd be getting away from the Microsoft tax. Sorry -- Acer chairman JT Wang says that the first Android netbooks will ship with Windows in dual-boot configurations. While your first reaction might be to call JT a Microsoft patsy, he's not, it's smart to hedge, actually, since Android is unproven as a netbook OS and Wal-mart consumers usually don't like being surprised by computers that don't work like the ol' home computer. Besides, these Android netbooks seem to be targeting carriers as resellers so you'll like get a big fat discount when you take one home on contract. Happy?

BenQ working on Android smartphone and netbook for next year

by Laura June posted Jun 5th 2009 at 2:32AM

BenQ said way back in February that it had no plans to release any phones in 2009, and from the looks of it, none of that has changed. It does, however, appear that the company will release one in 2010, and that handset will be of the Android variety -- in addition to an Android netbook. Yup, the company is jumping on the bandwagon, adding itself to the growing number of 'droid mobile makers, hoping to get itself back into the game with the new and ever more popular OS. Most of BenQ's netbooks currently run XP (some also boast a Linux option), so the added Android option will make a nice addition to the family. There are no concrete details about availability, specific devices, or pricing, but we're going to keep our eyes on this one for you.