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Acer Aspire One Tested with WiMax
Posted by Mark Wilson at 12:40 AM on October 10, 2008
The WiMax Acer Aspire One hasn't even been announced yet (UPDATE: actually, it just was), but Laptop Magazine got their hands on a model and got to poke and prod it to their hearts' content. So how did browsing the web on a tiny WiMax notebook work? Pretty decently.
In speed tests around Baltimore, the netbook was able to hit 6.7Mbps down and 2.8Mbps up. The New York Times started loading in 7 seconds, taking 15 seconds to fully display. And Hulu video streamed solidly after buffering for 20 seconds.
But I don't think anyone is questioning whether or not WiMax works, even on low-powered netbooks. The question is whether or not people will pay $US30-$US40 a month to connect to the internet on what's basically a secondary computer—especially if they already pay for 3G access on a smartphone or high speed at home. Would you spend the money?
To see the speed tests with your own eyes, hit the link for video of the testing. [LaptopMag]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
jibbly
Posted 2:17 AM 10/10/08
Sadly, the wimax speeds reported here (6.7/2mbps) is actually faster than what I get over the cable line half the time.
Places like Seoul, Korea have such a great high speed wireless network that most homes and businesses I've visited lacked wifi. People instead browsed either on their crazy futuristic phones or their tiny laptops with 3G or whatever built in.
Major US cities are way, way behind.
jibbly
JohnDeere
Posted 1:59 AM 10/10/08
no i would not spend the money. unless it could replace my high speed at home and still have it on the go also. im not ever paying more for less functionality. dont care how convenient it is.
JohnDeere
DssTrainer
Posted 1:59 AM 10/10/08
I think if people who are on the go and get good wimax at their home, they can easily just use wimax.. but yea otherwise its just raising the cost of already overpriced netbooks.
DssTrainer
thm73
Posted 3:16 AM 10/10/08
Here we are again, chasing the utopian connection. Until WiMax can be used at home for all home network devices without a separate connection for each (think WiMax home router), then this will be a niche market product.
Now, if something wireless could provide TV and phone service as well, think of the dominance it would have!
thm73
Earthslide
Posted 3:46 AM 10/10/08
You have net access at work and home, why need wimax? Ever heard of the library if you need access?
Earthslide
AmishJohn
Posted 4:46 AM 10/10/08
I loves me my Aspire One; but I'm hoping someone offers something better (like a SSD module, hint, hint) to plug into that extra bay.
AmishJohn
twoHats
Posted 6:44 AM 10/10/08
WiMax is coming to the boonies - at least IMHO - Verizon didn't sell off all of the infrastructure (poles and wire) for nothing...My guess is WiMax out to the last mile and pick up all those new customers.
... but - who the hell knows?
twoHats
SWC
Posted 7:33 AM 10/10/08
The technology is obviously disruptive where wimax tech could de-seed currently methods...it's "4g"..so faster than what you're using now by 4x+ versus EVDO, apparently...so considering a current evda/hsd runs about 45 bucks why wouldn't one pay similar for FASTER...now it's just a point to make devices which use wimax versus newer iterations of evdo and hsdata technologies which will compete in 4g...i foresee "voice" packages going away...all to be data/cell over ip..data should then be tiered ala DSL..my 2 cents
SWC