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Dell outs new E series Latitude laptops, Optiplex AIO and desktops to entice the enterprise

Michael Gorman — Thu, 31 May 2012 06:00:00 EST

Round Rock just rolled out some new consumer machines this week, so it comes as no surprise that it's doling out some fresh computing goodies to the enterprise as well. First up is the new Dell Latitude E series laptops that come with a variety of ports for your connecting pleasure: one eSATA/USB combo, two USB 3.0 ports, a serial connector, 3.5mm headphone jack, plus HDMI and Gigabit ethernet. All those sockets come embedded in a chassis made of magnesium alloy that's been powder-coated on the bottom, giving it a lightweight, yet sturdy look and feel. In keeping with the tough-but-light theme, the top of these Latitudes are sheathed in aluminum, and the hinges are made of steel. Additionally, though it's a new machine, it's backwards compatible with many previous-gen Latitude docks and batteries

Gallery: Dell Latitude E6430s hands-on

Continue reading Dell outs new E series Latitude laptops, Optiplex AIO and desktops to entice the enterprise

Dell outs new E series Latitude laptops, Optiplex AIO and desktops to entice the enterprise originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Latitude 6430u: an Ultrabook tailored for suit-and-tie types

Joseph Volpe — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:25:00 EST

It's far from official, but from the looks of things, an update to Dell's Latitude line may be incoming. According to Dutch site Tweakers.net, the outfit's 14-inch refresh, bearing model number 6430u, will purportedly sport a 1366 x 768 display, dual-core i3, i5 or i7 Ivy Bridge processor and measure in at a slightly chunky 20.9mm thick. For the business-minded types that it's being aimed at, this enterprise-ready Ultrabook will also run Intel's vPro platform, giving IT departments worldwide easy access for data management and remote wipes, in addition to supporting a smartcard reader and an optional fingerprint scanner. As for its SSD innards, the unit should be available in configurations up to 256GB with a maximum of 8GB RAM allotted. Since this fella exists in a grey zone for now, there's no official pricing or release date to speak of, though rumors do point to a June bow. Check out the source below for a translated take on this pre-release kit.

Dell Latitude 6430u: an Ultrabook tailored for suit-and-tie types originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google quietly launches Latitude Leaderboards, threatens Foursquare under its breath

Terrence O'Brien — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST

Google didn't exactly offer much fanfare for this new feature -- as far as we can tell, it still hasn't been officially announced. With the latest update to the Maps app, Mountain View delivered an extra level of functionality to the all but forgotten Latitude. Now check check-ins earn you points which are tallied and used to rank Google+ users on a global leaderboard, just like on Foursquare. Not everyone is seeing the feature just yet, and it only appears to reveal itself after you check-in somewhere. In fact, we still haven't found a way to pull up the leaderboard without first registering our location. You can see the rather sparse help page at the more coverage link and sound off in the comments if you're seeing your name ranked alongside your favorite Engadget editors and Leo Laporte.

Google quietly launches Latitude Leaderboards, threatens Foursquare under its breath originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Maps for Android gets updated, improves battery life for Latitude, location history users

Edgar Alvarez — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:34:00 EST

Okay, this may not bring the most sweeping changes in the history of the Google Maps application, but who can say no to the promise of better battery life? The fresh update to the Android app, version 6.3 to be exact, brings along the customary bug fixes. And, for those of you using the Latitude and location history features, you should notice some improvements in the juice department -- because you need all the power you can get when stalking folks all over town. We know you're eager to get past VIP status and become the Guru at the local watering hole, so head on down to the source link and get the update to make it happen.

Google Maps for Android gets updated, improves battery life for Latitude, location history users originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Update to Google Maps improves battery life, public transit options and more

Zachary Lutz — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:22:00 EST

A new version of Google Maps has hit the Android Market today, which simultaneously brings fresher location tracking within Latitude and better battery life -- two welcome improvements that seem contrary to one another. There's also a couple goodies included for the transit-minded folks, as Navigation has been updated to better estimate location when GPS signal is lost, and the number of route options for public transit users has been increased from three to four. Sure, the changes are rather incremental, but who's honestly going to argue with greater battery life? Not us, that's for sure.

Update to Google Maps improves battery life, public transit options and more originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Latitude XT3 convertable tablet hits the FCC, sneaks in with Broadcom filing

Sean Buckley — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 04:21:00 EST

Well, look what we have here: the Dell Latitude XT3, fresh from the all-seeing eyes of the FCC. It wasn't under federal inspection on its own, mind you, but was merely tagging along with a Broadcom WLAN minicard that dropped in for certification. This notebook / tablet hybrid rocks a dual-core 2.5GHz Core i5-2520, 2GB of RAM, a sunlight-friendly 13-inch matte display, and of course, Broadcom's own 802.11g WLAN card. Pricing and availability? Still no word, but check out our hands-on for a peek at the hybrid-slate's multitouch capabilities.

