Other specs are unchanged from the current model, including 1GB memory, 160GB hard disk, and an on screen resolution of 1024 x 600 driven by Intel GMA graphics. No Nvidia Ion graphics, and no 3G…yet.

Meanwhile, Acer Japan has just confirmed an updated version of the D250. It runs Windows 7 Starter Edition, bumps the resolution up to 1280 by 720, and costs Y46,800 (about $553). It will be available there when Windows 7 arrives on October 22, but there's no word on when it will come to the U.S. [Netbooked and PC World]

Rob's chart, with all its scary red marks and mysterious orange ovals, has the tendency to give the impression that the outlook is fairly bleak; almost every row of "confirmed working!" ticks is broken up by at least one pesky caveat, and some netbooks on the list are not sold anymore. But your prospects really aren't so bad. Buck up, kids! Here's what that chart means, practically, with a real-world rundown of what these netbooks can offer, what they can't, and how best to try your hand at Hackintosh.

The HP Mini 1000
Status: In production
Now that the Dell Mini 9 has passed on, in retail terms, this is your best option. Main components are compatible across the board.
What you get: A well-styled 10.2-inch machine with respectable guts, a notoriously great keyboard and an increasingly reasonable price. In fact, the slightly smaller Windows-less 16GB SSD version, a prime candidate for OS X-ification, is listed on Best Buy's site for $280 right now.
What you sacrifice: I think the styling works; some people get turned off by the large bezel around the screen, though it's on par with other 10-inch netbooks. Many Hackintoshers find little gremlins after install—lack of fan speed control and temperamental Wi-Fi control, to name two—which can generally be fixed, though rarely simply. By and large, though, this is as good as OS X gets on a cheap netbook.
Resources: Install guide, with video; support forums.

Dell Mini 9
Status: Out of production
This was, and still is, a fantastic candidate for Hackintoshing. As such, they're not that easy to find for a reasonable price. Even Dell's been getting in on the post-Mini-9 action, rereleasing the little laptop for brief period last week. UPDATE: The Vostro A90, the Mini 9's equally Hackintoshable business counterpart, is still around in some retail channels.
What you get: Just like the HP, Dell's Mini 9 lays claim to near-total hardware compatibility, including mobile broadband support. The fact that everything just kinda works is pretty wild, if you think about it.
What you sacrifice: Battery life isn't great. And since release, the Mini 9's hardware has aged a bit. That said, entry-level netbooks all more or less live on the verge of obsolescence by definition, so having a slightly older Atom processor than your friends shouldn't be much of a concern.
Resources: Our definitive install guide; support forums.

Dell Mini 10v
Status: In production
For some time after release this Mini 9 replacement was held up by Mac driver difficulties. Now it works fairly well, and could serve as a replacement Mini 9 for some Hackintoshers.
What you get: In some ways, this is better than the Mini 9. It's a newer unit, updated to address some of the general population's broader problems with the Mini 9: The screen is slightly larger, and more importantly, the keyboard has some room to stretch. It's cheap—often cheaper than the a coveted used Mini 9—at about $300 new.
What you sacrifice: The Mini 10v is patchier than its predecessor across the board. The onboard microphone is difficult to get working, video drivers are still a little precarious, often causing crashes when external monitors are connected, and sleep and hibernation modes aren't very reliable, which is crucial for a totable netbook. If you're willing to bet on driver support improving, it's a prudent purchase. That's a big if, by the way.
Resources: The Anguish Install+Fixes Guide; User forums.

Lenovo S10
Status: Out of production
Like the Mini 1000, the S10 is a worthy replacement for the Mini 9. Or, it was, before it was replaced by a touchier, more erratic S10-2. (More on that below).
What you get: Another capable machine, though it was—and still is—a little too expensive for what you get. Hardware works across the line, down to the webcam and two-finger touchpad scrolling.
What you sacrifice: Ethernet doesn't work, which could kill the S10's usefulness as a travel device (old hotels, etc) and the 3-cell battery is a little anemic. It too suffers from age: The cheapest version and most popular spec comes with 512MB of RAM, which will suck the joy right out of your OS X experience.
Resources: Multi-boot guide (attached to linked post in PDF); User forums.

