Dell fails to distract anyone

We know Dell felt left out of all the fun today, but rehashing that months-old MacBook Air manila envelope commercial with the Latitude E4200 just isn't the way to snake attention from Apple -- especially not when everyone's focused on new iPods, not Macs. Plus, Lenovo played this riff a hundred times better with the X300 back in April, for crying out loud -- and worst of all, the envelope is noticeably bulging and crappy because the E4200 is way thicker than the Air. Seriously, don't you think it would've been much more effective to leak details about that Zing-based music initiative, or hell, even announce that rumored Dell-branded cellphone? You can't steal the narrative if you're not telling the same story, guys. Video after the break.

[Danny @ Sep 9th 2008 7:03PM]

Thats pretty funny

[Uchiha Sasuke @ Sep 9th 2008 7:24PM]

When I saw the "D" coming out of the envelope, I envisioned the rest of the letters to follow as,
"o-u-c-h-e"

[:) @ Sep 9th 2008 7:45PM]

"More substance and less air" LOL! Classic! I love it! :)

Dell Latitude = Slightly bigger but more productive....
MacBook Air = ........Air?

[renitori @ Sep 9th 2008 7:48PM]

It reminds me of the Mccain campaign.... and how theyre using the mantra "change" now.

[Paul Chapel @ Sep 9th 2008 7:47PM]

Does it disturb anyone that these companies competing with Apple show a total lack of originality when they advertise? I remember when Dell had the Dell guy. Now that was sorta original. What happened, Dell? You used to be able to come up with better stuff. Now the best you can do is rip off a very popular commercial by showcasing a laptop with a smaller screen, a stunt that immediately reminds people of the original, obviously superior Mac commercial.

Man, I'm getting sick of these lame companies. Makes me ashamed to be a PC user.

[Nouman @ Sep 9th 2008 7:48PM]

wait....so their point was to show the smaller resolution you get?

Well that's all I got from it.

[JohnTitor @ Sep 9th 2008 8:31PM]

it is a nice looking laptop

http://www.dell.com/content/products/superview.aspx?c=us&cs=555&l=en&s=biz&xdb=Z2xvYmFsOnByb2R1Y3RzOmxhdGl0OmZsYXNoOmxhcHRvcF9sYXRpdHVkZV9lNDIwMF9zdXBlcnZpZXcjcmVnaW9u

[Phoenix987 @ Sep 9th 2008 9:22PM]

@Paul:

Depends on which Dell guy. The one guy they had went to college and got busted for drugs. So I can see why they aren't using the "Dude, you're getting a Dell" guy anymore.

[JohnTitor @ Sep 9th 2008 9:31PM]

I don't, he could have connected with potential high school and college students customers

[phanbouy @ Sep 9th 2008 9:48PM]

"Dude, you're getting a Dell"

Yep, clearly a stoner line to begin with. ;P

[Brian @ Sep 10th 2008 2:29AM]

Ahahaha; I wasn;t thinking the thing about the D but when I read Zing (this being my first time) I couldn't help but thing of iPog + Zune... Two letters from each; Dell's on a roll.

[Bleck @ Sep 9th 2008 7:03PM]

Oh Engadget, do not be sad that the E4200 has more substance and less air than the Macbook Air.

[MoonMan @ Sep 9th 2008 8:13PM]

Yeah! I'm totally STOKED that the E4200 has a way smaller screen than the MacBook Air! Way to go Dell! You really showed those losers in Cupertino!!

Oh, wait a minute...

[gabe @ Sep 9th 2008 8:21PM]

damn - engadget editor wrote with anger there -

talk about bringing us the news!

i didn't know this was 'lets flame dell' site!

[tristan88 @ Sep 9th 2008 7:06PM]

lol i like that ad.

[Jagster @ Sep 9th 2008 7:17PM]

Same here. Like someone else said, it was "cute". I would say it's a good ad that is certainly memorable.

[Matthew C @ Sep 9th 2008 8:08PM]

i wont forget it - and wouldnt buy an air anyway.

[Larray @ Sep 12th 2008 3:34AM]

@Jagster:

guess who made it first

[chickenator @ Sep 10th 2008 8:32AM]

"it was cute"
...but not cute anymore.

[Smi @ Sep 9th 2008 7:08PM]

I think it's quite cute! The ad and the notebook, for that matter.

[aaron @ Sep 9th 2008 7:08PM]

Haaa! I thought Apple was making fun of Dell until I realized it was the other was around. Poor Dell. Just keep shutting down factories, and stop trying.

[:) @ Sep 9th 2008 7:52PM]

What are you smoking? Or maybe you just need bifocals...

[Hamburglar @ Sep 9th 2008 7:08PM]

Engadget is full of Mac leghumpers.

[fred @ Sep 9th 2008 7:15PM]

Seriously.

What was the point of this write-up other than the usual running defense for Apple against those big bad meanies that dare to mock them?

[Saad Rabia @ Sep 9th 2008 7:31PM]

I don't think so, you should have a look at Gizmodo's page, you might get eye cancer; now that is too much Apple fanboyism.

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 9th 2008 7:40PM]

It's not OK for Dell to insult Apple by bringing out a smaller product and point it out mockingly.

But Engadget blows its load all over every new Mac VS PC commercial.

I get it now.

[Cody @ Sep 9th 2008 7:08PM]

I don't care much about Apple, but I will say it seems the only reason the E4200 is smaller than the air (smaller not thinner) is because it has a smaller screen. Although, I would still choose it over the Air because I want something that doesn't have to compromise, at least not as much compromise as the Air.

