AT&T and Radio Shack to offer $100 Acer Aspire One?

Want to know how to make a cheap notebook even cheaper? Bundle it with a 3G broadband modem and get a wireless provider to subsidize the price you pay up front for the computer. European and Asian mobile carriers have been offering discounted netbooks like the Acer Aspire One and Asus Eee PC for months, but US shoppers have been out of luck so far.

Now Engadget reports that Radio Shack and AT&T may be preparing to offer to an Acer Aspire One netbook for just $99.99 when you sign up for a 2-year service plan. It’s worth noting that the plan costs $60 a month, which means that this $99.99 netbook will actually set you back $1540 over the course of two years. But if you were planning on getting a wireless broadband plan anyway, this deal might be worth checking out.

The netbook would come with 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, an 8.9 inch 1024 x 600 pixel display and runs Windows XP. If you don’t sign up for the service contract you’ll end up paying $499.99 for the netbook, which seems like a lot of money for an Acer Aspire One until you consider the fact that this model includes a built in 3G modem.

Posted on Monday, December 8th, 2008, 8:20 pm by Brad Linder

John Veras

I can confirm that stock is arriving at RadioShack's around the country.

It will be a RS exclusive for the time being, comes in black.

Sim card slot is accessed behind the battery.
Bart

Hello John,

Can you also confirm that it is with the 3G module from Option Wireless inside as it is at T-Mobile in Germany?
Chris

I used to work for Radio Shack

Wireless products are its most profitable items that they sell. In fact, workers regularly got fired if they didn't sell enough cell phones. It makes sense that they would sell a netbook for $99 with a wireless contract. It's a horrible store though —– they'll push extended warranty's in your face, useless cheap overpriced accessories, and coerce you to buy other things you don't need in order to gain a higher commission
DougC3

$60 per month is too much when you can get unlimited data downloading on a PPC- phone for $44.99. And in my case, I would be using my home network 95% of the time, but desperately want broadband the rest of the time as well.

On the up side, at least the US is finally joining the rest of the world in discovering the _really_ mobile side of netbooks.
John Veras

I'll see if i open one up tomorrow to take a look.
RalphP

Actually, you consider that a) not having to use the PPC-phone and b) ending up with the Netbook costs you $15/month additional – over 2 years, that's $180. Plus the original $100 – the Netbook would then cost you $280. NOT a bad deal.
DougC3

It does look better when you think of it that way.

I guess I'm really just coming to terms with the fact that it's hard for me to justify paying for any kind of unlimited (or the max allowable by the provider) data plan when I'm using my own network 95% of the time. I think what I need to do is look into the current “pay only for what you download” plans and see if I can find one that will allow me to pay an amount more in line with my actual use.
Bernard

The ad is on radioshack.com now. It answers the “which battery” question – the three cell rather than the 6-cell that comes with the 3G-less 160 Gb version. I LIKE the big battery in my white AspireOne.

I still wonder how they handle existing AT&T customers – as an added line, I presume. I wonder if the people who work in my nearest RS can even answer the question…..
Bernard

The ad is on radioshack.com now. It answers the “which battery” question – the three cell rather than the 6-cell that comes with the 3G-less 160 Gb version. I LIKE the big battery in my white AspireOne.

I still wonder how they handle existing AT&T customers – as an added line, I presume. I wonder if the people who work in my nearest RS can even answer the question…..
Pingback: Netbooks for $100 IF you Sign up for Broadband « The Dodge Retort
Pingback: The Cool Tech Stuff Blog » » RadioShack’s $100 NetBook Costs $1,500 Over Two Years

AT&T and Radio Shack to offer $100 Acer Aspire One?

Recent Posts

Featured Videos

Popular Discussions

Latest news from Mobiputing