Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16376 in Cell Phone Accessories
• Color: Black
• Brand: Acer
• Model: AO531h-1766
• Released on: 2008-02-15

Features

• Full-function netbook in sapphire blue with 10.1-inch display, integrated webcam, and 6-cell battery with up to 5-hours of use
• Check email, browse the Web or access your corporate intranet on the AT&T 3G wireless network; includes unlimited Wi-Fi access to nearly 20,000 AT&T Hot Spots
• 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor, 160 GB hard disk drive, 1 GB RAM (1.5 GB max), 54g Wi-Fi LAN (802.11b/g), 10/100 Ethernet
• Connectivity: 3 USB, 1 headphone, 1 microphone, multi-format memory card slot, VGA monitor output
• Pre-installed with Microsoft Windows XP operating system

Amazon.com Product Description
Personal computing just got a whole lot smaller with the slender Acer Aspire One 10-inch netbook, which includes built-in AT&T 3G wireless capabilities as well as unlimited access to AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots. A great choice for students as well as business travelers who like to travel light, Acer makes it even easier to stay productive while on the go with the larger 10.1-inch screen. Weighing just under 3 pounds, this netbook has a 6-cell battery that provides up to 5 hours of battery life for extended use and productivity when away from an AC outlet. Designed especially for mobile devices, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor uses a brand new design structure new hafnium-infused circuitry, which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors to conserve energy.

A great choice for light-packing business travelers, the 10.1-inch Aspire One comes with Windows XP Home, a 160 GB hard drive, and a 6-cell battery for up to 5 hours of battery life.

The integrated webcam and microphone makes it easy to connect with friends via video chats.

Weighing just 2.95 pounds, the stylish Acer Aspire One goes anywhere with you.

Offering a cool deep blue chassis, the netbook's smooth surface is comfortable to touch, and it's accented with distinctive details, such as the attractive orange hinge ring. You'll be able to easily video chat wherever you roam thanks to the Crystal Eye webcam integrated into the LCD's bezel, delivering smooth video streaming and high quality images even in low-light situations. And the built-in digital microphone delivers superior voice quality keeping background noise level low and minimizing echoes.

Packed with roomy 160 GB hard drive--great for storing a mobile digital audio and video library--this Aspire One also features 1 GB of installed RAM (1.5 GB maximum), 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), multi-format memory card reader, multiple USB ports, and built-in email, web browsing, and digital media applications.

It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.

AT&T Mobile Broadband Service
This netbook features integrated high-speed 3G cellular connectivity via AT&T's mobile broadband data network, which is available in most major metropolitan areas. The AT&T 3G network uses the dual-band 850/1900 MHz 3G network (UMTS/HSDPA).

Send and receive email, browse the Internet or access your corporate intranet on the AT&T 3G wireless network. And with the netbook's integrated Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), you'll be able to connect seamlessly to Wi-Fi networks at home, at your business, in airports and more with unlimited domestic access to the nation's largest Wi-Fi network featuring nearly 20,000 AT&T Hot Spots. AT&T is offering the following two-year contract:

• DataConnect 5 GB: Good for heavy to moderate data usage, this plan includes 5 GB of domestic wireless data usage and access to thousands of AT&T Wi–Fi hotspots. Additional per KB charges apply for data usage over 5 GB. This plan is not unlimited, and not recommended as a replacement for your DSL or cable service.

Processor
The Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power--less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor--for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).

Storage
This version of the Aspire One comes with a 160 GB hard disk drive (5400 RPM), which offers enough to room to hold a an extra-large digital audio library of and still have room left over for movies, games, and a large collection of software. This Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.

Memory
The 1 GB of installed RAM (512 MB onboard memory and one 512 MB DIMM, 533 MHz) can be expanded to a maximum of 1.5 GB of RAM,

Screen, Video and Audio
The 10.1-inch screen has a WSVGA resolution (1024 x 600) and support for up a 262K color depth. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, which uses shared video memory with the main memory. Acer's CrystalBrite display technology guarantees the best possible visual experience by preventing the diffusion of surrounding light and internal ray. Compared to normal TFT LCDs, Acer CrystalBrite technology is able to read color coordinates more accurately, thus minimizing distortion and creating high-fidelity colors in all environments.

This notebook includes an integrated audio card with Microsoft DirectSound compatibility, and it includes two stereo speakers.