Dell Latitude XT3 convertable tablet hits the FCC, sneaks in with Broadcom filing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 04:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Maps 5.5 for Android cops more Latitude, tweaks Places and transit pages

Brad Molen — Fri, 27 May 2011 16:39:00 EST

Last month we asked for a "funny pages" display in Google's next release of Maps that shows a thick dotted line depicting where we've traveled, but it appears the folks at El Goog had a different agenda in mind for version 5.5. This time around, we see a few redesigns as well as some streamlined Latitude features. First, check-ins and ratings have now been added to the Places page, giving you one extra point of access; you also now have the option of changing your home or work address within your Latitude Location History, in case you ever move or just like to roam from place to place. Last but not least, Google Maps 5.5 for Android also offers reorganized transit station pages that now list off upcoming departures, transit lines serving that particular station, and links to other stops nearby. Though not a substantial upgrade from previous versions, it's still impressive that Google pushed it out less than a month after 5.4. The new update is available as a free download in the Android Market.

Google Maps 5.5 for Android cops more Latitude, tweaks Places and transit pages originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Latitude, now with 100 percent more check-in deals

Jesse Hicks — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:05:00 EST

A couple of months back, Google brought check-ins to Latitude, its location-sharing service, through Google Maps 5.1 for Android. Naturally, iPhone users only recently received the same functionality, but some would argue they should be grateful to be included at all. (Kidding. Sort of.) Now, Latitude's inching closer to direct competition with Foursquare and Groupon by offering check-in deals at retailers like RadioShack, American Eagle, Quiznos, and Finish Line. Google is currently namechecking over a dozen nationwide partners, and that list will surely grow as the bandwagon approaches Mach 5. Curious as to how this all works? Check in at RadioShack, for example, and you might receive ten percent off an in-store purchase. Offers are tied to check-in frequency, building on Latitude's three-tiered status system; higher status means better deals. If you'd rather peek nearby offers before you decide to leave the house, head to Google's official check in page in the source link below.

Google Latitude, now with 100 percent more check-in deals originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google intros Maps 5.3 for Android, displays your life in pie charts

Zachary Lutz — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:07:00 EST

Just as Google Maps 5.2 was getting used to life on your Android phone, it will soon find version 5.3 moving in to take its place -- now enabling Google Latitude fans to visualize their social habits in scrutinizing statistical form. Those who enjoy digging through Google's services might recognize this feature, noting visual data have been available on the Latitude website for some time. Also, privacy advocates should take solace that Google's opt-in Location History must be enabled to partake in this fun, which may be deleted at any time -- if you've been somewhere you'd rather forget. Now that this technology is cemented, we'd love to see a 'funny pages' display in the next release, preferably with a thick dotted line depicting our travels across town (extra points for cartoon renderings). So, Google -- what's it going to be?

Google intros Maps 5.3 for Android, displays your life in pie charts originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google brings check-ins to Google Latitude on iPhone, 30 languages to Places

Darren Murph — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:16:00 EST

Unsurprisingly, El Goog gifted the Android versions of Latitude and Places with these updates a few weeks back, but now the iOS loyalists are being brought into a similar circle. The search giant has just added check-ins to the iOS version of Google Latitude, with any iDevice using iOS 4 or higher being deemed compatible. In related news, the Applefied build of Google Places is now available in 30 languages, and there's an added 'Saved Places' feature for keeping tabs on your favorite spots. You can check your phone for updates, or if you haven't dug in yet, have a poke around in the App Store.

Google brings check-ins to Google Latitude on iPhone, 30 languages to Places originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell ultra-slim laptop gets Cougar Point tease, Sandy Bridge Inspirons next week

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:31:00 EST

While the Adamo brand might be dead, Dell's quest for the ultimate ultra-slim laptop is anything but buried. The boys from Tejas just let us in on their plans to unveil a new "ultra-slim" consumer laptop in April guaranteed to "excite and delight" with its "beauty and brawn." Naturally, the new slimster will be riding the reintroduced Cougar Point chipset and Sandy Bridge processors from Intel, as will some new Dell Inspiron systems on deck for an announcement next week. Of course, Dell will also be shipping Cougar Point options for business customers soon, including Sandy Bridge Latitude laptops, Optiplex desktops, and laptops and desktops from its Precision lineup. But hey, we know most of you are only interested in the ultra-slim and its "innovative new form factor." Read the calculated tease from Dell after the break.

Continue reading Dell ultra-slim laptop gets Cougar Point tease, Sandy Bridge Inspirons next week

Dell ultra-slim laptop gets Cougar Point tease, Sandy Bridge Inspirons next week originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Maps routes itself to v5.2, gets hotpot tweets, Latitude 'pings' and better search results

Darren Murph — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:10:00 EST

We're still waiting for someone to one-up Google Maps Navigation, but until that fateful day shines down upon us, it looks as if we'll have to once again point our attention to El Goog. Google Maps has just been updated to version 5.2, with three main additions to focus on. For one, the new edition allows users to tweet their reviews of places and share recommendations with Hotpot friends. Next up, there's Latitude pinging, which enables you to send a quick message to a nearby Latitude friend rather than having to use a text or call; they'll receive an Android notification from you asking them to check in at a place, and when they check in using your request, you'll get a notification right back so you know which place to go to meet up with them. Finally, a new 'Search More Places' button has been added under the standard list of places to check in at, which ought to prove helpful in highly congested cities with multiple places stacked atop one another. Hit that Android Market link below to get your update going, and if you're fixing to use that new ping feature, you and your friends will need v5.2 (or higher, if you're reading this in the year 2043).