[Me @ Sep 9th 2008 7:46PM]

Like an MacBook, for example. Or a MacBook Pro for another. I totally agree.

[IKrolm @ Sep 9th 2008 8:34PM]

yep, XD

[talluki @ Sep 10th 2008 4:40AM]

Dell has a CD-Rom, Mac Air doesnot

[Lomoco @ Sep 9th 2008 7:09PM]

Lol. Actually, I'm failing to see the point they are making. The MacBook Air has a larger screen, yet is ultra thin, so you'd think that the Air is therefor better than the Dell.

[tom @ Sep 9th 2008 7:15PM]

When the finger was pushing open the screen, I thought I saw the screen flexed.

[Phantom1219 @ Sep 9th 2008 7:09PM]

Hahaha...horrible.

[killermojo @ Sep 9th 2008 7:10PM]

Wow, that's brutal. They need to push it's strengths instead of pandering to the ultra-slim crowd, because that envelope really doesn't do it any favors.

[frontpage @ Sep 9th 2008 7:11PM]

Nilay, I like this ad. Lighten up, nothing Apple released is "OMG i got to have". Those new Ipod's just don't appeal to me. I like the last generation better.

[k2001 @ Sep 9th 2008 7:11PM]

Someone need to get fire if this is a real ad. Are they advertising MBA or that dell?

[Ellianth @ Sep 9th 2008 7:30PM]

Someone needs a brain if they couldn't tell... especially after all the hints that were in the article.

[phanbouy @ Sep 9th 2008 9:50PM]

i read it as sarcastic rather than literal

[rayw @ Sep 9th 2008 7:12PM]

Damn that actually looks good (following the read link). Now to persuade the other half I need a new notebook ...

[Skyride @ Sep 9th 2008 7:12PM]

"the envelope you used is noticeably bulging and crappy because the E4200 is way thicker than the Air."

And its also more useful by the same factor. Seriously, the air is a fashion statement, the new latitudes are good, solid buisness laptops. My dads work has one on its way to him in the post right now to replace his old inspiron 1400 that took 7 minutes to boot and took 34 seconds to open internet explorer (i couldn't reformat or anything due to their gay IT department).

So bassically:

Latitude = Useful workhorse
Air = well.... full of air :P

P.S. not that Im bothered about being first, but I claim first if their has already been a post when i submit as there were no comments when started typing this, I saw it 20 seconds after it was posted.

[andrew @ Sep 10th 2008 1:32AM]

You know that the Mac Book Air has a full blown Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8Ghz chip right? Spec for spec I believe the Mac Book Air matches or beats this model Dell laptop.

Yeah the MacBookAir doesnt have a optical drive but thats not the point, the point is having a real capable lap top as thin, light and portable as possible - if you want an optical drive and a larger hard drive and dont mind a little bulk then you really want a regular MacBook.

[Lardnapkin @ Sep 9th 2008 7:13PM]

How original, How...look at us we can do it too!. I still smile everytime I look at my Macbook Air. and to comment on ^^, there are no compromises....The Dell is nice, however it has [cue Thunder]VISTA!!!! [/cue thunder]

[Skyride @ Sep 9th 2008 7:20PM]

Given that vista may be heavier on a system, its greatly outweighed by the fact its a far more powerful machine. Vista's biggest munch on resources is HDD, unless you have at least 4GB RAM. So the 7200rpm, 160GB drive in the one my dads getting will kick a macbook airs ass in performance.

The only reason apples boot so fast is
1. EFI
2. Proprietry on specific hardware = able to remove about half the stuff from boot as a typical OS. Including linux.

[Skyride @ Sep 9th 2008 7:20PM]

Given that vista may be heavier on a system, its greatly outweighed by the fact its a far more powerful machine. Vista's biggest munch on resources is HDD, unless you have at least 4GB RAM. So the 7200rpm, 160GB drive in the one my dads getting will kick a macbook airs ass in performance.

The only reason apples boot so fast is
1. EFI
2. Proprietry on specific hardware = able to remove about half the stuff from boot as a typical OS. Including linux.

[Ignatius @ Sep 9th 2008 7:21PM]

Which makes it compatible with about 95% of all software in the world, I'd consider that a plus.

[Cody @ Sep 9th 2008 7:22PM]

The Air does look nice, but yes there are compromises, no Ethernet port being one, and no optical drive being another. (check here http://apcmag.com/macbook_air_top_10_things_wrong_with_it.htm for more) And of course I knew someone would bring up Vista...sure it had a TON of problems when it was released, but a lot of them have been fixed with SP1. I personally haven't had any problem with it, and it looks just as nice as Leopard IMO. But still, to each his own, :-) I wouldn't mind having a MacBook or MacBook Pro, just not the Air. (course I'd still probably (read as: would) take it if someone was offering)

[Skyride @ Sep 9th 2008 7:30PM]

Ye, the no ethernet alone is a killer for me. I do alot of network setups and network setup over wifi is a HUGE no no.

[wtf?yo? @ Sep 9th 2008 8:11PM]

the reson osx is better is you can install over 4 gb of ram without having to only being abal to use 2.5gb, with other cards (or more ram installed) as is the case with vista and any other widows machenn

thats why my g3 800mhz i book runs faster than my dual core 1.5 ghz vista machean

[Sisyphus @ Sep 9th 2008 7:13PM]

Nilay --

I think you accidentally posted this article here instead of your deadjournal.

[Crashlander @ Sep 9th 2008 7:16PM]

P.P.S. Shut up.