The n450 clocks in at 1.66GHz, and is about 60% smaller and 20% more efficient than its predecessor. Despite the new chip under the hood, the new Mini 10s will have largely the same standard specs as the current model: 160GB hard drive, 1GB memory, built-in 802.11 b/g Bluetooth support, and a 10.1" display.

Dell's also offering several HD-oriented features as add-ons. The refresh includes the same HD display option as the the Mini 10 does now, but you can also upgrade to a built-in HDTV tuner (the current only offers standard def). Dell also claims up to 9.5 hours of battery life with a six-cell battery running Windows Starter 7. But the best update may be the price cut: the new Mini 10s will start at $299 in January, fifty bucks cheaper than the current version.

DELL MAKES INSPIRON MINI 10 EVEN BETTER WITH NEW DESIGN AND LONG BATTERY LIFE

Entertainment Netbook Offers Go-Anywhere Fun for Everyone
Great Battery Life Keeps People Online for Hours
Optional High Definition Display, Surround Sound Enrich Media Experience

ROUND ROCK, Texas, Dec. 21, 2009 - Dell's hot-selling Inspiron Mini 10
netbook is getting better with a fresh new look and longer battery
life to go along with technology enhancements and easy connectivity
capabilities that make it a fashionable and functional must-have for
on-the-go people. Updates to the Mini 10 include optional high
definition entertainment bundles that deliver rich, smooth playback of
streaming HD video in addition to Web surfing, email, listening to
music and sharing user-generated content in real time. Dell expects
the redesigned Inspiron Mini 10 to be available the first part of
January 2010.

The new design with 10.1-inch display includes a textured,
smudge-resistant palm rest, sculpted keys and, for the Inspiron Mini
10 mobility bundle, extended-life battery offering up to 9.5 hours of
operation. The Mini 10 can be personalized with a broad range of
optional colors or hundreds of optional custom artwork designs
available in the Dell Design Studio.

The Inspiron Mini 10 will be offered in the coming weeks in a
selection of bundles with distinct features like an HD display,
Broadcom Crystal HD media accelerator, surround sound capability,
built in HDTV tuner for over-the-air local HD broadcasts, or built-in
Wi-Fi location enabled GPS that provides people with real time
information to nearby restaurants, landmarks, maps and entertainment.

Built-in wireless connectivity Connectivity: Where wireless access is
available. Additional access charges apply in some locations. provides
easy, quick access to the Internet and e-mail. Some models feature
Bluetooth and Mobile Broadband communications Mobile Broadband:
Subject to wireless provider's broadband subscription and coverage
area; additional charges apply., too.

Highlights:

New Intel Atom N450 processor at 1.66 GHz
10.1-inch display with standard (1024x600) or High Definition
(1366x768) display available in coming weeks
Built-in speakers with available SRS Surround sound
HDTV tuner and location-aware GPS configurations available in coming weeks
Bundles with Broadcom Crystal HD for smooth HD playback coming in Q1
Built-in 802.11 b/g wireless with available Bluetooth and Mobile Broadband
1GB Memory: Significant system memory may be used to support graphics,
depending on system memory size and other factors. DDR2 memory at
800MHz
160GB Hard Drive: GB means 1 billion bytes and TB equals 1 trillion
bytes; actual capacity varies with preloaded material and operating
environment and will be less. or 250GB hard disk drive storage
Choice of 3 or 6-cell integrated battery with up to 9.5 hours of
battery life (Inspiron Mini 10 mobility bundle only).
Choice of Windows 7 Starter or Windows XP Home, Ubuntu operating
system option available in the coming weeks
Lightweight: Starting at about 2.75 – 3.1 pounds Starting at Weight:
Weights vary depending on configuration and manufacturing variability.
with a 3-cell battery Battery Life: Based on preliminary lab testing.
Varies by configuration, operating conditions and other factors.
Maximum battery capacity decreases with time and use. Battery life of
9 hours and 34 minutes for the Mini 10 Mobility bundle is achieved
using Mobilemark2007 battery life testing benchmark with a system
configuration that includes 60WHr 6 cell battery, Windows 7 Starter
Operating system and 250GB Hard Drive.

