At this point we have no idea why Dell won't just up and launch the
Adamo XPS, but if they can't get it sorted we'll just piece it together ourselves -- and today we've got two different sources providing specs for the super-thin laptop with the
funktastic hinge. Inside that crazy 1.5-pound case lies some pretty standard internals: we're hearing there'll be 1.4 and 1.9GHz dual-core Intel ULV processors with integrated X4500MHD graphics and 4GB of DDR3 RAM, all under (well, behind) an LED-backlit 13.4-inch WXGA screen and either a 128 or 180GB SSD. That's good for a reported score of just 3.3 on the Windows 7 experience test -- pretty sad for a $2,000 machine. The two available batteries are said to be rated at either 20Wh for 2.5 hours of juice or 40Wh for four hours, and here's the crazy thing -- that touch sensitive case latch we've been hearing about? Yeah, it doesn't work without power, so you can't open the machine if your battery is dead. Nice. Now Dell, honestly, can we dispense with the run-around?
[Thanks, Anonymous]
posted October 23rd 2009 1:20PM
something to think about: this thing is thinner than many CELLPHONES.
@Quixotic - the Vaio X has a 2GHz atom Z550.
what a POS
Specifications are good to me...Integrated graphic is logic step, or you want mobility radeon 3670 512Mb in this thin body? :)
the HW is better than HW in Lenovo X301...but the design of this adamo still confuse me..
The other Adamo looks better. I'll refrain from any comparisons to a certain other better-looking thin computer…
...and by "other better looking" you also mean twice as thick and twice the weight, right?
Damn Quixotic, is Michael Dell your daddy or something? Quit being so frickin defensive. You know damn well if Apple released this you'd be crying FAIL!
When will these companies undersand (I'm looking at you Dell, Sony, and Nokia) that no market exists for a premium netbook. Those of us who are willing to pay $1,000-$2,000 care more about performance than asthetics, and those of us who don't care about performance aren't willing to spend more than $300-$400. So stop developing products that miss the mark on both ends and instead make great powerfull compact laptops for $1000-$2000 and and small light weight atom laptops for $300.
"no market exists for a premium netbook"
no shit sherlock. these are huge multinational corporations, i think they know that. they're not expecting to sell hardly any of these. it's a showpiece. they made it to show off how think of a laptop they could make, to make a statement and promote the dell brand. holy shit how do people not get this.
"When will these companies undersand (I'm looking at you Dell, Sony, and Nokia) that no market exists for a premium netbook. Those of us who are willing to pay $1,000-$2,000 care more about performance than asthetics, and those of us who don't care about performance aren't willing to spend more than $300-$400."
Roughly translated: I can't see outside of my own blinkered world and don't believe that anyone would appreciate something that I don't like.
What a boring world it would be if we did all live in yours.
WTF? How is it branded XPS with integrated graphics???....couldnt they have at least added a better IGP such as 9400m???
I can't imagine how awful this must be to use on your lap.
Also, do Apple have a deal with Dell to make the Air look cheap?
I was really looking forward to this........Its total FAIL:(
lol 2.5 hours
People people PEOPLE! I think what we are all forgetting here is.. how the fuck does that thing stand upright without falling backwards? Some sort of black magic I'd imagine.
antigravity, duh
that thing needs to eat a windows 7 bk burger! LOL
The original Adamo looked beautiful. This new Adamo looks down right hideous.
You do realize that it is Aluminum right? The picture is just plain horrible.
I don't mind the look at all, but how is that hinge going to work on my lap. Usually I have my laptop hanging off my lap just a bit since most of the weight is in the base so it's still stable. Yeah, I hear you about moving the laptop closer but I have wide shoulders and that's just not a comfortable typing position to move the laptop closer to me. From the picture, it looks like a lot of the weight is in the screen portion (battery + screen). I can imagine this very quickly falling off my lap if I use it like any other laptop. It's a laptop that requires a desk.
I would think that the heat would drastically shorten the lifespan of the display. But I am not an expert.
I am with you Quixotic.
The Adamo line has been touted by Dell to "show off their design capabilities". While I agree that the hinge and the touch sensitive latch are gimmicky, in reality every innovation has at one time been considered a gimmick. I would imagine they could care less if they sell these laptops to the majority of the buying public. This is clearly a niche item.
Those that compare it to a Netbook with an Atom are just plain ridiculous.
Who gives a damn if you can't open the computer (which is not necessarily even true) if the power is off?
