14 DAY TRIAL // Dell's current-generation Mini 10 netbook line seems to have performed quite well if the company has once again updated the lineup. Back in December, the company gave the Mini 10 netbook a boost in energy efficiency by upgrading it to the Intel Atom N450 central processing unit (CPU). At the recent Mobile World Congress 2010, companies such as Samsung and Toshiba showcased laptops with Long Term Evolution (LTE) 4G connectivity. To provide competition, Dell added 4G WiMAX capabilities to its Mini 10.
The extra option enabled by the PC vendor is the possibility of replacing the usual 802.11g Wi-Fi card with a combo 802.11n and WiMAX. This new component will enable wireless speeds of up to 10Mbps on compatible networks. Other than this addition, the line retains its previous specifications.
The netbook comes with 1GB DDR2 memory (or 2GB for Vista and Ubuntu), the Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 500, a glossy 10.1-inch display and a hard drive with a storage capacity of up to 160GB. The mobile PC also has a 1.3-megapixel webcam, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a 3-in-1 card reader, three USB ports (one powered), as well as an HDMI output.
The Dell Mini 10 with WiMAX will have a price $60 higher than that of other configurations and will not be restricted to the services of a particular 4G carrier. In the United States, for instance, the WiMAX card will be able to pick up 4G signals delivered by Clear or Sprint. Unfortunately, the impact that the extra wireless connectivity capability will have upon the 9.5 hours of battery life is still unknown.
Dell has already listed the option as available for pre-order on its website, but actual shipments aren't scheduled to start before early March. Full information on the netbook's specifications may be found on the official product page.