I GOT ONE!! (and thinking I got a hell of a deal as well)

Have been interested in picking up a netbook for my travels to replace a large and heavy HP laptop. I almost pulled the trigger on a 9" Eee PC at Newegg for $300, but figured I would look around at the local stores and see them hands on before ordering. After stopping at Bestbuy and Costco, I popped into Walmart to see what they had. They were selling the small one (8.9"?) for clearance price of $248, display only. As I was looking in the locked case, something caught my eye. An Acer Aspire One, 11.6" screen. They did not have one on display, and there was no price tag, but I was able to read the specs on the side of the box:

2GB Ram
250GB HDD
Windows Vista Home Basic

To be honest, I knew NOTHING about this model. I had done some checking on the ASUS ones and was really planning on one of them just trying to decide between the 9" and the 10". Smallest size isn't that important to me and I had already planned on upping the memory to 2GB and the HD on which ever one I got (I have a spare laptop 500GB HD I was going to use). I was thinking $350 for the 10" from Newegg, another $25 for 2GB memory stick and $20 shipping, So I would be into it for just under $400, if I opted for the 9" I could save about $50.

So I figured, what would these better specs be worth? 2GB memory I knew was $25. I figured an extra 90gb on the HDD was worth $35-$40. The bigger screen, easier on the eyes, easily worth $25 more, Vista over XP? Not sure if I would want to pay more for it, but I do like Vista and there is something to be said for consistency since my home computer is Vista, I wouldn't have to switch between OS. SO I figured if it was less than $500, it might be a good deal even if it was a little more than what I was planing on spending.

I found a clerk, asked if I could take a look at it. They wouldn't let me open the box, but the specs looked good. I asked about the price, she scanned it and told me $398. I thought, hell that is a pretty good price for what you get, but since I knew nothing about it, I wasn't sure what the reviews might say. They had a sticker on it saying 15 money back return if unsatisfied and no restocking charge. I figured what the hell, if I didn't like it or was concerned about what the reviews might say I could return it. I told her to go ahead and ring it up.

That is when the problem started. Cash register gave an error "UNABLE TO SELL". The clerk was puzzled so she went and tracked down a manager. He was puzzled as well. He called someone, they didn't know what it meant. If they scanned it with their hand scanners, it registered and showed the $398 price, but if they scanned it at the register it gave the error. He went online to Walmart.com, but didn't find anything on it. Sooo, he then just over rode the code and sold it to me, for $398+ tax. I walked out of the store thinking "That was odd... will have to see what I can find out about it when I get home."

I am now home, did a little googling and found this site and info. Looks like I am not the only one to come across them, but I may be the first one to actually BUY one (at least at Walmart) AND it looks like I may have got it for a hell of a bargain. Will have to wait and see.

Just starting to play with it now, will post a review in the next day or two...

 

It looks like a pretty cool little netbook. Congrats on the find and enjoy

 

Hi, can you confirm which processor the Wal-Mart version had in it? Was it the 1.6GHz N270 or the 1.33GHz Z520?

Thanks!

 

1.33GHz Z520.

 

Well I actually did get the Aspire One D250 on Friday, as they don't offer the 11.6" yet in Belgium. But my friend in the UK bought the Aspire One 751 which is the 11.6" and it comes with the Atom Z520 (1.33GHz). In the D250 I got the newest Atom N280 (1.66GHz). ;-)

 

That's awesome! Congrats... Been calling around to the local walmarts to see if any have shown up yet, and so far no luck. I'm actually stoked that it has the Z series CPU in it as I have use for the virtualization extensions that CPU has over the N series, also curious to see if SETFSB can be run on it. Alot of the Sony Vaio-P users have gotten their 1.33 chips to 1.6-1.8ghz with only a little extra heat.

 

Since I am rather new and wanted to check if any overclocking of the Atom processor is possible does that mean we can use SETFSB as well on the Atom N280? And as such overclock a bit the processor? Just wondering as that would be great. And I just ordered now 2GB of memory so I can upgrade the D250 and I am as well looking into getting an SSD drive. ;-)

 

All depends on what clock generator is used on that system and if SETFSB supports it. The 8.9" models I know did not have a supported clock generator, but I am holding out hope that the new Acer models have a different clock generator that is hopefully supported.

Lots of what if's there.....

 

hi 'lonerider, and allI! GOT ONE TOO!
& Heres the Crazy part...
Perhaps a SCOOP?
Since reading your post I'd called everywhere, including all the Walmarts in a wide area. Here are Quotes by some VERY confused associates and managers: "We had some Yesterday, but I don't know where they've gone!?"
"They've been all put back into our storeroom, no clue why." etc etc...
Then today, minutes AFTER getting home w/my 11.6":
"Believe it or not, we are being told to pull them off our shelves--and ship them ALL back, BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY MISSPELLED THE WORD 'ACER' ON THE COMPUTERS!!"
I desired this lightweight 11.6" model due to R.A. (painful hands) & some vision issues, plus will be perfect for my frequent hospital 'vacations' ..and I got it exactly the way you did, confused folks at checkout seeing a "no sale" flag, but overrode it for me. It too has the larger memory with Vista.
NOW I am about to open the box. I'll let you know if 'ACER is spelled 'RACE'..or?! :lol:

 

OMG, I want a Race Aspire One :lol:

Take pics if you have a RACE or whatever it may be.

