291 of 291 people found the following review helpful:
Acer One D250 with Windows 7
Update (17 Nov 09): After a fair amount of travel I stick by my initial rating. Construction is solid and I have had no issues, even after it has been thrown around a bit with my carry-on. Also, you shouldn't have to worry about the "big" battery sticking out. The extra battery life is worth it and the netbook fits easy in your typical sleeve. I bought a standard...
38 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
Great price, lousy customer service
This is the first netbook I have acquired. Purchased it on Amazon and was extremely pleased with the price and super fast free shipping. I have two othe Acer pc s but this was the first one where I ran into a problem, which was my own fault. At startup with Windows 7 starter, you are asked to type in a password of your choice. Since the keyboard is very small, I must...
This review is from: Acer AOD250-1633 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - Up to 9 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter) (Personal Computers)
Update (17 Nov 09): After a fair amount of travel I stick by my initial rating. Construction is solid and I have had no issues, even after it has been thrown around a bit with my carry-on. Also, you shouldn't have to worry about the "big" battery sticking out. The extra battery life is worth it and the netbook fits easy in your typical sleeve. I bought a standard netbook sleeve off the shelf for a bit of extra protection and the computer fits in with no issues. In fact, I'm able to get my travel mouse and power cord in with it, zipped up and all, which makes travel even easier.
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So I was recently in the market for a netbook for travel 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 just as Windows 7 pre-orders began and both machines came through Amazon with the new OS. In the end, the AC adapter issues with the Asus kept me away, and I figured 10.5 vs. 9 hours of battery life wasn't too big of a difference (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 come with the computer. Surprisingly though, Acer did not load too much 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 purchase the extra gig of RAM that is recommended on most other netbooks (read around and you'll see) as well, however, it did not come until 3 days later so I had a decent amount of time to play around with this machine with just 1g.
Even with 1 gig, iTunes ran smoothly, I was able to watch Hulu with no hiccups, Office didn't lag... I was actually quite surprised. The 2 gig showed up eventually though, and things got even better. Installation was a breeze (just open 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 open multiple programs is not a problem 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 buy you will want (just like with every other netbook). I did not invest in one, simply because I will not be needing it, but just a thought when pricing out your "full" purchase.
So, what is good and what is bad?
Pros:
Battery life - lives up to the advertisement (for the most part). I run it on the intermediate setting and get 7 hours easy. Currently at 45% right now and have 4 hours and 5 minutes left.
Wireless N and Bluetooth - while not "necessary" these are very nice. I can pick up signals with my netbook that other laptops in the house cannot get. Range is amazing.
Speed - A lot faster than what I was expecting and blew away all my expectations. Just make sure you spend the extra 20-40 bucks and get the extra memory. You will see a big difference (keep in mind though, she does fine with 1 gig). 2 is always better though.
Display - Very clear and easy on the eyes. Thought I might have issues with the small screen but it looks amazing.
Windows 7 - you can read the reviews about it specifically but it runs great. 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 just haven't found the right use for it, but I find it nearly worthless and even when I can get it to "work," it is slow and not very useful. Also, some may find the touchpad a tad too small (at least I do). Finally, the click bar on the touchpad is not broken up into two buttons, and while this is fairly common, 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 look down to see what you're clicking. I think two distinct buttons would have been better and easier.
In the end, this model (and it's brightly colored siblings), in my view, are an excellent buy if you're in the market. At around $400 (depending on how much you get the RAM for), this machine comes with features that you will only find in more expensive netbooks. While I've only had it for a week, I will say I am very pleased with my investment. If time permits, I will update this to review how it holds up with travel, etc... but based on simple home wireless use, I have very very few complaints.
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This review is from: Acer AOD250-1633 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - Up to 9 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter) (Personal Computers)
WARNING: netbook specs change rapidly, as do their prices. So be sure to research any changes since the date of this review.
OVERVIEW: bright, clear screen; snappy 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 "Large" non-HD Apple trailers fine; ran ABC.GO.COM tv shows tolerably well; won't run Hulu in 480 mode or full screen; ran HQ You Tube fine). Smaller screen and smaller keyboard at a time when other netbooks are bumping up against super 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" screen on some Aspire Ones is superb - more pixels = ability to see NY Times online full screen without scrolling (the 10.1" on this one requires slight scrolling, but you are only missing "ad boxes" on the right hand anyway). HOWEVER I bought a 10.1" because all the 11.6" models come with downgraded Atom processors (z520 with GMA 500 chips vs. the N280 and GMA 900 on this one). SHOULD come 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.: Danger Will Robinson! Danger Will Robinson! Danger Will Robinson! PLEASE NOTE that Aspire has put the AOD250 label on a WHOLE HOST of widely different netbooks. Things to watch out for: the N280 is MUCH faster than the N270 - not because of the processor speed (1.66 vs. 1.6, nothing!) but because of the front bus (memory) speed (677 vs. 533, a lot!). This version, as of the date I write this review, also comes with Win7 while many come 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 think before you leap:
1. BEFORE inserting the battery, I removed one easy screw from the middle back panel, pulled a couple of side clips off the existing memory module, and did a 5 minute total upgrade to 2GB of RAM. Super simple.
