Dell has rolled out a new mini-notebook PC in Japan that is slated to launch globally next month at a retail price of under $600.
Tipping the scales at 2.72 lbs and measuring just 0.92 inches thick, the Inspiron Mini 12 integrates Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) radios, 1GB of RAM, a 12.1-inch WXGA display, a built-in Webcam, and a 60GB or 80GB hard disk drive. In addition to Windows Vista Home Basic, users can elect to run Windows XP or Ubuntu Linux.
Dell’s Inspiron Mini 12 follows substantial sales growth within the mini-notebook segment, which took off globally in the third quarter, said Mika Kitagawa, a principal analyst at Gartner Client Computing. “In the North America market, the economic crunch created more interest in the sub-$500 mini-notebook segment,” she said.
Where Small is Beautiful
As a relative latecomer to the netbook segment, Dell is looking to catch up with entrenched rivals such as Asus and Acer. Within Japan in particular, Dell also will be going head to head with Fujitsu and NEC, which recently introduced a new mini-notebook called the LaVie Light.
Smaller-sized devices usually prove to be very popular in Japan, Kitagawa noted. “For instance, people like to carry lighter and smaller devices in public transportation,” Kitagawa said. “Smaller devices traditionally demand a premium price in Japan, but mini-notebooks have changed the price structure completely.”
Kitagawa observed that preliminary sales figures for Japan indicate that the growth of mini-notebook unit shipments there was much higher than Gartner’s expectation. Asus in particular saw a strong increase in sales due to the launch of a new channel by a telecommunications service provider in the third quarter. “Asus and T-mobile had a bundle of a two-year phone contract and $1 [Asus] Eee PC,” she said.
The Challenges Ahead
Though Dell has made a significant commitment to expanding…