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Dell Begins Selling Inspiron Mini 9
mocoloco writes "A week after the rumored date, Dell has begun selling their entry into the netbook/subnotebook/UMPC market, the Inspiron Mini 9. The base system for $349 includes Ubuntu 8.04 "with custom Dell interface", 512MB RAM, and a 4GB SSD. There are options with XP, one that includes an 8GB drive and a $40 instant savings, another with a 16GB drive and 1GB RAM that has a $55 instant savings. Curiously the Ubuntu systems are a pre-order at this point, to be shipped within 15 days. Also, no Red option yet."
There are options with XP, one that includes an 8GB drive and a $40 instant savings, another with a 16GB drive and 1GB RAM that has a $55 instant savings. Curiously the Ubuntu systems...
Aren't eligible for "instant savings."
Instant Savings= money we pass on to you for loading bloatware?
One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
The discounts on the two windows based versions equal out the cost of configuring the Linux version exactly the same. The resolution of the screen is 1024x600 making it slightly better than some competitors.
> SSD is cool and all, but a 80GB disk would be cheaper
And be larger, heavier and draw more power. You are missing the point of a SMALL laptop.
Democrat delenda est
> Surprising though it may be, outside of technically aware circles, there are many
> computer owners who don't even know Linux exists.
Outside of technical circles most people only know Windows exists from the PC vs Mac commercials. Try an eeepc and you will know understand that if properly preloaded the average person can use Linux just fine, especially on these new small machines where running 3D shooters isn't going to be an option anyway.
> I'd buy the Windows version, put the backup media aside, then install Linux...
Thats you. Me, I am typing on this Thinkpad that we wasted money on an XP Pro license for that MIGHT have accumulated twenty hours of use in four years, because we didn't have a choice. Then I probably blew more than a man day on getting Linux up and fully twiddled. Gimme a preload anyday and keep yer stinkin Windows sticker. Now if Dell would sell one preloaded with XP AND toss in a Linux recovery disc I'd think about it. Somehow I suspect Microsoft won't be subsidizing that option though.
Democrat delenda est
Good point. I probably wouldn't have thought of that even. It's just another reason why having mandatory second languages hurts companies and the consumer.
and the consumer.
[citation needed]
DRM: Terminator crops for your mind!
Or they could just leave them blank and image it after the order is place. There by removing the need to reimage and making neither more expensive to install from the technical side. Sorry I just think $120 to reimage a system in production with the default choice is absolute bull and you are stretching it. I think the reality is simply the crapware and the cheap licenses that Microsoft provides are better reasons for the price differential.
What about bilingual English/Klingon? Should be a fair number of them.
I drank what? -- Socrates
The Windows OEM EULA leaves the refund/return policy up to the manufacturer. While some manufacturers have paid out to placate angry customers, they're not required to give refunds. Since Dell actually supports Linux on this laptop, they'd probably just ship you a Linux restore CD to wipe away Windows. (At cost to you, of course.)
And yet they'll release to France next, right?
That's what they did for ubuntu systems, at least. =/
There are enormous economies of scale in the Windows marketplace
I understand, but are you telling me that Dell's cost to install Linux on a hard drive exceeds $20 + the cost of the Windows license? Dell is legendary for cutting costs - I doubt that the load costs them anything significant... hell, they may even dump the responsibility on a vendor.
I think it is much more likely that all the income from the crapware on a Windows install more than makes up for the cost of the Windows license.
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
Not having access to the same things as the rest of the world (or at least the US) isn't enough of a citation for consumers being harmed? Are you that stupid naturally, or does it take work?
My blog. Good stuff (when I remember to update it). Read it.
I'd love to buy the new Acer Aspire One model 1447, but where in hell do I actually get one? It's been "released" now by Acer for over two weeks, and I can't find a single retailer anywhere with one to sell. (I started with Acer's own "where to buy" list.) It's just ridiculous; don't announce, then release, products that people can't actually buy.
Comment of the year
How does a reference to "Strange Brew" get marked insightful?
A computer is a computer. Just because people who buy Dell's get the shittiest computer they can buy for $399 with an AMD Turion and 512mb of RAM running Vista Home Basic with a 1 year limited warranty with tech support in India makes DELL the bad guys? no, it makes people cheap bastards. spend a little more money, get a decent machine with a good warranty and ProSupport and you will be 100% satisified with Dell.
*plays the Apogee theme song music*
Big disclaimer: French is (or was) my first language. I live 100% in English, 'cept when I visit long-time friends or family.
As an ex-Quebecer, I have absolutely no pity for unilingual French speakers. English is the de facto language of business and of the world. Chinese people speak English. Indian people speak English. Dutch people speak English. Hell, Chinese people IN QUEBEC speak French and English. So why the hell do less than half of all Quebecers speak any English ? I'll be quite frank: if they're too dumb to learn English, they're too dumb for me to give a damn. I make one very narrow exception, and that's for people who didn't have English classes in school at the time - that was a while ago!
Now don't get me wrong, I think French is a lovely, expressive, intelligent language, and I would never want it to vanish. Even our cussing is artful and rich! But less than two percent of the whole world speaks French, and the great majority of them live in France, about 90% of all French speakers, to be exact. There are roughly twice as many French speakers in France as there are Canadians in Canada! So really, why does our so-called Government force every single business to do backflips for this tiny demographic sliver of society ?
I don't know of any other non-religious nation that is so anal about language. Do English people in Japan whine to the government about not being about to read anything on the goddamned menus ? No.
-Billco, Fnarg.com
> a day twiddling? My x41 ran perfectly with ubuntu no twiddling involved.
Did ubuntu even exist four years ago? Yes some things are easier to get going out of the box now, but there is still value in a preload image. With a preload you expect EVERYTHING to just work the first time and can pik up the phone if it doesn't.
Democrat delenda est
I'd call that stupid for you, for not having done your research in advance.
Please explain, how is it worse for you to have a product available in a language that you do not speak than it is to not have that product available at all?
If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
Do English people in Japan whine to the government about not being about to read anything on the goddamned menus?
No, but the government of Japan also never signed any treaties with those Anglophones' ancestors promising that their great-grandkids would be allowed to do business in their own language.
I find the backflips just as inconvenient as you do, at times. But these backflips were part of the deal offered in order for Quebec to join the nation in the first place. To renege on it now would be to cancel that deal and ask les Quebecois anew if they want to be part of Canada.
DRM: Terminator crops for your mind!
OK, I am now confused, the top windows XP one configured with the same hardware is only US$479 So the more expensive OS is obviously being given away for free? How many are jsut going to therefore get the windows only one, blow it away and install ubuntu anyway. Dell say, "well we offered linux and noone bought it", and MS will say, "look, people are happy buying XP based netbooks!" Urgh!!
The only place where I could see significant increased costs for Dell is "support". It is entirely possible that the people who buy Linux call in with more questions - or are more likely to return the unit.
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.