2. Install the battery, plug in the charger, boot up.
3. Wait for normal set up; enter minimal information.
4. Load Internet Explorer and click on Windows update - the computer will update soon on its own, but this speeds it up.
5. Installed 38 security updates and 3 non-essential updates. Note: Acer has its own update program to check for BIOS and device 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 choose is up to you; I've had good luck with Panda (paid) and with AVG (free, no ads). Based on what I read since then, I decided to try Microsoft's new, free basic protection program, Microsoft Security Essentials (Google: download Microsoft Security Essentials) and quickly installed it. It's not supposed to be as up to date as some, but it's overhead is low and I have some confidence that MSFT will try to make it work well in conjunction with their Win7 patches and updates. NOTE: Security Essentials has its own Malware program which replaces Windows Defender which comes with Win7. Make sure both aren't running at the same time (make sure 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 use a program that wants chunks of these, they will ask to download and reinstall and you can decide 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 significant.
8. Downloaded Quicktime; iTunes; Flash 10 (already installed - good work Acer! - but there was an incremental update since the build 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 Super Saver. And they actually got the right computer to me - given how my AOD250's variants they stock, and colors, that's no mean feat.
WHY YOU MIGHT WANT GET THE SMALLER BATTERY DEPT.: The humongous runs forever battery is fatter and heavier. Heavy, not a problem; wider not a problem; problem 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 GET THIS IF: You are cheap or on a budget or want a very light, very small, very functional computer for travel. If you write, blog, browse the web, watch YouTube, download to iTunes (250 gb helps).
YOU SHOULD NOT GET THIS IF: You want to watch Hulu in higher resolution and/or at full screen; if you burn a lot of DVDs; if you do Photoshop or make movies; if you play video games that make demands on hardware. Get the new white Macbook instead.
MY CRYSTAL BALL SAYS THESE THINGS WILL CHANGE IN ONE YEAR: Dual core Atom chips (already available); lower power consumption support chips instead of the ancient 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 small screens disappearing; XP disappears, finally replaced by Win7.
AND THE QUESTION YOU WANTED ANSWERED FIRST: Yes, Win7 works out of the box. Abiword works fine with it. Yes it is as fast, to my eye and hand, as XP. Yes, it will be supported a lot longer in the future than XP. NO, stay away from Vista even on a close out model. I had it one one netbook and had to return it, it was so slow. Win7 Starter has no "eye candy" for the desktop but it is FAST.
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This review is from: Acer AOD250-1633 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - Up to 9 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter) (Personal Computers)
The Acer Aspire One D250-1633 is exactly as advertised. A nice small netbook with an easy to read screen. Windows 7 Starter works fine. 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 run (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 little difference to me. If you're looking for a small, light, inexpensive netbook this seems like a good choice.
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I had some concerns about a netbook. To be sure, they're small and light, but my question was whether that also meant they were slow and functionally crippled. The Acer quickly overcame my skepticism. Despite the fact that this is a very small and light system, it is plenty fast and has a lot of good features.
The keyboard isn't full-sized, but it's well-designed and even for a fast typist (which I am) it's easy to get used to and positive when you gain some experience with it. The screen is also small, but bright and easy to read. Some software does create an issue with it by not showing all of a window, so it might be a good idea to check to be sure your favorite programs have windows that can be resized, even the smaller "internal" ones used when you pick a menu item.
Windows 7 was probably my happiest surprise. The Acer with Win 7 boots very quickly, and for users of XP it's not a major transition. To be sure, things like the Control Panel don't work exactly the same way, but it's not hard to figure out what the equivalent steps are. The Acer comes with the "Starter" version of Windows 7, which doesn't include personalization touches like your own wallpaper, but despite this it connected to my home network with WiFi security without a hitch and also shared files and printers with my other PCs (still on XP). If you don't have Windows 7 on all your home systems, pick "Work Network" when you set up because the default homenet option won't work with XP systems.
