Acer Aspire One Happy 2 review

Acer Aspire One Happy 2 10-inch netbook

If netbooks could have feelings, then this one right here is the model that I want to hang out with. The Acer Aspire One Happy 2 is a unique kind of netbook that is all-business when it comes to mobile computing features but still manages to maintain its cuteness after all is said and done. Can you name any other netbook that's available in a shocking pink color? I didn't think so. In fact, it's the only netbook in the market that's available in such a wide range of colors. It scratches backs, too. Okay, maybe not. But anyway, read on to find out the nitty-gritty on the 10-inch Acer Aspire One Happy 2 netbook.

Acer Aspire One Happy 2 features

The Acer Aspire One Happy 2 is an ultra-thin netbook with a 10-inch LED-backlit LCD screen. Located dead center right above the 10-inch screen is a built-in webcam that can be used for taking photos, recording videos, and web chat. Meanwhile, there's a built-in microphone near the lower right corner on the bottom of the screen.

On the lower half of the Acer Aspire One Happy 2, you'll find the keyboard and built-in multi-touch trackpad. The multi-touch trackpad is good because it accepts several different kinds of multi-touch gestures. However, it doesn't seem to support side-scrolling, which might leave some users a bit disappointed.

Some of the Acer Aspire One Happy 2's other features include stereo speakers, built-in 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 3.0.

Acer Aspire One Happy 2 keyboard and multi-touch trackpad

Judging by the arrangement of the keys on the built-in keyboard, it seems that Acer has really learned a lot from spending the last few years at the very top of the worldwide netbook market. I'm not sure if this kind of thing is still a problem with other netbooks, but the CTRL and Fn keys are at least in the "right" order. This is the setup that most people are comfortable with. There was enough room for two SHIFT keys because the Home and End buttons were relegated to Special Function keys around the four arrow keys at the bottom right corner of the keyboard.

Overall, I think the keyboard is great. But it doesn't follow the traditional chiclet keyboard design so dust and other foreign objects creeping in might be a problem for some users, especially those who like to munch on Cheetos while browsing the Web.

Highlight on the screen

Acer Aspire One Happy 2 LCD screen

There's really nothing spectacular about the screen on the Acer Aspire One Happy 2. It runs the usual native netbook resolution of 1024x600 pixels and the brightness level goes all the way up to 9. It's fairly standard. However, it should be noted that instead of the usual glossy screen that's been well known to have the ability to irritate some people during outdoor usage, the Acer Aspire One Happy 2 uses a matte one. As you can see here, the screen is very readable under bright artificial lighting even when the brightness is set at the lowest possible setting.

What's up with the ripple?

Acer Aspire One Happy 2 lid

Ignore the fact that this photo of a pink netbook might have been taken by a full grown man while crouching on the floor of a busy mall at the moment and take a good look at the lid. Notice something? Right at the part where the word "one" starts on the logo, a ripple appears. There's a ripple design on the lid of every single Acer Aspire One Happy 2 netbook that's sold on the market. Perhaps Acer takes it as a sign that shows how they've made ripples across the entire mobile computer industry with the netbooks that they've sold over the past few years. This is just one of the things that make the Acer Aspire One Happy 2 unique in the midst of other netbook offerings.

Slots, jacks, and ports, etc.

Acer Aspire One Happy 2 (left side): Power jack, Ethernet port, VGA-out, heat vent, USB 2.0 port

The left side of the Acer Aspire One Happy 2 is lined up with things that you'd expect to find there: a charger-in port, an Ethernet port, a VGA-out port and a single USB 2.0 port. It would have been nice if Acer had included an HDMI-out port along with the built-in VGA, but since graphics is handled by the petty Intel GMA 3150, that is just not to be.

Acer Aspire One Happy 2 (right side): SD Card reader, audio-out port, mic-in port, 2xUSB 2.0 ports, Kensington lock slot

On the right side of the Acer Aspire One Happy 2, there's a single SD card reader, audio-out/mic-in ports, two additional USB 2.0 ports and a Kensington lock slot for security.

Acer Aspire One Happy 2 underside with 6-cell battery

Would you believe that the Acer Aspire One Happy 2 actually has a 6-cell battery? It may look as thin as the typical 3-cell variant, but in truth it is actually a 6-cell. During testing, I've found that after a full charge, this netbook can last up to 7 hours total with Wi-Fi on while browsing the Web and doing other simple tasks. Perhaps a proper 9-cell battery that won't add much weight will be able to boost the battery life to 9 or 10 hours long. It will cost you extra, though.

And speaking of weight, the Acer Aspire One Happy 2 is one of the lightest netbooks around. It weighs just a little over 1kg. This, combined with the fact that it has a thin profile, makes it very easy to carry around. And it doesn't get very hot during usage, making it a proper "laptop" in that you can actually put it on your lap while you are using it.

Recap and Conclusions

Acer Aspire One Happy 2

And now for the $64M question: is the Acer Aspire One Happy 2 worth buying? The short answer is yes. But it will also depend on your own needs and preferences.

Why you shouldn't buy the Acer Aspire One Happy 2

If you need something powerful that you can use for multimedia projects or plan to use Adobe Photoshop, Sony Vegas, Steinberg Cubase and other similar computer applications, keep looking elsewhere. This is certainly not the computer you need.

Why you should buy the Acer Aspire One Happy 2

It has all the right connectivity features with built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, plus enough ports and slots for usability and expandability. The keyboard feels good to type on, the trackpad supports multi-touch, there's a webcam/mic combo, and the size of the LED-backlit matte screen is just right.

It weighs light enough that you will have no problems with carrying it around all day, and it can actually last a whole afternoon doing usual tasks like Web browsing, word processing, and playing music. The stereo speakers may not be very loud, but you can connect real PC speakers or stereo headphones as a remedy. It also offers half a terabyte of onboard storage. It even comes with Windows 7 Starter Edition pre-installed. Some might say that it's the perfect mobile computer.

Here's a quick list of the Acer Aspire One Happy 2's most important features:

• 10.1-inch 1024x600 LED-backlit matte LCD screen
• 1.66GHz Intel Atom N570 processor
• 2GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB hard drive
• Built-in Bluetooth 3.0, draft-n Wi-Fi, VGA-out, and SD card reader
• Multi-touch trackpad (no side scrolling)
• 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 pair of mic-in/headphone-out ports
• 6-cell battery for up to 7~ hours of battery life

If you need something small, portable, and not that powerful, the Acer Aspire One Happy 2 just might be the netbook for you. With 500GB of hard disk space, you'll be able to store far more games and movies on it than the average tablet computer. And it'll be more affordable.

Instead of spending the same amount of money or more on a vastly weaker iTablet or other such contraption, you can go for an Acer Aspire One Happy 2 and get more bang for your buck. Only do this if you can get over one thing, though: it's not shiny.

Buy the Acer Aspire One Happy 2 10.1-Inch Netbook (Strawberry Yogurt) on Amazon.com

Special thanks to Acer Philippines for the "Strawberry Yogurt" colored review unit. :-)