 

Haha, that's hilarious! Tell us if/how it is misspelled, a picture would be great too!

 

They were pulled out of my WalMart's cage last Sunday after I tried to buy one, and I checked today and they have not returned.

 

I'll add in the info I know (which is probably not too helpful).

So...when I got mine on Ebay, I asked this other fella who had one where he got it. He had said walmart had some in now (implying that's where he got it, but not directly stated). Later in the day he puts up a message saying he really doesn't have them in stock yet, but his "source" said he could get them in 10 days. My guess, is he knows someone at Walmart and put up the auctions prior to pikcing up the systems he was planning to sell on Ebay, then when he got there the register denied him. I assume he was then told they'd actually be able to sell them in 10 days. This was about 8 days ago he told me this...so...maybe this Sunday? Now, obviously, this is a lot of guess work on my part, and I put little stock in a random ebay seller and the often braindead Walmart employees he may have got his information from.

 

I had a manager at another Walmart tell me they were recalled, but didn't offer why.

Mine says "ACER", so curious what the real story might be.

 

I went to two Walmarts this AM. One had two on display and the other had one. Neither would sell the display machine.
The Walmart version is 2Gig with a 250G HDD and Vista Basic. Sells for $398 if in stock.
D i c k Miller
Hot Springs Village, AR

 

Yeah--at my Wal Mart, where they had the 751 in the storage cage below display previously, they have none, though they still have the one on display under glass. They won't sell that either.

 

Hey Lonerider & all,
apologies.I posted after Loneriders' strange WALMART purchase of the 751h, 11.6 inch AAO..my experience being nearly identical at a local Walmart; it rang up "DO NOT SELL"! --but the employees finally over-rode it & I took it home--then made my last post; about a Manager Associate from another Walmart store 4 miles away-telling me, "Sorry but They All had to be pulled immediately- because they all had the name misspelled on them"! LOL (I had 3 other people call- & they were told the same thing, I think I'll try again tomorrow Next day a tropical storm hit, so no time or electric power to check it or play out since until thursday.. I couldn't WAIT to open...
The BOX reads:'Vista Home Basic. Intel Atom processor Z520. Ram: 2 GB DDR2, Storage: 250 GB. Wireless 802.11b/g wylan. Bluetooth enabled'. This is Nothing what the previews read, as you all know.
.. fairly sure the battery is not 6 cell . I'm sortof legally blind, & this seems much lighter than the 10.1 mostly nonfunctioning AAO i ordered in april?.
I've been flooded out here in sunny FLA since I last posted; FINally had a chance to 'take this AO751h around the block' and look her over. AND. Nope!
UNfortunately mine still says 'ACER'!? DARN, living in the Daytona Beach area, I couldve made Million$ IF it had read "Racer" instead The keyboard is fantastic; and I've been running TV news & weather streaming and playing videos beautifully- about 4 *FOUR hours battery pretty consistently. Even forgot myself (since my Desk PC drowned)-and ran several programs at once- No Problems. None. Beautiful display.Everything points to: YES, LR. you got "One Hell of a Deal!" Thanks!
But; still no info or manual on this particular FLUKE? does anyone have any idea?
***update OR WHoa, News to me Scoop- Just this VERY Minute: I just got an email from a 90 yr old auntie..with a 'Forward' saying that HER TV Home Shopping channel AND/OR website has this configuration as an "exclusive"!?
Could it be possible this was a Giant shipping Mistake? OR a Plan? LOL. I'll keep looking, & Thanks ALL for the great advice.

 

Re: I GOT ONE!! And about the ebay dudes' availability...

Hello all, Please Look?Back to the Curious case of the disappearing 751h Acer Aspires-
Go to that HSN a shopping network RIGHT Now, and you will see started at Midnight tonite : June1st, is an either "WORLD EXCLUSIVE"- "WORLD PREMIERE" Or at the very least:
"SUMMER SPECIAL" ..or some other superlative.
I still wonder WHY? Why they were all sent out to Walmart, but then Pulled Out?
("Pulling Out?-Doesnt sound Manly to me." George Carlin.If youre over, say, oh maybe 29 :lol: )
BUT STILL, Walmart is big and growing bigger. So what happened? BIG Mistake?
Walmart-HSN- Not really close for the UPS man to mix up.
For That small E-Bay dealer: Sounds like the reason Someone would have you put on a WAIT LIST until Today,right? EH?
THEY pay on 'time' payments. You pay extra & ALL up front.
But, paying on 'time' would be good for WE old folks with student kids. I know. I may have to buy one MOREfor for my student son -with credit- But, at a reasonable price I hope.
This "WORLD Premire" or Ebay Package?.. Too bad it's 150 bucks or more than List price-AND you/or your kids? Have to figure out how to get rid of crap like 'How to Pluck a Christmas Goose' and/or How to Be Green & make mulch from your last St Paddys Day Dinner". :mrgreen:

 

Hi Lonerider....

Can you post images of what you buy? I am interested in the system you buy.I searched on net for it but didn't get that.It'll be helpful for me to get what i want.