Just A Quick Acer Aspire Review

You'll recall I wrote about getting a new netbook last week. Not so much a Christmas present, but an early birthday one.

I've been playing with using it for just four days, and I'll tell you what...

Wait, there's a better story about this.

Over the weekend, Marilee bought an e-book from Barnes and Noble online. To view it, she had to download a program as well.

She: "Can I do this?"

Me: "I think you can handle it."

Some time later...

"Can you look at this? The program won't run."

So I look, mentally record the error, then hit the B&N website. I, too, download and run the program, and sure enough, it works OK on "The Little Guy."

The difference? "The Little Guy" is running Windows XP, and Marilee's laptop, Windows 2000.

Since my old decrepit Windows 2000 laptop, still threadbare, does still run, I figured I'd load the B&N program on it, too. Same problem, won't run. Though B&N says it'll run on 2000, it has likely been updated ad nauseum such that it no longer runs on the rock-solid OS.

So what's a geek to do, since she wants to read the e-book?

Begrudgingly I hand her "The Little Guy." And wonder when again I'll see it.

And only a few minutes into reading, says she:

"Do these come in pink?"

Yeah, I like "The Little Guy."

I'm typing on it now. The keyboard spacing takes a bit of getting used to, and the screen at 10.1 inches is just right for what I intend to use it for: Writing.

Small enough that It cradles nicely in my lap, and the screen brightness and clarity is perfect for corresponding and the impending Great American Novel.

Should you get one? Depends on what you'll use it for. Don't expect any high-level graphic editing, or high-end anything for that matter.

I'll have more of an idea in a week or so as far as real usability is, once I try going a bit more mobile and seeing what folks' reactions are. Thus far it's only Marilee, and Taylor calls it a mini-laptop.

If only I had a mini-lap.