Dell calls it the “Ideal Internet Buddy for Surfing, Shopping and Chatting” (and “Your New Best Friend”, and a “Light, Highly Mobile Device Built For Easy Online Browsing and Entertainment” and an “Internet Companion” and a “Small, easy-to-carry device” that’s ready for “teens, tweens, travelers and Tweeters”, so I guess even Dell can’t figure out what this thing does or who it’s for), but if you’re in the market for a mini-notebook (or as many are calling them, a netbook) that’s perfect for on-the-go travel and/or anyone who doesn’t need a full, desktop capable computer sitting on their lap at all times, then you might just call it yours.
Weighing in at just 2.28 lbs., and with a price of just $349 (in Ubuntu flavor), the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 is designed to be the perfect computer for “surfing the Web, chatting with friends, blogging, streaming content, uploading photos or enjoying favorite online videos, music and games”.
It’s also meant to be a durable computer that you can toss in a bag and not worry too much about, with a fully sealed keyboard, and solid state drive (SSD) memory storage.
The 8.9-inch LCD gives you plenty of room for full-sized web browsing, and built-in Wi-Fi means you can connect to any hotspot for instant Internet access.
Options include a built-in webcam for video chat, Bluetooth for wireless connections, and even Windows XP for full software support.
Nifty touches include a free subscription to Box.net for 2GB of online storage, and a full range of colors in the coming months.
The Inspiron Mini 9 is definitely not for everyone, but with the success that Acer has been having with their EeePC netbooks, combined with Dell’s name brand and reliability, I think the Mini 9 is going to open up the world of netbook computing to a whole new audience that’s ready to embrace the change.
[Dell - Inspiron Mini 9]
