Dell continues to run specials on its Mini 9.
This offer end 3/25 at 6am.

Here is the latest offering, good for today only.
Inspiron Mini 9n
Intel® Atom Processor® N270 (1.6GHz/533Mhz FSB/512K cache)
OPERATING SYSTEM
Ubuntu Linux version 8.04.1
MEMORY
512MB2 DDR2 at 533MHz
Hard Drive
8GB Solid State DriveBattery
32WHr Battery (4 cell)
System Color Option
Alpine White (bummer)

The 8 Gig harddrive would be enough to load up OSX, giving you a tasty little MobileMiniMac.

For only $177 I could have a refurbished Dell Mini 9 netbook, by using coupon code $C$TXXP1CT3BLC.
Sure it the 1.6GHz Atom, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB SSD Ubuntu one (I’m going to have to get XP when I finally get a netbook), but its tempting.

These are probably returns and left overs from the Dell Studio Desktop with Free Mini 9 offer from December.

Whoa!!!

This thing freaking rocks.

This thing and a TB USB drive and you have wicked little cheap file server for your network.

Come built-in with a USB 2.0/1.1 connection and a fast Ethernet 10/100Mbps connection, the NAS adapter supports both SMB (Server Message Block) and the open source Samba network protocols, allowing for cross-platform access of all shared data for most versions of Windows, Mac OS X, and various Linux distributions. For remote users who are not connected over the LAN, the NAS Adapter provides FTP access for up to 8 simultaneous users anywhere in the world with an internet connection. In addition, the NAS adapter can also be used as a print server or as a Bit-Torrent downloading appliance.

Only $55!!!

AT&T is selling refurbished 8GB iPhone 3G for $99.

16 gig for $199.00.

Yup.

Tempting. I am ready for a upgrade from my old buddies at Cingular AT&T.

They would still be getting their money as far as the plan goes. Looks like they start at $69.99 450 minutes (which would work for me) with no texting (another $5 would get me 200 texts, plenty for me) but unlimited data. Two years at $75 equals $1800.

So tempting… So tempting…

Dell recently temped me with an offer.

A Intel Core 2 Duo E7200
6GB Memory
640GB Hard Drive
and a 19 Inch widescreen monitor
For $999
With a Free Inspiron Mini 9

Damn.

The “e-value code” for this special is 6F968-DDPCMZ2

The Mini runs ‘Mini OS’ powered by Ubuntu and the Studio comes with Vista, not sure how moving data between those two would work.

For less than a Black MacBook, I’d get a tiny Netbook and a OK Desktop.

They also have a Studio 17 Laptop with a free Mini 9 for $1099, but if I was going that flavor of mobile, I’d go with the Desktop. I looked a bit online and I couldn’t find this offer

OK.  I’m ready.

I want a Mac as my main computer.

My current computer is a Dell Inspiron 640m and I have no real complaints. When I get my Mac, I will wipe the thing clean and give it to my wife. We are hoping she gets a job writing grants for non-profits and this way she won’t be bound to her current Dell desktop all the time.

In 2000, I had 400 MHz iMac, blue. I used it quite a bit, but it wasn’t my ‘main’ computer and it had issues, first most, sometimes it won’t start up. I reloaded the OS, and tried ever reset method known to man. Sometimes it won’t start up. Very annoying.

One thing that has prevented my adoption of more Mac computers is that I’m cheap. I have had issues forking out the cash that Apple asks and I would have to change some of my software and that would cost me some $$$.

But, like I said earlier, I’m ready. I’m annoyed with Windows, the slow ass start up time, the ‘features’.
When the last line of Mac Books came out, I saw my chance. The last line would go down in price. I could swoop in and change sides. I want a black 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive.

Apple has Refurbished MacBooks for $1,099.00. They had these before, then went out of stock, now they are back.
Or I could get one from Amazon for $1,194.00 after a $100 rebate.

At his point I think the Amazon one. New is pretty cool.

Why the previous generation and not the newest MacBook or a MacBook Pro. Remember, I’m cheap and I think the 2.4 GHz packs plenty of punch for me. Some light graphics, html updates, PHP code, email, web, simple video editing, maybe a little multi track recording and such.

But wait, there is a problem. I have no money. I can’t put any more on my credit cart, which we are still paying off our wedding on.

My solution. Apple supporters should send me money.
Donate to my PayPal Account. After I reach $1,194.00, I will remove this link and accept no more money.

So what will make this even more fun? For every $25, you get one year of ad space on http://ryanleisinger.com/ in the ads by ryan section.
Or for $100 you get a banner at the bottom of a page (how about full width by 90 pixels tall).
No porn, nothing nasty. I reserve the right to refuse any ads.
If you think http://ryanleisinger.com/ is a bit boring now, I am expanding it. Everyone who donates will get a text link on a page yet to be created.

So Apple fans, this is your chance. Help someone switch sides. Donate now. Seriously.

8.0 megapixels of resolution, an Optical Image Stabilizer and 3.8x optical zooming

More feauters than i know what to do with.  A little anoying if you are trying to do something fast like turn off the flash or set the ’shutter speed’ but all the options are in there, its just another menu and GUI to learn.

Very impressive how quickly it recovers to take another picture.  Don’t go with any less than a 2 Gig SD card (I heart SD cards).  We take our picture in high quality then reduce them for the web and for storage.
Large screen on the back, picture come out better than they look on the preview screen.
And its tough, I’ve carried it around in my pocket way more than I should have, dropped it, dragged it, and its fairly unblemished. It does get greasy finger prints on it easy, but those wipe off.
I give it 4 out of 5 flashes.

This thing rocks

Its sleek and shiney. Get a short USB cord, the longer ones (3 feet?) don’t have the juice to always power the bad boy up. A real short 1 foot one does the job.

It comes with some back up software, which I haven’t used yet. I saved all the folders with data in them that come with it and just made a new folder called DATA that I stick stuff in. I carry around all my MP3s that I listen to on it, instead of on the hard drive on my computer and a back up folder or two of my website for ’safe’ keeping.

I don’t have any problems just plugging it and loading the songs on it to Winamp to listen to.

I got it at Office Depot for $79 on sale. YES!!!

My Dell laptop is my main computer and I am quite happy it

Intel Chip T2050 @ 1.6GHz - 14 inch screen

Portable and cheap and does the job.

Runs XP with 2 gig of Ram in there.  Not sure why Dell puts 1/2 the Ram under the freaking keyboard.  Yeah, that was fun to upgrade.

I have had it for 1 1/2 and wiped the OS and rebuilt it once, I’ll probably just do it every winter.  Getting all the drivers was a hassle, with all the possible drivers on the Dell site and crap for documention about what comes with a 640m.  Add on top of that I got the n-draft wireless card and built in bluetooth (which I don’t really use as much as I thought I would).

4 USB ports is ok.  I couldn’t survive with less.  The N-draft cart rocks.  I have a N-draft router at home and we have one at work.

Kinda annoying they didn’t label the audio out and line in on the side better.  I really apreciate the pink and green that some computers have now.

For way too info, check out this review

When I got this bad boy, 12 gigs seemed like an amazing amount of storage to carry around in some thing the size of a zippo lighter.

It has always under performed, crapping out on file transfers. Not sure this is unique to one I got or that all of them have this issue. They may have even fixed this since I got one.

Stats are listed here

Honestly, I wouldn’t buy another one.

Too bad, they look cool and 12 gigs seems like a lot of data to have in your pocket… well it did two years ago.