Review of Acer Aspire One

The Acer Aspire One features an Intel Atom Processor, 8.9" WSVGA TFT LCD, and a choice of either Genuine Windows XP Home Edition or Linpus Linux Lite version. The Aspire One AOD150 is a 10.1-inch screen netbook.

Netbooks have become very popular, primarily due to their size and inexpensive pricing, but also due to the fact that the average person does not need a desktop replacement style laptop. Most people out there are not using their laptops for heavy work, the majority are using them for checking email, and browsing the internet, something which you don’t need an uber-power laptop for.

Acer Aspire One specifications:

1.6GHz N270 Intel Atom Processor
1GB DDR2 533MHz
Windows XP Home SP3
8.9" 1024 x 600 WSVGA glossy LED backlit display
120GB 2.5" 5400RPM Hitachi Hard Drive (with SDHC storage expansion slot)
802.11b/g Atheros Wireless
3-Cell 23Wh battery
Size: 9.75" x 6.625" x 1.28"
Weight: 2lb 5.0oz

Acer has recently introduced their new lineup of their popular Aspire One series of netbooks, the D250, and that’s what I’ve got for review today. Specifically I have the AOD250-1165 model of netbook for review. This one features a 10.1″ LED backlit LCD display, along with an Intel Atom N270 CPU, a 6-cell Acer Aspire One battery, Windows XP, 160GB hard drive, 1 gig of ram and a built-in webcam, among other features it has. The Aspire One D250 is a very portable and lightweight netbook, coming in at only 2.4lbs with battery installed and only one inch thick.It’s a nice basic little netbook that gets the job done.

Small and smart, the Aspire one takes you wherever you want to be and keeps you connected when you get there. The Aspire one comes with 802.11b/g WiFi built-in as standard for easy access to available wireless networks and can also be specified with a choice of embedded WiMAX or 3G wireless technologies for even greater wireless freedom. The result is always the same: you're online in an instant and can stay there as long as you want. The Aspire one battery is great for getting things done: whether you're checking your mail, managing your online bank account or chatting with friends, the Aspire one offers a simple, intuitive Linux interface that clearly organizes everything you need to surf, work or simply have fun. The pre-installed software is separated by functions and presented in 4 distinct areas on the screen - connect, works, fun and files - that is so simple it's impossible to get confused: the easier it is to get things done, the simpler it is to enjoy life.

The Aspire One from Acer is, I admit, a subnotebook I fell in love with almost as soon as I got my hands on it. The reasons were twofold. Firstly it wasn't white, which makes it a hell of a lot easier to photograph. Also, the keyboard.

The keyboard is where most subnotebooks get it wrong. They shrink it down too much or not enough. They make the keys a little bit smooshy, or they over compensate like the HP Mininote, creating a satisfying and solid feel that unfortunately drives the price up. The Acer though is different. The keyboard is decently sized, firm and easy to use. Our standard keyboard test involves writing articles, playing some games and writing the Jabberwocky poem over and over again – and we had absolutely no problems with any of them when it came to the Acer Aspire One.

The Wind, the S10, and the HP Mini-Note have more storage options and are more conducive for say, dual-booting Windows and Linux. The verdict is still out on whether the Aspire One can handle a dual boot configuration with its SD expansion technology. An ExpressCard slot, like the one on the Mini-Note and the S10, would've been a nice addition. The system lacks an internal cellular modem (rumor has it that one's on the way), but it does have built-in 802.11g Wi-Fi and an Ethernet port. A webcam is also situated above the screen.

The Aspire One runs a customized Linux operating system called Linpus Linux Lite, which is basically a stripped-down version of Fedora. The user experience is divided into four areas, where each one has a preview of icons that represent an application or Web link. All four areas, as well as a portion of their icons, can be seen upon boot-up, as opposed to a single area, separated by tabs, on the ASUS EeePC 900. The "Connect" area consists of Firefox, a custom e-mail client, and several useful Web links like Wikipedia and Hotmail. The "Work" area is made of OpenOffice 2.3, a PDF reader, and a calculator. You have an assortment of games in the "Fun" section, while the "File" section lets you manage all your music, image, and video files. Because everything is intuitively laid out, it's easy to find your way around this interface.

The 532h's standard six-cell, 5600mAh (63Wh) Acer Aspire One series battery (the $299 version comes with a six-cell, 4400mAh battery) lasted a solid 6 hours and 31 minutes on our video rundown test, which loops the same SD video at 65 percent brightness. That isn't too shabby for a netbook, and you definitely don't have to worry about dragging the small charger with you for the day, but it isn't as long as the Eee PC 1005PE's 8 hours and 10 minutes. During everyday usage the 532h lasted close to eight hours in our routine of surfing the web and listening to streaming music through Pandora. Oh speaking of music, we should mention that the Aspire One 532h's onboard speakers are actually plenty loud for a netbook. As for preloaded software, there are shortcuts to Netflix and Acer's registration web pages on the desktop, and we found them a nice home in the Recycle Bin.

In some respects, the Acer Aspire One laptop battery is better than an EeePC 901. It has an excellent keyboard, solid performance and is highly portable. The EeePC 901 still has the edge in terms of battery life and mouse input, so it's a close call between the two machines.