Installed Windows 7 on the Dell Mini 9 October 30, 2009
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Reviews, Windows.Tags: Dell Mini 9, Windows 7
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Before the official release of Windows 7, there was a lot written about how it was going to be netbook-friendly. I decided to see first-hand what the folks at Microsoft referred to as “friendly,” by installing Windows 7 Enterprise.
I’m not going to go into a full review of Windows 7 on a netbook (there are plenty of reviews on the web with all the details you would want), but I will throw in my two pennies and say that if you have the means and want a change from dusty, old XP, Windows 7 will not disappoint. My Dell Mini is spec’d out with 1GB and a 16GB SSD. After installation, and installing Firefox, I’m left with 5.6GB free on the hard drive.
Windows 7 is zippy, boots quickly, and looks amazing on the Mini 9’s glossy screen. The Windows Aero themes are even enabled on the Mini. Streaming video from Hulu works well, too.
Overall, I’m impressed with Windows 7, both on my Dell Latitude D830 and the Mini 9. I think Microsoft got this version right, or at least as right as Microsoft can get something. Mac OS X is still my favorite OS, but Windows 7 has “wowed” me.
AlisterCompteron vs. the Evil Dell Tech Support January 30, 2009
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Mobility, Reviews, Technology.Tags: Dell, Dell Mini 9, Tech Support
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Last fall, I bought the new Dell Inspiron Mini 9. Shortly thereafter, I began having problems with it. First I had an issue with the screen. There was an inch-wide column down the center of the screen that caused some green pixelation on pictures and windows. I sent the computer back and got that repaired.
Next, the computer began going into standby for no reason, even if I was using it. That was a hard one to explain to tech support. The techs I spoke with simply didn’t understand, and their fix was to turn off all the power save settings. I sent the netbook back again, only to have it return without anything done to it. One of the techs at the depot emailed to say he wasn’t able to reproduce the behavior I was seeing. I replied with detailed instructions on exactly how to make the computer to its automatic standby dance. Either he didn’t get my message, or still wasn’t able to reproduce the problem.
I called tech support again, and this time I decided to the let computer run for a few days without power saving settings. I even disabled the standby when I closed the lid. The Dell Mini stopped going to standby with all the power save settings off, but the screen would flicker instead.
So I called tech support again one evening, and after being transferred twice, giving my Service Tag number three times, and briefly explaining the problem three times, a tech realized that the computer was having a power issue, and probably needed to have the system board replace. THANK YOU! And duh. That’s what I suspected all along, but had to get them to realize it. Yes, I was partly at fault for not following through on the original instructions to keep the power save settings turned off, so mea culpa on that one.
I sent the Dell Mini in for a third time, and got it back today. I was eager to get it up and running so I could test for the issue. When I booted it up, I noticed that I no longer had a wireless adapter listed in Device Manager. I downloaded drivers from Dell, but each time I tried installing them, I got a message that the device wasn’t present. So another call to tech support.
The tech tried the driver installation again with the same result, and had me open the computer to re-seat the WLAN card (does re-seating a card ever work?). She said she would send out another WLAN card for me to swap, and she is also sending another box. So the Mini may be making a fourth trip to Texas.
If I didn’t love this little computer so much, I would have thrown in the towel long ago. But I just love the small size and portability of my netbook. I wasn’t sure what I’d actually use a netbook for when I got it; I mainly got it to see what all the buzz was about. I am having second thoughts, though, on buying a Dell over another brand. And quite honestly, I may be done with Dells after this experience.
I’ll post again after I get my replacement wireless adapter.
Cool Tool: Thumbnail Bookmarks on Firefox Blank Tabs September 30, 2008
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Cool Tools, Firefox, Internet, Reviews, Technology.Tags: Add-ons, Fast Dial, Firefox, Internet, Technology
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I discovered this little gem of a Firefox add-on last week and have found it quite useful. It’s an add-on called, Fast Dial, and it adds thumbnails of your bookmarked pages to the blank tab in Firefox. You select which bookmarks you want on the blank tab.
One of the features I like best about the add-on is that you can add a new thumbnail by right clicking a page and selecting Add to Fast Dial. The add-on lets you customize the layout of the blank tab. The default layout is a 3×3 configuration.
When you add a bookmark to the tab, the thumbnail is a snapshot of the web page you are bookmarking. So the thumbnail might not look that great. The Fast Dial website has logos of various websites that you can use for the thumbnail. For example, there are thumbnails for all of the Google apps. You can also use your own pics.
One word of caution: A few users have commented that the latest version of Fast Dial has scrambled their bookmarks. I haven’t seen that, myself, but thought I’d pass it on any way.
Technorati Tags: Fast Dial, Add-ons, Firefox, Technology, Internet
