Dell Inspiron Mini 12 – Intel Atom Processor Netbook Review

Dell Inspiron Mini IM12-2869 12.1-Inch Alpine White Netbook

A larger sibling to Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9, the Inspiron Mini 12 (model IM12-2869) in alpine white features a larger 12.1-inch screen with a 1280 x 800-pixel high-definition resolution.

It’s ideal for teens, tweens, travelers and “Tweeters” to surf the Web, chat with friends (both via text and using the integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam), stream video and audiocontent, and upload on-the-go photos to blogs or social networking sites.

Standard built-in Wi-Fi means quick and easy wireless internet access to hotspots in the home, on campus, in a local coffee shop, in the office or at a conference.

Author: Nicolas Setiono

If compared with other netbook such as MSI Wind U100, for example, Dell Inspiron mini 12 really looks thin. The thick is less than 1 inch, precisely 0.9 inches. In fact, the size of screen and all of the body is about 2 inches more wide than Wind U100.

Yes, Dell Inspiron mini 12 showcase is 12-inch display screen, which is still rare compared with others netbook carried by other brands.

Despite similar body-thin like Apple MacBook Air, Dell Inspiron Mini 12 does feel strong. It feels comfortable. Indeed, Dell Inspiron Mini 12 have more wider size in average compared with others netbook and can causing not being easily inserted in the handbag.

From the completeness of the features, in fact mini-12 not far differents from others netbook by other brands. Like a modern netbook, 802.11g wireless functionality is supported, 12 inch display screen. RAM, for example, are still 1GB, but unfortunately you can not upgrading the RAM.

Display Screen

12-inch display screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, of course, is the specialty of Dell Dell Inspiron Mini 12. Wide screen resolution make the use of the netbook more fun when you surf in the virtual world. Two web pages side by side can be opened and read it with quite comfortably. However, the letters look smaller, less suitable for those who have started to crash because of the vision on the old age.

Views on the screen looks very bright (too bright even on the maximum setting), and horizontal perspectives are good enough. Views can still see quite comfortable with the direction of the side. However, there are good idea to push back the screen so that the rebound effect is not felt, too.

At the top of the LCD screen, as usual, presented with a 1.3 megapixel Webcam.

Keyboard

With a more physical width compared with another netbook, not strange when the keyboard on mini 12 is also more relieved (92 percent of normal keyboard). The distance the button are wide so that makes you comfortable when typing.

Dell includes six function keys which is F11, F12, Home, Del, Insert, End which are placed on the top right side. In addition, there are 10 other function keys (F1 – F10), which also have their own features, such as Bluetooth and contrast. The Fn button is placed on the left side of the bottom..

Under the keyboard panel there are square touchpad which is also quite wide field, complete with left and right click. Touchpad is quite responsive. However, perhaps because of the wide size and the location that fit under the keyboard plus the wide of palmrest, sometimes we do not get the desired response from the touchpad which have quite fibrous surface because the cursor can move suddenly if you have small wrist.

The other different from the other vendors, Dell chose to put a speaker on the top of keyboard panel. Unfortunately, the quality of the sound is less strong despite already set up to maximum volume. However, for a netbook that is used personally and private, may have sufficient volume.

Another panel at a different location is the on / off. key When most vendors of netbook putting it on the right top side, not so with Dell. Dell prefer to put this very small on / off button on the left top side, abreast with speakers panel.

The Body

On the right side appears 3-in-1 card reader, a headphone jack, microphone jack, one USB port, and one LAN port.

The placement of the USB port are on the way back, this make less fun when you use the netbook on the knees (although this is usually not recommended because the netbook radiate enough heat) than if it is on the way forward as in most of other netbook.

On the left side there are two USB ports, VGA-out port, and for security lock (Kensington lock). Two USB ports are located in the middle of the unit, with the initial keyboard.

When you use the netbook the back of the bottom display which is close to the battery felt a bit hot. However, the keyboard and the touchpad are not affected and still comfortable to use. The bottom of the netbook was only slightly warm. Maybe because of the wide surface from this netbook plus the combination of low power processors successfully influence the spread of heat.

Processor

Mini 12 is not using the processor Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz like the others.

