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(More customer reviews)For the past few years, I've been using a Macbook pro as my main 'laptop'. I'm going to be abroad for a month, so I decided I wanted to buy a nice little netbook that would be both more portable than the MacBook and also a lot cheaper in case it were to get stolen, lost, or damaged. After doing quite a bit of research (via Amazon reviews), I finally decided that this was my best choice. It was released in October 2010, so at the moment it is the newest netbook I could find for sale on Amazon. For the price, it's great! Most other netbooks with the Intel N550 dual core processor are going for closer to four-hundred!
As for the unit itself, it's my first netbook so I was really pleasantly surprised by how small and light it was. If you've owned a netbook before, it's probably the same size/weight as what you're used to. Overall, the keyboard is great. It's not as great as the backlit full-size keyboard on my MacBook, but it's better than I expected, and my fingers are having no problems finding the right keys. Windows 7 starter is really all I'll be needing for my needs, but I could definitely see where many people would want to upgrade (starter doesn't even let you change your desktop background, what the heck!?)
For those of you looking to stay on a budget, I am using the unit as it comes from the manufacturer. I did not upgrade the RAM. In my opinion, the computer actually does run pretty fast even with only 1GB of RAM. I wouldn't expect to run a large program like photoshop, but for what most people will use the computer for, it's screaming fast, assuming you take an hour or so to un-install EVERYTHING they've included (you can safely uninstall anything "acer" even if it sounds important, Windows can function on it's own without it, trust me). The 6-cell battery is great, I've been browsing the web for 6 hours on my first full charge, and Windows claims I still have 55 minutes left- that's actually pretty close to the rated value of 8-hours!
If you have any specific questions about this netbook, feel free to leave a comment on the review and I will get back to you as soon as I can. I'll try to update this review if anything changes, and again in a few months if I see a newer or better model available.
UPDATE 12/21/10:
Since I posted this review I've gotten a lot of questions in the comments. I'm gad to keep answering them, but there are some that I've gotten a bunch of times so I'm going to post them here...
Q: How do I install Microsoft Office (or anything requiring a CD) when the netbook has no CD drive?
A: Yes, no optical drive means no CD drive, and yes that's commonplace in ann netbooks. There are a couple ways to get around this problem. For me, the easiest is to buy your software digitally and download it. If you want to install software you've already purchased, I'd suggest downloading a trial version from the manufacturer and using your already purchased CD-key to activate the software. This works, is legal, and is easier than other methods (in my opinion).
Q: What version of office is pre-installed?
A: Office starter 2010. It's not something you can buy or download, but it's something that a manufacturer can elect to install in the factory for free. It gives you full (ok 'basically full') versions of word and excel 2010. If you need powerpoint you'll have to pay.
Q: Can I install more RAM?
A: I'm don't think so, but this has been answered two ways by different people. Yes, you CAN install a second gig, but I've heard that Windows 7 starter will only accept 1GB, so you'd have to spend at least $80 to upgrade your OS. Secondly as I said in the review 1GB ram works perfectly on this machine. Typically I'm a RAM freak (my desktop has 8GB ddr3 ram), but in this case, seriously, 1gb is fine. Any more and you'll still be held back by the processor.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Aspire One AOD255-1625 10.1-Inch Netbook (Sandstone Brown)
Get fantastic mobile connectivity with the Acer Aspire One D255 in sandstone brown (model AOD255-1625), which brings the power of dual-core performance to a netbook with next-generation, dual-core Intel Atom N550 processing power. Engage in online activities easier and longer with up to 8 hours of battery life and experience fun, powerful features in an ultra-thin design that travels light.
The Acer Aspire One D255 in sandstone brown.
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