DailyTech - RadioShack Now Offering Acer Netbook For $99

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Internet RadioShack Now Offering Acer Netbook For $99
Michael Barkoviak - December 15, 2008 9:00 AM

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30 comment(s) - last by soundgarden.. on Dec 16 at 1:28 AM

Sure, it costs just $99, but it comes with a major catch...

RadioShack announced it has become the first retailer in the United States to offer a new netbook with integrated 3G wireless capabilities. The company is now offering the Acer Aspire One 3G netbook for $99, although users are forced to sign a new two-year contract for AT&T's DataConnect service.

"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 – 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.”

According to a RadioShack advertisement posted by Engadget, the netbook comes with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, 160GB HDD, 1GB ram, and an 8.9" screen. The Acer Aspire One without the bundled AT&T plan costs $499.99.

The Acer Aspire One helped propelled Acer into the No. 1 netbook manufacturer spot. The current $99 promotion is valid through December 24, and the AT&T service costs $60 per month.

Overall popularity of netbooks continues to rise, as consumers look for lightweight systems that are easily portable. Both Dell and Hewlett-Packard also have similar deals available for consumers wanting to purchase a netbook with a bundled broadband Internet deal.

Telephone service providers have worked with retailers to offer subsidized phones for consumers, but the trend hasn't caught on in the netbook market in the United States as of yet. However, it's possible to find netbooks bundled with 3G service in Germany, Korea and several other countries.

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$400 discount?

By Dreifort on 12/15/2008 9:33:55 AM , Rating: 3

crap...how long of contract do you have to sign with AT&T to have them refund $400 of the netbook price?

4 yr contract?

Even with the formerly expensive iPhone, you had to sign a 2 yr contract on BOTH voice & data..just to save $200.

RE: $400 discount?

By omnicronx on 12/15/2008 10:06:26 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
Even with the formerly expensive iPhone, you had to sign a 2 yr contract on BOTH voice & data..just to save $200.

If you are going to use the service anyways, I don't see how this matters.

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RE: $400 discount?

By Dreifort on 12/15/2008 10:20:22 AM , Rating: 2

what if you can't afford the $40/mo data plan after 6 mos of owning your new iPhone? what if you bought a netbook at the data plan is useless now on your iPhone?

24 mos paying $40...JUST for internet/data is a bit much.

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RE: $400 discount?

By porkpie on 12/15/08, Rating: 0

RE: $400 discount?

By Dreifort on 12/15/08, Rating: 0

RE: $400 discount?

By zaxxon on 12/15/2008 10:43:14 AM , Rating: 5

if you are scraping the bottom SO hard that a change of jobs could mean that 40$ less a month is life threataning. THEN YOU SHOULDN'T SHOP FOR AN iPHONE!

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RE: $400 discount?

By Dreifort on 12/15/08, Rating: -1

RE: $400 discount?

By Jimbo1234 on 12/15/2008 2:16:16 PM , Rating: 1

That's called life. Most people have mortgages and car loans and somehow manage to live just fine. $500/mo for a car for 4 years (assuming the best case scenario of 0% APR) gives you a loan for $24,000. That's an average car.

Once you graduate college you'll see things in a much different way.

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RE: $400 discount?

By Dreifort on 12/15/2008 2:57:42 PM , Rating: 2

I graduated 14 yrs ago. Advertising a "cheap" notebook to lure ppl into a 4 yr contract is NOT targeting savvy business owners. It's targeting ppl who can't afford the 4 yr contract.

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RE: $400 discount?

By mikeyD95125 on 12/15/2008 6:29:10 PM , Rating: 2

Well it's a 2 year contract. And millions of people already pay $99 to get a new cell phone with a 2 year contract. Seems like a pretty fair deal to me.

If your worried about not being able to fulfill your end of the deal then by it for full cost and pay by the month.

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RE: $400 discount?

By omnicronx on 12/15/2008 10:58:00 AM , Rating: 2

If you are buying a 60$ wireless internet service when you don't have a stable job (or your job is not paying for it) you are a moron in the first place.

I don't know one person who has this service that is not business related, or they use it as a home internet replacement.

Getting a laptop for 99 dollars when you were thinking of buying the service is just the dealbreaker, you are not going to see many people who do not plan on using this service to deal out 60 bucks a month just to get a cheap laptop.

Those buying a 60$ a month wireless internet on top of a probable cell phone or other contracts when they cannot afford it will get what they deserve.

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RE: $400 discount?

By Alexstarfire on 12/15/2008 11:14:55 AM , Rating: 2

I think his point is that if you're shopping for a cheap laptop then you probably can't afford the AT&T service required to get it for that price. I do think they aimed this at the wrong demographic.

Not only that, but who gets a netbook for business?

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RE: $400 discount?

By omnicronx on 12/15/2008 12:01:20 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
Not only that, but who gets a netbook for business?

