The netbook arrived the day after Windows 7 was released and I immediately got to work removing the “extras” that come with the computer. Surprisingly though, Acer did not load too much bloat on the machine and getting it off took no time at all. So then began the installation process. Avast, Office, iTunes, CD Burning software, VLC, Chrome, Firefox, Skype and Quicktime (the usuals) were all immediate needs and all went on with ease. I did purchase the extra gig of RAM that is recommended on most other netbooks (read around and you’ll see) as well, however, it did not come until 3 days later so I had a decent amount of time to play around with this machine with just 1g.

Even with 1 gig, iTunes ran smoothly, I was able to watch Hulu with no hiccups, Office didn’t lag… I was actually quite surprised. The 2 gig showed up eventually though, and things got even better. Installation was a breeze (just open the memory “door” and clip it in) and took only 30 seconds. The computer recognized it instantly. Once up and running again, the system was noticeably faster… very noticeable. Having open multiple programs is not a problem at all (something I will admit I was concerned about initially).

Along the same lines as the memory upgrade, an external DVD drive may be another buy you will want (just like with every other netbook). I did not invest in one, simply because I will not be needing it, but just a thought when pricing out your “full” purchase.

So, what is good and what is bad?

Pros:

Battery life - lives up to the advertisement (for the most part). I run it on the intermediate setting and get 7 hours easy. Currently at 45% right now and have 4 hours and 5 minutes left.

Wireless N and Bluetooth - while not “necessary” these are very nice. I can pick up signals with my netbook that other laptops in the house cannot get. Range is amazing.

Speed - A lot faster than what I was expecting and blew away all my expectations. Just make sure you spend the extra 20-40 bucks and get the extra memory. You will see a big difference (keep in mind though, she does fine with 1 gig). 2 is always better though.

Display - Very clear and easy on the eyes. Thought I might have issues with the small screen but it looks amazing.

Windows 7 - you can read the reviews about it specifically but it runs great. I’ll leave it at that.

Cons:

Keyboard - slightly smaller than some other netbook keyboards out there and can be tricky sometimes.

Touchpad - Acer, as with others, boasts a multi-touch pad (similar to an iPhone or iPod Touch). Maybe I just haven’t found the right use for it, but I find it nearly worthless and even when I can get it to “work,” it is slow and not very useful. Also, some may find the touchpad a tad too small (at least I do). Finally, the click bar on the touchpad is not broken up into two buttons, and while this is fairly common, the click bar can be tough to click sometimes and there are times I will try to click and hit the middle, which does nothing, and you don’t “know” until you look down to see what you’re clicking. I think two distinct buttons would have been better and easier.