Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
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Bad news for Dell. Despite the fact that it’s looking like IT spending is increasing, Dell is still suffering from lackluster sales. iSuppli, the company that tracks worldwide PC shipping, reports that in the ongoing battle for dominance in the PC marketshare, Dell has staggered, and almost slipped down to number three. The news isn’t all bad though, because as one company falls, another will rise. Surprisingly, the company that’s rising to the top happens to be Acer. In 4Q2009, Acer almost managed to top Dell in units shipped for the first time ever, with a impressive 11.86 million PCs sold. HP of course is still king of the hill, but for Acer to come that close could spell bad news for Dell in 1Q2010.
Posted by 010081
Tech
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
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Let me catch you up. We received a tip back on Monday indicating that the Adamo XPS had disappeared from Dell.com. This of course caught our attention as the super-thin Dell was just announced back in late October and only available for purchase since December. We of course checked it out and found that the XPS model wasn’t found on the Adamo microsite (www.AdamoByDell.Com), which just so happens to be the first site listed on Google for that model. The Adamo XPS also wasn’t listed alongside the other Adamo models or on Dell.com’s master notebook list that also includes Alienware models. The only way you can find it on Dell.com is if you use the search tool and even then the purchase link on the product page is dead . We then reached out to our Dell contacts, but they didn’t respond in a timely manner. I then asked two separate Dell chat agents who both clearly stated that the Adamo XPS was discontinued. Satisfied with the conclusion that the XPS was in fact gone, I ran the post not thinking anything of it. It was just another news story to me. But not to dell apparently. Several other sites ran similar stories on Monday except they simply asked the question whether or not the Adamo XPS was discontinued rather than stating my conclusion that it was dead. Throughout the day, these stories were updated, quoting an official dell spokesmen that stated that the model was in fact still around and not discontinued. Dell finally emailed us and commented on our story nearly six hours later. The comment : Hi Mark. I saw your article and thought I’d drop a quick comment to clarify the issue. The first point I’d like to make is that the Adamo XPS is still available in the U.S. at select Best Buy Stores and on bestbuy.com, still starting at $1,999.00. It has not been “discontinued” as such, but was meant to be a proof point to Dell’s design and engineer capabilities. Because of this, it was similar to a “limited edition”, and most of the original supply has since been accounted for. Those who want one can still get it from the aforementioned sources. Also of note: the original Adamo is still available on adamobydell.com with a starting price point of $999. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions 
JohnBatDell First, my name is Matt, not Mark. But that comment just confirmed my post. It states that most of the Adamo XPS’s limited supply have nearly been exhausted and the model is currently only available from Best Buy. Right? That’s what it says. Ok, so maybe calling the Adamo XPS discontinued is a wrong choice of words, because apparently it was only intended to be a limited edition model anyway. But it’s a fact that the model has reached the end of its life and therefore deserves the R.I.P sentiment I gave it in the post’s picture. This brings us to today as Gizmodo finally ran its Adamo XPS R.I.P. post . (they later pulled it from the front page) Dell quickly sent us an email asking when were we going to update our post because apparently we got it all wrong and Gizmodo ousted us as their source — even though they didn’t in the post, but I still love Rosa. Dell’s request didn’t sit very well with me so I pulled out my Sherlock Holmes pipe and went to work reconfirming my original post. Once again I confirmed that the Adamo XPS is no longer on Dell.com. It’s still not listed as a current model or available to purchase. The only way you can pull up the model is still by searching for it. AdamoByDell.com , Adamo models , master list . Then John Biggs and I both contacted Dell Chat Support and were told that the model was “discontinued” and “reached its end of life.” Check the gallery below for transcripts. Fair enough, Dell told us that Best Buy still had it online and in stores so I checked that out, too. The only thing is we can’t find it in any store besides one in New Jersey. It’s not at any location in Detroit, Flint, San