AspireOne
Latest
Aspire One shipments on pace to beat Eee PC
Acer's Aspire One has been somewhat overlooked in the face of a relentless barrage of Eee PCs and other netbooks, but slow and steady tends to win the race -- Acer says it's on track to ship six million machines this year, which is ahead of ASUS's target of five million Eees. Acer's mostly pulled into the lead due to its size and ability to push the Aspire One globally, while ASUS (which less than half the revenue) has been building the Eee market by market. Of course, that doesn't mean ASUS is going down without a fight -- we've already seen some aggressive ads, and Acer doesn't have anything to match machines like the S101. Looks like the netbook market is starting to get heated -- it'll be interesting to see how this all shakes out over the next few months.
XOHM roundup: WiMAX-enabled Aspire One, speed testing
Yesterday was a pretty big day for Sprint (along with a number of laptop manufacturers), as America's had its first major glimpse at widespread WiMAX. A few other tidbits lingering from the mayhem were the obligatory speed tests -- which were decidedly average -- and what's believed to be a prototype Aspire One with inbuilt WiMAX capabilities. Said netbook was residing within an Intel-branded van, and while it wasn't made clear if Acer had any plans of bringing such a beast to the commercial realm, the folks at Laptop found the WiMAX surfing to be respectable, but not mind-blowing, as the New York Times homepage took around 15 seconds to load completely. Mr. Dave Zatz was able to pull down around 4,600kbps (and 1,519kbps up) in an impromptu speed test, while Kevin over at jkOnTheRun only managed 3,435kbps down / 1,555kbps up. As always, YMMV.Read - Hands-on with WiMAX-enabled Aspire One Read - XOHM Speed Test IRead - XOHM Speed Test II
Acer Aspire One hacked into a UMPC for reasons unknown
We know that there are those of you who have been asking -- quite insistently -- "What does it take to get an Acer Aspire One UMPC around here?" Apparently, it doesn't take much: pop out the screen, replace it with an 8.9-inch touchscreen kit, flip the lid 'round so the display sits on top, toss out the keyboard and screw it all back together again. The specimen pictured above is running Ubuntu on top of the Aspire's 1.6GHz Atom CPU with 1.5GB RAM and an 8GB SSD (and quite happily, we might add). Hit that read link for details and plenty of pictures.[Via SlashGear]
Eee marketing getting adorably bitchy
When every company out there is cranking out the same 10-inch 1.6GHz Atom netbook, there aren't many ways to make your product stand out: the obvious trick is to go low on price, but ASUS isn't messing with its profit margins. Instead, it's apparently going negative in the most adorable way possible -- check this hit piece on the Acer Aspire One. If all these frowny faces are to be believed, using the Aspire One will basically be awkward and unergonomic for a short while, at which point you'll burst into flames. Not only that, but ASUS can't even bring itself to spell out "Aspire," instead starring it out like someone might catch them saying it out loud. Very mature. Still, if anything can revive our flagging enthusiasm for the entire netbook category, it would be one of these WINNER crowns packed in with every Eee -- now that's a real differentiating factor, ASUS. Full image in the gallery. %Gallery-33448%
How would you change Acer's Aspire One?
Judging by the amount of mods already available for Acer's contribution to the netbook world, we'd say there's a fair amount of things folks would like changed on the Aspire One. Of course, that's not to say the machine isn't worthy of praise as-is, but there's nothing wrong with a little dreaming. Would you have preferred a 6-cell battery right out of the box? Is that touchpad a touch too small for your chubby fingertips? Would you rather it run a little less like Zune Guy and more like Usain Bolt? With the sudden surge in competition in this sector, there's really no excuse for a poor showing -- let Acer know exactly what you really wanted from the tiniest Aspire.
Acer Aspire One's 6-cell is a whole lot cheaper bundled
$119 for a battery to beef up a $380 computer? No thanks, Acer, but how about we nab ourselves a $400 Aspire One with the 6-cell already onboard? Yeah, we like the sound of that. Now we've got ASUS, MSI and Acer posing with 6-cells, when are you going to get on board with sexy, Dell?[Thanks, Jeremy B.]