Disclaimer: I just received my 3rd Mac laptop in the mail from Amazon one week ago from today. MBP 13". I have no reason to defend Dell, I have been using Mac laptops at home for the past 5 years.
i also don't get the people who are full of indignation at integrated graphics and high price. this thing under half an inch thick and 1.5 lbs, what were people expecting? and p.s. - dell doesn't really expect you to buy this. it's not supposed to be a value. it's a showpiece.
And how are we supposed to use it as "lap"top? I don't see a way to use it (with comfort) on any surface other than a table. Did anyone try it out at the airport or on a bed? and how did it feel?
For $2K should of had the world's first OLED diplay in a portable computer. Without that, worthless.
This looks kinda fugly to me...
so sayth a Mac user no doubt.
Wow, that pic makes it look like an ugly radio shack toy from the 1980s.
dat laptop gotta big ol' a double scribble
Other than being thinner....though obviously less comfortable to use and odd looking. Why would I buy this over a MacBook Air or Lenovo x301??
Inside that crazy 1.5-pound case lies some pretty standard internals: we're hearing there'll be 1.4 and 1.9GHz dual-core Intel ULV processors with integrated X4500MHD graphics and 4GB of DDR3 RAM, all under (well, behind) an LED-backlit 13.4-inch WXGA screen and either a 128 or 180GB SSD. That's good for a reported score of just 3.3 on the Windows 7 experience test -- pretty sad for a $2,000 machine. The two available batteries are said to be rated at either 20Wh for 2.5 hours of juice or 40Wh for four hours
The MacBook Air has a 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor unfortunately only has 2GB of RAM much better Nvidia 9400M Graphics, LED backlit 13.3" screen and 128GB SSD for $1799 with 5 hours battery life for less money and much, much better looks.
The Lenovo is available with 1.4 or 1.6Ghz and up to 4GB or DDR3 RAM, LED backlit 13.3" and up to 128GB SSD not to mention its available with a DVD burner and they rate it at 10-12 hours depending on the battery.
I think the reasons would be that it is also lighter and it looks good. I can understand the weight argument but the hinge design is where form overtook function to the point where the device became impractical.
To all those who think otherwise, no I don't work for Dell. Do I happen to own a Dell? Yes. That singular fact does not diminish the engineering prowess required to build the Adamo XPS. I'm impressed by the fact that the company famous for cheap, gray plastic boxes has just created the world's thinnest notebook computer EVER. It's a showpiece, specs are secondary. I'm just amazed at how many people simply don't get this.
Now, would I ever buy this thing? Not in a million years. I would take the original Adamo over this in a heartbeat.
And if Apple had been the one to put this out I would still defend the genius of the accomplishment (though I would cry fail on the smug attitude Apple would invariably launch it with)
The problem here is that this thing is, apparently, going to be "put out" and it should not be. I am in total agreement that the computer is a wonderful demonstration of how far Dell has come over recent years but this should be nothing more than a concept model. At least until they produce a version with a flat base to rest on your lap.
"so you can't open the machine if your battery is dead. Nice. Now Dell, honestly, can we dispense with the run-around?"
OK you lost me. If you have no power (Read, battery is dead) Why would you want to open the computer? What you think staring at the screen will power it back on by force of will? Your logic fails you Engadget, yet again.
I love how people are commenting on the angle of the keyboard. I guess you guys have never used an ergonomic keyboard before eh? No one has even touched one of these devices and immediately its nothing but....eww ugly. Well that keyboard. Wow it will flex too much. Man that thing will break.
Right and of course the people who designed this thing threw it together in 3 months and didn't take any of that into consideration. Nope. Not at all.
the ONLY downside is the same as the air and that is price. Something like this obviously had a lot of R&D involved in the overall design, development, and probably prototype testing. So yah I can understand the luxury price tag. However realistically something like this along with the air should cost no more then a grand. When you consider what you are going to be able to do on it. A grand is about the right price. Personally I can't wait for 5 years down the road. This is pretty much where the netbooks will be by then. I don't think your typical notebook will really fall much under 1" due to processors and components continuing their march to something better and faster. But netbooks? Yah. This would make a great 13" netbook for $500-$600. Someday.
