Customer Reviews

Acer AOD250-1613 10.1-Inch Black Android/XP Netbook - Up to 9 Hours of Battery Life

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've been an avid fan of Netbooks ever since I picked up my very own 1000HE by ASUS. I love these little machines, as they are perfect to bring around for travel, work and/or school. With the recent release of Acer's new Aspire One with dual-booting operating systems, I couldn't resist but to pick one up for myself.

Acer's Aspire One AOD250-1613- Dual booting Windows XP and Android. Android, as an operating system for a Netbook is a pretty fresh and new idea, so I'll give it a run.

Asthetics/External Features:
============================
Unpacking the box, the Acer Aspire One came with your standard warranty, battery, AC adapter/charger, manual, and of course the Netbook itself.

For initial impressions, this Netbook is light. Much lighter than my ASUS 1000HE. Sadly, it is still sporting a normal Netbook keyboard (no chiclet keys).

At the bottom of the Netbook, there are removable panels for the chance to upgrade RAM and quite possibly the HDD. I remember earlier Netbook models being unable to upgrade RAM, which was a pretty big bummer. Fear not, if you wish to upgrade to 2GB of RAM on the Aspire One or even an SSD as your new HDD, it shouldn't be too difficult. This Netbook also features a mini-SATA slot, so if you want even more HDD space, you can slap in another SSD in as well.

With a quick view of the sides, (left side) you have your standard Audio I/O ports, VGA port, LAN port, 1 USB port, (right side) Memory card reader, 2 USB ports, Power port and a safety lock port.

Opening up the Netbook, it looks like any other Aspire One, the trackpad features multi-touch functionality supporting pinch-zoom and scrolling.

Internals:
============================
As far as the internals of the Acer Aspire One, I do believe this is the only Aspire One to have a Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz CPU (667 MHz FSB). Most other other Netbooks you see around are 1.60GHz rated at 533MHz FSB.

It has a 6-cell Li-ion battery, 1GB RAM (Hynix), 160GB HDD (Western Digital), 1.3Megapixel Camera, 10.1 LED LCD, Bluetooth and your standard Wireless b/g. The new LED LCD display is a nice addition.

The computer comes pre-loaded with Windows XP and Android.

============================

Digging into the real meat of this Netbook, on first boot up, you are greeted by the standard Windows XP set up process. Once Windows XP comes booted up, you are asked by the Acer Configuration Manager to set up Android. Setup is a snap, as it asks you which Operating System you would like to boot first. Then you are asked to enter your Google Account information. This is pretty crucial as you need to have a Google Account to be able to access most of the Android features. Once that is done, it will ask you for any other webmail accounts you might have (Yahoo, Hotmail and such). After a simple restart you will find your system booted into Android!

Android starts up fast! I'd say an average of 13-16 second boot up time, from power button to functional Android screen. Shut down is pretty much immediate.

Android comes pre-loaded with Firefox (Minefield 3.0.10) for web browsing (Adobe Flash is working, tested on YouTube), GoogleTalk, Webmail, Calendar, Alarm Clock, Calculator, Camera, Contacts, Gallery, Messaging, and Music.

This version of Android is tweaked for the Acer Aspire One and not just a hard port over from Phone to Netbook. If you look into the Android Power Management settings you'll see options for System Auto-Suspend and Closing Lid actions. Also, in the upper left hand corner of Android, there is a little 'arrow' like button. If pressed, it will prompt the user to confirm a switch to the Windows Operating System. So if you ever want to go from Android --> Windows XP, it is just a click away. However, you cannot go backwards, if you wish to enter back into Android, you must restart your machine.

The most unfortunate aspect of this Netbook however is the fact that Android did not come with Android Market. Meaning the downloading of 3rd party applications is impossible at this moment. However, the Acer Android Manager does have an 'update' button and in the near future, there is great hope that it will receive an update with Android Market included.
**UPDATE**
The Netbook in fact CAN download 3rd party applications from Insyde Market (just Google "Insyde Market" you can't miss it). Tested applications for this OS all there.

Any files you save while you are working on your Android session can be seen in Windows XP. The hard drive is partitioned in such a way that 4GB of HDD space has been allocated out for the Android System. If you happen to take a picture of yourself with the webcam while you working in Android, you can find that picture in the Android HDD partition.