This netbook packaged with the Intel Atom 1.6 GHz clock speed, but in different type, that is, the Z530 (Silverthorne). This processor is designed for the smaller size devices depend with N270, the size of Silverthorne CPU nearly half (13 x 14 mm) and charged a lower consumption (2 watts vs. 2.5 watt owned N270).

Processor is a bit saggy used with Microsoft Vista as the bundle from Dell. Booting takes 1.5 – 2 seconds. The Intel GMA 500 chipset seems less suitable for gaming, including lightweight games. From the benchmark result of 3DMark 2003, the score is only 382 and failed to run 3DMark06.

The Battery

Mini 12 comes with a standard battery pack of Li-Ion 3-cell. Not included in the battery the capacity rating. However, according to Dell, the battery is able to stand up to 3 hours of use.

The claims may be true, but there are conditions that must be fulfilled. Netbook must be set first to lower the performance. This can be done easily arranged through the property of the Windows Power Options (Current Power Plan). If you want to survive your battery, you need to lower the performance by choosing Power Saver mode. However, if you need the performance you can choose High Performance that will drain the battery power more quickly or you can choose Balanced mode to balance the power of the battery and the performance.

Weight
Despite come with 12 inches wide-screen, this Mini 12 was not heavy. By default (plus 3-cell battery), the weight is only 1.268 kg. When the battery removed, the weight will be 1.1 kg.

Dell appears mature enough to prepare this netbook so comfortable and convenient to carry anywhere. For other than mild, the adapter that integrates with the cable was also light and pretty. This adapter looks similar to the phone adapter although quite large. Unfortunately only two legs, so you have to bring converter if you don’t have 2 legs.

The weight of the adapter are 178 grams. If you take all, (netbook + 3-cell battery + adapter + converter), Dell Inspiron Mini 12 was still light enough with a total weight of 1.862 kg.

The advantages Dell Inspire Mini 12 is Wide screen and keyboard; thin physical; SIMcard slot; light

The disadvantages Dell Inspire Mini 12 is Mono speaker; price; SIMcard slot on the back of the battery; minimal LED indicators; RAM can not be upgraded.

Dell Inspiron Mini 12 Specification

• Processor: Intel Atom Z5301, 6GHz (Level 2 cache 512KB, 533MHz FSB and support Hyperthreading)
• RAM: DDR2 1GB SODIMM (maximum)
• Chipset: Intel Poulsbo
• Graphics card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500
• Sound: Poulsbo Intel High Definition Audio Controller
• Harddisk: Samsung 1.8 “HS092HB jubilee ATA-100 3600rpm 80GB
• Optical drive: No
• Facilities: LAN, Wi-Fi 802.11 g, Bluetooth, 3-in1 card reader, 3 USB Port, 1.3 MP Web Camera, VGA port, 10/100 Ethernet port, michropone jack, headphone jack
• Display: 12.1 “WXGA 1280×800 pixels
• Operating System: Windows Vista Basic SP1
• Battery: Li-Ion 3-cell 26WHr
• Dimensions: 29.9 x 22.9 x (2,2-2,4) cm
• Weight : (including 3-cell battery): 1, 268 kg
• Warranty: 1 year (batteries, spare parts, freight)

This Dell Inspiron Price Range is USD$ 699

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Looking to buy a Laptop? Think about a Netbook!

Author: Vish J

What is a Netbook

A Netbook (InterNET and noteBOOK) is a class of Laptop computer designed for wireless communication and access to the Internet. Netbook is primarily designed for web-browsing and emailing. Netbooks are gaining grounds on their compact design, slimmer looks and sleeker appeal.

Netbook is a Notebook computer with a low-powered x86-compatible processor (compatible with PC standard software), small screen (no larger than 10 inches), small keyboard, equipped with wireless connectivity, lightweight (under three pounds) and generally with no optical disk drive. They sometimes have Solid State Drives (SSDs) instead of Hard Disk Drives, which are lower capacity but have no moving parts and should, in theory, increase battery life and speed. Netbooks can run either Linux or Windows XP.

Why a Netbook

The obvious question is why should anyone buy a device with a smaller screen, slower processor, no optical drive when you can get a full-featured notebook?

