Digital Home Thoughts - News & Reviews for the Digital Home

"It's never been much of a secret that the Dell Mini 9 has been 3G-ready from day one, and Vodafone customers have been able to get a 3G-equipped model direct from the carrier for a little while now, but it looks like folks in the US can now finally get in on the mobile broadband action as well, with a built-in 3G option now configurable on Dell's site. Unfortunately, anyone that already took the plunge on a Mini 9 is out of luck, as the $125 upgrade is only available new orders (and only available on Windows XP-equipped models). If that doesn't preclude you, however, you can also expect to get a $120 rebate if you're willing to sign a two-year contract for AT&T's DataConnect service, although it looks like you'll also have to put up with a delay in your ship date at the moment."

The beauty of the cellular networks is their pervasive data connectivity. It's a perfect fit for a device like the Dell Mini 9; without data connectivity its usefulness would be subtantially reduced. But it will cost you: if you're willing to pony up $60 per month, AT&T will provide that service in the US. And if you're willing to commit to two years AT&T will rebate you most of the cost of the modem. Personally, I can't see using the service enough to justify the cost, but what do you think?

"The LG X110 is the most interesting as it is one of the first netbooks to integrate 3G into the device, making this a true mobile workhorse. It will add some dinero to the cost for sure and word is the X110 will set you back a lot more than most netbooks as you would expect. Specs: 10" Display (1024 x 600) or 8.9’’ WSVGA Display (1024 x 600), Intel® Atom™ Processor N270 (1,6 GHz), and 1024 MB DDR2 667 MHz RAM."

I have a feeling there is a certain segment of netbook users that will love the 3G connection. It will be interesting to see how much of a premium it goes for and whether other companies start to offer the same.