Lenovo S10-2
Status: In production
This bears the outward appearance of a minor update to the S10. As far as Hackintoshing is concerned, it's a major step backwards.
What you get: Compared to the S10, a better touchpad, bigger keyboard, nicer case design, slimmer profile, more default RAM, and lower price. Great!
What you sacrifice: Any semblance of usability in OS X. Adding to the lack of ethernet support, everything from sleep to external video to stability is lost, to the point that the S10-2 isn't really much of an option.
Resources: The same S10 guide, with caveats; User forums.

MSI Wind U100
Status: Out of production
A perennial Hackintosh classic, it's still a safe choice, and fairly easy to track down used.
What you get: A Mini 9 level of compatibility, with very similar hardware. Styling is clean, but not as pleasing as the Dell, Lenovo, or HP alternatives, and the keyboard is usable.
What you sacrifice: Again, we're dealing with old-ish hardware here, and again, the three-cell battery won't run marathons. The touchpad is janky, and, I almost forgot, this guy really doesn't like them.
Resources: A whole bunch of install guides and support info.

Acer Aspire One
Status: In production
A hugely popular, widely available and all-around decent netbook, the Aspire One is a cautionary tale: No matter how tempted you are to pick one up, Hackintosh development has come too slowly to justify buying one for that. This rule applies to other netbooks not shown, too.
What you get: An expensive-looking, cheap-as-chips workhorse.
What you sacrifice: Virtually everything, including the biggest dealbreaker of them all: Wi-Fi. Lots of netbooks don't work, but I wanted to include this one as an example: Just because a netbook is wildly popular and bolstered by a huge community of support forums doesn't mean that Hackintosh will eventually work. Some hardware and software issues are just beyond the hobbyists' purview, so don't buy a netbook with the hopes that issues will be resolved. They might not be, and you'll be stuck swapping out hardware components just to get basic features working.
Resources: Install guide with some fixes, wi-fi recommendations; user forums.

Despite losing its greatest soldier (well, almost), the Hackintosh netbook movement is still alive and well, to the point that buying one of the more compatible netbooks listed above with the express purpose of turning it into an unofficial mini-MacBook is a great idea. Take your pick.

Our goal is to provide products that are better than Apple's.

I actually find this quote refreshing. It's rare that any company admits shortcomings of their products, and it's even rarer that a company points to another company who is doing things better, who can serve as a model.

Of course, Asus probably sees Apple as less of a competitor than Acer, the king of netbooks. More on that little rivalry over at the NYT. [NYT via Engadget]

Acer Debuts Industry's First 11.6-inch Aspire One Netbook;
Part of Thinner, Lighter Second-Generation Line

New 11.6-inch Model Delivers Mobile Productivity with Largest Netbook
Display, Full-Sized Keyboard; This and New 10.1-inch Model Provide Continuous Internet Access, Enhanced Battery Life

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 18, 2009 - Acer America, part of the world's third largest PC company1, today extends its industry-leading line of netbooks with two new models optimized for mobile customers - the industry's first 11.6-inch Acer Aspire One AO751h and the 10.1-inch Acer Aspire One AOD250.

The new Aspire One AO751h lets customers attain a new level of productivity and efficiency with its large 11.6-inch high-definition screen and full-sized keyboard. Thinner than previous generation netbooks, the AO751h still comes with all the same easy-to-use features, sophisticated design and incredibly portable form factor that have made Acer netbooks so wildly popular. The netbook's large 11.6-inch high-definition LED-backlit widescreen (16:9 ratio) display is large enough to easily view multiple windows and reduces the need to scroll to view Internet sites, providing a better end user experience. Plus, the full size keyboard is easier and more comfortable to use, even for touch-typists.