Francisco, SoCal, Denver, Phoenix, Philidelphia, Boston, Minneapolis, upstate New York, or New York City proving that it’s in very limited supply. Once again, check the pics below. I then called my local Best Buy location where I was told that yes, I could still order it, but I better hurry because it was discontinued. What it seems we have here is a company trying to save face. You see, the Adamo XPS only hit retail shelves back in December and people just started to get their hands on the product. Laptop Magazine posted their review of it the same day I wrote its obituary. It could be true that the Adamo XPS was just a limited-time product, but it was never marketed as such. Even if it was a Halo project of sorts, why remove nearly every instance from Dell.com and the Adamo microsite? It’s an amazing piece of modern technology that Dell should display for the whole world to see — even if it’s at the end of its intended life. It’s true that you can still buy the Adamo XPS brand new in the box from a few retailers. It’s just like how you can still buy 2009 model year cars even though they are really discontinued. Except you don’t get a discount on the Adamo XPS.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
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So you’re hopping on a flight and you sit next to a sexy member of the opposite sex. You’ve got to get some work done so you whip out your nasty laptop, a fat and ugly IT department-supplied monstrosity (probably from Dell or HP). Your seatmate looks over, idly contemplating your potential as a lifemate, and sees your junk laptop and starts reading the Skymall catalog. After all, laptop makers for years have been saying that a persons value as a genetic donor is wrapped up in the look and feel of their hardware. That’s right: if you don’t buy something from the Dell Vostro 3000-series, you will die alone. These laptops come in two sizes, 13- and 14-inch, and run up to a Core i7 processor (in the 3700). They start at $649 and are available now on Dell’s website . How great will your life be when you buy these laptops? Dell SVP Alex Gruzen has the answer: “These entrepreneurs want technology that makes them more productive and helps them compete, and the Vostro 3000 delivers in a package they will be proud to show off in the airport or the boardroom.” Proud, Alex? Not pride. Satisfaction. Satisfaction in knowing that 80% of Dockers-wearing businessman progeny will be spawned, it seems, from the loins of Mother Dell herself. It’s Vostro’s world. We just live in it. Dell Celebrates Entrepreneurial Spirit with New Vostro Laptops Vostro 3000 Series Offers World-Class Security, Services and Reliability to Help Small Businesses Succeed Date : 3/9/2010 Round Rock, Texas Following the successful launch of the ultrathin and light Vostro™ V13, Dell is offering business customers even more choice with the stylish Vostro 3000 series – a range of new thin, lightweight and durable laptop computers. Featuring powerful processors, high-end graphics and built-in security, the Vostro 3000 series is designed for small businesses that require robust mobile computing solutions. Today’s SMBs and entrepreneurs want notebooks that are powerful and attractive, and the new Vostro 3000 series was designed to meet and exceed both those needs. For the most demanding tasks, the Vostro 3000 series sports the latest powerful Intel® Core™ processor technology, including, the optional, Core i7 Quad Core processor available on the Vostro 3700. For those that demand portability and productivity, the Vostro 3300 is one of the industry’s thinnest commercial 13” laptop with an integrated optical drive. For those that can’t afford to be chained to their desks, the 14” Vostro 3400 offers a full day of mobile productivity with up to 8 hours of battery life with an optional 9-cell battery. “To succeed, small businesses need simple, reliable and affordable technology solutions,” said Alex Gruzen, SVP, Consumer, Small and Medium Business, Dell, Inc. “These entrepreneurs want technology that makes them more productive and helps them compete, and the Vostro 3000 delivers in a package they will be proud to show off in the airport or the boardroom.” “Dell continues to sharpen its focus on SMB customers with the new Vostro 3000 series,” said Ray Boggs, VP of SMB Research at IDC. “Small and mid-sized firms are returning to the PC market after a year in the recessionary wilderness, and they are ready for the kinds of capabilities, including Microsoft Windows 7, that will get them to the next level of productivity.” “As the first PC brand designed exclusively for small businesses, over the last year, Dell has introduced several new Vostro laptops and desktops to serve their distinctive needs. Ranging from our recently announced, super dependable Vostro 230 or future-proof and powerful Vostro 430 desktops, or the ultra-thin Vostro