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Adamo posts

Unused Adamo XPS prototypes reveal touchscreen trackpads, key-less keyboard

by Donald Melanson posted Nov 6th 2009 at 3:01PM

Dell certainly managed to cram plenty of inventive, even far-fetched touches into its Adamo XPS laptop, but it looks like it went even further out on a limb during the prototype stage, as PC World was able to discover during a brief hands-on time with a few cast off concepts. As you might expect, one of the ideas Dell toyed around with was a full-fledged touchscreen trackpad, which was apparently rejected because Dell couldn't justify the cost of the panel based how much people would actually use it. Another, possibly even more ambitious concept is one that would have completely replaced the traditional keyboard with a series of capacitive-touch buttons (pictured after the break), which would have allowed for a true zero-profile design, albeit at some potential expense to usability. Hit up the link below for a look at a few more prototypes.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading Unused Adamo XPS prototypes reveal touchscreen trackpads, key-less keyboard

Dell Adamo XPS coming 'in time for the holidays' for $1799 (unboxing and hands-on video!)

by Ross Miller posted Nov 5th 2009 at 12:01PM

Dell's finally run its finger along the edge and unhinged the last bit of details for its enigmatic, 0.4-inch-thin Adamo XPS. As it turns out those leaked specs weren't entirely off. We're looking at a LED-backlit 13.4-inch, 720p widescreen display, 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo ultra-low voltage processor, GS45 integrated graphics, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 128GB thin-micro SSD, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. In terms of connectivity, there's 802.11a/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, location awareness, DisplayPort, two USB 2.0 ports (one on each side). The 20WHr Li-Ion battery can last up to 2 hours and 36 minutes, or you can get the optional 40WHr version instead for 5 hours and 17 minutes of claimed, lab-tested use. Other packaged goods include dongles for ethernet and VGA / HDMI, and for an added fee you can nab a DVD+/-RW drive, a Blu-ray drive, or an external hard drive measured at 250GB or 500GB in capacity.

At $1,799, the price isn't as bad as originally thought, but it's still far from great if performance takes any precedence for you over style. Earlier this week, we got to spend some time with the ultra-thin chez Dell's PR firm -- not enough to really get a feel for how it performs, but enough to admire the hardware and enjoy unboxing what we're told is the final retail packaging. We saw an expected launch date listed for this month, but a rep was quick to note the current line is officially "in time for the holidays" -- just in case the company misses Black Friday, of course. Read on for some more impressions and video unboxing / hands-on!

Gallery: Dell Adamo XPS unboxing

Gallery: Dell Adamo XPS hands-on

Continue reading Dell Adamo XPS coming 'in time for the holidays' for $1799 (unboxing and hands-on video!)

Dell Adamo XPS specs leak out: ULV processors, integrated graphics

by Nilay Patel posted Oct 23rd 2009 at 1:20PM

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]

Dell's Adamo 'crazyhinge' XPS demonstrated on video

by Paul Miller posted Oct 23rd 2009 at 9:30AM

So, Dell finally revealed just exactly what was going on with its ultrathin Adamo XPS -- to an extent, anyway -- but there's always room for a little more detail, and that's where the folks at Zive Computer come in. This lovingly filmed video of theirs shows off all the physical intricacies of the XPS, the hinge in action from multiple angles, and even a bit of pretend typing on that odd-looking keyboard. Sure, we're still in the dark on plenty of specs, but we've already gathered enough on this thing to make it clear it's unlike anything else on the market. Hit up the read link for the video.

Dell Adamo XPS opens up for Windows 7 festivities, but still not for sale

by Ross Miller posted Oct 22nd 2009 at 2:49PM

So much for Business Week's "confirmed" October 22nd launch date from over the weekend, eh? We just spoke with Dell's PR who told us that the company has yet to confirm a launch date for its slender Adamo XPS, and still won't, except to say that it's not reaching the unwashed masses at any point today. That doesn't mean today was all bad for the vigilant in waiting, as we finally got our first public showing of the front of the laptop, proving once and for all that the most recent press photo isn't crooked. So there you have it, a chiclet keyboard and touchpad that likes to curl up close with the screen -- mystery's over, folks, now we play the waiting game.

Update: Laptop Mag notes a removable battery and what's likely to be an Intel ULV processor -- it's definitely not Atom.