"As the worldwide leader in the netbook market, we designed our new 11.6-inch AO751h after careful consideration about how customers use and most enjoy their netbooks," said Sumit Agnihotry, vice president of product management for Acer America. "We predict that the larger display and keyboard will be a game-changer for mobile consumers looking to take it to the next level with the ultimate mobile device." Acer is the global market share leader in the netbook category with 30.5 percent marketshare with 1.8 million units shipped in Q1 2009 according to DisplaySearch2. The company will deliver these new offerings in the U.S. through its extensive network of retailers and distributors.

In addition, the Acer Aspire One AOD250 will satisfy the demands of mobile consumers who want a compact, light-weight netbook for Internet access and communications. With a 10.1-inch display and a thinner and lighter design than its predecessor, this new netbook is ideal for anyone on the go.

Agnihotry added, "These two new Acer Aspire One offerings will satisfy the needs of today's extremely diverse mobile users - from professionals who need a streamlined, highly mobile form factor to students who want a productivity-enhancing large keyboard and display. In all cases, Aspire One customers get a reliable, easy-to-use, stylish device that will let them remain connected."

The new Acer Aspire Ones models offer the ultimate in mobile Internet connectivity. They can provide continuous access to the Internet via WiFi 802.11b/g to browse websites, check email, make VOIP calls, and
enjoy online music. In addition, Acer Aspire One netbooks are the ideal device for the millions of people who are using the latest social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, to give them a
quick and easy way to post updates, send tweets, view and respond to video links, and stay connected. Select Acer Aspire One models come with the option for 3G broadband wireless connectivity.

Consumers can enjoy being productive and staying in touch even longer with the new Acer Aspire One netbooks; they deliver exceptional everyday battery life. The extended 6-cell battery for the AO751h can provide uptime of up to eight hours, while the 3-cell battery can provide four hours of uptime.2 The AO250's standard 3-cell battery can provide up to three hours and 15 minutes of battery life, while the 6-cell battery can provide up to six hours.2 The new devices use the latest Intel(r) Atom(tm) processors (N270 on the AOD250 and N270 or Z520 on the AO751h) that further extend battery life and power efficiency to deliver excellent mobile performance and Internet connections on the go.

Sleek, Eye-Catching Design is Highly Portable, Useful
The new Acer Aspire One models have been designed to be even more streamlined than their sales-leading predecessors; they now measure only one inch thin. The sleek aerodynamic design includes elegant touches
such as the color-rich chassis choices (Diamond Black, Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue and Seashell White) along with the metallic hinge with a colored accent. Both models weigh less than three pounds (2.75 pounds for the AO751h and 2.44 pounds for the AO250), so they won't weigh down a compact backpack or purse.

The Acer Aspire One AO751h uses a clever Multi-Gesture Touchpad that allows users to pinch, flick and swirl their fingers across the touchpad for more natural photo and video viewing as well as intuitive navigation of websites such as Google Earth. The Multi-Gesture Touchpad allows users to scroll, zoom in and out and flip through web pages, photos, spreadsheets and more. Both new models feature a soft-touch palm rest to increase typing comfort.

Packed with Additional Performance Features
The Aspire One AO751h has a high definition WXGA 11.6-inch CrystalBrite(tm) LED backlit display, offers the largest viewing area on a netbook. The Aspire One AO250's large 10.1-inch WSVGA LED backlit
display also includes a large viewing area for Web page navigation and reviewing documents. Well-equipped with a full 1GB of memory and 160GB of hard drive space, the new Acer Aspire Ones are ready for customers who want to take their digital media and files with them. Select new models will feature up to 2GB of DDR2 memory and up to a 250GB internal hard drive, providing even more capabilities and storage space for mobile enthusiasts.