Program compatibility is good as long as you get software that works with Vista; the Starter version won't run the XP compatibility mode stuff. Open source programs like OpenOffice install and run fine. The Works and Office Home and Students software that comes with the system aren't useful; the former is the anemic ad-sponsored version and the latter is a trial that will cost half the price of the netbook to convert. Microsoft's own Security Essentials isn't loaded (there's a McAfee trial) but I uninstalled all this stuff and loaded my own without difficulty. Since there's no CD/DVD drive you will need to download, use a memory stick, or copy via a home network to get software onto the device.
In all, I'm very glad I got this system. It was easier to set up and more powerful than I'd expected.
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After owning this netbook for nearly two months, I stand behind my original review below. I even purchased one for a family member as a gift, and she loves hers, too. I use my 15" Dell laptop in my home office, but the netbook travels with me everywhere I go. My flash drive quickly transfers necessary files back and forth. Battery life has remained strong and Windows 7 easily finds and connects to wireless networks. I truly could not be happier with my choice to purchase this netbook!
********************************************************************************************************************I just received this little life-saver last week, and so far I could not be happier! Great price and quality. It has everything I need, and is light enough to take with me everywhere. Fits right into my handbag. I have even tethered it to my mobile phone for 3G service when wireless is not available. Windows 7 Starter is fantastic; lean in the sense one can't change themes, but I personally don't care about that.
If you are looking for a fast, QUIET, little lappie to keep with you at all times (and are tired of outdated XP), then this is a great choice! The video runs Hulu and other streaming video just fine!! No memory increase necessary, either.
**I recommend on start-up that one removes all of the Acer 'Junk-Ware' that comes pre-loaded on this machine.**
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I bought this netbook as a replacement to my 4 year old Dell laptop. I didn't really need a new, expensive laptop as I primarily use my work laptop for for memory and processor hungry activities. I figured an inexpensive netbook would be a fine replacement for browsing the web, sending personal email, shopping online, hitting up facebook, etc. And so far, so good.
I've only been using it for 24 hours, but so far everything seems to work well. I am quite pleased with Windows 7 Starter as well. I am a product manager for a large software company and have used several OS version. I hated Vista and was reluctant to go with Windows 7, but so far, I am not disappointed.
Pros:
- All the features for less $ (faster processor, bluetooth, web cam, 250HDD, WiFi b/g/n, extended battery)
- Windows 7 Starter
- Color combo is appealing
- Decent touchpad (better than the D150 series!)
- Extended battery does NOT extend under the laptop, but out the back, like most laptops.
Cons:
- The keyboard is smaller than comparable other netbooks. I wish the keys were bigger. It can be challenging to type. The Dell and HP mini's have larger keys, but have the extended battery extend under the laptop. Not something I wanted to trade off for.
- The glossy case could be challenging to keep clean... not sure yet as it's only been 24 hours.
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This review is from: Acer AOD250-1633 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - Up to 9 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Starter) (Personal Computers)
Have had two full days with this little gem so far, and it is TWO BIG THUMBS UP. Setup was very easy. No instructions required. You snap in the battery, turn it on and it works. I did not upgrade the memory, and it is plenty fast for my needs: email and internet. Windows 7 loads much faster than my Vista desktop, but doesn't do anything better imo except you don't get those obtrusive UAC messages. I haven't deleted any of the junk software yet, will use the trials until they expire. I added Skype which is working great, and decided I can live without my Outlook. Moving my calendar to Google was easy. Netbook comes with 60 day trial of basic MS Office, so if you convert or already own a license, you may not need a USB DVD device. I'm impressed with how lightweight the unit is even with the 9 hour battery. I think that is pretty accurate time, as I still show over 4 hours and messed with it a lot today. I used it mainly outside on battery and the screen was very bright and readable. Wireless N has a LONG range, very impressed with the connection I got. Not flaky at all. Sound was plenty loud. I got the touch pad to do the new tricks, but would agree that it is very small. On the plus side, I never slid into it while typing! Keyboard has very nice action and other than bumping the caps lock a couple of times, I had no problems typing fast. (I'm female with smaller fingertips). The black case has tiny silver flecks giving it a dark charcoal look, very rich looking.
PROS:
Lightweight and small - fits in my handbag
Easy to Set Up
Attractive Case
Bright screen easy to read outside
Speaker volume
Keyboard action
Wireless has excellent range
CON:
Touchpad is very small
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i just got this netbook in white 2 days ago.i was extremely hesitant to just jump in and buy any old netbook.of course i considered hp and dell.but then i realized i wanted something that was more about aesthetics than style.this computer has both.i am using it right now to write this review :) anyway, i looked high and low for a netbook that was affordable but had a good battery life and was fast.i almost got the toshiba nb205-330 but at the last minute i came accross this little beauty.i saw that not only was it thinner than the toshiba (which is very important as i am a student and will be traveling around a lot) but it had the same if not better battery life as well as fast processor and it was 70 dollars cheaper.so i compared and read reviews and decided to place my order.since i have gotten it this is what i concluded:
-battery life: even with the settings on high and only 30 percent battery life out of the box i used it until the battery was dying and got 4 hours out of it!!! and i was surfing the web and downloading things i needed.i have recharged the battery and i assume that it will last me a long time before having to recharge again.i adjusted the settings to power save so im thinking somewhere along the lines of the advertised 8 or 9 hours.
