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."

Comments

Not in Canada

[VEGETA_GT]

Like normal its not on the Canadian site. Usually launches in the Us of product is on the same day in Canada but Dell dose not give us Canadians as many options for pc/laptops as they do to the US. HP also has a limited website for product configuration/product compared to the US. Considering how closely tied we are and how most company release Canada/us same time this would be in Canada to.

Re:Not in Canada

[Anonymous Coward]

You should learn to proofread. You're giving us Canadians a bad name, therefore Dell won't sell their new products to us.

Re:Not in Canada

[morgan_greywolf]

Munitions export laws. You guys are poised to attack us. Look, you've even amassed all your population along our border. And you don't even pronounce the letter 'o' correctly in 'about'. And don't even get me started on about the beer....

Re:Not in Canada

[Imagix]

If we started you on the beer, you'd be so drunk so fast....

Re:Not in Canada

[KillerBob]

Like normal its not on the Canadian site. Usually launches in the Us of product is on the same day in Canada but Dell dose not give us Canadians as many options for pc/laptops as they do to the US. HP also has a limited website for product configuration/product compared to the US. Considering how closely tied we are and how most company release Canada/us same time this would be in Canada to.

Historically, the reason that Dell hasn't released products in Canada at the same time as the US is because they need to sell it in French as well as English. That means they have to translate the manuals, and that they need to provide French-language technical support. Doing otherwise would open themselves to a lawsuit for discrimination. They don't have French tech. support for *any* of their Linux offerings, which is what explains this one. That's what prevented the Insprion N-series Linux-based systems, as well as the XPS One from being released in Canada.

Re:Not in Canada

[wattrlz]

Yes, it's weapons-grade beer. You've also stocked up most of this continent's oil too... hmmm.

Re:Not in Canada

[spazdor]

and the consumer.
[citation needed]

Re:Not in Canada

[vux984]

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.

Lots of companies dealing in Canada don't have french support. Even many Canadian companies don't. Head over to to the West Coast (French is primarily spoken in Quebec eastwards, and dwindles the farther west you go.) By the time you reach Vancouver the odds of a small business having any one that speaks french above a pre-school level is pretty low.

Sure their products still have bilingual labels and instruction booklets and they'll happily ship them to Quebec, but that's about the extent of it, and its not expensive to have a translator write those for you. Point is, lots of Canadian websites and companies are english only.

Dell does have to provide french language manuals and labelling with their products which is a minor burden, but they do not have to provide french language support.

They offer french support not for regulatory reasons, but for competitive reasons, to appeal to french speaking Canadian, and also to make them eligible to sell to large Canadian enterprises and government entities that require bilingual support for practical reasons -- they want to buy computers from a company that provides support in the same languages that their employees speak.

Because Dell chooses to offer support in French, its in the interest of customer support simplicity to offer it consistently across all their products, not just some of them.

Re:Not in Canada

[catxk]

Last time I was in India, I only met one guy who spoke French. So if it's a sad point, then I guess cost minimizing schemes are sad by default. (Incidentally, this one guy had studied French only to increase his competence at the call center where he worked. But as I said, he was the only one.)

Re:Not in Canada

[Gilmoure]

What about bilingual English/Klingon? Should be a fair number of them.

Re:Not in Canada

[Jorophose]

And yet they'll release to France next, right?

That's what they did for ubuntu systems, at least. =/

Re:Not in Canada

[PitaBred]

Yeah. OK, well, uh, we found, uh, this mouse in a bottle of YOUR BEER, eh. Like, we was at a party and, uh, a friend of ours - a COP - had some, and HE PUKED. And he said, uh, come here and get free beer or, uh, he'll press charges

Re:Not in Canada

[PitaBred]

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?

Re:Not in Canada

[ColdWetDog]

French support for Dell shouldn't be much of an issue:

"reboot your PC" - "rechargez votre PC"

"reinstall the operating system" - "réinstallez le du système d'exploitation"

I've got most of the work already done!

Re:Not in Canada

[dylan_-]

And, just because I know it'll come up: UK VAT is 17.5%. (528/100)*82.5=$435.60 so pre-tax we're paying just under $100 premium for absolutely nothing.

That's not how you actually calculate the price before VAT.

Think of the pre-tax price as 100% and then you add 17.5% to get 117.5% for price+VAT.