Acer remembers netbooks were supposed to be cheap, drops price on Aspire One
Not sure if you noticed (though you probably did), but these so-called netbooks never actually ended up being nearly as inexpensive as we were all led to believe. Matter of fact, some manufacturers even took the liberty of charging more than basic 15-inchers as they pimped the whole "pay a premium for portability" aspect. Nevertheless, we're glad to see the stickers declining on at least one subset, as Acer has announced price drops today on its Aspire One. The Windows XP unit will fall to $349 (from $399), while the Linpus Linux Lite model will sink to $329 (from $379). Best of all, the longevous six-cell battery-packin' flavor is now $399. Full release is after the break.
Aspire One modding continues: swapping SSD for capacious HDD
Oh sure, you're pretty 1337 if you can say you've got an SSD within your laptop, but if you've a need to store more than, say, 8GB of files, a bit more room may be desired. tnkgrl's Aspire One mods began earlier this week with the addition of Bluetooth and extra RAM, and today she's showing the world how to swap the built-in SSD with a 1.8-inch 60GB PATA drive. As expected, this one's remarkably easy to complete once you've torn the thing open, but she also explains how to best put it all back together once you're done. But you're not, because she'll be producing a how-to for adding internal 3G in the coming days / weeks.
Acer Aspire One not immune to tnkgrl's modding ways, stuffed with Bluetooth and extra RAM
Netbooks have come a long way since the Eee PC 701 hit the scene. Gone are the square miles of emptiness surrounding the screens and keyboards as manufacturers start to put every inch to good use, but that seems to have little impact on folks bent on hacking these mini laptops to pieces -- with the Acer Aspire One the latest subject of such work. Tnkgrl has stuffed a miniscule USB Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR adapter under the palm rest and upgraded the RAM while she was in there. Next up is a hard drive upgrade and then the all-important "how to put the computer back together again." No real show stoppers, but if you've been waiting for reports from the other side before you put your own Aspire One under knife, here they are.
Acer's Aspire One now available: unboxing and impressions
Given that Acer's contribution to the netbook craze was reviewed over a fortnight ago, it follows logic that the thing finally be available for purchase. Apparently the Aspire One is already on shelves in at least one Circuit City location, so chances are you can run out and grab one for yourself today as well. But what if you're not totally convinced it's the mini laptop for you? If you're 100% okay with subjecting yourself to a 26-minute "geek session" (their words, not ours) that unboxes it and gives a few brief impressions, jump on past the break and hit play. We're warning you though, don't venture down there unless you've got your coke bottle glasses on. We're serious.Read - Acer Aspire One first lookRead - Acer Aspire One impressions
6-cell battery emerges for Acer Aspire One: $119.99 for a few more hours
We fully understand that time is money, but damn. With quite a few folks up in arms over the $50 to $100 price hike on the 6-cell MSI Wind over the standard 3-cell version, we can only imagine the outcries that will come after seeing this. CDW has a product page up that describes an Acer Li-ion 6-cell 5,200mAh battery that's designed to fit snugly within the $379.99 Acer Aspire One netbook. Let's see here -- a $119.99 battery for a $379.99 computer. Is that the absurdity alarm sounding, or are our ears still ringing from all the weekend revelry?[Via TrustedReviews]
Acer Aspire One gets reviewed, lost in the shuffle
At this point, it's pretty hard to figure out which netbook is better than another, but if you've been keyed in on Acer's version for whatever reason, Laptop has a review sure to pique your interest. The Aspire One was praised just as soon as it left the box for its classy styling and super portable design. After getting down to business, however, reviewers felt that the typing experience was only "decent" and the touchpad was "cramped" -- two things we actually would expect from a device of this stature. Nevertheless, the port selection was tolerable, the performance was passable and the battery life left a bit to be desired. As you can tell, this one seemed perfectly average on the whole, though it was deemed a "pretty good bargain" at $379. Huzzah?