V13 laptop, Vostro products are designed for small businesses helping them stretch their budget and protect their data, and come with dedicated small business services and support to keep a small businesses moving,” added Gruzen. Worry-Free Business IT All of the Vostro 3000 laptops have embedded webcam and microphone for collaboration through videoconferencing, while the Vostro 3500 and 3700 offer the option of high definition WLED screens and the 3700 offers the option of up to 1GB of NVIDIA® GeForce® discrete graphics to help ensure one of the best visual experiences. With the built-in HDMI port, users can even make high definition presentations to clients when required. These new Vostro notebooks are also backed by a dedicated and specially trained small-business sales and support team of experts, which is a key pain point for small businesses that typically have little or no IT support. Inclusion in Dell’s FastTrack program enables select configurations of the Vostro 3000 series to ship within 48 hours of ordering , further removing worry from buying a new laptop. Durability is another feature more customers are demanding from their laptops. The Vostro 3000 series laptops sport durable hinges and are encased in aluminum for extra protection while away from the office. Shipped with a 30-day return policy , the Vostro 3000 notebooks also feature a suite of customizable service and support solutions to keep business data protected and business moving at an affordable price. Vostro 3000 Series: At a Glance Stay in Touch: With the integrated webcam and microphone , users can make Internet calls, conduct video conferences and remotely exchange files to help increase productivity. Always Be Connected: Users can go wireless with a full range of connectivity options: 802.11g/n wireless LAN, Bluetooth, and WWAN mobile broadband. Memory to Spare: Run Windows® 7 effortlessly while performing everyday tasks quickly with support for up to 6GB of DDR3 SDRAM memory. Protect Your Work: Keep your critical data under lock and key with optional finger print reader and full-data-encrypted hard drives. “Set & Forget” Online Data Protection: Easy, secure and automated Dell DataSafe online backup protects and helps recover business-critical data. Coverage Now and Later: Users can extend their basic Limited Hardware Warranty from 1-3 years to stay covered into the future. Remote On-Call Support: Small businesses can get help when they need it with DellConnect, which allows tech-support agents to troubleshoot and help resolve system issues remotely. ProSupport to Simplify IT: Businesses can choose their own level of 24
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
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Dell made a huge splash back in December when it launched the Core i7 Extreme Precision M6500 beast , but it isn’t exactly a perfect mobile solution weighing in at 8.5 lbs weight and 17-inch screen. The new Precision M4500 aims to solve that dilemma by offering nearly the same power with a Intel Core i7-920XM Quad Core Extreme Edition and Nvidia Quadro FX GPU options, but with a so-much-more portable 15.6-inch screen and 6 lbs weight. Dell is calling this the most powerful 15.6-inch notebook available and we can find no fault in that claim. The company came to that conclusion by the combination of the Core-i7920XM Quad Core Extreme Edition and the Nvidia Quadro FX 1800m GPU. Combined with a maximum of 16GB, the M4500 will stand toe to toe with the M6500 and nearly any graphic workstation. The 100% user selectable color gamut sRGB LED-backlit screen helps secure its spot as a true desktop replacement notebook, too. Dell also worked in some mobility solutions, too. The M4500 packs the obligatory webcam, along Gobi 2.0 mobile broadband support and an 64GB SSD MiniCard for additional data storage that doesn’t require users to swap out the optical drive. The M4500 is also the first notebook available for Dell’s new instant-on application. Dubbed Dell Precision On, it provides users near instant access to email, calender, contact, and even the internet and virtual remote desktops. Think of it as a business-oriented splash launch screen like what’s found on most netbooks and consumer notebooks these days. The M4500 line starts out at an somewhat affordable sub-$2,000 price point, but that’s the plain jane, Core i5 model. You’re going to want to ask your IT department to get you the fully-stocked rig, which will no doubt cost more than your company-issued Corolla when they ship later this month.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Monday, March 1st, 2010
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I knew you had to pay a little extra to get Windows , but $100,000 to get Linux on your Mini 10n netbook ? Good lord! What are the manuals written on? The skin of unicorns? Thanks, GT!