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 is expected to be available in early January
from Dell and select configurations will be available in retail
outlets worldwide in the coming weeks. Prices start at $299.

Now, I doubt it'd have an HDMI port and be called the Zino HD if it didn't output HD video. It's a little bit taller than the Mac Mini, but not by much. Not too shabby at all.

The 14z and 15z seem a lot like Acer's Timeline series, actually. The 11z, as you can tell by the way it's designed, looks more like a follow-up to Dell's Inspiron Mini netbooks, on the other hand. Gotta love that super-wide trackpad on it.

Right now, you can order a Mini 9 from Dell using this direct link. Its $299 price comes at the cost of a laughable, 8GB hard drive—which technically works for OS X, but you may want to fork over $40 more for the 16GB upgrade all the same.

We have no idea how long Dell will continue offering the Mini 9—a marketing ploy that we're sure Dell just loves—but beggars can't be choosers.

So you win this round, Dell. Well-played. [Dell via Lilliputing via Engadget]

We understand that a built-in TV tuner and a six-cell battery are still somewhere, brewing, waiting to rear their heads. The up-res screen will run you an extra $35, which would be a wise investment to make. [Dell - thanks, Jeff!]

Yes, I do believe all cheap consumer electronics should signify their cheapness with tons of color, but you know, nice-looking color. Pay more, get less (color). It makes sense, right?

FASHION MEETS FUNCTION WITH NEW INSPIRON FAMILY, DELL MAKES IT EASY TO CUSTOMIZE LIFESTYLE AND DÉCOR

· People Have Complete Control of Power, Color and Size

· Fresh ID and vibrant colors express personal style and complement any environment

· Custom configurations to meet performance and budget

ROUND ROCK, Texas, March 30, 2009 – Style-minded families, students and teens want to personalize their PCs to meet their performance and lifestyle needs – blogging, chatting, sending photos or running a media center. Highly-stylized products, like Dell's new Inspiron slim and mini-tower desktops, deliver on design and customization, transforming the brand from the "built- for-me" model, into "made-for-me."

Dell's new Inspiron slim and mini-towers expand the design and personalization possibilities for consumers. Available in eight vibrant colors, Dell is the only major consumer desktop manufacturer to offer such extensive personalization options to reflect individuals' personal style or to complement their bedroom or study.

Inspiron slim and mini-tower desktops debut today in China and are available for purchase through Dell.com, distributor Digital China or retailers Suning and Gome. Starting at $299, the systems will be available worldwide later this spring.

The News:

· Dell's new Inspiron desktop lets people express themselves through choices of color (eight options), size (slim or mini-tower) and configuration.

· Vivid color palette to express your personal style: Piano Black, Pure White, True Blue, Formula Red, Tangerine Orange, Spring Green, Plum Purple and Promise Pink.

· Dell becomes the only major consumer desktop manufacturer to offer color options for the entire front of the machine.

· Customizable options to meet individual's budget, lifestyle and usage needs.

· Ideal for common tasks including email, Internet, blogging, entertainment (movies, music and casual gaming) and productivity.

· Features available on the new Inspiron desktops include:

o Intel® Celeron®, Intel Core™ 2 Duo and Intel Core 2 Quad options or AMD Sempron™, Athlon™ X2 and Phenom™ X4 processor options

o Integrated Intel or ATI Radeon™ graphics* on select systems with discrete graphics options available

o Up to 8GB* memory on select systems

o Up to 750GB* storage (slim tower) or up to 1TB* storage (mini-tower)

o Optional 19-in-1 media card reader and optional HDMI connectivity

o 6 USB ports (2 front, 4 back)

o Dual optical options (mini-tower only) including Blu-ray Disc™ drive

o Small form factor with its versatile horizontal or vertical placement is designed to easily fit into your home media center (slim tower only)

[Dell]

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.