Google Maps routes itself to v5.2, gets hotpot tweets, Latitude 'pings' and better search results originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Rosemount tablet will have Intel's Oak Trail inside, stylus, removable battery and remote wipe

Sean Hollister — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 22:31:00 EST

Dell means business with its upcoming Windows 7 slate, if the whispers we're hearing are true -- we have it on good authority that the recently-leaked Rosemount will be a Latitude. An inside source says that the 10-inch tablet will not only sport Dell's storied business brand but will be geared towards enterprise through and through, with features like serviceable components (including a removable battery), software encryption and the ability to perform a remote wipe, and that it'll have a dual-digitizer to support both touch input and a stylus for fine details. We don't know about performance or battery life quite yet, but the slate will reportedly use an Atom chip, specifically Intel's Oak Trail, so we'll let you imagine the possibilities.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Dell Rosemount tablet will have Intel's Oak Trail inside, stylus, removable battery and remote wipe originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 22:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Latitude E6220 hands-on

Myriam Joire — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 23:10:00 EST

Sure, the Dell Means Business event this morning was a bit of a snore, but amidst all the talk of backlit keyboards (egads!), four-times faster hard drive encryption, and cookware-inspired design, we spotted a rather attractive (perhaps even enticing) enterprise system -- the Dell Latitude E6220 laptop. According to Dell, this 12-inch thin-and-light is targeting "field workers" like us, so we wasted no time getting some hands-on time with it alongside our trusty 11-inch MacBook Air. Check out the gallery below, and read on for our first impressions.

Gallery: Dell Latitude E6220 hands-on

Continue reading Dell Latitude E6220 hands-on

Dell Latitude E6220 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 23:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet, hands-on (video)

Sean Hollister — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 22:39:00 EST

Dell unveiled a mighty business laptop lineup this morning, but only a few stood out -- like this Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet PC with a ~~quad~~ dual-core Intel Sandy Bridge processor inside. Yes, it seems Dell's decided to forgo the incredible battery life of its predecessor for potent performance instead, with this particular unit packing a 2.5GHz Core i5-2520M CPU and 2GB of RAM underneath that swiveling 13-inch display. While the prototype XT3's screen seemed a little washed-out and viewing angles left something to be desired, we have to admire its matte dual-digitizer display, which takes multitouch input from at least three fingers simultaneously and also recognizes a pop-out stylus pen (the former responsive enough to navigate Windows 7 by touch alone, and the latter beyond our can't-draw-a-straight-stick-figure ability to easily test). That sunlight-readable screen isn't just for traveling artists, though, as Dell was quick to inform us that the XT3 is the company's attempt to make a convertible tablet that corporate IT will accept as one of its own, thanks to the same magnesium frame and universal docking port as the rest of the new Latitude lineup. We can't lie: we'd be pretty excited about the potential for awesome here, if we had any notion of release dates or price. Find some pictures below, and mosey past the break for a hands-on video.

Gallery: Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet, hands-on

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Continue reading Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet, hands-on (video)

Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet, hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 22:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell expands business lineup with new Latitudes, OptiPlex desktops, and Precision workstations (update: eyes-on)

Ross Miller — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:05:00 EST

Lest we forget, Dell is a major enterprise player, and today's truckload of new hardware announcements should further solidify that notion in your brain matter. There are 24 new "business computing solutions" in all, but to paint a broader picture... lots of laptops and desktops. On the mobile front, the Latitude E5000 series (E5420 and E5520 for the budget-conscious professional, start at $859) and "business rugged" E6000 series (E6220, E6320, E6420, and E6520 ATG) boast the Intel's 2nd generation Core ships, backlit keyboard, and "Latitude commonality" across 26 models. There's also talk of the 12.1-inch Latitude XT3 convertible tablet, but details are sparse beyond that. Mobility not a concern? New OptiPlex desktops (990, 790, and 390; starts at $650) have the Intel vPro processor and small footprints. The Precision T1600 workstation, which has 2nd-generation Intel Core / Xeon processors and AMD / NVIDIA graphics, starts at $840. Interests piqued? We know we're glossing over a lot of the more business-y details, so if you're inclined to find out more, press release after the break.

Update: We got our eyes on those mean business machines at a San Francisco event, and found that the Precision workstation replacement laptops pull a neat trick -- they've got dual-digitizer multitouch screens for both pen and finger input. That should help to make up for the fact that they look (and weigh) like bricks. See all the exposed ports in our gallery below!