Another way of thinking of this is that you multiply your 100% by 1.175 to get 117.5%.

i.e. price_before_vat * 1.175 = price_including_vat

So, price_including_vat / 1.175 = price_before_vat

Therefore $528/1.175 = $449* is the correct pre-tax figure.

*(I'm sure the exchange rate isn't accurate enough for cents!)

Re:Not in Canada

[mollymoo]

I agree, shocking Canadian grammar - not a single "eh" to be seen.

Re:Not in Canada

[bsDaemon]

How does a reference to "Strange Brew" get marked insightful?

Re:Not in Canada

[billcopc]

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.

Re:Not in Canada

[Free the Cowards]

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?

Re:Not in Canada

[bi_boy]

If we started you on the beer, you'd be so drunk so fast....

"You know Canadian beer is like moonshine."
"Hell yes!"

Re:Not in Canada

[spazdor]

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.

Re:Not in Canada

[Virtual_Raider]

Many computer terms tend to be cut and pasted from English into foreign languages, especially if the word is exclusive to computing/technology developed. Something like 'Laptop' would have a foreign equivalent since it's a word made from existing words but something like 'Modem' and all the acronyms we know and love probably won't be any different.

Which only goes to show that common sense, logic and knowledge are not the same thing. The French are ferociously territorial with their language and the make up francophone terminology for everything they can. I guess it stems from the days that French was the Lingua Franca of the the world. Spanish speaking countries for instance are perfectly happy to say "software" (although there is a little-known native word coined, programalógica, everybody I've ever known that's heard it hates its guts). But the French word is 'logicielle'. There are heaps of other examples. So, no, it doesn't apply to French.

The value of Windows

[jmorris42]

I just love it! Go price out the same specs with Linux or Windows. The Windows machines are cheaper! Gotta love this, Linux is now more valuable than Windows!

Yes I know what is actually happening, Dell is keeping Microsoft happy. But lets all spin this as Windows is now the option nobody wants and see what happens. :)

Re:The value of Windows

[MightyYar]

No kidding! Go fully-loaded with Linux and it costs $20 more! LOL. MS must be practically giving them XP.

Re:The value of Windows

[Corrado]

Yea, well couldn't you get the Windows one, refuse the EULA, and get $100 back? That sounds like the way to go to me. :)

Re:The value of Windows

[jbeaupre]

They are just charging extra for access to all the Ubuntu program repositories. That's not free, you know. That's a valuable service not provided by MS so Dell needs to charge more to pay for it.

Re:The value of Windows

[thermian]

lets all spin this as Windows is now the option nobody wants and see what happens. :)

Nobody wants? Lots of people want Windows. Surprising though it may be, outside of technically aware circles, there are many computer owners who don't even know Linux exists. Then even if they find out, how many shops sell Linux software on their shelves? Again, there are still lots of people who like to buy their goods in high street stores.

I'd buy the Windows version, put the backup media aside, then install Linux, in full knowledge that if I decide to I can change to Windows with ease.

I wouldn't want a machine without an option to install Windows on it if I want to, and that means getting the licence when I buy the machine.

But then I must be a freak, because I like Linux and Windows XP. Ok, not Vista, I'm a freak, but I'm not crazy.

Re:The value of Windows

[Taxman415a]

Not sure how you got that. If you take the linux option and add the same 8GB larger "hard drive" then it is slightly cheaper than the second option that has Windows with the same specs. If you add the 16gb drive and 1GB memory to it, then it is the same price as the third option that has windows and the same specs.

Funny that the build your own doesn't allow you to select the OS. It would feel so good to select one of the Windows configurations and be able upgrade to Ubuntu. But with any luck once Ubuntu isn't a pre-order, you'll be able to.

Re:The value of Windows

[jellomizer]

It is more of a fact that they need to alter the production line and put a different OS on the system. Thus costing more as it is an exception to the process. When you are mass producing things every step of customization costs more. Having Linux or Windows option means most likely the drives default come with windows on them and then there is an extra step to reimage it with Linux. This doesn't have anything to do with Linux being better or worse then Windows, or even the cost of the licenses that dell needs to pay for it is about costs of mass production. Say each Windows License costs Dell $100.00, it is quite possible the extra step in production is costing dell $120 for an exception of a Linux image (Labor Costs+Benefits, QA, support, inventory....) It all adds up.

Re:The value of Windows

[jmorris42]

> 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.

