Dell Adamo rumored to boast DisplayPort, Blu-ray drive

Can you feel it? Dell's Adamo is just about here, and the anticipation is palpable. We already learned that the unit's 45-watt power adapter wouldn't be anything special, but a Google cache shot of accessories and such from Dell's own website is giving us a presumed look at what could be announced alongside the ultraportable. For starters, we get the impression that it'll boast DisplayPort (judging by the DisplayPort-to-HDMI / VGA / etc. adapters) and at least have an option for a 2x Blu-ray combo drive. We're also seeing 250GB / 500GB internal / external SATA drives and an auto / air adapter for powering the machine in your vehicle / personally owned 747. Only the suits in Round Rock know if these will actually come to fruition, but honestly, why bother hosting these up on your website if they weren't on the way?

[Via Electronista]

[aeth @ Dec 26th 2008 9:06PM]

This sounds real awesome but I have the a sinking feeling that there will be something wrong with Adamo sadly.

However, I still want.

[aeth @ Dec 26th 2008 9:06PM]

Something majorly bad that is.

[eggothewaffle @ Dec 26th 2008 9:09PM]

I'm just wondering why some people/blogs are making such a deal about Dell's power adapter when the iPhone and iPod Touch have gone through TWO iterations with *seriously* ugly as hell and ill-matching USB data/power adapters and earbuds.

If people are going to be limp wristed queens about this, why can't they be a little bit more consistent with their criticism? Besides, isn't it a lot more satisfying to go after a company in Cupertino that prides itself (and is indeed fellated by the teeming millions) on its (typically) great sense of aesthetics and design than a company from Round Rock that (typically) can't design itself out of a bland, black box.

I love you Engadget (and Darren Murph), but don't spend all your time masquerading for the poltroons and forgetting about your more discerning demographic. We were there for you first :(

[eggothewaffle @ Dec 26th 2008 9:16PM]

Exhibit A:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/3139312495_581d6ae348_b.jpg

[JohnTitor @ Dec 26th 2008 9:22PM]

engadget is just being dumb, the power adapter pic is a standard one used as a place holder
kinda like the TT pics for the P, regarding the new Sony Vaio

anyway as much as I like options, it's good for Dell to have at least one laptop that's all high end in its class
when people compare how slow their PC is to their Mac, they seem to neglect that the PC cost them half the price because they don't care to customize with higher end hardware, where as Macs tend to already have them

[Major4Play @ Dec 26th 2008 9:44PM]

I couldn't agree more, I opened and set up a new iMac when they first came out and marvelled at the beautiful design, until I plugged the white power cord into it ! D'oh!

[Jinto @ Dec 26th 2008 10:21PM]

I don't think the cords look bad at all. When I first saw the iPhone's adapter, I was in love. Ignoring the fact that it is a non-standard cable*, I think it is designed well. With the iPod, it has a lock; you don't need a quick release. With the iPhone, it does not have a lock; you need a quick release and can disconnect for just about everything, except for firmware updates to make a call. Did you want glass, stainless steel or something?

And while the first gen iPhone power addapter was bulky, it did not look that bad. It worked. And then the new 3G USB power adaptor is a dream come true, nice and small, well designed (Ignoring the fire issues, but they did fix that with the greed dot edition.)

Big: http://www.chinatraderonline.com/Files/IPOD/iphone-power-adapter/Apple-USB-Power-Adapter-225049905.jpg
Smaller new edition: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3258/2661512495_26bb97a722.jpg

*I *used* to want normal USB. Then, I wanted mini USB. But there has only been three major changes over the while line:

Firewire to iPod
>>
USB to iPod (with lock)
>>
USB to mini iPhone (without lock)

And the USB to iPod and the USB to mini iPhone are interchangeable. So I don't mind the fact that the cable is not USB, because with each purchase of any near-current iPod (except for the nano) you get a cable that is interchangeable between almost all iPod models.