Gallery: Dell Latitude E-Series and Precision workstations, eyes-on

Gallery: Dell Latitude, Precision and Optiplex lineup for 2011

Continue reading Dell expands business lineup with new Latitudes, OptiPlex desktops, and Precision workstations (update: eyes-on)

Dell expands business lineup with new Latitudes, OptiPlex desktops, and Precision workstations (update: eyes-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Latitude joins check-in game with Maps 5.1 for Android

Ross Miller — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:11:00 EST

We're honestly surprised it took this long, but Google is finally employing a social hook that so many of its peers (Foursquare, Facebook, Yelp, and so on) have long embraced: the location-based check-in. Coming to Google Latitude with today's Maps 5.1 for Android, the company hopes to set itself apart from the competition with features like check-in notifications (disabled by default), automatic check-ins for your most frequent establishments (case-by-case activation), and "check out" that detects when you leave a location.

So what's the incentive to use the service? Not much at this point -- no badges, no sharing through third-party services like Twitter (Latitude-only at the moment), no support for simultaneous check-in with other services, no special vendor discounts (Google told us there's nothing to announce yet), and no ability to create a venue like your apartment (Places only). What it does right is a tiered system of special statuses based on check-in frequency -- you can become a regular, VIP, or Guru (Google says it's not definite yet on how many check-ins each status bump will require). iOS Latitude users will be able to see where their Android friends check in, but at this point the option to pimp your specific location is for Google's platform only. If you're a fan of Latitude already, this is probably a no-brainer, but for everyone else, don't expect mayoral coffee discounts just yet.

Gallery: Google Latitude joins check-in game with Maps 5.1 for Android

Google Latitude joins check-in game with Maps 5.1 for Android originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Find my Friends' MobileMe feature revealed in iOS 4.3 developer build

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 03:52:00 EST

Looks like Apple will be adding a new "Find My Friends" feature to its MobileMe service in the not too distant future. The settings pictured above were unearthed in the latest iOS 4.3 developer build that's already yielding a healthy list of new devices and functionality including in-app AirPlay video support, a carrier-dependent personal WiFi hotspot, the return of the physical orientation lock switch, and a host of new multitouch gestures. Presumably Find My Friends will offer functionality akin to the free Google Latitude app doing little to justify Apple's $99 MobileMe annual cost.

Update: Remember Apple's iGroups location-based social networking patent application? We just did.

'Find my Friends' MobileMe feature revealed in iOS 4.3 developer build originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 03:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Latitude lands in iTunes App Store, for good this time

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 06:49:00 EST

After making a false start last week, the official Latitude app from Google seems to have stuck its landing in the iTunes App Store. Surprisingly for an initial release, Latitude is already showing a 2.0.0.346 version number demonstrating, perhaps, just how long this one's been waiting for Phil Schiller's sanction. Whatever the case, there's never been a better opportunity for iOS 4 users to track down their very own Ana Leftin.

Google Latitude lands in iTunes App Store, for good this time originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 06:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Latitude makes brief appearance in App Store, gets yanked post-haste

Darren Murph — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:48:00 EST

Ah, the games that grown-ups play. It's a situation that's beginning to feel an awful lot like the Google Voice fiasco that made the rounds in mid-2009, but if it ends in a similar fashion, you won't find us kvetching about the teases. As the story goes, a bona fine Google Latitude app made its appearance in Japan's App Store hours ago, only to be yanked before it could sashay over to any other nation. TechCrunch reckons that it was El Goog doing the pulling -- it's quite possible that the folks in Mountain View weren't quite ready to publicly reveal it, and with all that Chrome action going down yesterday, it's not hard to imagine how an impending launch was overlooked. At any rate, the description of the app as well as most of the screenshots were in English, so we're cautiously optimistic that it'll resurface in the near future once a few Is are dotted and Ts crossed. With iOS 4 supporting background location, there's hardly a reason to wait any longer, right?

Google Latitude makes brief appearance in App Store, gets yanked post-haste originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geocron lets Latitude automate your life, or at least your wife

Tim Stevens — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:01:00 EST

Our pockets and camera bags are stuffed with locationally aware devices, yet for some reason we find ourselves still having to do stuff manually when we get somewhere. Shouldn't our thermostat click on the AC when we head home? Shouldn't our house lock itself when we embark on our morning commute? Shouldn't our car come and rescue us, even if it entails turbo boosting through a brick wall? We tend to think so, and Sunlight Foundation's geocron is a simple way to start that kind of automation. Born out of a desire for one of the app's developers to avoid having to manually send his wife a text to pick him up at the train station, geocron tracks your location in Google Latitude and automatically e-mails, text messages, or pings a web page when you reach a certain location. You can set up windows of time for each activity and, while using this service does have the somewhat disconcerting requirement of perpetual access to your current location, the source code is available so you can run your own, private instance. Or, you could just give your wife a call -- regular conversation is generally considered an important part of a healthy relationship.