The Acer Crystal Eye(tm) webcam delivers smooth video streaming and high quality images for online chats and business video conferences, even in low-light situations. The built-in digital microphone conveys superior voice quality, keeping background noise levels low and minimizing echoes. Consumers will enjoy music and video sound with the Dolby Headphones and two built-in stereo speakers. Connecting to the latest peripherals such as printers, a display and consumer electronics such as digital cameras is easy with the Acer Aspire Ones' useful ports (three USB 2.0, Ethernet, VGA) as well as Bluetooth capabilities that can be activated with the Easy Launch Bluetooth key. Both new models also feature a multi-in-one digital card
reader, while the AO751h also features a dedicated SD card slot.

Available Configurations Pricing and Availability
The new Acer Aspire One AO751h and AOD250 are available in several configurations. Sample configurations follow:

Acer Aspire One AO751h-1192 Specifications
* Intel(r) Atom(tm) Processor Z520 (1.22GHz, 490MHz FSB, 512KB L2
Cache)
* Genuine Microsoft Windows XP(r) Home (Service Pack 3)
* 11.6-inch WXGA 16:9 ratio Acer CrystalBrite(tm) High Definition
LED back-lit TFT LCD (1364 x 768 resolution)
* Mobile Intel(r) US15W Express Chipset
* 1024MB DDR2 533 MHz SDRAM Single Channel Memory
* Integrated Intel(r) Graphics Media Accelerator 950
* 160GB SATA 5400RPM Hard Drive
* Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader and Dedicated SD Card
* Acer InviLink(tm) 802.11b/g Wi-Fi CERTIFIED(r)
* Acer Crystal Eye Web Camera
* Two Built-in Stereo Speakers
* Three USB 2.0 Ports
* 6-cell Li-ion Battery (5200mAh)
* 11.18" (W) x 7.79" (D) x 1" (H)
* Sapphire Blue
* One-Year Standard Warranty
* Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price: $379.99

Acer Aspire One AOD250-1042 Specifications
* Intel(r) Atom(tm) Processor N270 (1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512KB L2
Cache)
* Genuine Microsoft Windows XP(r) Home (Service Pack 3)
* 10.1-inch WSVGA 16:9 ratio Acer CrystalBrite(tm) LED back-lit
TFT LCD (1024x600 resolution)
* Mobile Intel(r) 945GSE Express Chipset
* 1024MB DDR2 533 MHz SDRAM Single Channel Memory
* Integrated Intel(r) Graphics Media Accelerator 950
* 160GB SATA 5400RPM Hard Drive
* Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader
* Acer InviLink(tm) 802.11b/g Wi-Fi CERTIFIED(r)
* Acer Crystal Eye Web Camera
* Two Built-in Stereo Speakers
* Three USB 2.0 Ports
* 3-cell Li-ion Battery (2600 mAh)
* 10.17" (W) x 7.24" (D) x 1" (H)
* Ruby Red
* One-Year Standard Warranty
* Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price: $298.00

The Acer Aspire One AO751h 11.6-inch netbook line has a starting manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) of $349.99. Several models are avaialble with an extended 6-cell battery at an MSRP starting at
$379.99. The Acer Aspire One D250 10.1-inch netbook line has a starting MSRP of $298. Models in these lines are available now.

The Acer Aspire One comes with additional preinstalled software includes Microsoft Works with Office Home and Student 2007 Trial, Microsoft Office Personal 2007, Acer eRecovery Management, Acer Launch Manager, Adobe(r) Reader(r), McAfee(r) Internet Security Suite, Microsoft(r) Office Trial 2007.

The new Acer Aspire One models come with a standard one-year parts and labor warranty, which can be extended to three years with the Acer Advantage service. Additionally, some models have longer warranties
offered through specific channel partners. All Acer netbooks are backed by toll-free service and support.

[Acer]

The leak may have come from Costco, but it's reasonable to assume that you'll be able to pick up the notebook from AT&T directly. There are no pricing details in the report, but the $99 precedent set by AT&T's last foray into on-contract netbooking doesn't seem unrealistic. [BGR]

Now don't get me wrong, I want ten of these things, but the art is so slick and the final result so expensive, that this would never leave the custom, hermetically sealed glass case I'd have to create for it. And, should it leave the glass case for travel purposes, I fear I'd need white cotton gloves, a bodyguard and a portable padded room just to have peace of mind.