[nerdtalker @ Dec 26th 2008 10:43PM]

I think it's already been thoroughly discussed as well that the picture of the 45-watt power supply isn't the only option. Dell has been shipping the mini 45-watt power supply with the Latitude XT for a while now, and it's incredibly small and portable. I use mine everyday no problems.

It charges a bit slower than the 65 watt one, but it isn't a problem when you factor in the fact that you have it with you in more scenarios because it's smaller and lighter.

[Boards of Canada @ Dec 26th 2008 11:18PM]

JohnTitor; its the other way around... people generally complain how their mac are slow compare to the next guy pc. Reason is you dont buy a 3000$ mac every year... any pc buy 4 month after the mac is obviously faster. Talk about it to the guys and girls at our graphic design departement... their G5 and Macpro are way slower than the PC at our 3D departement. Seriously I've never ear anyone complain how slow a pc is compare to a mac.

Also its proved now all CS3-CS4 suite work better and faster on pc. See adobe forums for that specific topic. And its not even worth talking about 3D application... even native mac apps like C4D run better on pc.

I like mac for typography management though... its ok on pc but its neater on the mac!! ;P

[yyan @ Dec 26th 2008 11:42PM]

With all due respect to the great Engadget and the writers, I think Darren Murph is a big fat troll. Most of his posts are biased in some way (not a good one)..

[mike @ Dec 26th 2008 9:13PM]

Take that Big bag of hurt, Apple. Dell puts Blue-Ray in their ultraportable while the Air doesn't even have a CD drive.

[Cris T @ Dec 26th 2008 9:19PM]

You don't even know if it does have the Blu-Ray drive yet built in? To me it looks like it will be an external Blu-Ray drive. Wait for the final product to be released before you make comments. PS what device you know it between .75 inches and .1 inches and has a CD drive?

[Mark @ Dec 26th 2008 9:26PM]

Wait until you see that the computer isn't 3 inches thick and slimmer than the MacBook Air before you criticize. Cris T is right!

[sdemo @ Dec 26th 2008 9:28PM]

Why do I have a feeling that the Adamo isnt going to be very much more "portable" than the base MacBook? The Air also came out last year.. while the Adamo hasnt even been released. When the Air came out, the battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD hadnt been decided. Maybe Apple didnt want their computer becoming outdated within a year of its release?

The Air was also one of the first mainstream ultra-portables... its possible that Apples research determined that most people that needed an ultra-portable laptop didn't need a disk drive.

Your comment is like saying "Take that (most PC laptops), the entire Mac lineup has built in iSight." Theres such things as external webcams, and theres such things as external disk drives.. IF you need that sort of thing.

[MioTheGreat @ Dec 26th 2008 10:10PM]

"PS what device you know it between .75 inches and .1 inches and has a CD drive?"

The Toshiba Portege R500.

[Knee to the Groin @ Dec 26th 2008 10:32PM]

So a Blue-Ray drive huh? Is that by the makers of the 8-bit xbox 360? Sounds like a crapgadget ripoff of the Blu-Ray drive...

[Cris T @ Dec 26th 2008 10:48PM]

@ MioTheGreat
The Toshiba is .75 all around when the MacBook slopes to a .15 inch. You cant fit a CD drive in that thinness.

[lostsofit @ Dec 26th 2008 11:40PM]

@MioTheGreat
The MacBook Air in the middle is less than a half inch thick. About .4 inches and you cant fit a CD drive in that space.

[MioTheGreat @ Dec 26th 2008 11:21PM]

That wasn't your question.

[morcheeba @ Dec 27th 2008 12:40AM]

Mio - if you want to be pedantic, then the R500 is 19.5 millimeters thick, which is greater than 0.75 inches.

[groggle @ Dec 27th 2008 11:08AM]

Cut him all you want, but even an external blu ray would be a blow to Air. Although I really don't believe the BR will ever reach DVD popularity before being replaced by HD protected downloadable content or some other method of non physical media... it's the best we got for now... and I think Apple may be making a misstep in thinking that we will all be content to buy/rent movies from iTunes.

[LloydChiro @ Dec 27th 2008 2:45PM]

"The Air was also one of the first mainstream ultra-portables..."

