Acer AOD250-1633 Black Friday Sales!
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Acer AOD250-1633 Black Friday Sales!.
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So I was recently in the market for a netbook for recede reasons and happened upon the Acer One. After days of reading reviews and visits to local electronic stores, I had narrowed my choices down to the Asus (10 hour battery life) EeePC and this Acer One. As luck would have it, I was in the market unbiased as Windows 7 pre-orders began and both machines came through Amazon with the unique OS. In the slay, the AC adapter issues with the Asus kept me away, and I figured 10.5 vs. 9 hours of battery life wasn't too tremendous of a contrast (and neither would live up to the claims regardless) .
The netbook arrived the day after Windows 7 was released and I immediately got to work removing the "extras" that approach with the computer. Surprisingly though, Acer did not load too powerful bloat on the machine and getting it off took no time at all. So then began the installation process. Avast, Office, iTunes, CD Burning software, VLC, Chrome, Firefox, Skype and Quicktime (the usuals) were all immediate needs and all went on with ease. I did engage the extra gig of RAM that is recommended on most other netbooks (read around and you'll gape) as well, however, it did not approach until 3 days later so I had a decent amount of time to play around with this machine with honest 1g.
Even with 1 gig, iTunes ran smoothly, I was able to survey Hulu with no hiccups, Office didn't creep... I was actually quite surprised. The 2 gig showed up eventually though, and things got even better. Installation was a tear (unbiased commence the memory "door" and clip it in) and took only 30 seconds. The computer recognized it instantly. Once up and running again, the system was noticeably faster... very noticeable. Having launch multiple programs is not a spot at all (something I will admit I was concerned about initially) .
Along the same lines as the memory upgrade, an external DVD drive may be another remove you will want (impartial like with every other netbook) . I did not invest in one, simply because I will not be needing it, but objective a belief when pricing out your "paunchy" steal.
So, what is righteous and what is abominable?
Pros:
Battery life - lives up to the advertisement (for the most share) . I hurry it on the intermediate setting and gain 7 hours easy. Currently at 45% proper now and have 4 hours and 5 minutes left.
Wireless N and Bluetooth - while not "considerable" these are very nice. I can choose up signals with my netbook that other laptops in the house cannot pick up. Range is astounding.
Speed - A lot faster than what I was expecting and blew away all my expectations. Honest originate obvious you exhaust the extra 20-40 bucks and gather the extra memory. You will survey a enormous incompatibility (support in mind though, she does radiant with 1 gig) . 2 is always better though.
Display - Very obvious and easy on the eyes. Understanding I might have issues with the runt shroud but it looks improbable.
Windows 7 - you can read the reviews about it specifically but it runs broad. I'll leave it at that.
Cons:
Keyboard - slightly smaller than some other netbook keyboards out there and can be tricky sometimes.
Touchpad - Acer, as with others, boasts a multi-touch pad (similar to an iPhone or iPod Touch) . Maybe I honest haven't found the just spend for it, but I get it nearly worthless and even when I can secure it to "work," it is expressionless and not very useful. Also, some may accept the touchpad a tad too diminutive (at least I do) . Finally, the click bar on the touchpad is not broken up into two buttons, and while this is fairly celebrated, the click bar can be tough to click sometimes and there are times I will try to click and hit the middle, which does nothing, and you don't "know" until you behold down to peruse what you're clicking. I contemplate two sure buttons would have been better and easier.
In the demolish, this model (and it's brightly colored siblings), in my understanding, are an helpful steal if you're in the market. At around $400 (depending on how worthy you gain the RAM for), this machine comes with features that you will only gather in more expensive netbooks. While I've only had it for a week, I will say I am very gratified with my investment. If time permits, I will update this to review how it holds up with disappear, etc... but based on simple home wireless utilize, I have very very few complaints.
WARNING: netbook specs change fleet, as do their prices. So be clear to research any changes since the date of this review.
OVERVIEW: shining, definite screen; rapid response (based on a couple of hours of adding and removing programs, after the 31 updates to Win7 first downloaded) ; tolerable streaming video (ran HD Apple trailers in 480 mode fine; Hulu was sometimes "choppy"; ran "Big" non-HD Apple trailers fine; ran ABC.GO.COM tv shows tolerably well; won't hasten Hulu in 480 mode or fleshy screen; ran HQ You Tube stunning) . Smaller conceal and smaller keyboard at a time when other netbooks are bumping up against well-kept light laptops, but at least this is under 3 pounds WITH the charger. And you can't beat that battery life!
WHAT COULD BE BETTER: The 11.6" veil on some Aspire Ones is respectable - more pixels = ability to observe NY Times online rotund conceal without scrolling (the 10.1" on this one requires tiny scrolling, but you are only missing "ad boxes" on the good hand anyway) . HOWEVER I bought a 10.1" because all the 11.6" models advance with downgraded Atom processors (z520 with GMA 500 chips vs. the N280 and GMA 900 on this one) . SHOULD arrive with 2 GB of memory to match the other upgraded specs on this otherwise upgraded version, but unfortunately, doesn't.