Geocron lets Latitude automate your life, or at least your wife originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Maps on Android updated, adds full public transit schedules

Tim Stevens — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:13:00 EST

You always knew that Google Maps had 'em -- schedule a trip on public transit and the app would tell you exactly when the next few trains or buses would arrive (or, at least, were supposed to arrive). But, getting to the full schedules yourself was never possible. Now it is, with Google Maps getting an update to allow you to tap on bus or train stations and retrieve a listing of which lines will pass through and when, making it a little easier to identify a proper last call that won't see you springing for an expensive taxi ride. Beyond that, Google has re-organized the information about restaurants and other businesses, and will also suggest friends who are sharing their whereabouts on Latitude. That last bit is helpful if their last call was a little later than yours and they're now too inebriated to tell you where to find them.

Google Maps on Android updated, adds full public transit schedules originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell refreshes Latitude E series with latest Intel chips

Paul Miller — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:01:00 EST

Targeted at the enterprise, there's plenty of stuff in the Latitude E series (which has been floating around here and overseas, but is finally official) that Joe Consumer couldn't care less about, like "Distributed Device Management" and "Client Configuration Toolkit" to handle massive rollouts of identical computing environments across a company. Still, there's plenty of Latitude left over for those of us with simpler, lower volume tastes. The new E6410 (14.1-inch, pictured) and E6510 (15.6-inch) start at $1,129 and $1,164, respectively, with a rugged version of the 14.1-incher, the E6410 ATG rounding out the crew. All the laptops offer Core i5 and Core i7 processors and DDR3 RAM, with options for discrete NVIDIA NVS 3100M 512MB (non-switchable) graphics and the Latitude ON instaboot auxiliary system. Of course, outside of those basics you can go wild with the configuration options Dell is so well known for. 4-cell batteries come standard on the 1-inch thick systems, but you can ramp up to a 9-cell, or even add on a 12-cell battery slice, and Dell promises roughly an hour per cell with the integrated graphics. The ATG model can be configured exactly like the E6410 outside of a lack of discrete graphics, but adds in MIL spec STD 810G for shock, vibration, temperature, humidity and altitude resistance. Check out a family press release after the break.

Gallery: Dell Latitude E press shots

Continue reading Dell refreshes Latitude E series with latest Intel chips

Dell refreshes Latitude E series with latest Intel chips originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Latitude E6410 / E6510 finally make it to US

Ross Miller — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 03:46:00 EST

Remember that pair of Core i5 / i7-packing Dell Latitudes that popped up in the UK this week? Well, they've made it across the pond, processors and all. Only one purchase choice at this point for the 15.6-inch E6510 -- a Core i7-720QM and a $1,681 base price -- but the 14.1-inch E6410 gives you a little more variety and a $1,014 starting tag. It's not like you were going to spend that money on ThinkGeek's or Blizzard's fake wares, anyway.

[Thanks, Douglas]

Dell Latitude E6410 / E6510 finally make it to US originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Apr 2010 03:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screen Grabs: Nate Archibald dials up Google Latitude to locate poor Jenny

Darren Murph — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:13:00 EST

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.

Oh, Jenny Humphrey -- will you ever learn? It's not at all smart to sneak out at night wearing a seductive outfit, only to find your way into a club, get drugged and open yourself up to all sorts of regrettable mischief. Thankfully, Gossip Girl's own Nathaniel Fitzwilliam Archibald is an experienced Droid owner, and he's also in the business of saving damsels in distress. Having Google Latitude just a click away sure is convenient, but having this particular gal's phone number just a Tommy Tutone jam away doesn't hurt, either. Makeshift vid of the rescue is just past the break.

Continue reading Screen Grabs: Nate Archibald dials up Google Latitude to locate poor Jenny

Screen Grabs: Nate Archibald dials up Google Latitude to locate poor Jenny originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Latitude E6410 and E6510 emerge overseas, Core i5 / i7 and all

Darren Murph — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 08:43:00 EST

We spotted this suit-and-tie wearing pair sneaking through the FCC's lairs a few weeks ago, and now we know the whens and wheres of buying one... in the UK, anyway. The Dell Latitude E6410 is currently listed with a base price of £749 ($1,128) and features a 14.1-inch display (WXGA and WXGA+ options), a Core i5 or Core i7 processor, Windows Vista or 7, a pair of DDR3 RAM slots, NVIDIA's NVS 3100M (512MB) graphics, a variety of storage options, a Blu-ray or DVD drive, optional mobile broadband and all the expected ports around the edges. The E6510 steps up to a 15.6-inch panel (with a 1080p version selectable) and offers up a few extra CPU options, but otherwise it's identical. There's no word on when these kind fellows will make their way stateside, but if we were the betting type, we'd put our pounds and / or greenbacks on "real soon."

Continue reading Dell Latitude E6410 and E6510 emerge overseas, Core i5 / i7 and all

Dell Latitude E6410 and E6510 emerge overseas, Core i5 / i7 and all originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 08:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell 'Lafite' enters the FCC, emerges as the Latitude E4310

Vlad Savov — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:01:00 EST

Good old Dell and its FCC submissions. After the E6410 and E6510 were revealed at the start of this month, the Round Rock vendor is back with the flamboyantly named Lafite laptop, which will make its retail presence known under the more familiar moniker of Latitude E4310. Once again, we're talking about computers firmly focused on business use, as evidenced by the integrated RFID chip. The Commission disclosure also informs us of UWB, WLAN and WWAN connectivity options, though it leaves us to guess at the rest of the specs. Space for Intel (Arrandale chips, most likely) and Microsoft labels is par for the course, and we were impressed by the thin chassis profile, schematics of which you can see after the break. Can't be long to go now before we see this 13-inch ultraportable make its debut, presumably alongside a similarly upgraded E4210.

