Joining the mini-notebook bandwagon is Acer with the release of its latest unit, the Acer Aspire One. Sporting a lid with a glossy finish that’s smudge-resistant, the Aspire One is far from looking cheap. Compared to other 8.9-inch display mini-notebooks, the Aspire One is slimmer and lighter. The keyboard is 89% of full size, big enough for comfortable touch typing. The reviewer, however, noted that the trackpad is small, which makes navigation require a lot of backtracking. The Aspire One is equipped with ports you’d normally look for in a mini-notebook. The biggest caveat with the Linux model is that, in the default settings, it’s almost impossible for beginners to add new open source programs. As for the display, with the native resolution of 1024 x 600, there’s no need for horizontal scrolling. Video looked extremely clear and detailed, though vertical viewing angles aren’t that great. The 0.3-MP camera produced washed-out images, while the speakers, located at the bottom of the system, produced loud but metallic-sounding audio. Programs loaded quickly, thanks to the 1.6-GHz Intel Atom processor, and the SSD drive helped hasten booting time. Battery life is quite disappointing, delivering only 2 hours of power with Wi-Fi on. For those on a tight budget, the Linux version of Acer Aspire is a pretty good bargain - if you can live with its quirks and the short battery life.