Acer, AT&T and RadioShack have teamed up to offer a deal that brings the Acer Aspire netbook to market for only $99. Netbooks are mobile computing devices with a screen size of five to 10 inches that run a full version of a client operating system, such as Windows XP or Linux.
The Acer Aspire, with integrated 3G wireless technology, usually sells for $500. AT&T is subsidizing the cost of the device, but customers have to sign up for a two-year AT&T DataConnect mobile-broadband service agreement. Plans start at $60 a month.
Netbooks Emerge in the U.S.
“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 of 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.”
Roger Kay, principal analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates, called the Acer-AT&T collaboration a good deal for consumers. Netbooks, he confirmed, have taken off more quickly in Europe than in the U.S., but the timing is ripe for U.S. adoption.
“I expect to see a rising demand for netbooks over time,” Kay said. “It’s a development that’s despite the recession. This market is rapidly attracting attention, and it’s one of the growth spots; the problem is it comes at the expense of some notebooks.”
Driving Netbook Demand
Netbooks, also called mini-notebooks, are on pace to reach 5.2 million units in 2008 and eight million units in 2009, according to Gartner. The market is expected to experience strong growth. There could be as many as 50 million mini-notebooks shipped in 2012.
Several factors will drive the demand for netbooks, including a small form factor and small screen, light weight, price, ease of use, and basic but sufficient PC functionality, according to…