Continue reading Dell 'Lafite' enters the FCC, emerges as the Latitude E4310

Dell 'Lafite' enters the FCC, emerges as the Latitude E4310 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Latitude 13: a thin-and-light for big business

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:28:00 EST

Dell is serious about its thin and light class of machines judging by its ability to churn out these lovely lappies from its Adamo design studio. Today we've got the Latitude 13. Oh sure, it looks almost exactly like the Vostro v13 for small businesses but this is Latitude brother, Dell's mainstream business brand. As such, it comes fully IT-ified with a preinstalled Citrix client, easier virtualization options, and baked in know-how for system image and software update distribution. So it's not really new, but it's still "the world's thinnest 13-inch commercial client laptop," according to Dell and that's gotta be worth a second look when it begins shipping in a few weeks.

Dell Latitude 13: a thin-and-light for big business originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm files patent for GPS-based location sharing service

Jacob Schulman — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:42:00 EST

Palm users looking to be a little more social may not have to wait much longer, as a new patent filing reveals that the company may be working on a Google Latitude-esque location sharing service for their devices. According to the patent, a user would be notified if another user is in the proximity of another one, and it makes mention of sharing location information to social networking sites. Additionally, it alludes to location based reminders, such as reminding you to pick up milk if you're at or near a grocery store. If this sounds familiar, that's because Apple filed a patent for a similar sounding location sharing service very recently. Let's just hope this doesn't lead to another legal spat between the two companies, because it could get pretty ugly, pretty fast... again.

Palm files patent for GPS-based location sharing service originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell releases bevy of firmware updates to fix most of what ails some of you

Tim Stevens — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:34:00 EST

Remember Throttlegate, the epic saga of warmth-averse Dell laptops turning themselves into 100MHz clunkers whenever temperatures rose above freezing? The issue has been plaguing some users for months, but less than a day after we posted about it Dell had a BIOS update ready for its Latitude E6400 and E6500 series machines, timing that can only be explained as coincidence. Dell also released an update to quiet noisy Seagate drives in a number of its portables, seemingly the same issue that plagued MacBook Pros over the summer -- great news for anyone who hates disks that sound terminal. However, there's still no solution for the Studio XPS 1645 complaints we also reported about, and now we're hearing that the Alienware m15x may be similarly under-clocking itself. Oh how deep the throttlehole goes...

Update: It seems all still isn't well. Most are indicating an improvement with this BIOS update, but according to many in comments some machines are still not operating at full speed. At this point it looks like Dell is working openly with users to come up with a more final fix, so we're optimistic... for some reason.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Dell releases bevy of firmware updates to fix most of what ails some of you originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell facing massive E6400 and E6500 overheating and underclocking problem?

Tim Stevens — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:21:00 EST

All is not well in the land of the E6400- and E6500-series lappytops. What looks to be hundreds of owners of these machines have been complaining of massive performance issues, throttling themselves down by as much as 95% under what would seem to be normal operating conditions. Whenever the devices get slightly warm the BIOS automatically starts dialing down the performance until they basically crawl to a halt, some indicating that even when cool they won't go over 50% of maximum clock. Users have been reporting this issue since early in the year and Dell has apparently started censoring some posts on its forums, including a link to a PDF created by (now-banned) user Tinkerdude describing the problem in detail. It's entitled "Performance loss during normal operation in a Dell Latitude E6500 laptop due to processor and bus clock throttling", and if you think that's long wait until you see all 59 pages of analysis (at the read link). As of now there's no official fix provided by Dell, leaving many to call this Throttlegate, and we do love a good Stargate reference.

Update: Ibrahim e-mailed to let us know that these two series aren't the only ones being gimped. The Studio XPS 1645 is said to be having similar (but somewhat less drastic) issues according to this thread, seemingly thanks to an inadequate AC adapter. In this case Dell seems to be shipping replacement adapters to those who call up and complain.

Update 2: Dell's Chief Blogger Lionel Menchaca dropped the following in comments, which is something of a positive step:

We're aware of concerns raised in this post and others like it. At this point, our teams are looking into the details. When we have more information to share, we'll update customers via a post on Dell's blog, Direct2Dell.

