Dell's New Inspiron Mini Gets Next-Gen Atom Tech

With more battery life and "stutter-free" HD video playback, Dell seems to be making a bid to make its Inspiron Mini 10 the go-top device for Internet TV watchers.

The redesigned and amped-up netbook, with Intel's next-gen Atom technology will become available in January. With a 10.1-inch display, the Mini 10 can be personalized through Dell's Design Studio or just through the broad range of colors available, Dell said. The palm rest is textured and "smudge-resistant," and the keys are sculpted to make typing more comfortable. The battery will last up to 9.5 hours of continuous operation, too.
The highlights:

• Processor: New Intel Atom N450 at 1.66 GHz
• Display: 10.1-inch with standard (1024x600) or High Definition (1366x768) available in coming weeks
• Sound: Built-in speakers with available SRS Surround sound
• Video: HDTV tuner and location-aware GPS configurations available in coming weeks; bundles with Broadcom Crystal HD for smooth HD playback coming in Q1
• Wireless: Built-in 802.11 b/g with available Bluetooth and Mobile Broadband
• Memory: 1GB, though significant system memory may be used to support graphics; DDR2 memory at 800MHz
• 160GB Hard Drive; actual capacity varies with preloaded material and operating environment
• Battery: Choice of 3 or 6-cell integrated battery with up to 9.5 hours of battery life. (Life of 9 hours and 34 minutes for the Mini 10 Mobility bundle is achieved using Mobilemark2007 battery life testing benchmark with a system configuration that includes 60WHr 6 cell battery, Windows 7 Starter Operating system and 250GB Hard Drive)
• OS: Choice of Windows 7 Starter or Windows XP Home, Ubuntu option available in the coming weeks
• Weight: Starting at about 2.75 – 3.1 pounds. 

The HDTV tuner will enable users to watch over-the-air HD broadcasts. And the video playback is optimized to ensure streaming broadcasts from the likes of Hulu and YouTube don't stutter and stop for buffering every few minutes.

Prices start at $299.