Comments on: Dell Inspiron Mini 12 now available with Windows XP or Ubuntu Linux http://liliputing.com/2008/12/dell-inspiron-mini-12-now-available-with-windows-xp-or-ubuntu-linux.html Compact Computing Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:57:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mark http://liliputing.com/2008/12/dell-inspiron-mini-12-now-available-with-windows-xp-or-ubuntu-linux.html#comment-47660 Mark Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:43:45 +0000 http://www.liliputing.com/?p=3765#comment-47660 One advantage of the gimped Poulsbo platform in this machine is the good battery life. But Dell needs to have a bigger battery option as well. One advantage of the gimped Poulsbo platform in this machine is the good battery life. But Dell needs to have a bigger battery option as well.

]]> By: Mark http://liliputing.com/2008/12/dell-inspiron-mini-12-now-available-with-windows-xp-or-ubuntu-linux.html#comment-12171 Mark Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:43:45 +0000 http://www.liliputing.com/?p=3765#comment-12171 One advantage of the gimped Poulsbo platform in this machine is the good battery life. But Dell needs to have a bigger battery option as well. One advantage of the gimped Poulsbo platform in this machine is the good battery life. But Dell needs to have a bigger battery option as well.

]]> By: Andy Norris http://liliputing.com/2008/12/dell-inspiron-mini-12-now-available-with-windows-xp-or-ubuntu-linux.html#comment-11675 Andy Norris Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:09:42 +0000 http://www.liliputing.com/?p=3765#comment-11675 If you're happy with a 4-5 pounder, don't buy an ultralight, because they cost more for weaker specs. But a four and a half pound computer is worlds away from a sub 3 pounder in terms of ease of carrying it around with you all day.<br><br>Most of the systems in the ultralight 12-13" class are pricey systems like the ThinkPad X200 or the MacBook Air, which is great if you have a company that will buy one for you. The reason they're so expensive is that using a 12-13" screen (bigger, heavier, and more power-hungry than a netbook screen) and still keeping the system that thin (0.9" in the front for the Mini 12), the weight that low, and the battery life as good requires using special components like 1.8" iPod drives and an even lower power chipset. Also, those screens aren't used for picture frames and portable dvd players like netbook screens, so they cost significantly more.<br><br>But again, it just depends on how important jumping from 4 or 5 pounds down to 3 is. If it won't make a difference to you, get the heavier one.<br><br>BTW, for $50 more you can upgrade to a 1.6GHz model with a 6 cell battery. And for the same $549, you can upgrade to a 1.6GHz model with a 6 cell battery *and* upgrade to preloaded Ubuntu. :-) If you're happy with a 4-5 pounder, don't buy an ultralight, because they cost more for weaker specs. But a four and a half pound computer is worlds away from a sub 3 pounder in terms of ease of carrying it around with you all day.

Most of the systems in the ultralight 12-13″ class are pricey systems like the ThinkPad X200 or the MacBook Air, which is great if you have a company that will buy one for you. The reason they're so expensive is that using a 12-13″ screen (bigger, heavier, and more power-hungry than a netbook screen) and still keeping the system that thin (0.9″ in the front for the Mini 12), the weight that low, and the battery life as good requires using special components like 1.8″ iPod drives and an even lower power chipset. Also, those screens aren't used for picture frames and portable dvd players like netbook screens, so they cost significantly more.

But again, it just depends on how important jumping from 4 or 5 pounds down to 3 is. If it won't make a difference to you, get the heavier one.

