RadioShack Sells the Aspire One for $99 (kinda)

[JMcEntegart]

Today news of RadioShack selling the Acer Aspire One for just $99 had everyone in a fluster. There’ll be stampedes was our first thought. Then we read the press release. Ah, there’s the the kicker.

RadioShack Sells the Aspire One for $99 (kinda) : Read more

 

[Guest]

Radio Shack should stick to the pathetic collection of cell phones, remote controlled cars, and bad stereos that has become the bulk of their product.

 

[pug_s]

$60 a month is a ripoff. Wait for a few months until you start seeing Blackberry Bold, and you can use it as a tethered modem for about the same price.

 

[nukemaster]

RadioShack used to have great radios(Stereo systems) under the Realistic name

 

[Master Exon]

I can use my BoostMobile i425 prepaid phone to tether a 4.0 kbps connection for free.

 

[seboj]

[citation][nom]Master Exon[/nom]I can use my BoostMobile i425 prepaid phone to tether a 4.0 kbps connection for free.[/citation]

Try not to break any records with that.

RadioShack is my safety net if I run out of a connector or cable part while on-site. Other than that, I never step into one. Oh how far they've fallen.

 

[JonnyDough]

$60/month is the same as Sprint's broadband wireless service. For people living in remote locations where this is really the only option other than satellite, it's not so bad of a deal. $99 is a heck of a price for a pretty netbook.

 

[Tindytim]

[citation][nom]Master Exon[/nom]I can use my BoostMobile i425 prepaid phone to tether a 4.0 kbps connection for free.[/citation]

What's it like being on the web at half a Kilobyte?

 

[mdillenbeck]

$60/month for "unlimited" mobile broadband (5 GB per month) is just about a universal industry standard. Want to tether a smartphone? Add $60/month. Want to use a usb/express card mobile broadband card? Pay $60/month.

So, instead of buying the netbook for full price and getting a discounted smartphone or mobile broadband "modem", you get the discount on the device and have the capabilities built in.

Personally, I think it is a good marketing strategy to add netbooks to the lineup. Sure, you are stuck with that netbook - but it is one less device to carry around in your pack. With a bit of hacking, I am sure you could make transform the netbook into a mobile broadband router and avoid buying something like the Cradlepoint PHS300.