Almost unique
Acer has joined the netbook herd in offering a ten inch screen version. However it seems to have a rather exaggerated view of its role in the evolution of this booming form factor.
In the press release for the ten incher, Acer observes that netbooks have really taken off. It then goes on to boast: "Acer, thanks to its unique ability to read market trends and anticipate user needs, rapidly introduced the Aspire One, the world's most popular netbook."
Now we don't want to take anything away from the Aspire One - which is very popular - but with the ASUS EeePC having been selling by the bucket-load for half a year before the Aspire One was launched, netbooks were hardly a market trend that required unique ability to read.
There was more insight from Acer CEO and President Gianfranco Lanci: "Despite the recent problems of the financial markets and general economic uncertainty, the netbook and notebook markets will continue to grow in 2009," he said. And Acer's unique ability to see that ten inch models were selling well has swiftly borne fruit.
The 10" Aspire one will be available in the UK by the middle of next month, Acer claims, and will cost around £300.