This, of course, would defeat the purpose of an ultra portable, inexpensive netbook. If you're rich and care-free however, go to town over at Ebay. [Ebay via Gadgetmix]

They're all a clear step above the last generation of netbooks in terms of design as well—as you can see, none of them are ugly, and they have massive, mostly comfortable keyboards.

The new Aspire One grows to 11.6 inches while slimming down to under an inch thick, has an LED-backlit WXGA screen to go with it, dragging the battery life out to a supposed eight hours. It's got 3G built-in, along with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Dolby speakers. Of course it runs Atom, and has a 160GB hard drive.

Gateway's netbooks also balloon up to 10.1 and 11.6 inches with the LT20 and LT30. I think they're better looking than the Aspire One—the cherry red one. They've got pretty much the same guts, and a multi-touch trackpad for gestures.

Sure, you could probably pick out a model or two that aren't here (especially since I cropped a row for the lead shot), but if this picture illustrates anything, it's that, yes, the netbook market has become commoditized—though only at the cost of also becoming horrendously confusing with all the product spam. [UMPC Portal via Electricpig]

An anonymous tipster passed on these hands-on photos along and full spec list to NetbookNews, though we can't confirm its authenticity:

Housing: 2.4 cm thick, 25.5 cm wide, 18.5 cm deep
CPU: Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz
RAM: 1 GB
HDD: 160 GB
WLAN: 802.11a/b/g Atheros (goes with ath5k in the kernel 2.6.29er)
LAN: Attansic Gigabit (goes with atl1e in 2.6.29er kernel)
SATA: Intel ICH7 Controller SATA: Intel ICH7 controller
Display: 25.9 cm / 10.2 "diagonal with Glare (but bright enough that it doesn't matter)
Resolution: 1024 × 600
Sound: Intel HDA
VGA: Intel 945GME
Int.Cardreader: JMicron (goes with sdhci module after the command modprobe pciehp pciehp_force = 1)
Bluetooth: integrated (Broadcom chipset)
UMTS: "apparently" yes
Killswitch: for Wlan + Bluetooth
Touchpad: Synaptics (scroll down to the edge possible)
Battery: 3-cells (approximately 3 hours duration)

The only surprise here is the lack of an SSD. The spec list says it'll be a 160GB HDD, which is encouraging from a performance standpoint (the Aspire One's SSD's are slllooooooooow) but not so much from a toss-it-in-you-bag-without-thinking-about-it angle. The smallish battery is also a bit alarming, as the Aspire One, even in its previous smaller incarnation, was never know for great battery life. As for the OS, I wouldn't expect a change from the current XP/Linpus situation—the SUSE installation you see in the photos was apparently not the OS that came with the netbook. [NetbookNews via Slashgear]]

Given the slim design, this particular Aspire One model is presumed to be an SSD system—one that reintroduces an SD slot into the design for easy and cheap storage expansion. We know, that's not a lot of information. We'll keep an eye out for more deets. [macles via Engadget]

Survey materials tease not only a wide variety of netbook models at AT&T, but 30-minute in-store consultation for those who may need a tutorial to get up and running. While AT&T is already in the netbook-subsidy business, the company has relied upon third parties like RadioShack to sell the hardware and service. Now it looks like AT&T is gearing up to geek out on their own accord. [Thanks tipster!]

Amazon said best-selling holiday items this year included the Samsung 52-inch HDTV, the Apple iPod, the Acer netbook computer and Nintendo Wii.

Sure, "Samsung HDTV" and "iPod" aren't exactly model specific, but we get the point. Big HDTVs, iPods, the Acer Aspire One (along with other netbooks, surely) and the Nintendo Wii were the hot gadgets of Christmas 2008.

