Dell launches Design Studio for Inspiron 15, new FastTrack delivery service

Hey, you in the market for a cheap laptop with some crazy custom artwork glued to the lid? Dell's got you covered -- the Inspiron 15 has just been brought into the Design Studio fold, meaning you'll be able to select graphics from a wide variety of artists when you spec out your system. Most artwork seems to be priced around $60, but we're told that could vary -- considering the base Inspy 15 is just $499, we're assuming / hoping the ceiling won't be much higher. Dell's also launching a new FastTrack next-day delivery service for pre-configured machines -- the company claims it's constantly tracking orders and will be able to keep the most popular models on hand. Of course, that's sort of the opposite of the whole "totally custom laptop" thing Dell's pushing with Design Studio, but hey, sometimes you need a bog-standard PC, and you need it now.

[Anthony @ Jul 9th 2009 1:53PM]

They've had the design studio for a while I thought...

[EI8HT @ Jul 9th 2009 4:18PM]

are the people who design these blind?

[jalbanese0 @ Jul 9th 2009 4:41PM]

DELL IS TRASH. HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THERE GARBAGE LAPTOP AND THEN THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE A FRIED SCREEN (3RD ONE) THE DAY AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT.

SAVE YOUR MONEY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GiordanosFriend @ Jul 10th 2009 9:10AM]

It seems like dell is having all sorts of problems with there studio 15 still. Look at this one

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/p/19273959/19515814.aspx

I guess a bit of colour wont help you shutdown you notebook, will it.

[KGB @ Jul 9th 2009 1:56PM]

That is UGLY!

[Shmunt @ Jul 9th 2009 1:56PM]

Why don't they let you put your own art on?

[Tribal Chief @ Jul 29th 2009 9:30PM]

Yep, that's what I say. They should offer 100% personalization with art / designs. There are costs involved in on-ramping artists, accepting product returns, manufacturing assembly line costs, etc. But, once they have 200 designs - they have already figured out the returns and mfg costs.

So, now the question is On-ramping a vast array of artists. Companies such as Skinit offer Dell Skins on Demand (www.skinit.com/skins/art/) in partnership with Social Art Communities such as www.Voottoo.com where a bunch of cool artists contribute to product personalization. Dell may be able to partner with Voottoo to offer hundreds or thousands of designs and let the consumer choose.

[lawyer bird @ Jul 9th 2009 1:57PM]

Why don't they focus on just making their lappies better-looking? you know, industrial design vs design studio?

[Look_Around_You @ Jul 9th 2009 2:07PM]

Well they are. Some people really like this type of stuff, and it's cheaper than risking $$$ on industrial design that may not take.

I suppose you can think of these as laptop meets Trapper Keeper

[Gabe @ Jul 9th 2009 1:59PM]

Now all that it needs is incentive to buy.

Oh and just a little off-topic here: when is Engadget going to adopt Gizmodo's new comment system? The current one here blows :(

[Fais @ Jul 9th 2009 2:08PM]

GIzmodo blows.

[Nomi @ Jul 9th 2009 2:07PM]

Jeez ppl its a 500 dollar laptop...cut it some slack.

[Leindurstit @ Jul 9th 2009 2:14PM]

Do people actually buy this crap? I can't see myself ever buying something that looks like it should be sprayed on a wall of an inner city basketball court (nets missing from the rims, of course.)

Two choices for me: black carbon fiber on a ThinkPad, or unpainted aluminum on a MacBook Pro.

[Templarian @ Jul 9th 2009 2:19PM]

If you look through them you will notice some of the designs are actually really nice. The person that took the screenshot must just love bright colours.

Carbon fiber tops all though.

[Einhanderkiller @ Jul 9th 2009 5:15PM]

I really, really like some of the floral designs. Makes me want a Dell laptop.

[GoNzO @ Jul 9th 2009 3:21PM]

Now all it needs to be beatiful is...ANOTHER DESIGN

[Dave @ Jul 9th 2009 2:43PM]

The price for these graphics alone are a tad nuts. Probably get more buyers if they grouped em, heavily discounted, with a hardware upgrade like memory.

[Nitesh @ Jul 9th 2009 2:48PM]

Nice, now if only it was for more than the Inspiron.

[mlo4764 @ Jul 9th 2009 3:13PM]

it has been available for their studio line for awhile now. Not my style but some of the designs actually look pretty good in person. I just ordered an studio xps 16, it will be my first dell in 7 or 8 years. Good to see Dell coming out with interesting options out there once again.

[towardtheblue @ Jul 9th 2009 4:50PM]

Exactly what I thought - an expensive Trapper Keeper!

[CJ @ Jul 9th 2009 10:55PM]

Yet another narky post from our favourite lawyer.

[chaos_rex @ Jul 10th 2009 6:05PM]

I bought a Dell 3 months ago. For a month and a half I've had to wait while they fix it. I will not buy a Dell again until they decide to start caring about their customers.

[10minutehobo @ Jul 10th 2009 7:31AM]

The artist has the perfect handle.

[common sense @ Jul 10th 2009 9:48AM]

Dell...it's time for drug tests in Round Rock...looks like your designers need to lay off of the acid.