PS- And yah I know the air does have a real GPU and 2Ghz processor. There would be NO way in hell I would ever use it. Not in this life. Apple always pushes its hardware way too damn close to its outer edge of its thermal envelope of what it can handle; assuming that the case will bear the brunt of the heat. A GPU + a 2ghz processor in that shell? Hell no. I could almost guarantee you that I would be taking the thing in for repairs within the first 6 months. (Like I did with my first MBP. Blasted thing kept overheating until I learned of smc fan control.) Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. Pretty sure Dell could have put something other then an Intel GPU in there, but they didn't want to turn it into an EZBake Oven.
video review http://video.mail.ru/corp/hitech/111/300.html
@deccangroove - told you the XPS would have integrated graphics, and now you're bashing it just like I did....funny that....
thought XPS always meant eXPenSive. hmmmm, would Apple/other Manufacturer have access to this ULV processors soon? I wonder what interesting products other manufacturers could whip up. (something by Apple, something you could touch, something more than an e-reader) I need to go and sleep. I'm day-dreaming again.
The readership of Engadget must be a bunch of cheap asses who carry 7lb plastic garbage machines around all over the place.
For one this machine totally trumps the Vaio X. It is lighter, thinner and WAY more powerful. The Windows "experience" score is something made for idiots to apparently gauge the "experience" that a machine can provide. But really anyway with an iota of technical knowledge knows better than to quote and rely on the windows "experience" score.
It was made to market more expensive machines to illiterates and retards off the street. Why else would it simply give your whole machine the lowest sub score? Only retards, surprisingly many of which read this site, would fall for that kind of crap. There is nothing wrong with integrated graphics at all in a business machine. Furthermore a 1.9GHz Core 2 Duo is no joke at all, and combined with a fast SSD will outperform your stupid 7lb crap plastic constructed garbage machine in everything except when the moron decides to play Crysis on an ultraportable.
This machine while being somewhat ugly, completely shows up Sony who could only put an Atom into a slightly thicker and heavier machine. This is an engineering statement without a doubt that others will need to work hard to aspire to.
However I clearly why Sony chose to put an Atom in the Vaio X. The sole reason has to be battery life. 2.5 hours or 4 hours won't cut it for business use and frankly makes the Vaio X the more practical machine, but you could carry extra batteries to get you through your day somewhat defeating the purpose of a 1.5lb machine.
Anyway this or the Vaio X would be great to carry around to make Powerpoint presentations to clients or in class and you could get any kind of work done on either. The Vaio X may have trouble with HD video but this Dell should have you more than covered for even that.
In closing, an ultraportable is not a gaming platform, understand that and stick with your cheap plastic fall apart machines that weigh as much of FIVE of these. Carbon fiber and magnesium alloy cost money, so does cutting edge design and manufacture.
The readership of Engadget must be a bunch of cheap asses who carry 7lb plastic garbage machines around all over the place.
For one this machine totally trumps the Vaio X. It is lighter, thinner and WAY more powerful. The Windows "experience" score is something made for idiots to apparently gauge the "experience" that a machine can provide. But really anyway with an iota of technical knowledge knows better than to quote and rely on the windows "experience" score.
It was made to market more expensive machines to illiterates and idiots off the street. Why else would it simply give your whole machine the lowest sub score? Only idiots, surprisingly many of which read this site, would fall for that kind of crap. There is nothing wrong with integrated graphics at all in a business machine. Furthermore a 1.9GHz Core 2 Duo is no joke at all, and combined with a fast SSD will outperform your stupid 7lb crap plastic constructed garbage machine in everything except when the moron decides to play Crysis on an ultraportable.
This machine while being somewhat ugly, completely shows up Sony who could only put an Atom into a slightly thicker and heavier machine. This is an engineering statement without a doubt that others will need to work hard to aspire to.
However I clearly why Sony chose to put an Atom in the Vaio X. The sole reason has to be battery life. 2.5 hours or 4 hours won't cut it for business use and frankly makes the Vaio X the more practical machine, but you could carry extra batteries to get you through your day somewhat defeating the purpose of a 1.5lb machine.
Anyway this or the Vaio X would be great to carry around to make Powerpoint presentations to clients or in class and you could get any kind of work done on either. The Vaio X may have trouble with HD video but this Dell should have you more than covered for even that.
In closing, an ultraportable is not a gaming platform, understand that and stick with your cheap plastic fall apart machines that weigh as much of FIVE of these. Carbon fiber and magnesium alloy cost money, so does cutting edge design and manufacture.
I'm quite surprised that my original assumption on how the display opens to correct. Wow this looks scary.