Acer Aspire AS1410-2285 - Best Value in a Shipping Netbook?

If you are looking for the best value in a shipping netbook, today is your day. For around $400 plus shipping, you can get the Acer Aspire AS1410-2285 shipped from Amazon, and if you’re willing to spend extra, you could have it on Friday.

What does $399.99 plus shipping get you? Quite a bit actually, it will get a dual-core CPU with Intel’s 4500MHD graphics, an HDMI port, Windows 7 Premium, and an 11.6-inch display.

Full specifications: Acer Aspire AS1410-2285 (Black casing)
- OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
- CPU: 1.2GHz Intel Celeron SU2300 Dual-Core CULV CPU
- RAM: 2GB DDR2 667MHz
- HDD: 160GB SATA Hard Drive
- Networking: Intel WiFi Link 1000 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N
- Graphics: Intel 4500MHD Graphics (GMA)
- Display: 11.6″ WXGA LED-Backlit Display
- Battery: 6-cell Li-ion Battery (4400 mAh), up to 6 hours according to Acer
-Weight: 3 pounds/1.4 kg

In addition to the above, it’s coming with three USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI port, and a Multi-gesture touchpad.

Looking at Acer’s other Windows 7 listings at Amazon, it looks like HDMI out will finally be standard. Most of the Acers should be expandable to 4GB of RAM.

While this is a Celeron, expect non-Celeron-based netbooks with dual-core CPUs to be out in the next few weeks. Amazon is showing the Acer Aspire AS1810T-8679 with a Core 2 Duo SU7300, up to 8 hours of battery life, and 4GB of RAM shipping in November.

Netbooks Impacting the Mainstream Market

Joe Wilcox, editor of Microsoft Watch, has put together an in-depth article about the impact netbooks are having on the traditional, or mainstream, laptop/notebook market.

Netbooks are cannibalizing the low-end part of the market and driving some margins down (in the so-called “race to the bottom”). Just how much they are is up for debate - I think once we’ve seen another quarter or two, and factor in the MSI Wind U100 and Acer Aspire One launch during the first half of last year, then we’ll have a better idea on just what kind of impact they are having. eWeek considers this a huge problem for the overall PC market, and they believe the Microsoft must be a part of anything that addresses this. They mention the first quarter 2009 shipment information that was just released by both Gartner and IDC, and PC shipments declined by 6.5 percent over this time last year, while netbooks/sub-notebooks sales were strong. I think some of that is being alarmist - even if netbooks didn’t exist, shipments would probably still be down. Companies are cutting back, and within the last few years, laptops have reached a point as far as cost versus computing power, where the benefits of upgrading fairly often for consumers has dropped substantially. It’s one thing if you are going from an old Celeron or Pentium 4-based laptop from 5 years ago to a Intel Core 2 Duo-based system, it’s another if you are already on a Core Duo or Core 2 Duo-based system. I think we’ve reached the point where people aren’t going to be compelled to upgrade as often. On top of that, you have Microsoft Windows 7 which is going to perform as well or better on existing systems that were sold with Vista (and it performs just fine on Intel Atom-based systems).

I think that it is a problem for manufacturers, but at the same time, the damage is done. It’s very clear that these devices are something that consumers are very interested in, and in many cases, they are being bought by people who may not already own a laptop for one reason or another. I can also see the fear that the NVIDIA Ion platform inspires in some - a low-end netbook/ultraportable, perhaps powered by an Intel Atom (or a VIA Nano), capable of HD graphics (even just 720p). That would absolutely impact the traditional 15″ (and now 17″) budget market. Netbooks with their current, outdated graphics systems, are already impacting the market - the demand was there, and the products to fill it simply didn’t exist, at least at a pricepoint that was affordable by mainstream consumers. As we go forward, you’ll find more people willing to forego the 15″ laptops for something in the 13″ and below range.
Read more

Apple’s Netbook, AT&T’s 3G Upgrades

Commercial Times/Digitimes is reporting that Foxconn Electronics (as it’s known in the US, Hon Hai Precision Industry as it’s known elsewhere) could be the potential supplier for an Apple Mac OS X-based netbook.

Foxconn and Apple have a relationship that goes back several years, and they’ve manufactured either partially, or in whole, devices for Apple that include iPhones, MacBook Airs, Mac minis, along with some iPods, so it makes sense that they are in the running for this.

