The Dell Mini, or Inspiron 910, is Dells foray into the net book craze which was brought to life by Asus and their Eee PC. A small format computer that can run Windows and Linux. I chose the Dell because of two reasons. The form factor, and the 3G chip that lays dormant inside. I have not heard what can be done with it at this point in time, but I look forward to any announcement that will propel me into the interwebs anywhere crowd.

But enough of that. On to the photos.


In the Box


Bottom



The Box is Open



Almost There



Could That Be?



Teasing You With Its Bottom



Out of the Plastic



There it is!



Open in All its Mini Glory!!



But Wait! There's More!



Restore and Driver Discs.



Compared to my iBook

So the Dell Mini came in today. It is small, under 4 pounds, and I love it. Not the fastest machine I've used, and will take some getting used to, but a wonderful experience so far.

So here are the negatives:

The keyboard is small. Yes, it is easy to type letters and numbers, but some keys are awkwardly placed in order to keep the machines size down. And I have yet to find the damned F11 key! But I'm getting used to it. I was never your standard typist anyway. I am faster with one hand then I am with two.

Although I knew the screen size was 8.9 inches, it is so strange that the it is surrounded by such a large frame. Even the 19 inch LCD screen for my desktop has a smaller framing. So that is a downer.

It came with XP. I would much rather have Vista, but I know it would absolutely kill the performance of this machine. At least I'm not stuck with OSX anymore. And since it did come stock with windows, there was some tweaking that needed to be done befor I could get started. I did the update thing, but it already had service pack 3. So not much there. I had to remove Google Desktop. Although a nice addition, I can't afford to use the resources. I also removed McAfee, as it came with it. Why they would load such a bloated AV software is beyond me. Why not license AVG Free? Would it kill you guys to think smart? Probably getting some kickbacks somewhere in that equation.

I had to disable the webcam software to improve performance, as it was running in the background, and harshing my vibe. I need to find something more lightweight to record video. Perhaps a webcam on a netbook is not such a great idea?

The Good:

The size is just right. Less than 4 pounds. I can hold it in one hand while typing with the other. Makes it a perfect solution for a portable blogging device. On the bed, the sofa, the, ahem, toilet. You name it, I can do it. Can't wait to take it around with me.

It has everything I need. A webcam, a TWO button mousepad, card slot for memory, three usb ports, and a standard VGA connection for a monitor. It even has 3G built in, but Dell has yet to announce what good this feature will do for me.

It runs everything I want it to. Now granted, I was careful to only use software that was cross platform, but I only did that so I could go back and forth between computers in a mixed platform world. Now I don't have to worry about that. I have access to a large variety of paid and free software the world has to offer. One of the benefits of using Windows, is the large community it fosters, and all the developers that create for this platform. A big plus in my book.

I can now properly communicate with all the equipment in my house. I had big issues with the network in my house when I used the Mac. Now I can link this machine with the press of a few buttons. If I decide to install Live One Care, it will do it for me.

Now let me make this clear again. I am not putting down Apple in anyway. I am stating my requirements, and how Apple, as a company, does not suit me, nor my families computing needs. To me, it is a walled garden. Too closed and constricted. I felt powerless as a user. On a PC, I have full control over what my computers does, and I can go beyond. Not so much on a laptop, but on a desktop, there is no comparison.

I wanted to do a head to head comparison against the machine I was leaving, but that would be unfair, as it is over 4 years old. The problem is, there is no Mac to compare this machine to. Which again brings me to a big reason I chose a PC. Choice. I have a wealth of choices in the PC world. On the Mac side, well, I really have zero. I have yet to find a brand new Apple laptop for a little over $500. If you find one, that would be great. But since I am not made of money, I cannot afford to dish out $1100 for a new laptop. And although I feel that the machine is probably correctly priced based on the content and quality, I cannot afford one.

Windows, not walls.

The new Microsoft ad is out, and the verdict is in. It's great. I love it. It gets to the point.

Let me first answer a question some people, cough, Mac users, cough, will ask. Isn't Microsoft copying the Apple ads with the whole 'I'm a PC' line? No dumbshit! They are answering to all the crap that has been sludged by Apple in their very well done ad campaign. People have been saying that Microsoft has done a very bad job of promoting itself and Vista. I agree. Not that they need to tell people who they are. Everybody knows. So what they are telling you is that people who use a PC, or Windows machine as Apple has implied, are the rest of the world. They are big people, small people, people who climb on rocks, etc.

So in other words, according to Apple, people who use Macs are skinny white guys who have whiny voices. I'm neither skinny, white, or have a whiny voice. Ergo, I should not use a Mac. At the present time, I do have a Mac, and a machine running Vista. But come next week, when my Dell Mini gets here, you will see an ad for my iBook on Craigslist. And I can't wait. The more I have this thing, the more I feel like throwing it against the wall. I still think it is a great computing platform, but it is the wrong platform for me. Because as the rest of the world says, I am a PC.



I'M A PC Microsoft Commercial - Windows Not Walls

Boing Boing, everyone's favorite wild child of the web, has a fantabulous collection of vintage computer and technology ads. A walk down memory lane, and a lesson in history.

32K RAM. Basic. Modem. Atari. 10 colors. 320x200 pixels.

Using a Mac for marketing in sales? Macs, in business? Mooooo!!!!

LINK:

101 Classic Computer Ads