All the execs at my workplace.. We got sick and tired of laptops constantly breaking because of being lugged around everywhere(HD's especially), now everyone has a desktop, and those that work out of the office also get a netbook. Funny part is both combined were cheaper than having a single thinkpad.

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RE: $400 discount?

By Alexstarfire on 12/15/2008 2:16:01 PM , Rating: 1

Guess people are clumsier than I thought. Well, nvm about my original comment then.

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RE: $400 discount?

By omnicronx on 12/15/2008 4:05:35 PM , Rating: 2

No need to take back your comment, you brought up valid points. I think its safe to say that most businesses do not use netbooks, but I do expect that trend to change.

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RE: $400 discount?

By zaxxon on 12/15/2008 10:31:56 AM , Rating: 3

then.don't.buy.an.iphone!

if you are in SUCH a tight place.... don't overendulge! but... that's the fundamental thing that's wrong with the american economy!

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RE: $400 discount?

By amanojaku on 12/15/2008 1:07:49 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
crap...how long of contract do you have to sign with AT&T to have them refund $400 of the netbook price?

Paragraph 1:

quote:
The company is now offering the Acer Aspire One 3G netbook for $99, although users are forced to sign a new two-year contract for AT&T's DataConnect service.

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RE: $400 discount?

By omgwtf8888 on 12/15/2008 1:13:26 PM , Rating: 2

The article clearly states:

quote:
users are forced to sign a new two-year contract for AT&T's DataConnect service.

The article also states the cost as:

quote:
The current $99 promotion is valid through December 24, and the AT&T service costs $60 per month.

Which means you are paying $1,440 for 3g service and $99 for the box for a total of $1,539.

If you are planning on using the netbook predominately at home or in other Wi-Fi enabled locations, buying all that 3g service is a waste.

With the improvements on the horizon for netbooks (dual cores, and graphics and even HD video), these models will probably be $200 after the holidays.

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WHAT!

By Gzus666 on 12/15/2008 9:34:47 AM , Rating: 1

I really hope that $60 a month is with home internet service as well. Otherwise, I would expect the netbook for free and a hand job once a month.

RE: WHAT!

By Dreifort on 12/15/2008 10:21:28 AM , Rating: 2

from all 3 major carriers, $60/mo is limited bandwidth on an aircard... $90 and up is has higher bandwidth. Only a few offer "unlimited" use.

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RE: WHAT!

By Alexstarfire on 12/15/2008 11:23:26 AM , Rating: 2

I just saw an ad for Cricket that said it was "UNLIMITED" but then in the fine print at the bottom of the screen it said that you may be charged extra for going over 5GB a month. The ad was for home and mobile broadband, through a USB device, so I'd think going over 5GB would take less than a day. Sure would for me. I'm set to download over 2GB of data ATM.

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RE: WHAT!

By Gzus666 on 12/15/2008 11:33:24 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
I'm set to download over 2GB of data ATM.

AKA porn.

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RE: WHAT!

By Dreifort on 12/15/2008 12:13:55 PM , Rating: 2

Clearwire will offering wimax (clear.com). Not sure of pricing / dl limits. But you can figure, for the short-term, that Clearwire will be much cheaper.

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Which one is it?

By Spivonious on 12/15/2008 9:18:14 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
The Acer Aspire One without the bundled AT&T plan costs $499.99.

Or...

quote:
The Acer Aspire One 3G normally sells for $300

RE: Which one is it?

By Spivonious on 12/15/2008 9:18:39 AM , Rating: 2

Crap, nevermind. I missed the whole "3G" part.

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Does the iPhone allow bluetooth "tethering"

By Lord 666 on 12/15/2008 9:37:46 AM , Rating: 1

In other words for all of you iPhone users out there, here is an honest question. Can you connect via bluetooth connection from laptop to iPhone to use the AT&T 3G network?

I use it all of the time with my VZW Curve and it works great with my netbook.

RE: Does the iPhone allow bluetooth "tethering"

By bldckstark on 12/15/2008 12:30:03 PM , Rating: 2

And it's only $30 per month.

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Termination fee? Worth it!

By stugatz on 12/15/2008 1:13:29 PM , Rating: 1

$60/month * 24 months = $1440

Termination fee? Usually $200 or $250?

$400 discount?

$400 > $250

The answer is simple, take the $400 discount, cancel the service, and you end up with one of the cheapest netbooks around.

Unless of course, you actually think you would use the 3g service. I know I wouldn't, I have almost no coverage.

RE: Termination fee? Worth it!

By soundgarden on 12/16/2008 1:28:47 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
Effective May 25, 2008, new and renewing AT&T wireless customers who enter into 1- or 2-year service agreements will no longer be required to pay a single, flat ETF. Instead, the $175 ETF will be lowered by $5.00 every month for the term of the contract.

One has to imagine some guy making $30,000/yr pointed out this flaw to the guy making $150,000/yr who designed this Acer deal.

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