laptop battery tips on laptops-battery-online.com: July 2011

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Dell Introduces Inspiron R Series Of Notebooks

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If there's anything in the world that's true, it's that there is a near-constant flow of new notebooks flowing out these days. It's clear that the world is becoming more and more mobile, as the ratio of laptop to desktop releases has to be around 5:1 at this point. Every week now, it feels as if one laptop maker or another has a new machine to consider, and both AMD and Intel are investing heavily in the advancement of mobile CPUs.

This week, Dell's the lucky winner. They're introducing the Inspiron R series, which features Intel's new and improved Sandy Bridge series of processors. These new rigs are designed for style-focused consumers, with loads of color options and an interchangeable lid option standing out. Dell's labeling this feature SWITCH, and tucking the new lid designs into the overall Design Studio. It's not the first time Dell has offered a notebook with a switchable lid, but rarely have you had such choices. There's a 14", 15" and 17" Inspiron R to choose from, with HD display options and improved battery life figures.

The Inspiron 15R is capable of lasting an impressive 13 hours under ideal conditions (with the optional 9-cell battery like Dell C5340 Battery, Dell C647H Battery, Dell C7786 Battery, Dell CG036 Battery, Dell CG039 Battery, Dell D5318 Battery, Dell D5540 Battery, Dell D5561 Battery, Dell D7310 Battery, Dell DF192 Battery, Dell DF230 Battery, Dell DF249 Battery ), and you'll also get USB 3.0 ports to take advantage of the newest high-speed peripherals. There are plenty of CTO options to wade through: 2nd-gen Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 CPUs, 6-cell or 9-cell battery packs, Intel Wireless Display for wire-free 1080p playback on your HDTV, support for Blu-ray playback, HDMI 1.4, an HD-capable webcam, chiclet-style keyboard and Windows 7 Home Premium.

These new machines start at $529.99, with each lid retailing for $39.99. Specifics on each are available below.

Switch into Spring with the New Inspiron R Series from Dell

* New InspironTM R line expands Dell’s leading-edge portfolio of products with 2nd Generation Intel® CoreTM processors

* Inspiron R is fun, stylish and fast featuring the latest technology, a superior entertainment experience, impressive battery life and a new interchangeable lid option

* Just pop.click.switch: New SWITCH by Design Studio lids allow for a new look at any moment

ROUND ROCK, Texas--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--The new Inspiron R series joins Dell’s expansive collection of laptops and desktops equipped with the latest Intel processors and are fun, stylish and lightning quick. Available today at Dell.com, the new Inspiron R 14-, 15- and 17-inch laptops deliver incredible mobile entertainment, high-definition displays and outstanding battery life, but that’s just the beginning.

The perfect combination of brains and beauty - the latest addition to the Inspiron family also introduces an innovative new design twist: new SWITCH by Design Studio interchangeable lids that switch the look of Inspiron R laptops with just a pop and a click1. The SWITCH by Design Studio collection includes 25 new eye-popping lids sporting vibrant colors and unique designs. Start the day with a Peacock Blue lid, and switch it out for a design-inspired look at night.

But the Inspiron R shouldn’t be judged by its cover(s) alone. Packing the latest 2nd generation Intel Core technology, the Inspiron R laptops benefit from sleek form factors, up to 13 hours of battery life2 on the Inspiron 15R with the optional 9-cell battery and incorporate the latest USB 3.0 technology to make transferring photos, videos, music and other graphics-rich files faster than ever.

Performance? Check! What about the lids? Carefully selected from Dell Design Studio’s curated collections, the contemporary art and graphic designs available from SWITCH by Design Studio offer exclusive selections from outstanding independent artists, designers and partners including OPI and Threadless and charitable partners, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and (PRODUCT)RED™, where a portion of proceeds benefit each organization, respectively3. And new with SWITCH by Design Studio, available today, are four Eastern-inspired designs from the India collection.

“Our Inspiron R models equipped with 2nd gen Intel Core processors deliver the ultimate in entertainment and mobility and because customers value both performance and style, the eye-catching lids are designed to suit your mood or style at any given moment,” said Sam Burd, vice president Dell’s Consumer & SMB Product Group. “With the Inspiron-R series, we’re living up to our heritage of delivering the performance you need to do more, and with SWITCH by Design Studio, you can look good while doing it,” Burd added.

Inspiron R: The Dell Difference

With a range of entertainment, storage, productivity and show-stopping design options available on the Inspiron R, Dell makes it easy for people to go online and choose the perfect Inspiron R laptop with confidence, knowing it will be a smart investment that will deliver the ideal technology-by-design for them.

Inspiron R: Key Features

* 2nd generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processor options and up to 8GB of memory4

* Weight starting at 4.94 lbs for the Inspiron 14R5

* 6-cell battery included with 9-cell battery options6

* SRS Premium Audio and high-definition video performance

* Intel Wireless Display technology for wireless projection of full 1080p video and 5.1 surround sound to your home theater for a breath-taking movie-viewing experience7

* Support for Blu-ray 3D movie playback when equipped with the optional Blu-ray drive and connected to your 3D TV (HDMI 1.4 required)8

* Integrated Dell Stage software, providing one-click access to photos, music, videos, social-networking sites, e-books and more

* HD capable webcam

* ChicletTM-style keyboard9

* Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium with option for Professional

* Optional SWITCH by Design Studio lids featuring the new India Collection and designs from OPI, Threadless.com, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, (PRODUCT)RED™ and various artists

Pricing and Availability

Inspiron R

The new Inspiron R models are available today in the U.S. on Dell.com and will be available through Dell’s U.S. retail partners in the coming months.

* Inspiron 14R (SWITCH by Design Studio model with black lid): Starts at $579.99

* Inspiron 15R (SWITCH by Design Studio model with black lid): Starts at $529.99

* Inspiron 17R (SWITCH by Design Studio model with black lid): Starts at $579.99

* SWITCH by Design Studio lids: Start at $39.9910

Dell Adds 12 Hour Battery Life

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As the laptop onslaught continues, Dell has a new series to introduce. But these aren't your average laptops: these are business-minded machines that should be taken very, very seriously. Are you in a serious mood? Good. Actually, the Vostro 3000 series probably isn't quite that serious, but there's no question that the Vostro name has generally been associated with business rigs in the past. The main difference here? These new guys have batteries such as Dell F0590A01 Battery, Dell F0993 Battery, Dell F144M Battery, Dell F1450A Battery, Dell F5136 Battery, Dell F707H Battery, Dell FF232 Battery, Dell FG442 Battery, Dell FK890 Battery, Dell FT080 Battery, Dell G2053A01 Battery, Dell G5226 Battery that can last upwards of 12 hours, which actually sounds like a figure that would do the average businessperson a lot of good.

Available in 13-, 14-, 15- and 17-inch forms, the revised Vostro 3000 line uses Intel's newest Sandy Bridge CPUs, SRS Premium Voice Pro software and a full HD webcam on the 14-, 15- and 17-inch models. These units also offer a chiclet keyboard, durable aluminum finish and choice of three premium colors – Aberdeen Silver, Lucerne Red and Brisbane Bronze. There's Skype pre-installed, USB 3.0, built-in fingerprint reader, and rather reasonable prices. They range from $499-$599 in terms of starting price, and the new 3000 line will go on sale in the U.S. starting March 22.

Small Businesses Collaborate In Style with New Vostro 3000 Series

* Durable, feature-packed laptops deliver premium design and more than 12 hours of battery life1 option on select models

* First small-business laptops to feature SRS Premium Voice Pro for the ultimate in virtual collaboration

Knowing today’s growing businesses require real-time information exchange and connectivity without compromise, Dell today unveiled its Vostro 3000 series laptops with 12 hours of battery life1 on select models and cutting-edge virtual collaboration solutions.

Available in 13-, 14-, 15- and 17-inch forms and styled with image-conscious entrepreneurs and mobile professionals in mind, the Dell Vostro 3000 Series packs the latest Intel® 2nd generation Core™ I Series processors into a sleek design without compromising battery life. For those that demand the ultimate in collaboration, the Vostro 3000 is the first small-business laptop to feature voice enhancing technology SRS Premium Voice Pro software. A full HD webcam offered with the 14-, 15- and 17-inch laptops enables lifelike interactions with coworkers and customers, while a digital array mic helps reduce ambient noise, giving small businesses a superb virtual collaboration solution that’s fast and clear.

“Whether you are pitching, analyzing, partnering or managing, the new Vostro 3000 series is designed to keep you collaborating with colleagues, partners and clients,” said Sam Burd, vice president Dell’s Consumer & SMB Product Group. “With the latest Vostro collaboration enhancements, entrepreneurs have a sleek, capable technology tool that helps them impress no matter the size of their business or technology budget.”

