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Photo Courtesy of Dell.
Inspiron 2200
$849
Dell
(800) 757-8434
www.dell.com |
If you’re looking for a basic notebook to handle everyday computing tasks, Dell’s new Inspiron 2200 notebook is one to consider.
The base system includes a 1.4GHz Intel Celeron M 360 processor, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, 256MB of memory in one of two slots, and a 14.1-inch display. For storage and an optical drive, the base system offers a 30GB hard drive and an 8X DVD-ROM drive.
Standard features include three USB 2.0 ports, a PC Card expansion port, an audio line-out jack, an external microphone, and an integrated Intel Extreme 2 graphics adapter. For connectivity, there’s a 10/100 Ethernet connection and a 56Kbps (kilobits per second) internal modem. The software bundle includes WordPerfect, Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0, Dell entertainment software, and trial versions of Paint Shop Studio and Intuit QuickBooks.
Options include a larger 15-inch display, as much as 1.28GB of memory, a 40GB or 60GB hard drive, a 1.6GHz Intel Pentium M 725 processor, a CD/DVD burner, and WinXP Professional. Integrated 802.11b/g or 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi support is also optional.
The standard notebook weighs 5.99 pounds and measures 1.46 x 13 x 10.6 inches (HxWxD). This includes an 8-cell Li-Ion battery that provides as much as four hours of operating time
Dell offers a standard 90-day limited warranty and mail-in service with one year of technical support. Extended warranties and service plans are available. 
by Carmen Carmack
| Name: |
alert-echo-1 |
| City: |
Hackensack |
| State: |
New Jersey |
| One-Line Summary: |
A Portable with External Possibilities,A real plus. |
| Review: |
The basic Inspiron 2200 which sells for some $800.00 plus dollars was not what I wanted but it was a design that however much I spent was right for what I needed.I had gone to the Dell web site and starting from scratch put together what it was I was hoping to accomplish with a Laptop computer.It was not a surprise that the results indicated that Inspiron was the right design and the 2200 was the one I started making performance adjustments in an anticipation of a purchase.Like the information above I was pleased to no end that I was able to upgrade first my Windows OS to Windows XP-Professional,I increased the Hard Drive from 30 to 60GB.The Memory from 256 to 512 with an add-on-.I purchased a external Floppy Disc Drive(which works great)I placed an Intel Pentium M Processor 725(1.60 Ghz/2MB Cache/400 MHz FSB with a 60GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive.512MB Shared DDR SDRAM,2DIMMS.I needed a Laptop that I could take with me anywhere that my line of work was to require and then communicate from that location as I saw fit.I was able to find out the information and without going overboard settled on a standard wireless card-Dell 1370 Internal Wireless(802.11b/g,54Mbps)which has allowed me the privledge to participate whenever and wherever I chose to set up my laptop.I had to learn about wireless and at present the hope of being able to communicate on the Internet has been met by a wireless provider in Verizon Wireless.It is a very fine bit of gear that I made further adjustments when so much of all the defaulted software I uninstalled and knowing something of what I wanted to accomplish placed tried and true applications that were not only very familar to me but as suggested tried and true performers that have held up over time.In doing this I at least kept the price point a bit under control.It as well allowed me to tailor more and more so the kind of portable that I felt most represented by.A simple illustration is that the Inspiron came with a defaulted McAfee Interent Security Suite which I turned down and placed the Norton SystemWorks 2005 with Zone Alarm Wireless Security package in its place.It has worked out as well as I had hoped with Kudos to Norton anti-virus because there are things to learn about wireless and being up and ready 24/7 is one of them.I think it would be fair to say that you can add an external Hard Drive as well as power adapter.I would not ignore the concerns that come with the battery.I purchased a 8-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery with an option to all for a replacement battery to be purchased when you place the order.However just the other night I had failed to push the adapter plug all the way in so that it was secured and as a result I was using my Laptop,though on the Internet under battery power.I found out just how quickly you can give back all that stored battery power when you are simply using a battery.I strongly recommend not only a power adapter but attempt to anticipate any area where there are these kinds of concerns.A battery can perhaps get you by in a pinch but it wont last forever,you may want as well to seriously consider a back-up with a power adapter being the best answer that I have yet come up with.I purchased this computer for a business purpose and within a very short time it will be used for nothing else,the Inspiron 2200 is still very new and very interesting and even exciting to be working with.Take advantage of the add-ons because they work very well.There is so much that this purchase has meant that only verifiable proof would suffice as to its success or failure.I rated the Inspiron 2200 a 5 for meeting my expectations in the hope to accomplish something truly worthwhile through this laptop computer.It must also be said that the wireless ability was just like the computer representing an important part of the cycle of success.I should not fail to mention that I also subscribed to dell support for three years,it was Dell support which provided necessary assistance with my present Desk Top(Demension 4300)That experience of now some 4 plus years has been a very good teacher and I include Dell support as part of that success.If you are considering such,to be certain this has a very real spartan appeal that can be tailored to work very reliably with accountability proven to be stalwart.The Dell web site wont hide anything and even the wireless provider has provided reliable information about the performance you should come to expect,it is all very very well layed out.It to me was one of the strong points of this purchase was that I in principal got what I came for and as such I believe you will too. |
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