Connectivity
This Acer Aspire One notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Acer InviLink) that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks and offers Acer's SignalUp technology for enhanced antenna efficiency. It has has one dedicated SD memory card slot as well as a second multi-in-one card reader that's compatible with five different types of memory cards--Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Card--for maximum flexibility. The ability to have both a multi-in-1 card reader and a SD card reader at the same time allows you to download photos from the multi-in-1 to share with others and store to the SD card as an internal storage device simultaneously. Here's the full list of ports and external connections:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• Multi-in-one card reader supports Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Reduced Size MultiMedia (RS-MMC), Memory Stick/Memory Stick PRO, and XD Picture Cards
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
• RJ-45 port for 10/100 Fast Ethernet connection
• Kensington lock slot

DVD/CD Drive
Because of its size, the Aspire One does not come with an integrated optical drive, but optional CD/DVD read/write drives can be connected to the laptop via one of the three USB ports, enabling you to create your music mixes, burn movies to DVD, and more.

Operating System and Software

• Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3 (SP3)
• Acer eRecovery Management; Acer Launch Manager; Adobe REader; McAfee Internet Security Suite; Microsoft Office 2007 (Trial)

Dimensions and Weight
This netbook measures 10.04 x 7.2 x 1.06 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 2.53 pounds.

What's in the Box
This package contains the Acer Aspire One netbook, rechargeable  6-cell battery with up to 5-hours of use, AC adapter, and operating instructions.

Customer Reviews

What all netbooks aspire to...
After my good ole faithful HP Pavilion laptop went to the great cyber-resting place in the sky a month ago, I was loaned an Acer Aspire 1 Netbook (one of the much earlier models) to use until I got a replacement laptop. I fell in love with its tiny size, speed, and the fact it didn't heat up anywhere near as much as my old laptop, so I decided to get one.

At the store, I was told there was a much newer model, with 3G and Bluetooth, so I went for it. What a stunner, smaller than an A4 sheet and incredibly skinny. First thing I noticed on opening the small and nice looking packaging was the inclusion of a nice black padded neoprene sleeve made by Targus, no less. Also supplied was a 6 cell Li-ion battery (which does project out at bit at the rear, but still fits snuggly into the supplied case), good for 7 hours, at least according to the quick guide supplied. Well, from use, I would say 5 and a half hours is a more realistic estimate, which is fine by me. No more being tethered to a power point at airport lounges. Total weight (with battery included) is 1.15kg.

The netbook is finished in a nice matte (so it isn't the smudge/scratch magnet the earlier models were) with the acer logo in nice raised silver. The keypad is also matte finished.

With 1GB RAM (which can be expanded up to 2GB, simply replace the SODIMM module which is easily removed), an Intel Atom processor, and 160GB hard disk space, the netbook boots up rather fast, just under a minute. The 10.1" LCD (1024x600 pixel resolution, and a nice glossy bezel around the LCD) is large enough for what I use it for; browsing, updating my iTunes, Microsoft Office, and Autocad. Multitasking doesn't appear to affect performance speed. Also, the netbook operation is very quiet with hardly any discernible movement of parts.

The touch pad is wide, with a single bar below for left and right clicking. The touch pad is rather clever and reminds me a wee bit of my iPhone touch screen; flicking two fingers left or right moves you from say one image to the next, spreading ones fingers outwards or inwards magnifies or reduces image/webpage size, while circular finger motion scrolls up or down. Double tapping on the touch pad is the same as a mouse double click. The keypad is well sized for a netbook this miniscule, I have absolutely no problems typing but then again, I don't have huge fingers. The spacebar can be a bit testy though.

The 0.3 megapixel webcam is optimized for low-light video chatting. Does this work? Very well, I must say. I have used it in dimly lit environments and images are astonishingly clear, if a bit grainy. When well lit, images are sharp.

There are two memory card slots; one is a multi in 1 slot which accepts SD, MMC, MS, MS PRO and xD cards, while the other is a dedicated SD slot. This extra slot acts as storage expansion, meaning you can easily and cheaply expand the 160GB already present. The notebook will incorporate any SD memory card into its file system through an application it calls Smart System Management, showing the joint storage devices as a single unified space. Pretty clever!

The pair of speakers are located to the right at the front, pointing downwards. On a solid surface, the sounds seems to spread and is sharper, and on a softer surface (on your laps, for example), the sound is more recessed and muffled. Sound quality (as with most netbooks/laptops) is ok, much better though with headphones or good external speakers. There is a headphone jack and a microphone jack.

Loaded is Windows XP, a 30 day trial McAfee anti virus, and a 60 day trial version of Microsoft office. You will need an external CD/DVD drive and discs to create recovery discs, the netbook will remind you of this each time you use it until you comply. However, it is possible to restore the notebook to its original settings without recovery CDs (D2D recovery, it is called). This is fully described in the included User guide (different from the Quick guide).

For connectivity, there are 3 USB ports, ethernet port, VGA port, Wi-fi, Bluetooth, and 3G (the 3G sim slot is located beneath the battery), the latter very useful where Wi-fi is unavailable. The Wi-fi and Bluetooth both have individual switches which enable and disable each, which I like.

There you have it. I tried to write my review more from the user experience, as Amazon does a rather good job of listing the specifications and more technical details. I hope you found this review useful.