Dell Adamo Desire gets 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo SL9600, 256GB SSD

by Darren Murph posted Oct 19th 2009 at 4:19PM

Well, would you look at that? With Dell's 0.39-inch thick Adamo XPS just days from hitting virtual store shelves, the high-end Adamo Desire is undergoing a minor face lift... on the inside. Back in July, the Desire editions (available in Pearl and Onyx hues) stooped to $2,299 and shipped with a 1.4GHz CPU and a 128GB SSD. Today, those same machines are available with a 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo SL9600 processor, 256GB SSD, 4GB of DDR3 RAM and Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit). The best part? The MSRP has remained the same. Huzzah!

[Thanks, Billy]

Dell's $2,000 Adamo XPS launching October 22 with heat-sensing open latch

by Darren Murph posted Oct 17th 2009 at 11:57PM

Dell has been teasing its ultrathin Adamo XPS for weeks now, but all that goofing off will come to a solemn end next Thursday. On the same day that we sit down with Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer (and a little OS by the name of Windows 7 hits store shelves), Dell will also fully reveal the planet's slimmest laptop. The 0.39-inch Adamo XPS will cost $2,000, and while the nitty-gritty details are still under wraps, a new Business Week article notes that it'll boast a "heat-sensing strip on the lip that, when swiped with a finger, glows white and automatically opens the aluminum lid." The glamorous machine is part of a larger effort within the Round Rock powerhouse to revitalize itself and get people talking once again, and while this particular slab will obviously not be a high volume product, it could very well get a few more eyes pointed in its direction. Call us crazy, but we're guessing next week is going to be a wee bit zany.

[Via Pasta Tech]

New Adamo XPS image takes a stand

by Ross Miller posted Oct 12th 2009 at 6:27PM

Remember that wild hinge we saw on the Adamo XPS at Dell's characteristically all-too-brief showing last week? The company's gone ahead with yet another side pic, this time showing how the hinge pops out. Of course, showing what is actually on both panels would be too much for the company, so we're left only to guess. A display? A keyboard? Some kind of holographic projector? A hot key for making lolcat pictures? Listen Dell, we get it, you like the slow trickle of teasers, but can we just see the whole body now and move on the part where we wait for scraps of info on the specs?

Gallery: New Dell Adamo XPS image takes a stand

Engadget Podcast 166 - 10.09.2009

by Trent Wolbe posted Oct 9th 2009 at 2:11PM

With the crazy week of news we've had, never has the ever-insightful, industry-encompassing commentary of the Engadget Podcast been so necessary, so vital, so... vigorous. Sure, you could try to make your way through the launch of Windows Mobile 6.5 and an onslaught of Android news all by yourself, but then you'd just be alone and sad. And who would be there to comfort and hold you and tell you how terribly overpriced the VAIO X is and how little Dell revealed about its new Adamo this week? Nobody, that's who. Don't be another statistic, slip on some relatively comfortable earbuds and come on over to the Podcast side.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: Cyberdelic - Such Great Heights

Hear the podcast

00:02:30 - HTC HD2 hands-on and impressions... on video!
00:03:02 - Entelligence: The HTC HD2 and the future of Windows Mobile
00:05:00 - HTC HD2 to arrive Stateside in early 2010 -- huzzah!
00:08:00 - Windows Mobile 6.5 review
00:15:00 - Robbie Bach sits down for a roundtable discussion, Engadget is there
00:31:40 - Windows Mobile 6.5: a family portrait
00:40:00 - Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 update guide: no, no, maybe
00:43:05 - Verizon plans to support Google Voice, will launch two 'game-changing' Android devices in coming weeks
00:45:08 - Second Verizon Android phone to be an HTC, Motorola Sholes makes an appearance
00:45:35 - Verizon Motorola Sholes not running MOTOBLUR?
00:47:00 - Motorola Sholes to launch by holidays, along with the BlackBerry Storm 2 and Nokia Booklet 3G
00:49:31 - Samsung Behold II marries Android, TouchWiz for T-Mobile
00:50:30 - Samsung Behold II caught behind glass
00:52:05 - Samsung Moment for Sprint first hands-on!
00:55:00 - Samsung Moment slider coming to Sprint, packing Android (update: official, $179)
00:59:29 - AT&T now allowing iPhone VoIP calls over 3G
00:59:35 - VAIO X spotted in champagne, propped up by extended battery, ripped apart
01:00:00 - Sony VAIO X announced, starts at $1,299
01:03:33 - HP Mini 311 reviewed with earnest, ION-enhanced affection
01:06:45 - Dell reveals new Adamo XPS, gives no details
01:19:50 - The next Engadget Show tapes live October 22nd -- with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer!

