Dell Name ‘Mini Inspiration’ As Dell E & Dell E Slim [First Details And Avialibility Details Concerning Dell’s Eee PC Contender Emerge – MacBook Air Also in Sights]

A while back we offered a heads up concerning a new micro/mini notebook being worked on by Dell that was tentatively titled the ‘Dell Mini Inspiration’ on account of the names given to the few product shots made available by Dell. But now Dell, whilst revealing the first details of their Asus Eee PC contender, have also acted to confirm that their ‘Mini inspiration’ will actually be called the Dell E (that’s one ‘e’ by the way, not three) and that it will come in two primary flavours – namely the 8.9” Dell E and the Dell 12.1” E Slim - the latter of which appears, based on first impressions, to be aimed to go head-to-head with Apple’s MacBook Air whilst the regular model tries to inflict a body blow on Asus much hyped Eee PC.

Looking set to launch a classic pincer movement on both Asus’s Eee PC and Apple’s MacBook Air, Dell’s 8.9” E will come in a number of configurations, namely the E Classic (a low end version for the budget conscious/student market) and the E Video and E Video+ offering increased RAM, greater storage capacities, Bluetooth and integrated webcam (see below for further details - apologies for the image quality). Dell have also purportedly hinted at a broadening of the E series in 2009 but are remaining tight lipped as to what these devices may have in store for us at this stage.

Whilst offering a few tantalising details concerning the new E’s aimed squarely at cutting into the Eee PC’s market share, Dell also announced a Dell E Slim model which, in coming in 12.1” format and measuring a mere 0.8” in thickness looks set to compete directly against Apples MacBook Air and, again, this will be offered in standard and ‘+’ configurations.

Dell’s E appears to be set for release in August – later than we expected – whilst the Dell E Slim will reputably become available sometime around September though the burning question must be whether Dell’s new portables will indeed sock it to Asus and whetherl their E Slim will serve to take a sizable bite of Apples apple (ok, so that line didn’t work out quite as well as expected, but we’ll run with it hoping that you don’t notice)?

Time, as they say, will tell.

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