Dell offers Ubuntu on the Mini 12 now? How did I miss this?

[aysiu]

I loved my Asus Eee PC 701 for a while, but as bigger and better (and actually cheaper) netbooks kept coming out, I got envious. So I've been scoping out other options for a while.

I almost had my heart set on the HP Mini Mi, but I just found out that Dell now sells the Mini 12 with Ubuntu. How did I miss that? Was I the only one?

See. If you go to the Dell Ubuntu page (http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/linux_3x?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs), they list only four models with Ubuntu (no Dell Mini 12 listed there).

But if you go to the Dell Mini 12 page (http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/laptop-inspiron-12?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn), you'll see two are offered with Ubuntu.

Now I'm a little torn. I've read up on the HP Mini Mi a lot, and I'm comfortable with its flaws. I also read the reviews on the Mini 12, and it sounds as if Dell's Ubuntu implementation there is only half-hearted. But a 12" screen is very tempting, especially after having used a 7" screen for a year (and, yes, the Eee PC is my main computer).

The other day I went to Best Buy to see how the keyboard is on the HP Mini, and my eyes widened "This thing is huge!" My wife, who has a Macbook Pro, thought I was insane, because the keyboard is actually not even a full-sized keyboard. Compared to an Eee 701, though, it is huge.

P.S. Don't recommend the Starling (http://system76.com/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=92) to me. I'm not interested in it.

P.P.S. I believe in voting with your wallet, so I will not buy Windows preinstalled any more. If the Eee 1000HE came with Linux, I would get that in a heartbeat, though.

[gn2]

If you're going to go for a 12" screen, why allow yourself to be hobbled by such a poor core specification as is found in a netbook?

Much better 12" laptop options are available e.g. the Samsung Q210 (http://www.trustedreviews.com/notebooks/review/2008/08/01/Samsung-Q210-12-1in-Centrino-2-Notebook/p1)

EDIT: or the Darter Ultra (http://system76.com/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=76)

[aysiu]

If you're going to go for a 12" screen, why allow yourself to be hobbled by such a poor core specification as is found in a netbook?

Much better 12" laptop options are available e.g. the Samsung Q210 (http://www.trustedreviews.com/notebooks/review/2008/08/01/Samsung-Q210-12-1in-Centrino-2-Notebook/p1)

EDIT: or the Darter Ultra (http://system76.com/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=76)
Is the Samsung Q210 for sale in the US? And with Linux preinstalled?

[gn2]

Don't know if it's available in the US, it's not available as a Linux pre-install in the UK, but if you feel so strongly about it, you could refuse the Windows EULA and claim a refund?

When you go to 12" you've lost the only thing that makes a netbook worthwhile, i.e. the portability.

[aysiu]

I've moved the further discussion to its own thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1148932).

I've already talked it over with my wife, and we think the HP is a better option for me.