If you look back at my original review of the Dell Inspiron Mini 12, a 12-inch Atom netbook with 1GB of RAM, I liked the hardware just fine but complained that Vista was too slow to even be considered as the OS. The system often lagged when just opening the Start menu, let alone launching real programs. It, like Vista on most netbooks, was little more than a novelty—something to be chuckled at for a few moments before formatting and installing XP. So I loaded the mini 12 with Windows 7. What did I have to lose?

The experience is night and day.

With Aero deactivated (and actually, totally inaccessible after an auto-configuration installation despite screwing with the registry), the Start menu now pops right up (like it should), Firefox takes about 3.5 seconds to open (which is reasonable) and light multitasking is smooth enough. The computer is by no means fast, but it's reasonably functional. And I can use the system without pounding my head against the screen or loading an old OS. Keep in mind, this testing is just with 1GB of memory, not even 2GB.

The system still struggles a bit with both full screen Flash video and XviD clips. Heavily dropped frames remain a fact of life, and don't expect to fast forward through high quality content at will. But that's a hardware limitation that I can accept, or at least not blame on Microsoft. Intel, I'm looking in your direction now.

I loaded Windows 7 onto the Mini 12 as a Hail Mary maneuver, hoping to play with the system a little more without resorting to XP. And I have to admit, the results were pretty close to miraculous.

Under the hood, it's a standard netbook kit—1.6GHz Atom (though the more energy efficient next-gen one that lets it live for up to three hours on a 3-cell battery), smallish 40, 60 or 80GB hard drive, not a whole lotta RAM—though you've got a full-sized keyboard and 1280x800 12-inch screen. Unfortunately, it's only available with Vista at launch (which, also oddly, is only in Japan initially). Since Vista historically runs like garbage on these things, holding out through the late November debut here for the XP and Ubuntu variants coming by year's end would probably be more prudent.

That said, the Mini 12 is definitely an interesting little experiment from Dell—a mutant mashup of netbook and notebook that might hit some heretofore undiscovered sweet spot, or simply look verrry attractive to some given the current economic climate. Update: Full press release below—apparently it's a Twitter machine too:

Slim, Stylish and Well-Connected: Introducing the Dell Inspiron Mini 12

* New Addition to the Dell Inspiron Mini Line Expands Personalization Options
* Available First in Japan Through Bic Camera, Kojima and Sofmap Stores
* Includes Windows Vista Home Basic, Webcam and Bluetooth

ROUND ROCK, Texas—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Dell today introduced the Inspiron™ Mini 12, a small, easy-to-carry Internet companion that you can fine tune to fit your specific needs and deeds. Like its counterpart the Inspiron Mini 9, the Mini 12 is ideal for teens, tweens, travelers and “Tweeters” to surf the Web1, chat with friends, blog, stream content, upload photos or enjoy online videos, music and games.

The Inspiron Mini 12 is available initially only in Japan through Bic Camera, Kojima and Sofmap stores and other retail outlets. It will launch online globally by late November with configurations starting under $600 (U.S.). Ubuntu and Windows XP® operating systems also will be available before the end of the year.

The News:

* With a starting weight of only 2.72 lbs.1 and only 0.92 in. thick1, current standard features on the Inspiron Mini 12 include:
o Windows Vista® Home Basic, built-in webcam, 1GB of RAM and a choice of 60 GB or 80 GB hard drive1, providing ample capacity for mobile applications, content creation and storage.
o Built-in Bluetooth® and 802.11b/g wireless.
o A sharp 12.1-inch WXGA display, offering wider viewing angles and exceptional brightness.
* Dell provides a variety of service offerings and add-on options to help ensure devices are easy to use and maintain optimal performance, including:
o Dell Support Center: Quickly access Dell service and support from an icon on your desktop that provides automated fixes, software upgrades and tools to help keep your system up-to-date and running efficiently.
o DellConnect™ Remote Assistance1: Dell experts help diagnose and solve PC problems via an Internet connection (available only on Windows-based systems).

If you are on Twitter and would like to join the conversation about the Inspiron Mini 12, follow www.twitter.com/hashtags, type your comment and end your tweet with #mini12.

[BusinessWire, Laptop]

According to the guides, the netbook will come with either an Intel Atom Z520 or Z530 CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 1.3MP camera, three USB 2.0 ports, and either a 3- or 6-cell battery. You'll also be able to choose between Ubuntu or Windows Vista, probably getting a neat price reduction if you go for Linux. No information on pricing or a specific release date yet. [Engadget]