Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I recently picked up the Dell Mini 1012 (Although customed ordered through Dell's website). Overall I'm satified with the product.
In my opinion, netbooks should still be using Windows XP. I installed my copy of XP Professional on the Dell Mini and now it runs much better. Just popped over to Dell's website and downloaded all the drivers. Also check out the Intel Driver update Utility offered from Intel which gives you newer drivers than the Dell website offers, (just search for it on a search engine).
I also recommend upgrading to 2 GB of RAM. I went over to Cruical.com and was able to quickly find the module needed to upgrade. upgrading is very simple. There are videos on YouTube that show how to do it. Just search for "dell mini 1012" and it shows up on the first page of the results.
A nice feature of this netbook is how quiet it is, so it's perfect in a classroom or meeting environment. This system is surprisingly fanless. It does cause the netbook to heat up a little, but nothing that is too bothersome.
No complaints on the keyboard. It is very comfortable to type on and takes no time to get accustomed too. I wish there was an option for a backlit keyboard, but then again, it's understandable this isn't a feature as it goes against the purpose of a netbook. However, I still wish there was an option which I could toggle on and off depending on how I'm trying to conserve battery life.
I decided to get the HD option which includes a decoder card and a screen with 1366 x 768 resolution. At first I didn't like such a high resolution while reading text on the screen, but now I like it. The Broadcom Crystal HD decoder is fantastic. I've been able to watch 720p and 1080p movies with it. I had trouble utilizing it with Windows Media Player or VLC, however I highly recommend downloading media player classic. After loading a movie, you click the "play" menu bar option, then filter, and then the Broadcom decoder. Trying to play these movies without the decoder was impossible. The primary reason I use the netbook is for travel and I always watch a movie while I'm on the plane. (Coupled with my Bose headphones, it makes flying much better).
The edges of the netbook are beveled so it's easy on the hands and wrists. A lot of laptops these day have sharp edges which bothers me quite a bit, and no problem on this netbook.
The battery life has been great. I've never fully tested the battery, but it has lasted through all the traveling I have done so far which is typically 3 - 4 hours and I keep the screen at full brightness.
The biggest disappointment for me on this system is the touchpad. I'm not a fan of the integrated clicking. Instead I'd much rather have a dedicated left and right mouse button. But I almost always use an external mouse so it doesn't bother me too much.
Many people have also complained about how bulky this netbook is, but it doesn't bother me.
Another drawback is that Dell seems to be a little slower than HP on having the latest CPU's available. This one is still using an Atom N450, but there are better ones out such as the latest N550 which is being featured on their new convertible tablet netbook. With that being said, before I got the Dell Mini, I bought one of the latest HP netbooks and was really disappointed with it and sent it back.
I'm pretty satisifed with this netbook after putting XP on it, upgrading the RAM, (and I also threw in a 120 GB SSD drive in it). It also gets good compliments from people, most referring to it as "cute".
Click Here to see more reviews about: Dell Inspiron iM1012-1110OBK Netbook (Obsidian Black)
The Dell Inspiron Mini 1012 makes it easy to stay connected to your world almost anywhere you go. The Mini 1012's small, virtually weightless design lets you travel light while keeping up with your blog, video chat, instant messenger, and e-mail so you never lose touch with your family and friends. A bright 10.1-inch widescreen display is designed to present websites without a lot of left-right scrolling.
The nicely compact Dell Inspiron Mini 1012--perfect for staying connected while hanging out at the coffeeshop hotspot(white version shown).
Click here for more information about Dell Inspiron iM1012-1110OBK Netbook (Obsidian Black)
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