Quickies January 4, 2009

The HP Mini 1140NR Vivienne Tam Edition Is Here!

This smoking hot little red laptop showed up today, and I figured I ought to share some photos before I got prints from my eager fingers all over it. Have a look at the HP Mini (1140NR) Vivienne Tam edition; possibly the most fashionable netbook ever…

Measuring approximately 10.5″ long x 6.5″ wide x 1″ thick, this 2.5 pound gem is packed with all the features one might want in a mini laptop. No, you wouldn’t use it for massive Photoshop projects or editing movies, but it would be the perfect coffee shop companion when checking email, surfing, working on your blog, or chatting over the integrated webcam. There’s even an option to get built-in 3G Broadband through Verizon or AT&T.

Here is how “mine” arrived:

Operating system – Genuine Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3
Processor – Intel(R) Atom(TM) Processor N270 (1.60GHz)
Display – 10.2″ diagonal WSVGA HP LED Brightview Infinity Display (1024 x 600)
Memory – 1GB DDR2 System Memory (1 Dimm)
Graphics card – Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Hard drive - 60GB 4200RPM PATA Hard Drive
Personalization – HP Mini Webcam with HP Imprint Finish (Vivienne Tam)
Keyboard – HP Color Matching Keyboard
Networking – Wireless-G Card with Bluetooth
Primary battery – 3 Cell Lithium Polymer Battery
1-year HP Accidental Damage Protection ($109.99 value)
6 month SmartFriend Calling Card ($159.99 value)

A full list of available options can be seen, here.

The keyboard is a striking and gorgeous red with gold; this is a huge difference from the typical black and white or silver and black keys I am so used to seeing!

Included in the box you also get a silky Vivienne Tam laptop sleeve, which looks like a clutch I might carry on an evening out. To totally push the whole package over the edge of loveliness, I also received a matching Vivienne Tam wireless mouse.

This special edition starts at $699.99, spec’d like the one I received you can expect to pay about $750.

I’ll be taking “mine” to CES, and I’ll let you know how it performs…

To order your own, visit the official HP Store.

Gear Diary The HP Mini 1140NR Vivienne Tam Edition Is Here! photo

Tags: Fashion, HP, Laptops

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About Judie Lipsett Stanford

View all posts by Judie Lipsett Stanford

I have had a fascination with all types of gadgets and gizmos since I was a child, beginning with the toy robot that my grandmother gave my brother - which I promptly "relieved him of" in 1973. I have long been captivated by devices that did anything interesting or served a unique purpose - however silly. I can't tell you how everything works – but I am known world-wide for using a product until I have a full understanding of what it does, what its limitations are, and if it excels in any given area...or not.

Alison

Too gorgeous! Not available in the UK either boooo!
http://www.superdumbsupervillain.com Naomi

Oh, wow. I'm an Apple gal but… that sure is pretty. I wish HP would send me one to review! I need a laptop and that would be a stylish way to go to the dark side… ha!
- http://www.geardiary.com Judie Lipsett
  
  I have such a love for Apple’s hardware, especially the MacBook Air, but for some reason I find this itty-bitty netbook form factor totally appealing. Adding the Vivienne Tam art and lacquer red was like putting a big gift ribbon on the package.
http://intensedebate.com/people/mas90guru Wayne Schulz

…lot of red going on there..
http://intensedebate.com/people/Heatwave316 Heatwave316

I am TOTALLY drooling!!! I love it!!! It is so hard to find unique in a gadget world full of black and white.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Judie Judie Lipsett

I like the red. But if it were green, HP might never be able to pry it out of my hot little hands…
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http://intensedebate.com/people/ChrisSpera ChrisSpera

you are SUCH a girly girl! I took one look at the photo and didn't need to know who posted this. I knew it was you, Judie! HA!

I will be interested to hear how it works for you. I have a feeling that you might like to carry my miniMPB (dual booting MSI Wind) a bit more than this, even though it might not be as girly looking as the HP Mini 1140NR you received. I know how much you like OSX!

I am looking forward to your trip report, including all of the info on how well this works for you. Is this the only PC you plan to take??
- http://intensedebate.com/people/Judie Judie Lipsett
  
  I would love a dual booting Tam, but in the meantime I am finding that XP works extremely well – other than having to relearn the touch pad (heh). I will be carrying the Tam with me all over CES, but I will have my MBA waiting back in the room – just in case something I need isn't there or…whatever.
blew888

i got my VT 2 weeks ago for my wife, but I did not see the VT mouse online, else I would have ordered it.
- http://intensedebate.com/people/Judie Judie Lipsett
  
  First of all, you are awesome for getting one of these for your wife! Lucky woman!
  
  I believe that the mice are newly available; I don't have pricing information yet, but once I do I'll post.
Eric

for the most part it looks nice. But it could do without the energy star sticker, the sliver hinge below the screen and the HP logo on the front cover (they should be more discreet and put it somewhere else.) Oh, it would be nice to have the bezel painted with some nice flowers or something (instead of black), but I know this would be very difficult to manufacture.

I think having something "Designer" is all about the little things.
- http://intensedebate.com/people/Judie Judie Lipsett
  
  I totally agree that there could have been even more done to take this Tam to the next level, but for what it is, I find it lovely…and I find myself wanting one. 8-o
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GOMAB2k4

Judie,

Is the webcam unusable as it is on the 1035NR?
- http://intensedebate.com/people/Judie Judie Lipsett
  
  It works just fine; I tried it in Google Chat, and other than being a little bit darker than I'd like (room wasn't very well lit), it performed well.
  
  If yours isn't working, then you might check and see if there is a newly released driver.
- Sully
  
  It's unusably dark in both windows and linux, even in an incredibly bright room. I suspect the only place it would be usable is outdoors. I've read that it's a manufacturing defect:
  http://h30434.www3.hp.com/psg/board/message?board…
heath

i love the keyboards on these hp's.. very nice!!
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Mary

I have been going back and forth for a few weeks now on purchasing the HP Mini 1000 VT Series Laptop. I just need a small cheap one to be able to carry around, mostly for emails and internet. I already have a desk top. Living with four guys and their computers are black or silver, I thought I might treat myself to this small lightweight feminine looking one. That would be one way to keep the boys off it. Looking over many sites I'm wondering is it dark red or orange or vibrant red?
- http://intensedebate.com/people/Judie Judie Lipsett
  
  Mary, I would consider it more of a vibrant dark red – but you be the judge: the first picture in the post was done in natural light, with no flash, and with no retouching.
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Miss Eth

So for $699 it comes with a satin case and the matching mouse? I want to buy the exact package you purchased Judie but I don't see where it says it comes with a red satin bag and mouse. If you say it does when I purchase it from HP than I will buy it ASAP. Please reply!
- http://intensedebate.com/people/Judie Judie Lipsett
  
  Miss Eth, as I mentioned in the article, the laptop did not come with the mouse, and the way mine was configured from HP it came to $750.
  
  At the time I wrote this, the mouse was not yet available in the US, but I have good news on both fronts:
  
  As I mentioned last week, you can now buy the Vivienne Tam Edition Mini Note at Sam's for $598:
  
  http://www.geardiary.com/2009/02/25/tam-spotting/
  
  You can get the mouse from QVC for $49.96 :
  
  http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.det…
  
  So in other words, you can now get the same package I got for about $650 before tax.
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joanna

Should I buy an extra battery for the VT mini as it is only 3 cell. HP only offers the battery in black. Does it show when you install it?
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