The new Vostro 3000 laptops offer the following:

* Stylish and durable: A chiclet keyboard, durable aluminum finish and choice of three premium colors – Aberdeen Silver, Lucerne Red and Brisbane Bronze

* Enhanced collaboration: Pre-installed Skype and the ability to launch any VoIP or video conferencing application via one customizable dashboard button

* Top-notch security options: Back up your business data 10 times faster with super speed USB 3.0, standard built-in finger-print reader and Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security

* Increased productivity: Intel® 2nd generation Core™ I Series processors, switchable graphics, DDR3, USB 3.0, BT 3.0

* ProSupport to Simplify IT: Businesses can choose their own level of 24x7 IT support with optional Dell ProSupport2 services

“In this age of 24x7 communications, it is critical for small and mid-sized businesses to connect with their clients and employees regardless of location or time zone,” said Sanjeev Aggarwal, Principal and Founder, SMB Group. “Small businesses are ready for the kinds of collaboration capabilities Dell is introducing in the Vostro 3000 series to get them to the next level of productivity.”

Vostro 3000 Series - Pricing and Availability

The new Vostro 3000 series will be available in the U.S. on Dell.com on starting on March 22.

* 13-inch 3350 SAPP - $599

* 14-inch 3450 SAPP - $499

* 15-inch 3550 SAPP - $499

* 17-inch 3750 SAPP - $549

Prices, models and availability vary by geographic region.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Can WinTel gain a foothold in tablets

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That would be Microsoft Corp. /quotes/zigman/20493/quotes/nls/msft MSFT -2.67% and Intel Corp. /quotes/zigman/20392/quotes/nls/intc INTC -1.59% , the duopoly referred to in Silicon Valley as "WinTel," where about 90% of the PC market is made up of systems running Windows and powered by Intel's (and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. /quotes/zigman/216580/quotes/nls/amd AMD -1.96% ) chips.

Instead, the more popular duo in the emerging field of tablets is some version of the Linux operating system, or Google Inc.'s /quotes/zigman/93888/quotes/nls/goog GOOG -2.46% Android operating system, itself based on a modified version of Linux, and chips based on lower-power consuming designs of ARM Holdings PLC /quotes/zigman/67211/quotes/nls/armh ARMH -3.36% . Consumers who buy tablets for reading or watching content want devices with longer life battery like Dell G5266 Battery, Dell G5345 Battery, Dell GD761 Battery, Dell GG386 Battery, Dell GK479 Battery, Dell GR986 Battery, Dell GR995 Battery, Dell GW240 Battery, Dell GX047 Battery, Dell H766N Battery, Dell HD438 Battery, Dell HF674 Battery.

As Intel releases its second-quarter results today, its presence in tablets is not an immediate concern. But investors are increasingly nervous about a PC slowdown, just after what may be the conclusion of a big corporate buying cycle in the first half of 2010. Some are looking at its growth prospects beyond chips for PCs and servers. See Intel and AMD earnings outlook story.

"The tablet is not yet an issue for Intel," said Phani Kumar Saripella, chief operating officer at Primary Global Research in Mountain View, Calif. "The issue comes about because tablets are a brand-new segment, and Intel would be a natural company to provide their chip there. Yet they don't start in the tablet world as incumbents."

That's a switch for the chip giant, which saw big adoption of its low-powered Atom chip in the once-booming netbook market. But now that market, which was hot during the recession, is falling apart as consumers realized that scaled-down netbooks don't do as much as they hoped, and as prices of the lowest cost notebooks continued to fall.

"That market is falling off a cliff," said Ashok Kumar, an analyst with Rodman & Remshaw, of the netbook sector. "It cannibalized notebooks and simultaneously all it has done is accelerate a price decline."

Saripella agreed. Sales of netbooks, he said, the brightest light of the PC market during the recession of 2009, tumbled 30% in the second quarter. "The market for netbooks is cratering."

He said netbook sales could bounce back in the third and fourth quarters, typically faster growing periods with back-to-school sales and holiday shopping. "That's the hope, at least."

As the netbook initially had a negative impact on the pricing of notebooks, so too will tablet computers. Based on the enormous popularity of Apple's /quotes/zigman/68270/quotes/nls/aapl AAPL -2.68% iPad, it could be an even bigger impact. Apple sold three million iPads in the first 80 days, at a starting price of around $500. In addition to its clean lines, fast Web browsing, and clear screen, consumers have touted the battery life of the device of about eight hours.

Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs quickly saw that the netbook was a stop-gap device, and steadfastly refused to develop one, even as analysts and some in the media (guilty as charged) thought they should do otherwise.

"The problem is netbooks aren't better at anything," Jobs said during the January launch of the iPad, which he championed as a real third category of device that can do some things better than a notebook. Netbooks, he said, "are slow, they have low-quality displays, and they run clunky old PC software," he said, adding that netbooks are "just cheap laptops and we don't think they are a third category of device."

Now, many analysts believe tablets will cannibalize netbooks and low-end notebooks.

"We believe tablets may pressure the outlook for the consumer computing market (65% of the market) and specifically netbooks with some modest tempering of lower end notebooks," Barclays Capital analyst Tim Luke wrote in a recent report, where he also trimmed estimates for both Intel and AMD, as possible companies that may face pressure from growth in tablets.

The iPad uses its own version of the ARM processor, a popular choice among hardware manufacturers because of its lower wattage versus Intel's chips. The Atom chip has yet to match the ARM designs, which still have much lower power wattage.

Other companies making tablets, even big Intel customers such as Dell Inc. /quotes/zigman/27952/quotes/nls/dell DELL -3.91% , and other firms like HTC and Archos are also using variations of the lower-powered ARM design. A few popular licensees include Qualcomm Inc.'s /quotes/zigman/77257/quotes/nls/qcom QCOM -3.45% Snapdragon and Texas Instruments Inc.'s /quotes/zigman/243223/quotes/nls/txn TXN -3.74% OMAP chip. Research In Motion Ltd. /quotes/zigman/18534/quotes/nls/rimm RIMM -6.13% is said to be working on a tablet, likely aimed at corporate users, with Marvell Technology Inc.'s /quotes/zigman/82457/quotes/nls/mrvl MRVL -3.09% Armada, another ARM licensee.

So far, Cisco Systems Inc. /quotes/zigman/20039/quotes/nls/csco CSCO -3.68% and ASUS of Taiwan are among the biggest players to opt for Intel's chips in their tablets. Cisco's Cius tablet for business users will have a video conferencing capability when it comes out in early 2011, and it needs a chip with more processing power like the Atom. ASUS is expected to use an Intel Core 2 duo in its EEE Pad.

In May, Intel introduced a lower-powered version of Atom, the Atom Z6, but it has not yet shipped. The Atom also hasn't yet made a big dent in the hot smart phone market, where ARM designs also rule, and analysts fear it will suffer the same fate with tablets. See Intel news here.

Microsoft has so far bungled its own attempt at a smart phone, the Kin, aimed at kids who love social networking and cancelled it within two months of its launch. Since the Kin used a hybrid of the upcoming Windows Phone 7 software, it was not an auspicious start for Microsoft in its efforts to gain footing in the mobile space. Of the anticipated tablets, so far only ASUS is expected to use a version of Windows. See more about Microsoft killing the Kin.

Also, on Monday Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was speaking at a partner conference, touting tablet-style devices running the Windows 7 operating system from about 20 different companies. Ballmer noted that tablets represent a "terribly important area for us."

"I don't know if Intel and Microsoft have their arms around this one, no pun intended," of ARM's popularity in the mobile space, said Saripella of PGR. "Still, this is a very tiny segment of the market. It's not going to make a difference to revenue this Tuesday, or the rest of the year, but all these things have repercussions for years to come."

Therese Poletti is a senior columnist for MarketWatch in San Francisco.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Ener1 Adds Three New Executives

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"We're continually looking for ways to reduce our overall structural costs while simultaneously enhancing our operational ability to deliver world-class energy storage solutions to existing customers, like the Federal Grid Corporation, Volvo Cars, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Toro, Motorola and Kenwood Radio," stated Ener1 President Chris Cowger. "We are adding some first-rate talent to strengthen Ener1's Dell MM165 Battery operations, manufacturing, human resources and finance areas to help us achieve this goal. These new hires bring more than 75 years of combined Fortune 500 experience working across a broad range of technology companies and managing billions of dollars in revenue. We expect they will be terrific assets in driving our growth over the next several years to make Ener1 an even more cost-efficient Dell KM958 Battery company for both current and future customers."

