Online file storage and sharing service Box.net is helping to put the “cloud” in Dell’s first netbook, the Inspiron Mini 9.
With only 4GB of built-in hard drive space, Dell needed some way to boost capacity. So it placed a default Box icon on the desktop that leads to 2GB of free internet storage (twice the normal 1GB that Box provides for free).
Right now, that icon is just a shortcut to Box’s website where users can sign up for the service. The Palo Alto-based startup has suggested, however, that a deeper level of desktop integration is in the works.
Don’t want to cough up $350 for one of these little guys? Box has offered to give away five of them for free to our readers. Each will come with 25GB of Box storage.
To win one, tell us in the comments why you need an ultraportable laptop. We’ll pick the five best reasons and email to follow up, so make sure to submit your real email address.
Update: The contest has ended – thanks everyone for your submissions!
Sounds like a perfect gift for my 7 year old daughter.
After recent shoulder surgery I see a definite need to lighten the load, so to speak. The health aspect of these ultra portables is a large factor in their popularity.
That’s always a good cause.
I would like a Inspiron Mini 9 because I currently have a few computers at home and they are located quite far away from where I prefer to work, I have to walk around and access all of them and it’s such a pain.
It will really boost my productivity if I can have access to a computer when and where ever I want. Check my mail on my bed, watch movies down stairs, doing my reports in the living room with a cup of coffee.
Also this ultra-portable has a much better performance than all my computers at home. Poor me T.T
I really really dislike all of my coworkers because they are annoying and ask me for help on all of the projects that they can’t figure out on their own.
I also hate my cubicle because it is about 100 feet from the nearest glimpse of sunlight.
The copy machine is also right next to my cube and makes a horrendous screeching sound all day, and I think that I am beginning to go insane.
This new Dell laptop would allow me to get remote desktop so I wouldn’t have to come into this hellhole every single day of the week and would help me maintain my sanity.
Please help me…
Because I’m an adorable tech chickie who needs an adorable carry-on.
mmm… you are adorable, i need one because i’d trade it for a night with you anytime!
I would like one because despite the flood of comments already here (and thus minimizing my chance of getting one) I am still trying. That’s how much I would like to have it.
TECHCRUNCH IS A FRAUD!! WHO WON THE LAPTOPS?
This is Sean over at Box.net. TechCrunch and Box.net have already notified the winners.
Sounds Good
I need one as a server to start my Web 3.0 TechCrunch competitor that will crush TechCrunch once and for all. In Web 3.0 we only use mini notebooks as servers because everything is 3.0x cuter. Just wait until you see our logos. You will also smell our logos and they smell just like candy!
I will use it to surf porn, plain and simple.
ok here it is: I need to go around town, meeting people all over the place, discussing with many web entrepreneurs, many times in a coffee shop, sometimes in a coworking place, sometimes in their offices. we always need a wired laptop, and don’t get me started about presentations. also go to many events, do live-blogging, cover barcamps and startupcamps. that’s pretty much the ideal use for a mini laptop.
and yeah, it’s also to be able to visit techcrunch anywhere!
This would be perfect for me to use at my medical clinic.
…and put patient data on Box.Net?
You must be sick.
I just joined the green movement and sold my car so that I can start riding a bicycle to college and work. I need to be able to have an ultra portable laptop that won’t weigh down my back pack, but at the same time will be able to give me access to my documents where ever I am at! I have a 17″ toshiba that is almost bigger than my back pack, so this would be a huge difference.
I need an ultraportable laptop because there are times when I need to have access to my emails while I’m on the go especially when I’m on a vacation or something. Netbooks offer simplicity and mobility, something that ordinary laptops can never give to users.
I don’t want to carry bulky or heavy laptops while vacationing but I don’t mind carrying a sleek netbook that looks cool.
I want a free Dell mini PC as I won’t have to pay for it; I will love it and use it at every possible opportunity.
I will think good things of TechCrunch and that would, hopefully, transpire as good karma towards TechCrunch’s team.
