Dell confirms shocking truth: Adamo to rival MacBook Air
By Paul Miller 
posted Dec 23rd 2008 6:21PM
posted Dec 23rd 2008 6:21PM
"Rumor has it that Dell is coming out with a computer called Adamo that will rival the MacBook Air. At press time, the company was keeping the product tightly under wraps, but PC users rejoice - word on the street is that something cool is coming your way."The adblog appeared on a "luxury internet magazine," and was noticed by The New York Times Bits Blog, who bounced the copy off Dell, which confirmed it as an ad: "We did this to wake up the personal computing category and create some buzz." This further confirms (or perhaps pre-confirms) what we've heard about Adamo, but we're looking forward to the actual unveiling of this laptop and forming our own real, factual opinions on the thing.
if it has more than 1 usb port AND a optical drive and a couple franklins less than the air = instant win :D :D
I think they call that an Inspiron.
*disclaimer*
in about the same size :P
Surely an optical drive isn't really necessary in an ultraportable. Why add extra weight to include a drive that will rarely (if ever) get used?
There are plenty of problems with the Macbook Air but the missing optical drive isn't one of them.
are you saying that optical drives are obsilete
O.o
i think this mofo can see the future
just to far ahead
i still find
dvd's quite useful for certain tasks
so they are completely done....yet....:)
As long as a machine can boot off USB, I'd very much prefer it to have an external optical drive.
but can it cut cake???
Optical drives are absolutely not obsolete. The question is whether you really need one in smaller laptops/netbooks/etc. Some do, some don't. I'm in the latter category, but too cheap to buy an Air/Vaio type laptop. Standard MacBook is small enough for my purposes. Who am I kidding, I'm too cheap to buy a laptop of my own when I can just use my Thinkpad from work now and again when I need a laptop :)
@ethana2
Booting from an external HD has nothing to do with the hardware. The only limitation is Windows if you choose to use it since its currently the only OS on the market which can only boot from internal HDs (and eSATA, but thats basically just regular SATA). Every single other OS out there, every single distro of Linux and OS X can, and could boot from external disks, be they USB or Firewire, for years and years now.
So to answer your question/statement, as long as you're not using Windows, yes you can boot from an external HD.
Dell.... meanwhile Apple Sells actual Macbook Airs for obscene amounts of profit!!!!
Seriously, had Apple not been stingy with the external drive on the Air, they'd have made many more people reconsider a small external drive in their bag for a "that much smaller" notebook. I have an Aspire One and have only missed a DVD once.. and I was able to copy the files to a 4GB flash drive or 8GB SD card... I'd say there's momentary inconvenience but like I said, if Apple had loosened up that drive for the Air, everybody would have one!!!
@Michael: I believe ethana2 was referring to being able to boot from a USB optical drive. That's the easiest way to reinstall your OS on a laptop with no optical drive.
I'm not sure why ethana2 is being low ranked either because this is quite important on a laptop with no optical drive.
Optical drive will not make the laptop as thin as the Air and it will take big of much needed space.
Battlestar galactica FTW!
There is no need for an internal optical drive. If you're still watching movies off those "DVD things" (I think my grandpa told me about those), you're not tech savvy enough to deserve an ultraportable like this.
Darn it, rick rolled again.
So it will be the same specs and same price as the Macbook Air, but it will only be able to run Windows instead of both Windows and OS X?
Most people don't need to have an entire second OS wasting space on their HDD but if you real had to I'm sure you could install OSX on it. Additionally, the design of the Macbook Air can easily be improved upon.
Wow... buzzkill much?
I would not need or want to be able to run OSX on this laptop.
Ubuntu Dells FTW.
It is no rival to the MBA without a decent OS pre-installed.
System76 > Ubuntu Dell, but also more expensive.. and it seems system76 machines are slightly physically uglier than Dells, but I've never actually seen one close up so I can't say definitively.
Well John, it's always the Mac user that needs some Windows.
Saad,
True, it usually goes that way, since there are more Windows-only apps. However, this is a function of Windows marketshare, nothing inherent about the OS itself.
