I really am disappointed that the rainbow stickers don’t work, though…I was really looking forward to having a reminder of my vintage Apple roots.  The very first computer I used was an Apple ][, which was a part of my family from the time I was about 3 or 4 until we got an IBM PC when I was 15.  I may look into getting a custom skin or decal with the rainbow Apple down the road.

Thankfully, I was prepared for the possibility that the rainbow sticker wouldn’t work (I was mostly concerned about size) and also ordered two of the gorgeous chrome decals from DecalsPlanet.  I had seen pictures of both a black and a white mini with the chrome decal and it looked so cool I had to get some for myself.  Now my Mini and my iPhone are practically twins! I love how shiny the chrome sticker is, and it covers the Dell logo completely.  Transformation to MacBook Mini is complete!

When I got to the office yesterday morning, my boss met me almost at the door with my Dell box in hand.  FedEx had apparently just delivered it, and he knew how excited I was to be getting my Mini at long last.  I did take some unboxing pictures, even though I was super impatient to crack open the box and reveal the Mini in all its glory.

I was super impressed by the size–one of the reasons I was semi-reluctant to upgrade from the Eee PC was because I considered it to be the perfect size for a netbook.  The Dell Mini 9 is scarcely larger than the Eee PC–not even a whole inch bigger on either height or width, and it is a bit slimmer overall.  My husband even thinks it feels lighter than the Eee PC, though I think it is a tad bit heavier.

The form factor is also really nice.  As much as I loved the Eee PC, it did feel like a toy to me at times.  I know part of that was the fact that I got it in Barbie pink, but it also had a boxiness that made it feel a bit cheaper, even though I thought the construction of it was more than solid.  The Dell Mini 9 is very sleek, with rounded corners and a more streamlined profile than the Eee PC.  I have to say, it feels a bit more grown-up and like a “real” computer to me.  The glossy white finish is a bit of a fingerprint magnet, but I don’t mind it that much–I am used to it with the iPhone!

The Dell’s screen is absolutely GORGEOUS.  My biggest fault with the Eee PC was the screen.  It was small…really small.  I also hated the coating on the screen–it made things look dull even at the brightest setting and reminded me of my very first laptop, an ancient Toshiba with only 525MB of RAM.  The Dell’s backlit LED screen is glossy, sharp, and bright.  I was absolutely floored when I turned it on for the first time.

The keyboard on the Mini is a LOT better than the one on my Eee PC 701.  It is still small, but I can touch type on it very accurately, without developing a cramp in my hands!  The keys have good tactile feedback, which is always a plus for me, and it is very responsive. Sometimes it felt like I had to hit a key really hard on the Eee PC keyboard to get it to register, but that is not an issue with the Dell keyboard at all.  However, my one complaint is actually with the keyboard layout–the ; and ‘ and – keys are in weird places, which flubs my touch typing a bit.  I am getting used to it, and I think I am going to remap the keys for ; and ‘ so that they fit my typing style a bit more.

The battery life on the Dell is very good as well.  I used it only on AC power for the first 12+ hours per the Dell manual.  Today, I have been using it for almost 3 hours sans the power cable and I still have about 45 minutes left on the battery.

Performance is very snappy–I can tell a huge difference between the 1.6 Ghz Atom processor and the clunky Celeron in the Eee PC.  For someone who does basic tasks the Eee PC is great, but I consider myself to be a power user and the extra oomph in the processor is a welcome change.  I put 2GB of RAM in before I ever even turned it on, so I don’t know how it performs with the stock 512MB, but everything is always better with more RAM!

Finally, my very favorite thing about the Dell is that it runs Mac OS X like a dream.  I purchased the Dell Mini 9 both because it had been reviewed as a great netbook and because it was proven to run the Mac operating system perfectly.  With the help of a few utilities, I was able to install the OS on the Dell with surprisingly little trouble and have a great, value-priced MacBook Mini.  It is truly astonishing to me how well OS X runs on the Dell.  After the install, everything just WORKED, like it was a real Mac.  I have been in heaven getting all my favorite software installed and configured.  It is going to be nice to not have to sacrifice my favorite programs and utilities in the name of portability.  But, more on the Dell and OS X later–I will be writing at least two posts about it for Gear Diary!

All told, I couldn’t be happier that I traded in my Eee PC 701 for this beautiful little machine.