Additions to Ener1's leadership team include:

■Melissa Debes joins Ener1 in the role of chief accounting officer and senior vice president of finance. She will also serve as chief financial officer for Ener1's EnerDel subsidiary. With more than 25 years experience, she was previously the corporate vice president of finance at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), where she consolidated business planning and forecasting efforts and spearheaded AMD's zero-based budgeting process. Prior to joining AMD, she was the division controller for Motorola's PowerPc computing platform group. Melissa has a Dell KG046 Battery bachelor's degree in finance from Arizona State University and a master's degree in international management from Thunderbird-American Graduate School.

■Dan Allen will serve as Ener1's senior vice president of operations and procurement. For the past 13 years, he was an executive director in worldwide procurement at Dell, where he gained extensive experience in global sourcing, supplier development and supply-chain optimization. Prior to Dell, Dan spent 10 years with EDS in various finance and operations positions, including four years living in Beijing and Hong Kong establishing EDS's China operations. Dan has a bachelor's degree in finance from Iowa State University and a master's degree in business administration from the Dell KD476 Battery University of Texas at Dallas.

■Eddie Luedke joins Ener1 as vice president of human resources with more than 20 years experience from companies like AMD, Dell and EDS. He most recently ran AMD's human resources function for sales, marketing, corporate strategy, IT, and finance. During his 11-year tenure with Dell, Eddie had HR responsibility for the global sales and call center organizations, and managed compensation and benefits for Latin America and Canada. Eddie Dell KD186 Battery earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Texas A&M University.

Ener1 is also pleased to announce that Robert Kamischke, who has served as Ener1's chief accounting officer and vice president of finance, will bring his expertise to a new role as vice president of manufacturing engineering.

"We believe we're building a world-class technology company with operations extending across Asia, North America and Europe, which will provide us with greater scale and flexibility to meet our customers' needs," stated Ener1 Chairman & CEO Charles Gassenheimer. "Having a top-notch leadership team, with the experience and knowledge to help grow and manage our global operations, is important to our continued success. We are also grateful for the further capital commitment from the company's principal shareholder announced last week. With the additional capital commitment and our Dell JD634 Battery ability to attract exceptional talent, we're very optimistic about continuing our recent growth in grid energy storage, as well as building upon our success in the transportation sector. We also anticipate our industrial electronics small pack battery business will surpass last year's revenue growth."

About Ener1, Inc.

Ener1, Inc. is a publicly traded (NASDAQ:HEV) energy storage technology company that develops compact, lithium-ion-powered battery solutions for the transportation, utility grid and industrial electronics markets. Headquartered in New York City, the company has more than 700 employees with manufacturing locations in the United States and Korea. Ener1 also develops commercial fuel cell products and nanotechnology-based Dell J590M Battery materials.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements made in this press release constitute forward-looking statements that are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "believes," "scheduled," "estimates" and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These Dell J399N Battery statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and the company does not undertake any obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this press release.

World Batteries Market

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Global primary and secondary battery demand is forecast to climb 4.8 percent per year to $109 billion in 2014. India will register the strongest sales growth of any national market through 2014, supported by healthy increases in manufacturing activity, personal consumption expenditures and motor vehicles in use. China will remain the world's largest battery market, as the country's position as a global leader in portable electronics production supports an $11.5 billion increase in battery demand from 2009 to 2014. Other countries expected to post strong gains through 2014 include Indonesia, Ukraine, South Africa and Turkey, as well as a number of other developing countries with relatively small battery markets. Battery demand in the developed areas of the US, Japan and Western Europe is projected to increase at rates below global averages through 2014, but the $4.7 billion expected overall increase in sales in those areas will present manufacturers with significant opportunities.

Non-lead-acid secondary battery demand increases will outpace sales of primary and lead-acid secondary batteries through 2014. The market for lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries and, to a lesser extent, nickel-metal hydride batteries will be spurred by the immense popularity of portable electronic devices such as cell phones, digital audio players, gaming systems and laptops. The rapid growth in hybrid vehicle production will also boost demand for these batteries like Dell MT342 Battery, Dell NF343 Battery, Dell NR222 Battery, Dell NR239 Battery, Dell PC764 Battery, Dell PD942 Battery, Dell PD946 Battery, Dell RC107 Battery, Dell RD850 Battery, Dell RD857 Battery, Dell RD859 Battery, Dell RM791 Battery. Manufacturers of secondary lead-acid batteries will benefit from a global recovery in automotive production and continued growth in the number of vehicles in use. Primary battery demand will be bolstered by increased use of electrical and electronic products traditionally powered by these batteries and the ongoing conversion from basic, lower-cost zinc-carbon and zinc-chloride dry cells to more advanced, higher-priced alkaline and lithium types.

Demand for batteries used in industrial and other applications will post the strongest advances through 2014, supported by ongoing growth in gross fixed investment, accelerating gains in global manufacturing output and ongoing industrialization efforts in developing economies. Consumer battery demand increases are forecast to match the battery market overall through 2014, supported by rising personal income levels in developing areas and a growing reliance in many parts of the world on portable electronic devices. Automotive battery demand is expected to climb less rapidly, held back by the relative maturity of this market in most developed nations and expected declines in lead and lead-acid battery prices. Still, the development of hybrid and electric vehicles will provide growth opportunities in this market.

Since the mid-1990s, manufacturers in China and other developing countries have been accounting for a rapidly growing share of global battery production. Japan, the US and Western Europe accounted for 64 percent of world battery shipments in 1999 but just 42 percent of total output in 2009. In contrast, China accounted for 10 percent of the world's production in 1999 and 34 percent in 2009. In 2004, China surpassed the US to become the world's leading battery supplier and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future.

This new industry study presents historical demand data (1999, 2004, 2009) plus forecasts for 2014 and 2019 by product, market, world region and for 32 major countries. The study also details key market environment factors, reviews technology, evaluates company market share and profiles 40 industry players.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Dell's Latitude Z laptop goes for the high end

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Dell, once the king of low-cost over-the-phone computer sales, has recently been trying to find its niche as a purveyor of luxury goods in what could charitably be called a stuttering economy. Having first gone for the high-end consumer market with its sleek Adamo notebookreleased in March, it has turned its sights to the corporate sector with the sleek, expensive and better equipped Latitude Z.

I had a chance to preview the Latitude Z before its release. It is indeed a great-looking machine, black with silver highlights. It's slim and lightweight (4.5 lbs. with basic Dell U6256 Battery, Dell U4873 Battery, Dell U1544 Battery, about 5 lbs. with longer-life battery), with a widescreen, impressively bright 16-inch display and full-sized keyboard that I found almost too large - I actually had to stretch slightly to hit a couple of the keys.

Inductive charger

There are a number of nifty features that come with the Latitude Z, either standard or as options. (For a base price of $2,000, there had better be.) But the most anticipated feature - at least, the one that has featured in most of the pre-release speculation - is its optional ($400) inductive recharging stand, which charges the laptop without a wired connection.

There are a few inductive charging stands out there, most of them third-party devices for phones, media players, and other small gadgets. But the Latitude Z is the first mainstream notebook to come with the ability built in. The stand is a bright metal object in the shape of a sideways "U" - the notebook sits on top of the stand, held in place by a small lip in front. The idea is that you can drop the notebook on the stand, pull out a keyboard and work with the notebook while it charges. According to Dell, it should take 2 to 3 hours to fully charge a depleted machine, depending on the Dell TD349 Battery.

At first look, the stand is snazzy looking but seems like more of a gimmick than anything else. The lack of a power cord leading from the notebook to the stand might look good in a corporate office, but won't make much difference in the long run. And of course, the Latitude Z also comes with a more traditional power cord.

Inside the case

What will make or break the Latitude are its own features. It includes a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (upgradeable to 1.6GHz) and a separate low-voltage ARM-based processor - the Texas Instruments OMAP 3430 - for its Latitude ON alternate boot environment (more about that in a moment). Also standard are 2GB RAM (expandable to 4GB) and an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD.

While most notebooks and even netbooks still shy away from the more durable but more expensive SSDs in favor of traditional hard drives, Dell has decided that its Latitude Z will accommodate one or two SSDs. The base model has a 64GB SSD, with an option to expand to 128GB or 256GB; the secondary SSD is available in the same three capacities.

The notebook has two Dell TD347 Battery options: Dell says the standard 4-cell battery is good for about 4 hours, while the longer-life 8-cell battery ($69 as a replacement for the standard battery, $150 as an additional battery) lasts for 8 hours. While the standard battery fits snugly between two rather snazzy silver metal holders, the longer-life Dell TD344 Battery extends out a bit from the back of the chassis and adds about half a pound to its weight, but it could be worth it for the additional computing time.

