With the launch of the Inspiron Mini 9, it seems Dell has decided to hold back the details on what most would consider a pretty important feature. The fact that the Mini 9 already includes an integrated 3G card. According to Dell spokeswoman Anne Camdenm “there’s a hidden bonus, however: an integrated 3G card.” Of course the first reaction is nothing more than, Very Cool! However you cannot help but wonder if that “hidden bonus” added any additional cost that may go unused by lots of buyers. Could Dell have shaved a few extra bucks off the pricing? Maybe, maybe not.
Anyway, as of now, Dell has not announced (other than Vodafone) which wireless carriers would be picking up the device. This could mean for some slow initial sales here in the US. Personally I was planning to purchase the Mini 9 for myself, but I may wait for some carrier announcements with the hope of seeing a subsidized version become available.
Based on statements from John Thode, vice president and general manager of Dell’s small-screen devices “the names of Dell’s telecom partner or partners were cut before the announcement.” Thode did go on to mention that they will “sell it with telco operator channels, so [customers] won’t have to make a decision about which operator to support.”
Aside from a little waiting for any carrier announcement here in the US, the other major concern would be the battery life. The Inspiron Mini 9 features a 4-cell battery which should give about 3 hours of life under the best conditions, however with the active 3G connection that is sure to drop quickly. Mobile road warriors may want to begin thinking about a mobile charging solution or possibly a spare battery or two.
Read [PC Mag]
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