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Dell's stylish new XPS 15z laptop surfaces
We just heard talk of a new 15.6-inch Dell laptop yesterday that was said to be thin and streamlined, and Mobile Review has now scored some pictures of what may be that very same laptop. While there's unfortunately not much in the way of details, the laptop is apparently dubbed the XPS 15z, and it's said to pack support for Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 processors. As previously hinted at, this particular laptop is also said to be just part of a series, with both 14-inch and 17-inch models also on the way. Hit up the link below for few additional shots.
Dell rolls out updated XPS 15, XPS 17 laptops
Well, it's not the promised thinner and lighter replacement for the XPS 14, but Dell has just announced two other new XPS laptops: updated versions of it XPS 15 and XPS 17. Both of those are available today in a whole range of different configurations, including your choice of Sandy Bridge or Huron River processors, NVIDIA GPU options up to a GT 540M on the XPS 15 or GT555M on the XPS 17, up to 8GB or 16GB of RAM, and even an optional 3D-capable panel on the XPS 17. As usual, prices vary widely depending on the configuration, but things start at just $899 for a basic XPS 17 or $1049 for the XPS 15 -- hit up the link below to check out all the options available.
Dell XPS 14 discontinued, will be replaced with something thinner and lighter
Sure, it was only about four months ago that Dell released its XPS 14, but unfortunately, those looking to snatch up the Core i5, NVIDIA GeForce 400M-powered laptop today will have a mighty hard time. Some keen-eyed tipsters noticed that Dell's 14-inch mainstream system was out of stock, and a quick call to one of our friends at Dell confirmed that the smallest version of the series won't actually be making a comeback. However, that's not because the system didn't sell well -- Dell maintains that it actually exceeded sales expectations. Considering it was a very aggressively priced rig that doesn't really surprise us, but why not bring it back? That's where things get interesting, and we'll give you Dell's exact quote on this one... "With the transition to Sandy Bridge technology, we chose to re-focus our efforts on incorporating this feedback into future thin and light products launching later this year. Stay tuned!" Yep, it seems like Dell is gearing up to bring some Adamo qualities back in to the XPS brand, which is actually what were told last year when the company killed off the Adamo brand altogether. We're staying tuned alright! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Dell XPS 14 review
When Dell told us of its plans to revive its tried and true XPS laptop line we were pretty darn excited. With so much brand dilution in the past few years -- there's been the Adamo XPS and the Studio XPS -- the products have noticeably strayed from providing the rock solid gaming and multimedia experience they were once known for. There's a reason XPS stands for Xtreme Performance System, right?! The new line, which includes 14-, 15-, 17-inch systems, has all the ingredients to set it back on track -- including Core i5 / i7 processors, NVIDIA GeForce 400M graphics with Optimus, JBL speakers, a backlit keyboard, an HD webcam and a solid aluminum lid – but has Dell succeeded in creating a well-rounded multimedia machine? And does it rival our oh-so-adored HP Envy line? We've spent the last week using the more mobile $899 XPS 14, so read on to find out in our full review! %Gallery-106841%
Dell marketing makeover simplifies brands, kills off Adamo altogether
We knew something was going on with Dell's branding with the resurrection of the XPS laptop line, and this morning we caught up with a few of the company's executives to learn all about the entire restructuring. As you can see above, there will now be three core brands -- Inspiron, XPS and Alienware -- all focusing on different "performance seekers." However, you'll notice that Adamo is nowhere to be found on that flow chart. Turns out, the sneaky disappearance of the Adamo XPS from Dell's site hasn't exactly been a coincidence -- it's completely killing off the premium brand and has actually tamped down volumes of the super thin machines. Now, that doesn't mean systems like the original Adamo and the Adamo XPS won't exist ever again as Dell VP Ed Boyd tells us similar products will be coming to the XPS line early next year. Simplifying the brands sure does make a lot of sense to us -- all the Adamo XPS, Studio XPS, Studio laptops have seriously confused us over the last couple of years -- but it's all part of a larger marketing campaign that will attempt to move Dell away from being a low cost brand and instead portray the company as providing choice -- a campaign Dell CMO Paul-Henri Ferrand told Reuters will ultimately cost hundreds of millions of dollars. We look forward to seeing what you've got Dell, but all we know is that we're finally going to say the following words with affirmation: "rest in peace, Adamo."
