Acer Aspire One AO532h $300 netbook gets Atom N450

Acer have announced their latest netbook, the Aspire One AO532h, and as you'd expect it's based on Intel's new Pine Trail processor.  The AO532h has a 1.66GHz Atom N450 CPU, 10.1-inch WSVGA display and 1GB of RAM, along with a 160GB hard-drive and WiFi b/g/n.  According to Acer, it can run for up to 10 hours on the high-density 5,600mAh 6-cell battery (or 8 hours on the regular, 4,400mAh pack).

There are the usual range of ports, including three USB 2.0, 10/100 ethernet, audio in/out and a multiformat memory card reader, along with a VGA port.  Acer have also thrown in a webcam and a multitouch-capable trackpad, and the whole thing measures 10.17 x 7.28 x 0.99 inches and weighs 2.76lbs with the regular battery pack.

OS is Windows 7 Starter and Acer will be offering the Aspire One AO532h in blue, red or silver.  It will go on sale in early January 2010, priced at $299.99.

Press Release:

Acer Enhances Acclaimed Aspire One Netbook Line with Next-Generation Intel Technology and 10 Hours of Battery Life

Aspire One AO532h netbooks feature Intel Atom N450 processor, advanced mobile connectivity and long battery life for outstanding mobility

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 4, 2010 – Acer America today debuts the next generation of its acclaimed line of Aspire One netbooks. These new Aspire One AO532h netbooks are packed with powerful features and performance to boost productivity and battery life, enhancing the mobile computing experience.

Designed for all day mobility and connectivity, the Aspire One AO532h netbooks feature the latest Intel® technology with the Intel Atom N450 processor, 10 hours of battery life(3), fast Wi-Fi connectivity, a 10.1-inch LED-backlit TFT LCD and a large keyboard with a Multi-Gesture touchpad. All this power and functionality comes in a package that is only 1-inch thin and weighs just over 2-1/2 pounds, making it a true mobile companion.

"These new Aspire One netbooks offer mobile users some of the features and performance of a larger notebook, while providing a highly portable, compact design that's easy to take anywhere," said Ray Sawall, senior manager of product marketing for Acer America. "Consumers can browse the Internet, check email, share photos, enjoy their entertainment applications, and even get work done wherever their travel takes them."

High-Performance Features That Save Power for All Day Mobility

Engineered for extreme mobility, the Aspire One utilizes the energy-efficient Intel® Atom™ N450 processor, integrated Intel graphics and the mobile Intel NM10 Express chipset to keep users connected while on-the-go.

To further support power savings and longer battery life, the netbooks' 10.1-inch LED-backlit TFT LCD saves 22.2 percent power compared with other netbook displays(4).

The new Aspire One netbook line offers many configurations to fit a wide range of consumer needs. Batteries are one component that have several options, including a high-density, six-cell Li-ion (5600 mAh) battery that delivers up to 10 hours of battery life or a 6-cell Li-ion (4400 mAh) for up to 8 hours battery life. Additionally, the batteries give a slight tilt to the netbook for a more comfortable typing experience.

Mobile Performance and Connectivity

The new Aspire One AO532h netbooks offer users a simple and reliable mobile computing solution. The netbooks all come with ample memory and a large internal hard drive to store plenty of digital albums, music and documents.

To remain connected, the netbooks feature 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and fast Ethernet LAN connectivity. For further communications needs, the netbooks are equipped with a built-in webcam, delivering smooth video streaming and high quality images for online chats and video conferences. A built-in digital microphone conveys superior voice quality, keeping background noise levels low and minimizing echoes.

The Aspire One netbooks have a 10.1-inch CrystalBrite™ LED-backlit display, offering a broader viewing area for Web page navigation and data input. They also utilize a Multi-Gesture Touchpad, allowing users to pinch, flick and swirl their fingers across the touchpad for intuitive navigation. It also allows users to scroll, zoom in and out, and flip through web pages, photos, spreadsheets and more. Additionally, a larger keyboard – 93 percent standard size – is more convenient for typing.

Several of the new netbooks include Windows® 7 Starter Edition, combining the latest in reliability and responsiveness with the familiarity and compatibility of Windows.

Pricing/Configurations/Availability

The Acer® Aspire One AO532h netbook will be available for U.S. customers at leading retailers this month. A sample configuration follows.

Acer Aspire One AO532h

Intel® Atom™ Processor N450 (1.66GHz, 512KB L2 cache, 667MHz FSB)

10.1" WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite™ LED-backlit Display

Mobile Intel® NM10 Express Chipset

Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3150

1024MB DDR2 667MHz Memory

160GB(2) 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader

Acer InviLink™ Nplify™ 802.11b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED®

10/100 Fast Ethernet LAN (RJ-45)

Built-in Webcam

Two Built-in Stereo Speakers

Multi-Gesture Touchpad

3 – USB 2.0 Ports

6-cell Li-ion Battery (4400 mAh)

2.76 lbs. | 1.25 kg

10.17" (W) x7.28" (D) x .99" (H)

Windows® 7 Starter

Three stylish colors: Onyx Blue, Garnet Red and Silver Matrix.

MSRP: $299.99

About Acer America

Since its founding in 1976, Acer has pursued the goal of breaking the barriers between people and technology. Globally, Acer ranks top 3 for total PCs(1) and No. 2 for notebooks(1), 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 acquisitions 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 is proud to be a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Movement in staging the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter and London 2012 Olympic Games. The Acer Group employs more than 6,000 people worldwide. 2008 revenues reached US$16.65 billion. See www.acer-group.com for more information.

© 2009 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, FY 2008

2 Accessible capacity varies; MB = 1 million bytes; GB = 1 billion bytes

3 Battery life measured under MobileMark2007. Battery life varies depending on product specifications, computer settings and applications or features launched. All batteries' maximum capacity diminishes with time and use.

4 Savings compared to a CCFL display