Acer's Aspire One on sale in America, said to be shipping
Acer played it safe early last month by telling Americans to expect its Aspire One "later this year," but just a month and change after UKers had the privilege of toying with one on video, here she comes. So far, we're seeing a couple of variations for sale here in the US, two of which include the $399.99 A110-1295 (8GB SSD) and the $422.99 A150-1006 (120GB HDD). We're also hearing that select e-tailers are already slapping those shipping labels on there and moving 'em out to anxious consumers, so be sure and chime in when your confirmation arrives. Wait, what? You already own six netbooks? Ah well, what's another one amongst family?[Via AspireOne, thanks Tony and Timothy]
Teardown party: the MSI Wind and Acer Aspire One get ripped open
You knew this was bound to happen. Like any good piece of gadgetry, there's always someone who can't wait to get their grubby hands all over it... and rip it to shreds to see how it works. Today we present the disemboweling of two of the latest challengers to the Eee's netbook throne: the MSI Wind, and the Acer Aspire One. The Aspire One at least gets the courtesy of a proper unboxing before the medical proceedings begin; the Wind just gets cracked open like a cold PBR at your cousin's barbecue. Don't take our word for it, however -- truck on over to the read links and see the messes with your very own eyes.Read - Breaking WindRead - Acer Aspire One Unboxed and Disassembled
Acer Aspire One available in Europe
According to reports, Acer's tiny Aspire One laptop is now available in three breathtaking variations: the A110L, A150L, and A150X. The A110L sports an Atom N270 CPU, Intel's 946GSE chipset, 512MB or 1GB of RAM, 8GB of NAND flash storage, an 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 display, 802.11b/g, and three USB ports. The other two models come equipped with the same specs, save for a 120GB hard drive in place of the flash storage, and are offered with Linpus Linux, or Windows XP. Excited? Retailers in Germany already claim to have the A110L in stock now, selling for €329 (or about $518).[Via Fudzilla]
Acer Aspire One handled on video by real-live British people
The folks at Tech Digest got a look at the new Acer Aspire One, and they seem to like what they see. High points abound, but of particular note is the solid "it's almost like a real laptop" build quality, the Atom processor that runs cool enough to require zero fan usage in the time they've been testing, and the strong battery life. The rest of the quite-lovable specs we're sure you all know by heart -- either that or you're so sick of looking at netbooks by now that you're contemplating a monastic existence just to be rid of the things. Video is after the break.
Acer tells Windows it's been seeing Linux, needs some space
Microsoft sits alone at the cafe as Acer walks out, peering into its empty coffee cup, thinking, "I don't need her anyway." What are we getting at? Acer VP of Marketing Gianpiero says the computer company is seeing a big future with Linux. He says the cost of Windows over Linux -- especially in its low-cost products like the Aspire One -- is the biggest reason, and offered this meta explanation: "We have shifted towards Linux because of Microsoft. Microsoft has a lot of power and it is going to be difficult, but we will be working hard to develop the Linux market." It's not you, Microsoft. It's Acer. Really.
Acer's Aspire One gets official
Just in case you're not already totally sick of all these tiny laptops, Acer's Aspire One is finally official. You saw our hands-on from the show floor at Computex, now the full specs: 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 LED-backlit display 1.6GHz Atom N270 512MB DDR2 SDRAM (expandable) 1.3 megapixel camera, SDHC and multi-format media readers 802.11b/g, Ethernet, three USB 2.0, VGA, and 3.5mm audio out One free mini PCI slot for WWAN 80GB hard drive (with XP) or 8GB solid state (with Linux) 2.5 or 5 hours on 3 or 6-cell batteries in XP model, 3 or 7 hours on Linux 1kg (2.2 pounds) It should be available overseas this month in blue or white (with black, red, and pink models coming soon), and supposedly US release later this year. At the outset you'll be ponying up £199 (~$400 US) for the Linux model, and £299 (~$600 US) for XP.[Thanks, Garry, via El Reg]
Hands-on Acer's Aspire One netbook
Guess what? We're off the Eee (and your mama) and onto the launch of the competition. This time, it's Acer's Aspire One. The Atom-based, 8.9-inch, 1024 x 600 pixel laptop runs your choice of XP or Linux and packs 802.11b/g WiFi, up to 1GB of memory, an 8GB SSD or 2.5-inch 80GB, SD card slot, and optional 6-cell battery. It'll also sport an integrated WiMax module when the networks finally light up. Expected to hit the US in September for $399 (that's still unofficial) with a 3-cell, 2200mAh battery, standard. Puhlease. A few more snaps after the break, the rest at Engadget Chinese.
First pics of Acer's Aspire One, the Eee PC's evil twin?
Whoa, big day in the land of low-cost ultra-portables. First Dell, now Acer in what appear to be the first shots of Acer's first sub-$500 ultra-portable. The images above were dumped into the forum over at UMPC Portal and show what appears to be an "Aspire One" branding to the right of the touchpad and what could certainly pass as the rumored 8.9-inch display. And although that UI is very un-Microsoft, there's no denying the Microsoft flag waving back from the keyboard. We'll know for sure if this is Acer's contestant in the race to the bottom next week at Computex.