When it comes to a portable computer, the things that matter to most are speed and convenience.A Netbook is more convenient because it is lighter, and it usually has a lightweight operating system. The processor itself isn’t as powerful, but there’s much less processing that needs to be done with Windows XP or Linux in order to be usable.

If we are just looking for a portable computer to take along with us while traveling, to check e-mail, chat on Skype, watch some Youtube videos, take some notes, then a Netbook is what we want. Where as if we’re going to do intensive image editing, multimedia authoring, gaming etc then a Notebook/Laptopi is more suited for our needs.

Don’t confuse these low cost Netbooks with some of the sub-compact full featured Notebooks that are also out there. Sony, Dell and others also offer small lightweight Notebooks that have all the features of a full size computer in a tiny package but at a hefty price of $1400 and up. Some of these have plenty of power and features and up to 9 hours of battery life. These are real computers that are just packed into really small cases.

How does it compares to a regular Notebook

Let’s see the differences between a typical Netbook and a regular Notebook. Features of Dell Mini 9 Netbook are compared with a regular sized Dell Inspiron Notebook below:

Inspiron Mini 9
Proecessor: Intel Atom Processor N270
Screen: 8.9”
Weight: 5.9lbs.
Battery: 32WHr Battery (4 cell)
Processor speed: 1.6 GHz
Memory: 1GB DDR2, 8GB SSD Memory
OS: Windows XP Home
Options: Camera, Bluetooth
Cost: $299

Inspiron 1525
Processor: Intel Pentium Dual Core T4200
Screen: 15.6” Wide Screen, Optional Hi-Res
Weight: 2.28 lbs.
Battery: 6-cell battery
Processor speed: 2 GHz
Memory: 4GB, Disk 320GB
OS: Windows Vista
Options: Camera, Bluetooth, ext Bat, More mem
Cost: $699

Pros compared to a regular Laptop:
- Excellent portability due to small size and light weight
- Good enough for basic computer tasks
- Relatively low cost

Cons compared to a regular Laptop:
- Small screen/lower resolution, small keyboard due to small size
- Limited processing power
- Hardware upgrades can be more challenging
- Due to lower processing capabilities, size and cost, advanced features are less adopted (FireWire, HDMI, etc…)

Which Netbook to buy?

It seems that Initially Netbook category was lead by Asus, Acer, but today computer giants Dell and HP jumped into the race.

According to the PcWorld.com the TOP 10 Netbooks are:
1. Asus EEE PC 1000HE
2. Acer Aspire ONE AOD150
3. Lenovo IdeaPad S10
4. Acer Aspire One (XP-Based)
5. Asus Eee PC 1000 XP
6. HP Mini 2140
7. Asus N10Jc
8. HP Mini 1000
9. Dell Inspiron Mini 9
10. MSI Wind U100

As with any purchase, you have to decide for yourself on what suits you best.

So go ahead explore the world of Netbooks and see if it’s a better choice compared to a Laptop. While the Laptop market is declining in this economy, interestingly the Netbook sales are predicted to be on the rise.

A couple of useful resources:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/154358/top_10_netbooks.html
http://tech.msn.com/products/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=18573429&imageindex=1

Read the original article and more blog posts about tech gadgets and shopping tips

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ASUS Eee PC 1000HE 10.1-Inch Blue Netbook – 9.5 Hour Battery Life

• Intel Atom 280 Processor (1.66 GHz, FSB: 667MHz)
• It includes 1 GB RAM
• 160 GB Hard Drive, 10 GB Eee Storage
• Microsoft Windows XP Home, 9.5 hours of battery life
• 10.1-inch LED-backlit widescreen display, Large chiclet keyboard,

Netbook Eee PC 1000HE offers unique user experiences. Featuring up to 9.5 hours of battery life, built in high speed connectivity and exclusive 10GB free E storage with easy accessibility makes it the ideal traveling companion for outdoor activities. The large 10″ display provides comfortable viewing, and a 92% chiclet ergonomic keyboard makes for easier typing and relaxing usage. Built-in camera ensures users stay in touch with the important ones. User friendly XP pre-loaded. ZBD Guaranteed for best quality LCD. Content includes Eee PC, battery, AC Adapter, Sleeve Case, Manual and Recovery CD.Catapault to the forefront of technology with Eee PC 1000HE, the first netbook to have the Intel Atom N280 processor. With up to 9.5 hours of battery

Rating: (out of 894 reviews)

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Most Powerful Netbook?

