With a total cost of 840 Euro, this isn’t a cheap way to buy a laptop and its not the first ever subsidised netboook on the market but if your’re like me and already pay 20 Euro per month and are thinking of a 35 Month contract as a standaone purchase, and only want a data contract with Vodafone or T-Mobile, it really is a free netbook worth considering. The question is, can I take the SIM card out and use it in other devices?
T-Mobile Germany who have arguably the best 3G network in Europe, have just sent a PR Email out.
Ahrensburg, 19. September 2008 – Kunden von Acer und T-Mobile können ab Mitte November 2008 das ultrakompakte Netbook Acer Aspire one inklusive dem Mobilfunk-Laufzeitvertrag im Flatrate-Datentarif web’n’walk Connect (Laufzeit 24 Monate) für nur 1,- Euro erwerben. Das Angebot ist eines der ersten Ergebnisse aus der gestern bekannt gegebenen, erweiterten Kooperation von Acer und T-Mobile, um gemeinsamen Kunden die uneingeschränkte Mobilität des innovativen Netbooks Acer Aspire one zu attraktiven Preisen anzubieten. Unter dem Motto „Always On“ können Anwender mit dem ultramobilen Netbook Aspire one unterwegs überall schnell und einfach E-Mails abrufen und beantworten oder im Internet surfen und arbeiten, ohne von Hotspots abhängig zu sein.
Middle of November start. 24 Month contract. 1, Euro cost. Flatrate HSDPA. THeres no word in the email about whether the Aspire is the SSD version or the HDD Version. If its the HDD version with XP and you can use the SIM card in other devices, it makes it very hard to justify buying an Everun Note plus contract for about 1800 Euros!
September 19th, 2008 at 11:29 am
…it would not justify why purchasing an iphone with premium price and a contract of 24 months! you can get any phone for free and with better contracts…
the questions is what WE want! it’s the price and “always on” that makes me save money and having a device that i don’t really care about or do i want a device which i really want and don’t care about contracts? i’m sure you can get the everun and use any sim card just to surf around for a few minutes, or are you spending 10 hours per day outside where you have no connection at all (like hotspots?)…don’t forget that companies create needs for customers, it’s not that we really need it!
September 19th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
I wonder if therec is at present already really some company which offers a REAON Everun Note + Flatrate for € 1.800.- ..?! If so, please inform about the details..!
September 19th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
it’s not even officially out…so you’ll have to wait a bit and most probably it won’t be offered like this acer. raon is too small…
September 19th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Id love to know if this is 3g upgradeable of the shelf
September 19th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Sorry, I dont get your calcucation.
I get 1+35*24=841€ for Acer One.
For Everun Note 646(Mobilx) + 24*40 (With Contract Connect L T-Mobile) = 1606
And there are many offers which reduces the 40€ per month. From DaRappa for example you get 340€ + Tmobile Stick III when getting the contract(Connect L)
That makes 1606-340=1266€ for Everun Note with the same contract.
Compare these numbers 841€ 1266€ and you have the difference between the costs for the devices.
The question is, if the Everun Note is the +425€ worth?
September 19th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
The Everun is 730 with OS plus 3G card makes about 900. Steve
September 19th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
The 3G Card is included in the second calcucation, OS for Acer One is maybe linux, you can get it probably free.No offend, but in your calcucation you compare a subsidized contract with a not subsidized one.
September 19th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
You cant get the Everun Note with a subsidised price so im simply comparing two products. The comparison is valid for many products although if one were to be flexible, they could take a usb 3g modem for free with a contract. There are indeed many ways to look at the comparison but when you see ‘free netbook’ it really makes you think hard about even a 730 euro purchase.
September 19th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
The question will probably be,will you ‘always’ use it?
I know if I’m home, I might as well just use my wireless internet. Goes faster, and uses less battery than 3G.
Most people don’t take their laptop ‘everywhere’.
To the library (with a public free hotspot), home, or to the job.
Apart from that maybe a single time,when traveling, and in need of a map you can use a USB GPS device in combination with a 3G enabled device to spot yourself on google maps, to find your way home.
Maybe a second single time to show off to friends.
I mean,even in shopping malls there are plenty of wifi connections,and public hotspots available!
Maybe 3G comes in handy for having your internet experience in the Forest?(which there are many in Germany).
September 19th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
trust me. Once you start using 3G with a UMPC, you cant give it up. No more hotspot availability, security worries.
I was in the car today with my wife driving back from a family get-together. I spent a good amount of time clearing my inbox and even spent time IMing with JKK. At 100kmh!
Steve
September 19th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Is the 3G phone chip really integrated in the Aspire One itself or is it still an external USB stick?
Integrated would mean that this would be a special version of the One, because as far as I know there was no version with INTEGRATED SIM card reader so far.
September 19th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
I’m sure it’s integrated. There is a slot in the current models to hold the WWAN card, just no connector. So, this version would have the connector, antenna, and WWAN card.
September 21st, 2008 at 6:49 am
the Sim card slot appears to be located in the battery compartment. Possibly current models have no card reader, but the slot is there already.
September 19th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
I’m waiting for something like this for the U.S.
September 20th, 2008 at 10:08 am
This would be great but in Australia and New Zealand we are subject to nice Oligopolies that mean 3G is flipping expensive!
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:39 am
And mobile operators bundling selling is a good choice, not the Internet, mobile notebook is no sense of portable!