Netbook Reviews : Best Price : Best Buy

Product Description

Aspire One UltraThin Netbook — Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (SP3). Intel Atom Processor N270 (512KB L2 cache, 1.60GHz, 533MHz. FSB), 1GB DDR2 533 SDRAM.160GB hard drive, 5400RPM. Multi-in-one card reader.10.1-inch WSVGA (1024 x 600) TFT LCD with Acer CrystalBrite Technology. Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950. 802.11b/g WLAN, 10/100 LAN. Integrated Webcam. Mobile. Intel 945GSE Express chipset. Multi-gesture touchpad with two buttons supporting circular-motion scrolling. DC-in, RJ-45 LAN, VGA, headphones/speakers/line-out, microphone and three USB 2.0 Interface ports. Six Cell Li-Ion Battery. Ruby Red.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #556 in Personal Computers
• Color: Ruby Red
• Brand: Acer
• Model: LU.S700B.171
• Dimensions: 5.10 pounds
• Memory: 1000MB DDR2 SDRAM
• Native resolution: 10.1
• Display size: 10.1

Features

• Intel Atom Processor N270 (512KB L2 cache, 1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB)
• 1GB DDR2 533 SDRAM
• 160GB hard drive (5400RPM)
• Windows XP Home Edition, 6.5 Hours of Battery Life (6-Cell 4800 mAh)
• 10.1-inch WSVGA (1024 x 600) TFT LCD

Customer Reviews

So far, quite impressed.
I have only had this D250 (White) for 2 days now, so my comments are really nothing more than a first impression at this point.

I purchased the D250 to replace a Dell 700M which I have loved, but even at only 4.5 pounds gets heavy with all its gear on trips – and 1280×768 on a 12″ screen is starting to get hard on older eyes.

I did plenty of research and decided on the D250 over the Asus 1008 and Samsung NC10 primarily due to it’s weight and styling – and the combination of a white shell with a black keyboard. I had counted out the HP and Dell for various reasons – most notably battery life.

First impression out of the box of the D250 was extremely good: fit and finish is excellent – with the exception that the hard drive bay door wasn’t put on right and was warping up (a tab wasn’t seated). A quick unscrew and reseat fixed that, but I was surprised it shipped that way.

Also note that the battery seats very firmly (a big plus) and the unit is very solid feeling.

After the initial Windows setup I was disappointed at the performance until I realized there was a huge drain being put on the system by the included trial version of McAffee. I uninstalled that and the system is quite snappy – very comparable to my 700M. I’ll use CA AntiVirus or AVG instead (seems to have a lower system overhead) and the D250 is performing MS Office and Internet browsing tasks admirably.

I did just upgrade to 2GB of RAM using the Crucial DIMM offered here by Amazon. Everything seems to be fine with it and I haven’t noticed any compatibility issues. I also haven’t really noticed any performance changes, but I had very little “before” experience on which to judge.

After everything is now running I have to say I’m very impressed and satisfied with this little machine. Very solid, nice screen, usable keyboard and touchpad, and decent performance.

If I had to point to anything I would consider a disappointment, there would be 2:

1. Screen brightness settings (on aC or battery) don’t seem to be properly retained across boot/restart and when toggling between AC and battery power. So, sometimes I’ll restart and it will remain t level 7 where it was when I shut down, and sometimes it will revert to level 5 on restart.

2. Wireless doesn’t maintain On/Off status of what it was on shutdown – it always comes back to On after a restart.

That’s about it.

I also found a Targus Slipskin Peel neoprene slipcase (at Walmart for $[...]) that fits the 250D with the 6Cell battery perfectly. TSS11103US.

P.S. – there are two different versions of the 6-Cell battery for the D250, a 48kWh and a 58kWh version. My unit from Amazon had the 48kWhr version (est 6hr battery life).

Hope this helps.

** UPDATE (7/15/09) **
My “disappointment #1″ (screen brightness issue) was corrected in a recent BIOS update. Now, the last setting is maintained (although not independently for battery and AC) across reboots. However, the brightness will still drop 2 levels if you disconnect AC power while running. But at leastthe behaviour is now consistent.

