The Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is a bit confused. It packs an Intel Atom processor, which makes it a netbook. But it also has a 12-inch screen, which exceeds our definition of what a netbook can be. On one hand it's a natural evolution of the genre in an ever growing screen size arms race, topping the 10-inchers like a razor company adding another blade. On the other, the Inspiron Mini 12 reaches a size and pricepoint that makes it comparable to far more capable systems from Dell in the same pricerange.

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A recent survey of British teachers has revealed that students are relying more and more on tech-related excuses to explain their failure to hand in homework. Traditional excuses like "the dog ate it" have given way to gems like "the computer crashed", "the internet was down", "a printer failed to work" and "work was deleted by accident". Apparently, students believe they can slide one by older, less tech savvy teachers this way—and the teachers admit that they are more likely to fall prey to this tactic. However, as the following list of the top five worst excuses will illustrate, some students shoot themselves in the foot by taking things waaay to far.

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HP's Touchsmart tx2 is awesome because its the first consumer-oriented convertible notebook to feature a multitouch technology built into the display. The 12.1-inch screen uses a capacitive touchpanel that can track two points simultaneously, operates with fingers or a stylus, and comes with the Mediasmart 2.0 interface customised for the notebook. While Dell's oft-mentioned Latitude XT came out last year with the multitouch power to simultaneously track all five fingers, the feature was kept dormant until the middle of 2008 and lacks any really mainstream software to take advantage of the tech.

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Mobile Edge is expanding on their checkpoint-friendly Scanfast laptop case lineup with products that are designed specifically for women. The "Scanfast for Her" line consists of three product styles: the Onyx ScanFast Briefcase, the Onyx ScanFast Backpack and a redesigned Element Briefcase. The changes are aesthetic, so you will still be getting a TSA compliant case that will allow you to breeze through airport security without ever having to remove your laptop. The bags will be shipping later this month for $US100.

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Hot off of software update is a firmware fix for those glitchy trackpads in the new MacBooks that would completely stop responding after a certain number of clicks. We never had problems with our trackpad, so it's hard to tell if it makes everything better, but the dead plant left outside my window did magically come back to life. Okay, not really, it's still pretty dead. But my trackpad does still work okay. Let us know if it helps you out (or doesn't). [Mac Rumors]

I'd thought that the 7800mAh battery for the MSI Wind was absurd, but one netbook fan got his hands on a $US62 12000mAh battery for his Asus Eee. The result, pictured here, adds over half a pound to the machine's weight and an uncomfortable incline to typing on the system. But it should offer 8-10 hours of battery life, too. Here's the more obnoxious closed shot:

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You may be wondering why every netbook we write about seems to have the same Intel Atom processor. Some of it has to do with Intel's prominence in the entire processor market at the moment (which makes competition from Via little contest), and some of it has to do with AMD not stepping up to duke it out in the tiny laptop arena. AMD simply has no interest in the mini-laptop market, and CEO Dirk Meyer makes it abundantly clear:

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Taiwanese computer brand Asus launched its "Green Collection" on Wednesday night at a fashion event in Sydney. While I'm not sure I understand the link between fashion and an environmentally friendly computer range (Were the copious amounts of hairspray used, non-carcinogenic? Or perhaps it was an allusion to the typical model's diet... I mean air is natural, right?), there's no denying the Bamboo Series was the best looking, and most interesting, thing there- even if it did remind me of my parents' '70s linoleum kitchen.

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I'm a big fan of (Product)RED. I think Bono's idea to get international companies to donate a portion of their profits on certain red-coloured products, no matter how small, to fight AIDS in Africa is brilliant. But that's the thing - the products are all red. But now that Dell has gone and released some (Product)RED laptops with special designs on them that aren't red, well it feels just like the Large Hadron Collider exploded and we're living in an alternate dimension to reality...

There are three new designs from artists Joseph Amedokpo, Siobhan Gunning and Bruce Mau under the (Product)RED banner that you can choose when you purchase either a Studio 15 or Studio 17 notebook from Dell. With each sale of one of these laptops, Dell will be donating $20 to fight AIDS in Africa.

The other two designs are below. If you were considering picking up a Dell lappy, then you should definitely consider getting a (Product)RED model - not only do they look good (even if they aren't in red), but you will be making a difference, and that's the fashionable thing to do these days, isn't it?

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Toshiba's entry into the rapidly-becoming-overcrowded netbook space has landed in Australia, and just like they promised back in July, it adds a bit of a price premium to their similarly specced mini-notebook rivals. The NB100 will set you back $715 and for your coin you get an XP-powered, 8.9-inch laptop with a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1GB RAM, a 120GB HDD and three USB slots. Considering those specs sound awfully similar to every other netbook on the market, it's natural to wonder where that extra $215 comes into play. The only thing we can spot in the press release or the specs is the 'diversity antenna', which "automatically adjusts signal reception for optimal connectivity to the internet, minimising drop outs and disruption while online". Oh, and the three USB ports will charge your gadgets even when the NB100 is switched off. Does that make up $215 worth of goodies? You tell us...I think we'll leave that up to you...

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