Toshiba Mini NB305-N410WH 10.1-Inch Frost White Netbook – 11 Hours of Battery Life

• 1.66GHz Intel N450 Atom Processor
• 1GB 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM Memory
• 250GB Serial ATA Hard Disk Drive (5400RPM)
• 10.1″ LED (16:9) 1024×600 Display; Intel Graphics Media Accelerator GMA3150
• Windows 7 Starter Edition 32-bit; Webcam

With a new sleeker design and up to 11 hours of battery life rating, our affordable, super-compact mini NB305 is a stylish companion PC that raises the bar when it comes to portability. This innovative netbook lets you enjoy all the benefits of today’s fast-moving digital world, putting you in touch with your favorite people, sites, networks and media in ways and places you never imagined. Though small enough to throw in a purse or bag, it’s designed with smart features to enhance your mobile life—like a full-sized keyboard and touchpad, USB Sleep-and-Charge technology and a Hard Drive Impact Sensor that helps protect your data from the bumps and grinds of daily life. So it picks up where smart phones leave off and makes many of toda

Rating: (out of 103 reviews)

List Price: $ 399.99

Price: Too low to display

By Jason P Anderson

A relatively new trend in the computing world, the netbook is a compact and ultra-portable device that offers convenience for people looking for efficient internet connectivity both at home and on the go. Now that more and more name brand manufacturers are releasing their own netbook models, how do you know which one is best?

Well, the first thing you need to evaluate is why you want to buy a netbook. If you’re looking for a versatile yet portable computing machine that can run complex applications, then you would probably be better off looking at traditional laptop computers. Although most laptops cost more than netbooks, they are better suited for users that need a portable computer that can handle multiple resource-intensive tasks. They also usually have capabilities that netbooks do not, such as built in DVD drives, additional USB ports, and much more powerful processors. However, if you’re still convinced you need the most powerful netbook, read on!

HP, Toshiba, and Sony are generally considered the most high-end netbook manufacturers. Naturally, because of this they are usually priced higher than more economic models from Acer or Asus. In addition to boasting powerful processors (some that even rival the power of laptops), the aforementioned brands also pay great detail to design and often offer more intricate styles and options.

Because of the fact that high-end netbooks generally share the same or very similar processing power, there is one distinction they are constantly competing with each other over: weight. Naturally, consumers in general want the most lightweight netbook for the sake of portability, but they also want extended battery life. Finding this balance and delivering a product that offers competitive battery life and that isn’t cumbersome or heavy is something all the major netbook manufacturers have been hard at work trying to solve.

In conclusion, if power and performance are your number one concerns, you might want to reconsider purchasing a netbook and take a look at some of the more affordable laptops on the market. However, if you are sold on the convenience and portability of the netbook, make sure to choose a model that meets your needs both in terms of computing power as well as battery life.

To get detailed information on specific brands and models or to shop for both new and pre-owned netbook computers, check out Cheap Netbooks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_P_Anderson
http://EzineArticles.com/?Most-Powerful-Netbook?&id=4368932

Acer Aspire One AOD250-1580 10.1-Inch Blue Netbook – 7.5 Hour Battery Life

• 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor
• 1024MB DDR2 SDRAM Single Channel Memory
• 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
• Windows XP Home (SP3), Up to 7.5 Hours of Battery Life (6-Cell 5200 mAh)
• 10.1-Inch WSVGA CrystalBrite LED Display, Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950

Acer Aspire One AOD250-1580 Netbook comes with these specs: Intel Atom Processor N270, Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3, 10.1-Inch WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite LED Display, Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset, Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, 1024MB DDR2 SDRAM Single Channel Memory, 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM), Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader, Acer InviLink 802.11b/g Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, Integrated Acer Crystal Eye Webcam, Two Built-in Stereo Speakers, Optimized Dolby Headphone Technology, Multi-gesture Touchpad, 3 – USB 2.0 Ports, 6-cell Li-ion Battery (5200 mAh), 2.79 lbs. | 1.27 kg (system unit only), AC Power Adapter, AC Power Cord, Wireless Setup Card, Registration/ Limited Warranty Card, McAfee In

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