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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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 Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 1:57 am Post subject: Dell mini9 keyboard sucks |
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| I hate where they put the ' key. It's in a really funky place next to the korean toggle key. Bummer. |
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smwood
Joined: 28 Mar 2006
Location: Over Here.
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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Aside from that, how is the Mini 9? I was thinking of getting one too.
~ smw |
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chevro1et
Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Location: Busan, ROK
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:01 pm Post subject: |
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| I read that it was spec'd out really low compared to others in its class like the Asus EEE (cpu/ ram/ expandability/ etc). |
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OneWayTraffic
Joined: 14 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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| chevro1et wrote: |
| I read that it was spec'd out really low compared to others in its class like the Asus EEE (cpu/ ram/ expandability/ etc). |
That person had no idea what he was talking about. The Mini 9 has exactly the same CPU, chipset and Ram as all the other netbooks. Same screen resolution as well. The disk is smaller, being solid state, and the form factor prevents easy replacement with a HDD.
The mini 9 is argubly the easiest netbook to upgrade, with all the ports being easily accessible.
The same couldn't be said of the Mini 12 at all, especially considering that for the same price you could get a Core 2 notebook that's not a lot bigger. The Mini 12 is a step backwards in other ways as well. Vista, 1GB soldered to the m/b (no upgrade) and so on. Avoid. |
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OneWayTraffic
Joined: 14 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:43 pm Post subject: |
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| But if you want a really powerful netbook, and small to boot, check out the Everun Note. Turion x2 and a 7inch form factor. |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:17 am Post subject: |
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Well, I played with one some more. I like it better now. The keyboard takes a little getting used to, but after a while, you can adjust.
For portability, you can't beat the Dell Mini-9. The disappointing thing is you can get them with 16gb or 32gb drives in the USA. Here, you only have 8gb, which is too little, IMHO.
All things considered, my favorite netbooks are:
1. Samsung NC-10 (feels like a true laptop, and is gorgeous/fast)
2. Asus 1000 with the Hard-Drive option. Nearly as good as the Samsung
3. Dell Mini-9 (can't beat it's portability)
4. MSI wind or Avartec with larger battery option
You can get away with an Asus 1000 or the Samsung (especially the Samsung) as a main computer -- still they aren't as portable as the mini-9. You'll also notice that the stores tend to omit the heavy battery when they are on display (except the mini-9 always has a battery). That battery adds a lot of weight.
The only reason I'd buy a netbook is for plinking on the subway or at the coffee shop with KT Wibro's dongle service, which is either 10,000 or 19,800 a month. That makes me want to buy the smallest possible with a useable keyboard. The Dell is the smallest, and amazingly, the keyboard isn't too horribly cramped.
Actually, the HP has the most awesome set-up, but it's also got the WORST chip. HP's keyboard is as good as my regular laptop. They have better models in the USA, but NOT in Korea yet.
I also want to see if one of these netbooks comes out with an internal KTWibro option. THAT would sell me. I hate the idea of having a really small netbook, then hooking on a clunky dongle and trying to type in my lap on the subway!
By the way, tests on Youtube show the SSD option is actually a hair SLOWER than a regular Hard Disk Drive on like models. The mini-9 does not offer a regular HDD. And writes are considerably slower on SSD. That surprised me.
Oh, and the Dell Mini-12 looks like a nice machine. It's less than 3 pounds, but of course, specs suck in Korea compared to the USA. Why, I don't know. |
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DCJames
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:19 am Post subject: |
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I'm waiting for the HP Mini 1000 to come out in Korea. It has the Intel Atom chipset and has the best keyboard of them all. Also, the screen is much better than anything out there right now.
[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/10/hp-mini-hands-top-002.jpg[/img]
http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/29/hp-mini-1000-hands-on/ |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:54 am Post subject: |
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| I'm tempted to buy one of these things with Linux, but I am not sure it would handle Korean web pages even remotely well. |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Oh, by the way... the dell.co.kr website says that the current mini-9 deal will end in 2 days. To me, that means that they may be rolling out better mini-9's with bigger flash drives (like US models) by next week. |
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DCJames
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Has anyone seen the Mini 9 in black? |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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In the US, you can now choose from multiple colors/designs on the case. You can also go up to 32gb on the Linux models. The XP models are only allowed up to 16gb SSD's as sold. Dell will void your warranty if you try to up the RAM or the SSD after you buy it. This is due to strong-arming from Microsoft.
