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Dell's $299 Mini 10v netbook spotted, SSD options added
Looks like the first iteration of the Mini 10 evolution is getting ready for retail. The Mini 10v (aka, "Bear" or model 1011) has just made it's first appearance in Dell's May catalog with "mid-May" anticipated availability. The 10v swaps out the Z-series Atom for the netbook standard N270 while remaining true to its 120GB disk, 1GB memory, XP, and 1.3 megapixel webcam origins. The big news here is price: the Mini 10v costs $100 less than the base Mini 10. Also spotted on Dell's retail site are new 32GB or 64GB SSD options for the current Mini 10 for an extra $75 or $125, respectively. Sorry kids, no Android option yet (which might not be a bad thing). SSD screengrab after the break. [Thanks, Willy N.] Update: The Mini 10 can now be ordered with Ubuntu, hooray!Read -- Mini 10v [see last page, Warning: PDF]Read -- SSD [click Hard Drive view]
Is Dell cooking up an Android-powered netbook?
Um, okay? Straight out of the left-most corner of left field, software provider Bsquare has just outed Dell's newest netbook -- or so it seems. The same company that recently announced that it was bringing Adobe Flash to Android has just revealed that it'll be doing likewise for "Dell netbooks running Google's Android platform." Specifically, it'll be Flash Lite 3.17 making the leap onto these heretofore elusive machines (casually referred to as the Mini Inspiron 910, or Mini 9, in the release), but details outside of that are mum. Consider our interest piqued. Full release is after the break.Update: Dell just pinged us with an adorably terse response: "The Bsquared news release erroneously mentioned Dell and is being recalled. Dell does not offer an Android based netbook." Well then.
Dell Mini 10 gets six-cell battery option, added pizzazz
Dell's Mini 10 netbook has been a bit more of a work in progress than some early adopters may have hoped, but it is at least getting increasingly more usable, with Dell now finally offering the oft-requested six-cell battery as a selectable option. That'll set you back just $30, and should give you a sizable boost over the stock three-cell battery, which is lucky to get three hours on a charge. If you're looking for a little something extra, you can now also now get the netbook emblazoned with some of the snazzy designs seen on other Dell laptops, although those will set you back up to $60 extra compared to the basic black or white options.[Via Portable Monkey]
Dell netbook roadmap leaks out, get ready for the Mini 11
Oops, it looks like a Dell middle manager somewhere got a little too excited and let a full set of netbook roadmap slides leak out. The biggest news is a planned Mini 11 due sometime between now and the end of Q3, but the Mini 10 is where most of the action is in the short term -- the current model will get options for Vista, a 3G modem, and potentially a 1.86GHz Atom on April 17th, a new 1.6GHz Atom N270 SKU will arrive in May and everything will be updated again in the second half of the year with Intel's Pine Trail processors. Interesting, but we're wondering when Dell will realize that the Mini 10's HDMI output and 720p screen are useless unless it can handle true HD video -- Ion, anyone?
How would you change Dell's Inspiron Mini 10?
After a rocky, if not comical launch, Dell's Inspiron Mini 10 is now shuffling out in full force to legions of soon-to-be netbook owners. For those of you who already bought in -- via QVC or the more traditional street corner vendor model -- we're wondering what you'd do differently if magically given a mythical Do Over token. Would you simply offer up the options (TV tuner, for one) promised during the machine's announcement? Would you tweak that trackpad at all? Add a little bulk in exchange for a beefier battery? Paint the whole thing fuschia and make it reek of week-old bananas? Feel free to get as crazy as you'd like in comments below; who knows, maybe Round Rock's tuning in to just see what you have to say.