NOT ALL ASPIRE AOD250'S ARE CREATED EQUAL DEPT.: Concern Will Robinson! Difficulty Will Robinson! Grief Will Robinson! PLEASE Ticket that Aspire has set the AOD250 imprint on a WHOLE HOST of widely different netbooks. Things to ogle out for: the N280 is Powerful faster than the N270 - not because of the processor run (1.66 vs. 1.6, nothing!) but because of the front bus (memory) run (677 vs. 533, a lot!) . This version, as of the date I write this review, also comes with Win7 while many approach with XP; comes with 250 GB hard drive instead of 160 GB on most AOD250's; has wireless N instead of G (a LOT faster, when internet cafes and other locations upgrade) ; has Blue Tooth; has the 6 cell battery (AND it's in the 5200 m.a. version, not the 4200) .
WHAT I DID ON DELIVERY (ymmv so contemplate before you leap:
1. BEFORE inserting the battery, I removed one easy screw from the middle succor panel, pulled a couple of side clips off the existing memory module, and did a 5 slight total upgrade to 2GB of RAM. Desirable simple.
2. Install the battery, swagger in the charger, boot up.
3. Wait for normal state up; enter minimal information.
4. Load Internet Explorer and click on Windows update - the computer will update soon on its acquire, but this speeds it up.
5. Installed 38 security updates and 3 non-essential updates. Note: Acer has its hold update program to check for BIOS and scheme driver updates, a nice touch, I went in and changed the update frequency to monthly from daily.
6. Uninstalled the trial antivirus program. Which virus program you settle is up to you; I've had beneficial luck with Panda (paid) and with AVG (free, no ads) . Based on what I read since then, I decided to try Microsoft's original, free basic protection program, Microsoft Security Essentials (Google: download Microsoft Security Essentials) and hastily installed it. It's not supposed to be as up to date as some, but it's overhead is extreme and I have some confidence that MSFT will try to beget it work well in conjunction with their Win7 patches and updates. NOTE: Security Essentials has its gain Malware program which replaces Windows Defender which comes with Win7. Beget obvious both aren't running at the same time (develop certain Security Essentials DID turn off Windows Defender) .
7. Uninstalled all the junkware (trial Office, Norton BackUp, eSobi, etc.) . Uninstalled all the excess MSFT baggage - Silverlight, Live Essentials. If you ever employ a program that wants chunks of these, they will ask to download and reinstall and you can choose then. NOTE: you don't want tags of too many programs running in memory, that slows down the computer especially video - the "load" from the antivirus can be especially famous.
8. Downloaded Quicktime; iTunes; Flash 10 (already installed - favorable work Acer! - but there was an incremental update since the accomplish they installed on my hard drive.
KUDOS TO AMAZON DEPT.: I got this overnight, with the memory chip to upgrade, for only $28. Wow. I could have had free delivery by waiting a week or two with Well-kept Saver. And they actually got the proper computer to me - given how my AOD250's variants they stock, and colors, that's no mean feat.
WHY YOU MIGHT WANT Procure THE SMALLER BATTERY DEPT.: The humongous runs forever battery is fatter and heavier. Heavy, not a problem; wider not a problem; jam is, it juts down from the body which means it doesn't fit well in a flat computer slot. On the other hand, it elevates the rear of the deck slightly for better cooling.
YOU SHOULD Gather THIS IF: You are cheap or on a budget or want a very light, very runt, very functional computer for depart. If you write, blog, browse the web, study YouTube, download to iTunes (250 gb helps) .
YOU SHOULD NOT Glean THIS IF: You want to spy Hulu in higher resolution and/or at chubby screen; if you burn a lot of DVDs; if you do Photoshop or perform movies; if you play video games that effect demands on hardware. Accept the novel white Macbook instead.
MY CRYSTAL BALL SAYS THESE THINGS WILL CHANGE IN ONE YEAR: Dual core Atom chips (already available) ; lower power consumption encourage chips instead of the former 945; better graphics chips (from Intel, or from 3rd parties, Nvidia already has the Ion) ; standard 2 gb with optional 4 gb; 11.6 as the "premium" netbook niche and 10.1 as the "standard" niche with slight screens disappearing; XP disappears, finally replaced by Win7.
AND THE Interrogate YOU WANTED ANSWERED FIRST: Yes, Win7 works out of the box. Abiword works handsome with it. Yes it is as hastily, to my view and hand, as XP. Yes, it will be supported a lot longer in the future than XP. NO, halt away from Vista even on a end out model. I had it one one netbook and had to return it, it was so plain. Win7 Starter has no "scrutinize candy" for the desktop but it is Hastily.
The Acer Aspire One D250-1633 is exactly as advertised. A nice tiny netbook with an easy to read cloak. Windows 7 Starter works shapely. So does Office 2007. I was concerned about the 1 GB memory but Windows 7 Starter seems very lean and Word and Excel and Internet Explorer speed (at the same time) with memory to spare. The keyboard certainly is smaller than normal, but I'm a hunt and peck typist so it makes puny incompatibility to me. If you're looking for a miniature, light, inexpensive netbook this seems like a first-rate choice.
