Round Rock (TX) – Dell is now offering a mobile broadband option for its netbook Internet buddy Mini 9. And if you are somewhat tolerant towards mail-in-rebates, you could convince yourself that you will be getting the hardware upgrade almost for free.

Netbooks or, as Dell likes to call those devices, Internet buddies come with the purpose of allowing its owner to offer a convenient web browsing experience. It only makes sense that such devices come with a capable mobile Internet connection – such as mobile broadband.

Dell is now offering such an option for its Mini 9. The HSDPA module adds $125 to the bottom line of the basic netbook, which isn’t cheap to begin with. The basic HSDPA Mini 9 is priced at a minimum of $524 and should you decide to deck it out with a 16 GB SSD as well as a 16 GB SD (storage) card - you could end up with a bill that exceeds $700 – which drives the device deep into the mainstream notebook price segment.

However, if you really want such a Mini 9 and are looking for excuses why that deal makes sense, you could always point to the $120 AT&T Promotion Card you will receive when you buy the $125 card and agree to a 2-year HSDPA service agreement. It is not a cash card, but can only be applied to the $59.99-per-month service charge.

more appealling at a lower price

Nov 26, 2008 11:59     

I would find it more appealling if it had a lower price. It is a truly mobile device. :)
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