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I purchased the Acer A150 because I was going on a cruise and wanted something small and light. I decided on the Linux version of this netbook for £235, the Windows XP version is around £269.
The Operating System
First thing I need to say about it is Linux, what a joke with its ... Read review
Acer redefines mobile connectivity with Aspire one, the revolutionary netbook packed with ... more
fun and powerful computing features in a diminutive 8.9" form factor. From the moment you switch it on, the Aspire one is ready to go in just 15 seconds. That'...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 14 in stock
The Aspire ONE is Acer's first 8.9" notebook powered by the Intel Atom processor, ... more
providing leading performance for your Internet centric lifestyle. The ultra small and slim form factor reflects your on-the-go lifestyle. In addition to its charming ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 14 in stock
The Aspire ONE is Acer's first 8.9" notebook powered by the Intel Atom processor, ... more
providing leading performance for your Internet centric lifestyle. The ultra small and slim form factor reflects your on-the-go lifestyle. In addition to its charming ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 40 in stock
The Aspire one is built for Internet navigation and features an 8.9" LED-backlit LCD ... more
screen that fits the 1024*600 web resolution to perfection. Smaller than an average diary and weighing less than 1 kilo, the Aspire one puts freedom in your hands.
Postage & Packaging: £4.50 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The Aspire one is built for Internet navigation and features an 8.9" LED-backlit LCD ... more
screen that fits the 1024*600 web resolution to perfection. Smaller than an average diary and weighing less than 1 kilo, the Aspire one puts freedom in your hands.
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
The Aspire one is built for Internet navigation and features an 8.9" LED-backlit LCD ... more
screen that fits the 1024*600 web resolution to perfection. Smaller than an average diary and weighing less than 1 kilo, the Aspire one puts freedom in your hands.
Postage & Packaging: £4.50 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The Aspire one is built for Internet navigation and features an 8.9" LED-backlit LCD ... more
screen that fits the 1024*600 web resolution to perfection. Smaller than an average diary and weighing less than 1 kilo, the Aspire one puts freedom in your hands.
Postage & Packaging: £4.50 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Small, lightweight, great performer. Can handle some 3D games. Disadvantages: None for the Netbook, but Linux version is rubbish.
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I purchased the Acer A150 because I was going on a cruise and wanted something small and light. I decided on the Linux version of this netbook for £235, the Windows XP version is around £269.
== The Operating System ==
First thing I need to say about it is Linux, what a joke with its limited functions and the hassle you need to go through to add new features. I wanted DivX support so I could watch movies at night ... ...Netbook isn't sufficient enough. The Acer doesn't have an internal CD drive so you will need to purchase an external one. You can get them for as little as £30 and they are sold in many places. I bought one in Tesco's because they had the best price.
To install XP, power up the drive, plug the USB cable into the computer, eject the tray and insert the disc. Press the power button on the computer and wait for the message, "Press any key ... more
I have revised my review after using the netbook for a while.
I purchased the Acer A150 because I was going on a cruise and wanted something small and light. I decided on the Linux version of this netbook for £235, the Windows XP version is around £269.
The Operating System
First thing I need to say about it is Linux, what a joke with its limited functions and the hassle you need to go through to add new features. I wanted DivX support so I could watch movies at night but after a few hours looking for a suitable program and drivers I gave up. Linux isn't as straightforward as Windows and in many cases you have to open up a console and type commands when you want to install or make changes to an installation. I gave up and Installed Xp pro. If you are purchasing a Netbook with Linux and all you want to do is surf the net, listen to music and write documents or chat then this will be adequate for you. Linux is easy to use and the version on this Netbook is icon driven making it easy to get to what you want. Linux comes pre-installed and there is a copy supplied on disc.
Installing Windows XP
Another reviewer said it was "a challenge" to install XP but didn't furnish us with info on how he done it. If you're thinking of installing Vista or even Windows 7 then don't bother. First of all they are more demanding and the memory in the Netbook isn't sufficient enough. The Acer doesn't have an internal CD drive so you will need to purchase an external one. You can get them for as little as £30 and they are sold in many places. I bought one in Tesco's because they had the best price. To install XP, power up the drive, plug the USB cable into the computer, eject the tray and insert the disc. Press the power button on the computer and wait for the message, "Press any key to boot from CD...." and press any key. First of all your computer will be inspected to see if its capable of handling XP then installation will begin. All you need to do is follow any prompts on the screen and installation should be complete in around 40 min. If you're not confident then get someone to help but watch them doing it so you can learn. Once finished you will not be able to access the internet using the wireless connection because you will need the appropriate driver. Connect an Ethernet cable and go directly to the Acer website and search for the A150 and download the XP drivers. Please be sure to install your virus checker as soon as possible. Once all drivers are installed, continue to install everything you need and unplug the external CD drive.