Dell facing massive E6400 and E6500 overheating and underclocking problem? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell's Latitude XT2 XFR rugged tablet gets official

Donald Melanson — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:11:00 EST

As is often the case, the FCC spoiled the surprise on this one, but Dell's keeping its PR machine chugging along with its new Latitude XT2 XFR rugged tablet nonetheless, and it's fleshed out a few details in the precess. As expected, this one is more or less just a rugged version of the company's existing Latitude XT2, including the same 12.1-inch multitouch display, a modestly upgraded Core 2 Duo SU9600 processor, up to 5GB of RAM, your choice of a standard hard drive or SSD, a range of hot-swappable modules (soon to include GPS) and, somewhat curiously, no Windows 7 option -- just Vista or the ever popular XP downgrade. Of course it's the ruggedness that's the real selling point, and this one looks to deliver the goods on that front (for a starting price of $3,599) -- just check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Dell's Latitude XT2 XFR rugged tablet gets official

Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

Dell's Latitude XT2 XFR rugged tablet gets official originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell's rugged Latitude XT2 XFR tablet busts through the FCC

Donald Melanson — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:11:00 EST

Like the Thing to the Adamo XPS' Mister Fantastic, Dell's Latitude XT2 XFR tablet would rather impress someone by smashing things than sliding effortlessly into a bag (or envelop as it were), but we're guessing there's plenty of folks that are more than happy to have things that way. Somewhat curiously, however, Dell isn't doing much talking about this one itself on this seemingly convenient day, but the FCC thankfully is, thanks to a roundabout filing from Novatel. That latter detail of course means that this one will have plenty of wireless options (including 3G), but it otherwise looks to basically be a beefed-up version of Dell's existing Latitude XT2 -- and, incidentally, Dell's first rugged tablet.

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Dell's rugged Latitude XT2 XFR tablet busts through the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screen Grabs: Dell's Latitude Z keeps 'Parks & Recreation' intern busy

Darren Murph — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:56:00 EST

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.

Man, Dell's making a serious push to get its wares out to the masses this fall. Just days after we spotted an Adamo chillin' in House M.D., a shiny new Latitude Z has now been spotted in NBC's own Parks & Recreation. Granted, we can't actually see that any work is being done (the default blue wallpaper isn't exactly telling), but when you've got Amy Meredith Poehler running the grandiose ~~city~~ town of Pawnee, Indiana, you can only expect so much. But hey, look on the bright side -- we're pretty sure the proceeds from eBaying that Latitude Z would more than cover the flora she purchased while under the influence, wouldn't you agree?

[Thanks, Andrew]

Gallery: Screen Grabs: Dell's Latitude Z keeps ''Parks & Recreation' intern busy

Filed under: Laptops

Screen Grabs: Dell's Latitude Z keeps 'Parks & Recreation' intern busy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell's Latitude Z 600 is a 16-inch thin-and-light, makes overcompensated CEOs out of us all (update: video!)

Paul Miller — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:01:00 EST

It's not every day you see something thoroughly distinct in the laptop scene -- or even barely off the beaten path -- so we were quite happy to behold Dell's new Latitude Z 600 outside of the narrow confines of the FCC. The machine combines a 16-inch 1600 x 900 display with a Core 2 Duo processor and a thin (0.57-inch) and light (4.5 pounds) chassis -- a rather rare trifecta. Dell's gone with premium soft touch materials, a large multitouch touchpad, a 2 megapixel webcam with included security and document scanning (like business cards) software, and a rather novel capacitive "EdgeTouch" sensor on the side that can be tapped for a quick launch bar of apps. Remember that 802.11g radio that had us scratching our heads in the FCC docs? Well it's actually one of two WiFi radios in the machine (the main radio is 802.11n, just like mother used to make), and belongs to Latitude ON, that instant-boot ARM-based Linux system that co-exists inside the computer (which first made an appearance in the Latitude E series). For security reasons it doesn't share a lick of data with the main OS, but it can hook up to Exchange and handle basic browsing tasks. In addition to its quick-booting properties, the low-power nature of the ARM chipset means you can get "days" of computing out of the machine, despite the 16-inch screen the battery is up against. But that's not all! Dell has built in a UWB radio for communicating with an optional wireless base dock (out in November) that pumps out DVI and USB, and there are also induction charging contacts on the bottom of the laptop for use with an optional induction charging stand. Other features include a built-in Smart Card reader and room for dual SSD drives.

We got to play around with the laptop briefly, and it doesn't just pile on the features -- it's really a pretty tight design from Dell, and oozes quality. Some of the features make a bit less sense, like the EdgeTouch sensor, but if you're going to go all out on a laptop for executives, you might as well really go all out, right? The keyboard is one of the best laptop keyboards we've played with in a while, the touchpad is expansive, and the machine doesn't seem brittle despite its wild surface-area-to-thickness ratio. The screen did seem a little dim to our eyes, but it was mercifully matte, and that 2 megapixel camera up top really comes in handy with Dell's bundled software, reading and deciphering a business card of ours without a problem. It's a three way tie for neatest feature between UWB, Latitude ON and induction charging, but we'd probably have to go with UWB -- unlike Toshiba's similar solution, which relies on a dongle, Dell's built-in implementation actually makes a lot of sense for a premium laptop. It was also surprisingly quick at pairing with the wireless dock, and there's no harm done by pulling the laptop out of range of UWB -- a quick screen flicker and it's back to regular. Our biggest downers about the laptop probably have to do with the odd color choice (a bit too personal of a preference to be made a default) and the understandable but painfully sky-high $2,000+ pricetag.

