This fantastic giveaway is the last of my Back-to-School giveaways, but be sure to check out all of the current giveaways for other great prizes that are still available!
I think Moms and kids alike (or anyone else for that matter) will love this Acer Aspire Timeline Laptop. It’s part of a new category of laptops called “thin and light,” and this particular model boasts 8+ hours of battery life. I can attest to the battery life personally, as I left the house with mine on at 8:45 this morning and it’s still going strong at 3:45 in the afternoon.
After using this laptop for a week, I’m very impressed with it. Priced as low as $769.99, it rivals my far more expensive Sony Vaio in speed and definitely is far more convenient to tote around.
I just want to take a moment to share some of my favorite features from a mom’s perspective:
- The first thing I noticed is that the power cord is formed at a right angle. I was ecstatic about this because we have an older Toshiba laptop that the kids use. Its cord just comes straight out of the back, and we’ve had to replace it 7+ times because the wires break at the base of the plug and the computer won’t charge. So yay for user-friendly power cords!
- Keys that are easy to replace are big in my book. Yes, I purposefully popped one off just to see how easy it was to replace, and I’m happy to report that it snapped back on super easy, unlike my old Dell laptop that used to have me in tears trying to replace a key. Plus, the former transcriptionist in me loves the feel of the keys when typing. They are very smooth and give just enough resistance.
- The long battery life is another feature I love. I mean, who wouldn’t? I can follow my kids around the house with my laptop, take it in the car, and look up a recipe while I’m cooking dinner all in one charge.
- I can multitask with ease thanks to the Intel Core 2 Duo processor. I’m not quite techie enough to explain just how this wonderful piece of technology works, but I know that it allows me to run multiple programs at the same time without bogging down the system as a whole. This means that I can run Firefox, Tweetdeck, Paint Shop, Skype, and more without lags while working. What mom couldn’t use a little boost while multitasking? Do note that running several processing intensive programs in tandem can decrease the length of time before you need to recharge the battery.
- This particular model has a HUGE hard drive. At 500GB, I won’t be running out of space any time soon, even with a large iTunes collection and several hundred digital photos stored on it currently. I’m not an expert, but I’ve noticed software getting larger over the years, so a large hard drive will be important for longevity.
A few things on it that I’m not crazy about:
- No CD drive – this makes it a little difficult to install some software, but I understand the need to forgo one to keep the thin and light feel. And of course, USB CD drives are fairly inexpensive if that’s a necessity for you.
- Touch-sensitive buttons – I wish they would have put a sticker on the computer to point out the row of touch-sensitive buttons above the keyboard. My curious toddler swiped his hand across them turning off the WiFi, and I spent a good 30 minutes trying to figure out how to turn it back on. Cool technology, but dangerous with kids around.
- Mouse button is stiff – the mouse button is a little awkwardly placed and is slightly stiff. Maybe this is something that I just need a little time to get used too, but it’s definitely not my optimal setup.
- Glossy screen – I’ve found that most systems come with glossy screens, but the anti-glare screen that my old Dell had was one of the only features that I loved. It makes working outside so much easier, and I enjoy taking the kids outside and letting them play while answering a few emails.
Overall none of the things that I was less than pleased with would be deal breakers when looking for a computer in this category. It may not be ideal as a complete desktop replacement laptop, but it’s perfect for a mom, dad, student, etc. who needs access to the Internet, email, word processing software and the like on the go and at home.
One very lucky Deal Seeking Mom reader will win an Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-6775 Laptop:
- 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 Processor
- 4096MB Dual-Channel DDR3 1066MHz Memory
- 80 GB Solid State Drive
- Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit (SP1)
- Over 8 Hours of Battery Life (6-Cell 5600 mAh)
- 13.3-inch HD CineCrystal LED-backlit Display
To enter, leave a comment and tell me what features you look for in a laptop. Is portability and weight most important, or are you looking for something with high performance to replace your home desktop?
Every reader has four methods available to enter this contest. Choose one each of any combination of method one, two, three, or four for up to a total of 4 entries!!!
Methods of entry:
1. Leave a comment. Tell me what features are most important to you when shopping for a new laptop!
2. Add Deal Seeking Mom to your blogroll or add my badge to your sidebar. Make sure to come back and leave the link to your site in a separate comment!
