Dell rebrands its own Mini 9 as the Vostro A90, jacks the price to absurd levels

We're no strangers to rebranded netbooks, but we're a little befuddled as to why Dell's rebranding its own Inspiron Mini 9 as the Vostro A90. Sure, we're digging the stealth looks, but the specs haven't changed at all, and we don't think the Vostro brand really has any more cachet than Inspiron -- they're both pretty low end. Even more bizarrely, the A90 is apparently Japan-only for now, and it's priced at an absurd ¥92,830 ($972) -- yeah, you can get three Eee 900As for that price with more or less the same specs. Must be one hell of a paint job.

[patboy2008 Posted Oct 24th 2008 5:16PM]

What the heck is Dell smoking?

[Alexandre Emond Posted Oct 24th 2008 5:22PM]

I bought one fully loaded for a good price last week but they just said to me on the phone that there is a shortage of black one and that I'll have to wait until Malaysia plant produce more units GRRRR!

[Jon AU Posted Oct 24th 2008 5:24PM]

it's selling for 54979JPY as I can understand it...

let's put this in english:

構成例価格 85,481円 (retail price)
割引額 30,502円 (discount)
販売価格 54,979円 (selling price)
分割60回払いで月々1,200円 (60 months pay per month)

[psyclotron Posted Oct 24th 2008 6:08PM]

thanks for that post. i know have at least Sarah Palin's level of foreign affairs experience

[James Posted Oct 24th 2008 8:58PM]

You have her spelling and grammar abilities too.
Its now, not know.

[psyclotron Posted Oct 24th 2008 9:08PM]

yes, it's a typo. troll.

[James Posted Oct 24th 2008 10:57PM]

Yeah saw you point out someone elses so had to.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 24th 2008 11:35PM]

Yeah Dell tends to do that, to make the product seem a lot cheaper.

[psyclotron Posted Oct 25th 2008 2:42AM]

where did i point out similar? i made a J O K E there troll. calm down

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 24th 2008 5:27PM]

Don't know, don't care because this thing is too
damn expensive.

[psyclotron Posted Oct 24th 2008 6:11PM]

vosotros

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 24th 2008 6:50PM]

They got it from http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/10/24/dell_readies_vostro_a90/ .

[psyclotron Posted Oct 24th 2008 6:52PM]

no, no comprendo

[solarpos Posted Oct 24th 2008 7:42PM]

Does that translate to "Go to Us"?

[psyclotron Posted Oct 24th 2008 7:50PM]

it means "all your you are belong to us"

actually it's just "you", plural

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 24th 2008 8:06PM]

Odio la forma de vosotros.

[E30 Kid Posted Oct 24th 2008 6:17PM]

http://www1.jp.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/laptop-vostro-a90?c=jp&cs=jppad1&l=ja&s=pad

Where did they get that pricing info from?

It isn't on the Dell website.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 24th 2008 6:53PM]

They got it from http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/10/24/dell_readies_vostro_a90/ .

I meant to reply to Tmacfan4321. Damn comment system!

[E30 Kid Posted Oct 24th 2008 11:56PM]

Those prices aren't confirmed though. Once I see it on the Dell website, I'll be convinced. It could have been some sort of misunderstanding. The price seems far too high.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 24th 2008 6:48PM]

What the heck is with the price! Is Dell going bankrupt or something!

[plexusXXX Posted Oct 24th 2008 7:03PM]

The name says it all:
Vostro is italian for "Your's"
And "yours" it is. Not mine for sure.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 24th 2008 7:06PM]

Many companies try to leverage the exchange rates when one currency is up against others. The american wii shortage was in part because the euro was so strong and Nintendo wanted to get as much as possible.

[psyclotron Posted Oct 24th 2008 7:26PM]

"american wii shortage"

heh heh heh

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 24th 2008 8:33PM]

Damn you phanbouy and your amusing, presumabley alcohol fueled sexual puns! :)

[jonschu Posted Oct 25th 2008 12:42PM]

phanboy, looks like you have an phan ^ that wants your wii!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 24th 2008 9:47PM]

Dell make few expensive items targeting idiotic audience here in japan but you cant beat them for best computers at lowest price. Just search all over the website, you will find the same item with different prices... just take the lowest one, add a 15% off coupon and voila!

I got my 30inches dell monitor for 800$ on dell.jp Best deal I ever made. It look majestic!

[stridermt2k Posted Oct 24th 2008 11:08PM]

Yeah, but this one has a new hat!

[realar Posted Oct 25th 2008 7:52AM]

@Blondie

"The most powerful PC manufacturer on Earth"

Dell are a large company no doubt but they will always be the generic chop shop of the computer world.

Have you put in your order yet?.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 25th 2008 12:45PM]

been waiting like forever for my mini 9 to ship.mine was ordered in black.This is a slap in the face to think that they can give a cheap paint job to their white 9's and sell them for more.weak!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 26th 2008 6:29AM]

There are so many people drawing Apple comparisons here- while I don't disagree that there are some overpriced Apple products, the bottom line is that Apple doesn't rename it's own product and charge twice as much for said product, in contrast to the identical, cheaper product. (aside from the black macbook- it may be the same general idea, but that wasn't doubling the price). I propose we just drop it.

[THEbigONEinTOKYO Posted Oct 26th 2008 9:37AM]

I wondered why the Japanese Mini9 was so ridiculously higher priced when I looked at the site last week!!

I has a different name!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 26th 2008 4:46PM]

Ha, Ha, that is brilliant on the price jack! No wonder they can't deliver orders in order and on-time. They are going to dip them all black and get three times the price for them. Dell,the OPEC of computing!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2008 1:43PM]

Vostro A90 list price of JPY92830 (USD928 at current exchange rate) is simply a reference price that does not include various campaign offers and discounts normally applied to each product when it goes on sale. At Dell Online Store in Japan, Vostro A90 is currently priced at 62,890JPY (after discount) while Inspiron Mini 9 is priced at 54,979JPY (after discount). The actual price difference is not significant at all given the added value of ProSupport services (24-7 phone+ e-mail tech support, onsite repair) applied to Vostro A90.