Follow us on TwitterInspiron Mini 10v 120GB 3-Cell Linux
Posted by Tom Greer on May 25, 2009 in Netbook Market
| Dell Inspiron Mini 10v 120GB 3-Cell Linux | |||
 | 10.1" Display (1024x576), 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, Intel GMA950, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.1,3-cell battery, Ubuntu Linux | Today's Best Deal Obsidian Black  $279.00 | |
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Click through to the Dell Store where you can customize your Dell Inspiron Mini 10v.
Inspiron Mini 10v 120GB 3-Cell XP
Posted by Steve Greer on May 25, 2009 in Netbook Market
| Dell Inspiron Mini 10v 120GB 3-Cell XP | |||
| 10.1" Display (1024x576), 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, Intel GMA950, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.1,3-cell battery, Windows XP Home Edition | Today's Best Deal Obsidian Black $279.00 | |
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Dell Inspiron Mini 12 Review
Posted by Tom Greer on May 11, 2009 in Dell Netbooks, Reviews
Dell’s Inspiron Mini 12 breaks new ground in the netbook marketplace. With atypical netbook features like a 12.1-inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution, an Intel Atom Z-series processor, a larger keyboard and the speaker mounted face-up on top of the keyboard, the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 stands out.
| Dell Inspiron Mini 12 40GB 6-Cell Linux | |||
 | 12.1" Display (1280x800), 1.33 GHz Intel Atom Z520 Processor, Intel GMA500, 1 GB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.1,6-cell battery, Ubuntu Linux | ||
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Dell offering new Dell Mini 10v for under $300
Posted by Steve Greer on May 7, 2009 in Dell Netbooks, Netbook Market, Netbooks
Dell Mini 10v
It looks like Dell will be offering the Dell Mini 10v sometime this May. If you look in Dell’s May Catalog you will see the new Netbook is priced for under the $300.00 mark. The big difference between the Dell Mini 10 and the Dell Mini 10v is that the Mini 10v is offering the Intel Atom N270 Processor. The rest of the specs between the models are almost identical. Here are some of the specs on the Dell Mini 10v.
Dell Mini 10v
- Intel Atom N270
- 1GB Memory
- 1.3MP Webcam
- 120GB Hard Drive
- Windows XP Home
Engadget reported the finding earlier today from Dell’s May Catalog.
Unboxing My Dell Inspiron Mini 12 Netbook
Posted by Tom Greer on May 4, 2009 in Dell Netbooks
After dropping my Aspire One, I needed a new netbook. I wrote a series of articles detailing my requirements and exploring various netbooks, before selecting the Dell Mini Inspiron 12.
It arrived yesterday. Our unboxing ceremony is documented below.
This our first foray into video. If you have any comments, recommendations -- or if you just want to make fun of us, please take time to comment below.
We had a blast doing this. We will be doing a lot more in the future. Stay tuned.
Netbooks Get Bigger, More Powerful
Posted by Tom Greer on May 3, 2009 in Asus Netbooks, Dell Netbooks, HP Netbooks, MSI Netbooks, Netbook Market, Ultraportables
For a long time, it seemed every new netbook looked the same as the last: 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor, 10-inch screen, 160 GB hard drive, etc. But recently, there have been a whole wave of netbooks featuring bigger screens, faster processors and other features unique to netbooks.
Here are the ones that we like best:
- HP Pavilion dv2
- Asus N10J
- Dell Inspiron Mini 12
- MSI Meron VR220
Read more about each in the tabs below.
Arrgh! Give Me Full-Size Shift Keys!
Posted by Tom Greer on August 21, 2008 in Acer Netbooks, Asus Netbooks, Dell Netbooks, Lenovo Netbooks, MSI Netbooks, Netbook Market
Whenever I try to do any serious touch typing with my Eee PC 4G Surf, I get frustrated. Of course the keyboard is small, I can adjust to that. I just can’t adapt to the half-sized right shift key.
The problem is created when the netbook manufacturers cut the right shift key in half to make room for the up-arrow (as you can see in the picture below).