Something that maybe slightly related - on the heels of AT&T offering netbooks with mobile data plans, Telephony Online is reporting that AT&T is working on upgrading its existing 3G networks up to a 7.2Mb/s speed. The improvements that could potentially double current speeds/capacity are software-based, designed to boost its 3G network before its eventual move over to a 4G network.

Telephony Online claims that it’s centered around the downlink capacity. The article mentions that most laptop cards (and presumably USB adapters), as well as smartphones and iPhones that AT&T currently offers, can handle the increased capacity.

Should AT&T’s plans to offer netbooks with mobile data plans prove successful, along with iPhone OS 3.0 coming out in the not-too-distant future, the increased capacity should be put to the test. Already Skype has been rolled out to the iPhone (although WiFi access is needed for VOIP), and an iPhone-based Hulu.com client is in the works as well.

Read:
- DigiTimes
- Telephony Online
via AppleInsider

Steve Jobs Overseeing Ultraportable Apple / Mac?

With the announcement last month of a major update to Apple’s iPhone OS (version 3.0), a lot more of us began to wonder about whether Apple would be scaling the iPhone’s interface up to something larger, perhaps netbook-sized. Keep in mind that the iPhone is running a scaled-down version of Mac OS X, which runs on the normal Mac product range (MacBooks, etc.). The iPhone update included the fabled copy-and-paste, more support for landscape mode in various applications, increased Spotlight functionality, increased functionality/access for the internal mapping functions/hardware, and official access to 3rd party hardware accessories, and a lot more, all of which would be handy/necessary for something slightly larger.

AppleInsider is reporting on a Wall Street Journal article as well as some past rumors/information that even while Steve Jobs is working from home after taking a medical break from Apple, he’s still overseeing a lot of the major projects currently in progress at Apple, including a device from Apple that is “smaller than its current laptop computers but bigger than the iPhone or iPod Touch”.

Back in October of last year, Jobs made some interesting comments about netbook-sized Macs:

“As we look at the netbook category, that’s a nascent category. As best as we can tell, there’s not a lot of them being sold. You know, one of our entrants into that category if you will is the iPhone, for browsing the Internet, and doing email and all the other things that a netbook lets you do. And being connected via the cellular network wherever you are, an iPhone is a pretty good solution for that, and it fits in your pocket.

“But we’ll wait and see how that nascent category evolves, and we have got some pretty interesting ideas if it does evolve…”

A few months later, in January of this year, during Apple’s first quarter 2009 financial results conference call, Tim Cook, who is filling in for Jobs, had the following to say:

“We’re watching that space, but right now from our point of view, the products in there are principally based on hardware that’s much less powerful than we think customers want, software technology that is not good, cramped keyboards, small displays…. We don’t think people will be pleased with those products. It’s a category we watch, we’ve got some ideas here, but right now we think the products are inferior and will not provide an experience to customers they’re happy with.”

Since that time, there have been some major developments in “that space” that Apple woudl be watching. The market will soon have the NVIDIA Ion platform which provides the kind of hardware acceleration and performance Apple would want in an ultraportable device (and which would closely match the NVIDIA hardware already present in the MacBook and Mac mini line, simplifying some development costs/issues).

You also have AT&T, Apple’s partner with the iPhone in the US, offering a wide range of subsidized netbooks with 3G/mobile broadband packages. Finally, you have low-cost netbooks/ultraportable laptops that are selling incredibly well and gaining mainstream acceptance from both the public and brick-and-mortar retailers such as Office Depot and Best Buy.

The Wall Street Journal article mentions that Jobs was heavily involved in laying out iPhone OS 3.0, and Apple Insider mentions that there have been reports of Apple ordering 10-inch touchscreen displays. The price on touchscreen displays in the 9-inch and 10-inch range should be dropping this year, as devices such as the 8.9-inch touchscreen/convertible Asus Eee PC T91 Touch are produced.

Read:
- Wall Street Journal
via AppleInsider

AT&T to Offer Acer Aspire One, Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and 12, and LG Xenia with Mobile Data Plans

Looks like the reports from the middle of February concerning AT&T offering multiple netbooks/sub-notebooks, or “mini laptops” as the AT&T press release calls them, are indeed true.

AT&T will be offering the Acer Aspire One, Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and Mini 12, and LG Xenia (aka X110) in prices ranging from $49.99 USD to $249.99 when purchasing an appropriate mobile broadband package (along with the contract). If you want something more powerful, such as the 12-inch Lenovo ThinkPad X200, you are looking at $750 to $850 depending on the plan.