Also included: 802.11a/g/n wireless networking, Bluetooth, a fingerprint reader, a contactless Smart Card reader, two USB ports (one of which is also an eSATA port) and an Ethernet port. (Unusually, the Ethernet port is behind the notebook's hinge, on the side of the Dell TD175 Battery.) It comes with Windows Vista Ultimate or Business, or Windows XP Pro.

Latitude ON for instant on

The Latitude Z sits its Windows 7 operating system alongside an instant-on (what Dell calls Latitude ON) Linux-based OS. This added functionality is so much a part of the Latitude Z that Dell has provided the instant-on OS with its own button, which sits next to the slightly larger power button on the upper right-hand side of the keyboard.

Unlike most of the other instant-on interfaces that I've seen, which tend to have highly simplified interfaces with large icons, Latitude ON has a more professional look, with menu drop-downs along the left top of the screen. As stated before, Latitude ON uses its own low-power Dell TC030 Battery ARM processor and is stored in flash memory; it is based on the GNOME application Evolution, and gives you access to e-mail, a calendar, an address book and the Web.

Latitude ON doesn't communicate with your local version of Outlook. It pulls your e-mail and other data wirelessly via Microsoft Exchange (individuals who don't use Exchange can use POP for e-mail access). Data is not synced between Latitude ON and your data on the SSD. According to Dell representatives, this is for security purposes, so that others won't have easy access to your data (although you can have a separate password for your Latitude ON boot-up). This basically means that if you don't use Exchange, Latitude ON won't be very practical.

More goodies

There are a number of extra attractions that should attract style-conscious executives. The Latitude Z has a nifty backlit keyboard (the 2-megapixel Webcam can act as an ambient sensor so that the backlighting automatically goes on in low lighting conditions); the Webcam can also scan and capture documents such as business cards and save them to Outlook. The large touchpad is comfortable to use and supports multi-touch Dell T6840 Battery gestures.

The right side of the bezel (the frame around the display) responds to pressure from your fingers and brings up a customizable icon menu on that side of the screen; press the bezel near the icon and you can launch the associated application. I don't know how useful a feature like that will be in the long run, but it certainly looked cool.

One extra that'll cost you is the optional wireless dock, which connects your laptop to your external monitor and USB peripherals instantly as you enter your office. (The dock is connected to the peripherals via cables but connects to your notebook wirelessly.) It costs $350 and requires that your system have Dell's 420 ultra-wideband (UWB) mini card installed.

Conclusions

All this is very cool. But with all that said and done - the stylish look, the instant-on OS, the great display, the two SSDs, the wireless dock and inductive charger - the question is whether corporations have lifted themselves enough out of the recession doldrums to purchase what Dell RN873 Battery is, in essence, a luxury item.

Dell hopes they have; a company representative told me that the $2,000 notebook is being aimed at executives, salespeople, and others who need to present a successful image to their customers. That, at least, the Latitude Z will do.

Dell to begin selling uninterruptible power supplies

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Dell on Wednesday said it would start selling uninterruptible power supplies with its own brand name as it tries to expand its reach in the server space.

This is first time attempt by Dell to sell UPS systems with its own brand name, said Sally Stevens, vice president of platform marketing at Dell.

UPS systems are external devices that provide power protection to systems like PCs and servers by identifying issues like power outages or voltage fluctuations.

The systems can correct the problems by activating an alternate power source like a battery such as Dell UD260 Battery, Dell UD264 Battery, Dell W0465 Battery, Dell WG317 Battery, Dell WT870 Battery, Dell WU946 Battery, Dell WW116 Battery, Dell X6753 Battery, Dell XD187 Battery, Dell XD736 Battery, Dell XR693 Battery inside the UPS to keep hardware running. The systems can be key in data centers to keep systems up and running.

The company will sell 28 UPS products ranging from 500 watts to 5600 watts for rack or tower servers. The devices will be available through the Dell's UPS Web site, with prices starting at $US269.

The UPS systems deliver 95 percent or greater efficiency rating, leading to less dissipation of heat and reduction in cooling costs, according to the company.

Dell is targeting the UPS line at servers in datacenters and other areas like telecommunication equipment. The line will be manufactured by Eaton in partnership with Dell, which is helping determine the product specifications.

A number of selection tools based on wattage will be available on the Web site to help customers select the right UPS system.

The UPS systems can be configured to work with servers from different companies, Stevens said. Management software bundled will allow the UPS systems to be remotely managed either through console software like Dell's OpenManage.

The management software monitor battery and systems connected to a UPS. LCD displays on the boxes show details like actual battery run time and fault codes that make troubleshooting possible without logging into a console.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Dell Vostro 3500 laptop review

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The Dell Vostro series of laptops has set its sights squarely on the small business market. MyBroadband laid hands on the Dell Vostro 3500 and took it for a spin.

Weighing in at 2.5kg, the device appears handsome and slick, yet not ostentatious. The lid and edge trimming is wrapped in brushed aluminium and sturdy black plastic. We reviewed the standard silver aluminium device, but there are apparently bronze and red colours available for a premium.

The screen hinges seem strong and are rigid enough to hold the screen in place even while Dell Inspiron 1210 Battery shifting around – as one does when working from your lap. There is no locking mechanism for the lid, which is an oversight as things may work their way between body and screen while travelling.

A Kensington lock slot is present for those who might leave their machine unattended during the lunch break at a business conference. There is also a fingerprint reader for those too good to use an old fashioned alpha-numeric password.

Overall, the Dell Vostro feels like it is of sturdy construction which should stand up well to the rigours of Dell Inspiron 11z Battery business travel. The aluminium and matt plastic combination give it a rugged complexion which is reflected in the rigidity of the device when holding it up by one corner.

Connectivity

The Dell Vostro 3500 comes with an array of input/output option which should serve most business needs. VGA and HDMI out for external displays, four USB 2.0 ports, 1 eSATA port, 8-in-1 card reader, and audio in/out 3.5mm connections. There are of course the other expected Dell Inspiron 1150 Battery connectivity features: Gigabit LAN, Wireless-N, and Bluetooth.

There is also a slot for Dell’s 3G/HSPA modem card, which can be equipped with a SIM card for added mobile connectivity.

Unfortunately the Dell Vostro 3500 doesn’t come equipped for a docking station, which some might find a serious downside.

Input/Output

The keyboard is a standard layout (minus a numpad) and is comfortable to type on, with only a light flex when used vigourously. The tactile response is good for touch typing and the noise made by the keys is minimal. The keyboard is splash water protected. Touch sensitive multimedia keys run above the keyboard and next to this are the laptop status LED indicators. It is however difficult to see whether these lights are on when using the Dell Inspiron 1100 Battery machine in a bright area.

Positioned above the keyboard, the built-in speakers aren’t anything brag about, with distinctly average laptop speaker sound quality.

The mouse touchpad supports gestures through the Dell software and there is a welcome scroll bar section on the right hand side of the touchpad. The touchpad is responsive and no complaints can be levelled toward it. The accompanying and separate left/right click buttons feel sturdy with a satisfying ‘click’ response. The touchpad can also be disabled through a function-key modifier, a basic yet welcome feature, as it can get in the way depending on one’s typing Dell Y9943 Battery style.

The decision on screen dimension falls out of line with the business approach and is likely a result of economies of scale. The screen has a 15.6 inch 1366×768 resolution panel; a widescreen format which doesn’t cater too well to business documents which typically run vertically. This can lead to a lot of scrolling up and down through documents. The panel is WLED backlit with an anti-glare coating which stands up well in direct sunlight. The horizontal viewing angle is quite good, but the vertical viewing angle isn’t (as with most laptops).

Hardware

The Dell Vostro 3500 range comes in a variety of configurations. Ours was standard configuration, listed at the bottom of the article. Worth noting is that the 3500 series comes in a selection of Intel Core i3 to i5 CPUs, all which should perform adequately for most Dell Y6142 Battery business applications. The system supports up to 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM (the usage of which will depend on choosing a 64bit Windows 7 OS option).

Our 3500 came sporting an Nvidia GeForce 310M GPU. The Core iX processors based on Arrandale architecture also come with an integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD, which kicks in when not performing serious rendering to preserve Dell Y5180 Battery power. The 310M isn’t going to blow your mind, but with 512 MB VRAM clocked at 790 MHz running on a 64bit Bus, and a 625 MHz core, it should provide some moderate gaming relief – just don’t expect to be playing the latest and greatest titles.

The device shows weakness in the cooling area when under prolonged stress, typically thanks to some gaming. It actually gets distressingly hot and you definitely won’t want to have it on your lap while gaming.

The 6-cell lith-ion battery can provide around 3 hours of power, depending on the tasks being performed.