Everytime that I’m zipping along, thinking that I’m making time, I look up to find that my work of art has become all higgledy-piggledy. Somewhere along the way, I up-arrowed when I thought I was shifting. I have to undo-undo-undo, until I (once again) have a legible document. Then, I have to try to remember all those wonderfully intelligent thoughts that I had captured earlier.
It’s not just the Eee PC 4G Surf’s that have this style keyboard. Many netbooks do.
For these netbooks, just about every review complains about this arrangement. I thought that the netbook makers would listen. Apparently, not yet.
All of the Asus Eee PCs are this way, even the 10″ Eee PC 1000 series. The new Lenovo IdeaPad S9 and S10 models have half-sized right shift keys, too. And if the leaked Dell mini pictures are accurate, then Dell blew it as well.
At least Acer and MSI did not simply mimic Asus. They apparently were listening. Both the Aspire One and the Wind sport full-sized shift keys.
A full-sized right shift key is an absolute must for my next netbook. I didn’t have many choices when I bought my first one. But I sure do now.
I believe that I’m not alone. Netbook makers, are you listening???
Dell Mini-Inspiron (?) News and Information
Posted by Tom Greer on July 15, 2008 in Dell Netbooks
Dell is rumored to be readying a netbook for release. The netbook may (or may not) be named Mini-Inspiron. While there has been no official word from Dell announcing a specific product with a specific release date, there has been plenty of information reported over the past several months.
These rumors started back on May 28, when Gizmodo spotted Michael Dell sporting one and published pictures.
Later the same day, on the Direct2Dell blog confirmed Gizmodo’s report and published official pictures, but no specs.
On June 10, the Direct2Dell blog featured an interview with Michael Dell, where he mentions an upcoming mini-notebook, but provides no details.
On June 12, Engadget published an article that contained considerable detail. The article contains an official-looking Dell 13-page slideshow. Here are the highlights of this report:
- They report that Dell has named the product the “Dell E”.
- The Dell E will be available in two models: one with an 8.9 inch display – and the other with a 12.1 inch display.
- They report a number of different configurations: E Classic, E Video, E Video+, E Slim, E Slim+.
- Rollout slated to begin in August with basic model with additional models planned for release through Q2 2009.
- Linux and Windows XP both supported.
- Prices starting at $299.
After that, things get very quiet. Until today, when Digitimes reported that Dell was planning an introduction in August of a product being manufactured by Compal Electronics. According to Digitimes, the product will be priced at $299. They also report that Dell is forecasting sales of 2 to 3 million this year.
In summary, it indeed appears that Dell will introduce an Ultra Low-Cost PC (ULPC) nettop soon. I’m not convinced that the “Dell E” will be the official name. That sounds like it could just be an internal project name to me. We’ll see what Dell officially announces.
But if Dell introduces a nettop priced at $299, that would be brilliant. At this price point, they would attract considerable attention and sales. Dell’s products would blow away Asus’ existing Eee PC 700-series based on price/performance. And Dell would be entering at a price well below the MSI Wind and Acer Aspire One.
But before getting too excited, we need to remember that Dell has not annouced anything officially yet.
Update:
Given that Dell currently teams with Canonical to package Ubuntu Linux with their existing products, it would be a good guess that the new Dell nettops will sport Ubuntu.
In late May, Canonical released a version of Ubuntu they call “Ubuntu Netbook Remix” which is a version of the latest release of Ubuntu that has been specifically tailored for netbooks.
On June 9, Mark Shuttleworth, in his blog, discusses Ubuntu Netbook Remix in depth, complete with screenshots. Mark indicates that this work was performed at the request of “a number of OEM’s who want to sell netbooks.”
Ubuntu is widely regarded as being the most user-friendly of the major Linux distributions. Given Canonical’s track record with Ubuntu and the screenshots provided above, Ubuntu will bring another competitive advantage to a Dell nettop especially when compared to Eee PCs running Xandros Linux.
As you would expect, someone already has Ubuntu Netbook Remix running on an Eee PC