============================

Final notes:

- You do not have to boot to Android OS at all, if you choose. Just make sure the Acer Android Manager settings are set accordingly and you can bypass Android entirely.
- The Acer Android Manager includes a 'Boot Timeout Setting'. Basically upon entering Android, if the computer detects no user input, after a user-defined amount of time (default: 10 seconds), the computer will auto-switch to Windows XP.

Overall, this dual-booting Netbook runs beautifully. Android is insanely fast, though lacking Android Market at launch, it probably will get added in the future.

I'm trying to write a novel, and it's important for me to have a portable machine, such that I can whip it out of my purse whenever there's a minute to type a paragraph or two.

I had great hopes of finding something on the Android "instant boot" that I could use, some sort of notepad or scratchpad where I could just type, and have my words saved to XP for editing later. So far, no such luck. I will keep hoping for that app. For now it is quicker to just boot XP and wait the extra minute.

As for the other features, It's an impressive little book. Definitely portable, and I love the long battery life. The keys, though small, have a nice feel.

The only tinkering I did was to add the memory (worth it), get rid of the bloatware, and download something to make the touchpad less jumpy [...]

Now I'm good to go, and satisfied that I made a good choice.

The Acer XP/Android is a curious and capable netbook, and it makes a great companion to tote around when a larger, more hearty machine would be unnecessary. The model is equipped for standard performance, with 1GB RAM, 1.66GHz under the hood and a 160GB hard drive. Screen resolution is capped at 1024x600, barely enough for the crowded XP GUI but with a computer so small (and tinfoil for a graphics card) this is to be expected.

The hard drive is partitioned thrice, with the largest bit going to Windows XP, 4GB to Android (should you choose to install it with the bundled-in configuration tools) and another secret partition that contains the factory disk. With no optical drive, this is really the only way to restore any sort of Windows XP install, but that is to be expected. Some programs to manage all this data and the obligatory bloatware/adware round out the set, but these are easily ignored or removed.

Windows XP runs well enough on the machine, and most light tasks can be capably executed. The machine won't run everything well (forget Photoshop) and the odd netbook screen resolution means certain full-screen apps might not always render properly. It accomplishes what it sets out to, though, as media players, word processors, network apps and lightweight browsers bump along without a hitch.

Those who choose to dual-boot Android on this machine will be at first intrigued and then quickly bored, as the true limitations of this custom (yet infantile) cellphone OS shine through. Though it boots rather quickly (ten seconds!), you won't be able to accomplish much, as it only comes with software suitable for basic web and book-keeping tasks: a calendar, a browser, a gallery and basic media player. The exclusion of the Market only lowers my expectations deeper still. Android can only see its small 4GB partition, so storing large amounts of media to capitalize on the lightning-fast boot time will be a challenge. Most users will be utilizing the handy "Switch to XP" button most often. It takes the standard minute to move to the more-capable platform.

The hardware is satisfactory, with the standard assortment of USB and media ports. It comes with a decent built-in webcam and there's a panel which you'll probably be removing when it comes time for the obligatory RAM upgrade. 1GB is plenty for light work, but a relatively cheap doubling will soon be in order, I think, as I begin to rely on this machine more. Battery life is fantastic... I can turn it on in the morning and it will last until I get home at night on one charge, easily crossing the 8-hour mark in either OS. The whole surface is covered with a high-gloss coating that looks great on demo models but gathers fingerprints all too easily. The keyboard is small but functional, and be sure to tweak the touchpad to your liking when you first get it... it doesn't behave like those that come before it.

The Verdict:

I'm pleased with my Acer Netbook. It makes a great companion to my home machine, is easy to carry around, and is quick to get up and working right out of the box. It can't run everything my bigger laptop can, but it can do enough to keep me occupied when I'm away from home. Those curious about Android will find it a cute little toy to play with, and its great to be able to be browsing the web in Minefield 20 seconds from cold... but that alone won't warrant purchase.

For the money, you could probably find a more powerful netbook with a few more bells and whistles (where's the Bluetooth?) if you're willing to forgo Android. Right now, that is probably a good idea. I probably spend about 2% of my computing time in the young OS. It is at best a promise of things to come from Google... but with Chrome OS on the horizon it might be too little too late for poor Android.

However, I would be lying if I said I wasn't satisfied... the price is right and the machine gets the job done. There may be better buys for the performance-minded, but you'll be rarely disappointed by this curious product. Technophiles in the market for a new netbook should put the dual-booting Acer AOD250 in the running. Novice end-users looking for a small, budget rig might consider looking elsewhere.