Conclusion

The Dell Vostro 3500 sells for a recommended retail price of R10,999 at the time of writing Dell Y4367 Battery. Alone this may seem like a slightly expensive ask considering the hardware configuration, but Dell includes their 3 year Onsite Next Business Day Warranty, and this value proposition will be worth it to many businesses.

The device is well-constructed with no gimmicky frills that will detract from its primary purpose – to perform as a solid and dependable business companion.

Switch into spring with the new Inspiron R series from Dell

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New Inspiron R line expands Dell’s leading-edge portfolio of products with 2nd Generation Intel Core processors

Inspiron R is fun, stylish and fast featuring the latest technology, a superior entertainment experience, impressive battery life and a new interchangeable lid option

Just pop.click.switch: New SWITCH by Design Studio lids allow for a new look at any moment

The new Inspiron R series joins Dell’s expansive collection of laptops and desktops equipped with the latest Intel processors and are fun, stylish and lightning quick. Available at Incredible Connection, the new Inspiron R 15- and 17-inch laptops deliver incredible mobile entertainment, high-definition displays and outstanding battery life, but that’s just the beginning.

The perfect combination of brains and beauty – the latest addition to the Inspiron family also introduces an innovative new design twist: new SWITCH by Design Studio interchangeable lids that switch the look of Inspiron R laptops with just a pop and a click. The SWITCH by Design Studio collection includes 23 new eye-popping lids sporting vibrant colours and unique designs. Start the day with a Peacock Blue lid, and switch it out for a design-inspired look at night. SWITCH by Design Studio will be available with select lids at launch, with more options introduced in the coming weeks.

But the Inspiron R shouldn’t be judged by its cover(s) alone. Packing the latest 2nd generation Intel Core technology, the Inspiron R laptops benefit from sleek form factors, up to 13 hours of battery life with the optional 9-cell battery like Dell Inspiron 1300 Battery, Dell Inspiron 1420 Battery, Dell Inspiron 1440 Battery, Dell Inspiron 1501 Battery, Dell Inspiron 1520 Battery, Dell Inspiron 1521 Battery, Dell Inspiron 1525 Battery, Dell Inspiron 1526 Battery, Dell Inspiron 1720 Battery, Dell Inspiron 1721 Battery, Dell Inspiron 1750 Battery, Dell Inspiron 2500 Battery and incorporate the latest USB 3.0 technology to make transferring photos, videos, music and other graphics-rich files faster than ever.

Performance? Check! What about the lids? Curated collections carefully selected from Dell Design Studio are coming soon. The contemporary art and graphic designs available from SWITCH by Design Studio and will offer exclusive selections from outstanding independent artists, designers and partners including OPI and Threadless and (PRODUCT), where a portion of proceeds go to The Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa.

“Our Inspiron R models equipped with 2nd gen Intel Core processors deliver the ultimate in entertainment and mobility and because customers value both performance and style, the eye-catching lids are designed to suit your mood or style at any given moment,” said Gavin Slevin, Dell South Africa and developing countries retail manager. “With the Inspiron-R series, we’re living up to our heritage of delivering the performance you need to do more, and with SWITCH by Design Studio, you can look good while doing it,” Slevin added.

Inspiron R: The Dell Difference

Inspiron R: Key Features

2nd generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processor options and up to 8GB of memory

Weight starting at 2.65kg for the Inspiron 15R

6-cell battery included with 9-cell battery options

SRS Premium Audio and high-definition video performance

Intel Wireless Display technology for wireless projection of full 1080p video and 5.1 surround sound to your home theatre for a breath-taking movie-viewing experience

Support for Blu-ray 3D movie playback when equipped with the optional Blu-ray drive and connected to your 3D TV (HDMI 1.4 required)

Integrated Dell Stage software, providing one-click access to photos, music, videos, social-networking sites, e-books and more

HD capable webcam

Chiclet-style keyboard

Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium or Basic

Optional SWITCH by Design Studio lids featuring the new India Collection and designs from OPI, Threadless.com, (PRODUCT) and various artists

Pricing and Availability

The Inspiron R models is locally available, with pricing starting at R6499.95, with the Switch by Design studio lids starting at R299.95.

Friday, July 22, 2011

More Grim Industry Tidings

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Dell announced fiscal Q1 earnings that beat expectations on profits, although not on revenue. But forget the earnings per share because the developing business story is revenue and how hardware companies get it. HP’s (HPQ) earnings announcement yesterday — and now Dell’s today — both preview the same trend: Lower revenue from traditional PCs and, eventually, servers and other Dell Inspiron 5000 Battery enterprise hardware. And this isn’t a cyclical trend, as there are good reasons to think these hugely lucrative markets may simply not ever regain their once-heady momentum.

First went consumer PC purchases

On the PC front, HP’s personal systems group saw an overall revenue drop of 5 percent, year over year. The big culprit was consumer purchases, down 23 percent. There was growth on the corporate side, but not enough Dell Inspiron 4150 Battery to offset the loss. Ironically, HP PC unit sales actually grew by 1 percent. In other words, hardware continues to get cheaper, and that trend is accelerating.

Dell had a similar experience. Here are two tables adapted from the company’s financial reporting. The first is revenue by product category and the second is revenue by customer segment .

Desktop PCs took a big hit, as you’d expect with a proportional drop in consumer purchases. Dell characterized it as unexpected — more than the normal seasonal drop-off after holiday shopping. There are two reasons: Consumers aren’t benefiting greatly from a largely Dell Inspiron 4100 Battery jobless economic recovery and they now have cheaper alternatives for PCs.

If you think of common uses for PCs — email, Web browsing, video, music — it’s obvious that tablets and smartphones have become substitute machines. Do they completely replace PCs? Absolutely not, but the relatively lower prices let consumers treat themselves to something new that does much of what they need — and which offers other conveniences (portability, light weight, long Dell Inspiron 4000 Battery life) to boot.

And then corporate purchases followed

As consumers step back, hardware companies depend more on corporate customers. Big customers, though, buy in bulk, giving them more leverage in negotiating and driving down prices. HP’s corporate sales were up year over year, but are on a downward trend when you look at sequential quarters.

Dell claimed “enterprise solutions and services revenue up 5 percent to $4.4 billion Dell Inspiron 3800 Battery led by server revenue increase of 11 percent” year over year, which is mathematically true. However, as with HP, the details are less jolly:

Large enterprise revenue was down 5 percent from the previous quarter.

Servers and networking sales were up 11 percent year-over-year, but down 6 percent Dell Inspiron 3700 Battery from the previous quarter.

Storage sales were down 13 percent year over year and 16 percent sequentially.

Software and peripherals sales were also down year over year.

Sequential and year-over-year growth in services helped boost enterprise revenue.

Dell has done what HP hadn’t, which is to use services as a way to bolster its Dell INSPIRON 2650 Battery overall corporate business. But how long will that go on if there’s simply less spending on hardware? Tough to say.

What is clear from the data is significant pressure on both consumer and corporate hardware spending. The hardware vendors are locked in to their legacy business of moving boxes, and that business is dying. Very slowly, to be sure, but still on a downward slope that will accelerate as cloud computing and virtualization spread further among business users while consumers increasingly find that they can make do without a Dell INSPIRON 2600 Battery traditional PC.

Squeeze More Life Out of Your Company Laptops

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Problem: Your laptop is getting on in years. It’s painfully slow. The hard drive is bursting at the seams. The paint is chipping off the keyboard keys. And so on.

Bigger problem: You don’t have room in the budget for a new machine. And you especially don’t have room for 10 new machines for all your employees and their aging laptops.

All is not lost. Though your systems may seem beyond saving, there are several ways to re-energize an old laptop. (Most of them apply to desktops as well.) Some of them are free; those that aren’t will cost you much less than buying all-new hardware. Let’s start with the biggie: giving Windows a refresh.

Reinstall Windows

Anyone who knows computers knows that Windows gets slower over time. (Macs probably do, too, but I wouldn’t know.) In fact, after a couple years, Windows’ arteries can get so clogged that your once-speedy machine will run like molasses.

The fix: wipe the hard drive and reinstall Windows. (If you’re still running XP or Vista, this is the perfect time to make the move to Windows 7.) It’s a chore, no doubt about it, but the end result is worth the hassle of backing up all your data and reinstalling all your software: Your PC will run like new. Seriously, it’ll boot faster, shut down faster, and do everything in between faster.

There are many ways to go about this, but I’m partial to the method described in PC World’s Reinstall Windows Without Losing Your Data.

Dump Windows and Switch to Linux

Most Linux-based operating systems have much lower system requirements than Windows, meaning they should run much faster on older hardware. Indeed, even a sluggish, single-core laptop that’s five or six years old can turn into a mobile powerhouse when outfitted with Linux.

