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 Channel Futures

Open Source


Holiday Special: Dell Ubuntu Linux Netbooks At $299

  • Written by The VAR Guy 1
  • November 27, 2008

Attention Ubuntu Linux shoppers: Dell in newspapers today advertised Inspiron Mini 9 netbooks running Ubuntu for the bargain basement starting price of $299. Even The VAR Guy is opening his wallet and buying one. Dell’s actions reinforce Ubuntu’s growing momentum in the consumer and mobile business market. Here’s the scoop, and a look at the Dell advertisement…

First, some background. Dell has spent recent months advertising Ubuntu Netbooks in newspapers across the United States. The latest advertisement blitz involves an eight-page mini catalog — featuring Dell Inspiron Mini 9 running Ubuntu and starting at $299 — a $50 discount from the system’s original price.

Click on the ad to see a full-size image; story continues below.

Dell Ubuntu NetBook At $299

The VAR Guy already has an Asus Eee PC with a seven-inch screen. His kids love it, but his wife finds the keyboard too cramped and the fingerpad pointing device a bit clumbsy. At $299, the Inspiron seems like a good low-cost alternative to the Eee PC.

The $299 Dell Inspiron Mini 9 system features:

  • An Intel Atom Processor N270
  • Mini OS powered by Ubuntu 8.04
  • 512MB of memory and a 4GB solid state drive
  • an 8.9 inch screen
  • Dell wireless mini card (802.11g)
  • Free shipping

Alas, Dell didn’t advertise any of its full-size notebooks or PCs available with Ubuntu. But the PC giant’s commitment to promoting Ubuntu Netbooks continues to capture The VAR Guy’s attention. Clearly, Dell believes the consumer and mobile markets are ready for true platform choice.

The VAR Guy is updated multiple times daily. Don’t miss a single post. Subscribe to his newsletter, RSS and Twitter feed.

Tags: Agents Cloud Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs Mobility & Wireless Open Source

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25 comments

  1. Avatar The VAR Guy November 27, 2008 @ 5:51 pm
    Reply

    Alas, when The VAR Guy tried to purchase the special system, the only operating system offered was Windows XP. Sorry, Dell: The VAR Guy ain’t buying until he sees Ubuntu as one of the pre-installed options. Anybody else experience this problem?

  2. Avatar aikiwolfie November 27, 2008 @ 10:43 pm
    Reply

    Frankly I couldn’t care less what Dell does with Linux now. In the UK we went from the “overwhelming” choice of “three” Ubuntu Linux models to only two.

    Yet again the M1330n has gone AWOL.

    When Dell first started offering Linux to consumers they opened the door to one of the few areas of the laptop and desktop PC markets that is still expanding. The Windows market reached saturation point with Windows XP. Hence the reason why Microsoft can’t shift Vista.

    But the fact of the matter is. If Dell continues to pussy foot around with it’s hokaycokay routine then they’ll miss the boat. There are plenty of consumer Linux outfits out there. None quite as big as Dell. But they provide quality service.

    If you live in the US of course Dell wants your Linux dollar. Which seems a bit bizzare considering Linux is more popular in Europe. But none the less Dell has at least 6 Linux models on offer in the US.

    Note to Dell should any of them pull their heads out of their rear ends. I don’t appreciate being treated like a second class customer.

    Sorry VAR Guy. Probably not the place to complain. Enjoy the sales dude/dudet :op

  3. Avatar The VAR Guy November 27, 2008 @ 11:27 pm
    Reply

    Aikiwolfie: You have a right to complain if Dell is treating Europe like second-class customers. The VAR Guy is pleased to see Dell promoting Ubuntu to US consumers. But your point is well-taken: The world is ready for these systems.

  4. Avatar leftystrat November 28, 2008 @ 2:21 am
    Reply

    I have full size EEE’s as well as a Mini9. Before you buy anything, check out the keyboard on the full size EEE. I find the Mini to be much more difficult to use. There are no dedicated F-keys and the non letter keys are way smaller.

    Dell also took forever to get the Mini to me. I’ll just vote with my feet and buy EEE’s for this application.

    There are a few Ubuntus that work on the EEE as well. I prefer Ubuntu to the Xandros they use but both are easy enough for complete newbies to use w/o asking what the OS is.

    Email with any questions.

  5. Avatar sweemeng November 28, 2008 @ 3:52 am
    Reply

    Wish it comes to Malaysia, which is in Asia BTW. But it seems here, it is pretty much windows dominated market.

  6. Avatar Stephen November 28, 2008 @ 4:11 am
    Reply

    The website will not let me change the OS from Windows to Linux for this deal. Oh well, love the ad anyway.

  7. Avatar BrownieBoy November 28, 2008 @ 6:49 am
    Reply

    @aikiwolfie

    Feeling short changed about your Ubuntu options in Europe for Dell Netbooks? Then spare a thought for us, here in Australia.

    Yep, Down Under, our options for Ubuntu on Dell Netbooks are precisely zero. Zippo. Nada. Eff all. It’s Windows, or Windows, or then again, perhaps sir may care to try our Windows model?

