Red Laptop

List Price: $499.99
Buy New: $499.70
You Save: $0.29
Product Details
Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9 x 0.9 inches ; 2.7 pounds
Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
Note: Gift-wrapping is not available for this item.
ASIN: B001TH7F9W
Item model number: IM12-2870
Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet.
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #893 in Computers & PC Hardware
Date first available at Amazon.com: April 13, 2009
 

 Features:
  •  1.33 GHz Intel Atom Z520 Processor
  •  1GB DDR2 RAM
  •  80GB Hard Drive
  •  Windows XP Home, 3 Hour Lithium Ion Battery
  •  12.1-Inch Glossy LED Display (1280×800), 1.3mp Web Cam

A truly bizarre day to announce a new notebook, Dell’s Inspiron Mini 12 is officially the most gargantuan netbook on the block. I wasn’t exactly blown away by it when I scoped it briefly a couple months ago, but Laptop was sufficiently impressed in its more in-depth hands on to compare it to the MacBook Air and Voodoo Envy—but you know, 0.2 inches thicker, more ports and you know, a thousand dollars cheaper at only $599.

Under the hood, it’s a standard netbook kit—1.6GHz Atom (though the more energy efficient next-gen one that lets it live for up to three hours on a 3-cell battery), smallish 40, 60 or 80GB hard drive, not a whole lotta RAM—though you’ve got a full-sized keyboard and 1280×800 12-inch screen. Unfortunately, it’s only available with Vista at launch (which, also oddly, is only in Japan initially). Since Vista historically runs like garbage on these things, holding out through the late November debut here for the XP and Ubuntu variants coming by year’s end would probably be more prudent.

That said, the Mini 12 is definitely an interesting little experiment from Dell—a mutant mashup of netbook and notebook that might hit some heretofore undiscovered sweet spot, or simply look verrry attractive to some given the current economic climate. Update: Full press release below—apparently it’s a Twitter machine too:

    Slim, Stylish and Well-Connected: Introducing the Dell Inspiron Mini 12

    * New Addition to the Dell Inspiron Mini Line Expands Personalization Options
    * Available First in Japan Through Bic Camera, Kojima and Sofmap Stores
    * Includes Windows Vista Home Basic, Webcam and Bluetooth

    ROUND ROCK, Texas—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Dell today introduced the Inspiron™ Mini 12, a small, easy-to-carry Internet companion that you can fine tune to fit your specific needs and deeds. Like its counterpart the Inspiron Mini 9, the Mini 12 is ideal for teens, tweens, travelers and “Tweeters” to surf the Web1, chat with friends, blog, stream content, upload photos or enjoy online videos, music and games.

    The Inspiron Mini 12 is available initially only in Japan through Bic Camera, Kojima and Sofmap stores and other retail outlets. It will launch online globally by late November with configurations starting under $600 (U.S.). Ubuntu and Windows XP® operating systems also will be available before the end of the year.

BUY:Dell Inspiron Mini IM12-2870 12.1-Inch Cherry Red Netbook - 3 Hour Battery