14 DAY TRIAL // Netbooks, notebooks, ultraportables are just names given to the various so-called categories of mobile PCs, each meant for a specific set of tasks and appealing to a certain market segment. Still, it is not always easy to make out where the borderline between these product types is. As such, companies sometimes unveil devices that cannot easily be classified as either. Dell appears to have done something like this with its Inspiron M101z so-called ultraportable.
The machine has, at its heart, a single-core or dual-core AMD Athlon II Neo central processing unit. The selected CPU is paired with up to 4GB of RAM and an AMD integrated graphics solution, which has full control over the 11.6-inch WLED backlit display whose native resolution is of 1,366 x 768 pixels. What's more, a hard disk drive brings up to 320GB of storage space to the equation, making it possible to carry around a great many multimedia files. The rest of the feature set includes 10/100 LAN, optional WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, a 1.3 megapixel webcam and a 7-in-1 card reader.
"Finally, people can get premium looks, a big display, a full-width keyboard, long battery life and a powerful processor in a laptop no bigger than many netbooks," said Brian Pitstick, director and general manager, ultra mobile products. "The Inspiron M101z is an affordable, on-the-go companion that can be easily customized to handle individual needs from simple e-mailing and Web surfing to HD video playback and editing or watching a favorite TV program."
The Dell Inspiron M101z has a pair of 1.5W integrated speakers and is preloaded with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit Operating System. Finally, the company threw in a 6-cell battery, as well as a 9-cell option that will become available this fall. US Stores are already selling four color versions (Clear Black, Peacock Blue, Tomato Red with a Jax pattern and Promise Pink with a DigiPais pattern). The starting price is $450.