Personally, I have no need for Windows apps for personal use or for work, so I don't use it in a dual-boot setup, virtualized, anywhere.
However, when I'm stuck using a Windows system I sure do wish there was an effective way to work with Unix systems. The available tools for Windows are utterly pathetic.
Low rank me all you want, but I can't think of a single time that Dell has ever improved upon any of Apple's designs.
Oooh, ooh, I want to play too. Low rank *me* all you want, administering a Unix machine from Windows is about as convenient as rebuilding an engine thru the exhaust pipe.
@ John
How about that time that they actually made a mid end configurable gaming tower. Oh and i would like to see you find a mac that is as fast at anything as the new dell core i7 offerings.
Pwned.
@UnixSystemsEngineer - surely administering a Unix system from Windows is 'about as convenient as' just opening up a secure shell...
First-- "pwned"? Seriously? Are you TWELVE?
Second, in case you hadn't noticed, there are people in the world who don't need a super-powerful gaming rig, but DO need an OS that won't crap out on them when they're trying to get some work done, and hardware that doesn't look like a child's toy. If you consider gaming the primary selling point of a computer, then you're not in the market for a computer-- You're in the market for user-configurable gaming console.
Finally, just because I can't slap the newest video card in my MacBook doesn't mean that I can't play some games. I'm running Oblivion with Open Cities on Medium-High settings just fine. I run City of Heroes in OS X without a hitch. The 9400M in the MacBook does a pretty good job of handling games, and the only bottleneck in my MacBook is that Windows XP is too stupid to recognize my full 4GB of RAM (32-bit OS, and it's still better than MS's 64-bit Vista). City of Heroes actually runs better in OS X, due to the full use of my system's memory, than it does in Windows XP.
BTW, I also have a game console, which plays more hardcore stuff without needing drivers updated every week. I'd suggest you invest in one instead of spending thousands on a PC and subsequent video card upgrades. I used to do that myself, and do you know what it gets you? A lot of old video cards and lost hours in upgrading.
@ZeroCorpse
> If you consider gaming the primary selling point of a computer, then you're not in the market for a computer-- You're in the market for > user-configurable gaming console.
Which are called computers, or Windows PCs, if you will.
> I'm running Oblivion with Open Cities on Medium-High settings just fine.
Wait. You're running a nearly three year old game on Medium-High? How much are MacBook Pro's again?
> I run City of Heroes in OS X without a hitch.
Wait. OS X can handle a four year old game, "without a hitch"? Might not look like a toy, but sure sounds like it.
> and the only bottleneck in my MacBook is that Windows XP is too stupid to recognize my full 4GB of RAM
Any 32-bit operatingsystem is "too stupid" to recognize a full 4GB of RAM. Since 32-bits can't be used to address any more memory than 4GB, your RAM can't be fully utilized because it needs to reserve addresses for your powerful graphics card, etc. So I guess OS X is 64-bit then, because if it isn't, your 32-bit operatingsystem is even more stupid, and it's lying to you.
> City of Heroes actually runs better in OS X, due to the full use of my system's memory, than it does in Windows XP.
...
Man rick rolling is kinda played out
What the crap are you people talking about? It's Say whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat from Clone High!
I just need to know: Is it worth putting on a friend's desktop on loop? I mean, we've all seen scatt swap in our circle of friends, so I need to know if it's gross enough. If it's at least as bad as 2 girls, I'll totally put it on loop on my friend's PC.
Did the ad actually say "now with more truthiness!" or is that a shop, (i think i can tell from some of the pixels and seeing quite a few shops in my time, etc) because i would totally pic up a colbert themed laptop.
This is pretty confusing (and Engadget makes it worse by using words like "blogvertisment" - seriously, what does that mean?)
If I understand correctly, Dell created an ad which talks about rumours, and UptownLife posted it as a blog post by mistake. If so, what has happened to Dell that they have to advertise rumours about their products?
Last time I checked OS X runs on nearly all hardware just fine. Ever tried it?