Dell finally adds 720p LCD option to Inspiron Mini 10
So far as we can tell, Dell's Inspiron Mini 10 was supposed to have a 720p screen option from day one, but after the ridiculously weird launch, we're not at all shocked to see that said selection is just now being offered. Starting right about now, prospective Mini 10 buyers can upgrade that stock 1,024 x 576 display to one with a native 1,366 x 768 resolution, or plenty to watch bona fide 720p content. The pain? Just $35 -- but you'll have to keep waiting if you're looking for inbuilt GPS, a TV tuner or a certificate of authenticity autographed by this guy.[Thanks, JC]
Dell Inspiron Mini 10 gets reviewed
Dell's Mini 10 netbook certainly seems to occupy the sweet spot between the company's Mini 9 and Mini 12 offerings but, according to Laptop's review of the netbook, there may be just a few too many trade-offs for some folks. On the upside, the Mini 10 does compare favorably to most other 10-inch netbooks in terms of size and weight, and the keyboard is actually a tad larger than the one on the Mini 12, with it measuring about 0.3-inches deeper and extending right to the edge of the system. Unfortunately, Laptop found that the reworked touchpad was quite a bit more finicky than the one's on its counterparts, and Dell's decision to hold back on some features like a six-cell battery means that it doesn't quite give you the same bang for the buck as something like the Samsung NC10 or ASUS Eee PC 1000HE. Still undecided? Then hit up the read link below for the full rundown.
Dell's Inspiron Mini 10 dissected... in official service manuals
Dell's all too elusive Inspiron Mini 10 is finally getting a bit more full frontal with us thanks to a fresh set of service manuals hosted up at the outfit's website. In the read link you'll find a Technology Guide, Service Manual, Setup Guide and Tech Sheet, all of which give you a closer, more intimate look at the one computer Dell decided to sell via QVC first. Curiously enough, this also means that Dell is the first to dissect its own machine, though these images aren't nearly as titillating as those sure to be hosted up soon by a curious early adopter.[Via jkkmobile]
Dell's Inspiron Mini 10 finally up for order, starts at $399
It's been a rocky road, paved with hardship and confusion, but Dell's finally ready to let us at its colorful collection of Inspiron Mini 10 netbooks -- at least the order page. You can (slightly) configure them to your hearts content, but any color outside of black comes with a $30 price premium. We upped a Mini 10 to "Jade Green" and threw in a 1.6GHz Z530 Atom processor (1.33GHz is standard) and ended up at $479, but there's no expanding beyond the 1GB of RAM or the 160GB HDD, as per the international netbook treaty. The order page is quoting a "preliminary ship date" of April 2nd, up from the March 31st we saw two days ago, so we hope that's just a rough estimate.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]%Gallery-45450%
Dell now taking Mini 10 orders, sort of
Dell may not be taking orders for the new Mini 10 on its website until February 26th, but it looks like those not willing to go the QVC route can now at least get an order in over the phone, with a few significant limitations. According to one MyDellMini forum user that opted for that route, Dell is only offering one configuration for $449, which doesn't include GPS or that promised built-in TV tuner, and is available in black only. Otherwise, you'll apparently get the standard 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and, of course, that 10.1-inch 1024x576 display. Then again, February 26th is just a couple of days away, and with a stated ship date of March 31st, there's no indication that these phone orders will actually be landing in your hands any sooner.[Via Portable Monkey]Update: We're not quite sure what's going at Dell, but the Mini 10 is now up on its website and available to order, two days ahead of schedule. There's still no configuration or color options, however, and that $449 price has now magically become $474 for what appears to be the exact same system, so you may just want to wait until things shake out once and for all before taking the plunge.