Go back several years. Look at the Sony X505 and the Toshiba R200. Both of them lighter than the MacBook Air. Both of them thicker than the 'Air but so marginally so that it's an academic argument. When the Air came out boasting of its revolutionary thinness, I looked over at my wife's R200 and laughed at the absurdity of it all. Oh yea, it's got two USB ports too. The front edge is tapered too, but nobody was clever enough to make the tapered edge the biggest selling point.

[Cory W. @ Dec 26th 2008 9:18PM]

Pretty exciting. I wonder what it'll look like, and how it'll be compared to the ThinkPad X200 and X300/301.

[Leindurstit @ Dec 26th 2008 11:05PM]

Adamo won't compare to the X200 and X30x. The Latitude E4200 and E4300 do that, respectively.

[ridestp @ Dec 26th 2008 9:35PM]

No shit, engadget, I broke all of this information in your own comments over a week ago. If you read your comments, YOU could have "broke" this story instead of Electronista.

ridestp @ Dec 18th 2008 5:20PM

So far, I know it has a 13" screen and a DisplayPort connector, with adapters for VGA, HDMI, and DVI.

Internal BluRay Combo Drive Evidence
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:IJVM9Wfs-bkJ:accessories.dell.com/sna/category.aspx%3Fc%3Dca%26l%3Den%26s%3Dcorp%26category_id%3D5684%26~ck%3Danav%26p%3D3+site:dell.com+adamo&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=25&gl=us&client=firefox-a

Display Port to DVI, VGA, and HDMI adapters
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:TtayNPKmfssJ:accessories.dell.com/sna/category.aspx%3Fc%3Dca%26l%3Den%26s%3Dcorp%26category_id%3D6484%26~ck%3Danav+site:dell.com+adamo&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=13&gl=us&client=firefox-a

45 Watt AC Adapter
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:9rpIrDjQJmcJ:accessories.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx%3Fc%3Dca%26l%3Den%26s%3Dprov%26sku%3D330-2984%26~lt%3Dprint+site:dell.com+adamo&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=us&client=firefox-a

[ridestp @ Dec 26th 2008 9:36PM]

DC Auto and Air 45 Watt Power Adapter
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:10JyeXHNCooJ:accessories.dell.com/sna/category.aspx%3Fc%3Dca%26category_id%3D5493%26l%3Den%26s%3Dpub%26dt%3DGrid%26~ck%3Danav+site:dell.com+adamo&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=32&gl=us&client=firefox-a

8X DVD+/-RW Slot Load Drive
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:KLnTVGwUTYwJ:accessories.dell.com/sna/category.aspx%3Fc%3Dca%26l%3Den%26s%3Dprov%26category_id%3D6358%26~ck%3Danav%26p%3D2+site:dell.com+adamo&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=31&gl=us&client=firefox-a

"External" 250GB and 500GB 2.5" hard drives
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:T8NGUcmoGhIJ:accessories.dell.com/sna/category.aspx%3Fc%3Dca%26l%3Den%26s%3Dpub%26category_id%3D5704%26dt%3DGrid+site:dell.com+adamo&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=44&gl=us&client=firefox-a

[JohnTitor @ Dec 26th 2008 9:40PM]

what do you want, a cookie?

[Ian @ Dec 26th 2008 10:09PM]

I'm sorry, but nothing could make you cool.

[Papytendo @ Dec 26th 2008 11:11PM]

Well, that's why there is this handy dandy "Tip us on News" button on the top of the page. Maye if you were reading the page, you would've seen it.

[Kris120890 @ Dec 26th 2008 9:37PM]

I'm personally looking forward to this. I mean Dell member said its supposed to target the air yet its going to have a blu ray drive and large amount of hard drive space. This could be fantastic or as aeth it could be a major let down. I look forward to it. I also agree with eggothewaffle about the whole power adapter thing engadget have got going for it.

[Jeff R @ Dec 26th 2008 9:42PM]

I bet this bluray drive is external... Says it come in black..?