And we've already heard that the Adamo could be as much as $400 less than the Air.
"Thinner than Air." That sounds pretty cool.
I did try it. It doesn't have hardware support worth crap. 'course, that was JaS, I don't know what the 'best' one is.
Kalyway and iATKOS are the easiest hackintosh distro's to install. I got Kalyway 10.5.4 running on old Dell Dimension 3000 for the folks to have in their den. Didn't take much at all and its not even the vanilla kernel which you can run on later model PC's.
I chuckle every time I hear an iBoi tout the fact that they can run Windows on a mac and not vice versa. That and them unknowing admitting their precious Novelty OSX isn't Nirvana.
how much ram did that dell have and what cpu? I am thinking of installing it on my old hp. google turns up a 2.4ghz celeron d and 256mb ram.
for yours, that is, i have 512 and a 2.9ghz celeron d on my old computer.
Thinner? Can't say I'd like thinner. Sometimes I wonder if I should be holder it by the corner.
Given that they've had a year on Apple, let's hope that Dell can make some kit. I use OS X, but love to see the tech when it's cool. Personally, I'll never buy a Dell again, but YMMV. Ship them the hard drive! Ha. I just bought $4000 laptop and you want me to ship you your dead drive before I get one! Nice.
Now a nice thin tablet! That I'd like to see. But people don't seem to be into the tablets any longer...
Say what you want, but it seems like Apple has the standard for desirable technology. A music player is advertised as an "iPod killer," all-in-one desktops are "iMac designed," and ultra-portables are a Macbook Air rival.
I personally don't want to pay those sort of prices just to get something very, very thin - I'm typing this on my MacBook, which is plenty portable for me (and quite a bit more powerful than most of these ultra-portables, the MacBook Air included). My brother has the Air, and he seems to love it, but so long as you pay a premium just to get something thinner, I'm not that interested.
Still, I am very interested to see what this will look like, and the specs it will have. More competition is always great in the technology market, especially for the consumer. But if this has the specs of a netbook for the cost of a high-end laptop, I think I'll pass.
I can't take these increasingly thinner and thinner laptops!
I almost shipped my Macbook Air to Abu Dhabi in its manila envelope casing!
I live in Abu Dhabi. :D
Might be nice then again love my MBA
You have a masters of business administration...sweet.
They have named their new top product after a Belgian pop singer? I see...
youtube.com/watch?v=yPOWcdKHs-M
This is my anti-rick!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPOWcdKHs-M
epic hyperlink fail :(
So where is this luxury internet ?
Is it where google isn't evil, apple lives up to its marketing hype, microsoft launches on time, comment systems are upgraded, facebook is actually more than a glorified address book ?
Is it one where iEye and CLAK don't exist?
Is it one where everything can play Crysis, so we don't have to ask?
Is it one where there is no first comment?
Is it one where Engadget writes less about Apple than TUAW?
i think honda asimo
made me think of Admiral Adama : )
Levi, it has been said that 1Guy 1Cup is 100 times worse than 2Girls 1Cup. I agree with that statement.
Thus continuing Dell's tradition of saying "Everything Apple does is stupid until we copy it. And then it's not stupid any more."
And further continuing the tradition, this product will be an epic failure because Dell just does not understand why Apple products are popular. Anybody remember Dell's "iMac killer"? Anybody? How about their "iPod killer"?
Yeah.
Some company wants to make something slimmer, and that is ripping Apple off? Let me tell you a well guarded secret: making electronics smaller and more portable has been around since the electronic circuit was invented. It is not the specific domain of Apple. Apple copies everybody, and everybody copies Apple. Get it?
I can list off a number of times where something Microsoft did was mocked, and years later Apple has a "new and innovative" technology that is a blatant copy of what MS did.
Ah nohone, the perennial Apple hater. Sure, your opinion is unbiased. Hey you need glasses or something? Let me quote Dell's own marketing pitch back for you:
"Rumor has it that Dell is coming out with a computer called Adamo that will rival the MacBook Air."
