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Ubuntu 11.10 for the Dell mini 10 with out-of-the-box GMA 500 video support

Lucasade from Ubuntu forum kindly created an Ubuntu 11.10 live CD with modified video drivers (EMGD) and configuration to support the Intel GMA 500 video card. Installing the newest Ubuntu on the mini 10 is now as easy as it can get.
thread: [all variants] Guide to Get the Best Performace from the GMA 500 - Page 461 - Ubuntu Forums

I just did a clean install, that's all, and I'm pleased with the results. Do keep in mind that I'm not an Ubuntu long-time user, so I can only compare with Windows XP and 7, and have no Ubuntu legacy/upgrade issues to deal with.

First I tried the live CD - actually, a live 4GB USB stick, which I had prepared with the downloaded ISO using Lili USB installer 2.8 (very easy, you do need to set Lili option to force Ubuntu 11.10 Gnome parameters). The live USB did work, but I found Ubuntu slow in live mode, and I noticed some issues, so I decided to install Ubuntu onto the HDD, alongside the factory-installed Windows XP. The installation went very smoothly. I XP 80GB and Ubuntu 40GB. When the installer asks permission to use proprietary firmware/drivers say yes, otherwise your broadcom wifi mini-card won't work. But do NOT enable the wifi connection - or any other internet connection - during the installation. You will upgrade packages at your leisure once the system is installed. So, let the installer do its thing. After restarting the system you will be presented with a login screen. Click the options (gears) icon and select Unity 2D since 3D doesn't work with the EMGD drivers (didn't matter to me). If you instead login with 3D enabled you won't see the Unity top and left bars. Relax, just click the upper right corner of your screen and a pull-down menu should pop up, select Log Out and restart from the login screen. This time click the gears icon and do select Unity 2D!

Time to actually test if you like the video playback. First get an internet connection. Either plug in a LAN cable or enable the wireless connection by clicking the radar (circular sector) icon in the top bar and picking your access point. Once your internet connection is working, press Ctrl+Alt+t to open a terminal window, and type
sudo -s and enter your password, then type
apt-get update and wait until Ubuntu has new package information.

Do NOT type apt-get upgrade afterwards, as most tutorials would have you do. That command would actually start updating your Ubuntu installation, without you knowing what's going on. I don't think it's a good idea, especially since your configuration is tweaked to use the EMDG drivers, and if you saw some errors while upgrading the system you'd start doubting the whole process.

So now that Ubuntu has all new package information type
apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras and wait until Ubuntu has finished installing those extras, which include mp3 and video codecs and other stuff. Plug in a USB disk with your xvid avi files (or browse the Windows volume if that's where your videos are). Double-click an avi file and enjoy. In my case full screen playback is very smooth. I didn't install VLC - the defacto media player on linux - because I wanted to test the standard player that's bundled with Ubuntu 11.10.