The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 has won the race to be the first netbook to include an optional wireless broadband modem and service plan in the United States. While Acer, Asus, Dell, and others have been working with wireless carriers in Europe and other countries for a few months, most netbooks sold in the US have just a WiFi module for wireless connectivity.
Today Dell began offering customers who purchase a Dell Inspiron Mini 9 netbook running Windows XP (sorry Ubuntu users!) the option of adding a 3G HSPA modem for an extra $125. You get $120 back when you sign up for a new 2 year AT&T service plan. But still, the price seems a bit steep when you consider the fact that wireless carriers in Europe are subsidizing the cost of netbooks, not just the price of the modem.
The AT&T service plan will cost you about $60 a month, which is par for the course. But you could get pretty much the same service if you just pick up a USB modem from AT&T which you’ll be able to use with multiple computers, which seems like a better deal to me than a service plan tied to just one computer. On the other hand, if you don’t plan to switch computers often, and if you don’t like carrying around a computer and a separate piece of hardware to connect to the internet, I could see how the Mini 9/AT&T bundle could be an attractive combo.
via Gizmodo
Its nice to hear that at last Del has introduced such a net book. The dell inspiration Mini 9 seems to me cool and simple. I hope the price is not far from our grasp! Your idea of using USB modem from AT&T is also very cost effective. I am really eager to own a mini9. But I need to know about its features in more detail. Please give us a detail info regarding this matter. Thanks.
I took my netbook with me today and stopped by the cafe, went to the doctor, stopped by the pharmacy to wait for the wife and am at my kids soccer right now.
I was able to surf everywhere. Always found about a dozen wireless routers and always a third were open (the ones with the l33t names were probably aware, the ones who still have linksys or belkin probably not) so right now Im not that much in a hurry any more.
Of course, when you live more in the city, chances are you are saturated.
Right now Im wardriving trying to find a place that doesnt have wifi access.
I found out that I can get wifi from my baker…not sure what use that would be but its more to see where I cant get internet access.