Acer Aspire One + 3G = $99 (Plus Subscription)

Netbook You may have seen the ad floating around, touting a $99 Acer Aspire One from Radio Shack, with the purchase of a mobile broadband/3G contract. Well, it’s official.

As of December 14, Radioshack will be offering the 8.9″ netbook with integrated 3G connectivity for $99, with a qualifying two-year contract (around $1500 over two years, as Gizmodo points out). It’s around $2 a day, which may or may not be worth it to you, depending on your use. It alls under AT&T’s DataConnect service plans.

This combo will be offered in 4,400 stores. A little pricey – jkOnTheRun and LAPTOP Magazine point out a few alternatives that don’t require contracts (including with the HP Mini 1000), but it’s a good move for netbooks in the US. You can find similar combinations in Europe and Asia. I think there is a definite niche for it, and the pricing is interesting – the USB modems for such 3G data plans are usually free with a multi-year contract or $30 – $60 depending on the modem.

Specifications of the AAO:
– Piano-Black
– Webcam
– Windows XP Home
– 1GB RAM
– 160GB HDD

Read:
Press Release (Market Watch)
– via Gizmodo
jkOnTheRun
LAPTOP Magazine