A review of the Dell Mini 10v, Ubuntu Moblin Remix edition

Ars Technica has reviewed the Dell Mini 10v with Intel's mobile Linux project, Moblin, pre-installed. The version installed, Ubuntu Moblin Remix, has a customized Ubuntu incorporating Moblin's unique features. It thus offers Ubuntu's familiar package repository alongside Moblin's performance and UI enhancements. All of which makes for an interesting package, except that Dell is cautioning the the software is still highly experimental and incomplete, indicating that it's not yet finalized.

As for the $299 Dell unit, specs include:
CPU: 1.6GHz Atom N270
RAM: 1GB DDR2 SDRAM
Graphics: Intel GMA 950
Display: 10.1" LCD at 1024x600
Storage: 160GB 5400 RPM hard drive
Optical drive: None
Battery: 3 cell

And Ars Technica's conclusion? While Moblin has come a long way and has the potential to be game-changer, it still needs a lot of work. Key components including the browser and the media library still lag behind existing open-source leaders.

But as Dell has officially stated the package is still a work in progress, there's hope the final version will deliver, especially if Intel continues with its efforts as well.

The Summary -

The good
Thin and lightweight form factor
Excellent keyboard with standard layout
Crisp and bright 10.1" display
Netbook-friendly e-mail client

The bad
Mediocre browser
Media viewer doesn't offer to automatically download codecs
No way to tell how long the battery charge will last
Not stable yet
The touchpad is an abomination

You can read the full, in-depth review here.