Dell XPS resurrected with NVIDIA graphics, HD webcams and JBL audio
It's baaack. Okay, to be fair Dell's XPS brand never really went away -- there's been the Studio XPS and Adamo XPS -- but as of today, the company's refocusing its efforts and bringing back the tried and true multimedia laptop brand. Just like we'd heard, the new 14-,15.6-, and 17-inch machines will be available across the board with NVIDIA GeForce 400M GPUs (with Optimus / 3D Play support) and Core i5 / i7 processor options, but there's more to these than just internal oomph -- it'll be one of the first laptops to ship with a Skype-certified HD webcam and they're also equipped with high-fidelity JBL speakers. In terms of aesthetics, the machines pull in some styling from the new Inspirons with the wider battery base, however, instead of plastic, the lids are coated in anodized aluminum. (Of course, Dell wouldn't be Dell without making the models available with Design Studio customization options -- aka with crazy pattern options.) So, what's the deal with pricing? The entry level systems -- the $899 XPS 14, $849 XPS 15, and $949 XPS 17 -- are all configured with Intel Core i5 460M processors, 1GB NVIDIA 420M graphics, 500GB 7,200rpm hard drives, 4GB of RAM and pack Intel WiDi. That's not too shabby, but, of course, you'll be able to configure 'em all with Blu-ray drives, more storage, memory, etc. Our review unit just arrived so expect a full work-up of the 14-inch system soon, but until then we leave you with the images and press release below. %Gallery-105589% %Gallery-105590%
Dell Studio XPS 14, 15 and 17 packing NVIDIA Optimus lunch for imminent launch?
It would seem Dell's suffered another of its signature pre-release leaks, as the folks over at Logicbuy have a full trio of new laptops from Round Rock to tease us with. The three new Studio machines -- imaginatively titled the XPS 14, XPS 15, and XPS 17 -- are said to come with anodized aluminum shells and brushed aluminum palm rests, NVIDIA Optimus switchable graphics (up to the GeForce GTS 445M on the XPS 17) and options for Blu-ray drives, 16GB of RAM, and Core i7 CPUs. The accompanying pictures of each laptop are what leads us to believe Logicbuy has simply stumbled upon some prematurely published Dell pages, which in turn leads to the deduction that their proper launch can't be too far away. Sherlock Holmes, eat your stony heart out.
Skyhook: Google forced Motorola to drop our location service, delay the Droid X
We figured Skyhook's business interference and patent infringement lawsuits against Google would turn up some dirt, and we didn't have long to wait: the location-services company's complaint flatly alleges that Google's Andy Rubin ordered Motorola's Sanjay Jha to "stop ship" on the Droid X because it used Skyhook's XPS positioning system instead of Google Location Services, a tiff that ultimately delayed the phone's release while Moto reworked the software and dropped Skyhook entirely. Following that, Skyhook claims that Google then went after an unidentified "Company X" (likely Samsung) and forced it to drop XPS as well -- which would certainly explain why Samsung's Galaxy S phones have WiFi positioning turned off by default, unlike every other Android phone. Ouch. If you're thinking that makes no sense because Android is "open," well, you might have another think coming -- Skyhook claims that Google's decisions to allow access to Android Market and its branded apps are an entirely subjective ruse based on something called the Compliance Definition Document, which can be "arbitrarily" interpreted any way Google wants with no recourse. Skyhook says that Google has now told Android OEMs that they're required to use Google Location Services, preventing Skyhook from fulfilling its contracts and costing the company millions in expected royalties. Now, this is Skyhook's side of the story and we're sure Google will make a persuasive argument of its own, but let's just back up for a moment here and point out the obvious: Google's never, ever come out and clearly said what's required for devices to gain access to Android Market and the branded apps like Gmail -- even though we've been directly asking about those requirements since Android first launched. Remember when Andy Rubin told us that there would be full-fledged "Google Experience" phones with no carrier or handset manufacturer limitations? Or when we were told that phones with skins like HTC Sense or additional features like Exchange integration wouldn't have Google branding? And then all of that turned out to be a lie? Yes, Android might be "open" in the sense that the source code is available, but there's no doubt Google's wielded incredible power over the platform by restricting access to Market and its own apps -- power that hasn't been used to prevent carrier-mandated bloatware or poorly-done manufacturer skinning, but has instead apparently been used to block legitimate competitors like Skyhook from doing business. We're dying to hear Google's side of this story and fill in some of the gaps -- and you can bet we're digging as hard as we can for more info. Stay tuned, kids.
Dell Studio XPS 15, XPS 17 rumored to be coming this fall
These aren't quite completely official just yet, but a pair of new Dell Studio XPS laptops have turned up on the French website LesDelliens.com, and Dell France has seemingly offered a confirmation of sorts that they'll soon be rolling out. The laptops in question include the Studio XPS 15 and Studio XPS 17 (seemingly successor to the XPS 13 and XPS 16 pictured above), which are said to pack Core i7 processors, an unspecified NVIDIA graphics card, and up to 8GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive on the XPS 15, and up to 16GB of RAM and a 1.2TB hard drive on the XPS 17. As for that statement from Dell France, it says that while it doesn't normally comment on rumors, there is a "strong likelihood" that the systems mentioned will be marketed in the near future, and that they'll be "great machines" that are "slim and sleek."
