THE OFFICIAL: Dell Inspiron 9 (Mini I) Thread...

I'll have to read about the difference between Avira 8 & 9. I currently have 8.

 

Yeah, it was an easy install..I used RevoUninstaller to completely remove Vers. 8, made it very easy

I will post the linky with the info' on Vers. 9, shortly
Here is the linky :
http://www.avira.com/en/support/migrationsportal_av9.html

Cin

 

Oh new version Avira??? I better do it.. was there a problem with the 8 for you.

 

Nope, I just wanted to try out the new Version 9, and so far I really like it.

I have installed on my 1530, also!


Cin

 

I read over at the Avira site that on 3/27 it will start rolling out updates for 9 and it will save all the settings. Since I have turned off the ad and the screen splash I will just wait for the update. I also set the updates to be invisible.

 

Thats cool. I like having it now...works great!

Cin

 

Waiting for the White ones to come onto the Outlet with Ubuntu and $199 or less (plenty of black, no whites).

Hopefully in a few hours...

ugh: there was a huge update with a few white ones like 15 minutes ago and when I added it to my cart the entire Outlet crashed

 

just bit on 2. one for myself and the wife. $450 for both after taxes.

I went the stripped-down route so that I can tweak them myself. I assume these are still pretty solid units? I read somewhere else that youtube video playback on XP was dicey? any truth to that, or just more rumor?

thanks for the future insight!

 

Yay! Just ordered a white one with Ubuntu for $209 (only one they had that was under $350) with Bluetooth (was going to probably get it anyway, so for $10...).

I got next day shipping and after taxes it came out to $235! Estimated time is 3/31 so that blows, but hopefully won't take that long...

 

My Mini 9 (scheduled for 4/17 delivery) has a 8Gig SSD with Ubuntu. Is it really worth it to get a USB CD/DVD burner? Or would a 16gig SDHC memory card be good enough?

 

Youtube works great on xp on mine. Ubuntu, not so much.
Ubuntu gets 25% longer battery life though.

 

Yesterday there was a great deal on the Mini 9's for $199....at dell.com in white or black 8 gb..w/Ubuntu..1 day only.

I was hoping they would've extended into today!

Cin

 

I think it would depend on what you were planning to use the CD/DVD burner for and/or what purpose you want use the SDHC memory card as a substitute for the DVD.

For example, when my girlfriend travels for work (NYC to LA) instead of watching movies on her Mini via on a USB DVD drive I, using our desktop, rip the DVD to a mpg and copy the mpg to the mini -- thus she has no need for a USB DVD Drive for watching movies.

 

I'm doing similar, using CloneDVDMobile, but am not sure which format and resolution is best (ie., smallest file size with reasonable video quality).

What do you recommend, and what size files are your movies ending up being?

 

Unfortunately, I'm probably the worst person to ask that question because my girlfriend is far from a videophile. As long as it is "watchable" in her mind she is happy. So, usually I rip the DVDs to 720X480 in wmv format. This makes a 2 hour movie roughly 700-900MB. I still use DVD Shrink which I've had on my desktop for 4 years or so. I'm not really up on what is the latest and greatest DVD ripping software or what is the best format for resolution/size etc...Sorry.

 

I received my new mini 9 today. RAM 1G - SSD 8G -XP - thought a picture might be nice. I have now discovered the New White. White was ordered but instead this showed up. I think that I will keep it rather than send it back.
Now I have to learn what start-up files that I can delete remove from start-up and other files that are not necessary. Any advice in this regards would be appreciated.

 

you can google for the answer or just search around the forums, that question has been asked a million times and there has been a million answers.

if you asked the question you have abviously read about it already so just go back there and read again.

you can also read my review of the mini 9 where i list a huge set of tweaks and things to delete to save space and speed it up.
http://hitechlegion.com/reviews/notebooks/206-mini9

 

thanks v lestat - great link!!