Re:The value of Windows

[Shados]

They are. Having dealt with some OEM contracts, XP can end up as low as 5$ per license. Then add what companies pay Dell to install crapware, and you end up with negative cost (until people start developing crapware for Linux anyway)

Re:The value of Windows

[mocoloco]

This irks me, if you go to the "design" tab and hit "Meet the Mini" it says "Look for Ubuntu Linux 8.04 with custom Dell interface when customizing your Inspiron Mini 9, or upgrade to Genuine Microsoft Windows XP."

So XP is considered an Upgrade? Aaarrgh!

Re:The value of Windows

[LWATCDR]

Yea people don't seem to realize that the crapletts are a source of cash. Dell probably makes a good $30 more installing Windows than Linux.
I wouldn't mind paying for Windows version if only I could use that copy of XP on a different machine.

Re:The value of Windows

[drakethegreat]

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.

Re:The value of Windows

[Fred Ferrigno]

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.)

Re:The value of Windows

[MightyYar]

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.

Re:The value of Windows

[Whatanut]

Speaking as one that actually maintains our workstation image which covers a very large number of hardware configurations... I can say that it doesn't have to be a different image for every hardware configuration possible. It just has to have the right drivers for the hardware that's there. There are actually very few factors which dictate the real necessity for a separate image. Mainly multi-core vs. single core. Other than that. A single image is fair game.

Of course.. saying that. I will also say that Dell probably isn't dumb enough to use my system. It's a frickin' pain to keep the image updated for all that hardware. But I'd rather maintain one image (actually 12 internationally due to some random customizations for language and form factor) than 500.

Re:The value of Windows

[amohat]

People still buy software that's in a box that's on a shelf?

Not for long. Software is going wireless, or at least that's the future of people's expectations. Like the App Store.

And of course the Linux community should be ready the take the lead here, as that's the beauty of it. Don't we hop online to shop repositories? We been doing that

And most folks just want technology to work for them. There is zero loyalty. There is incredible inertia. First to convince people to trust their product wins. (extra points for maintaining it!)

Whatever, I can't wait to see how it all shakes out! Seriously...this sucks, more action, please...

Re:The value of Windows

[noidentity]

I just love it! Go price out the same specs with Linux or Windows. The Windows machines are cheaper! Gotta love this, Linux is now more valuable than Windows!

If you calculate in Windows' negative value, it makes sense. It would be like buying a new car that had soda spilled all over the seat, discounted because you'd have to clean the crap out before you can use it.

Re:The value of Windows

[noidentity]

"Look for Ubuntu Linux 8.04 with custom Dell interface when customizing your Inspiron Mini 9, or upgrade to Genuine Microsoft Windows XP."

So XP is considered an Upgrade? Aaarrgh!

They probably copy-and-pasted that from the blurb for machines that come with Vista pre-installed. Simple mistake.

Re:The value of Windows

[jmorris42]

> 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.

Re:The value of Windows

[MightyYar]

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.

Curiously

[Thelasko]

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?

Re:Needs an HD option

[jmorris42]

> 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.

HTPC Capable

[hlopez]

I saw on the specs that it has a vga port. Could these computer serve to dish out divx and hi-def video from a wireless server? Is the chip-set capable of tv out with a vga2svido adapter o connected straight to a vga port on the tv?

Re:Discounts make the Windows=Linux in cost

[Thelasko]

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.

I don't know how you configured yours, but if you specify everything:
1GB DDR2 at 533MHz
16GB Solid State Drive
Built-in Bluetooth 2.1 capability
Integrated 1.3M Pixel Webcam

Windows=$479
Ubuntu=$494

"With Custom Dell Interface"

[bcolflesh]

Cue ominous music...

Re:Linux + Bigger HDD?

[nicolas.kassis]

You can upgrade everything on the linux option. Just select and configure.

Re:Needs an HD option

[jrothwell97]

And it would make it less durable. SSDs are very drop-friendly. (My own SSD-powered Eee 701 has survived many, many drops.)

Re:Custom Dell Interface?

[mocoloco]

I would guess it's a further customized version of Ubuntu netbook remix, which does use Gnome underneath everything.

$99!

[Thelasko]

If you can wait until 6 a.m. Central tomorrow, Sept. 5, youâ(TM)ll be able to get a Mini for only $99 with the purchase of a Studio 15, XPS M1530 or XPS M1330 laptop through 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 (U.S. only).

yourblog found via endgadget.

