Just learned via email that “the Mini 9 has reached the end of the line at Dell Home.”

Does this mean no more Mini 9’s or just no more Mini 9’s at Dell Home Store’s Netbook Section?

The message had a link to the Mini 10v. I’m guess that’s the Mini 9’s replacement.

 
 
Update: It’s official: Bidding Adieu to the Dell Inspiron Mini 9.
(Hat tip: @lohhw3)

 
 

Summary
++ Lots of Configuration Options
++ 1024X600 Resolution
+- Average Battery Life
+- Keyboard Size / Functions

Build/Design
Perhaps one of the best reasons to purchase a Dell machine is the company’s reputation for offering a wide range of configurations. They’ve made no exception when it comes to the Mini 9 as they offer many hardware configurations and even several colors or designs to choose from. Design-wise, the Mini is similar to other netbooks of comparable size, such as the Eee PC. The most notable differences is a relatively smaller bezel around the screen, which still manages to house a webcam and two speakers!

Keyboard/Touchpad
You may find yourself in a love/hate relationship with the keyboard. While anyone is sure to appreciate its attempt to be as close to a full sized keyboard as possible, its easy to loathe the compromises Dell made to get it there. For example, some of the everyday keys that are usually available in extra width at the sides (tab, caps lock, shift) have been reduced to slivers of what they should be. Only the most dexterous pinkies will be able to strike them with consistent accuracy.

Display
The 8.9 inch screen offers a 1024×600 resolution which is a suitable mix of portability and usability. You’ll still have to do a fair bit of vertical scrolling, but all of your favorite web pages should be viewable without running off either horizontal edge of the screen.

Audio
The Mini has several audio features that make it a little better than its competition. For one, the speakers are on the lid, facing toward the user instead of below the laptop and pointed at the surface. This can make a world of difference when the Mini is on your lap, where most laptop speakers are muffled. The Mini’s speakers also support stereo sound.

Performance
Overall, Dell Mini 9 performance is comparable to most other laptops in this category. While the 1.6GHz atom processor does a fair job of light web-browsing and word-processing tasks, it will struggle with heavy applications. For example, the Mini will load reasonably sized pictures quickly, but it will take a little longer to view the raw captures from your 10 mega-pixel camera. The battery life on the Mini is average, clocking in at about 3 hours of video playback time.

Additional Information
Full product details and ordering information is available at the company’s website: http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/laptop-inspiron-9?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

Deal Update: Get a Dell Mini 9 at Amazon.com for under $330 (2/15/09): Dell Mini 9 on Amazon.com