 

Read your whole review...very thorough, thanks!
You might want to make mention of one thing, though, regarding the packaging--you got an Scratch and Dent from the Outlet. Those are packaged differently than a new or even a Previously Ordered New from the Outlet. A new or Previously Ordered New unit are packaged in more secure material, I guess what could best be described as form-fitting cardboard (almost like egg carton material). The Mini 9 sits inside a "tray" with a lid. The AC adapter and CD's are in a compartment below the Mini 9.

In any case, thought you might like to update your review.

 

Thanks - This is a most helpful link.

 

Nice..thanks..great add for this thread

Cin

 

I gave Ubuntu 9.04 beta a shot today. I really liked that they provided a .img file of the netbook remix which made it super easy to create a bootable USB drive from which to install. I didn't think I would like the netbook remix 'dashboard' as much as I did but it turns out it is pretty helpful and I am sure it would be really great if I had a touchscreen. While the install was made very simple, I did run into a problem with getting the touch pad vertical scrolling work which annoyed the crap out of me.


Kind of unrelated, but are there any touchscreen netbooks? Have I just missed them? Possibly ignored them due to high price...

 

Asus has the T91 9" and T101H coming out soon. The T91 will cost $450 without the tv tuner and gps, but with the options the price will be more. Also Gigabyte makes some touchscreen netbooks.

 

I have a mini-9 on order with Ubuntu and a 8 Gig SSD. Can someone tell me how much space does Ubuntu take up? Will an 8 Gig SDHC be enough for extra storage or will I need a 16 Gig. I plan on doing some downloads then transfering to a Windows PC.

 

I didn't have the Dell version of Ubuntu on mine, but the regular version of Ubuntu took up less than 2GB which includes open office and lots of other applications. I wouldn't waste money going to a 16GB, either go with a fast 32GB like the runcore or just get an 8GB SDHC card for it if you need a bit of storage for music/docs. I end up using my SDHC card more than the internal disk because it makes it easy to move stuff between computers.

 

Dellbuntu takes ~3gigs i believe, just short of what their XP takes.

 

My mini 9 that I ordered on March 19th, had a scheduled delivery of April 17.
I just received an e-mail from Dell. It shipped out yesterday, with a scheduled delivery of April 3. Woo! Lots better.

 

Cin , how are you doing with your mini 9?

 

Congrat's...It will soon be in your *hands* WoOT!
Love it when it ships so much sooner, than the ESD!
Go YOU!

Hey Jane! My I9 is doing great! She travel practically everywhere with me now, put her in her sleeve and toss her in my tote or bag, and I'm good to go! I really enjoy have a 9" Netbook, so convenient for on the go!

How's yours?

Cin

 

I agree I really really love it.. I have been trying out a Latitude E4200 and it's great and light too but there is something about this
mini 9 that is really great!

 

Ohh, awesome! I'm glad your still liking your I9!!
I had been considering selling mine for a bit there, but am glad I decided to keep it! The price I paid for it, has paid itself off!

You got a Latitude? Very nice! Grat's to you!

Cin

 

I got one but just not sure it is worth keeping and it keeps giving me shocks.
That's weird so will probably wrap it up and send it back while I can.
Stick with my mini 9 for now.

What would you replace your mini 9 with?

 

Hey everyone. I,m on my mini-9 right now. I,m in love. This has Ubuntu on it, but so far its been almost like Windows. I set up the Wi-Fi at my sons Karate school an hour ago. Its great. I have a 2 gig memory stick in my bag, but so far...do I really need it? I,ve had no problem with the screen yet. The (Fn+Z) buttons for full screen work great.
I,ll get back to you later if I need help. Bye for now.

 

Happy to hear that you are enjoying the Mini! It is a fun little machine.

My girlfriend uses her mini for taking class notes, surfing the web, e-mail and watching movies/tv programs on the airplane. My girlfriend used her mini for a couple of weeks before I received the 2GB of RAM. I replaced the RAM one day while she was out of the house and forgot to tell her. A couple of days later I asked her if she noticed a difference and she stated no. So, from her perspective I think it was kinda a waste to upgrade. BUT the 2GB of RAM upgrade was so inexpensive I left it in there.