I want a free Dell mini PC as I won’t have to pay for it; I will love it and use it at every possible opportunity.
I will think good things of TechCrunch and that would, hopefully, transpire as good karma towards TechCrunch’s team.
PS: In my excitement, I made a typo in my original post for my email address; my correct email address is attached to this post. Please overlook this small error on my part, I would really be so very happy with a free mini dell.
I need a great datacenter machine so that I can do network debugging. Plus, I need to look hip like the other kids.
I will love you forever.
So I can read TechCrunch in the bathroom of course!
Because I am 103 pounds for 5ft47 and getting old to carry my heavy laptop
I would love to receive one of the Dell Inspiron Mini 9’s you are giving away. I am a blogger and have various projects going on.
One of them is giving away personal IT services by making housecalls to anyone who needs a network setup at their home, their computer fixed, or who want to learn how to do something like transfer their home videos to DVD.
I no longer work for money, so this would be very helpful in my endeavors. Check my blog for more info.
Just added some thank you letters from people who I have helped with my free computer services.
http://jorel314....com/tag/thank/
I don’t have my own laptop right now (just a desktop), I just bring along liveCD’s and external hard drives when I make a housecall to fix a computer, so this netbook would be the perfect companion.
I would like to win the laptop for my 6th grade son because he needs it for school work, surfing the web and playing some occasional online games. It would also be great to bring this when traveling because I am spur of the moment kind of guy and I could use this to make hotel reservations, do research on sight seeing tips or get maps when on the road (won’t use when driving, of course). Thanks!
I need this to improve my multi-tasking skills, e.g. playing Flash games, while taking dumps at work.
Plus its free!
i need an internet so i can get in touch with the younger voters.
This would be the perfect way for me to get less done at work. Its pretty portable so I could take it most anywhere while on the job. The screen is perfect sized for game sites around the net. Also it will be great advertising because I will be showing it off all around the campus where I “work”. Im already pretty proficient with Linux so its a perfect match. The 25gb online storage is a great for all my ‘files’ ill need access to.
As the Evil Lord of the Apple Empire I often take long trips in TIE fighters where space is at a premium (remember Star Wars IV: A New Hope?). I am constantly on the move to crush Rebel uprisings in distant systems and I am the perfect candidate for a Dell Inspiron Mini 9 since Emperor Steve has yet to develop a netbook. Darth Mac gets the first one
To relieve stress on my eyes and fingers when using my BlackBerry and iPhone for long period of time. The Mini 9 is perfect with Skype and a wireless broadband device. It ’small’ enough for extensive on-the-go usage while ‘large’ enough for full-screen browsing and collobration with sites like TechCrunch. and online classes.
I’m a system technician and travel between my school’s three campuses several times every week. I’ve been waiting patiently for Apple to finally release a sub-compact notebook (or perhaps a new iTablet?) but am getting discouraged waiting. The MacBook Air is too expensive to be my “carry-around” tool, but this Dell Inspiron Mini 9 might be the perfect size and weight for my needs. I believe in using the best tool for the job, despite my Mac leanings. An ultra-portable Linux laptop is looking like a mighty tasty solution.
OK, here goes. I need an ultraportable laptop as I’m a student (and being a student, poor!) travelling through to uni each day, and having an (ultraportable) laptop would be pretty useful for lectures, etc.. seeing as I can type A LOT faster than I can write
Would also give me something to do on the train each morning.. i.e. check out Techcrunch.
Go on.
I need a Mini for when I do support house calls (unpaid) for old retirees who broke their AOL or managed to thrash their computer with poker or some such.
It would of course need the BOX service or a monster flash drive, but yeah.
My last laptop for this purpose was destroyed by one of my client’s grandkids.
Without a Dell ultraportable how else will I keep up on my minute-by-minute Sarah Palin updates on the fly?
I am grad student (no money) constantly moving around to find inspiration. A cloud book would allow me to move faster and thus cut my time to Phd by at least a year, and therefore get me contributing important research sooner.