Also, I have now been able to (i.e. had reason to) test the System Restore capability and it worked flawlessly in putting the system back exactly as I received it, without the need for recovery CDs. Very impressed.

One last note: While this unit may not have Bluetooth built in, don’t feel you have to spend an extra $[...] (or get a different model) just to get BT. You can find many extremely small USB BT dongles that work just fine and cost next to nothing. I got one that you can barely see (about the size of a Logitech Nano transmitter) and it cost a whopping $[...] online. The Aspire One recognized it and installed automatically and it works perfectly – for $[...].

Acer Aspire One D250 Video demonstration.
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3INEFET1AHLFZ Hi, this video is a demontration of the Acer Aspire One in action, well sort of, it mostly shows you where the ports are located, how many, where is the hard drive and ram located and a little show of on how video and audio looks and sound on this netbook.

Hope you find this video informative or at least lets you take a look at what you wanted to see about the product.

Fallen in Love
believe it or not, I gave up a particularly large HP notebook with all the latest specs to downsize to this tiny little guy, and boy am I pleased i did. Most people use one of these as a second computer, I, on the other hand, use it as my one and only computer.

It can do pretty much anything. It plays music exceptionally well, most games (like the Sims2) work great on it as well. The keyboard is awesome, and very very easy to get used to (I’ve only had this little guy for four days, and after downsizing from a 17″ laptop to this 10.1″, I’m proud to say I’m already used to the keys).

If you’re thinking about getting this, I strongly recommend it. Don’t be wary. The price is extremely cheap, but that term does not describe its build. It is very tightly wound. Feels very durable, can be lifted with one hand, and the ports are fresh and tight, everything (from what I’m told by my nerdy cousin) you could dream of having in a new computer.

The screen size is perfect as well, just big enough for movies, games, even multitasking. Going from a 17″ screen to a 10.1″ feels like no change at all it’s that amazing.

Try it. You will LOVE it.

Product Description

Acer redefines mobile connectivity with the Aspire One, the revolutionary Netbook featuring a 10.1″ display and fun, powerful computing features delivering an optimal on-the-go Internet experience. Browse the Internet, check email, share photos, webcam, check sport scores, listen to music and enjoy a variety of entertainment in a small compact design that you can take anywhere.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #266 in Personal Computers
• Color: Sapphire Blue
• Brand: Acer
• Model: AOD150-1165- Blue
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 1.31″ h x 10.20″ w x 7.28″ l, 2.95 pounds
• CPU: Intel Core Solo 1.6 GHz
• Memory: 1000MB DDR2 SDRAM
• Hard Disk: 160GB
• Processors: 1
• Display size: 8.9

Features

• The 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor combines performance, power and efficiency to explore the Internet and stay connected while mobile.
• 6-cell battery provides up to 6 1/2 hours of battery life for extended use and productivity when away from an AC outlet.
• Windows XP Home with SP3 gives you the freedom to do what you want at home and at work – simply, reliably and more securely
• 160GB Hard Drive, 1GB RAM, Integrated 802.11b/g Wi-Fi Certified
• Acer Crystal Eye webcam delivers smooth video streaming and high quality images for your on-line chats and business video conferences

Customer Reviews

A great companion that you will want to take anywhere
I ordered my Acer Aspire One 10.1 Netbook (AOD150-1165) on Feb 28, 2009 from Amazon. Item shipped on March 2nd and arrived on March 14.

When I ordered only Sapphire Blue color was available but I am happy with Sapphire Blue. It looks very attractive. I would normally order either white or black model but I am glad they were not available The only thing I can complain is that it easily gets finger marks so I try not to touch the shiny surfaces.

