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A review of Dell's new Inspirion Mini 9 with bells, whistles, and Ubuntu 8.04 to boot. Portable notebook goodness for under $350.
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The New Dell Inspirion Mini 9 may well become my best friend. I noticed today that Dell is previewing their new line of Mini Notebook computers and they are impressive. The Dell Inspirion Mini 9 is Dell's entry into the mini notebook market at a very low price point: $349.
What do you get for your $349 and why is your Linux guy looking at this little gem while wiping the beads of sweat from my covetous brow? It comes standard with Ubuntu Linux, a 4GB SSD (Solid State Drive), and 512MB of RAM--that's why. The Ubuntu version is a custom Dell-ized interface but underneath it is Ubuntu 8.04.
Standard features include: Built-in WiFi, a 32W long-life battery (Up to 4 hrs.), Intel® Atom Processor® N270 (1.6GHz/533Mhz FSB/512K cache), Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950, a 9" (8.9" to be exact) LCD screen at 1024x600 resolution, a one-year warranty, and 2GB of free online storage at box.net.
Miscellaneous Features: USB 2.0 (3), Integrated 10/100 LAN (RJ45), 15-pin VGA video connector for an external monitor, Audio jacks (1-line out, 1 mic-in), and 3-in-1 Media Card Reader.
If you want to upgrade your Mini, you can add built-in Bluetooth capability ($20), an integrated 0.3 Megapixel webcam ($15) or a 1.3 Megapixel webcam ($25). It comes in standard Obsidian black or you can have it in Alpine white for an extra $25.
Yes, you can have Windows if you want it. For an additional $50, you can have Windows XP Home Edition on an 8GB SSD. For $100 more ($449), you can max out the RAM at 1GB and get a 16GB SSD (Other options are available online).
Weighing in at under 2.5 lbs and its small size (9"x6"x1") make it highly portable and easy to add to your briefcase or carry-on bag.
I like the new mini notebook computers that are hitting the market and would really like to have one. If any of my devoted fans (or Dell) would care to give me one, I'd be thrilled. The most compelling reasons for me to own a mini notebook, aside from size and portability, are the energy stingy SSDs, the long battery life, and the operating system: Ubuntu.
Note: box.net offers 1GB Online Storage to anyone who signs up for the service. Full Story |
