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Dell Inspiron Zino ready to grace home theaters everywhere
Dell teased us with its tiny Inspiron Zino PC last summer, and finally it makes its way to the real world. It looks like an excellent addition to any home theater or desktop, especially if you configure it with a terabyte of hard disk space, 8GB of RAM, 64-bit Windows 7, a 512MB ATI Radeon HD 4330 graphics card capable of blasting out 1080p, and its upcoming optional TV tuner. Sounds like hot competition for Apple's newly updated Mac Mini.
There's no Intel Atom processor or the NVIDIA Ion platform on board as we had hoped, but we're still satisfied with the highest-end processor available on it, the 1.8GHz dual-core AMD Athlon Neo X2 6850e. Decked out with all this goodness, the Zino's not the cheapest home theater PC in the world, but its price of around $700 fully configured ain't bad. Or if you go with its basic trim, you'll have a fully functioning PC for a rock-bottom $229.
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Dell, via Hot Hardware
By Chris Grayson at 1:35 PM ON 11/12/09
People still don't seem to get that the Mac mini is a switch play. It lets people that already own a PC keep their existing monitor, mouse and keyboard, but swap in the mini in place of their PC desktop machine. It gives a low-cost low-barrier option to those that are Mac curious.
True, Dell can use the Zino the same way with an even lower barrier as they're not switching platforms. But they also run a very real risk of cannibalizing their own market. But Apple doesn't have to be concerned about this. If someone has an iMac they cannot just switch "the box" because it's all-in-one.
By MonicaS at 4:39 PM ON 11/12/09
I don't agree Chris! The Mac mini is like the netbook, in that it is a low cost alternative. But PC's have always been very very low cost. Take eMachines for example. While more expensive macs have and always will have a cost barrier, a lower cost mini really isn't that great of a switch.
Most people look at mac and think expensive, so the mac mini does not fit that image. I think the Mini is a great option for someone who owns a macbook and wants a second mac at home.
Just at thought.
Monica S
Los Angeles Computer Repair
http://www.sebecomputercare.com/?p=1178
By Victor Kovacs at 6:44 PM ON 11/12/09
@MonicaS
"a lower cost mini really isn't that great of a switch."
I'd have to argue that it is a big difference when your getting a totally different operating system preloaded programs including email, photo, and video editing software which Windows 7 is stripped of. Don't get me wrong I think 7 was a great move for Microsoft, especially after Vista.
But, to get back on topic I do think the above computer is a sad copy of the Mac Mini. I mean just the shape of it as a whole, but maybe thats the Apple Fanboy inside of me. Just my opinion. I would never purchase one of these just due to past experiences with Dell, the horrible cheap-looking color tops, and other options.
By Sean John at 11:08 PM ON 11/12/09
We currently have a Mac Mini serving as our DVD playing system at home. I honestly thinking of replacing it with a Blu-Ray enabled Dell Zino.
Right now I have a DIGISTOR external Blu-Ray player (this one -> http://www.amazon.com/External-Blu-ray-Burner-Tray-DIGISTOR/dp/B002SY5GRS ) hooked up to it, and I have to go the long way around booting up to a Windows-based OS.
The Dell Zino might just be worth it to rid myself of all the hassle.
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Sean John:
We currently have a Mac Mini serving as our DVD playing system at home. I honestly thinking of replacing it with a ...More »