Jkkmobile says that while review units had a 32Wh battery, consumer units have 24Wh batteries, which is why you'd be lucky to hit 3 hours of life vs. the four hours most reviewers got. We hit up Dell for a response, we'll let you know what they say. [jkkmobile]

But rather than focus on philosophy, I'll say that the Inspiron Mini 12 feels better than any netbook I've used to date...even if it cheated a bit in the process.

Design
The build of the Mini 12 is excellent. Even with the extended battery, it feels light and easy to toss around. But it's more than the weight that makes it so comfortable to carry. Its bottom has a sandpapery texture, which grips a hand with confidence.
You'll also notice that the side profile is tapered along the bottom edges. I don't know that it makes any difference in how the computer actually rests on a table, but it looks nice enough.
The Mini 12's keyboard is still not full-sized, but it's adequate to feel comfortable and satisfyingly clicky. Meanwhile, the trackpad does leave something to be desired. The texture is simply off to me, simultaneously smooth and bumpy, it almost feels like a skin rash. The right and left mouse buttons below tend to recess when pressed more than any laptop I've ever used. It's and off-putting sensation at first, but I grew to appreciate the mechanical feel.
As for the screen, it's a luxury to use. The experience is completely different than an 8.9-inch display that you find in most standard netbooks nowadays (including own Dell's Mini 9). There's decent color, solid contrast, and sharp 1280X800 resolution...but just moderate brightness. The max setting was just adequately bright, which considering the fact that LCDs fade with time, is something to keep in mind-especially if you like to fry your eyes like I do.

The biggest surprise of the testing had to be how cool the system ran. The bottom didn't heat my lap at all, feeling only lukewarm to the touch. I can only assume that the larger case mixed with a low wattage processor dissipates heat very well. However the engineering worked out, I'll take it.
But if there was one thing I would change, it would be the charging and power light. It sits on the hinge in a prominent position that you can see even when closed, but it's far too dim, and it's viewable from a very limited range of angles. Put it this way, for the first day I had the system, I thought Dell had omitted this light altogether.

Ultimately though, it's just a nice looking machine that feels great to put your hands on, a far cry from the humble original Eee and something you'll be proud to pull out at board meetings and pretentious coffee shops alike.

Function
So here's the rub: While I love the Dell design, the hardware/software combination has slowed the Mini 12 to barely usable levels. The model I tested was the $550 base system with a 1.33GHz Atom, 1GB of RAM and 40GB hard drive. That system should be alright for XP (though we'd love to see a 2GB RAM upgrade option), but it's just not enough to power Vista. And you can only buy the system with Vista. The system crawls with constant multi-second stalls, and effective multitasking is pretty much impossible. Sadly, there's not much more to say on the topic. Simple mental math tells us that this system shouldn't be running Vista as it skirts the minimum requirements of Home Basic, and our real world testing shows us the same thing. Of course, Vista alone doesn't mean you should pass over the Mini 12. Just expect to reinstall the OS with the purchase and come to terms with the fact that your paying licensing rights for an OS that you won't use.

Battery Life
I tested the battery life through MPEG4 video playback with the default processing settings and the screen at max brightness (max, to me, is the ideal viewing brightness).

Base 3-cell Battery - 1 hour, 20 minutes
Extended 6-cell battery - 4 hours, 2 minutes

At a glance, this 12-inch Dell system looks to about as power efficient as the 10-inch MSI Wind, though it loses about 20 minutes on the 3-cell battery (we're guessing through a combination of more computational rigorous testing methods and a larger screen). Keep in mind that if you expect to hang out around a plug, the AC adapter is quite light, lacking any big power brick to speak of.

Back to Square One
Without opening the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 box, I would have expected exactly what I encountered-a solidly built system that shouldn't be running Vista. But even loaded with XP, and even in the $600 configuration that we'd recommend (1.6GHz Atom, 60GB hard drive, 1GB RAM and 6-cell battery), the system still begs the question of value. A slightly smaller, equally powered MSI Wind will run you $350. And you can get a slightly bigger Core2Duo Dell laptop for $600 easy.

