Dell Mini 10 arriving 26th February

Dell has just dropped us an official press release - including the final specs - and a whole bunch of close-up shots of the new 10.1in Dell Mini 10. It's also, finally, given us a release date: 26th February.

Photographed from every angle and in every shade, the 10in machine will slot into Dell's netbook range between the 8.9in Mini 9 and the 12.1in Mini 12. It was expected to cost £349 but since it will no longer come with GPS or a 720p screen - now optional extras that are promised later - and the battery is a lowly 3-cell, we're predicting (hoping?) that that price will come down. The $399 US price would suggest a £329 price tag here, based on Dell's other trans-Atlantic currency conversions, which is still fairly hefty for the spec.

What it does get is a 92% full-size keyboard, an "edge to edge" 16:9 widescreen, HDMI out, a Samsung-NC10-matching 160GB hard drive and 1GB RAM - albeit non-upgradable. Obsidian Black will be the standard hue but it'll also be offered in Alpine White, Promise Pink, Cherry Red, Ice Blue and Jade Green - with Design Studio patterns to follow.

Strangely, in the US it'll be selling first via TV shopping channel, QVC. Here it showed up briefly for pre-order at Tesco although it's now disappeared. Dell's promising international availability on the 26th, which presumably means Dell.co.uk rather than QVC UK...

Press release:

DELL SCORES A PERFECT 10 WITH ITS LATEST ADDITION TO THE INSPIRON MINI FAMILY

Ample Keyboard – 92 percent of full size
Video-Friendly Screen – 10.1-inch “Edge-to-Edge” 16:9 Widescreen Display
QVC Shoppers Get First Look
ROUND ROCK, Texas, Feb. 19, 2009 – Dell today launched the Inspiron Mini 10, a mini-notebook that adds keyboard comfort and even more entertainment-friendly dimensions to the Inspiron Mini family. Like the Inspiron Mini 9 and Mini 12, the Mini 10 is a compact, easy-to-carry Internet companion featuring wireless and entertainment capabilities to help keep kids, tweens, teens, travelers and “Tweeters” chatting, blogging, streaming content, sharing photos, watching videos and more.

The Mini 10 is scheduled to debut for advance orders today on QVC at 9 p.m. (EST). A full Mini 10 overview is available at Dell.com, and the system will be available for purchase directly from Dell in the U.S. and other countries beginning Feb. 26.

Products and services like the Inspiron Minis, the Wasabi handheld wireless printer and the Dell Design Studio are redefining value, personalization and customization for connected mobile lifestyles.

The News:
Features available today on the Inspiron Mini 10 include:

Sleek design and starting weight of only 2.86 lbs.
Roomy keyboard – 92 percent of full-size for comfort and ease of use.
Multi-touch gestures touchpad – navigate the screen using simple movements to rotate, scroll and zoom documents and photos.
10.1” WSVGA “edge-to-edge” 16:9 widescreen display.
HDMI output for enhanced entertainment connectivity
Internal WiFi.
Built-in Webcam.
Windows XP.
1 GB RAM standard and 160GB hard drive, providing ample capacity for mobile applications, content creation and storage.
Expanded color palette options to express your personal style: Obsidian Black, Alpine White, Cherry Red, Promise Pink, Ice Blue and Jade Green.
Fully featured QVC configuration includes free shipping, a 4GB SD memory card and pre-loaded productivity software.
Available in the U.S. on Dell.com beginning Feb. 26, with a starting price of $399.
Also available online in other countries beginning Feb. 26.
Dell Remote Access is designed to link directly to home-based digital materials from any Web-connected device.
Dell offers exclusive online file storage – ranging from a free basic plan with 2GB of storage space to 100 GB – providing Inspiron Mini users with a simple way to manage their digital lives.
Mini 10 optional features planned for later this year include:

Internal digital TV tuner, HD resolution and external USB DVD player options for an optimized video entertainment experience.
Ubuntu and Vista operating systems.
Bluetooth.
WWAN.
Internal GPS.
2 GB RAM.
120 GB and 250 GB hard drives.
Solid state drives.
Popular Design Studio images to express personal style.