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Acer Aspire One D250 live pics and first impressions

David Gonzales — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:50:10 +0000

As it is already available in Asia, I was able to sit down with a live unit of the Acer Aspire One D250 today to see how different it is from the model that it replaces. As you may already know, it serves to phase out Acer’s first 10-inch netbook, which was released not more than three months ago, the Acer Aspire One D150. What’s so special about the Aspire One D250 that Acer had to introduce it even though it’s essentially just the same model as the D150 but with a better processor and slimmer profile? We’ll have the answer to that shortly.

At 25.4mm thick, Acer Aspire One D250 is nearly a centimeter slimmer than the Aspire One D150. It sports a 10.1-inch screen, stereo speakers, built-in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, optional 3G, 3 USB ports, audio in/out ports, VGA-out, 4-in-1 card reader, Ethernet jack, and 6-cell battery. It has exactly the same specs as the Aspire One D150 that, well, it has exactly the same specs as the Aspire One D150. Except for one thing: it uses Intel’s Atom N280 processor, which is slightly better than the N270 Atom chip that Aspire One D150’s are equipped with.

In terms of outer appearance, the Aspire One D250 is not only slimmer, but also smaller as Acer has managed to squeeze the body somewhat to make the netbook more compact. And the ports have been rearranged so that there’s a larger exhaust vent on the left side and there’s a more even distribution of space for these connectors.

The keyboard keys are arranged in exactly the same way, but the Aspire One D250’s appear smaller. But even though they are, typing felt ever so slightly better than on the Aspire One D150’s keyboard. Perhaps Acer made the keys a little more rigid, but I’m not exactly sure. One thing I know is that it felt just as, if not more comfortable than any of the previous Aspire One netbooks to type on in my short typing tests.

With the lid closed, it’s going to be very hard to distinguish the Acer Aspire One D250 from its predecessor. If you haven’t noticed it by now, they actually look almost exactly the same.

This obligatory unnecessary sticker shows some highlights of the Aspire One D250. It’s 3G-ready, but my test unit didn’t have a built-in 3G modem like many of the Aspire One D250 units that will be available in the market.

Here is a photo of the netbook’s right side, showing how the 2 USB ports have been moved further towards the center to give way to the 4-in-1 card reader that was moved from the left side to this one. The position of the power jack and security lock slot hasn’t been changed.

Meanwhile, on the left side, there’s a larger exhaust vent, and a slight rearrangement of ports. The audio in/out ports have been moved to the front, the Ethernet jack moved to the back, and the VGA port now resides in the middle. I haven’t opened up the netbook yet to see its innards but it components have definitely moved around inside as well since the Aspire One D150.

Looks-wise, I’m finding it hard to see how the Acer Aspire One D250 will be able to sway current owners of the D150 to “upgrade”, if that’s what Acer is trying to do here. The prospect of having an Intel Atom N280 processor might be tempting to some, though, but even then I’m still hardly convinced. Perhaps a review of the entire system is necessary to draw a solid conclusion about this netbook. As for now, I say it’s a welcome alternative, but not nearly enough to trade the old models in for.

A post from the Asus Eee PC blog.

Acer Aspire One D250 live pics and first impressions

Acer Aspire One D150 unboxing and first impressions

David Gonzales — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 06:06:23 +0000

I’ve long waited for a chance to handle the 10-inch Acer Aspire D150. Today, I just had my chance, and for the course of the next few weeks I’m going to be all about it, this post being the first in a series that showcases the device in terms of both hardware and software. I’ve been a satisfied owner of the original Acer Aspire One, the 9-inch model, so I have somewhat high hopes for this one. Hit the jump to see our little gallery of unboxing photos and read my first impressions on the hardware.

The box contained nothing unusual. Just about everything a user would need–a power brick, cord, 6-cell battery and the 10-inch netbook itself. ‘Course, it wouldn’t have hurt if Acer included a leather pouch with this model just like they did with the 9-inch Acer Aspire One.

I felt that the Acer Aspire D150 was a great deal heavier than its predecessor. This shouldn’t be a surprise since it has a larger screen and theoretically more components (including a higher capacity hard drive and Bluetooth module, among others), but it was quite heavier than I expected it to be.

