AcerAspireOne721
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Acer releases Aspire One 722 netbook, tries to make molded plastic happen
It looks like that funky Acer netbook with the dented lid that we spied at MWC wasn't a one-off. The company just released the Aspire One 722, an 11-inch mini with the same aesthetic (and a likely successor to the 721). Like the D257 we saw in Barcelona, its lid is made of molded plastic, sculpted to resemble a series of ripples. Spec-wise, it has the same innards as the more staid-looking Aspire One 522, pairing AMD's netbook-class 1GHz C-50 Ontario processor with Radeon HD 6250 graphics. But the 722 improves on the 10-inch 522 with higher 1366 x 768 resolution, two speakers instead of one, and rated battery life of up to seven hours -- a boost over the 522's six-hour max. No word yet on pricing or availability, but for now you can content yourself with some official press shots.
Engadget's back to school guide: Netbooks and laptops
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we've got laptops and netbooks in our sights -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. You didn't think we'd let back to school season roll around without rounding up the latest gear, did you? Good, because here at Engadget we understand that not only is heading off to college nerve wracking, but picking out the best gadgets can as equally scary. We couldn't think of kicking off our back to school guide with anything but our top netbook / laptop choices since, you know, a good performing and well-rounded machine is absolutely essential for those hours of Facebook stalking, err of homework and studying. No matter what your budget, we've got you covered with recommendations and loads of mobile computing options. Now, on to the laptops...
Gateway LT32 to hit retailers soon for $450
We're not sure why Gateway's waited so long to release the details and pricing on the LT32 -- considering it's pretty much a rebadge of the Acer Aspire One 721 we just reviewed -- but lo and behold the HD-capable, 11.6-inch ultraportable will be hitting the street soon for $450. Just like the $430 Aspire One 721, the LT32 is powered by AMD's 1.7GHz Athlon II Neo K125 CPU, runs Windows 7 Home Premium, and packs a 250GB hard drive and 2GB of RAM. It also has ATI Radeon HD 4225 integrated graphics, which as we saw on the recent Acers handles 1080p flash and local video like a champ. From the looks of things the LT32 also seems to have a similar chassis to the 721, so we're not totally sure why you'd choose it over the Acer when it's $20 more, but perhaps there's just some Gateway diehards amongst us. Hit the break for the full release.
Acer Aspire One 521 and 721 spotted in France handling HD video, eying a croissant
You could say this is one of the odder ways to make something official, but Acer's Aspire One 521 and 721 have been deemed just that after surfacing at an event today in France. Just as we'd heard the 10-inch 521, is rocking a heretofore unheard of AMD 1.2GHz V105 (single-core) processor, 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, ATI's Radeon HD 4225 GPU and a penchant for handling 1080p video without breaking a sweat. It's also equipped with VGA / HDMI outputs, a media card reader, three USB sockets, audio in / out, Ethernet jack and a native 1,024 x 600 resolution. The 11.6-inch 721, on the other hand, has AMD's newer 1.3GHz Athlon II Neo K325, which similarly sports full HD playback on its 1366x768 resolution screen. And oddly, Acer seems to also have a new Aspire 1551 lying around, which also has an 11.6-inch display and dual-core Athlon II Neo K325/K625 processor options. Sadly, no further details were available, but we suspect they'll be outed faster than you can turn yourself around, mash play on the video past the break and ping your financial manager to get his / her thoughts on picking this up alongside a new Ditch Witch.