Update: Smarmy infomercial and in-depth look at Latitude ON now posted after the break.

Gallery: Dell Latitude Z 600 hands-on

Gallery: Dell Latitude Z 600 press shots

Continue reading Dell's Latitude Z 600 is a 16-inch thin-and-light, makes overcompensated CEOs out of us all (update: video!)

Filed under: Laptops

Dell's Latitude Z 600 is a 16-inch thin-and-light, makes overcompensated CEOs out of us all (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google says Phil Schiller himself rejected Google Voice from the App Store

Nilay Patel — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:54:00 EST

It was always curious that Google's response to the FCC inquiry about Google Voice and the App Store had been redacted, but now we're starting to see why -- El Goog and the FCC have just released the full text of the letter, and it flatly contradicts Apple's take on the matter. If you'll remember, Apple claimed that while Google Voice hadn't been approved, it also hadn't been rejected, and that its status was in limbo while the folks in Cupertino "studied" the matter. Not so, says El Goog: according to its letter, Phil Schiller himself told Google that GV had been rejected on July 7 for duplication of functionality, following a similar conversation on April 10th during which Schiller rejected Google Latitude in part because it might "offer new features not present on the preloaded maps application." Yeah, that's a huge discrepancy, and it makes Apple's version seem even more divorced from reality that it already is. Things are starting to heat up -- we'll see what the FCC makes of all this.

Update: And here we go -- Apple just pinged us to say the following: "We do not agree with all of the statements made by Google in their FCC letter. Apple has not rejected the Google Voice application and we continue to discuss it with Google."

Update 2: So we've been thinking about it, and here's our question -- if Apple didn't reject GV, and is still studying it, what exactly did Phil Schiller say to Google to make them think it had been rejected? The difference between "rejected" and "on hold pending further discussion" isn't a subtle one, and Google clearly thought GV had been explicitly rejected. For whatever it's worth, reports of GV's "rejection" are how this whole mess got started, so either this is all one huge misunderstanding, or someone here isn't telling the entire truth.

Read - Google unredacted FCC filing [Warning: PDF]
Read - Google Public Policy Blog explaining decision to release letter

Filed under: ATT, Apple

Google says Phil Schiller himself rejected Google Voice from the App Store originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google says Phil Schiller himself rejected Google Voice from the App Store

Nilay Patel — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:54:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones, Software

Google says Phil Schiller himself rejected Google Voice from the App Store originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Latitude Z series to include wireless charging?

Joseph L. Flatley — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:59:00 EST

An article appeared in Forbes the other day that we found very interesting indeed. The gist? That our current economic hiccup is ending (we'll believe that when we see it) and if Dell plays its card right it can capitalize on the imminent post-recession uptick in sales that's sure to come as companies start clamoring to tend to their long-neglected technology. And the key to such a strategy? Newer, sexier gear, such as Dell's long-rumored, not yet confirmed Latitude Z notebook. The premium machine is said to feature a 16-inch display and "most likely, advanced wireless capabilities, perhaps even wireless charging." Apparently we can expect the machine to launch within the next few weeks, at a price point that is yet to be determined -- although we're guessing it ain't going to be cheap.

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Laptops

Dell Latitude Z series to include wireless charging? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mysterious Dell laptop hits FCC, is a shoo-in for leaked Latitude Z

Ross Miller — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:54:00 EST

While most of Dell's latest FCC filing is hidden behind a confidentiality agreement, we couldn't help but notice on the label location host picture a distinct bump on the laptop's back side, which matches up quite well that pretty Latitude Z series leak we covered back in June. Testing a 802.11 b/g single-chip client is somewhat of a downer since it implies no Draft-N, but hey, we don't mind being proven wrong here. External photos and user manual are being withheld at Dell's request until October 25, but hopefully we won't have to wait that long for the full story.

Filed under: Laptops

Mysterious Dell laptop hits FCC, is a shoo-in for leaked Latitude Z originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell fined $30,000 by Taiwan government over pricing mishaps

Darren Murph — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:15:00 EST

Let this be a lesson for all you kids thinking about opening some online shop with a funky database: pricing errors can cost ya, especially if you're doing business in Taiwan. After a couple of downright embarrassing slip-ups on Dell's Taiwanese web store, followed by a failure to compensate those who got orders in appropriately, Taiwan's government has levied a NT$1,000,000 fine (that's just over 30 grand in Greenbacks) on the computer giant. The actual details of the penalty are somewhat vague, but it seems as if the fine will be imposed until Dell decides to "take consumer rights seriously." In other words, Dell's stuck paying up unless it flips a 180 real quick and honors the flood of purchases made at rock-bottom prices. C'mon Dell, do the right thing. Or write the check -- evidently it's totally your call.

[Via Engadget Chinese, image courtesy of AdRants]

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Dell fined $30,000 by Taiwan government over pricing mishaps originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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