AT&T has put together what it’s calling an “Internet at Home and On the Go” plan that covers several situations (mixing mobile data and DSL), and included with that is access to AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots. The standard 5GB a month for $60 plan is still available for those who don’t need DSL.

In the reports from February, the HP Mini 1000 was mentioned in that mix of devices, but it’s been left out for now.

There is a catch to all of this (besides the standard contract) - for now, it’s only being offered in select stores in the Atlanta and Philadelphia areas, but it looks like it will be nationwide later this year.

Read:
- Press Release (AT&T)
via GigaOm

Verizon to Offer HP Mini 1000 with Mobile Broadband

Boy Genius Report has information and a screen capture purporting to show that Verizon will be offering the HP Mini 1000 netbook with mobile broadband/data plans.

Earlier this week, Verizon confirmed that they would be selling a netbook through corporate Verizon stores sometime in the second quarter (starting possibly in April).

If the information is correct, this would follow potential plans by AT&T’s to offer the HP Mini 1000 and other netbooks at subsidized prices with data plans. AT&T already offers a plan with the 8.9″ Acer Aspire One through Radio Shack.

Specifications:
- HP Mini 1151NR aka NM123UA#ABA
- Intel Atom 1.6GHz N270
- 1GB RAM
- 4200rpm 80GB HDD (probably 1.8″)
- 10.1″ 1024×576 display
- 802.11b/g Wireless
- Bluetooth
- 3-cell Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery

Verizon already has a working relationship with HP/Compaq - HP ultraportables/laptops such as the Pavilion TouchSmart TX2/TX2Z have optional Verizon wireless mobile broadband/data plans.

Read:
- Boy Genius Report
via CrunchGear
Also: Reuters

2008 Engadget Awards - Voting Winding Down

If you haven’t had a chance, you still have several hours to vote in the 2008 Engadget Awards, for the “best of” tech from 2008, as well as the tech-related items you most anticipate this year. Voting ends tonight.

The results will be released at the end of the month, as well as the Engadget Editor’s Choice awards.

Quite a few ultraportables/laptops/netbooks were finalists this year:

2008 Engadget Awards - Gadget of the Year
- Acer Aspire One
- Intel Atom

2008 Engadget Awards - Worst Gadget of the Year
- Alpha 400 netbook
- MacBook Air Rev. A

2008 Engadget Awards - Most Anticipated Gadget of 2009
- Dell Adamo
- Windows 7

2008 Engadget Awards - Laptop of the Year
- Lenovo Thinkpad X300
- VAIO Z Series
- Voodoo Envy 133

2008 Engadget Awards - Netbook of the Year
- Acer Aspire One
- ASUS Eee 1002HA
- Dell Inspiron Mini 9
- HP Mini 1000
- Lenovo S10
- MSI Wind
- Samsung NC10

2008 Engadget Awards - Tablet PC of the Year
- Axiotron ModBook
- Fujitsu LifeBook U820
- HP TouchSmart tx2z
- Intel Classmate 2 PC
- Raon Everun Note
- Lenovo ThinkPad X200t

I was surprised at the commanding lead that the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 had in the “Netbook of the Year” category, with the HP Mini 1000 right behind. I wasn’t surprised at Windows 7 leading the way in the “Most Anticipated Gadget of 2009″ section or the HP TouchSmart tx2z leading in the Tablet PC category.

Read/Vote: Engadget

Several Netbook/Laptop Deals (March 25)

This week, there have been a few decent deals on netbooks as well as laptops, including a refurbished HP Mini 1030NR for $279.

OnSale.com:
- Lenovo IdeaPad S10e - $299.99 after rebate (through April 30, 2009)
- Acer Aspire One A110-1588 - $249.99 Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz, 8.9″, Sapphire Blue, 16GB SSD, 1GB RAM, Windows XP

Buy.com
HP Mini 1030NR (Refurbished) - $279.00, 1GB RAM, Windows XP, 16GB SSD

ClubMac
- MacBook White 13.3″ 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo - $913.99 after Rebate (Save $80), NVIDIA, 120GB HDD, iLife ‘09
- MacBook Aluminum 13.3″ $1,208 after Rebate (save $81), 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 160 HDD, iLife ‘09

Amazon.com
- ASUS Eee PC 1000HA (EPC1000HA-BLK001X) - $341.67, 1.6 GHz Intel ATOM N270, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB HDD, 10 GB Eee Storage, XP Home, 6 Cell Battery, Fine Ebony

Prices subject to change

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