Yes, that is Dell's own copy. It's printed right there in this article, if you had bothered to read it. So yes, Dell is copying the Macbook Air. Very intentionally, and very publicly admitting it, too. You appear to be the only person who didn't quite get that part.
And again, it will fail just like every other attempt at copying Apple has failed. Open your eyes, look around. Feel the reality of the situation.
Dude, in my book, Dell computer are way better deal quality/price than Apple. All of the mac around me had problems, including mine. And im not talking about defective macbook at reception... those one are just terrible! (3 of my friends got defective macbook in the last year... its some kind of record!)
Dell Vostro line is the way to go for durable heavy duty computers. Just know the limit of your Dell PSU and you'll be all right!
I wouldn't say Dell is copying Apple. More like "aiming for the same market segment."
It better be cheaper though, given Dell's worse and declining quality and customer service. By the way, don't waste your breath with personal anecdotes, all of the numbers back it up.
@Zak
I have a Mini. I have an iPhone - I even even once posted a picture of me typing a comment to Engadget on my iPhone. But I am a hater? Would I spend money on those products if I hate them? As we "discussed" before, it is not Apple I hate, it is people like you who are too damn stubborn to say that Apple is not pure perfection, that everything they do is not absolute bliss. And no, MS is not pure perfection nor absolute bliss either.
You are having a little fit, saying I am biased. And yet, you are one of the most biased people around here and think it is perfectly fine, but anybody does not agree with you 100% and they are the most horrible, despicable people around. Grow up, little fan boy.
Hey! Zak is back! Long time no idiocy!
Just letting you know Zak, "rivaling" does not equal "copying."
I would imagine that Dell simply means that they are going to come out with a computer that "rivals" the macbook air in thinness and portability.
Don't start saying that macbook air was the first, either. I remember seeing at least 3 years ago adds for the newest notebooks from Japan made out of carbon fiber. Of course, back then you could only get 30 GB hard drives, but the principle is the same.
Consumer Reports finds zero statistical difference in reliability between any of the major brands, Dell and Apple included. They surveyed more than 63000 people over the last four years.
@Zak:
[url]http://www.mackable.com/blog/a-laptop-thinner-than-macbook-air-10-years-ago/[/url]
Adamo is gay?
can't they just make dvd drives really really thin?
This doesn't seems as thin like the MBA? is it as light?
Seems like an completely different type of class computer.
dude, what are you even looking at?
If they really wanted to stick it to apple, they would make all the parts in it 100% osx86 compatible, now that would rock
Too little too late.. DELL = DONE!
I hope thats sarcasm...
If you really want to see what's Dell' sleeve check out their latest diagnostics program A1345A/A0467. They list a whole lot of forthcoming systems!
Here is the whole list of what's in store for the near future; Inspiron:1010, 1210, 1318, 1425, 1440, 1525, 1526, 1545, 910, Inspiron 1410, Inspiron 1427; Inspiron Desktop:518, 519, 530, 530S, 531, 531S, 535, 535S, 545, 545S, 546, 546S, Inspiron Hybrid 150g; Latitude:ATG D630, D420, D430, D531, D630, D630c, D631, D830, E4200, E4300, E5400, E5500, E6400, E6400 ATG, E6500, Unknown, XFR D630, XFR E6400, XT, XT2; OptiPlex:160, 330, 360, 740, 745, 755, 760, 960, FX160; Precision:490, 690, M2400, M4300, M4400, M6300, M6400, R5400, T3500, T5400, T5500, T7400, T7500; Studio Desktop:540, Slim 540s, Studio One 22, Studio One1909; Studio Hybrid Desktop:Studio Hybrid 140g; Studio Laptop:1435, 1535, 1536, 1537, 1735, 1737, Studio 1440 , Studio 1555; Studio XPS Desktop:435MT, Studio XPS 435T; Studio XPS Laptop:1340, 1640; Vostro Desktop:220, 220s, 420, A100, A180; Vostro Notebook:1220, 1320, 1520, 1720, A840, A860, A90, Vostro 1310, Vostro 1510, Vostro 1710, Vostro 2510; XPS Desktop:625, 730, 730X, ONE A2420, XPS 430, XPS630i; XPS Notebook:Adamo 13, M1330, M1530, M1730.
