Dell Mini 9 gets snug little GPS hack

Word is that Dell's Mini 9 is a modder's paradise, rife with precious little alcoves in which to squeeze teeny-tiny new stuff. The confirmation: MyDellMini forum user Tom Beauchamp bought a USB GPS receiver (not much larger than a quarter) and snugly fit it inside his Mini's case. He's provided images and instructions so you, too, can illegally navigate with your notebook computer in the passenger's seat of your car. We can't recommend that sort of irresponsibility, but if you want to mod it just because you can, hit the read link for the instructions and images. Beware, of course, that a minimum amount of technical savvy is required to avoid breaking a perfectly good little laptop. Like that was ever going to stop you.

[Lowest Ranked @ Oct 7th 2008 11:57AM]

Heads, you buy me a USB casing, Tails, you buy me a keyboard for my laptop.

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 7th 2008 11:59AM]

Awesome mod.
I'll be adding one myself ASAP.

[blizz419 @ Oct 7th 2008 12:09PM]

why would you say illegal, no way is that illegal, might void your warranty but definitely not illegal wheres your brain hiding Sam.

[Lobito @ Oct 7th 2008 12:49PM]

Perhaps what he meant was 'STUPIDLY' instead of illegally.

[blarvh @ Oct 7th 2008 1:02PM]

Void what warranty? The warranty on your life? That's called an insurance.

[Roy Garringer @ Oct 7th 2008 12:10PM]

"can illegally navigate"??

Please help me to understand why this is illegal.

[BloodyGerman @ Oct 7th 2008 12:24PM]

In germany i would say: everything which is not explicitly allowed is forbidden ;)

But i the US i don't know...

[Freakin Ijit @ Oct 7th 2008 12:34PM]

In many states it is illegal for the driver to see a "video display" that isn't related to diagnostics, status, navigation, etc. Since the laptop can display MORE than navigation with the GPS installed, it's treading on the edge of illegality.

[Jon @ Oct 7th 2008 12:12PM]

I believe using a laptop while driving would constitute distracted driving and would therefore be illegal.

[corq @ Oct 7th 2008 12:36PM]

law enforcement drive with laptops, and have for years. You can buy laptop mounts for repair service vehicles. While probably still a distraction, *not* illegal - yet

[dark star @ Oct 7th 2008 12:13PM]

ahhh, reminds me of the time i used to drive around with the laptop in my lap and the inverter to stay juiced throughout road trips.

[John Smith @ Oct 7th 2008 12:17PM]

Nice technology improvements...

[Arnt Karlsen @ Oct 7th 2008 5:11PM]

.."distracted driving" is illegal because of the traffic danger it creates, such as running over somebody while looking at the screen.

[Raphael Salgado @ Oct 7th 2008 12:32PM]

I swear, I'm so close to buying this thing now, and these hacks are making my decision making even worse! If Apple doesn't release a netbook or a new portable a week from now, I'm so sold on the Mini 9.

[chudgoo @ Oct 7th 2008 9:13PM]

In case anyone is interested, the Acer Aspire One has quite a bit of room inside out it as well.

http://www.electricpig.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/acer-aspire-one-insides.jpg

The motherboard ends at the blue ribbon connector for the SSD.
The wifi card at the bottom is floating over the bottom of the case. The dark grey areas are the bottom of the case. The PCB on the far right is a break out board for the additional USB/SD ports. There is room all around the SSD for whatever you might want to add.
Just sayin'...

[ishism @ Oct 7th 2008 1:07PM]

The folks over at MyDellMini are stoked it made it to Engadget. I wonder if this mod would work on the Pandora console coming out.

[spice003 @ Oct 7th 2008 1:54PM]

so when is Dell e slim coming. i thought they said its comes out in august, and v.2 in october, well its october and the first one ain't even out.

[Dustin Howett @ Oct 7th 2008 6:09PM]

The thing is, it doesn't make news when all the other netbooks get this same exact modification.
What makes the Dell Mini 9 Special?
Well, Nothing.

[chudgoo @ Oct 7th 2008 9:15PM]

Does it bother anyone that the antenna is on the INSIDE of the case?
A mod with the antenna peeking out of the top of the LCD bezel would have been much more impressive.
(flush fitting, of course)

[CubeGuy @ Oct 11th 2008 2:51PM]

...Why?

There's a reason that cell phones don't have unsightly antennas anymore.