Features
Contrary to some previous reviews I have to say the A150 is quite a performer. Others may be trying to compare it with a £1000 laptop or their desktop computer which is just plain stupid. It isn't designed to be a powebook, its name depicts its intended function, "Netbook". If you want more then don't buy a Netbook and complain you can't edit video on it or something as crazy. Installed memory is 1GB and the Hard drive is 120GB. There are different variations of this Netbook but the best value for money is the one I'm reviewing. The A150 comes equipped with 3 USB ports, two on the right side and one on the left. There is a card reader which reads most flash cards including the newer high speed ones, in my case the XD "H" type. There's a VGA port for hooking up to an external monitor. Other ports include, microphone and external speakers/headphone socket and a separate SD card slot on the left which is for expanding storage memory, NOT to boost your RAM. With this particular A150 having a 120 GB HDD, I'm not sure you will ever need this extra function considering 8 GB being the maximum it can support. This expansion port is intended for the 8 GB solid state model. There's an Ethernet port for connecting directly to a modem or router. Portability is the main selling point and the 8.9" widescreen is adequate for almost any task. Battery life is around 2 hours depending on usage and less if you constantly use the wireless connection. You can turn of the wireless adapter if not needed by sliding a little switch on the front of the keyboard. The screen will dim a little to conserve power when running on batteries. You can dim even more by using the "FN" key with the appropriate blue highlighted function key. The screen has a maximum resolution of 1024x600 and it's very clear and easy on the eyes. A webcam is integrated on the top middle of the frame surrounding the screen. Maximum resolution is 600x400 but is a very clear result. The screen flickers ever so slightly when running on battery power but its hardly noticeable and an acceptable trade off in my opinion. Using the power adapter, this goes away. The keyboard small but well laid out. It's easy enough to use and I've not had any more typo's than on my standard keyboard. The keys are quite soft with no noisy clicking. The touchpad is a little more fiddly than your usual laptop but again, you get used to it. It's probably better to get a notebook USB mouse if you have large or shaky hands. It comes supplied with a leatherette cover but I'd recommend a suitable laptop skin or bag for better protection when using out of the house.
Performance
Performance wise, its above average for its size and its hardware. I have installed lots of music, DivX and MP4 movies and all play smoothly even with other apps running in the background. A previous reviewer said its not for gaming, well that depends on the games. Obviously you know its not for games when you buy it but I gave it a go just to see how it coped. The first game I installed was Return to Castle Wolfenstein with all graphics options at max. I even played it online with the wireless connection. It handled this with ease. Other games I tested were Vice City, Need for speed underground. If you know your games then you know what will play or not play from these examples. All of these games were played on my 42" HD TV using the VGA port at their maximum resolution and the A150 didn't even flinch. Using the large TV I set the resolution to 1920x1080 and ran multiple applications like Internet Explorer, word, played a movie and had messenger open. Not a single hint of sluggishness. Playing a DivX movie on the large screen looked great. The Acer is very quiet in operation, just a slight whirring from the fan even when playing games or multi-tasking. It doesn't get too hot on your lap but make sure you don't block the vents for the processor as they are on the bottom left side.
Upgrading
The only upgrades possible would be to the hard drive and the memory. The hard drive would be pretty straightforward to do but wouldn't be cost effective due to the price of the miniature drives. As for the memory, well it's entirely up to you. The memory just now is cheap but the procedure and the way the current memory is installed may put you off. Although 1GB is installed, its actually 2 x 512 MB. One chip is installed in the only slot and the other is permanently soldered to the board. The maximum memory supported in the slot is 1 GB. So the maximum memory would be 1.5 GB. The process of installing more memory isn't as easy as a conventional laptop as you have to take the keyboard off and remove the hard drive. There are many videos on Youtube showing this. Is it worth all the hassle for only 512 MB while in the process wasting another 512 MB? That would be up to you.
In Conclusion
For a portable netbook the Acer A150 performs very well and should rightfully always be regarded as a netbook. Other reviews seem to slate its performance only because the reviewers are comparing it to something more powerful or expecting more. For me, installing XP was the right thing to do as I can install all my usual programs which isn't possible with Linux. As the performance was more than I was expecting I can't fault it and considering the hardware installed and the price paid I was not expecting such a performance. The battery life for some may not be enough but as its only intended for browsing, checking mail and the like, it's good enough for me. Other batteries are available from around £60 and will extend usage to 6 hours. It's better to buy Acer branded ones. On a recent cruise the A150 was a dream to have for keeping in touch with the kids back home and being so small you hardly even know you're carrying it. The ability to play some older games was a bonus I wasn't expecting and hooking it up to a 42" TV with no graphic problems was another surprise. I would definitely recommend this to anyone needing something portable without much of a compromise on power and personally I'd recommend installing XP or purchasing the XP version, whichever suits your budget the best.
I have seen this model for as little as £120 on www.ebuyer.com which may have been a sale price.
Advantages: Great value for money; nice keyboard for the size. Disadvantages: Short battery life, no built-in 3G, unconventional mousepad layout.
