Dell has taken the wraps off a new mini-notebook PC squarely aimed at U.S. consumers. Called the Inspiron Mini 9, the PC maker’s first offering in the so-called netbook category sports an 8.9-inch LED screen with a resolution of 1024×600 pixels.
To whittle the product’s minimum-weight requirements down to just 2.28 lbs, the netbook is equipped with a solid-state drive instead of a standard laptop hard drive. According to Dell, the device is capable of operating for up to four hours off a single battery charge.
Under the Hood
The stripped-down version of the Inspiron Mini sports a 1.6-GHz Intel Atom processor and an Intel 950 media graphics accelerator, 512MB of DDR2 SDRAM, and a 4GB solid-state drive. An externally accessible 3-in-1 memory card reader is also on tap, together with external USB 2.0, VGA and Ethernet ports.
Dell has teamed up with Box.net to offer purchasers an additional 2GB of free online storage, which can be incrementally expanded to as much as 25GB for a fee. Buyers also have the option of expanding the capacity of the device’s internal solid-state drive to a maximum of 16GB as well as upgrading to 1GB of DDR2 SDRAM.
Available this autumn at a starting price of $349, the Inspiron Mini will ship with an integrated Wi-Fi (802.11g) radio to enable users to wirelessly connect to the Internet. Though the entry-level device will feature the Linux-based Ubuntu operating system, buyers have the option of switching to Windows XP Home Edition for an extra $50. Other customization options include the addition of a Bluetooth chip for enabling the device to link up with nearby wireless printers and other Bluetooth-enabled accessories.
Growing The Market
Making the Inspiron Mini hugely popular in the U.S. will be a challenge for Dell in the short term. Though several mini-notebook PCs…