Officially announced today, the laptop formerly known as the Dell E and the Inspiron 910 is Dell's first foray into the UMPC market. Going head to head with the Asus Eee PC and MSI Wind it sports a 'glossy' 8.9in LED screen and weighs in at a mite over 1kg. Read on for more.
Dell's confirmed that it'll be available in two flavours: Windows XP at first and then, arriving a few weeks later, Ubuntu 8.04 (cue load cheers from Linux fans).
The screen is 1024x600 but other specs are more woolly. Dell's press release states it will have SSD (no creaky hard drives here) along with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a webcam but there's no mention of processor, RAM or SSD size.
Launch price will be £299 for the XP version available immediately. The Ubuntu model will cost £269 when it goes on sale next month.
UPDATE: Having gone through the Dell ordering system the missing (and non-customisable) specs are:
MEET YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND: DELL'S INSPIRON MINI 9
Light, Highly-Mobile Device Built for Easy Online Browsing and Entertainment
BRACKNELL, UK, 4th September, 2008 –DellTM today officially unveiled the InspironTM Mini 9. This small, easy-to-carry device stands ready to connect teens, tweens, travellers and social networkers to their online world be it surfing the Web, chatting with friends, blogging, streaming content, uploading photos or enjoying their favourite online videos and music..
Available in UK, Ireland, France, Germany and Austria immediately via regional www.dell.com online stores, and in Spain and Italy starting in October, the Inspiron Mini 9 is an affordable Internet companion that can be fine-tuned to fit users' specific needs and deeds.
Solid Construction & Connections
With a starting weight of 1.035kg[1], digital nomads will value the Inspiron Mini 9's durable design, with sealed keyboard and reliable solid state disc (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 in the home, on campus, in a local coffee shop, in the office or at a conference. The Inspiron Mini can be further customised 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(R) for easy wireless connections to Bluetooth-enabled accessories like a pair of stereo headphones, a mouse, a printer, etc.
Individual & Intuitive, Simple & Stylish
Individuals will appreciate the sleek and slim design of the Inspiron Mini 9 which comes with a piano black finish and available with Microsoft(R) Windows XP Home Operating System, available immediately starting at £299 including VAT and delivery.
Inspiron Mini devices featuring Ubuntu 8.04 and an intuitive Dell-developed custom interface are expected to be available in a few weeks with a starting price of £269 including VAT and delivery. 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 favourite web links for quick access. Plus, the home screen can be personalised, putting your favourites front and centre.
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.
· DellConnectTM Remote Assistance:2 Dell experts help diagnose and solve PC problems via an Internet connection (available only on Windows-based systems).
