Acer Review, Asus Review – Netbook 10

You’re familiar with netbooks as the new notebooks . Now open your mind to a whole new type of desktop computing – nettops. Unfamiliar with nettops? They’re mini desktop computers that are smaller, cheaper and lighter than conventional CPUs, and are capable of performing basic computing tasks.

They’re also making headlines this week as prominent netbook contender Acer just launched its sleek Aspire Revo nettop in select European test markets last week.

Acer Revo

Let’s take an in-depth look at the Acer Revo Specs

Atom 230 Processor – Most netbooks come with the Atom 280 processor, and Acer’s decision to use a less advanced processor in its new nettop has raised a lot of criticism. Acer promises to introduce a Revo with the Atom 330 processor by June 2009.

NVIDIA Ion graphics card – While the Ion has just been introduced into netbooks like the Samsung NC10, it is making its first appearance in the nettop market in the Revo. This card is the reason techies are eyeing the Revo with hunger. This means the Revo…

• Can play HD and Blu Ray DVDs – This is because the Revo leverages the NVIDIA Ion’s power instead of using the CPUs.
• Cannot play HD Hulu and HD YouTube videos. This is because web video technology Adobe Flash and Microsoft Silverlight don’t use graphic acceleration yet.

Here’s another way to look at how awesome the card is – the Ion GeForce 9400M is the same graphic card used in the new Apple MacBooks!!

VGA and HDMI output, and eSATA connector – These outputs allow the Revo to connect to TVs, making the Revo a good Home Theater PC–  to the delight of an already existing base of Revo fans.

Several USB outputs and a card reader 

Acer Revo 6 USB Ports

2GB memory, 120-250GB hard drive

Windows XP/Vista

Linux/UBUNTU – Linux users, rejoice! The Revo does support Linux Ubuntu. The current Linux model comes with a paltry 8GB solid state storage device. Don’t worry though, Acer is looking into boosting it up to a 146GB hard drive as soon as the Linux stock sells out. Read more here.

*The Revo doesn’t have a CD/DVD-rom.

Acer plans to launch the Revo in North American markets by the end of 2009, for a price point of $300 and above. Compare this to Mac Mini which start at $599, Asus’ Eee Box at $290+ and the MSI Wind Box at $150+.

Why get a Revo?
Techies are looking at the Revo as the perfect HTPC and the best way to view Internet TV, and Acer product managers are viewing it as the perfect second computer. Especially for households with kids – to be used as a ‘homework station’ or ‘Internet station.’

So what does this mean for Netbooks?
As of now, it doesn’t seem like netbooks and nettops are pitched against each other. In fact, Acer is targeting the desktop PC market with the Revo. Intel foresees a growth in the nettop market, predicting sales of 60 million basic nettops (under $300) by 2011.
The increasing trend in both netbook and nettop sales indicates that size and low prices are top-priority for computer buyers – both those interested in desktops and notebooks. Combine this with the failing economy. We’re probably looking at a drop in netbook/nettop popularity as users’ second computing device, and a rise in netbook/nettop sales as the primary computing device.

Last Thoughts on Nettops
Personally, as someone who uses a notebook at home and a desktop at work, I’d like to see nettops become portable CPUs – safe to travel with. Ideally, I’d install expensive software like Adobe Photoshop and MS Office onto my nettop and take it every where I go.

I’d have a monitor at home, some sort of portable monitor to use on the go (perhaps a netbook without the OS), and a standard desktop set up at work (thereby giving me the option to leave my nettop at home). To make it more convenient to travel with, the nettop would resemble the shape of a notebook battery. Benefits of this setup would include one central location for music, video, software, Internet TV and most importantly, documents and files.

Who knows, as netbook and nettop sales continue to rise, we might be looking at a completely new playing field in the 2010s.

Sources: Gizmodo, Interview with Acer Product Manager

Related posts:

1. The Netbook market – Some research
2. Netbooks – the Operating System Wars
3. Smart Phones – Potential Threat to Netbooks?
4. Apple iBook, iNetbook – Why Apple will definitely release a Netbook in 2009
5. HP Mini 9″, 10″ Netbooks – 1010NR, 1035NR, 1120NR

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