Subsidized Acer Aspire One hitting Radio Shack for $99?
Carrier subsidized netbooks, a common occurrence overseas, may finally be making their way stateside. In a “first ever” for the US, Radio Shack and AT&T may be offering the Acer Aspire One netbook for a mere $99 with an AT&T AirCard minimum data plan of $60/month. Yes, we know that potential Dell Inspiron Mini 9 owners can get a price break on the cost of the 3G modem with an AT&T contract but the netbook itself is not reduced in price, thus disqualifying it from being the first true US carrier-subsidized netbook. As with all carrier subsidized items, the final cost of the item, when you add in the monthly data plan over the term of the contract is astoundingly high with the price of the Acer Aspire One ballooning up to $1500, but of course that includes data. If those terms don’t sound so hot, then you can buy the Acer Aspire outright for $499. For those who are going to sign up for a data plan regardless and want a full-powered mobile device like a netbook, then this $99 Acer Aspire One is an excellent choice.
Who will buy it? After all, everybody will be lining up to pay $1000 for Sony Xperia.
i think it will sell well, $99 will lure people in to test it out and $60/ month if you are in a 3G area is not bad at all.
What a terrible inside stright to draw to: Acer,Windows & ATT
Two more years of XP? Hmmmm. What year was it released?
Two more years of XP? OH GOODNESS. and to think I wanted to suffer with vista more. XP tromps vista, everyone who uses a computer for more than checking BGR knows that. XP is a plus on any computer that ships with it.
does this mean that netbook is unlocked for other networks if you don’t opt for the contact? any idea if this will work on a 900mhz gprs network?
While it does include data, paying $1500 seems overpriced especially for a student who is constantly in free WiFi territory. I really want a netbook instead of lugging around my 15″ Inspiron 6400, but at that price, I’d rather get it unsubsidized. And not on AT&T.
David A, I use a computer for more than checking BGR. Please, share your view on why XP is superior to Vista (it’s an open book exam, feel free to search for the answers on the Internet).
Or you can use a $15 per month “unlimited” MEdia Net plan and my HSDPA mod: http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2008/10/28/modding-the-acer-aspire-one-hsdpa/
Why would I pay $499 for this laptop, then Walmart sells it w/o any contracts for $399 or $348 for 120gb Hard drive
Reminds me of the old deals where if you signed a contract for AOL or MSN you got a computer dirt cheap.
As the not to be disclosed add before sunday 12/13/08 says Only @ Slavio Shack its a good deal and this is coming from a slavio shack employee
@David A. Said
Are you a moron? As a Vista and XP user, Vista definitely trumps XP, both in startup and overall performance. Sorry that you’re not ready to join the 21st Century, but Vista works. And as a writer and graphic designer, I do more than just check BGR on my Vista laptop.
I work at the shack and from what I’ve been told u will not be ably to buy it without signing up for the att service until the first of the year.
Screw that, I love my Dell Mini 9. I have had AT&T for years and dont even use it with the Mini 9.
I get amazing speeds from TWC here in NYC and we all know that NYC get the best 3G speeds anyway.
I just moved to the Upper East Side from downtown and before TWC gave me my modem and router to set up, I was using WiFi on here.
Living in NYC, I search for available WiFi connections and I get over 30 at a time, god bless NYC.
I took the XP version while I have a vista desktop. This Mini 9 does EVERYTHING I want it to do and it syncs perfectly with with HTC Unlocked Diamond P3700 US.
I am a CASAC and work in a rehab. I provided my NY State ID to DELL and they gave me 10% because its being used in an institution, well at least they think it is. I paid around $400 for a full loaded Mini 9 XP
had one, too slow for me. neat concept though, the netbook, maybe when apple releases theirs, it will be faster.
I have Windows Mojave, not Vista dammit!
Here’s the tip of the iceberg:
Take a folder with many small files in it – a thousand or so, like a Flash project and its supporting files, for example. Put it on a removable device.
Use drag and drop to copy this folder from the removable device to a machine under XP.
Do the same with a machine running Vista.
Not to go ad-hominem right away, but if you report back that you didn’t see a difference, a MAJOR difference, in favor of XP, then I know that you didn’t do the test and/or you’re a troll.
There are many, many more examples out there.
No one besides radio shack sales the Acer with the air card built in . It is only at radio shack walmart sales the acer without the air card for 349 and radio shack sales the one with out the air card for 349 with a 10 in screen and 160 gb hard drive
Both my husband and I have the acer aspire we both just think its great for what we need. Driving on the highway to anywhere and staying connected and not haveing to stop to do it. Great for bussiness and traveling.