Manhattan adventures with a 20-inch "laptop"

Those crazies over at LAPTOP Magazine got it in their heads to do a bit of social experimentin' with one of Dell's 18 pound XPS M2010 monstrosities. They lugged the 20-inch system through the subway, a Starbucks and a park in search of reactions from Manhattanites, and while we won't spoil all the surprises, the fact that they even got noticed on the subway is quite a testament to the fact that this thing just doesn't belong off a desk. (We even got mugged and beaten for our RAZR one time, and not a person batted an eye.) In summary, you'd have to be a bit off your rocker -- and/or an editor at a consumer tech magazine with way too much free time -- to attempt a portable lifestyle with the M2010, but we're guessing you could've figured that one out one your own.

[peteremcc @ Sep 17th 2006 4:41AM]

I think this is meant to be 'portable' in the sense that you can move it between different places, not that you can use it on the way.

This would be great for anyone that lives in more than one place (Uni Student etc...).

[Casey @ Sep 17th 2006 3:49PM]

This is great. I wish they had more pictures. I gotta see what happens when they try to turn this sucker on out at 30,000 feet.

[Robot @ Sep 17th 2006 5:52AM]

Does everyone alive?! Man, I'm surprised that this test is passed. For laptop - it's not laptop, it's barebone system as for me. As mentioned before - laptop must be portable and this device is HUGE

[Z @ Sep 17th 2006 6:23AM]

If you read laptop magazine's article, it just doesn't seem the guys understand what the word 'ridiculous' means. People staring at you when your zipper is open doesn't mean they think you've got an enviable huge pack. Maybe it was funny? Was it?

[Karl Wagner @ Sep 17th 2006 6:38AM]

I was actually considering buying one of these (being a uni student).
Never crossed my mind as a laptop, I just wanted it as a desktop that I could easily hide for security and take around with me if visiting people or going on holiday.

Price is the major factor though. More than portablility.

[Raider @ Sep 17th 2006 8:20AM]

I'm surprised this guy doesn't have a black eye and is empty handed... lol

[nimro @ Sep 17th 2006 8:29AM]

Well 20 inches is all well and good but what i want to know is, can it play DOOM?

[LTM @ Sep 17th 2006 9:44AM]

It would make a hell of a shield for the New York subway!

[Dave @ Sep 17th 2006 9:18AM]

I think maybe this is more for the non-technophile, the guy who can afford this no problem for the office, but wants something to take home that is exactlythe same as at the office. People who are not "tech savy" get frustrated with machines and computers that don't work well or work the same every single time. Plugging in a usb drive and opening the files is really too much to learn. I'll bet Dell sells a lot of these, though, of course, I would never be so ridiculous.

[skooby @ Sep 17th 2006 10:34AM]

I thought of a couple of places that you would get some real funny stares...

1) In the bathroom... Ok maybe not stares but... I would like to see the burn marks on your legs after resting this "portable" on it for 30 minutes (if the battery lasts that long)

2) Airplane flight... (Will that thing fit on a tray table?)

... Good luck :)

[Scott @ Sep 17th 2006 9:24AM]

How did they power this thing?

It has no battery because this is not intended to be a laptop rather an easily mobile desktop.

[Chris @ Sep 18th 2006 6:33PM]

Actually, yeah it does have a battery in it. Comprehension!

[ryan @ Sep 17th 2006 9:56AM]

dell bashing ftw!

thanks, engadget

[quahogian @ Sep 17th 2006 11:53AM]

yeah...too bad they didn't try to get out of manhattan to bronx/brooklyn/queens area. I'm sure they would get more of proper attention and get their ass beaten and laptop monster stolen.

[blah @ Sep 17th 2006 12:15PM]

quahogian: Yeah, that'd be totally awesome. :) Outfit the machine with a GPS tracking module. That way, you'd be able to track the low-life down later, and bust his ass for Grand Theft. With any luck, you'd uncover a theft ring at the same time and, for one or more of the participants, conviction for this latest crime would be strike 3. So, it'd be a long, LONG trip to prison, with no hope for parole for AT LEAST 10 years.

That'd be sweet, and totally worth a beating. :) I'd so totally be saying to the scum-bag, in court after the conviction, "You're fucked, buddy. :) "

[Dustin @ Sep 17th 2006 1:59PM]

is that a 20 inch laptop in your pocket or are you just happy to see me

[tnkgrl @ Sep 17th 2006 3:24PM]

That's pretty funny! And here I though 17" laptops were utterly ridiculous...

[Finished Law School @ Sep 17th 2006 5:05PM]

A laptop that large will be able to start a huge fire once the battery goes...

[ididntsaythis @ Sep 17th 2006 10:03PM]

thats just dumb sorry.

who cares.

i dont.

oo look at me i have a 20 inch laptop.. ooo pretty me.

come on. go back to school and learn something better like. how to boil eggs.

and no one in the pictures is looking at him or at the laptop.

just a guy with a lot of money showing off. bet he couldnt even turn it on if his life depended on it.

HEY mom i got a dell.... hey come back with my dell man i just bought it ... mama i just got a dell ...stolen.

[HarryC @ Sep 17th 2006 11:43PM]

It actually does have a battery... a six cell dell battery that they managed to get a remarkable 3.5 hrs out of.

[Elias @ Sep 18th 2006 9:50AM]

Time to one-up this... someone should lug-around a 24" iMac and see the reactions they get.

[Jeff @ Sep 18th 2006 10:14AM]

For their next test, they should try entering a Hummer in Nascar, or climbing the rockies with a Corvette.

"Oh wow, this thing is so bad at doing things it isn't meant to do!"

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to attempt changing the channel on my television using my new "Chocolate" phone from Verizon. Expect a full write-up about the results.

[Markcus Dunn @ Sep 18th 2006 4:08PM]

I'm surprised it didn't set his lap on fire.

[YoMaMa @ Oct 11th 2006 2:53PM]

Battery only last about 2hrs@idle, and you're not leaving this thing on your lap for more than 5 minutes at 20 lbs. I use it mostly to transfer from place to place (read: from building to car only), for that, it's great. Almost uses as much real estate as a desktop, though. Price the biggest factor, I bought mine refurb for almost 1/2 price.

[Nikitar @ Jul 22nd 2007 1:11PM]

Shame on you guys! DELL goes out of its way to give you physical exercise by lugging around free weights and mental exercise by using your brain power (given the limited battery). Yet! you criticize such a noble soul!