Available in the UK

[Dan100]

It's on dell.co.uk. Only one model listed, the XP SP3 1 Gb ram 16 Gb SSD version, for £299 ($530 equivalent).

Most higher-end EEEs come with Linux...

[SanityInAnarchy]

...whereas the higher-end Minis come with XP.

Review with video (Linux version)...

[feranick]

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/dell-inspiron-mini-9-linux.aspx

Shipping Date - GRRRRR

[superid]

I just ordered mine a few minutes ago and got my order confirmation. The anticipated shipping date is October 10Th !!!!!

If you plan on running Linux and use Flash...

[RemusX2]

I would recommend going with the middle option. With Linux flash support just passing at best, the lowest model just hits the minimum requirements as specified by Adobe. http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/productinfo/systemreqs/ The middle setup with the 1GB of RAM would make this a lot smoother.

Cheaper Widescreens Yet?

[Doc Ruby]

I bought a Dell Inspiron 8000 in 2001. For $2200, it came with a 15" 1600x1200 screen, the first one in an under $5000 notebook. I knew I was buying a PC that would stay "current" for quite a while (despite its P3/1GHz and slowish CD-R). But if I want to jump to the next higher resolution now, 1920x1200 (1080p), I've still got to spend well over $2500.

After the past 7 years, in which notebooks, TVs, projectors, phones, iPods and everywhere else I look have made substantial LCDs a huge mass market, why aren't these things cheap yet?

I don't really need a palmtop PC to take everywhere. I'd rather keep my phone with me all the time, and use it as a remote and mic/earphone when I'm near a PC (maybe booting the PC off my own secured Desktop stored on the phone). If P4/2GHz/1GB/GPU notebooks with 1080p (1920x1200) screens 15" or bigger were $500 each, I'd buy a bunch of them to leave in my usual haunts, instead of schlepping them around.

How long must I wait?

Re:I rather have an eee

[Zymergy]

The Eee PC 1000H is a great system. I say GO GET ONE! If the Dell is better than the Eee 1000H, I have yet to read about it...

I get about 7-8 hours of *actual* battery life with my 1000H in the field with the optional Asus AL24-1000 8800mAh battery for Eee PC 1000H (yes, I ebayed it straight from Taiwan/China). NOTE: The 1000H comes default with the Asus 6600mAh AL23-901 battery (about 5-6 hours *actual* runtime).
I yanked the OEM 1GB SODIMM and replaced it with a PC-5300 2GB Corsair Value Ram SODIMM. (After updating to the latest Asus 1000H BIOS, it detects the full 2GB SODIMM, whereas before the BIOS update it only detected as 1GB, but still worked fine at 1GB...) It appears the Atom chipset memory limit at 1GB is artificially crippled initially.
Also yanked the OEM Wi-Fi card and installed a much better Intel 4965AGN Wi-Fi card.
I am about to replace the OEM Seagate 5,400RPM SATA 80GB HDD with a 64GB SATA SSD, but the run times named above were with the factory HDD and the Asus WinXP performance profiles set to "Auto". (Note that the Asus Eee 1000H has an 80 GB HDD with two 32GB partitions, the OS is ont he first one and the second one is not used. (but present as a D drive. Ans yes, you can install any notebook SATA drive, including the 320GB Seagate model, according to my buddy). Not sure why the 32GB WinXP partition, but it can be modified by pulling the drive and using Partition Magic (or whatever) to delete the other partition and change the size of the primary 32GB partition to fill the drive...

As I understand it, Microsoft has deliberately restricted the systems that can be licensed with OEM WinXP by mandating that devices having screens smaller than something like 10" or 11", and no more than 1GB of RAM, a HDD no larger than 80GB, and a processor slower than 1.8GHz. (Someone feel free to correct me on the exact WinXP OEM Netbook licensing hardware restrictions, but I have read about there somewhere recently...)
It is probable that the *nix versions of Dell's teeny PC can have larger/better hardware installed because *nix does not cripple the Atom-based PC's hardware restrictions.
The REAL QUESTION is, will Dell do what Asus did and allow their BIOS to allow 2GB of RAM and different NICs and BT modules and HDD. (But I rather doubt that Dell will release a 8800mAh battery for their Atom-based Netbook... I would like to publicly state to Microsoft that, "I think that a hardware *restriction* policy for OEM Netbook WinXP is just a bunch of CRAP!" Maybe Linux will eat their lunch because of it... Too bad I have to have windows for my work software...