I found a whole bunch of pre-release systems in a couple of other hideouts too. At least with the Dell Precision "Covet" model they beat everybody to the punch. And I'm sure with what I found on the Dell Adamo 13 it IS going to be a MacBook Air Killer.
heh, with that list, you can sort of get why Apple has so few product lines.
"And I'm sure with what I found on the Dell Adamo 13 it IS going to be a MacBook Air Killer."
Bookmark this, come back in a year & see what has been killed. It isn't going to even make a dent, let alone 'kill.' It will be however, just another Dell.
Oops! Said something that could be construed as positive of Apple, gonna upset the engadget commenting community!
That was "up Dell' sleeve". Sorry about that chief
Maybe I'm just tired, but this article is either too confusing, too uninteresting, or both.
Also, was that a tasteless Alzheimer's joke in the first sentence?
MacBook Air thin + useful os + not shitty hardware = epic win
Yeah, because something that costs less than a MacBook Air while claiming to be the same thing as a MacBook Air is guaranteed to not have shitty hardware.
Yeah, there's no possible way that could ever happen. Because Dell is not known for cutting corners on their hardware to make it cheaper. Nothing like that.
Oh by the way, when was OS X declared a "useless OS"? I must not have gotten the memo.
Useful OS? Softwares are useful, Os are just the base... like tofu!
But I agree with you!
"forming our own real, factual opinions on the thing."
Yeah, what are the chances of that happening? Might have as well thrown in a "fair, balanced" in there.
It sad DELL had to give a lame name to it's new laptop.
This is just a pathetic attempt at trying to get some of the "coolness" the Apple name carries. I mean really, if you dont know what system at this point in your life is better, then you might as well get an Apple.
Be proud DELL... You need not gimmicky marketing schemes to garner my interest.
Your contention is that the "Adamo" name is supposed to make you think of Apple? What are you smoking, and can I have some?
That's precisely what I meant.
The similarities in the names are subconscious in nature. You produce a laptop with the intent that it will rival an Apple. So you use a name that is similar in so many ways both start with capital A's, both are 5 letters in length. The "o" at the end of Adamo at the end looks like an "e" from the end of Apple. To believe that the similarities are just purely coincidental, would be ignorance of the highest degree.
There have been plenty of studies into this form of marketing. I wish I payed more attention in class when this was being discussed; then I would most likely be able to explain this with more detail.
And if you live anywhere in the Ottawa area USE, come on by, we'll smoke a fatty. :)
so you say that dell uses gimmicky names for its products? what about apple with, oh, say the macbook Air, of the Airport line, or garage band, keynote, grand central, etc. apple uses some of the most gimmicky names out there and you are telling me that dell is gimmicky? i would love to come smoke whatever you are on
@ Byrdman. Seemingly you have already started smoking... obviously. 'Cause you did not understand what I wrote at all. Im a DELL Fanboy, I have 2 XPS systems in the house and an Insperon at work.
Without getting into this too much and repeating myself, Ill ask you to just read what I wrote again, and do so without the opinion that I am an Apple Fanboy ok. Trust me, I agree, Apple names are pretty lame. hence my frustration with DELL using "Adamo" for its newest laptop.
Notice, I used "quotes" on coolness; implying a small amount of sarcasm.
I guess you'll be able to configure it to any price you want like other Dell laptop... I dont care putting a celeron in it if its thin, light and have enough screen resolution to be able to do some work on the go. Netbook are cool but quite small!!
baaaah, lets not flame battle each other until we see the actual machine... if its ugly as butt, no need to defend it!!
Still I wish it will be cute, light and strong enough at a 699-899 price range.
Adamo? Dell needs some new marketing people. Let me guess, they will come out with another line called Eveo or Davido ...