Needless to say, wiping Windows in favor of, say, Ubuntu is a big step. But if you’re like most users and need little more than a Web browser, email client, and office suite, Linux offers everything you need (usually bundled right into the OS).

Last month I wrote about my experiences using Linux in place of Windows. To this day I still rely on my Ubuntu-powered Acer laptop for a lot of everyday work. It really is a viable option, and an excellent way to breathe new life into an old PC.

Deploy Some Strategic Upgrades

While I maintain that reinstalling Windows is the single best way to improve performance, there are a few upgrades that can help. For example, if your system has just 2GB of RAM, bumping it to 4GB should help Windows boot and run a little quicker. Check your manual to see what kind of RAM you need and how much your system can accommodate.

What’s more, swapping your hard drive for a solid-state drive (SSD) can yield significant performance gains — and improve battery life at the same time. (Your data will also be safer should your laptop take an unfortunate spill on the pavement.) Here’s another good tutorial, again from PC World, on upgrading your laptop’s hard drive to an SSD.

Of course, SSDs are on the pricey side, and they offer limited storage capacity. If all you need is a bigger drive, that’s an easy upgrade. In most cases you’ll be shopping for a 2.5-inch SATA drive. Just by way of example, Newegg offers a bare 500GB Seagate drive for laptops for just $54.99.

Next, let’s talk batteries: A laptop that barely lasts an hour on a charge can feel “old” even if it’s running quickly. If your system is more than two years old, the point at which most batteries like Dell Inspiron 5000E Battery, Dell Inspiron 500m Battery, Dell Inspiron 5100 Battery, Dell Inspiron 510m Battery, Dell Inspiron 5150 Battery, Dell Inspiron 5160 Battery, Dell Inspiron 6000 Battery, Dell Inspiron 600m Battery, Dell Inspiron 630m Battery, Dell Inspiron 6400 Battery, Dell Inspiron 640m Battery, Dell Inspiron 7000 Battery really start to peter out, consider replacing the battery (and spending anywhere from $50-150 for the privilege — those things aren’t cheap!). When you get the new one, make sure to follow my advice on making your laptop battery last longer.

Finally, remember what I said earlier about the paint chipping off the keyboard keys? That wasn’t a joke; I’ve seen keys turn blank as the result of heavy use. Fortunately, you might actually be able to replace the keyboard, as I did not long ago on an older Dell laptop. Ebay is a great resource for those kinds of replacement parts; the Dell keyboard cost all of about $12.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Dell Vostro V130

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The Dell Vostro V130 is unique among small-business laptops. It's exceptionally thin—just three-quarters of an inch thick—and very light, at just 3.4 pounds. Better still, at just over $800 in the model we tested (and with the entry-level V130 model starting at $429), this highly mobile machine does not demand the price penalty that super-slim ultraportables usually do. But this slim looker does exact a different kind of tribute. To make an affordable machine this thin and light, Dell opted for a small, sealed-in Dell Inspiron 9200 Battery that delivers only half a day’s work and that will need to be replaced by a service tech when it stops holding a sufficient charge. Those caveats could be a no-go for many mobile users.

As with the Dell Adamo and Dell Latitude 13, the two machines that this Vostro resembles, we love the look and feel of the Vostro V130. The slender, lightweight chassis is easy to tuck under your arm as you bounce around the office, and the anodized aluminum finish—in subdued gray, or the rich merlot you see below—looks great and doesn't act as a showcase for your fingerprints. Of course, a super-slim design like this is not without its trade-offs. As you'd expect in an ultraportable this thin and light, it lacks an optical drive. And to keep the tapered sides as thin and clean as possible, Dell positioned most of the ports on the back. That’s a nuisance for those who often plug and unplug USB devices.

The real Achilles’ heel of this machine, though, is the built-in, nonremovable Dell Inspiron 8600M Battery. Unlike just about every laptop on the market today, the battery in the Vostro V130 is not user-replaceable. That presents two problems. First, if you’re on the road and out of juice, you have to find an AC outlet rather than simply reach in your bag for an extra Dell Inspiron 8600 Battery. Worse, when the battery stops holding a sufficient charge, you have to send the V130 back to Dell so that support personnel can replace it. (The pricing for the battery swap has not yet been set; Dell says it will vary by region.) The battery carries only a one-year warranty, so that replacement will likely happen at your expense. That's not to mention the inconvenience of having to do without your machine for that time (likely one to two weeks, the company estimates), and having your precious business data in the hands of someone you don’t know.

These factors could have been mitigated somewhat if the Dell Inspiron 8500 Battery delivered a day’s worth of runtime per charge, and if Dell had used a battery based on newer lithium-polymer technology, rated for 1,000 charge/discharge cycles. That’s the case with the new Samsung QX410 (which we're in the process of reviewing), which also uses a sealed-in Dell Inspiron 8200 Battery. The QX410 can run for 7 to 8 hours; in contrast, the Vostro V130 delivers about 4 hours per charge under normal use, and the battery is rated for only 300 charge cycles.

On the plus side, the spine of the V130 does include most of the connectivity you will likely need. You get an HDMI port (for connecting to an HDTV or external monitor), a combo eSATA/USB port (good for regular USB peripherals and high-speed external hard drives), a LAN jack (for wired Ethernet), a VGA port (for connecting a projector or monitor), and two more USB ports. The headphone and Dell Inspiron 8100 Battery are on the front edge, and a flash-card reader (supporting the SD and MultiMediaCard formats) is tucked discreetly on the side.

Other connectivity features are excellent for a laptop in this price range. Wireless connectivity is handled by an Intel 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi card, as well as a Bluetooth 3.0 radio for syncing with Bluetooth devices (phones, headsets, and the like). In the model we tested, you also get WiMAX wide-area Wi-Fi connectivity for connecting to the growing number of WiMAX hot spots around the country. You can even opt for built-in 3G mobile broadband, for connecting to wireless carriers’ high-speed cellular networks, by adding the Dell HSDPA chipset for $125. (Of course, these wireless-data services will incur a monthly service fee via a local carrier.)

Our test configuration, which costs $808, came equipped with a 320GB hard drive, standard fare for a laptop Dell Inspiron 8000 Battery in this price range. You can step up to a 500GB or 640GB conventional hard drive, and if you don't mind trading off storage space for solid-state reliability, you can opt for a $879 V130 configuration, which includes a 128GB solid-state drive instead of a spinning-platter drive.

Although it’s thinner and lighter than many 10-inch netbooks, the V130 sports a 13.3-inch screen that’s simply terrific. It's plenty bright, and the panel’s 1,366x768 native resolution ensures sharp, readable text. As is appropriate for a business machine, which you'll often be using in places where you're not in control of ambient-lighting conditions, the panel has an anti-glare coating. Video playback on this Dell Inspiron 7500 Battery screen looks good, with just a hint of softness imparted by the coating.

The size of the wide-screen display also enabled Dell to include a full-size keyboard. The keys are very responsive and comfortable to type on, although the plunge feels a bit shallow compared with most laptop keyboards. Still, we’re happy to see that the important non-letter keys—Shift, Enter, Tab—are full-size. We would be happier still to see dedicated volume and media-playback control keys, rather than having to use Function-key combos to perform these adjustments. (Also, a backlight for the keyboard would have been nice.) The touch pad is an acceptable size for a compact machine, and the mouse buttons are easy to press and absolutely silent clickers.

The Vostro V130 has just a single speaker, but it’s surprisingly loud. While we wouldn’t exactly call the sound quality rich, it isn’t nearly as thin and tinny as what we hear from the typical ultraportable. The Webcam, however, is subpar. While you can set the resolution as high as 1,600x1,200 (essentially, 2 megapixels), under typical lighting we noticed a lot of digital noise that gave its image a somewhat fuzzy effect. We also noticed motion blur and Dell Inspiron 7150 Battery reddish skin tones.

You can purchase the Vostro V130 with one of three processors, from the 1GHz Intel Celeron U3400 on the low end to the Intel Core i5-470UM on the high end. Our test configuration used Dell's middle option for the V130 line, a 1.33GHz Intel Core i3-380UM. (The $429 base-model V130 uses the Celeron chip and comes with 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, and Linux, as opposed to Windows 7.) Note that this is still an ultra-low-voltage CPU, chosen to match the power and heat constraints of such a slender chassis, and it comes at the expense of overall power. Our unit also came with 4GB of fast DDR3 RAM and the basic-but-functional Intel GMA 4500HD integrated graphics engine.