Dell's Mini 10 comes with any amount of RAM you want, so long as it's 1GB
The case of the Mini 10 just gets curiouser and curiouser. The company finally acknowledged the red-lidded QVC stepchild on its site just last week, but before that quietly mentioned an interesting bit of information on its official blog: the 1GB of memory figure that seemed like just a start is actually the end, too. The RAM in the first batch (or possibly batches) of Mini 10 models will be non-upgradable, and while we don't know why a company that built itself on allowing people to customize computers would prevent them from upgrading their netbooks, we are sure this won't be a popular move. Additionally, the first Mini 10s will all be running XP, though Ubuntu will be coming, as well as an optional 720P display and even a TV tuner. That all sounds fantastic, but after waiting through all this is anyone going to wait longer still for a proper-spec'd machine?[Thanks, Eric]
Inspiron Mini 10 finally shows up at Dell's website
In one of the most bizarre sequences of events we can recall, Dell's Inspiron Mini 10 has finally arrived on its maker's website. And this is after being briefly (and we stress "briefly") unveiled in a 3- x 3-foot cubical at CES, being impersonated at Tecso by the smaller Mini 9 and showing up early on QVC. Yeah, weird. At any rate, we knew that the Round Rock powerhouse was looking to offer this pup up for sale starting on the 26th, so we figure now is a perfect time to host up a holding place in order to get people informed. As we'd heard, it'll sport a 10.1-inch display, 802.11b/g WiFi, optional Bluetooth 2.1, HDMI out, an external DVD drive, upwards of 160GB of HDD space, 1GB of RAM, a keyboard that's 92 percent the size of a standard laptop (that's the same as on ASUS' Eee PC 1000HE, by the way), a multitouch trackpad, 720p media playback, optional WWAN, an internal TV tuner and your choice of a 3-cell (3 hours) or 6-cell (6.5 hours) battery. Yummy![Thanks, John]%Gallery-45450%
Dell Mini 10 shows up for pre-order... from QVC?
You'd think with an in-demand new product like the Mini 10 Dell would want to snag as many pre-orders as it can for itself, but it looks like none other than QVC will be getting first dibs on the company's latest netbook, as Dell has now confirmed after the netbook made an appearance on shopping channel's website. Starting today, it'll apparently be offering one configuration of the Mini 10 for $559, which includes a 1.6GHz Z530 Atom processor, a 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, Windows XP and, of course, that 10.1-inch SVGA display. Shortly thereafter, on February 26th, Dell will begin taking orders itself for a couple more configurations, including a base $399 model that includes a 1.3GHz Z520 Atom processor and a 3-cell battery. Dell isn't getting any more specific than "next month" with an actual shipping date, however, although those orders from QVC will supposedly be shipping out on March 20th.[Via NotebookReview.com]Update: It looks legit! QVC gets first dibs (saywha?), with Dell.com taking orders on the 26th.
Dell's Mini 10 launching on or around February 27th?
We'd be highly skeptical of this one (in fact, we actually are highly skeptical), but we've seen a Dell rep or two speak the truth before. To that end, we figured it prudent to pass along Sir Paul Synnott's recent chat with an online Dell UK representative. Upon asking for more details on the future release of the Mini 10 netbook -- you know, that machine that was unveiled at CES and then promptly forgotten? -- he was amazingly hit back with a definitive ship date: February 27th. He was also told that the power adapter would be a "smaller one, as with the Mini 9," and that pricing was yet to be determined. We know, it reeks of fish, but the date itself doesn't sound all that outlandish. Guess we'll just have to wait and see, eh?
