Hackbook Dell mini 9 buyers remorse?

[lurkabout]

I think the Dell Mini 9 is a very good hackintosh netbook. I suggest you keep it.

I bought it because I don't want to take my MacBook Pro or Air everywhere with me (too pricey to risk it), and I want a system that has flash memory. I ordered mine with 64GB SSD, and upgraded the RAM myself.

Installation was kinda a pain in the neck, but once up and running, it has been extremely stable. I leave it on all the time, and in the past three weeks the only problem I had was once after removing a USB flash drive, going to sleep and waking up, it refused to switch between applications.

I've imported all my data from my MB Air backup, so I have over four years of email on the netbook. Photoshop and more work flawlessly, if a bit slowly. Some apps, like iMovie, don't run because the screen resolution is too low.

But it is a pretty good iPod (iTunes runs great). The speakers are tinny, but what the heck do you expect.

While I don't buy my videos from iTunes, I record them myself with EyeTV. The Mini 9 plays standard definition H.264 video perfectly (1 hour +). 1080p at 5000kbps is a little choppy, but watchable. Kinda silly, tho, considering the limited screen size.

I use the Mini 9 for iTunes, internet browsing, email and note-taking - in roughly that order. It'll do more, but that's all I need from a tiny little netbook. It's great in meetings, or for jotting down random thoughts, or browsing the net while riding the exercise bike.

The keyboard and screen are cramped, but the system works extremely well. I've found that OS X uses much fewer clock cycles than Ubuntu did. I haven't played with WinXP, but my impression is that runs even slower still. Os X is very responsive, and I have no complaints. But, then again, it's not like I'm rendering video on the thing.

I suggest you give it a chance. No, it's nowhere near as sleek as a real Mac, but it works really well, and you may be surprised by how useful it is.

 

[shoppy]

Thanks for that I have about 2 mins to install, i am downloading the 10.5.5 combo update as I was prepping the machine so almost done. I am not sure why I brought the machine, I am looking forward to giving it a try over the next few days, I have my 17" as my main machine. I got the 64gb version and a free upgrade to 2gb so I am all sorted in that sense. I guess all I would really use it for is web browsing, itunes and mail. Out of interest what is the battery life like?

Simon

 

[macffooky]

I got blasted on another thread for stating as such, but the fact of the matter is that all the newer Atom machines will be able to play at least 720p with the GMA500 or 1080p with the nVidia Ion.

Good luck getting OS X to work with the Ion

No one's saying the Mini 9 is the be all and end all of netbooks but it certainly is the best if you want to run an effectively unhacked OS X.

Edit: You'll get a little over 3 hours battery life, maybe a tad more.

 

[bobjob186]

mini 9 = sooo easy to install OS X on. Took me 20 minutes + the install of the OS to get it going. enjoy

 

[shoppy]

Up and running mac os X, not bad at all quite useable so far. Just readjusting all windows to fir the screen as best as I can. I think it is time for bed, now to see how long the . battery lasts. Watched a few episodes of Gavin and stacy and it is quite watchable.

 

[shoppy]

My eyes are hurting after using it for several hours in a trot. So just now restoring back to ubuntu. It is going back, I would much rather have another air, so am about to hit the buy button on one after I reinstall the OS.

 

[clyde2801]

My s10 got here last Friday, loving it so far. OS X running like a champ. Haven't used it for much yet, but so far so good and no regrets!

Mine's not a bad machine running osx, and I think the ibm thinkpad build quality is almost equal to apple's.

You should know that:
1. Wired ethernet does not work.
2. Installing a bluetooth module will keep it from sleeping.
3. That going to 10.5.6 has caused a few people to have a jumping cursor problem in text fields.
4. You can stick a 2 gig ram chip and/or a replacement hard drive in that sucker real easy.
5. Especially if you've got a black model, the apple sticker from an ipod box is perfetly purportioned for your top case.

 

[iZac]

My eyes are hurting after using it for several hours in a trot. So just now restoring back to ubuntu. It is going back, I would much rather have another air, so am about to hit the buy button on one after I reinstall the OS.

I actually forgot about this thread for a while! Its funny, i specced mine exactly the same as yours. Im still awaiting mine.

I had intended on using it last weekend at a four day course i was attending, to type work up. Fat lot of good Dell were, getting it to me promptly.

I think you seem to be living my Dell mini 9 life two weeks ahead of me, and you know what, i'll probably come to the same conclusions as you. I might not even take it out of the box.

Out of interest, Does Ubuntu install off a flash drive, or do you have an external dvd drive knocking about? So if i do decide to screw about with OSX, I can undo my tinkering without trace?

 

[DAMAC3]

I'd return it.

Won't play your iTunes videos (if you have any) very well at all - the Atom/GMA950 setup is too whimpy...

I got blasted on another thread for stating as such, but the fact of the matter is that all the newer Atom machines will be able to play at least 720p with the GMA500 or 1080p with the nVidia Ion.

I wouldn't invest in ANYTHING at this point in time that doesn't at least play iTunes HD (720p) videos flawlessly.

So, it must be some sort of issue if the industry is finally going away from the GMA950...

I hackintoshed an MSI Wind, and I couldn't get anything other than SD video to play flawlessly. Even lower bitrate 720p video dropped too many frames to enjoy it. Of course, I was using VLC at the time and I now use Plex which may have provided better results.