So it’s Dell Mini Eve and it feels like tomorrow is Christmas Day. Instead of hanging my stocking with care, I pored I over the user forums at My Dell Mini and created a boot disk to install OS X using my WD Passport drive. My new Built NY case is sitting at the office waiting, and hopefully I should receive my Apple decals in the next few days.

I love starting off a weekend with a brand new toy to play with! I am SO freaking excited. I just hope it arrives earlier in the day as opposed to later. Updates and an unboxing to come…

So far, I’ve decided on a Hoodie Laptop Case by Built NY.  I really love the way their cases are made, and I was pleased to find out that they finally make a netbook-sized case.  When I was looking for one for my Eee PC, they didn’t have one.  I got mine in the surprisingly cute and girly Microdots pattern for less than $30 shipped from Amazon.  It is made to fit laptops sized 7″-10″ and features a sturdy EVA plastic shell on the underside and stretchy, protective neoprene on the top.  There is also a pocket on the back (separated by the hard shell) for cords, cables, or other accessories.  I think it will be the perfect case to carry the Mini in alone or inside one of my many purses or bags.  I think I will get the matching portable hard drive case for my Western Digital Passport 250GB drive.

I am considering getting a travel-sized Bluetooth mouse to use with my Kensington USB Bluetooth Micro Adapter.  I bought it to use with my Eee PC, and since I so rarely use Bluetooth I thought it would be dumb to spend extra on my Mini 9 when I already have a perfectly good receiver.  I want something that is really compact, attractive, and not too expensive.  So far I’m looking at the Logitech V470 in white.  It’s a bit more than I’d like to pay, but I really like the look of it, and it has gotten good reviews across the board.  It is something I could use on any one of my computers, too, which is an extra bonus.  When I was doing some design work last weekend at my mother-in-law’s house, I was really wishing that I had a Bluetooth mouse.  Photoshop + trackpad = crappy.

And, since I’m going to Hackintosh my Mini 9 and load up OS X on it, I thought that this awesome vintage Apple decal would be the perfect decoration!  I’m going to cover the Dell logo with it and shock everyone with my adorable MacBook Mini.  I think the rainbow will look great on the white case of the Mini.  I grew up with the Apple ][ line of computers and have always preferred the rainbow Apple logo to any other logo since then.  It’s bright and cheerful, and it takes me back to a time when a green-on-black monitor and giant floppy disks made me happier than just about anything in the world.

Do you have any accessory recommendations?  Like the decal? Which mouse would you get?  Talk back in the comments.

I have taken to poring over the My Dell Mini forums for tips, tricks, and planning my Hackintosh netbook journey in the meantime.  Plus, I’m still warm and happy over the specs of my new baby.  It is just flat out so much more powerful than my Eee PC.  I got the 32GB SSD drive and the 1.3MP webcam, no other real frills to speak of.  I have a USB Bluetooth micro-receiver for when I need to use Bluetooth (which is rare) and I have a stick of 2 GB RAM to put in when the Mini finally arrives on my doorstep.  I wanted to get the pink Mini, but that was an extra FORTY BUCKS.  What a total ripoff, Dell!  So, I got the Alpine White instead.  If I really feel the need to make it pretty, I’ll throw down $15-20 on a skin and call it a day.  Bonus: the white will match my iPhone!

I can’t wait to get my new baby from Dell…it’s going to be a long 23 days in the meantime.

Honestly, if I had known how the netbook craze would blow up, I probably would have held off on the Eee 701 to see what else was introduced before I threw down the cash.  It’s not that I am really unhappy with my Eee, but as the newer netbooks have been introduced, it quickly became apparent that maybe it wasn’t the best fit for me.  The size is perfect–it’s really the kind of laptop I can just toss in my bag and go.  But for a power user like me, it’s a bit underpowered and the screen is too small.  If I relegate it to just surfing the web or writing the occasional post or bit of my novel while I’m out and about, it’s great…but now that I’ve seen what some of the newer netbooks can do, I want more.  I’d also like more storage, a slightly bigger keyboard, and better screen resolution.  Oh, and having a hackintosh netbook wouldn’t be so bad…I want my MacBook Tiny!

I feel a little disloyal to my pretty pink Eee PC, but I am hoping it will be going to a good home very soon where someone can appreciate it.  Next week, I will be ordering a Dell Mini 9 and I cannot WAIT to receive it.  Eee PC, you’ve been great, but it’s time for us to go our separate ways.