But geeze Amazon, doesn't anyone buy books anymore? [AFP via Maxconsole]

The 3G Aspire One goes on sale December 14th, and it looks to be a Radioshack exclusive for the time being. Packed with the standard 8.9" screen, 1GB of RAM, and 160GB of storage, this Atom-powered 3G laptop looks attractive at $99...until you realize that eligible AT&T plans start at $60/month.

Over the course of two years with service, this system will cost the user a total of $1,540. Internet access or not, I draw the line at my underpowered laptop purchases when they hit the triple digits.

The Acer Aspire one netbook with integrated 3G wireless technology, is available starting Dec. 14 exclusively at RadioShack stores nationwide for $99.99 when combined with qualifying AT&T mobile broadband service. (PRNewsFoto/RadioShack Corporation)

FORT WORTH, TX UNITED STATES

Innovative portable notebook technology for $99.99 when combined with qualifying AT&T mobile broadband service

FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Starting Dec. 14, RadioShack Corporation (NYSE: RSH) becomes the first major U.S. retailer to offer an ultra-lightweight, mobile netbook Internet device with integrated 3G wireless technology. Netbooks, designed to fulfill people's growing needs for mobile access to Internet applications, are widely expected to be a hot growth area for the computer industry. The unique combination of technologies created for this launch to help people stay connected enhances RadioShack's reputation for offering innovative solutions at affordable prices.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081211/LATH540)

The Acer Aspire one netbook is priced at $99.99 for customers who sign up for a qualifying two-year AT&T DataConnect mobile broadband service agreement with plans starting at $60 a month. Once activated, this netbook allows people to easily access the Internet anywhere within AT&T's wireless network. The offer is available in 4,400 RadioShack company-operated stores through Dec. 24. Prices may vary outside the continental U.S. See stores or visit http://www.RadioShack.com for complete offer details.

"Many people internationally are already enjoying the portability, on-the-go connectivity and affordability of this emerging new technology," said Peter Whitsett, RadioShack's executive vice president - merchandising. "We are proud to introduce this concept in the U.S. by offering a netbook with integrated 3G functionality in addition to full Wi-Fi capability.

"RadioShack is offering this innovative technology solution at a very attractive price through our collaboration with Acer and AT&T," he continued. "Helping people stay connected during these challenging economic times illustrates our continued commitment to meeting their personal technology needs affordably."

The lightweight, 2.44-pound netbook includes 1GB memory, 160GB hard drive, built-in memory card readers and Windows XP software that supports the portable connectivity needs of commuters, students, travellers and mobile professionals. This allows everyone to keep in touch via email, participate in social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter, use the built-in Web cam and crystal-clear LCD screen for video conferencing with family, friends and business associates, conduct online research, and a host of other online functions.

The Acer Aspire one 3G netbook comes equipped with the following features:

— Weighs 2.44 pounds
— Ultra-compact size measuring 9.8" x 6.7" x 1.1" (W x D x H)
— Stylish piano-black finish
— Built-in 3G capability
— 802.11b/g wireless (Wi-Fi)
— 8.9-inch LCD screen
— Built-in Web cam
— Intel(R) Atom(TM) processor
— Windows XP(R) Home
— 1GB memory
— 160GB hard drive
— Built-in memory card readers (dedicated SD and 5-in-1)

In speed tests around Baltimore, the netbook was able to hit 6.7Mbps down and 2.8Mbps up. The New York Times started loading in 7 seconds, taking 15 seconds to fully display. And Hulu video streamed solidly after buffering for 20 seconds.

But I don't think anyone is questioning whether or not WiMax works, even on low-powered netbooks. The question is whether or not people will pay $30-$40 a month to connect to the internet on what's basically a secondary computer—especially if they already pay for 3G access on a smartphone or high speed at home. Would you spend the money?

To see the speed tests with your own eyes, hit the link for video of the testing. [LaptopMag]