When you unpack the box and hold it on your hand, you will realise how light this is (especially if you have been lugging a 17″ laptop) This is very transportable and ideal for those small airplane tray tables (or your lap)

The 1.6Ghz N270 Intel Atom processor is a single core processor but it is pretty snappy and certainly more than enough for most office type usage. The Netbook ships with Windows XP Home w/SP3 installed instead of Vista so to me it feels as responsive as (or better than) a Core 2 Duo based laptop running Vista.

The unit is rather quiet. The fan or hard disk noise is minimal. The fan does not kick in often during normal use. It might be more active with some heavy CPU/HD activity tasks.

The screen is 1024×600 CrystalBright (shiny) type LCD but very comfortable to read under various light conditions. There is an integrated 0.3M megapixel (640×480) webcam and microphone embedded in the screen frame. Ideal to use a video phone/conferencing software like Skype, etc. BTW, to gain some vertical space on desktop, you might want to set Windows XP taskbar to auto-hide and pop-up when you move the cursor to the edge of the screen.

The keyboard is actually pretty well designed. Unlike some models from competitors, the shift, control, alt, tab, enter, backspace keys are all in the right places. Initially, I found the keys a bit small but after a few days of use, you get used to and avoid hitting two keys. The arrow keys could have been a bit bigger as there is room along the lower right side of the keyboard.

The touchpad on this model is made by Synaptics and is pretty configurable. Like everything else it is a bit small but works acceptably well. It would have been better if it was made wider. Touchpad buttons is another story. They are correctly placed below the touchpad but instead of using two independent buttons the designers chose to use one bar over the two buttons. This made the buttons much harder to press. I would have preferred two independent buttons. I think this is the biggest complaint about the design of this netbook. Nevertheless, the buttons do get softer over time. I have softened the buttons out by pressing both ends of the button bar at the same time repeatedly. I do this a number of times before using the laptop each day. So, it is not that hopeless.

Well, I do try to get myself used to build-in keyboard and mouse but those that are doing extensive work can still attach a regular USB keyboard and a USB mouse. For example, Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 is a perfect match.

Alternatively, you can tap on the touchpad instead of pressing the buttons. The synaptics touchpad is pretty configurable. You can configure a corner of the touchpad for right button and anywhere else would be left button.

The speakers for this netbook is under it. They are pretty loud and sound quality is pretty decent. However, since the speaker openings are underside of the netbook, if you are holding it on a soft surface such as carpet or bed the sound can get muffled as the openings will be blocked. It’s not a very good idea to keep it on the soft surfaces for a long time anyway as this will block the fan vents as well and cause the netbook to overheat.

There is 1GB RAM memory on DDR2 SODIMM module installed (mine was made by Samsung). There is no on-board soldered memory (the description on Amazon is incorrect and is referring to older 8.9″ model). The memory is easily upgradable to 2GB by replacing the SODIMM module. I upgraded the memory on 10.1″ Aspire One to 2GB by installing a “Mushkin 2GB 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Laptop Memory – Retail” module (Mushkin part #991618). It works great! Please note that this module has CAS4 (4-4-4-12) timing instead of more common CAS5 (5-5-5-16). In other words, it is slightly faster memory as it has less wait states

The hard disk is a Hitachi HTS543216L9A300, 160GB 2.5″ 5400rpm, Serial ATA, 8MB Cache disk. It’s pretty quiet. I think there is plenty of space for most applications. If you need more you can attach an external USB hard drive or the hard disk itself can be upgraded almost as easily as the RAM memory.

The wireless chip (AR5007EG) is made by Atheros and supports 802.11b/g. The range is decent enough. I had no issues connecting to my home WiFi Access Point, at work or other free public hotspots. I used wifi at Starbucks, Barnes and Noble Bookstore and McDonald’s among others (I get free WiFi at these locations since I have AT&T DSL). However, some users are reporting that they have some issues. The Atheros driver installed by default is old (version 7.6.0.260). The latest I have found for the AR5007EG wifi chipset is version 7.6.1.244 (dated 2/25/2009) and I believe might solve issues that some people are experiencing. (As a convenience, I’ve provided instructions at the bottom of this review for access to updated drivers) The device properties indicate that the WiFi chip is setup for maximum power saving. By the way, just like RAM and HDD, the wireless module is also accessible. Who knows, someone (or Acer) would come up with an replacement module for 802.11n or a Bluetooth+WiFi combo.