BTW, for $50 more you can upgrade to a 1.6GHz model with a 6 cell battery. And for the same $549, you can upgrade to a 1.6GHz model with a 6 cell battery *and* upgrade to preloaded Ubuntu. :-)

]]> By: Fanfoot http://liliputing.com/2008/12/dell-inspiron-mini-12-now-available-with-windows-xp-or-ubuntu-linux.html#comment-11671 Fanfoot Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:57:32 +0000 http://www.liliputing.com/?p=3765#comment-11671 Okay, so the Windowx version is $549 with an 1.33GHz Atom and a 4,200 40GB drive and no optical and a 3 cell battery. $30 more for anything other than black or white. 1GB of RAM. 1.1" thick. 2.7 pounds. 1280x800 screen.<br><br>The MSI VR220 is available for $699 from Amazon with a 2GHz dual core processor, a 5,400 rpm 250GB hard drive, 2GB of RAM, an 8 cell battery, a DVD+/-RW DL optical drive. 1.2" thick. 4.4 pounds. 1280x800 screen. In various colors at no additional cost.<br><br>As well as gigabit ethernet, a standard SATA laptop drive for upgradability, modem. And Vista Home Premium rather than Home Basic if you want to go that way.<br><br>Which would you choose? Okay, so the Windowx version is $549 with an 1.33GHz Atom and a 4,200 40GB drive and no optical and a 3 cell battery. $30 more for anything other than black or white. 1GB of RAM. 1.1″ thick. 2.7 pounds. 1280×800 screen.

The MSI VR220 is available for $699 from Amazon with a 2GHz dual core processor, a 5,400 rpm 250GB hard drive, 2GB of RAM, an 8 cell battery, a DVD+/-RW DL optical drive. 1.2″ thick. 4.4 pounds. 1280×800 screen. In various colors at no additional cost.

As well as gigabit ethernet, a standard SATA laptop drive for upgradability, modem. And Vista Home Premium rather than Home Basic if you want to go that way.

Which would you choose?

]]> By: Andy Norris http://liliputing.com/2008/12/dell-inspiron-mini-12-now-available-with-windows-xp-or-ubuntu-linux.html#comment-11666 Andy Norris Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:31:53 +0000 http://www.liliputing.com/?p=3765#comment-11666 It's about time they were able to load a better OS on it.<br><br>It's a unique product that some people will hate, but might be perfect for others. As an ultralight 12" with 1280x800 resolution, I don't think it even has a competitor below $1000, but the fact that it's slower than a lot of smaller netbooks and maxes out at 1gb of ram turns off a lot of buyers and confuses many of the rest.<br><br>If you need something better than 1024x600 but don't want to shell out for a high-end machine, this might be the machine. It's about time they were able to load a better OS on it.

It's a unique product that some people will hate, but might be perfect for others. As an ultralight 12″ with 1280×800 resolution, I don't think it even has a competitor below $1000, but the fact that it's slower than a lot of smaller netbooks and maxes out at 1gb of ram turns off a lot of buyers and confuses many of the rest.

If you need something better than 1024×600 but don't want to shell out for a high-end machine, this might be the machine.

]]> By: plonk http://liliputing.com/2008/12/dell-inspiron-mini-12-now-available-with-windows-xp-or-ubuntu-linux.html#comment-11665 plonk Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:26:33 +0000 http://www.liliputing.com/?p=3765#comment-11665 w00t! If they add an SSD option, I'm there. I'd rather a metal casing and a backlit keyboard, while you're reading my mind, Dell. w00t! If they add an SSD option, I'm there. I'd rather a metal casing and a backlit keyboard, while you're reading my mind, Dell.

]]> By: SBS http://liliputing.com/2008/12/dell-inspiron-mini-12-now-available-with-windows-xp-or-ubuntu-linux.html#comment-11660 SBS Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:06:07 +0000 http://www.liliputing.com/?p=3765#comment-11660 Still got the crap drive, crap battery and crap screen though. It should have been so much better :( Still got the crap drive, crap battery and crap screen though. It should have been so much better :(

]]> By: djSyndrome http://liliputing.com/2008/12/dell-inspiron-mini-12-now-available-with-windows-xp-or-ubuntu-linux.html#comment-11658 djSyndrome Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:29:15 +0000 http://www.liliputing.com/?p=3765#comment-11658 I love the way this machine looks, but at $549 it needs something better than a small 4200 RPM PATA hard drive : I love the way this machine looks, but at $549 it needs something better than a small 4200 RPM PATA hard drive :

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