Subscribe to the podcast

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Contact the podcast

1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.

Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget

Douglas Little's Adamo series: the most expensive snake you've seen glued to a laptop all week

by Paul Miller posted Oct 7th 2009 at 3:20PM

While Dell's partnerships with MLB and OPI are content with merely printing new designs onto the laptop lid, creative director Douglas Little of D.L. & Co. took things a lot too far with this Swarovski Crystal-embedded sterling silver snake -- adorning an etched Adamo 13 lid. We can't decide if we're offended by the gaudy display, or incredibly impressed with how audacious it is, so we'll just leave our mouths hanging open and let you decide for yourself. What we do know is that it's part of a series of one-offs produced for Bergdorf Goodman retail in some capacity, and we're sure with a bit of recession-style haggling you should have no trouble squeezing one of these onto a second mortgage.

Gallery: Douglas Little's Adamo series: the most expensive snake you've seen glued to a laptop this week

Dell reveals new Adamo XPS, gives no details

by Nilay Patel posted Oct 7th 2009 at 11:05AM

We're currently live at a Dell event where that totally new-look Adamo XPS has just been briefly teased. In keeping with Dell's recent tradition, details are nonexistent at the moment, but we've snapped a couple pics -- if you look closely you can see a pretty wild hinge design. We'll update you ASAP, keep it locked!

Update: And... that was it. Seriously, you would think Dell would've maybe learned something from the original Adamo launch and maybe dished out some info, but as usual they just waved it around for a second and then talked about less-interesting things. Still, here's what we know -- it's super thin, and it obviously unfolds in a completely new way. We're digging for more, we'll let you know.

Continue reading Dell reveals new Adamo XPS, gives no details

Screen Grabs: Dell's Adamo keeps patient company on House

by Darren Murph posted Sep 30th 2009 at 5:15PM

Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com.

Heads-up, folks: fall TV is in full swing, and the newest season of House M.D. has already delivered on more than one front. Aside from convincing you that a hospital really is no place to spend the majority of your day, Hugh Laurie's money maker is also subtly whispering to you that a Dell Adamo would suit you just fine. The super sleek ultraportable managed to show its face on this week's episode, and for any of you out there who doubt a glossy screen's ability to double as a mirror, we'd say this primetime showing proves otherwise. Are matte panels not covered under Medicare, or what?

[Thanks, Steven]

Dell teases new ultrathin Adamo XPS

by Paul Miller posted Sep 9th 2009 at 3:05PM

We've seen some thin laptops in our day, but 9.99mm is pretty dang thin (thinner than an iPhone, in fact). There's no other info on this new Adamo, and Dell is calling it the "9.99mm Design Concept," which doesn't really help us know how far along it is. Let's just hope Dell didn't have to succumb to Atom to get the size down this far.

Dell Adamo gets $500 price drop, whole new lease on life

by Paul Miller posted Jul 21st 2009 at 4:05PM

After no small amount of external pressure, Dell has finally managed to do some major damage on the Adamo's number one drawback: the price. The starting mark for the 1.2GHz machine has been slashed from $1,999 to $1,499, while the high-end model with SSD and a 1.4GHz processor is down to $2,299. Still not in the same general galaxy as most consumer-aimed Dell products, but quite a lot closer to the realm of possibility.

[Via LogicBUY]

How would you change Dell's Adamo?

by Darren Murph posted May 15th 2009 at 11:53PM

Given the hideous MSRP affixed to the Adamo, we have all ideas that only a select few have chomped on what Dell's offering here. That said, we also reckon those with enough cash to buy in are quite the critical bunch, and we're interested to hear what y'all have to say. During our own testing, we were decidedly underwhelmed with the value proposition; in pretty much every meaningful way, it underperformed for the price. But hey, we can't knock the styling. Are you cool with the ho hum performance? Would you throw a different CPU in there? Lower the price? Add a little thickness in exchange for a few more frames per second? Tell all, won't you?