Dell Studio XPS 9100 arrives with six cores, little fanfare
AMD had its turn in the high-end Dell desktop spotlight, but it's time for another Intel beast, as the company's quietly upgraded its tower lineup to support Intel's consumer-grade champion chip, the 3.33GHz Core i7-980X. While the new Studio XPS 9100 looks just the same as its predecessor on the outside and sports the same basic options and ports, internally there's a 525W power supply with enough juice for a Radeon HD 5970 2GB graphics card (a $580 option) and slots for up to 24GB of DDR3 memory. You won't be getting any of this pixel-pushing goodness on the $950 base model, of course, which has only a (respectable) quad-core 2.66GHz Core i7-920 and an Nvidia GeForce G310 512MB, but the machine looks like it could hold its own with low-end Alienware cousins if you get into $2,000+ territory. Call us crazy, but we think there's a configurator session with your name on it.
Dell finally makes right, offers up-rated power adapters to close the Studio Throttlegate
It's taken a long time, too long by most accounts, but Dell finally has what looks to be a proper, honest to gosh fix for the CPU throttling issues that have been plaguing some of its Studio laptops. Users were reporting that the machines, when faced with slightly elevated temperatures, would throttle themselves back by up to 95 percent, leaving some folks with 100MHz paperweights. Dell issued a firmware update quickly after we shed a little light on the situation back in December, a "fix" that helped some but, apparently, not all. We're just now hearing that the company apparently launched a program back in February to replace the stock 90 watt power adapters with more capable 130 watt models for anyone suffering this affliction. However, this doesn't seem to be a proper recall, as the reports we're seeing indicate only customers who call and complain have been made aware of this program. So, consider yourself made aware. The source link below will take you to the official site where you can order a replacement adapter, but if it doesn't like your service tag number give Dell support a call and mention this program. We're hearing others are having success going that route. [Thanks, Kevin]
Dell Adamo XPS alive and kicking, back for order on Dell.com
Well hello again, Dell Adamo XPS. Though the incredibly thin and uniquely designed laptop disappeared from Dell.com last week and we received official comment that it was a "limited edition product with a finite number of systems available," the Adamo XPS has reappeared in its $2,000 glory on the company's site. According to Dell's blog, it was merely just a move to restock the inventory and direct customers to retailers that had fresh stock -- well why didn't you just say that Dell! And do not fear about the Adamo brand, Dell reports that all is well as it starts to apply the design to other lines, just as we saw yesterday with the Vostro V13. We're still a bit confused by the reappearance, but it sure is good to see you again, Adamo XPS. We wish you a long successful life with many many price drops.
Dell Adamo XPS order page falls off Dell.com, discontinued for life?
Where art thou Dell Adamo XPS? That's the question this poor error page seems to be asking when customers attempt to order the insanely thin laptop on Dell's site. Though it only went on sale back in late November, Dell.com no longer has the crazily designed, $1,799 laptop up for purchase. We're currently trying to get official word from Dell, but all is not lost for those that feel they've made the biggest mistake in the world by not ordering the ULV laptop that only lasts less than two hours on a charge -- it's still available from Best Buy and Amazon.com. Stay tuned for more news as we do a bit of digging on this one. Update: Dell confirmed that the Adamo XPS will not be making a reapperence on its site. "While the Adamo XPS was certainly and engineering marvel, it also was a limited edition product with a finite number of systems available," said a Dell spokesperson. Adamo XPS 2 anyone?
Studio XPS 16 OLED concept laptop hands-on
Beautiful viewing angle and legitimately wide viewing angle, the Studio XPS 16 OLED concept laptop was on hand and turning heads at Dell's CES suite. It's definitely a beaut, claiming a super-thin 2mm screen, a 0.004ms response time, and a contrast ratio "exceeding 10,000:1." The big catch here, as you can see in some of the images below (the giant "Please Do Not Touch" sign deterred us from fixing ourselves) is that the ultra-glossy wrist panel is a beacon for dust. Feast your eyes below! %Gallery-82330%
Jimmy and 'the nerdy guy' yuk it up Late Night style (video)
It happened, did you feel it? A shockwave of nerdery so sublime that only a slot on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon could contain it. Josh and Jimmy mixed up a mean stew of gadget gusto last night which you can now watch after the break. It's a two-parter 'cause even the boys in NBC post production couldn't limit our man Toplotsky to a single cut.
Dell Adamo XPS: Exclusive to John Lewis in the UK for the holiday season
If you're lucky enough to live in the US, buying the super slim Adamo XPS is just a matter of hitting up Dell's website -- and then ponying up nearly $2,000, of course. Those in the UK, however, have been sorely out of luck. Luckily for them, we're hearing that the much lusted-after laptop will be available at John Lewis department stores in time for holiday shopping. That's right, this hinged baby -- which boasts a 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo SU9400 processor, a 128GB SSD, a 13.4-inch WLED panel, a 2 megapixel camera, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and GS45 integrated graphics -- will be available there as of today, for the base price of £1750 (that's about $2,800). For a better idea of what this bad boy looks like, check out our hands-on impressions video after the break.
Dell Adamo XPS specs leak out: ULV processors, integrated graphics
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 Adamo XPS opens up for Windows 7 festivities, but still not for sale
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's $2,000 Adamo XPS launching October 22 with heat-sensing open latch
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
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-75353%
