This is a cool little computer. Of the netbooks currently available (late February 2009), it has the best combination of features and price. These were the particular features that sold me:
- a usable keyboard, with properly positioned Shift keys. Many other netbooks compromise here, using a small weirdly-placed shift key that can make it very difficult to type accurately. The Acer's keyboard is slightly reduced in size, but I am able to touch-type on it with no problem.
- a 10.1" screen, with 1024x600 resolution. Bright, clear, and easy-to-read.
- a 160GB disk drive; quite generous storage capacity for this class of machine. Plenty of room for photos, music files, and the usual day-to-day work.
- extended run-time on battery. This is perhaps one of the greatest advantages of a netbook over a more traditional laptop. Because of the power-efficient processor used, even the smaller 3-cell battery will usually have double the battery run-time of a regular laptop. And with a larger 6-cell battery, the Acer will run for an entire workday. Like other early orders, mine (ordered on Sunday 2/22) was shipped with the larger battery. This adds an enormous degree of convenience and utility to the netbook; true un-tethered portability.
- a compact, attractive case. It's a nice change from the usual black or monochrome computer.
Along with the 3 USB ports, good wi-fi connectivity, an ethernet port, external monitor jack, built-in webcam and mic, 1 GB RAM, and 1.6Ghz processor, it has everything most of us need in a portable computer, and nothing that we don't.
The only thing that I actively dislike is the mouse-button. What were they thinking? As others have noted, it is truly heinous, requiring an incredible amount of force to press. Unbelievable, especially when one considers how well thought out the rest of the design seems to be.
(UPDATE June 2009): I was in Walmart today and checked out the two Aspire One's that they had on display. The stiff mouse-button problem appears to be fixed in the latest models! The feel was quite reasonable on the current store-models that I tried.)
Fortunately, there is a partial workaround for the stiff button... using touchpad tap/gestures in place of the mouse button for single or double-clicking, and marking text. I haven't got a great workaround yet for click-drag operations (e.g. moving windows, dragging files). I've had to turn that into a two-handed operation; left finger holds down the mouse button, right finger drags on the touchpad. This is something that I do infrequently enough that the overly stiff button isn't a deal killer. However, it is a serious flaw in an otherwise excellent design.
(UPDATE: the touchpad can be configured to allow "Locking Drags" on the Acer. Bring up Control Panel -> Mouse -> Device Settings. In the listbox, click on the Synaptics Touchpad entry, then click on the Settings button. This brings up the Properties dialog for the touchpad. Select +"Tapping" (expand the entry), then "Tap and Drag". There is a checkbox for "Locking Drag" so that you can turn on this behavior if it suits you. It can provide a workaround for the unwieldy click-drag behavior caused by the Aspire One's stiff mouse button. )
Wishes for a future version:
1) improved button!
2) an even higher-res compact display; say 1280x800.
3) somewhat faster dual-core processor, when they become available (a BiAtom processor?), but without seriously compromising battery life.
That's about it. I wouldn't want a built-in CD/DVD or much bigger display because I want a netbook to be small, convenient, and compact. I like getting 7 to 8 hours on a battery charge, and don't want that to suffer.
Overall, the Acer Aspire One has an almost ideal combination of features and price. Recommended.Get more detail about Acer Aspire One AOD150-1920 10.1-Inch Ruby Red Netbook - 6.5 Hour Battery Life.
