If you have been considering a netbook, right now is a great time to make a purchase.  With the impending introduction of next generation models and the general economic decline, companies have been slashing prices.Right now, you can get a Dell Inspiron Mini 9 for as little as $249.  The base price gets you the 1.6GHz Intel Atom, 512MB RAM, 4GB solid-state drive, and Ubuntu.  For only $50 more you can get Windows XP and an 8GB SSD.  Clearly, Dell is trying to move units ahead of its Mini 10 launch.  In fact, even the Inspiron Mini 12 starts at a surprisingly low $399, a pretty good deal considering the 12.1″ screen that you can’t get on any other netbook.

An even better deal might be the Acer Aspire One.  Right now, $239 is all it takes to buy a new netbook with 1GB RAM, 16GB SSD and Linpus Linux Lite.  The Aspire One is currently the number one selling netbook, but Acer is getting ready to launch its 10″ Aspire One D150 to replace the current 8.9″ variety.  In fact, Amazon already has the D150 available for pre-order, at the fairly reasonable price of $350.

Asus already has its new Eee PC 1000HE available for pre-order and MSI’s new Wind U120 has also begun creeping into stores, so be on the lookout for discounts on the current gaggle of Eee PCs and the Wind U100.  Given the current state of the economy, it is a buyer’s market.  Combine this with current state of the product cycle, and more deals on netbooks are sure to be coming.

Looks like we are finally approaching the dream of a usable and useful $200 mininotebook promised by the original Asus Eee PC.

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