Google‘s popular Android mobile operating system has moved beyond smartphones and made its way into Acer’s newest netbook. Though not without Windows.
Acer America on Oct. 15 announced the official U.S. availability of the Aspire One AOD250 netbook, which features a dual-boot operating system. Users can reportedly switch between Android and Microsoft Windows XP Home with just a mouse click.
“The Android operating system and the Aspire One netbook is an ideal combination for end users that require a highly mobile device for data consumption,” Sumit Agnihotry, vice president of product management for Acer America, said in a statement. “The unique dual-boot OS on the new Aspire One ensures users fast connections, the familiarity of Windows, and the added convenience of open-source mobile platforms and applications.”
Acer first introduced the concept on June 2. At the time, Acer Chairman JT Wang said he wouldn’t rule out the idea of an Android-only netbook, if the demand from carriers-which have been boosting netbook sales by offering them at reduced rates in combination with wireless service contracts-increased.
The open-source Android OS is said to bring to the Aspire One instant-on Internet connectivity, shorter boot-up times and greater access to applications.
The Aspire One AOD250 netbook features a 10.1-inch CrystalBrite LED-backlit display, weighs 2.79 pounds and measures 10.2 by 8.4 by 1 inches. It’s powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 processor with 512KB of Level 2 cache and 667MHz FSB. There’s a mobile Intel 945GSE Express chip set, an integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, a 160GB SATA (Serial ATA) hard drive and 1024MB of DDR2 (double data rate 2) memory.
The AOD250 can connect via 802.11b/g Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 2.1. There’s a built-in Crystal Eye Webcam, two stereo speakers, a microphone, three USB ports, a 6-cell battery and a multigesture touchpad-enabling finger pinching, flicking and swirling-for quicker device navigation and more intuitive use.
The Aspire One comes in a choice of ruby red, diamond black, sapphire blue or seashell white, with a starting price of $349.99.
An Oct. 14 Gartner report stated that falling ASPs-which separate data has pinned on netbooks-resulted in a PC market revenue loss for the third quarter of 2009 despite PC shipments having grown during the quarter.