All told, productivity-application performance was acceptable for an under-$1,000 ultraportable. The Vostro V130 scored 3,498 on the 32-bit version of our PCMark Vantage test, which measures overall system performance. That puts it ahead of the 2,807 returned by its Latitude 13 sibling (a $1,093 configuration that came with an older Core 2 Duo CPU), but behind the $999 Asus U33Jc-A1 Bamboo (4,984) and $899 Acer Aspire TimelineX 1830T (4,272).

The story was much the same on our Cinebench 10 test, which taxes all available CPU cores to measure raw processor performance. Here, the Vostro V130 scored 3,499, compared with 2,706 for the Latitude 13, but 6,678 and 4,175 for the Asus and Acer competitors. This number is lower than we'd like to see on a business machine, but it's still good enough to crunch some hefty Excel spreadsheet or perform most demanding office tasks.

On our media-file-processing tests, the Vostro V130 was a somewhat lackadaisical performer. On our Windows Media Encoder Dell Inspiron 710m Battery test, in which we convert a standard 3-minute test video file to DVD format, the V130 took a rather lengthy 7 minutes and 54 seconds to perform the task, compared with 4:05 for the Asus Bamboo machine and 6:18 for the Acer Aspire. (It did beat the Latitude 13’s abysmal 10:21, however.) On our iTunes test, in which we convert 11 test music tracks from MP3 to AAC format, the V130 needed 7:32 to finish the job (similar to the Latitude 13’s showing), while the Asus and Acer laptops finished in less than 4 minutes.

Like most other machines in this class, the Vostro V130 delivers 3D graphics performance adequate for playing older games at low frame rates (and low resolutions) and rendering Windows 7's eye-candy Aero interface effects, but not much more. On our 3DMark06 test, which tests graphics performance, the V130 scored 1,250 at 1,024x768 resolution. That number is in line with the Acer TimelineX (1,399) but well behind the Asus Bamboo (3,755), which is equipped with a discrete graphics-processing chip. Don't expect this to be a robust all-purpose laptop for mobile gaming on the side.

As we noted earlier, the running time of the Vostro V130’s nonremovable battery is a serious weak spot. On the Computer Shopper battery-rundown test, in which we play back streaming video via a wireless Wi-Fi connection until the battery dies, the V130 lasted for 2 hours and 11 minutes. We saw a similarly short run from the Dell Latitude 13 (2:23), while other machines in this class average close to four hours Dell Inspiron 7100 Battery. The Asus Bamboo, for its part, ran for 3:39, while the Acer Aspire Timeline ran for just a bit less than six hours.

The selection of preloaded software is very thin on the Vostro V130. The lack of bundled software is fine for a corporate machine like the Latitude 13, but small-business buyers may prefer to get more for their money. The V130 does come with the Professional edition of Windows 7, which includes the Windows Media Center environment for media playback, plus small-biz-friendly features not found in Windows Home Premium, including Windows XP mode (for running older applications that don't run under Windows 7) and the ability to back up a small-business network. You also get trial versions of Microsoft Office 2010 and Norton Internet Security. Dell also delivers its own suite of tools, including the excellent Dell Webcam Central, which lets you easily initiate and capture video chats and snapshots, then upload them to YouTube, PhotoBucket, or e-mail with a click. Dell’s Backup and Recovery Manager tool is also on board for performing system rescues.

Like other Vostro models, the V130 machines come with an enhanced tech-support plan, backed by dedicated support reps who are trained to handle inquiries from small-business owners. The reps are available 24/7 by phone, online chat, and e-mail. Dell says its service includes fielding software and networking questions, not just issues pertaining to the hardware. Buyers can also step up to the Dell ProSupport option, which promises to put you through to a live tech support person in two minutes or less. Should you need assistance, you can authorize use of the DellConnect support feature, which gives the technician you're chatting with remote control of your PC to troubleshoot and solve issues. On the hardware side, the V130 is backed by a one-year warranty, which is typical for this class of laptop.

Every laptop has its compromises, be it a missing feature, a bulky design, lackluster performance—or a prohibitive price for not making you swallow any of those shortcomings. With the Vostro V130, Dell compromised performance and Dell Inspiron 700m Batteryaccessibility to deliver a unique form factor. If those trade-offs are too big for you, you can find a more powerful (albeit bulkier) ultraportable with a traditional swappable battery for about the same money, such as the $899 Acer Aspire TimelineX 1830T.

Dell Inspiron 1420 Laptop Review

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A fresh entry in Dell's bread-and-butter consumer-laptop line, the 5.4-pound Inspiron 1420 hits the mainstream sweet spot in features, price, and performance.

The design is cleaner than the previous model's angular, retro-futuristic look. The black-bottom chassis and silver trim remain, but you can now choose one of eight colors for the lid (with names like Ruby Red, Espresso Brown, Midnight Blue, and even Flamingo Pink). Models in the 1420 line start at under $800, and even our well-equipped and plenty-powerful test unit came in at a pricier $1,807.

As with its new Vostro line aimed at small businesses, Dell has tailored its new Inspiron offerings to deliver what home PC buyers want in terms of both hardware and software. Our test unit came with a generous 160GB Serial ATA hard drive, an 8x multiformat DVD burner (a high-definition Blu-ray drive is an unexpected, but welcome, upgrade option), and a 2-megapixel Webcam. Connectivity is above-average, too, with 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth wireless, an eight-format flash-card reader, and the usual complement of ports (including FireWire, four USB, S-Video, and two headphone jacks). We even got a credit-card-size remote (a $15 option) that tucks into the ExpressCard slot when not in use. Dell also offers optional built-in mobile broadband radios ($150 to $180, depending on the network you choose) that let users connect at near-DSL speeds via a wireless carrier's 3G mobile-phone network, where available.

The Inspiron 1420's keyboard is comfortable and quiet. The responsive touch pad includes horizontal and vertical scroll areas, though it and the mouse buttons are a touch on the small side. We love the 14.1-inch high-resolution (1,440x900) wide-screen display (a $50 option over the standard 1,280x800 panel), which is bright, crisp, and glossy. The extra resolution makes for sharp text and allows plenty of room for the neat "gadget" mini-apps available for the Sidebar in Windows Vista Home Premium. DVDs also looked great onscreen, with vibrant colors and good shadow detail, despite a little motion blur in action scenes.

True to Dell's word, you won't find much preloaded trialware cluttering the desktop, and you get some handy utilities and extra services. Foremost is the included one-year subscription to Dell's DataSafe Online Backup service, which automatically backs up files as you work (as long as you're connected to the Net), creating an offsite repository should disaster—virus, theft, hardware failure—befall your machine. The standard service allows for up to 3GB of storage. The Dell Support Center applet will help you troubleshoot PC problems, and the free DellConnect service enables Dell's technicians to remotely resolve many common problems. As for third-party software, our configuration included Microsoft Works. (You can step up to Microsoft Office Home and Student for $149 extra.) And we're happy to see a full 15-month subscription to McAfee Security Center (with antivirus protection), not the 60-day trial most other systems offer.

The Inspiron 1420 delivered performance in line with more-expensive machines we've tested, thanks to its 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 CPU, 2GB of 667MHz RAM (expandable up to 4GB), and decent 128MB nVidia GeForce Go 8400 GS graphics chip. It booted in a quick 1 minute and 20 seconds, and scored 4,478 on Futuremark's PCMark05 test. It made quick work of our multimedia tests, completing our Windows Media Encoder trial in just 1 minute and 22 seconds and turning in a very good score of 574 on Cinebench 9.5. In terms of gaming, you won't mistake the Inspiron 1420 for one of Dell's XPS or Alienware rigs, but its 3D performance is very good for a mainstream laptop and will certainly suit casual gamers: 1,361 on 3DMark06 and a very playable 54 frames per second on F.E.A.R. at 800x600 (with effects set to a combination of medium and minimum).

Included in the price is a one-year warranty with 24/7 phone support and mail-in service; Dell offers a variety of coverage upgrades.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Dell Latitude E6410 Laptop Review

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The Dell Latitude E6410 delivers all the attributes an IT department could want in a mainstream business-notebook platform, along with the speed, features, and creature comforts to make the end users in an organization happy. It isn’t the sexiest notebook Dell offers, but traits like durability, common components, the ability to configure, and platform stability have their own allure in IT circles.

The E6410 comes clad in Dell’s Tri-Metal casing, which mixes magnesium alloy, aluminum, and zinc to create a rigid, lightweight exoskeleton. The squared-off chassis isn’t the boldest of industrial designs, but the brushed-gunmetal finish of the lid lends a bit of style, especially compared with the E-family’s arch rival, the basic-black Lenovo ThinkPad T-Series. Also, the E6410 comes in Regal Red or Regatta Blue for those who don't mind spending an extra $30. The chassis is about an inch thick and weighs about five pounds with an optical drive and extended Dell Latitude C810 Battery installed; those dimensions and heft are in line with the Lenovo ThinkPad T410. It’s not as svelte as the thinnest and lightest full-featured 14-inch notebook, we've seen, however: the ThinkPad T410s.