In summary:
Cloud Book + Pablo = Great Discovery -1 year
Because I own a Dell XPS M2010 and I now have a hunchback.
We are sponsoring an immigrant family from Moldovia. They will not be able to afford an internet connection at home. However, with this laptop they will be able to go to different free public wi-fi and have internet access.
This will be important for them in order to keep in touch with people back home as well as look for employment.
Thanks,
Mike
I am a student who loves to code but suffers from repetitive stress. If only I could use an ultraportable on my lap..
I’d actually like to give one to a friend that’s a poor grad student. A couple months ago, she bought a new laptop for about $800. As she’s prepping for quals, she didn’t get her extended warranty paperwork out in time. . . She sat down to do it 4 days too late.
But Joyee wasn’t too concerned because it’s a brand brand new computer. About 10 days after the purchase warranty ends, her computer stops working. . . she takes it to the repair guy who informs her the motherboard and the graphics card are caput, and a repair would be more costly than the computer itself. . . he has to the repeat the information three times. First time I’ve ever seen her depressed.
$800 is a big hit for a grad student. Having to pay it twice, sucks even more.
She schleps her laptop to and and from school, and takes it with her when she holes up with family friends in the ‘burbs to find a quiet place to study. Joyee needs a new laptop.
I’d pass this on to my god-daughter, and show her around social media. She just turned 13 last month, and I think I should help her find her spot instead of hoping she lands safely in teh dangerwebs.
After some use, I will give it back to Techcrunch to help in their own laptop project. They can rip it apart and see what is inside it. Hope this is incentive enough to give it to me.
Both of my parents have a lot of back problems and could use something small and light for traveling. If it came with a built-in magnifying glass it’d be even better.
The battery in my current ultra-portable is about to die, and I really don’t want to buy a new one. I carry it everywhere for work when I’m on-call since our VPN is browser based. A Mini 9 would be a great replacement. Especially if it’s free.
I could use the laptop because I work for an early stage, self-funded startup and we really don’t have any money to spend. but I could really use a windows test machine!
my story is that I carry a Dell Inspron 8500 on my bike from home to work and back and the dang thing weighs like 7 or 8 lbs. Although I like to think of myself as a burly cyclist, lugging that thing around is hurting my ego. Please help! Thanks Box.net and TechCrunch!
Reasons for having a Dell Mini
1. I like the new Dell Mini.
2. I don’t like Chrome because it has too much speed
3. I will install Firefox
4. It is portable and slick
5. It is from Techcrunch
I am a blogger and want a device so I can jot down my thoughts instantly on a PC. With a small lappy like this, I will never have to take notebook to note down my thoughts. Just drop it on my Dell Inspiron!
Also it will allow me to blog anytime a day without restriction since the only desktop is currently used by my two other family members too!
Because the only PC I have at home is my gaming rig, and my wife takes up entirely too much time doing silly things like paying bills and updating here blog where I could be playing TF2 instead. So this is a request for my wife to get an ultraportable, so I can spend more time honing my TF2 skills!
This would be really helpful for me to use to continue to help my church as part of their web team. Currently I have a 17″ laptop that is my sole computer and the kids use it frequently for school work and some games from time to time. I’ve already lost a couple USB ports(no longer working) from the constant travel between home and church as well as any other ‘family’ travel we take. This would be a great blessing and allow me to have a dedicated machine to use for development. The 25GB storage would simply be an added bonus!
Im a secret agent, and with a small laptop I would be able to do more secret stuff.
I work in a cubicle and I’d love to get and work someplace else in the building, even for a few minutes a day. The building has wireless everywhere, so there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to sit down and work from another location.
The number one reason for wanting one is to support linux… It would bring tears to my eyes to see Ubuntu as the only OS listed.
I need a new ultraportable because it would beat the pants off my company-issued “laptop”.
I’m a student – a seminary student. This would work perfectly as a portable electronic “library” including greek, hebrew, and english bibles, commentaries, and other stuff. Plus, obviously, a great note-taking machine and communication device!
