Comments on: the dell mini

By: phil

phil — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:15:34 +0000

Do they sell it without microsoft windows?

By: Kerrie

Kerrie — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:02:25 +0000

My Mini is about to embark on its first overseas trip. I have a larger lap top that I usually take, but I analysed why I carry one with me at all and Mini will take up less room, weigh less, and provide all the storage space that I need. I have already taken it to two conferences, hitched it up to data shows, wifi etc. I’ve very pleased with it. And it fits in my handbag!
Oh! and I installed Open Office on it.

By: NateSchneider

NateSchneider — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:49:05 +0000

@Nathan Bowers: See this post by Joseph Cooney - http://jcooney.net/archive/2008/11/05/55684.aspx

By: Jason Sieckmann

Jason Sieckmann — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:48:16 +0000

Meh, I don’t see myself getting one. It looks okay; but the fact that it’s just a tiny-screened Windows platform is the biggest turn off.
Especially traveling, there are just new opportunities for someone to attack my machine; and Windows is just so incredibly vulnerable.

By: Lanna Lee Maheux-Quinn

Lanna Lee Maheux-Quinn — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:39:29 +0000

Do you use the Office suite on it (2007)? If so, how does it run. If I bought one it would be to use Office extensively out-of-town.
THX.

By: Nik Smit

Nik Smit — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:03:57 +0000

So there I was at Blog08, getting all the attention for having a Dell Mini, and Hugh came and sat next to me, and stole some of my limelight!
Concur — it sparks a lot of interest in passers by, all extremely positive. I think it’s the concept of a netbook more than anything, but the little Dell packs quite a punch in such a small package.
It really does feel like a completely different type of machine. Its not a laptop. And you treat it that way. You can throw it into a (small) bag, not worry about moving parts (solid state — yes!), or about breaking your shoulder. The battery last for ages.
It’s definitely not a work horse, but for blogging, watching videos on the move, browsing the net, or even as an emergency computer to remote desktop into your main machine (as I use it), it’s brilliant.
The keyboard does take some getting used to, but it’s way better than almost all the other netbooks currently available, bar one perhaps. (The first manufacturer to deliver a foldout full size keyboard would do extremely well.)
Add some set-it-and-forget-it syncing software (I used Windows Live Mesh) and everything just “works”.

By: Jake Edwards

Jake Edwards — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:32:31 +0000

Aero Heros, kool and the gang…
sound good . glad to hear there is someone who enjoys vista…but rockin‘ a vast range of software e.g. Final Cut, Atmosphere, Metasynth, Protools, Adobe CS3 master collection, Logic, on a machine smaller than a dinner tray, and never had an error, really cooks. With built in camera, airport, imovie and idisk storage for easy collaboration across the water means in my humble opinion there is no contest!

By: Nathan Bowers

Nathan Bowers — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:03:39 +0000

I wonder if Windows 7 will work on ultra compact notebooks. Small notebooks are an interesting market segment, but the only OS options are Linux and 7 year old Windows XP.

By: charbelchaaya

charbelchaaya — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:58:30 +0000

thnx for info

By: Aero Heros

Aero Heros — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:03:17 +0000

Sorry; did I mention that Vista SP1 was the best Windows OS…ever!
I use it for intensive pro video editing on Edius 5 on SpeedEDIT /
Rock Solid …

By: Jake Edwards

Jake Edwards — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:50:14 +0000

I think this is a step forward for those of us who need basic stations on the road for storing photography, podcasting, simple audio tasks, blogging from the edges, the parks, mountains and cetera.
The iphone is powerfull but too small, and I actually use my Macbook as my main machine, its strong enough to handle media design, photoshopping, after effects and full multitrack recording — I can therefore travel with a recording studio (guitar, digibox & emu) fairly easily. But the machine becomes a bit sacred in this sense…
I‘d enjoy something like this, but have to say much as I‘ve used windows in the past, the swiss cheese nature of security, flaky media handling and general malaise puts me off: ubuntu and xp.…what? At least its not vista.
Sorry; did I mention that Vista was the worst bloody product
…ever!

By: MPR

MPR — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:29:58 +0000

Convergence be damned! Categories diverge, always have! (Then weaker branches rot and die and ultimately drop from the tree).
Dell have been doing some interesting stuff lately. Pity that, personally, Windows is a deal-breaker and GNU/Linux has plenty of passion but let’s face it, belongs on the pug bus of personal computing right now.

By: jayatdell

jayatdell — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:29:45 +0000

Great to hear about how/where you’re using the Mini, and the unique benefits you’ve identified. One of the most interesting/encouraging aspects of feedback like yours — and there has been a lot — is how the more you use the Mini, the more you find it complements rather than competes with your go-to laptop.

By: Richard Carter, FCD

Richard Carter, FCD — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:15:25 +0000

Very useful review, thanks. I’ve been dithering between buying one of these or a more expensive Dell laptop… Looks as if you’ve lost your client some money

By: Thomas

Thomas — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:39:42 +0000

Sounds interesting I suspect it might work as an on the go podcasting machine. Ubuntu getting loaded on it would probably not be too difficult either, interesting.