3. Join the new Deal Seeking Mom Forums to chat about your great finds, special coupon codes, and chances to win exclusive giveaways. Leave a separate comment letting me know you’ve joined or that you’re already a registered user!
4. Subscribe to my feed via RSS or email. You must confirm your email subscription for it to be a valid entry! Leave a separate comment letting me know you have done so. If you’re already a subscriber, simply leave a separate comment letting me know you’re already subscribed. Lovin’ my subscribers! You guys make this all possible.
Prize:
(1) Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-6775 (ARV $899), as described above
This giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, 9/2. I’ll use Random.org to select the winning comment. Winner will be notified by email on and listed on my Giveaway Winners page. Good luck!
While you’re in a contest entering mood, don’t forget to check out the Giveaway Gathering for a variety of contests being hosted on Deal Seeking Mom readers’ blogs!
Note: As the sponsor of this giveaway, Intel provided me with a laptop to review the latest features as well as a second laptop to give away to a Deal Seeking Mom reader.
courtney s
i joined the forum
Deidra
I look for portability and speed. I am a mom and elementary teacher. Carrying a heavy laptop and a diaper bag aren’t exactly great for the neck and shoulders….and…who has time to wait around for a slow computer?
JenC
I only use my laptop to watch Hulu, et al on my television, so the most important feature for me is good video capability.
Jason
Nice work on the review. Thanks!
Jason
I totally subscribe to your RSS feed. Thanks for all of the great tips.
Gary Wolff
Screen size, computing power and cost are the main features I look at for a laptop. With older eyes screen size is important. I like to edit photos and videos as well as watch streaming video online so speed is very important. And if I can’t afford it the other features don’t really matter.
leslie
i’m a subscriber
norma
i am looking for portability and user friendly for my son who is in high school and is in need of a personal computer
norma
i subscribe to your emails!
Stacy
The size of the screen is the most important to me. I like a very big clear screen.
den
I look for portability and speed
ag
Ease of use & hard drive space
Sharon A
The laptop I have still has windows 95 on it and I cannot use it when traveling. When I replace it a want a light weight system that can handle email, web surfing and modest word processing and computing tasks. This sounds like it would be perfect.
Liz M
Oh my, I would LOVE a new laptop!! I really look for lightweight easy to operate. I don’t like the big bulky laptops, I think the purpose of a laptop is that it should be easy to handle, and having to lug it around everywhere. Thank you for the oportunity!!
Denise B.
The battery life is important to me. There’s nothing worse than losing power in the middle of something.
Joy
That it’s portable. My husband is going back to school and it would REALLY come in handy!
Liz M
I just signed up for the email! I don’t know why I haven’t before since I just love your site!
Christy
One of the most important features I look for in laptop is plenty of memory. As a family we love to take pictures and need lots of storage for all our memories.
Kim Naff
My needs when it comes to a laptop aren’t too high. It needs to have keys with the feeling of a bit of space between them, a mouse that isn’t too sensitive, and a decent battery life. I can barely remember to plug in my cell phone once a week, and I’ve been known to try to run an appliance when it isn’t plugged in… so plenty of time to realize I haven’t plugged it in and should is wonderful.
I, too, appreciate any computer that can multitask along with me.
Natasha
In buying a laptop I’d look for one that could burn cd’s and hold alot of music.
Myra
Already an email subscriber! <3
Myra
I absolutely must have portability. I’m a mother of two, do freelance illustration, and am a full-time student. The computer HAS to go with me.
Nicole Loughman
Lightweight, lots of RAM and battery life are my priorities. Thanks for all the great info you have on your site!
Chantel
Love it.
Chantel
I already subscribe!
Nikki
In a laptop I must have one with long battery life and a durable powercord.
Angel
I don’t actually have a computer. I use mine at work on my breaks to do couponing, etc. So this would be a great win! I need a laptop instead of a desktop so I can put it away when my toddlers get too curious. Portability is key! Please pick me!
Amy Harvey
Looking for portability, durability, and reliability since I would take it most everywhere.
Tara R.
I was just considering purchasing a laptop for my hubby’s birthday. He’s in law school, since he currently hauls around a dinosaur.
I wouldn’t have a lot of requirements:
*lightweight
*small dimensions
*Microsoft Word
*internet accessibility
Amy Harvey
I am already a member of the forums – thanks!