    Dell’s marketing dicks did some marketing consultation – you know, the kind of thing that marketing dicks do – and decided that there was “no demand for Linux” in Australia.

  8. Avatar The VAR Guy November 28, 2008 @ 11:23 am
    Reply

    Stephen @5: The VAR Guy had the same problem. He’s calling Dell today…

    BrownieBoy @6: This is a family site. Please stick with “Richard” in the future.

  9. Avatar tracyanne November 28, 2008 @ 11:50 am
    Reply

    quote::Dell’s marketing dicks did some marketing consultation – you know, the kind of thing that marketing dicks do – and decided that there was “no demand for Linux” in Australia.

    which is why I won’t touch Dell products, under ant circumstance, anymore.

  10. Avatar Aronzak November 28, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
    Reply

    You’d need quite a few ants to lift even a netbook. Yes, there is demand, but bear in mind the cost for the company to make shipments. This is always going to be this dilemma.

  11. Avatar tracyanne November 28, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
    Reply

    Dell build computers to order, or so they claim, the shipping cost is the same whatever system they build. Linux adds less weight to the system anyway.

  12. Avatar Omegamormegil November 28, 2008 @ 2:01 pm
    Reply

    I’m on Dell’s site now, and it only gives me the option to pick Ubuntu 8.04.1 on the Mini 9. No Windows XP in sight. I went in through their Black Friday page. Nice new color options, too.

  13. Avatar socceroos November 28, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
    Reply

    As BrownieBoy put so colourfully, please spare a thought for us here in Australia.

    If Europe is feeling like second class citizens then we can aptly be described as third class/rate/world citizens.

    I agree that Dell needs to get out of bed with Microsoft and give the consumers here what they have been asking for. I noticed today when I rung Dell (again) to ask them innocently why I couldn’t find the option to choose Ubuntu (again) that they had at last been taught what Ubuntu was. So instead of getting a baffled consultant querying what Ubuntu was, at least they now know. It means that they must be getting quite a few calls about it. I’m glad – even if a tiny step, its a step in the right direction. Next, world domination.

    Its great to see Dell giving Ubuntu street-cred by notifying customers of its existence in the US. I hope they start to do it more elsewhere – like, in Australia.

  14. Avatar steveee November 28, 2008 @ 2:53 pm
    Reply

    Dell is not supporting Linux in any way in Australia. I have often bought dell equipment for many people not just my family. I will not prompt DELL equipment again. Its support is lacking.

    It offers good product but NO Linux… I will find another supplier that has reasonable deals.

    I feel cheated because of DELL’s lip service and on delivery with Linux!!

  15. Avatar Stephen November 28, 2008 @ 3:42 pm
    Reply

    Tried again but still only get windows.

  16. Avatar John November 28, 2008 @ 5:19 pm
    Reply

    I found the Ubuntu Mini 9 here:

    http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=usamp;cs=19amp;l=enamp;oc=DNDOXX1amp;s=dhs

    If your workplace participates in Dell’s Employee Purchase Program, you can get the Mini 9 starting at $278.

    Full disclosure: I do not work for Dell nor do I own one.

  17. Avatar Martin November 28, 2008 @ 5:40 pm
    Reply

    Do a search for “Dell black Friday” one of the google sponsored links is what you want.

  18. Avatar Gerry Carr November 28, 2008 @ 5:58 pm
    Reply

    stephen – VAR GUY – are you sure you have followed the promo. I just did it and the ONLY option I got was for Ubuntu???

    http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dndoxx1amp;c=usamp;l=enamp;s=dhsamp;cs=19amp;kc=productdetails~laptop-inspiron-9

    I think that is a session ID and won’t work but this
    http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/sna.aspx?c=usamp;cs=19amp;l=enamp;s=dhsamp;~topic=ena_sale

    is the way in – takes a long time to load which I am hoping means it is being pounded for sales.

  19. Avatar HurdyGurdy November 28, 2008 @ 8:07 pm
    Reply

    I am still trying to figure out the application? First, I couldn’t, in the wild reaches of my mind, suggest to friend to purchase a Linux notebook/desktop, let-alone any thing from Dell mailorder. First you are going to have two problems, support and support. Who do you call when you need Linux support? Who do you call when you need help on your Dell hardware? I wouldn’t want a friend/relative/customer/grandma/grampa/associate, etc. to spend 12 hours with Dell support in India for anything. And I would think that SMB VARs would be recommending a WinTel solution as that is what most if not all people are familiar with. So now let’s suppose you get this RED HOT deal at $299, then you need to subtract the cost of one’s time on the phone with a foreign person that one can’t understand. Let’s say, for example, that one’s time is priceless. Priceless minus $299 is a huge negative number with as many digits as in Pi or some other infinite number. It even may have a repeating pattern after the decimal place. I won’t be unboxing a Dell Linus $299 for Xmas and can’t imagine anyone else, say some young geeky kid that wants to ‘play’ with Linux.