$99 with another Dell machine

[Sockatume]

US only, alas, but they're practically giving them away if you order them at the same time as another Dell computer apparently. Pretty damn attractive, IMO.

Look at the keyboard before you buy!

[TheGreatGraySkwid]

I was actually considering one of these until I took a close look at the keyboard.

They moved the quote key.

Look at it! The '/" key has been relocated from right next to your pinky to somewhere weird! How the fuck am I supposed to touch type with that monstrosity? WTF!

Anyway, buyer beware.

Re:Look at the keyboard before you buy!

[sammyF70]

If you want something in that class with a decent keyboard, check out the Acer Aspire One.
Bought one for 329 euros a few days ago, and its keyboard is really good (I can type blind with it .. that's how good it is).
Only stupid design decision is to put the page up/page down keys directly above the cursor keys.

Apart from the Linpus distro which is a bit touchy when it gets to updating some libs, I don't regret the buy

Re:Look at the keyboard before you buy!

[Blakey Rat]

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.

Re:Look at the keyboard before you buy!

[sammyF70]

yep. Something similar crossed my mind when I read about it at the shop.

Thankfully, it's not as bad as its name. It's based on Fedora8, and uses a slightly modified xfce desktop. My biggest complaint with it is that stuff stops working if you install the wrong things from the fedora repos, but that might just be the Acer part of the pus.

Re:I rather have an eee

[Anonymous Coward]

I think you're mistaken abut the 1GB memory and the BIOS update. To expedite boot-up, the eee skips alot of the hardware checks that precede the OS initialization. You can restore them in the BIOS setup.

My 2GB stick wasn't recognized as more than 1GB until I entered BIOS setup for the first time. I think that was the first opportunity the system got to say "Oh, look, new RAM."

I assume that flashing the BIOS also forces a hardware check on restart, which would explain why it suddenly started working for you.

With 4, 8 and 16 GB of RAM...

[davidsyes]

It seems that mini-laptops such as these almost REQUIRE the user to carry extra/external storage media/um. If one is to put Mandriva or PCLinuxOS, or SUSE or Fedora, etc, on it, say, and add even just 1/2 of the available popular mag-distributed DVDs, one would be short on space in a short period of time after adding personal /home/user/user's-files.

Another thing: I am soooo sick and tired of those kiss-ass computer makers running adverts such as "[Dell/Toshiba/Fujitsu/Sony/HP/et al] recommends microsoft (operating system) (for all your computing needs)", as IF there is no Linux/FreeBSD/BSD available. IF windows WERE all there was, then there'd be no NEED for ms to payola these guys to even say such slogans/subliminal types of messages.

It would be nice if some of the US advertising laws would have to follow some European laws where product placement cannot disparage or misrepresent other competing products. Even better, it would be nice if some products (such as operating systems) were required to list at least 4 (or some number of) competitors or near-competitors. This way, mshaft would not keep getting the near-free ride they get.

If those adverts said, "microsoft recommends vindoze wista instead of (Ubuntu/Mandriva/PCLOS/Red Hat/SUSE/Fedora/et al) for all your computing needs (such as surfing wired or wirelessly, burning CDs/DVDs/watching DVDs, creating web sites, writing programs, composing music, managing servers, doing some CAD, hosting content, learning to type, studying astronomy, and a few dozen other things that ALL of these OS' can do equally as well as or better than our own wista).... See you sales person for a demo/floor comparison!", why, then Linux/Open Source would probably finally get some improved/increased professional polish, Linux-specific vendor drivers, more press, and increased loosening of ms' illegally-obtained near-death-grip control of the market.

Now, if only Linux land comes up with a true end-user WYSIWYG database/front end like Lotus Approach. If only i could legally get my hands on win XP pro to replace vista (the piece of crap it is, using 1.5 GB RAM and nothing to show for it relative to XP -- and to Linux as regards graphics bells and whistles), which is crippling two of my Lotus SmartSuite apps....yeh, IBM might have released patches, but STILL....

