Last week at MWC I had the chance to play with a not that known Acer 10 inch netbook, the Aspire One E100 Education model.
Now, there’s not that much different on this Acer from devices like the popular D260 or the D255, as it brings the same exterior design and pretty much the same hardware. However, this mini laptop is targeted towards students and pupils, as it comes with a very good price and a nice software bundle that should come in handy when studying during classes.
Like I said, the exterior is similar to the one seen on other Acer devices lately, with the same glossy exterior, decent enough trackpad and good keyboard, plus the glossy 10.1 inch 1024 x 600 px display. The only difference is that Aspire One Education logo on the right part of the arm rest, just beneath the arrow keys (and on the hood).
Acer E100 Education – affordable netbook for students
In terms of hardware, you get an Atom N455 processor, 1 GB of RAM, 250 GB hard-drive and good connectivity, with Bluetooth 2.1 and Wireless N. Plus a 6 Cell battery that should last up to 8 hours, so probably more like 5-6 on regular daily use. The OS is of course Windows 7 Starter, but Acer actually offers dual-boot operating systems preinstalled, with Android coming alongside Windows.
You can see it in action below and it’s perfect for basic tasks, like chatting, going online or listening to music when you really want to load and OS fast (Android comes with instant-on function on this Acer) and conserve battery life.
As for the software bundle, this Acer comes preloaded with a couple of useful free educational apps, like Classroom Manage for instance, where teachers can interact remotely with many students during the same time.
Not much changed on the inside, but you get dual boot OS and a good bundle of educational software on the Acer Aspire One E100
See the hands-on clip below for extra details.
For the moment pricing and availability are still unknown, but Acer officials claim this should be available soon with an affordable price tag. So probably around April for around $299 , but I’m not actually sure if it’s going to reach the US or not.
All in all though, the Acer Aspire One E100 is not the netbook that will impress, but if looking for a mini laptop for school, could be the perfect solution. I for one am looking forward for more details on the new Acer 10 inch line though, the Aspire One D257, also showcased at MWC, with new features and a redesigned exterior. So stay tuned for updates.