More rumored Dell Mini 10 details, colors surface
A few retailer slip-ups aside, we haven't heard a whole lot about the Dell Mini 10 since it was unveiled at CES, but it looks like that's now starting to change, with this supposedly authentic slide offering some further details on the netbook. Among the new bits of information is word that the Mini 10 will apparently have two display options: the 1366 x 768 option we heard about initially, and a more conventional 1024 x 576 WSVGA option for those less concerned with 720p content. You'll also apparently be able to get your choice of 1.3GHz or 1.6GHz Atom processors, one of six different color options, a 3-cell or 6-cell battery, and apparently even an "optional DVD slice," although there's unfortunately no pics or further details on it. There's also still no word on a price or release date, but let's hope those details are the next to surface, officially or otherwise.[Thanks, Cin]
Tesco's 349 Mini 10 actually a 349 Mini 9
Can you say "oops?" That so-called Mini 10, which curiously emerged at Tesco before anywhere else, is actually not a Mini 10. As the story goes, folks across the pond who plunked down £349 for their very own 10-inch Dell netbook have started receiving shipments only to find a perfectly average Mini 9 within. Furthermore, Tesco's Mini 10 order page is now completely nonexistent, further signaling that a serious mishap occurred somewhere along the line. Hate to burst your bubble, but if you ordered one of these pups from this vendor, you should probably expect to hit the return to sender option and eagerly await a refund.[Via PortableMonkey, thanks Peter]
Dell Mini 10 shows up at Tesco for 349
Well, Dell might have been super cagey about pricing and release dates for the new Mini 10 during its CES Adamo non-event, but you can't keep the kids locked up forever, and Dell's netbook middle child seems to have shacked up at Tesco for £349 ($480). Basic specs are generic netbook -- 1.6GHz Atom Z530 (it lists a Z520, but we know it's a Z530), 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive, Windows XP, and a sesame seed bun -- but we were actually quite taken with Dell's "perfect 10" when we played with it at CES, and the addition of a multitouch trackpad, built-in GPS and optional WWAN certainly make the Mini 10 a little more interesting than the competition. We'll see how pricing looks when Dell sees fit to bring this guy Stateside -- let's hope this mix of features doesn't end up costing $900 like a certain not-a-netbook competitor with a similar spec sheet.[Thanks, Fry]
Dell Mini 10 hands-on
We just caught up with the Dell Mini 10, and while it's not as crazy hot as the white Adamo, it's still pretty sweet -- much nicer looking than the Mini 9, and more compact than the Mini 12. No wonder Dell's calling it a "perfect 10." The multitouch trackpad is really similar to the one on the newest Macbooks, but it's a little less intuitive -- the buttons are pushed into the corners, so a middle press doesn't do a lot. On the other hand, it's a little more useful -- not only can you do the usual zooming and scrolling, laying three fingers on the pad brings up a slick little launcher screen. Too bad we don't have pricing or availability -- if this thing comes in at a reasonable number, it's going to be our favorite netbook. We stacked the 10 up against the 9, the 12, and a MacBook Air, check it all out in the gallery below!%Gallery-41432%
Dell launches Inspiron Mini 10
Here in an atypically small press conference in the desert, Dell has just served up its Mini 10 netbook, complete with an "edge-to-edge" 720p 10-inch display, a built-in TV tuner (!), integrated 3G WWAN / GPS, multitouch support and an Atom Z530 CPU. Moreover, you'll find an "edge-to-edge" keyboard (no wasted space, we guess), a gesture-sensing touchapd and expanded design studio choices. Check another image after the break, but don't expect any pricing or release information, 'cause Dell ain't squealing.
Inspiron Mini 12 pops up on Dell's website: it's a done deal (almost)
We can't call it official with a straight face, but seriously, what else could you call it? A not-at-all mysterious Inspiron Mini 12 (1210) has emerged on Dell's website in the Product Support pages, hinting (and we're using that as loosely as possible) that a 12-inch netbook could be fast approaching to complement the current Mini 9. We're talking about a User Manual, Setup Guide, Troubleshooting documents -- the whole nine. Packed within the Setup Guide is a nice list of basic specifications, including your choice of an Intel Atom Z520 or Z530 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 10 / 100 Ethernet, Bluetooth / WiFi, optional WWAN, three USB 2.0 ports, VGA out, audio in / out, and a 12.1-inch display with a 1,280 x 800 resolution. It'll also feature a 1.3-megapixel camera, 3- or 6-cell battery and weigh around 2.73-pounds. Oh, and we get the impression there will at least be an option for Ubuntu. Feel free to dig around in the read link for as long as Round Rock keeps it active, and in case everything collapses prior to the formal launch, we've screened capped a few looks below.[Via CMSReport]%Gallery-34624%
