Dell have announced a “thumb-sized” USB digital TV tuner for their Inspiron Mini range, turning the subnotebooks into free-to-air digital TV receivers. The tuners are to be released in region-specific versions, designed to receive local broadcast standards and Dell says it expects the tuner to ship “later this quarter”.

Dell today announced the Inspiron Mini 12, a small, easy-to-carry Internet companion that you can fine tune to fit your specific needs and deeds.

The seemingly unstoppable success of mobile broadband looks set to take another step forward next month when Vodafone starts selling Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9 ultra-mobile device with built-in mobile connectivity.

Dell today officially unveiled the Inspiron Mini 9, a UMPC the company is aiming at “teens, tweens, travelers and ‘Tweeters’” who are looking to surf, chat with friends, or blog.