I'd pay for a Goliatho! :D
*cough* Actually, in all seriousness, the kind of laptop that I want probably hasn't been made for like a decade. :( Since I just want one for writing on, all it would need is:
* A working screen.
* A working keyboard.
* Either a working trackpad-thing or compatability with my mouse.
* A working floppy drive (preferably two, actually — built-in if possible).
Hard disk drive is completely optional, as I just boot from a floppy diskette into MS-DOS and write with the handy EDIT.COM program. It's worked for me. :)
Though I suppose an HDD WOULD come in handy if I wanted to browse the internet to look up word definitions/synonyms, that way I wouldn't have to bring a dictionary and thesaurus with me… hm… :/
Anyway, my apologies for going so off-topic — I personally would prefer a fat laptop to a razor-thin one. Fat ones would be harder to break, methinks. :|
At least it'll ship with a useful OS unlike apple laptops. Dell does build good laptops, so i would not be surprised if this beat apple at their own game.
Rofl all this is useless. If they say it competes with the MBA then they obviously only care to make it super tiny; who cares about the specs less the look of it inspires "envy"...
too late
The real question is, can it rival the Lenovo x300?
heh thats funny a buddy of mine who works at staples was telling me that a dell guy came into the store and was asking all kinds of questions about what people thought of the company and what they thought of their laptops and desktops, he was talking about how dell wanted to revamp itsself and bring out something new.... hell who knows, im just waiting for a real $200 netbook haha
The mac community is soooo freaking worried that dell is going to release a thin ass notebook that will be nothing but a thin ass MS powered laptop.
We could care less.
Dell is a kit computer maker. Apple builds its computer from the ground up. If Dell wants to shake some knees, they need to come out with their own OS and an ecosystem around it rather than whore MS's shit.
I mean, engadget and the rest of the tech sites on the web expose us to dozens of new laptops every week! And they are exactly the same. Intel chip and MS' OS. Hello! Wow, what a business model.
The parts are as cheap as the labor. Meanwhile, them pimps at MS get big bucks from the licensing of their swag.
Sit yo ass down!
I'm waiting for the mac tablet.
Directed at Terry:
If being a "kit" computer means I can own any kind of computer I want and still use my preferred OS, have them be far less expensive, and have a far more varied selection of options when it comes to hardware, then I'll take the "kit" computer over your overpriced macintrash toys any day of the week.
Also, apple uses the same "kit" components as everyone else now, because when they actually made their own hardware, it was never terribly good. How exactly does this make apple not a "kit" computer maker?
Oh, and then they took linux, repackaged it, and sold it. They can't even be bothered to create their own OS from scratch anymore. So, they modify someone else's OS, use someone else's hardware, stuff it in a brushed aluminum case, and call it original.
So, I guess the only reason they're not a "kit" computer maker is the fact that they still charge the same sort of ridiculous prices they did when they actually made their own hardware and software. Or maybe it's that brushed aluminum case. Maybe if dell uses brushed aluminum cases, then they won't be a "kit" computer maker anymore.
Colbert is not going to be too happy about Dell using his word, despite a different spelling.
Ahh, I guess that wasn't Dell that did that. This image is so unlike other Engadget Photoshops, it looks like it fits.
Wait.... Does anyone else think this is going to be a re-badged Mini 12 with exterior decal from some famous designer and therefore doubles the price? Sounds like Dell.
Side Note: Why is it every Mac Fanboy has to hate Windows? I mean, a lot of technology in OS X was developed on Windows... Is it just because Mac Office is vomit-ware?
Woah woah woah, thats the first I have heard somebody say that technologies were developed on Windows. Give me a few big examples? Windows would not exist if not for Apple, I think thats one thing we can all agree on. On another side note, few "real" Mac users "Hate" Windows, we just have our choice. There are quite a few more Windows users that "Hate" the Mac OS for no reason than there are Mac users that "Hate" the Windows OS. I don't hate Windows, but I prefer OS X, use it every day and feel more comfortable with it. But since I am going in to IT, I know and use windows quite a lot, it has its uses,but for me I will always be a Mac guy.
Dell still makes computers?