Acer Readies NVIDIA ION 2-Powered Netbook

With the Mobile World Congress having kicked off, new technologies, products and announcements are coming out one after another. Companies will be demonstrating a variety of mobile handsets, smartphones and related products, as well as mobile PCs, such as netbooks and convertible tablets. Among the multitude of such items, rumors indicate that even an ION 2-based netbook will make its appearance.

NVIDIA's next-generation ION platform has been described as being capable of providing netboks with the ability to handle HD media and online games. This functionality will come at an added cost, compared to the Pine Trail platform, but the company believes that consumers will be willing to pay a little more for the added benefit.

Even though such devices were not scheduled to come out until spring, with the earliest demonstration expected for CeBIT 2010, reports have surfaced implying that Acer will be previewing its Acer Aspire One 532g in Barcelona, Spain. This gadget will practically be the first netbook based on NVIDIA's next-generation ION platform to come out of hiding. The laptop is described as having a 10.1-inch HD LED-backlit display and two graphics solutions, one being the GMA 3150 integrated graphics, the other, Nvidia's GT218 GPU. The netbook will use the Optimus technology to switch between the two, according to load, allowing the gizmo to easily process images, stream HD YouTube videos and play online games.

Other capabilities mentioned in the reports are WiFi connectivity and optional 3G, with the entire device expected to weigh roughly one kilogram. The Acer Aspire One 532g will supposedly be able to last for ten hours on a single charge. Of course, the official announcement is still scheduled for early March, most likely during CeBIT, although a more detailed list of specifications may come out before that time. As far as availability is concerned, the netbook should start shipping during the later part of the current quarter.