It's true. From a performance standpoint alone, there's almost no question that the Dell Mini 12 isn't "worth it." But if you don't want to squint at a screen yet you still want a system that breaks the 3-pound barrier, then it's hard not to be a little infatuated with the Mini 12. Just rip Vista off that thing as quickly as possible. [Dell]

Linux command line ninjas can check the size of their Inspiron Mini's partition by following a few simple steps. Open a terminal and enter the sudo fdisk -l command, and enter your password. You'll be greeted with the image above, as well an accurate size of your partition.

Dell, for its part, is shipping updated machines that fix this issue. Existing owners looking for a fix have a few options, says Liliputing:

If you have a USB DVD drive, you can use the system restore disc to reinstall Dell’s custom version of Ubuntu. It will reformat the entire drive.

Or you can attempt to resize your partitions. The easiest way to do this is probably to download and install Parted Magic to a USB flash drive and then boot from that drive. Run the gParted partition manager and you should see the 4GB partition that Ubuntu is installed on and 8 or 12GB of unused space. Just grab the edge of the 4GB partition and drag it resize the partition, save your changes and reboot.

Of course, these DIY fixes run the chance of erasing your OS, so maybe this is one of those customer support times. Unless you live and breathe Ubuntu. Then, by all means, hack away. [Ubuntu Mini via Liliputing]

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]

If you've got a Mini 9 you'd like to load OS X onto, hit up the link for, not quite step-by-step instructions, but probably enough to get the job done. [UneasySilence]

The move is part of a broader Dell initiative that will soon offer more movie preloads and eventually a whole Dell iTunes-like digital download store. But we can't help but to think it's a little strange all the same.

Then again, I, for one, would pay big bucks for an Iron Man co-branded antivirus software package. How great would it be to watch Iron Man beat the crap out of malicious files? Pew pew! Kapowee!! [Dell]

MEET YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND: DELL’S INSPIRON MINI 9

Ideal Internet Buddy For Surfing, Shopping and Chatting

·Light, Highly Mobile Device Built For Easy Online Browsing And Entertainment

·Box.net Web Storage Keeps Your Personal Files Safe And Enables Anytime Access and SharingROUND ROCK, Texas, Sept. 4, 2008 –Dell today officially unveiled the Inspiron Mini 9. This small, easy-to-carry device stands ready to connect teens, tweens, travelers and “Tweeters” to their online world be it surfing the Web, chatting with friends, blogging, streaming content, uploading photos or enjoying favorite online videos, music and games.

The Inspiron Mini is an affordable Internet companion that can be fine-tuned to fit users’ specific needs and deeds. It is available now on www.dell.com/mini in the U.S., Japan and select countries in Europe. Availability elsewhere will be handled on a country -by-country basis.

Solid Construction & Connections

With a starting weight of 2.28 lbs.[i], digital nomads will value the Inspiron Mini’s durable design, with sealed keyboard and reliable solid state drive (SSD) memory storage. A bright 8.9‑inch glossy LED display (1024x600) presents most web pages with no left-right scrolling, and the keypads are large and easy to navigate. Standard built-in Wi-Fi means quick and easy wireless internet access to hotspots in the home, on campus, in a local coffee shop, in the office or at a conference. The Inspiron Mini can be further customized with optional technology like:

· Built-in Webcam, bundled with Dell Video Chat, making it easy to stay in touch using video chat, recording and sending video emails, or even PC-to-PC phone calls around the world. DVC even supports four-way calling, making virtual family reunions a reality.

· Built-in Bluetooth® for easy wireless connections to Bluetooth-enabled accessories like a pair of stereo headphones, a mouse, a printer, etc.

