Wait, What? Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Packs Integrated 3G?
Of all the details that Dell could have omitted from the launch of its Inspiron Mini 9, we would think that one of the mini-notebook’s most distinguishing features might have made it to the table. According to Dell spokeswoman Anne Camden, Dell’s new tiny dancer is packing an integrated 3G card. Talk about easter eggs! While there isn’t much detail to be found from Dell, the fact that Vodaphone has already announced that it will be offering the Mini 9 leads us to believe that we’re talking about a tri-band card here. Presumably it will play nicely in Europe and here in the US we’re going to assume that it’s packing 850 MHz for use on AT&T’s high-speed networks. Considering you can now pick up a unit for as little as $99, the story just keeps getting better as far as we’re concerned. Dell is likely in talks right now with a certain US carrier (the reason for Dell’s silence perhaps) and it will be interesting to see what comes of it. Of note, Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9 is said to have a battery life in the three-hour range with no mention of 3G. We can only imagine what will happen when users start streaming video and whatnot over 3G. Ouch.
Tags: 3G, Dell, Inspiron, laptop, Mini 9, notebook, ultra-portable, UMTS
That lady is clueless. They ship with 3g antennas and the requisite slot, but no card. Also, the $99 deal is total balls, as you have to buy a laptop that is ~$400 more than if you used a coupon. Wait for a code on the laptop you want, and then buy both items separately.
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@doppler:
You’re off the grid, radar! Since when do antennae exist but do not process a signal to a card, as you allege, considering that every card produced has an antenna, embedded internally or protruding externally? Think before you spread such nonsense.
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backbeat
If you look at the anandtech review he takes it apart. No hardware is shown that could handle 3g.
As far as antenna preinstalled, Thats very common with any system that has the capability. The old mac books had wifi antennae with the air card slot empty. Even the mac towers had an antennae run through them for anticipation of install of a wireless card later. You forget that these machines are mass produced and then customized very little once ordered. It would be more cost effective to run the antenna (which probably wraps around the top of the monitor) before assembly rather than once ordered where the entire system needs tore down to add the capability.
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backbeat, I think it means there is an embedded antenna that can be connected to an appropriate card.
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Actually its very common for Dell to have an embedded antenna in their notebooks. All their business Latitude notebooks come with an embedded antenna for WiFi and some models like the Latitude D620/D630 all come with embedded 3G antenna as well regardless if it has the card or not. It makes adding a WiFi or 3G card easier after the purchase.
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I stand corrected. However, I don’t necessarily agree with the notebook production-level premise that a Dell-included antenna is the best method of insuring best reception, maintaining the signal, shielding against interference, etc, but then possibly card mfrs are more willing to tailor their designs to standards set by the notebook mfrs to optimize performance.
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backseat, have you ever shopped for internal wireless cards before? Most, if not all, simply have an onboard connector for an antenna and do not include a built-in antenna. Why? Cause then your antenna is wherever the card is, INSIDE a laptop case underneath the main components. Laptops are wired with antenna in the display to the card slot. This is standard practice.
Heck, even desktop models that plug into a PCI slot simply have a antenna connector on the outoside of the card where you can either use the supplied antenna or a 3rd party.
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It is called Gobi ( short for global internet ), and it will allow all bands of HSDPA, CDMA and GSM to be used. This solution is what every manufactor is going to use.
So now we can all sit around the fire and tell stories about when you had to have a different card for the US vs the “rest” of the world.
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Hey AT&T,
You subsidize the Mini 9’s $349 price tag even as little as $249 out-of-pocket and you’ve got a new customer..So long as you keep those data rates <$50/month/2yrs
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@Nola:
Why would I have a need to shop for embedded wireless laptop cards? Laptop PC cards do the job, have their own antennae, are plug-n-play, and are pretty much troublefree. http://www.wireless.att.com/businesscenter/phones-devices/all-phones/pc-card-modems/index.jsp
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@backbeat
Those are PCMCIA/PCI-Express cards that plug into an external slot. We’re taking about *internal* cards here, so you completely missed the point yet again, so I’m done.
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@Nola:
You were _done_ before you even started, Scooter, as soldering an internal card into a laptop is not the topic of discussion. Clear?
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@backbeat
Soldering? Who mentioned soldering. It’s an internal card slot that a card like this plugged into, and then you connect antenna to.
http://www.sierrawireless.com/resources/images/products/mc8775_med.jpg
http://www.sierrawireless.com/product/mc8775.aspx
There’s no soldering involved here. So who’s the one missing the point again?
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^ Thanks for the heads-up to the OEM fare, but Dilbert, no traditional consumer is going to bother dissecting their notebook. Geeks and Clowns, yes (which are you again?), but not general consumers. Which leaves the OEMs of the world. Whether screws are used or solder is a red-herring, yet you cleave to that flimsy excuse like it was guns and religion.
Changing the subject only further underscores your idiocy with your each and every post. By all means, please continue.
Don’t you have yet another generator to fix or are all the wrenches in use by the adults? Your forthcoming personal attack remarks will be duly ignored (once I’m finished belly-laughing at you).
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^ Access to the WWAN slot requires removal of 2 screws and removing the underside panel. It’s the same procedure used for changing RAM, which is located just above and to the right of the WWAN slot.
Here’s the documentation a traditional consumer will use to make such an upgrade.
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins910/en/sm/base.htm#wp1223484
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^ Geeee … What are the OEM guidelines for Asia, Dilbert?
Still trying to make magic out of monkeydust with OEM parts, I see.
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^ If a consumer can purchase the WWAN card retail and install it using the supplied manual, it’s not an OEM part.
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Wow backbeat, you’re a real jackass.
I mean, I thought that I was a jackass, but apparently I’m just a mere peon who trembles in the shadow of your jackassery.
In total awe,
beatbeater
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^ Shovel your bullshit in Sierra Wireless’ direction, not mine. http://www.sierrawireless.com/product/oemmodules.aspx They were your source, afterall. Dontcha just _hate_ it when reality stops and backs up all over your sorry self?!
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Here’s Dell’s internal card available from dell.com for consumers to purchase.
This is the AT&T Version:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Networking_Communication/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=430-3170
Also one for Sprint:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Networking_Communication/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=430-3169
And another for Verizon:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Networking_Communication/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=430-3168
and Telus Mobile:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Networking_Communication/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=430-2471
there’s a bunch more too:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/category.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&category_id=5584&p=13
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^ Nola, you ignorant slut …
Thanks for all the links to enterprise-class gear, but what does that have to do with a regular-Joe consumer? I seriously doubt soccer-moms have their very own community IT Dept to get installations done, Bunky. You may have conveniently overlooked the fact that every enterprise laptop was listed under Dell’s _Business_ customer.
Utility-biz slow? Keep a’swingin’, junior.
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The cards are not limited to only enterprise hardware. They can be used in any laptop/desktop on the market that has a WWAN slot (such as the Dell Mini).
I’m not the one swinging here though. Cheers.
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We’re also not talking about hardware compatibility, junior. Still holding onto your Earth-Is-Flat belief system, _no_matter_what_? Poor thang.
Possibly once you’ve exhausted all the subjects _not_ in discussion, you can focus on the topic? How many more to go, Skippy?
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Nola, somewhere a village is missing you and your wrench.
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Hey backbeat,
Why don’t you STFU noob?!!
Just relax, sit back, take a backsh!t and scratch my b@lls.
yo ABCD dimwit!
-raping backbeat bawbag
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