Microsoft only allows the sale of XP on these mini-machines so long as they don't cannabalize the sales of larger notebooks with Vista. Vista is too fat to run well on these devices. Microsoft also limits the processor and HDD size on the netbooks before they'll be allowed an OEM version of XP.
http://apcmag.com/microsoft_hobbles_xp_mininotes_with_1gb_ram_limit.htm
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Redmond�s new XP mini-note licence dictates a 1GB memory limit to protect the high-profit position of Vista-powered notebooks
Bill Gates famously said that �640KB ought to be enough for anybody�, but his company has now decided 1GB is enough for XP � that is, if you�re running it on a mini-note.
As the new wave of mini-notes powered by Intel�s Atom processor starts to take off, bringing low-cost mobile computing to the mainstream, APCmag.com has learned that Microsoft is dictating that vendors limit their mini-notes to 1GB of RAM if they want to install XP.
The artificial memory ceiling is a condition of the OEM licence for Microsoft�s bespoke �netbook� build of XP Home, which includes SP3, a pre-loaded copy of the Microsoft Works suite and links to Windows Live online services.
A high-level spokesperson at a mini-note vendor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told APCmag.com �This is a licensing restriction on netbooks. It�s not a hardware limitation. This is to deliberately separate XP netbooks from Vista notebooks.�
APCmag.com has since learned that Acer has downgraded the memory specification on the Windows XP edition of its forthcoming Aspire One mini-note. A spokesperson confirmed to APCmag.com that the initial 1.5GB of RAM promised in its press release and Web site would be pared back to 1GB �due to XP restrictions�.
However, the Linux-powered model will retain its 512MB of RAM and the ability to be upgraded by Acer or a tech-savvy user to 1.5GB by dropping a 1GB chip into the mini-note�s on-board memory slot.
Buyers of Acer�s XP mini-note would obviously be able to do likewise, but the process necessitates removing the entire chassis (which can carry the subsequent risk of voiding your warranty). Unlike conventional laptops, mini-notes are not designed with end-user upgrades in mind. There�s usually no door for accessing the memory slot, and in many cases RAM is mounted directly on-board to speed up the production process and reduce costs.
It�s true that XP runs fine with 1GB of RAM, and mini-notes aren�t faced with hardware-intensive tasks such as playing DVDs or editing video. However, there�s no argument that with memory so cheap and the notebook industry starting to toggle to DD3 as part of the new Centrino 2 platform, there�s plenty of benefit � from a vendor�s competitive standpoint, as well as giving the user some extra overhead � to loading 1.5GB on deck.
Microsoft�s decision is also ironic, given that it needlessly cruels one of the last remaining outlets for the seven year-old old OS in a market where Linux already has its foot in the door. And Windows remains the OS of choice for vendors who want to give their mini-notes maximum mainstream appeal. Windows bestows an instant familiarity, as well as the ability for customers to install almost any of their current Windows program and have plenty of avenues for support should things go askew.
In an interview earlier this month with APCmag.com, speaking on the �Linux v Windows� mini-note issue, Acer senior product manager Henry Lee said �The bulk of the requests and requirements we see in the marketplace are for the model with Windows rather than Linux�.
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http://www.vistaknowledge.com/vista-news/microsoft-doubles-storage-capacity-for-netbooks/
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Microsoft is becoming a bit more lenient with the limits it has imposed on netbooks manufactures who wish to use Windows XP as the OS. As of Wednesday, Microsoft officially doubled the maximum allowable hard disk drive size to 160 GB, up from 80GB. MSI and Asustek already have taken action to update their Windows XP netbook offerings to feature 160 GB HDDs, which should affect the MSI Wind U100 and Asus Eee PC 1000H netbooks.
Due to the demand for Microsoft Windows XP in netbooks, Microsoft has a large amount of control over the allowed specifications of netbooks. With Microsoft wishing to push its Windows Vista operating system, it has been attempting to cut life support to Windows XP. Since netbook computers are arguably too underpowered for Windows Vista, it seems netbook manufactures have pressured Microsoft into continuing to provide Windows XP as a low-cost speedy alternative. As a compromise it seems, Microsoft has set guidelines for what are acceptable system specifications for Windows XP, limits that netbook manufactures follow faithfully. Although Linux is a viable alternative to Windows XP and it is used in some netbooks without system specification restrictions, many consumers still prefer a Windows operating system.
Some of the restrictions Microsoft have supposedly placed on netbooks include a 1 GB of RAM limit, a specific list of allowable slow CPUs, limited screen sizes, and limits on solid state drive capacities. Increasing the hard disk drive limit from 80 GB to 160 GB should have little effect on the system prices, yet it should add extra appeal to those looking to buy a netbook and increase sales of netbooks featuring HDDs, compared to those featuring SSD storage options.
Although the limits imposed by Microsoft are still tight, they meet the basic requirements needed for what a netbook has been designed for: basic, inexpensive, portable functionality. |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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