This is Acer's entry into the netbook arena and mostly it's a pretty good machine. You get the same Atom CPU as is in most of the other leading contenders, a 1024x600 9-inch screen, 1GB RAM, 160GB Hard drive, 3USB ports and a webcam. This is all for a price a bit less than the competition, although there are a few issues of ergonomics with the machine that you'd want to look at first. Netbooks generally aren't going to have the same power as laptop ... ...old. Don't be fooled by the clock speed of the Atom; it's a much simpler processor and doesn't really pack more punch than a Pentium III. The reason netbooks use it is for its low power consumption. Consequently no netbook is going to be good for things like HD video editing, 3D games and computer aided design. However it will handle web browsing, chat, office applications and casual games with relative ease. A big selling point is one of the nicest ...
Phantom_Wombat 23.03.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Acer Aspire ONE A150
Advantages: Cheap, good battery life, Wi-Fi, Lightweight Disadvantages: No Bluetooth
The Acer Aspire One model is a notebook I recently bought from PC world, it was on offer for £199. I needed a cheap notebook to carry out simple tasks such as using MS office and run some simple accounts software. I also wanted Wi-Fi to access the internet via my home PC router, so this notebook seemed ideal for what I was looking for. The notebook itself comes with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition O/S. It has WiFi, Fast Ethernet, and an ultra compact ... ...1.6GHz for professional mobility.
Acer redefines mobile connectivity with the Aspire one, also known as a netbook due to it being powerful and acquires net friendly computing features in a compact design weighing as little as 2.2 lb. The Ads for this notebook are aimed at business professionals, students and world travelers, it offers a choice of operating systems, wireless connectivity and Internet access. The Acer Aspire ONE A150 Notebook features ...
Surj1 12.11.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Acer Aspire ONE A150
Advantages: Cheap Powerfull machine Disadvantages: No Optical drive
I have had my Acer Aspire One for about 3 months and it has never failed me. I will review everything that should be considered before buying. Speed: Well this depends on the model you are going to buy, I own the Linux version with 1GB of ram, which is probably the fastest AAO you are going to get, it really does fly. Because Linux uses very little prossesing it means that all of the application will run with little effort. The ram is upgradeable ... ...is very little compromise because acer have cleverly made the keyboard go to withing MMs of the edge of the netbook. I am typing this with no trouble at all, and I get around the same tying speed on the AAO as I do on any other keyboard. Screen: The screen is fantastic. It has bright vibrant colours and great depth and this is when it is on battery power, when you plug it in...WOW it comes to life. Although the screen is only 9" it is in a wide screen ...
Jojomojoe 06.04.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Acer Aspire ONE A150
Advantages: Small, light, comparativley powerful Disadvantages: No external DVD drive provided. Protective sleeve
I purchased this laptop for my wife to do do her training work on, also she didn't want to carry my luggable!
We went for the 1GB RAM, 120GB HDD Linux model in Blue for about £250.
Out of the box its a good looking machine, the glossy blue finish is nice, but instantly prone to fingerprint marks. It feels well built and durable.
I comes with what some would call a protective sleeve, in a way it does protect but really all it protects is from dirt, ... ...The Linux Operating System is in my opinion VERY basic and highly kneecapped compared to what Linux can be, although there are guides on the internet to unlock more of its potential. But having said that it is also very easy to use. Personally she tried it but didn't like it having be bought up on Micro$oft like most people, so i ended up installing XP on it (a challenge without a CD drive but that's another story).
I think would ideally suit anyone ...
hairyheppers 05.11.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Acer Aspire ONE A150
Advantages: Small for travelling, Fast, Stylish, Great Battery, Webcam Built in. Disadvantages: No Cd Drive:(
...I went for the Acer that was on offer so the specs are not the best available in the range but are perfect for me. 1GB of RAM 1.6GHZ Atom Processor 8GB hardrive plus an extra 8GB on a memory stick The extra memory is easily installed into the side of the net book, there is a slot specifically designed for adding extra memory. It will only accept SD card so no others can be used as extra memory however there is another slot that accepts many other ... ...computing lives. To save space Acer have removed the number pad usually found of the right of the keyboard, this is no problem as they still have the numbers above the letters. All buttons on the keyboard are easy to press and feel very strong so I think they shall be lasting a very long time. I have used Acer laptops before and was very unimpressed with the keyboards but they have really got it spot on with this net book. The net book also came ...
nickbrown60 07.02.2009 (21.02.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Acer Aspire ONE A150
Acer redefines mobile connectivity with Aspire one, the revolutionary netbook packed with fun and powerful computing features in a diminutive 8.9" form factor. From the moment you switch it on, the Aspire one is ready to go in just 15 seconds. That's what the call a smart start. Once on, the interface is pure simplicity: a home screen divided into four areas that contain all the applications you need to stay connected, work, play, and organize your life on the road. And as your Aspire one is as unique as the way you use it, you can customize the applications on the home screen so that it's just right for you. Fast, simple and indescribably chic. That's your life with the Aspire one.
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