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Acer Android Netbook Arrives While Everyone Else Lays Low

Posted 10/21/09 at 02:17:00 PM  by Paul Lilly

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Surprise, surprise - Acer, the same company who not too long ago bemoaned Google's open-source Android platform as not being suitable to run netbooks, has gone ahead with just such a device anyway, even though most other vendors are content to wait for Pine Trail before releasing more netbook models.

Acer did, however, play it safe by pairing Android with Windows in a sort of dual-boot environment (Android has to be booted first and acts like a sort of instant-on SplashTop replacement), but that's more than the other top tier OEMs have done. According to news and rumor site DigiTimes, that's because other OEMs are taking a more conservative wait-and-see approach and will re-evaluate things once the final quarter of 2009 shakes out.

After seeing sequential growth to the of tune of 20 percent in the last two quarters, DigiTimes notes that netbook shipments from Taiwan notebook vendors is on target to backslide 8 percent in Q4. Part of the reason, analysts surmise, is waning demand as customers eagerly await the arrival of Windows 7, but vendors are also trying to keep inventory levels down on the verge of Intel's upcoming Pine Trail platform, due to arrive in early 2010.

It still remains to be seen how many OEMs will embrace Android on netbooks, whether as a standalone OS or in conjunction with Windows. So far, Acer's dual-booting Aspire One AOD250, which was only recently announced in the U.S., is the only one consumers have to choose from here in the States. Other markets will also see the AOD250, but not until after the launch of Windows 7, DigiTimes reports.

Image Credit: thegadgets.net

COMMENTS:4
TAGS: operating system, Software, mobile, open-source, OS, hardware, Acer, android, netbook
COMMENTS
avatarhs anyone tried andriod?

Submitted by B10H4Z4RD on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 1:14pm

hs anyone tried andriod? what do yall think? and what does everyone think about the netbook?

______________________________________________________________________

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 Intel Q6600@3.2

ASUS P5N-D

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avatar@ B10H4Z4RD  I just got my

Submitted by I Jedi on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 6:49pm

@ B10H4Z4RD

 I just got my HTC Hero phone a few weeks ago, but so far I'm loving Android on it. The OS is stable, fast, and not too complicated to work with. On a netbook, though, I am not all too sure how Android runs...

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avatarAndroid on a Smartphone

Submitted by One4yu2c on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 2:06pm

Do you mean Android on a netbook, or Android in general? If the latter, then my answer is 'yes,' as would be anyone else's who has used a G1 or other Android-based smartphone.

Android is pretty slick overall, with most of my complaints centering around the G1 handset, and not necessarily the OS. But just like Ubuntu and other Linux distros, consumers thus far have made it pretty clear that they're not willing to trade Windows for an open-source OS when it comes to netbooks.

That said, I'm intrigued by what Acer has done, which is essentially present Android as a near instant-on SplastTop replacement (I thought previous reports said it booted in under 10 seconds). Doing so offers the best of both worlds, whether you want to quickly hop on the 'net and fire off a few emails, or if you need to jump into Windows and continuing working on that Word file.

The obvious downside is you still have pay a premium for Windows, but compared to other Windows-based netbooks, the addition of Android can be viewed as a bonus.

-Paul Lilly

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avatarI have tried android on the

Submitted by AntiHero on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 1:59pm

I have tried android on the phone os. It is good, and a netbook is simply a non 3g enabled smartphone. I am waiting to try a netbook with Android on it. I like the idea of the Android splash top though.

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