Dell has teamed up with Box.net to offer exclusive web-based file storage, access and sharing to Inspiron Mini users, including a free Basic plan with 2GB of remote storage space, expandable to 25GB. Dell’s Inspiron Mini will include a direct link to a Dell-exclusive home page on Box.net (www.box.net/dell), providing users with an easy way to add incremental online storage space to easily manage their digital lives. Individuals can safely and securely upload files of any type to their Box, including photos, videos, music, documents and presentations, and then access those files from almost anywhere on any device.

Box.net’s world-class service requires no software to download. With its OpenBox platform, Box.net enables people to edit documents and photos directly from their web-browser and post media to their blog or social networks, further enhancing the mobility and user experience on the Inspiron Mini.

Individual & Intuitive, Simple & Stylish

Individuals can personalize their Inspiron Mini with choice of colors – Obsidian Black or Alpine White – and interaction experience – optional Windows® XP® or Ubuntu 8.04 with custom Dell interface (coming soon). For those looking for a more traditional and familiar experience, the Inspiron Mini with Windows XP Home is available immediately starting at $399.

Inspiron Mini devices featuring an intuitive Dell-developed custom interface are expected to be available in a few weeks with a starting price of $349. The custom home screen is designed to make it easy to find what people are looking for. Intuitive icons link directly to groups of similar applications, like games, Web and entertainment, and favorite web links for quick access. Plus, the home screen can be personalized, putting your favorites front and center.

This highly mobile and fun device can be carried anywhere in style thanks to a full line of custom “Designed for Dell” backpacks, messenger bags and convertible cases from merchants including Timbuk2. Blending high fashion and superior function, the coordinated bags and accessories incorporate subtle design elements and offer Inspiron Mini owners a unique way to express a personalized, integrated style. “Designed for Dell” products currently are available in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Finishing Touches

Dell provides a variety of service offerings and add-on options to help ensure devices are easy to use and maintain optimal performance, including:

· 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.

· DellConnect™ Remote Assistance:[ii] Dell experts help diagnose and solve PC problems via an Internet connection (available only on Windows-based systems)."

[Dell, Dell]

Inspiron: Simple, Yet Smart PCs for the Family

Dell also expanded its Inspiron family with the addition of the Inspiron 518 desktop and Inspiron 13 laptop. Both systems deliver solid performance and smart style at a great value.

The Inspiron 13 laptop is a great choice for back to school shoppers looking for a smaller, lighter, more efficient mobile PC. With a starting weight of just under 5 pounds, the Inspiron 13 combines a simple and clean design encased in glossy Pacific blue with black trim. Smart features include a 13-inch high definition display, capacitive touch media buttons, 8-in-1 media card reader and slot-load DVD drive. Optional features include built-in wireless networking, built-in webcam and Bluetooth connectivity. A special $699 configuration of the Inspiron 13 will be available at Wal-Mart in the U.S. starting Aug. 3. Fully configurable systems will be available on www.dell.com on a global basis later in the month.

The Inspiron 518 desktop features a gloss-black exterior with chrome accents. Families will appreciate the top media tray with two easy-access USB ports for quick MP3 player syncing and cell-phone charging. It provides performance to meet the most typical family PC activities, like faster networking connections with Gigabit Ethernet, DX10 integrated graphics for casual gaming, optional 500GB hard drive for storing digital images and music libraries, and optional quad core processors. The Inspiron 518 starts at $349, and is available immediately on www.dell.com.

Finishing Touches:

Dell offers a variety of service application and software programs that help ensure consumers’ PCs stay up and running and easy to use, including:

· Dell Support Center: Centrally located, easy-to-use application providing personalized support resources with quick links to service, support and system information resources www.dell.com/dellsupportcenter.

· PC TuneUp: An easy-to-set-up smart tool that helps manage regular maintenance of a consumer’s PC. Automatically finds and fixes issue that slow down system performance. Available for $39.95 at www.dell.com/pctuneup.

· Dell Dock: Automatically sorts pre-installed software into user friendly categories placing the most frequently used programs front & center.

· Dell Video Chat: A one-click easy to setup and use video and voice communication program that can be shared with friends and family, www.sightspeed.com/dellvideochat.

[Dell]