As expected of a business notebook, the E6410’s edges are laden with ports and slots. There’s a six-format flash-card slot, an optional SmartCard reader for companies that use those for security, and either an ExpressCard/54 slot or a PC Card slot (the latter for businesses with legacy PCMCIA devices still in use). You also get three regular USB ports, plus an eSATA/USB combo port for faster data transfer to an external Dell Latitude C800 Battery hard drive. FireWire, VGA, DisplayPort, LAN, docking, and headphone and mic connectors also come standard; a modem is optional.

The E6410 features a modular bay for the removable optical drive. We’re pleased that you can fill the bay with a DVD-ROM module, a DVD burner (as on our test unit), or a Blu-ray drive; we do wish, though, that you could insert an extra battery, as on the ThinkPad T410s. (The swappable drives do make it easy, however, for an IT department to change out a defective drive on the spot.) That’s not to say the E6410 is without Dell Latitude C640 Battery options: A four-cell power pack comes standard, or you can step up to a six-cell or a nine-cell battery (the latter was on our unit), which juts out the back. One nice touch is the charge indicators on the batteries themselves. Just press the button on the battery, and up to five LEDs illuminate to show you how much charge is remaining.

Beyond the optical drive and battery choices, buyers can configure the E6410 in myriad ways. Dell offers the full range of Intel Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs (up to the Core i7-620M), and the platform supports up to 8GB of RAM. Integrated Intel graphics are what comes standard, or you can step up to a dedicated Nvidia NVS 3100M graphics processor for $69—an option we think is well worth the price. Drive choices include a 160GB Dell Latitude C610 Battery hard drive, a 500GB 7,200rpm drive, a 250GB drive with automatic encryption (as on our unit), or a range of solid-state drives up to 256GB. You can opt for any Windows OS from XP Pro to the variants of Windows 7. As for wireless connectivity, Dell has got you covered no matter where you are: the E6410 has 802.11a/b/g/n, WiMax 802.16e, plus two embedded mobile broadband options (HSPA + EVDO with GPS, or HSPA with GPS).

In addition to this flexibility in configuration options, IT managers will also appreciate the compatibility of the platform. Docking stations, batteries, and AC adapters are common across the Latitude E series and are guaranteed to stay the same for five year blocks of time, so it’s easier to keep spares on hand even if some users have the 14.1-inch model and others have the 15.6-inch or Dell Latitude C600 Battery ultraportable models.

As for durability, in addition to the metal exoskeleton, the E6410 features a spill-resistant keyboard. The hard drive is protected with a shock absorber, and all spinning drives also feature active protection circuitry that parks the hard drive heads in the event of bumps and drops. These features are similar to the business-rugged designs of other laptops; if you need more, opt for the E6410 ATG model, a true semi-rugged machine designed for field use.

The 14.1-inch screen of the E6410 has an LED backlight that helps deliver a particularly bright, well-saturated image. As is appropriate for a business machine, both panel choices (1,280x800, or 1,440x900 as on our unit) have an antiglare coating that does a good job of eliminating reflectivity without interfering with the richness or crispness of the screen. The E6410 includes an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts screen brightness based on changing light conditions. In our testing, it excelled at anticipating the approximate brightness Dell Latitude C540 Battery we would want in a given situation. (If you prefer, you can disable the sensor and adjust brightness manually.)

Overall, we were impressed with the image quality of the 1,440x900 panel, which delivers sharp text and a wide viewing angle in Windows apps. Video playback showed good color reproduction and no motion blur, although the sweet spot for video is much narrower; move too far off-center, and blacks show a shift to light gray. The stereo speakers flanking the keyboard deliver good volume, making the E6410 usable as a presentation platform for a small group around a conference table. We wish the speakers had more bass, however. Also, music playback sounded decidedly tinny.

The keyboard on the E6410 is excellent. Tap a key, and a gentle white backlight springs to life (a solution we prefer to the low-tech ThinkLight on the ThinkPad T series). The feel of the full-size keyboard is spot-on, with positive action and just enough audible feedback so as not to annoy those around you. As with other business laptops, the E6410 features both a pointing stick and a touch pad—but neither Dell Latitude C510 Battery are ideal. The stick is responsive enough, but its nub is a little too flush with the surrounding keys. The touch pad, meanwhile, is downright tiny. Once you factor in the pad's dedicated areas for vertical and horizontal scrolling, the usable mousing surface is only about 2.75x1.5 inches.

The E6410 comes equipped with a high-res 3-megapixel Webcam. The camera delivered very good image quality in bright lighting conditions, with accurate color and exposure and just some motion blur. In a less-lit room with just a couple of table lamps on, the image was good, but motion blur was pronounced. And in a dim room, the image was unusable.

Business users will appreciate the Dell Latitude ON preboot environment. After setting up a user account, all you need to do is press the small button adjacent to the main power button to quickly access the Latitude ON interface, without Dell Latitude C500 Battery booting to Windows. Icons along the bottom of the interface give you quick access to your e-mail, the Skype VoIP utility, a Web browser, and an instant-message chat program. (The last two are both open-source versions from DeviceVM.) And for users who have a remote desktop setup, where a virtual machine runs on a server that can be accessed via the Web, Dell Latitude ON lets them access that remote desktop. The included browser has most of the features of a modern browser, including tabs, bookmarks, a “most visited” list, and more. You can also find and connect to available Wi-Fi networks, change the speaker and mic volume settings, launch Windows, or power down.

We were very impressed with the performance we saw from our E6410. Equipped with the high-end 2.67GHz Core i7-620M processor, 4GB of RAM, the discrete Nvidia NVS 3100M graphics chip, and a 7,200rpm hard drive, the E6410 performed very well across the board. It scored 7,086 on the 32-bit version of PCMark Vantage, a test that measures overall system performance. That’s the second-highest score we’ve seen this year Dell Latitude C Battery from a laptop in the thin-and-light class—just a mere rounding error behind the 7,098 that the first version of Lenovo's ThinkPad T410 delivered. The E6410 edged out both versions of the T410 on our multimedia-encoding tests, with a score of 3 minutes and 54 seconds on our Windows Media Encoder trial (which converts a video clip) and 3 minutes and 12 seconds for our iTunes test (in which the test machine converts 11 MP3 files to AAC format). Here again, the scores were among the fastest we’ve seen for the class. On Cinebench 10, which Dell Latitude 120L Battery taxes all the available cores of the CPU, the E6410 scored a strong 7,132 on the 32-bit version of the test; here, the first ThinkPad T410 pulled ahead with a score of 8,564. (The newer T410s scored 6,789.)

But unlike both of the T410 units we tested, the E6410 has 3D muscle to back up its productivity prowess. Dell’s laptop scored 4,149 on our 3DMark06 test (which measures overall 3D graphics performance) at 1,024x768 resolution. That's nearly 1,000 points better than the average score for this class of laptop and well ahead of the 2,133 turned in by the ThinkPad T410s (which came equipped with integrated Intel GMA graphics and cost about $300 less than the E6410). That translates into usable 3D acceleration in the real world: The E6410 managed a very good 46.5 frames per second (fps) on our Company of Heroes gaming test at 1,024x768 and an acceptable 26.2fps at the panel’s native resolution with all effects set to high Dell Inspiron XPS M1710 Battery.

Battery life was another bright spot for the E6410. The nine-cell extended battery ran for 3 hours and 40 minutes on our harsh DVD rundown test, in which we loop a DVD movie (with screen brightness set to 50 percent) until the playback stops. That compares well to the 2:04 delivered by the ThinkPad T410s, although that test unit came with a smaller Dell Inspiron XPS M170 Battery. It also edged out the category average, which has fallen recently to a short 3:26. We attribute this to the higher demand for graphics performance.

Aside from Dell’s own utilities and the modules that come with your chosen OS (64-bit Windows 7 Professional, in our case), preinstalled software is kept to a minimum—which is the way it should be for an enterprise machine. You get Roxio Creator for burning CDs and DVDs, CyberLink PowerDVD for playback, and a 60-day trial of Trend Micro Internet Security. Dell backs the E6410 with a generous three-year warranty with onsite service and 24/7 tech support. Most notebooks come with only one year of coverage, so this is definitely a plus.

The quibbles we have with the Latitude E6410 are minor. We would like to see a larger touch pad and better speakers, but that’s about it. Companies looking for a laptop platform to standardize on for years to come will find the E6410 has it all.