I am a student at Penn State University and would very much like to utilize this Netbook with my studies. I am currently exploring using the Netbook platform to collect data from sensors attached to a Mesh Network for data fusion and integration. As you might know, the Penn State Campus is huge, therefore lugging a notebook any bigger than this Dell is a liability to the equipment and extraordinarily inconvenient.
Additionally, the size of this technology is perfect for taking notes in class, as the desktops attached to the chairs in classrooms are about a quarter of the size of a usable workspace.
I am the Director of Corporate Relations for the Security and Risk Analysis Club which deals with Cyber Terrorism, Cyber Warfare and Intelligence Analysis among other things. I would use this netbook to give presentations to the club and to bring to meetings with industry professionals to line up speakers and get support for the club.
Thanks!
Be able to keep fit and enjoy the Internet. I’ll like to attach it to my treadmill so I can listen to my favorite Internet music or watch the latest viral video without paying $thousands for the same version of a fitness club’s treadmill with video/TV.
Corny as it sounds, I’m one of Dell’s digital nomads…I work all over the place and have to schlep my massively heavy laptop and cell phone with me…when all I need to do is web research, hammering out some word documents and Web surfing.
I’d love a device that accomplished all that but weight significantly less and had more battery power. I’d be able to work longer, wouldn’t end the day with an aching back from schlepping my timbuk2 bag all over San Francisco, and could leave my current computer at home without worrying about its safety. You know, so I can play Team Fortress 2 on it for years to come.
I’m currently finishing high school and taking several college courses at the same time – meaning that my life involves a great deal of transportation and light packing. A computer of this size would be excellent for my Internet and document needs!
I need an ultra-portable to carry it from meeting to meeting, still have all my documents accessible, internet connectivity, the option to connect to a projector, and also flip around the table for the other guy to take a look.
A regular laptop does the job, and which is what I currently use, but it is not very convenient to carry around, especially when the days are long, fraught with meetings and meetings are not all in one place.
With battery and the screen, the entire thing is less than 3 pounds, which is great when you see min 7 pounds for a decently accessorized laptop.
And I can almost buy two for the price of 1 laptop. What more do you want?
Box is a great add-on too. Though I would have loved it if they offered it as an option to upgrade when ‘building’ the laptop online.
A phone does not cut it, not just yet. Nor does a tablet, for it is too bulky for handwriting recognition and not very accurate at that.
This is a sweet spot. Did I tell you yet that I love this?
If you need another reason, this is great for my school going cousin. Mobility and Connectivity is going to go down to kids and schools. Ultraportable laptops are perfect for this.
I’m a huge nerd.
I don’t have a laptop yet
It’ll be cool if my first laptop is an ultraportable one!
I am a webworker who owns my own travel company. Hence, I am constantly working from the worst possible locations around the world. The size of my laptop is extremely important, as it seems it ends up on my lap most of the time (ironic, but true). I have been jonesing for a MacBook Air, but it just isn’t in the budget.
I am psyched to see Box.net involved with this project, I love them! I am a long time customer, most of my stuff resides on their servers.
Good luck to everyone, these seem like sweet little machines.
My wife and I are moving to Africa this fall to begin serving as missionaries. We have been looking for a small laptop to take with us so that we can keep in touch with friends and families. One of these little laptops would be great!
I’ve been following this machine since it was first rumored. I love it!
I would give this to my son who is entering high school. He is busy with band and sports and his afternoons are very full. This ultra-portable would allow him to get work done between practices and get enough sleep at night. Lots of wi-fi hotspots around town will help a lot also.
As a college student that’s always on the run, working between classes and managing/ expanding a retail website (www.truefabrications.com), finding time to sit down and finish revising my first novel is a challenging ordeal. I do, however, have several hours of travel time/ week between college and work (on the bus) that I could easily use for writing if I had a portable enough device to take with me everywhere.
My ultimate goal is to publish my first novel before I turn 20 (I’m 19 now); having a light-weight device like this to carry around everywhere whichI can use write during the sporadic periods of down time could really help make this dream a reality.