EDIT: I'm not sure if my girlfriend had traveled with the Mini and watched a movie on the Mini before I added the 2GB of RAM. But for taking class notes, surfing the web and e-mail she didn't notice a difference.

 

You'll only notice a difference if you're using enough programs at the same time to go over 1gb of ram used.
That takes a fair bit, even using firefox with a dozen tabs open.
If you're only using 600mb (~200 boot, 300 for firefox being a pig, 100 for aim/trillian/winamp/etc in the background) then adding more isn't going to help.

 

I use Chrome as my browser and got low memory errors. 2GB is such a cheap, easy upgrade IMO just add it. Everything runs faster.

 

Are there any websites that would have desktop pictures specifically for the smaller size netbooks? I usually frequent Digitalblasphemy.com for my regular desktops but have not tried squeezing them into 1024 x 600 yet.

Oh, regarding the 2 Gigs memory...Ubuntu boots up in about 5 seconds now.
System resources(Ubuntu version) with the 512Meg stick showed 41% being used. With the 2 Gig stick, its only showing 10% used.

The Ubuntu task manager is showing Bluetooth in "sleeping mode" and using 900K of memory. What is this since I did not order Bluetooth with this mini 9. I figured if I need it, I could order it and install it myself later.

 

Just purchased my Mini 9 - 04.26.09, estimated delivery date 04.28.09, I've been agonizing over it for the past month, looking forward to getting it. I ordered a 2GB memory Module from Crucial so when it gets here it'll get a memory upgrade. I'm looking into getting a 64GB SSD at some point, but want to make sure I get a good quality one so i'll be looking on here for some great advice for that one!

Inspiron 910 Intel Atom processor N270, 1.6GHz, 533Mhz512K L2 Cache
ICE BLUE Color with Gloss Finish
1GB,DDR2,533MHZ,1 DIMM
8.9 inch Wide Screen WSVGA TLLCD
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950
8GB Solid State Drive (mini-card Module/PATA)
Genuine Windows XP Home Edition
Dell Video Chat
Dell Support Center Software 32 Bit 2.0
You have chosen a Windows XP System
Box.net online backup and filesharing 1.0
Windows Live Search,Multiple User Interface
ADOBE READER 9.0 MULTI- LANGUAGE
Base LCD Assembly
Wireless 802.11g Mini Card
Integrated 1.3M Pixel Webcam
Norton Internet Security 30-Day, Multi-Language
32WHr 4-cell Battery
No ISP requested
Microsoft Works 9.0, English For Inspiron
Dell Hardware Warranty Plus Onsite Service, Initial Year
At Home Service, 24x7 TechnicalSupport, Initial Year
Soft Contracts - Banctec
1 Year Limited Warranty
No Warranty, Year 2 and 3
Warranty Support,Initial Year
Standard On-Site Installation Declined
S and P Drop-in-Box Marcom forDHS Notebooks
Bluetooth 2.1 module via USB I/F (Option)
Non-WWAN Base in Blue
Plant a Tree for Me-Offset a LCD Monitor

 

I should have mentioned that I had a 1GB RAM installed in our Mini before I replaced it with the 2GB. Nice to hear that you are seeing a noticeable difference in the upgrade.

Not sure if this is what you are looking for, but many people have posted desktop pictures sized for 1024 x 600: http://mydellmini.com/forum/your-1024x600-desktopǃ-t648.html and http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?pid=549231 and http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=28173&p=1 and http://mydellmini.com/forum/136-hi-res-wallpapers-resized-for-mini-9-t4028.html and http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper_beta/downloads/date/any/

 

The "sleeping mode" thing is probably (i'm guessing" because dell uses the same disk image to install on all ubuntu mini9s, so it has bluetooth drivers and such in there. The drivers don't detect a bluetooth adapter, so they go into sleep mode assuming it's turned off and wait for it to turn back on.
They should be uninstallable somewhere.

 

Perfect. That third website had what I was looking for. Thank you.