There is no build-in bluetooth capability. If you need to interface with Bluetooth devices you will need to buy a USB adapter such as Cirago Bluetooth BTA3210 v2.1 EDR Class 2 Micro Bluetooth Adapter or you can get a combo with a bluetooth mouse such as Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks (Black) Update: Apparently, Acer Aspire One AOD150 models build for some Asian markets do come with build-in Bluetooth. It’s a pity Bluetooth is not included for American version.

Like many other early adopters, the laptop arrived with Panasonic Built 5800mAh, 59W battery. It lasts 7-8hrs under normal office type work with Wi-Fi enabled. This is a bigger capacity battery than it would ship normally (4400mAh, also 6-cell) but most everyone got the larger one so far.

There are 3x USB 2.0 ports, 1x 10/100 Ethernet port, 1x VGA external monitor port and a single Multi-format flash memory card reader/writer (again, Amazon’s description is incorrect about 2nd SD card slot). There are also a headphone and external microphone jacks and a Kensington style lock slot.

There is also a slot for 3G SIM chip beside the battery. My netbook did have the slot but no 3G hardware in there to accept the SIM card. Presumably some models will be equipped to have 3G wireless capability.

Unlike 8.9″ predecessor, this 10.1 model did not come with a case. I picked a Neoprene sleeve from a local store that is designed for an 11″ laptop (Sony VAIO 11.1-Inch Neoprene protection case). Please note that with 6-cell battery the width of the netbook is about 8.5″. So, most 10″ cases with width around 7-8″ will either not fit or will require signficant stretching so choose your case accordingly. Actually, I personally use two cases. The neoprene sleeve goes inside a larger 12-13″ laptop bag with enough storage pockets for the charger and other cables. When I go out to a cafe, I only take the netbook in sleeve and leave the rest in the car.

The netbook also does not come with system recovery disks. There is a Acer recovery utility pre-installed that will generate your recovery disks for you. You should do this as soon as possible. You never know when you will need them. You will need a USB attached CD/DVD writer and some recordable media (6 CD-Rs for System Recovery + 2 for Apps and Drivers, OR alternatively 2 DVD-R for Recovery + 1 DVD-R for Apps and Drivers). I’ve purchased a NU Slim USB External SuperMulti Drive DVD Burner ESW860 and worked for me well. It’s slim enough to carry along with your netbook and you can watch DVDs if you like. You should be able to use it on any other laptop or desktop computer with USB 2.0 interface. Update: You can also order a set of recover CDs directly from Acer for $20. You need to go to Acer Support Website www.acerpanam.com and click on US on the map and select “eRecovery CD Purchase” link. It will verify the serial number of your netbook first.

Besides Windows XP Home, there is MS Works, a trial version of Microsoft Office 2007, a 30-day version of McAfee anti-virus suite and a couple other trialware installed. These can be uninstalled from Control Panel easily if desired (or needed).

Overall, I am very satisfied with it and highly recommend it. Obviously, I cannot talk about Customer Support/Service as I did not need to use the service. If your aim is to run your usual applications and surf the net with a decent screen size, this is the right one.

——
Update: Updating Atheros AR5007EG WiFi driver:

You can download version 7.6.1.244 (2/25/2009) driver free from Softpedia. Go to drivers.softpedia.com and enter AR5007EG at the top search box. Download the zip file (ar5_ar9_7.6.1.244.zip) and unzip it. Then go to Install_CD sub-folder and run setup.exe. When prompted choose to upgrade the driver. It’s simple and painless… If you are still having problems after driver update, change the channel of your AP/Router. There may be high interference from a nearby wifi router/access point. Good luck!