 

[shoppy]

I actually forgot about this thread for a while! Its funny, i specced mine exactly the same as yours. Im still awaiting mine.

I had intended on using it last weekend at a four day course i was attending, to type work up. Fat lot of good Dell were, getting it to me promptly.

I think you seem to be living my Dell mini 9 life two weeks ahead of me, and you know what, i'll probably come to the same conclusions as you. I might not even take it out of the box.

Out of interest, Does Ubuntu install off a flash drive, or do you have an external dvd drive knocking about? So if i do decide to screw about with OSX, I can undo my tinkering without trace?

Honestly initially I was not going to open the box initially, but I thought what the heck, I have a few days with the machine. YOu can make a bootable recovery disc, if you take your time. Unlike my self who steamed din and loaded up os x straight away. I went and purchased an external dvd writer from argos on offer for £30.

I just reinstalled the recovery disc, which wipes the entire SSD. Leaving no trace, looks pretty I found the machine useable and was fast. About the same as my 1st gen air. The keyboard, was adequate, but I struggled with out a backlit keyboard at 3am in the morning. Battery life is poor, I would much rather keep my 17 for battery life. Also the thing looks nice but feels cheap, there is a lot of creaks when lifting the machine up. Battery does not fit tight so there is some movement. Speaker are more then adequate for the size of the machine. My biggest gripe with the machine was it would switch off/sleep who knows which if I did not us it for a while The only way to get around this was to do a forced shut down.


Fair play, to all those who find net-books great, I have tried it and never again unless apple do one. I have ordered a new macbook air. As a play thing for my slothing sessions on my hammock over the summer.

 

[DarthTreydor]

I had an msi wind hackbook for a while. I bought it as a project to play around with but I found it got old quckly and I didn't end up using it very much. I have a MacBook as well and found myself using that in all the situations where a netbook would have been useful. The smaller form factor just didn't make up for the general toy like feel to it. But maybe I would have felt differently if I didn't already have a MacBook...

 

[striatedglutes]

I had an msi wind hackbook for a while. I bought it as a project to play around with but I found it got old quckly and I didn't end up using it very much. I have a MacBook as well and found myself using that in all the situations where a netbook would have been useful. The smaller form factor just didn't make up for the general toy like feel to it. But maybe I would have felt differently if I didn't already have a MacBook...

Dude, why would you ever buy two laptops for yourself?

 

[Cave Man]

Dude, why would you ever buy two laptops for yourself?

Can't speak for him, but I hate flying with my MacBook Pro. It is too big. A netbook would be perfect for me for such travels. I'm waiting for the dual core Atom/9400m before I jump on this bandwagon.

 

[striatedglutes]

Point taken! I'll shut up

 

[929406]

Anyone know or had experience with the Dell mini 12 and conversion to Mac OS? Seems like a nice piece of hardware and if its the same as with the mini 9, might be worth a try.

 

[shoppy]

Anyone know or had experience with the Dell mini 12 and conversion to Mac OS? Seems like a nice piece of hardware and if its the same as with the mini 9, might be worth a try.

Not much support if any for the graphics card,

 

[shoppy]

Anyone know or had experience with the Dell mini 12 and conversion to Mac OS? Seems like a nice piece of hardware and if its the same as with the mini 9, might be worth a try.

Not much support if any for the graphics card.

 

[Pigumon]

Notebook or Netbook

Maybe go with the 12" Macbook, I have a 12" Powerbook and I still use it, BUT i use it primarily for email and web browsing. That's what a netbook is all about. much smaller than even a 12" Macbook.

Which do you really want? At that price, you might keep the netbook and get a Macbook later if you still need it. I think you'll end up keeping the netbook too.

 

[iZac]

Not intending on dredging up an old thread, but i feel like a Dell rant ....

I ordered a Dell mini 9 on 27th of March, hoping for a delivery in a week. They took my money the following monday ... March 30th. Delivery was slated for half a month away on the 17th of April. I had actually asked them to cancel the order 2 working days after purchase, but the system apparently wouldnt let them, as mentioned earlier in this thread.

A few days after ordering, I was clicking specs on their website and realised they didnt offer a 64GB SSD anymore, the one i specced it with. Soon after seeing this Dell coincidentally went ahead and delayed delivery another month to May the 15th, every time when i phoned them i mention the spec isnt sold anymore and they simply ignored me. Not that im surprised, all the dross in customer services can do is regurgitate whats on their monitors database.

Waiting for a laptop you dont want is frustrating, and even more so when you just want your money back (granted £320 isnt much, but its the principle of the matter!)

So finally on may 5th some genius phones me up and apologises that they dont produce that spec anymore. A fact i was trying to tell them for over a month. Mercifully at least it meant i didnt have to deal with the mind numbingly ridiculous process of receiving delivery only to send it back. I asked if i would just be rebated to my account, and he said yes, i put the phone down and breathed a sigh of relief. Two weeks later and i had to phone Dell to actually TELL them to rebate me, since they never bothered.

They repaid me on Friday the 22nd of May. Now considering i was trying to cancel this thing since 31st of March, i think thats pretty shoddy. They even had the cheek to send out a spam "customer satisfaction survey" Well done Dell, this would have been my first ever PC purchase, and you've reaffirmed why i love my little Mac universe.

Sorry about the rant, i dont expect anyone to respond, but if you happen to share some similar disdain for Dell (anti Dell sentiment on a Mac forum?!) then fell free to chip in!