Finally, what'll REALLY be awesome for mini-/mid-full-size laptops/portables will be unpluggable/swappable video chip modules so that users can get more out of their graphics-related task software. Not necessarily to increase time between hardware upgrades, but to give more flexibility for situations when weaker video options limit us. For example, it would be nice to not have to buy external bulky video splitters. My backpack already is at 35 lbs, what with my 8.5 lb, 17-in display, dual-hard drive Gateway, my mouse, 3DConnexion, several books, about 2 inches of 8.5x11 papers, adapters, USB tip converters, index cards, and other miscellaneous stuff, with enough space to stuff in my lunch. Hell, even when I carried my 2001 Sony Vaio, in another, smaller back pack, with a portable Canon printer and wedge-like surge strip, one of my friends asked, "Man, what the *fuck* you got in there? You look like a BACKPACK bomber"...

Re:I rather have an eee

[Zymergy]

It is under the same bottom hatch as the RAM and HDD on the bottom of the Eee PC 1000H.
It had an AzureWave AW-NE766 Mini-PCIe card factory installed so just I removed the standard white and black antenna connectors and swapped cards with my Intel 4965AGN card. (because the Intel card has more features and is well-documented.) I just had no third antenna to connect to the center "gray" antenna connection on the Intel card, but it works fine.)
Here is an article of an EeePC 1000H it with the back cover off, etc... http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1474/2/asus_eee_pc_1000h_under_the_covers/index.html

Re:LED Display?

[MoonBuggy]

Just means that the LCD is backlit by LEDs rather than a cold cathode. It's a good thing, as I understand it - lower power, for one thing, but not any actual new display tech where the LEDs form the pixels as in OLED displays.

Re:I rather have an eee

[PopeRatzo]

I yanked the OEM 1GB SODIMM and replaced it with a PC-5300 2GB Corsair Value Ram SODIMM...
Also yanked the OEM Wi-Fi card and installed a much better Intel 4965AGN Wi-Fi card.
I am about to replace the OEM Seagate 5,400RPM SATA 80GB HDD with a 64GB SATA SSD,... you can install any notebook SATA drive, including the 320GB Seagate model, according to my buddy). Not sure why the 32GB WinXP partition, but it can be modified by pulling the drive and using Partition Magic (or whatever) to delete the other partition and change the size of the primary 32GB partition to fill the drive...

Geez, that's a lot of "yanking" and "pulling". Are you sure you're talking about a laptop? If the processor should ever fail, I wonder if Asus is going to honor the warranty considering the case has been violated more than Paris Hilton.

By the time you're done, you could have had Steve Jobs personally build you a custom MacBook with knurled hand-rubbed walnut trim.

Re:I rather have an eee

[growse]

Just bought the 4965AGN. Found a big thread on the 901 (that I have) for replacing the wifi, everyone there is nuts about the Atheros chipset. The 4965 can do injection with aircrack so is good for warwalking :)

Re:Better than their last model...?

[Danzigism]

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.

Re:Config and rest of the world.

[Mista2]

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!!

Re:xp still available as an option for this?

[Mista2]

MS say you cant sell or preload XP, except in markets where vista can't complete or operate 8)

Not sure about the limitations

[Anonymous Coward]

I bought an Acer Aspire One netbook for my wife. It shipped with Windows XP Home and has many of the limits you mention: 1.6GHz Atom processor, 8.9-inch screen, and 1 GB of RAM. The hard drive, however, is 120 GB. I had read about the 80 GB limitation before, but either Acer got around it, or Microsoft has raised its ceiling.

Re:I rather have an eee

[Zymergy]

For the record, today I installed the cheapest 64GB SATA SSD I easily could find on ebay (the Transcend MLC type 64GB SATA SSD) into the Eee PC 1000H.
Basically, I had to use the Asus restore DVD (Version 3.0) to boot/format/restore setup the blank SSD drive with a USB DVD-R Drive. (It was interesting that the Asus restore DVD boots to Norton Ghost v11.0 to restore the various partitions and drive images after which, WinXP Home came right up...)

If this is the REAL WORLD performance and speed to be expected from even the cheapest of Taiwanese SSD drives, *WOW!* is all I can say. Magnetic HDDs are about to 'booted' as the preferred boot OS drive type... I am impressed.
If I can tell the performance difference in such a slow CPU as the 1.6GHz Atom, I wonder just what a boot SSD will do for my gaming box?...
I am now interested in obtaining an MLC chip'd SSD to see the differences in real world use.

The Eee PC 1000H, boots faster, and is very very crisp and snappy with an SSD compared to the OEM Seagate 5400.3 80GB HDD.
(Now to measure the actual power consumption with the SSD...)