Acer does first biz netbook

Acer has released the first version of its Aspire One netbook that is tailored for business users.

The Aspire One Pro 531, introduced on Tuesday, is very similar to the consumer-oriented Aspire One 531, the main difference being options for more storage, built-in 3G and professional-grade Windows.

Whereas the Aspire One 531 is loaded with XP Home Edition, buyers of the Aspire One Pro 531 get XP Professional. The consumer version comes with only a 160GB hard drive, but the business version has a 250GB hard drive.

The 2.5cm-thick Aspire One Pro 531 weighs 1.03kg or 1.17kg - depending on whether it uses a three-cell or six-cell battery - and is designed to provide battery life of up to 7.5 hours. The netbook has an 89-percent-size keyboard and a multi-gesture touchpad. Acer has not given it 802.11n Wi-Fi, opting instead for the slower 802.11b/g standard. Integrated 3G and Bluetooth are optional.

The Aspire One Pro 531 is available now at two prices: £349 plus VAT for the version with a three-cell battery and 1GB of RAM, and £399 plus VAT for the version with a six-cell battery and 2GB of RAM.

Original article: Acer launches first business netbook from ZDNet UK