February 2009 - Direct2Dell

Many of you have been keeping track of the Mini 10 since we previewed some details at CES. Starting today, we'll begin taking preorders from customers in the United States through QVC. U.S. online availability through Dell.com will follow soon after—it's scheduled for February 26.  We'll begin shippping next month. The regional schedule will vary, but the Mini 10 will be available to Dell customers worldwide in the future.

It comes standard in Obsidian Black, but we offer Alpine White, Promise Pink, Cherry Red, Ice Blue and Jade Green as color options. Mini 10 pricing starts at $399. With the 3-cell battery, its starting weight is 2.86 lbs.

Update (2-26): The Mini 10 is now available for order at Dell.com.

The Mini 10 will be available with two Atom processor options: the Z520 and Z530. Standard features include:

• an integrated 1.3 megapixel webcam
• an HDMI out port
• integrated 802.11g Wi-Fi
• a 3-cell 24Whr battery
• 160GB 5400rpm hard drive
• a 4-in-1 memory card reader

Initially, all Mini 10s will come with 1GB fixed RAM (which means it will not be upgradable), the Windows XP operating system, and a 16:9 edge-to-edge display that supports a maximum resolution of 1024 x 768. The default screen resolution is 1024 x 576, which is a better fit for the widescreen display. As far as ports, the Mini 10 features HDMI out, 3 USB ports, an Ethernet jack, a 4-in-1 memory card reader, AC Power in and 1 line out + 1 Mic-in ports.

Update (3-31): The high resolution screen is now available as an option on the US website. For $35 more, you now can opt for a 1366 x 768 display).

Update (4-30): I tweeted this last week, but forgot to update this post: The 6-cell 56W/Hr battery is now available as a $30 option. Beyond that, we now offer some designs in addition to all the color options I've mentioned elsewhere in this post. 

Update (8-15): Recently we just began offering a promotional Mini 10 configuration for customers in the United States with 2GB of RAM and Windows Vista Home Basic with SP1. For more details, check out my updated post on the 2GB topic here.

All Windows XP machines will ship with Windows Live Essentials and the Windows Live Toolbar. Microsoft Works will also be standard software. Microsoft Office Basic 2007 will be an option in the future.

If you prefer Linux, Ubuntu 8.04 will be an available option soon. The higher resolution 720P panel will be available as an option in the future and the integrated digital TV tuner will be available on a future model. While I'm on the subject of future options, Bluetooth, integrated GPS and mobile broadband, will all be options down the road.

I've been using the entry-level config for Mini 10 for the last few days. My verdict: I'm going to have a hard time giving it back. The keyboard is the first thing I noticed—at 92% the size of a standard keyboard, it's a bit larger than the one on the Mini 9. I adjusted to it in no time. The other thing I noticed was that overall performance on Windows XP seemed really snappy. Just about all my work these days revolves around e-mail and web-based apps, and for those kinds of things, the Mini 10 was great. I installed Internet Explorer 8 and Firefox 3 and fired up several tabs to mimic what I do everyday. I used two of my favorite Twitter clients, Twhirl and Tweetdeck to have some conversations there. Beyond that, the Mini 10 performed well when I uploaded and viewed videos and  images on YouTube (even HQ and HD-quality ones) and Flickr, checked Techmeme and wrote most of this blog post on both Live Writer and the Community Server back end. Doing these kinds of activities, I was able to get about 3 hours of battery life with the standard 3-cell battery.

I'll update this blog post as new options become available. For a bit more background on the Mini 10 and where netbooks fit in the world of mobile devices, check out this StudioDell video. And if you want to see some photos of the Mini 10, take a look here on Dell's Official Flickr page.

I’ve been getting a couple of e-mails and hearing from a few customers like ecoates1980 via Twitter and others like mrbofus who started this forum thread to say that the batteries on their Mini 9 either don’t seem to be charging at all, or that the battery won’t hold a charge.

Two recommendations for Mini 9 customers:

1. Please update your BIOS to the A04 version we recently published. 

2. Please charge your battery for at least 12 hours before using the computer on battery power.

Here’s what’s going on. If a battery is not charged for extended periods of time without use, the battery enters something called pre-charge mode, which means it is drained beyond the 0% capacity level. Getting the battery out of pre-charge mode can require that the battery to be charged for up to 12 hours.

This is not unique to the Mini 9—it applies to other laptop batteries that have not been changed for a long period of time. After the initial charge, the battery will recharge as you would expect. You may use your system with the included AC Adapter while your battery is charging.

