Dell has launched their first low cost notebook in the form of the Inspiron Mini 9. The laptop will rival the Asus Eee PC, the Hewlett Packard Mini-Note and the Lenovo IdeaPad S10, as well as the One Laptop Per Child’s XO laptop. The laptop was officially launched on September 4th, bringing months of discussions about Dell’s entry into the low cost laptop market to a conclusion.
The low cost notebook market has been expanding at a rapid rate in recent years, with, a recent study from Gartner suggesting that there will be 5.2 million units shipped by the end of 2008. That figure is forecast to grow to 8 million in 2009 and by 2012, Gartner predict shipments will reach 50 million.
Dell’s entrance into the market may see the target audience broaden, with low cost laptops previously aimed at students and developing nations. However, with Dell putting their weight behind the market, some business buyers may be attracted by the low cost option as a cheap and portable alternative to PCs or full size laptops. Meanwhile, Dell have teamed up with Vodafone to add built in broadband technology to the Mini 9 – which Vodafone will help to retail both on the high street and online.
Dell Enters Low Cost Laptop Market
Fri, 12 Sep 2008
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