-screen: the display has very sharp graphics and it is a pleasure to read things.i dont even realize i am using a netbook.i feel like i am looking at a full screen computer.
-keyboard:the keyboard took me no time to adjust at all.i have big hand for a woman,and i am typing as i would on any other computer with no mistakes whatsoever.and the mouse pad i rarely use because i decided to get the logitech anywhere mouse (also a great product) but the mousepad is very acceptional.
-weight:this was a big factor for me.i wanted something that i can thrown in my bag and go,and not have my shoulder aching.ladies and gentleman THIS IS A VERY LIGHT COMPUTER. i was expecting the protruding battery to be ridiculous but it is not at all.doesnt stick out too much and is not that heavy.so throwing it in ur bag and going? not a problem at all,and as a student it is a dream to have
other than that i have found no issues at all.its light,nice crisp screen.the speakers could be louder but i dont need to listen to music on it.i upgraded the ram to 2 gigs and it is not noticably faster but does cut the lag time and startup time by more that half.the fan is not loud and the webcam is also acceptional for a netbook.the design is very classy to me,and everyone around me has fallen in love with it.so,would i recommend u choose this netbook over any other? OF COURSE.
you would be a fool to choose anything else.i went to best buy and looked at the other netbooks and none of them had everything like this computer does.the sony and hp have style but the screen resolution sucks.all the others had missing keys or something else wrong.also if u are a tad OCD like i am,i recommend going with the white color because the darker colors are fingerprint MAGNETS and makes the computer look dirty.with white,u cant see the fingerprints or scratches(not that i have any yet).even with the protruding battery,almost any 10.2 inch sleeve will fit this computer.i have a blue "incase" case and it fits very snug and tight.which is way better if u ask me.no one wants their computer swimming aorund a case.hope this review helped sway some decisions and i will update to let everyone know if i find any "cons"
*UPDATE 12/15/09:after fully recharging the battery and using it (cant use it every second of the day cuz the battery lasts long)i got at least 8 hours total out of it.and that was with breaks in between and what not.i also upgraded to windows 7 professional,runs like a dream.for all of you students out there, go to google.type in "the ultimate steal", thats the program they have for students.they wont let me post the link here but this is why i can upgrade because microsoft is pricey BUT if ur a student,windows 7 professional is only 30 dollars and microsoft office ultimate is only 60!!! plus some other things! so...there u go everyone!
*FINAL UPDATE:my rating still stands strong after having this computer for about three weeks.normally id find something wrong by now but i have found nothing.i prefer to use this computer over my regular one now,and it goes everywhere with me :) i find that the battery life is averaging at about 9 and a half hours depending on what im doing and for the fact that your battery gets really good performance is u let it die all the way and then fully charge it.that way ur battery is not exhausted and u get the most out of it.its fast,simple and im in love :) 2 THUMBS UP FOR A 5 STAR NETBOOK.
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I have owned this little netbook for over a week now and I love it. I had been researching netbooks for over a month, debating between the Toshiba, Asus, and this one because of the bigger hard drive and the longer battery life. I don't think I get 9 hours as it claims, and I really didn't expect it to, but it is a long time between charges. It easily connected with my network and the windows 7 starter had some updates, but no problems. I cleaned off all the trial software and put AVAST on it. I just received a 2GB memory chip yesterday and installed it and it really does make it faster, but if you chose not to get the memory upgrade, it is still fast. The memory chip was easy to install. I was afraid to pull the cover off the memory slot after I took out the screw, but once I tugged a little it popped right off and took me less than couple minutes to put it in and put the cover back on. I am pleased with this netbook and wanted to write a review because these reviews helped me make my decision on which one to buy.
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I started shopping for netbooks because of their easy to carry size and weight. I chose the Acer AOD250-1584 because of its battery life, Windows 7, upgradable memory and price. I have not been disappointed with my choice. Traveling with the Acer has been great. The keyboard is fine, the screen is amazing and the battery life has exceeded my expectations. I have been using the built-in webcam to chat with friends in Europe, and it works extremely well. For anyone who is looking for a great tool for email, internet searches and word processing, I truly recommend the Acer.
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