 

I got my Mini 9 just this week, and it was fine until today when I started getting sporadic freezes. I put the Mini 9 on my lap while sitting on the bet and it locked up hard, no keyboard, no touchpad, no nothing. I thought at first that it might be a heat issue, but I had a couple lockups even after using it on a flat, hard surface instead of my lap. Later on, I couldn't reproduce the freezes, period, even if I did have it on my lap. Weird.

I'm not sure if I should return it or not. It's a refurb that I bought from Dell's Outlet Store, and maybe there's some hardware bug, but then the bug might be in the wireless driver, instead. And it looks like I'm not the only one with problems.

 

If you are still having these prob's and it's an issue like what you've linked, you are still w/in your 21 days of date of invoice to return to the Outlet for a return/replacement for another. Especially since you just received it.

Cin

 

Vostro A90

Looks better in all black than the Mini 9.

 

That does look a lot cooler.


Unrelated, I have been running Windows XP on my Mini 9 again since Ubuntu 9.04 had a couple of driver issues related to the trackpad and I really think I am going to stick with XP. It just seems to run overall better and it doesn't take forever after waking from sleep before the wifi connection re-connects.

 

Hey folks, I just took delivery of an Alpine White Mini 9. My dad and I got it for "free" with the E6400 we bought for my mom. Interestingly enough, it has a Vostro A90 sticker on the bottom, though it's clearly a Mini 9.

At any rate, it's a pretty neat machine, though I don't have much use for a netbook myself. Atom seems a bit slower than the Celeron in my dad's EEE PC 900, but it can handle all the basics just fine.

The keyboard has a nice tactile feel, but it's really got some unintuitive key placements, particularly that of the quotation mark key. I like how Dell tried to expand the size of the main letter keys by apparently shrinking some of the peripheral keys.

Kinda miffed that the power supply doesn't have the standard Dell connector, and since it's a single cable, it's a bit shorter than a typical PA-10 or PA-12 power brick, which is a bit annoying.

But yeah, just wanted to share my minimal experience with this thing. Have a nice day.

 

FYI, that's what I did.

 

I just got a Mini 10 to go with my Mini 9. It was a good deal with the outlet coupon. I decided to go with blue this time instead of my red theme in laptops. Beautiful color!

I just wanted to give a few impressions to anyone considering getting a Mini 10 to compliment their Mini 9.

I really like my Mini 9 but I find the keyboard cramped. It's my one complaint. I have to admit, I really like the Mini 10 keyboard much better for typing. I think that it makes the laptop large enough, however, that it's not quite as portable as the Mini 9. That one is small enough for a purse or a large coat pocket. If you are going to coffee shops or something the Mini 9 might be a little easier to carry around but the Mini 10 is still a pretty small laptop.

I have the original "crippled" Mini 10 so it's only got 1 GB ram (not upgradable) and a 160 GB hard drive rather than an SSD. The hard drive is faster than the SSD but makes the laptop more fragile I would think since it's breakable. I think the screen is clearer than the Mini 9 and the slightly larger size helps me with my bifocals and reading. It surfs the internet with no problems. It's quiet like the Mini 9 except for a very faint whirring sound of the hard drive--I don't think there are any fans on the unit.

Sometimes my Mini 9 stutters a little when functioning. I haven't experienced that on the Mini 10 but perhaps that's because it has a hard drive rather than an SSD.

I might upgrade later to one of the souped up Mini 10's that will be released soon but overall I am actually pleased with the laptop. It's a good "big brother" to my Mini 9. I wonder if Dell will continue to make laptops in 9-17 inch sizes or if certain sizes will stand out from the others?

 

Thank you for a great review of the Mini 10. I'm a bit confused though as I
find the SSD's to be way faster. Or I thought they were supposed to be.

My 1530 and Latitude E4200 really fly.
And I wish the Dell sprint Broadband minicode was supported on the
beta Windows 7 as it flies!!!!

 

Some SSDs are fast but some cheap ones like the ones that come in the mini 9 aren't.

I have been trying to pick up a Runcore 32GB SSD for my mini to pick up a bit of speed but they aren't exactly easy to find in-stock anywhere.