+Runs Windows XP to satisfaction
+Android dual-boot setup is interesting and extremely fast
+Extra-long battery life
+Somewhat easy to upgrade RAM
-Android capabilities are extremely limited
-No Android Market
-Price to performance ratio is merely acceptable
-Bluetooth bits strangely missing

While I am certainly curious to hear the other reviews about the android platform on a netbook, my experience so far has been great. I have had no problem setting up accounts or internet connections. I am writing this review while working off the android OS. Boot up time into android is 10-15 seconds plus another 3-4 to find a network. All told, you can go from pushing the power button to surfing the internet in under 30 seconds! Pretty cool. I would like to see what the battery power difference is if you are working solely in android.

I will readily admit that I know nothing about android and today is my first experience using it. I will leave it to the experts to discuss the good and the bad of android on the netbook. However, I can attest to the rapid boot up time.


So, as the title says "So far so good!"

I purchased the Acer Netbook because of the choice of having a non-microsoft web browser. Unfortunately android is often not fast at all, unless the speed at which it can bring up a gray screen is something you want. Really disappointed in having to depend on microsoft again, since microsoft is now the benchmark all software has to work down to. I expected someone, anyone, to do better. But apparently, android can't cut it.

Super slick interface, I've been downloading apps and installing them. I won't review the netbook because there are already very good reviews. I'll tell you how to install apps. The issue is you are using the wrong browser. Try using the one named "browser" on the app page, it will install software on the fly.

Try this:


- Open [...]using a default Android browser and download and install 'The AndAppStore Client'. Then open it, go to "Utilities" category and install AndExplorer and/or OI File Manager. If I remember correctly, one o both of this applications allows to click on .apk files to install applications. Under 'Internet' category you'll find some FTP, SSH, Telnet clients (I didn't try them). Under 'Development' there is Droid Explorer app.

- Open https://slideme.org/ and install SlideMe market. Go to https://slideme.org/application/es-file-explorer and install ES File Explorer. Personally, I found this one to be the best. It not only allows to manage your SD card and internal Android storage, install applications from .apk files, but also to connect over WiFi to your home network. There is an extensive built-in help system there.

Enjoy!!! Real problem is lack of documentation
G-MAN

I purchased the acer AOD250-1613 to have something smaller for College classes. My Lenovo laptop is a great machine but a bit too big for the child seats the school provides. This Acer 1613 computer is outstanding, I love everything about it. The dual operating platforms are great and easy to use. Its a great time saver and fun to use. I have nothing bad to report after a week of use. Great buy and I am very impressed.

After hearing about this product from all of the Android websites I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I have a G1 and love android and needed a new and smaller computer so I though a netbook would be a good idea, it was but not with android. The quick boot was nice but the android boot didn't stand up to the hype. There is no market so you can't download apps like on your phone, there is 3G but you have to get a plan for it, and the web is slower and not very useful. I ended up just using the windows xp boot for all my need. I recommend the Acer AOD250 with the new windows 7, it is the exact same price, which is nice. This netbook is make well and very easy to use but android is just not yet useful for netbook yet. but I would still recommend this netbook, just with windows 7 not android.

So I chose this netbook after reviewing a few different computers with comparable specs and pricing, but what made me choose this model is the same thing that's my favorite feature: it dual-boots XP and Android! The XP is fully functional and fine as far as Windows OSes go, but the Android is where it's at. It boots up fast, connects me to my email and web browser nice and fast, it features a clean user interface and it's easy to use. The only thing I've noticed that I don't like is that I haven't figured out how to import music into Android's music player, but I just switch over to XP and listen to music on iTunes when the fancy takes me. Overall, it's a nice little machine, the battery life is good, not quite 9 hours, but still very solid. I would recommend this guy to anyone interested in a portable yet fully functional road-warrior type netbook. Oh, one other thing: the battery protrudes from the body of the computer, which I don't mind personally (I use it as a handle) but some people might find off-putting.

I bought this as a Christmas gift to myself. I have been thrilled with it since I got it. The battery life is great and it is sooo portable. I picked up a Neoprene case for it and I can just grab it and go. I use it mostly for web surfing and playing my MP3 collection through my surround system. I drag it to bed with me when my wife conks out early and play Pogo games. It fits on my nightstand without taking it over. For those type of uses it is great! It might drag a little if you are trying to use it to build or run huge databases but why would you even try on a size screen like this. I have my desktop and my 17" screen dual-core laptop for that. This is my fun netbook! Its name is Elroy.