Dell releases Inspiron 1525, new 15.4-inch notebook

New mainstream notebook is 25 percent smaller than previous 15.4-inch Inspirons. With pre-Consumer Electronics Show announcements flying out the door, Dell announced on Thursday an update to its 15.4-inch Inspiron line, the new Inspiron 1525. Replacing the older 1520, 1521 and 1501 models, the new 1525 is both slimmer and smaller than its predecessors. Inspiron is Dell's entry-level line, catering toward the ordinary customer who's not served by the pricier XPS multimedia line or business-oriented Latitude, Vostro and Precision models. With a price range of $500 to $800, the Inspiron 1525 is positioned as a wallet-friendly option for first-time buyers or those who value simplicity over expensive prosumer features. The $500 version comes with Intel's 1.86 GHz Celeron 540 processor, but can be upconfigured to the 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo. The only limiting feature is that the sole graphics option is Intel's integrated GMA X3100 -- there's no option for adding a more powerful discrete graphics solution. Dell is also offering several intriguing wireless options on the 1525. Not only can you choose between integrated wireless broadband from Sprint or Verizon -- which allows you to download at DSL-type speeds over cellular networks -- but for $150, Wireless USB can also be added. For $25, customers can select a custom color for their 1525, from midnight blue to flamingo pink, or one of four different patterns, like "commotion" or "chill." The 12 different customizable options add a nice style flair to the otherwise conservative world of black, gray and silver notebooks. Standard features on all 1525s are an 8-in-1 flash memory reader, Windows Vista as the default OS, 4 USB 2.0 slots, HDMI, VGA and 1394a FireWire ports. The Inspiron 1525 is available now.