[CleverEndeavor @ Dec 26th 2008 9:44PM]

if dell can pull this off this is going to be awesome. but if they don't it'll be a big disappointment; risky move, risky move dell.

[gareth @ Dec 26th 2008 9:52PM]

why do you need a blue ray drive in a ultra portable ?

so the battery can last 30 minutes ?

[foodle @ Dec 26th 2008 10:15PM]

Just can't get excited about this...
It is a computer.
It will be thin and light.
It will have some modern ports and Bluray in some form (internal or external).

What is going to be revolutionary (or even evolutionary) about this machine?

[$k @ Dec 26th 2008 10:24PM]

Just can't get excited about this...
It is a computer.
It will be thin and light.
It did "not" have some modern ports and no disc drive.

What is going to be revolutionary (or even evolutionary) about this machine?

--Did the whole word not make a hue and cry about the Air ?

[foodle @ Dec 26th 2008 10:33PM]

True, there was a lot of hype around the Air, but ultimately it was not that interesting of a machine. Just because the hype machine was (mistakenly) revved up for the Air (and heavily bashed on Engadget), doesn't mean we should do it again.

[nerdtalker @ Dec 26th 2008 10:44PM]

Couldn't the same be said about the "revolutionary" macbook air?

Or, much less, most of the more expensive netbooks?

[Tyler @ Dec 26th 2008 10:44PM]

Dell makes crap, even if this thing is small, it will be built like an american car...

[Boards of Canada @ Dec 26th 2008 11:26PM]

Actually Dell make excellent products. Vostro line is very reliable and Dell monitor are top quality. Look at how Apple 30" monitor is full of light spill at top and bottom while the Dell 30" is immaculate. Big difference for half the price.

Ive never buyed a Dell laptop... maybe in that field its less cool but I really trust Dell Desktop and Workstation.

Also most 3D and Special FX companies use Dell Precision workstation and Dell monitors (the 8bits one... ultrasharp). Those companies are use to tight deadlines and crazy schedules... they choose what is best quality/price.

[MioTheGreat @ Dec 27th 2008 12:32AM]

I've never had an issue with Poweredge and Vostro stuff.

[STINK @ Dec 27th 2008 3:52AM]

Dell's hardware is like Sony's: the low end stuff is unquestionably crap. And if you've ever dealt with Dell's customer 'service', you'd know that it's not worth the headache to save a few bucks.

I was actually thinking of Alienware for my next laptop until I discovered Dell bought 'em. No no no no. No.

[gonintendo @ Dec 27th 2008 11:12AM]

Well, my old d610 is still going strong.

[Papytendo @ Dec 26th 2008 11:05PM]

That's odd. There is no highly ranked comment on this page.

*Insert funny comment that relates to story and/or commenter above*

[Boards of Canada @ Dec 26th 2008 11:29PM]

I just wish there will be a way to downgrade all option to get a nice slim cheap laptop. I dont care it had a celeron if the screen have good resolution, the weight is light and the price is right.

[Robert @ Dec 26th 2008 11:58PM]

Netbook/Dell Mini 9?

[Boards of Canada @ Dec 27th 2008 2:34AM]

this new lightbook will have better resolution than a mini 9...

On another note, the mini 9 is 500$ here in japan... (xp+16gb)... I wish we had that 300$ deal.

[Brian @ Dec 27th 2008 12:03AM]

Oh, I think I just got it.

He said 747 because he thinks that everybody who can *afford* this laptop must be super rich.

Ha Ha, darren.

Ha Ha.

[A S @ Jan 8th 2009 7:15PM]

Who needs to be super rich when you can qualify for no interest financing for 18 months, like I did for my XPS 410 a year and a half ago LOL.

[George @ Best Laptops @ Dec 27th 2008 9:39AM]

Don't really care much about Dell, last one I used in my old company. Maybe they are better now but for desktops I prefer to assemble myself.

[Kevin @ Dec 27th 2008 2:41PM]

Better than the macbook air already.... Other than that it doesn't run osx..... yet. :) It would be awesome to quad-boot into xp, vista, linux, and osx.