Dell launches netbook

Dell has launched an inexpensive laptop with a small keyboard and screen, dubbed a netbook, four months after it was originally anticipated that the Texan firm would enter the netbook market.

Set to enter the Australia market on September 10, the Inspiron Mini 9 will be available for AU$599. The machine will feature an 8.9-inch LED display (1,024x600) and weighs 1.035kg, according to specifications released by Dell.

In Australia the Inspiron Mini 9 will come pre-installed with Microsoft Windows XP SP3, however no Linux version will be available despite the availability of Ubuntu 8.04 in the UK for £269.

Other features in the Mini include a 16GB SSD, an Intel Atom processor at 1.6 GHz and 1GB of RAM. The Australian release will include 802.11b/g WiFi and a webcam as standard. The Mini 9 will include a one-year warranty.

There has been speculation about whether the introduction of Mini 9 has been delayed from an earlier date. Back in May, Dell's chief executive, Michael Dell, was spotted with a version of the system, and it was believed that its launch was imminent.