Dell's Inspiron Mini 9 Netbook confirmed 04/09/2008

With the Netbook market booming, Dell today became the latest manufacturer to announce one of the tiny machines, with the launch of the Dell Inspiron Mini 9.

The Mini 9 is available from £269 including delivery, and to our eyes looks like the most stylish Netbook to date. With curved edges and a black and silver chassis, it’s similar in design to larger Dell models. Although you’ll be able to buy it with a range of different coloured lids, current models are only available in black. The keyboard looks particularly impressive, with large keys that should make typing a doddle.

The Mini 9 features a glossy 8.9-inch LED display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Within the chassis, the specs are fairly standard, with an Intel Atom N270 processor and 1024MB of memory. It runs either Windows XP Home or Ubuntu Linux, with a Dell-designed custom interface. Those opting for XP will pay slightly more, with prices starting at £299.

Storage space on both machines comes in the form of a 16GB SSD (Solid State Disk). Connectivity rivals regular laptops, with a built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi chip, and options include an integrated webcam and Bluetooth.

The XP-based Mini 9 is on-sale now, with Linux versions set to appear in the next few weeks.

www.dell.co.uk