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Acer has announced that the Aspire One notebook is now officially available here in the US. Set to compete in the already overflowing market with the likes of the Eee PC from Asus, the HP Mini-Note and the upcoming Dell E mini.

The Aspire One will be available initially in sapphire blue or seashell white with a golden brown and diamond black model coming later this year. The notebook will be available in a few models, the AOA110-1722, AOA150-1570 and the AOA110-1566 which will retail for $379, $399 and $449 respectively.

All the models of the Aspire One will feature an 8.9-inch display with a 1024 x 600 resolution, 1.60GHz Intel Atom Processor N270 processor, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, built-in webcam, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, built-in card reader, 3 USB ports and an Ethernet port.

The AOA110-1722 will come with an 8GB SSD, 512MB of RAM, a 3-cell battery and running Linpus Linux Lite. The AOA150-1570 will offer a 120GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, a 3-cell battery and running Windows XP Home. The high-end model, the AOA110-1566 features an 8GB SSD, 1GB of RAM, ships with a 6-cell battery and is running Linpus Linux Lite.

The Aspire One, which is currently available can be found directly from Acer and also at Best Buy, Circuit City and CDW.

Product [Acer Aspire One]

Keep reading to check out the full press release:

COVETED ACER ASPIRE one NOW AVAILABLE TO U.S. CUSTOMERS

Lightweight, Affordable and Intuitive Mobile Internet Device Simplifies Computing

SAN JOSE, CALIF., July 16, 2008 – Acer, the world’s third largest PC vendor,(1) today announced U.S. availability of the Acer® Aspire one, an ultra-lightweight mobile Internet device with prices beginning at just $379.

The Acer Aspire one provides continuous access to the Internet in an easy-to-use, stylish and ultra-compact platform. It’s designed to be an affordable and simple solution for web browsing, checking email, instant messaging, VOIP calls, streaming video, viewing photos and listening to music.

“Our Acer Aspire one is an innovative solution providing quick and easy access to the Internet with an intuitive software interface designed to make computing easy,” said Sumit Agnihotry, Product Marketing Director for Acer America. “It’s an excellent introductory device for both students and others to browse the Internet and take advantage of online research, social networking, streaming video and video conferencing. We’re pleased to make this exciting product available to customers in the U.S. with several new models.”

Masterfully simple, the Acer Aspire one boasts an intuitive software interface specifically optimized to support connectivity needs. Whether it’s keeping up with friends via email or Facebook, watching YouTube videos or conducting research, Aspire one makes computing simple. The solution is ideal for students who need to conduct research on the web, communicate via email and use light productivity applications for school work. It’s also an excellent secondary device for mobile professionals desiring a lightweight form factor for staying informed as well as accessing email, key files, music, video conferencing and instant messaging while on the road.

Lightweight, Stylish Design
Weighing just 2.17 pounds and measuring 9.8 x 6.7 x 1.14-inches, Aspire one is lightweight, compact and fits snugly in a backpack or tote bag. It also offers a stylish design with a unique selection of colors to suit personal preferences and lifestyles. The smooth surface is comfortable to touch. Distinctive details, such as the attractive orange hinge ring, highlight the appealing look and feel. Initially offered in either sapphire blue or seashell white, Aspire one will also be available in golden brown and diamond black later this year.

The Aspire one has a vibrant 8.9-inch CrystalBrite WSVGA LED backlit display with a resolution of 1024×600 pixels. Integrated in the screen is an Acer Crystal Eye webcam featuring Acer PrimaLite technology. This unique camera affords live video streaming, video chats and conferences, even in low-light environments.

This highly mobile Internet device comes standard with a 3-cell battery that provides up to 3 hours of battery life.(2) When used with an optional 6-cell battery the Linpus™ Linux® Lite version of Aspire one offers up to 7 hours of battery life,(2) giving users the freedom to enjoy mobility for a coast to coast flight or almost a full day’s play.

There are two practical options for data storage: a NAND flash module of 8GB(3) with an additional SD card slot for smart storage expansion or a 120GB(4) internal hard drive. In addition, the Aspire one reads five different types of memory cards – Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Card for maximum flexibility. The additional SD card slot seamlessly integrates with the internal NAND flash module as an added storage device. The ability to have both a multi-in-1 card reader and a SD card reader at the same time, allows users to download photos from the multi-in-1 to share with others and store to the SD card as an internal storage device simultaneously.

For enjoying MP3 music and videos, the Aspire one comes with two built-in stereo speakers and offers high-definition audio support. The system also comes standard with 802.11b/g and is Wi-Fi certified for connecting wirelessly at home, at school and Internet cafes. Acer SignalUp technology ensures maximum quality and stability to the wireless signal.

Simple, Easy to Use Software
The Aspire one is offered in several models based on either Linpus™ Linux® Lite or Windows XP® Home software.

The simple, intuitive Linux interface clearly organizes everything task-centric. The pre-installed software is separated by use of functions and presented in four distinct areas on the screen – Connect, Works, Fun and Files – making it extremely simple to get online, be productive and just have fun. A click of the home key brings users back to the home page at any time.

This new mobile Internet device comes with the Aspire one mail software suite that lets users manage up to six email accounts with a single application interface. A small icon to the right of the message quickly and clearly shows the appropriate mail account. The system also provides Messenger for Instant Messaging with a single sign-in to manage multiple messenger accounts, which allows users to simultaneously access Google Talk, AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Microsoft Windows Live Messenger and various other instant messaging services. The software can be used with the integrated video camera for instant file sharing, voice chats and video conferences.

Additional software such as Acer eRecovery Management, McAfee® Internet Security Suite, Microsoft® Office Trial 2007 and Adobe® Reader® are also installed on the Microsoft XP Home version.(5)

Specifications, Pricing and Availability
The Acer® Aspire one is available now via Acer’s authorized resellers including BestBuy, Circuit City and CDW. Prices range from a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $379 to $499 depending on configuration. All models come with a one-year limited warranty.(6)

About Acer America
Since its founding in 1976, Acer has constantly pursued the goal of breaking the barriers between people and technology. Focused on marketing its brand-name IT products around the globe, Acer ranks as the world’s No. 3 vendor for total PCs and No. 2 for notebooks, with the fastest growth among the top-five players. A profitable and sustainable Channel Business Model is instrumental to Acer’s continued growth, while the successful mergers of Gateway and Packard Bell complete the company’s global footprint by strengthening its presence in the U.S., and enhancing its strong position in Europe. Acer Inc. employs 5,000 people worldwide. Estimated revenue for 2007 is US $14.07 billion. For more information, please visit www.acer.com/us.

© 2008 Acer Inc. All rights reserved. Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Inc. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or service marks, indicated or otherwise, are the property of their respective owners.

1. Source: Gartner data, 1Q 2008
2. Battery life will vary depending on actual use factors.
3. Accessible capacity varies; MB = 1 million bytes; GB = 1 billion bytes
4. 2.5-inch
5. Only for Windows XP Home version
6. Limited warranties and service agreements apply; visit www.acersupport.com for a free copy. Service agreements are issued and performed by third parties. May not be available in all locations. Phone charges may apply for tech support.