An Aspire that Inspires
Acer made a nice mini-notebook into a better one. The screen is larger and just as bright. The keyboard is still great (for a small one). No weirdly placed right shift key placement (Asus, Lenovo, etc). The mousepad buttons are below the touchpad not along side (yeah). It is now easy to increase ram or replace the drive without entirely dismantling the unit and voiding the warranty. I have no complaints. I loved the first one, this one fixes all the criticisms of the first one. Nothing major just refinement. Someone is listening to its customers and it is Acer.
Addendum: the screen is glossy, and initial orders are getting the larger 5900ma battery. It stick out the back a bit, but the run time is amazing. It must be the longest running mini-laptop out there, including the new Asus 1000he and the Samsung 10nc, for much less $$. That’s a win in my book. Easy to touch type (for me), good looks, I need a xd-card slot and this one has a 7-1, there is a bit a bloat ware, just delete and put on what you need, the HD is large enough.

A Pleasant Surprise to an unexpected user.
Acer Aspire One AOD150-1165 10.1-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 6 Cell Battery) Sapphire Blue

I know there are plenty or reviews about the good and bad things about this tinny little piece of hardware. I will not be talking about how good it is but rather WHY it seems good.

First a bit about me. I’m a mac user, love technology and are very critical of details that can make it or break it.

The Acer Aspire One 150 is simply more of what I was expecting, for less that I thought I was paying. I will number the reasons WHY I think such to be the case:

1) Quality. I know you can get them at walmart and they are quite on the cheap side. But that has nothing to do with the built, feel and performance of this device. Coming from my Macbook Pro early 2008, I cannot say that there is much room for improvement. Besides a backlite keyboard LOL.

2) Performance. How many times will you hear a Mac user praising a Windows machine, specially running on an atom N270? Well here it is one. I did not modify the OS or got Linux on it (yet) because I’m review what you will be getting right of the box. The machine is very snappy, booting is a breeze and this is the first time I use a brand new windows machine without reinstalling the OS. I only downloaded AVG free anit virus and unistalled MacAfee and I’m running this baby. Video Playback is very decent. The 5800 mAmp battery 59 Watts rated is just wonderful.

3) Design. They keyboard is just good, it could be better but I really don’t see much room for improvement. It is a 300 dollar machine for Christ sake. Screen, I have to use it in the lowest setting, the LED is great and resolution on the spot. Size and weight are very decent. I actually wish it was a bit wider, then again that is my macbook pro bias. Key layout it works wonders for me so far. Functions and commands are easy to execute on it and it is simply pleasent to use sitting, laying in bad or standing. Viewing angle is good, although video videos have a natural narrower viewing angle.

3) Features. Great battery life (I would put it in the 7 hours range to be fair with real usage). The Audio card is fantastic, it is as good as the macbook pro, no exageration. The atheros WIFI card got reception where my macbook pro doesn’t have it and other computers as well. The HD is very fast, It copies data very quickly and don’t be fool by the 1 G RAM on it, it is plenty to handle netbook oriented computing tasks. The touchpad, in conflict with other reviews out there, there is advance calibration software included in the machine that will allow you to use all the single finger scrolling features and flicker in no time (need to be calibrated first). And just in case people didn’t know there are actually sensors that detect your hand on the resting pad in relation to the touchpad as to avoid unnecessary input.

4) Personal Gripes: I know these are not really serious concerns but I’m pretty sure they will make the product better overall. First, dual booting. I mean come on how hard it will be to add ubuntu remix to this little wonder. Just as to get a taste of it. Touchpad buttons, I wish i didn’t have to go all the way to the very end of them to click and there was more feedback, maybe I need to get used to them. N280 processor, I know it does not make it or break it but it would be nicer to have the newer atom processor here. Although I know it is not a deal breaker at all. Last but not least, Intel GMA 950??? Come one, it works but this is by far the weakest point on the device. I know we are not doing high end graphics in here, but give me some better integrated graphic action LOL

Overall, I give it 5 starts because I find no serious flaws with this product to reduce a single start. It is more that what I bargained for and I’m very sure that it will be a very good addition to my technological arsenal for years to come lol…