As for the outer appearance, I’d say I can describe it in just one word: beautiful. the color (red), the brushed metal casing (which is also part of the reason why there’s added weight), the rounded edges all compliment each other. To be honest, the design of the 9-inch Acer Aspire One was what first attracted me when I first saw it last year sitting next to stale-looking, generic white-colored Asus Eee PCs. This next-gen model takes the cake yet again. Based on design, I would still get this over the new Eee PC models. I don’t know, just personal preference.

All the other usual ports and connectors found on the 9-inch Aspire One, as well as other netbooks, are present. On the left side, there is one USB port, 1 VGA-out port, memory card reader (with a filler), audio in/out jacks, and an Ethernet jack. On the right side, there are two USB ports, the charger port and lock slot.

The Acer Aspire One D150’s 6-cell battery evidently bulges out round the back. This is yet another reason why the netbook is heavier overall, since it lugs on a weight of its own, but the benefit of a few extra hours of battery life far outweigh this little inconvenience. I’ll see how long exactly the battery lasts on a single full charge and include my findings in my full review.

The next two things I’m going to discuss about the Acer Aspire One D150 are among the biggest improvements. The keyboard is larger, and the trackpad is now done in a standard way where the left and right click buttons are positioned below the actual trackpad. I haven’t been able to do any long haul typing on the Aspire One D150’s keyboard yet, but from what I’ve experienced so far, it doesn’t differ much from the keyboard of the 9-inch model in terms of tactile feedback and travel.

It’s keys are somewhat larger, which makes for better typing, but graduating from the 9-inch model’s keyboard to this one won’t feel like you’ve just escaped from prison. As for the improved trackpad, while I like the fact that Acer moved the clickers below the touch panel, it would have been nice if they made it larger overall too. The more space to move my fingers on, the better. Anyway, it’s always easier to just use a USB mouse for on-screen navigation, so that’s not a problem at all (at least for me).

All Acer Aspire One D150 units come pre-installed with Windows XP Home Edition, and as I booted the device on I noticed that it took a bit longer than my old Aspire One to boot. The fact that it was also pre-installed with a fair amount of bloatware might have something to do with it. I’ll discuss more of this in my upcoming full review and comparison with the 9-inch Acer Aspire One.

Well, it doesn’t look like the Acer Aspire One D150 will disappoint. Right now, there’s no way to know for sure if it satisfies in every aspect or not, but I’d say it’s promising so far. Check out the rest of the photos I took while unboxing the unit below.

A post from the Asus Eee PC blog.

Acer Aspire One D150 unboxing and first impressions

UMID M1 MID gets handled at MWC

David Gonzales — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:03:21 +0000

The UMID M1 is a MID that looked quite formidable on paper. We already told you about its pricing info, but now Slashgear has some hands-on photos of the device and has also dropped a few first impressions. From photos, the UMID M1 looks much like a cheapened Sony Vaio P, and as it is made of plastic the look and feel also reflect that. Unfortunately, its $500 price doesn’t seem to jive with that, so the UMID M1 may find it hard to land on potential customers’s hands. For a better understanding of how the UMID M1 works and how it performs, head on over to Slashgear for their full story on the MID.

Via Slashgear

A post from the Asus Eee PC blog.

UMID M1 MID gets handled at MWC

Asus Eee PC 1000HE put through some preliminary testing by LaptopMag

David Gonzales — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:27:03 +0000

The Asus Eee PC 1000HE is a slight variation of the Asus Eee PC 1000H. It comes with pretty much the same exact features as the original, and in fact it also has the same chassis. But it does sport a slightly better processor, the Intel Atom N280 chip, as well as a much-improved chicklet-style keyboard. LaptopMag was able to get their hands on an Asus Eee 1000HE unit recently, and their first impressions show that this new model is a downright improvement over the old one. Their full review won’t be ready until next week, but until then you can read through their preliminary comments and watch a video showing the Asus Eee PC 1000HE in action.

Via LaptopMag

A post from the Asus Eee PC blog.

Asus Eee PC 1000HE put through some preliminary testing by LaptopMag