  20. Avatar aikiwolfie November 28, 2008 @ 8:56 pm
    Reply

    Support? You mean apart from accessing the truly awesome Ubuntu forum? Canonical has a support deal with Dell. Dell only offers consumers Ubuntu. Which is developed by Canonical. The support option costs an extra £90. So consumer support is sorted.

    On the corporate side of things you have the choice of Red Hat Enterprise Linux or Novell SuSE Linux. Dell primarily pushes Red Hat Enterprise Linux, but provides SuSE Enterprise Linux for those that want it. Just like other major tech companies both Red Hat and Novell have call centers for tech problems and engineers to come fix things when they go bad.

    Support in Linux isn’t an issue anybody need worry about. Linux isn’t just a hobbyists toy. It comes with complete commercial support packages as well. If you feel the need to pay for support that is. When something goes wrong in Linux and I can’t fix it. I just reinstall it. And there’s no limit to the number of times I can do that.

    Now why would you want to advise someone to opt for Linux? How about no Windows Genuine Advantage to go AWOL and shut down “your” PC and refuse to let you access “your own data”.

    How about Linux has no clause in it’s license agreement that allows Microsoft to belligerently demand access to your PC any time it wants and Windows Vista does? In fact I think all versions of Windows now have that clause in their licenses.

    How about not paying for licenses per CPU? How about the fact that Linux doesn’t secretly phone home when you’re logged out and start downloading or uploading data or software to and from your PC without your knowledge? The Windows update tool was exposed a while back for doing exactly that. Bear in mind your anti-virus software in Windows isn’t fully functional until you log in.

    How about the fact that Ubuntu will run quite happily with only 1GB of RAM with all it’s bells and whistles switched on?

    How about the fact Linux PCs don’t come preloaded filled to the gunnels with trialware. Dell advertises the larger hard disc in the Windows XP version of the Mini 9 as a cool feature. What they aren’t telling anybody is it’s literally already “over half full” with Windows XP and other crap Dell needs to push just to make a profit on a Windows PC.

    If you opt for Windows. Always read the license agreement in full.

    For the Australians among us. Yeah it sucks Dell won’t even give you basic Ubuntu pork scratchings. But at least they aren’t doing the hokycoky with you. You know where you stand. You can have Windows with your Windows and if you’d like something else you can have Windows.

  21. Avatar Michael November 28, 2008 @ 10:20 pm
    Reply

    I saw this ad at blackfriday.info a week ago, and decided I had to get one. I love my Inspiron 1420n that I bought last spring (although I would have a 1525n if it had been available at the time). I didn’t really expect to get the same deal through the employee purchase program, but was pleasantly surprised to see it available there, as John pointed out. I hope this and other similar deals (like the Acer Aspire One at Newegg for $249) floods the market and maybe fills a few stockings with Linux netbooks this weekend.

  22. Avatar zenarcher November 28, 2008 @ 11:06 pm
    Reply

    Well, I purchased two Mini 9’s from Dell, which arrived at my house last Wednesday. I ordered both with Ubuntu Linux, 16GB flash drives, wireless and the webcams in them.

    Personally, I’m impressed with them. Really impressed with the quality of the displays, considering their size. They are faster than my HP notebook with Ubuntu on it, too.

    Of course, the first thing to do was to dump the Dell version of Ubuntu 8.04 and do a regular install of Ubuntu 8.10. Once that is done, the little Mini 9 will take 2GB of RAM and run just fine. Dell doesn’t even mention the 2GB RAM capability. Thanks, Microsoft!

    http://agaricdesign.com/note/dell-mini-9-an-upgrade-odyssey

  23. Avatar DOUGman November 30, 2008 @ 5:11 am
    Reply

    I do not see a ‘ad’ for Ubuntu, I see an ‘ad’ for Windows Vista.. with the recommendation from Dell for Windows Vista.

    Yes, I know Ubuntu is listed in small print, but the majority of customers will not notice it. I eagerly await the day when Netbooks are shipped with the Ubuntu Remix and advertised as such.

    So many people out there still haven’t a clue, that there is another way, instead of Windows or MAC.

    D.

  24. Avatar olo December 3, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
    Reply

    Dell does make nice laptops. I hava one but it’s getting kind of old. For now on I will stick with it. I will buy a new one as soon as they provide model of my choice with Linux or with no OS installed whatsoever. Why should I pay for Windows when I will be using Linux? This is crazy, bad and wrong. There should be a new, stronger word for that, for example badong. This is BADONG!

  25. Avatar Pogue Mahone January 31, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
    Reply

    ya’ll could just get your comp and just install Ubuntu and delete windows altogether.most all linux comps for YEARS have been this way,except for a lesser percent that were tailor made/specifically made for a linux OS.
    you can also download the ubuntu netbook revisited version as well.you will need a way to get it into the netbook,by thumbdrive or external dvd/cd drive.and most of my ubuntu installs went so smooth,it is scarey.
    dont complain you arent offered anything,buy comp and install ‘Buntu and MAKE IT SO.
    the support forums have awesome and super talented mods and members. so no worries on Apu’s tech support are not an issue at all.get your comp set up,and ron popiel it–set it–and forget it.

    pogue mahone 🙂

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