If you are running the A04 BIOS and have tried charging your battery for more 12 hours or more and are still having problems, please contact Dell Technical Support. Customers in the United States can use phone numbers on this page to contact Dell Technical Support.

Here’s the process for customers outside the United States:

• Go to support.dell.com
• At the very bottom of the page, select your country in the Choose a Country/Region field
• Choose Contact Us on the left hand side
• Click on the More Details link in the Contact Tech Support section
• Click on the green Telephone button under the Call Tech Support section

If you still need help after contacting technical support for this issue, please let me know in the comment thread of this post.

Lots of readers have seen blog posts like those in VentureBeat and CNET that mentions Dell has generated over $1 million in revenue. While we're pleased with that, it's pretty clear that we can do even more.

Beginning today, Dell will offer deals from the Dell Outlet exclusive to Twitter in the U.S.  With over 11,000 followers, our team wanted to show their thanks to the Twitter world through these new deals which will continue each week.  Our team at Dell, by the way, now has over 80 twitter properties, including new Dell Outlet-focused ones in the UK and Ireland. For those interested in offers on new systems, we support regional sites in Australia and New Zealand, and for US customers and looking for new system offers can check out Dell Home Offers and Dell Small Business. For a list of where Dell is on Twitter, and to see the individuals behind them, take a look at www.dell.com/twitter.

@DellOutlet has come a long way since the first follower joined shortly after SXSW Interactive in March 2007.  We want to thank the Twitterers of the world for their support.

To illustrate our thinking, we have our first interview with Stefanie Nelson, who leads our Twitter efforts for Dell Outlet.  Enjoy! www.twitter.com/bobpdell

The Clinton Global Initiative University Summit (CGI-U) opened today at the University of Texas at Austin. CGI-U was launched last year as a means for university students to gain the skills and knowledge that will help them tackle global problems with practical, innovative solutions. The Initiative's namesake, former President Bill Clinton, delivered the opening address to nearly 1,200 students and educators from across the globe, laying out the challenges facing our planet and telling them that they "have more power to change the world than any other generation in history."

Following his address, the former president introduced a panel comprised of student and business leaders and social innovators who are effecting positive change. The former president engaged each of them in questions about their inspirations, challenges and what the future holds. Panelists included Natalie Portman, who spoke passionately about her work securing microloans for citizens of developing countries and the need for economic empowerment and education for women across the globe; Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes, a business that donates shoes to people who need them for every pair they sell, and Paul Bell, Dell's President of Global Public and head of our Global Giving Council.

Bell, who served in the Peace Corps following his graduation from Penn State University, spoke of the importance of finding causes that people are passionate about and applying their talents to uncover viable solutions. As examples, he cited Dell's environmental initiatives, such as going carbon neutral, designing products for greater energy efficiency and powering Dell's Round Rock campus completely on renewable energy, among others. Former President Clinton asked him about the work Dell has done to bring computers and the Internet to school children who would otherwise would never have had the opportunity to learn about IT. As a result of this work, sixty thousand classrooms in Mexico are now connected and the students are learning and teaching each other how to use and benefit from this technology.

  In keeping with the former president's message that young people today have unseen potential to change the world, Mr. Bell invited students to enter their ideas on tackling the world's pressing social issues in Dell's Social Innovation Competition. The winner of the competition will receive $50,000 to begin implementation of his/her idea. The best idea related to sustainability will receive $10,000.

If the opening events prove to be any indication, CGI-U promises to be productive and educational, shaping and inspiring the world's future leaders and innovators. Let us know your thoughts on what you’re hearing and seeing over the Web. We've got video from the opening ceremony forthcoming, but in the meantime, you can catch the rough cast on GCI U's page here.  See you on campus!

In the coming weeks, I’ll be writing more about the inspiration and perspiration behind Adamo by Dell, and thought you might want to know a bit more about who I am. I am Vice President of Consumer Experience & Design at Dell, and each day I try to bring my passion for craftsmanship, style and design to Dell’s consumer products.

Passion is actually what brought me here from NIKE - passion for Dell’s heritage, and the possibilities ahead.  I loved the idea that the company that created the “built-to-order” model for PCs is transforming and pioneering the “made-for-me” model. 

I think the path I’m on is truly in my genes. My grandma was an artist and she always encouraged me to draw, create and make. She inspired me to create products that were both beautiful and functional and to truly enjoy the process.  Her voice is definitely still with me, and part of what I am doing at Dell is not only creating quality products, but hopefully providing others with the opportunity to continue to create and express.

It’s not all about me though, there is a team of committed, passionate people around the world at Dell who working to create expressive products to you.