While Dell have proved very popular among the netbook world and bringing a high level of customizations to netbooks, it seems CEO Michael Dell doesn’t actually like the portable devices. He claims that users aren’t very happy with them. He also said that it may be cute and light but, after a day or two, users will want to revert back to a regular 15 inch netbook. He describes netbooks as being good for specific markets, such as schools.
Dell have released several different netbook models, with the Dell Mini 9 proving the most popular, especially amongst hackers and modders. Liliputing comment that it’s “kind of funny” considering that while Michael Dell isn’t impressed with netbooks, the company is creating innovative and top class designs to their netbooks.
A member of the MyDellMini forums has modded a Dell Mini 9 and turned it into a Tablet PC. Rob928 took the netbook, stripped the lid off and trimmed the hinges among other things. He used a “Honda Fun and Easy” solderless touchscreen kit to create the tablet. One issue that was found with the mod, is that due to the design of it, it can get a little hot. It loses it’s heat through the keyboard but because the screen is basically upside down, the heat isn’t ventilated. If that wasn’t enough, he also added Windows 7 to the device, which is described as better for a touch screen device anyway. You can view photos of the various stages through Rob’s Picasa account.
My Digital Discount are offering up an 8 cell battery giving up to 10 hours of battery life for the Dell Mini 9 and Vostro A90. As standard, the Dell Mini 9 features a 4 cell battery, so this battery from My Digital Discount should give you up to twice as much battery life. One thing the company has noted on the battery, is that the BIOS needs to be A04 or earlier, other wise there may be problems recognising or charging the battery. However if that isn’t a problem for you and your BIOS is an earlier version, the great news is the extended life 8 cell battery will only set you back $65.
Well, it looks like Dell is having a hard time disposing its remaining stocks of the supposedly-phased-out-now Mini 9 netbook. The last time we heard, Dell was offering it last month but only for four days. But apparently sales must have been to slow as the Mini 9 shows up on Dell’s online store again.
Just in time for the start of the classes in the U.S., you may want to score your kid one of this 8.9-inch netbook from Dell which is currently selling for $299. And for that price you still get the standard Dell Mini 9 specs Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1GB RAM, 8GB or 16GB SSD, Wi-Fi, and the rest of the Mini 9 specs.
If you’re really serious about getting the Dell Mini 9, this is perhaps your last chance, so you better check Dell’s online store now.
SSD producers, Active Media, have a range of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB SSDs that fit many netbook models. The company have created a video guides on how users can upgrade their SSD. The company has focused on showing how to do the procedure on the Asus Eee PC 901 and the Dell Inspirion Mini 9.
In the videos, the company shows how to open the netbooks to get to the SSD card and replace it. Unfortunately, instructions aren’t included for how to backup your data on to the new SSD and so you may need to re-install the OS along with backing up your files before hand and then moving them onto the new SSD. Read the rest of this entry »
If security is one of your top priorities, this fingerprint scanner hack, could be for you. If you can’t afford, or don’t want to buy another netbook but, want your files more secure than password protected, or encrypted and own the Dell Mini 9, you can add a fingerprint scanner to it yourself. This is exactly what MyDellMini forum member, Rich2871 did.
He took a USB fingerprint scanner and connected it to an internal USB adapter. While he was in there, he added 4 other internal USB ports as well as a 64GB SSD. After that, he carved a piece of plastic out on the case to make room for the fingerprint scanner.
The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 can now be purchased in two new configurations. The new options allows buyers to order a Mini 9 running Ubuntu with 2GB of RAM or with a 64GB SSD installed.
The cost of the new 2GB option will be an extra $75 on the regular price of a Mini 9 and the 64GB SSD configuration will set you back an extra $150. The pricing seems a little high and as Portable Monkey point out, if you are able to do the job yourself, its possible to add the extra RAM for less than $75.
There are restrictions on the Windows XP versions of the netbook that mean it isn’t possible for Dell to sell a unit with any more than 1GB RAM installed and no higher than a 16GB SSD or 160GB HDD installed either hence, no extra goodies for the Windows versions of the Mini 9.
Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9 was released in Europe with 3G capabilities, with some network providers having a deal on their tariffs and the netbook. When the Mini 9 was released in the US it was missing the 3G module as it was deemed “too expensive“. Today Dell have announced that the netbook can now be ordered with the 3G module.
Michael Dell,CEO, last week confirmed that they were signing more wireless providers up as partners for it’s new netbooks. At the time, no date was given, but it is now possible to pick up the netbook with an embedded WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) for $125 more. WWAN will only be available on Windows XP models of the Inspiron Mini 9.
AT&T have already got on board and are offering a $120 rebate if you sign up for a two year contract with them.
The Vostro A90 is a re branded Dell Mini 9 which is available in black. Previously no release date or price was announced, but the Vostro A90 has now been released in the UK. It’s available on the Dell website from £235, which is approximately $349.
This makes it cheaper than the Dell Mini 9, which retails for £269. However when the Vostro became available in Japan, the price was significantly higher at a price of about $998. The Dell Vostro is also available in Germany for 329 Euros. There’s no word yet on whether the netbook will reach North America.
Deldotb has got a touch screen to work on his Dell Mini 9. One of the USB hubs is used for this hack as he couldnt find which extra points on the motherboard to use. He hopes that when he posts the directions to install this hack that someone will be able to develop the hack more.
[i]udev[/] also needs to be restarted from a shell after starting Ubuntu which may be due to a driver needing to be installed. Apart from these two problems, Deldotb purchased a touch screen from eBay, which works well.
Deldotb intends to post the installation directions up in the next day or two. You can view the video of the Dell touch screen 9 in action below.
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