First Asus, then Dell, then MSI, Elonex, the Cloud and all their clones. Now Acer has entered the fray and it is all, at least initially, good news. It looks like they’ve all found a bit of Dutch courage and started to turn on the schoolyard bully from Redmond.

Of what do I speak? Ultra lightweight portable laptops computers. Running varieties of GNU/Linux. That’s what. In spite of all the caveats, they have managed to scare the bejasus out of Microsoft. In a previous article on suspected backsliding by Asus promoting GNU/Linux on the range of EeePC laptops I suggested that even if Asus had been roughed up by the all too familiar threats of Microsoft, a chain reaction has been ignited by the introduction of relatively cheap ultra portables running GNU/Linux which would not be stopped easily. If one of the runners and riders stumbled then another would pick up the baton and continue. It’s a huge market out there—and there is everything to play for.

If Asus have got a little windy, there are others. In that article I mentioned a number of hardware vendors. Since then Acer have joined the fray with the Aspire One. It is due to launch here in the UK in early July with the GNU/Linux version with a price tag of £199. (Yes, surprise, surprise, they’re offering Windows XP too.) Given the specification (Intel atom N270 chip, 8.9 inch screen, webcam, 1024 x 600 resolution, 8GB SSD, three USB ports, VGA, and two SD card slots, two mini PCI slots (one for the WiFi and one for upcoming Wimax or HSDPA), Ethernet port, touchpad, 802.11b/g WiFi and a default 512MB of memory with a spare slot to add more) the Aspire One represents stonking good value for money. This is a seriously useful piece of kit and Acer are not hiding their light under a bushel either.

Acer talks tough?