We've got all ideas that anyone crushing on Dell's awkward, albeit expansive, XPS M2010 probably already has one by now, but if you've just started falling for the unsightly beast, this one just may pull the trigger for you. Just over a week after cramming half a terabyte of hard drive space into the machine, Dell is now offering up an internal slot-loading 2x speed Blu-ray burner for the HD set. As expected, this newfangled luxury won't run you cheap, as the BD-equipped machine will run you upwards of $4,000 -- and that's before the upgrade bug attacks at the checkout aisle.

[Via NotebookReview]

Oh, so 160GB just isn't good enough for you, huh? Dell and Alienware (who seem to be all about this beefy storage thing) are stuffing new 250GB 2.5-inch hard drives into a few of their laptops, an industry first. You can even stick a pair of them into the Alienware m9700 and Dell XPS M2010, for a full 500GB of breathing room. The best news is that all that storage won't break the bank -- relatively speaking, of course -- since the m9700 configures with the 5,400RPM, 8MB buffer, 1.5GB/s SATA drive for the same price as a 7,200RPM 160 gigger, at $300 above the standard 80GB config. No word on who's supplying the part, since Fujitsu's 250 and 300GB drives run at 4,200RPM, but it's available now.

As expected, Dell is throwing a whole bunch of Core 2 Duo "Merom" processors into their existing laptop models: the XPS M2010, M1710 and M1210, along with the Inspiron E1705. All three XPS lapsters now offer your choice between a T7200, T7400 and T7600 Core 2 Duo processor, while the E1505 loses the T7600 option but holds onto a pair of Core Duo choices. The XPS units will be starting at $3,500, $2,300 and $1,200 respectively, while the E1705 bottoms out the collection at $1,124. Dell is promising Core 2 Duo updates for the Inspiron E1515 and E1405 later this week, with the Latitude D820, D620 and D520 to follow next week.

[Thanks, Devin and Zach]

Read - XPS M2010
Read - XPS M1710
Read - XPS M1210
Read - Inspiron E1705

A few spicy tidbits have been showing up on Dell's websites pointing to some Core 2 Duo releases sooner rather than later. Their UK website lists Core 2 Duo versions of their XPS M1210, M1710, M2010 and Inspiron e1705 and e1505 laptops, while the US support site mentions a BIOS update to allow current owners of those laptops to upgrade to Merom processors. So far there isn't any official word from Dell on any such upgrades, and you'll have to call up Dell in the UK to try and finagle those Core 2 Duo models, but it seems like Dell fans aren't going to have to wait too long to get some of that next-gen Intel action.

CNET's staff just strapped on their bionic suits and hoisted Dell's 20-pound XPS M2010 into the lab for a full, hands-on review. Calling this desktop/laptop hybrid a "striking feat of engineering" (that's a compliment, we think), the reviewer fawns over the M2010's premium components, bright 20-inch glossy display, and 8-speaker system with subwoofer which is said to deliver "rich, clear" audio and more low-end sound than any laptop he's seen. The guy's equally stoked by the magnetically held Bluetooth keyboard and gyroscopic Media Center remote which includes a small LCD screen for peeping music and video track details when not flittering the thing about to control the onscreen cursor. The M2010 also proved to be an "able gaming machine" though not the best. However, the M2010 is still "absurdly expensive" with a $3500 base config rocketing upwards to $8000 fully spec'd and the battery only lasted about 2-hours while the machine simply idled. Oh, and the pig is just too heavy to be truly portable thereby limiting its appeal. Still, if you're a smarmy sales type, LAN party trust-funder, or Ivy league media troll looking for a single all-in-one desktop / laptop / home stereo / TV(via optional USB tuner) then this hulk of Dell-icousness might be calling you home.

[Thanks, Chris]