This post was written by Maureen Jones
Dell Latitude E4200 eschews the wedge shaped chassis design so popular of late for a more slab-like appearance. Taking a look around the machine, Dell has managed to squeeze on most of the connectivity a business user is likely to need when on the move. It’s a shame there’s no option for a higher resolution, but we’ve yet to see a 12.1in that offers this and all told it garners little complaint. So long as you don’t need an optical drive, the E4200 is an ideal option for the serious businessperson on the move.
In terms of look and feel, Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9 is a convincing effort. It weighs a very reasonable 1.08kg, with the compact charger only adding another 200g to the figure. The 8.9in screen means that the Mini 9 is a similar size to Asus’ Eee PC 901. Crucially for a netbook that’s going to spend most of its life rattling around in the none-too padded confines of a commuter’s bag, the build is reassuringly sturdy. In fact it’s particularly robust by netbook standards, with a solid lid and a flex-free chassis.
Dell has announced that the company will debut Adamo, the “world’s thinnest laptop” in February, according to reports. Code-named Adamo, the sleek laptop will go head-to-head with Apple’s MacBook Air. It is black and silver, similar to the XPS 13, but has a different overall design. Adamo is reportedly is going to be marketed as the “world’s thinnest laptop.” The laptop had been set for a fourth quarter 2008 release but is now expected to be unveiled in February.
Seagate has launched a major push to increase the uptake of its Full Disk Encryption (FDE) laptop and PC drives, in partnership with Dell. It will have higher capacities and competitive prices. This month, buyers of a wide range of Dell laptops will be offered an upgrade to Seagate’s latest Momentus FDE drives, with capacities between 160GB and 320GB at platter speeds of 5400rpm and 7200rpm, depending on model. Drives of 500GB will be available by year end. Dell indicated that laptops with the standard 5,400rpm 120GB drive added would increase the price by US$139 approximately.
Dell Inc. has updated its Dell XT Tablet Notebook with an “easy-to-install” multi-touch feature. Laptop magazines had a chance to put their fingers on the touchscreen and published a video of the new capabilities. The software module for the XT adds several two-finger operated features to the XT touch screen, including scrolling, zooming, and programmable double tap to accomplish tasks such as launching a Web browser or turning the screen off to save power. Along with introducing the new functionality for its tablet, Dell expanded its solid-state drive offerings with the addition of a 128-GB drive.