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MEDL Technology's 'The Panel' hands-on
MEDL Technology's portable LCD display "The Panel" sounded like the perfect laptop sidekick, but would you really want to slip the 13.3-inch screen into your messenger bag? We invited company co-founder Eric Liao -- and his prototype Panel -- to a local Starbucks to find out. The verdict? Lightweight and incredibly easy to use, but at this point most features (including those all-important analog video inputs) aren't quite ready for primetime. Housed in a silvery frame that perfectly matched the brushed aluminum finish of our Mac and Dell laptops, the screen was equally easy to hook up to either one. Using a DisplayLink USB graphics chip, we only had to plug in an USB cable to instantly connect the external screen, once the driver was installed. The Panel was nice and bright, even eclipsing our LED-backlit XPS M1330 on maximum settings -- though the screen looked washed out, viewed from off-angles -- and featured smooth action and no perceptible audio sync issues when playing a DVD-quality movie. Basic functionality's all we got to test, sadly, but Liao made a number of intriguing promises for The Panel's future. At 80 percent brightness, Liao says the device's 4200mAh rechargeable battery gives it 4 to 5 hours of spreadsheet slinging bliss, and those buttons on the right side might be used to control more than brightness and contrast -- should the company adopt wireless USB as originally planned, Liao intends to have them double as arrow controls, allowing you to cut the cables and still have basic e-reader functionality. A headphone jack is still in the works, which should allow audio passthrough from HDMI and possibly USB. Last but not least, there's a reason The Panel looks so good lying prone next to that Macbook: should cost decrease, future revisions may include a tablet-style touchscreen. Shame most of these ideas are still on the drawing board, but even the primary product is shaping up nicely. Hit up our gallery for the visual scoop. P.S. Those blotches on the LCD screen? Liao says that's a manufacturing defect, and that MEDL is testing LCD panels from a variety of manufacturers to avoid such mishaps in the final product. %Gallery-89198%
Dell replacing XPS touchpad with touchscreen... or someone, somewhere owns Photoshop
There are two kinds of Dell rumors: sure things, and ones that aren't sure things. This one falls in the latter camp, so proceed with caution. We've got a tipster who says a friend of his from Dell handed him this shot of what is purportedly a new XPS M1330 / M1530 design. As you can see, pretty much the same old fare... but what's this? A large glossy touchpad? Here's our hunch: Dell is tired of drawing inspiration from Apple after the fact, and decided to turn the tables by capitalizing on one of the most persistent (and outlandish) Apple rumors in existence. A good capacitive touchscreen for the trackpad on a laptop would undoubtedly be a blast if it was done right, with the right software support, and at least seems like a good gimmick. Or maybe it'd just be lame. We won't go further than that, this could just as easily be a Photoshop, but we will be keeping an eye out.Update: False alarm, turns out this is just a still from an NVIDIA Tegra demo on YouTube. Thanks, shiv, for pointing this out in comments. Boo, tipster, boo.
Dell adds $450 SSD option to XPS M1330 and M1530
It's not as momentous as the new enterprise-focused Precisions and Latitudes, but Dell's got a tiny little treat for consumers today as well: an available $450 Samsung SSD for the XPS M1330 and M1530. Sure, the benefits are debatable, but c'mon -- you know you want it.[Thanks, Justin R.]
Video: Dell's XPS M1530 and M1330 now pink like flowers and pigs
Ugh, it's springtime again. So in addition to the pools of human secretions warming into an olfactory howdy-do on city sidewalks, we get these, the pink laptops. The pink XPS M1530 and M1330 now official. Check the late-nite Dell Infomercial after the break; Ron Popeil Productions must be so proud.[Thanks, Matus]
Dell's XPS M1330 now with built-in Wireless USB
We not sure when Dell's XPS M1330 learned the new Wireless USB trick, nevertheless, it's sporting that option as of this morning. The $150 add-on integrates a Wireless USB module into Dell's slick 13.3-inch laptop while netting you a short-range Belkin 4-port USB hub for all your peripherals. See, it's not just phone news today. [Thanks, Srinivas N.]
XPS M1330 BIOS update hints at upcoming Blu-ray / DVD combo drive
The last Dells we saw with a slot-loading Blu-ray drive were the XPS One and monster XPS M2010, but it looks like Round Rock's taking it mainstream soon -- the latest BIOS update for the popular XPS M1330 lists support for an unspecified "Blu-ray / DVD +/- RW Combo Drive." No word on when we'll see these actually for order, but if you were in the market for an M1330, you might consider holding off until these become available.[Thanks, Rupert]
Dell's laptop Penryn updates go global, for a price
Dell's Penryn update has finally made its way around the globe to Gee Dubya land. The XPS M1330 is at the front of the queue with $400, 2.5GHz T9300 or $675, 2.6GHz T9500 processor options above the wimpiest CPU config. Not exactly free but then we don't have to deal with Big Red droppings on the lawn either. We should see the rest of Dell's XPS and Inspiron laptops go Penryn before the day is done.[Thanks, Chris W. and Matthias B.]
Dell's XPS M1330 goes Penryn as a free upgrade
We've been waiting for Dell to pop a Penryn chip inside one of its laptops -- so far it's been HP and Toshiba sitting pretty with some of the few Penryn laptop offerings in existence -- but we didn't think it'd come for free. Dell is pushing Penryn on consumers with an upgrade to the existing XPS M1330 line, which is a far sight smaller than what HP and Toshiba intro'd Penryn in, but the best news is that if you build out the AUD$2,000 model (which includes 4GB of RAM and other perks) you get a free "upgarde" [sic] to the Core 2 Duo T9300 processor, at least for today. As you might've guessed from that currency, this deal is only in Australia so far, but new Dell products and deals usually start there and end up in the States whenever the international date line swings around.[Thanks, Rupert]
Dell and Microsoft get official with (PRODUCT) RED gear
We knew Dell and Microsoft would be giving some of their gear the Bono treatment this week, but the two companies and the AIDS-in-Africa relief project unveiled their partnership in style today at Davos. Just like we'd heard, the XPS m1530, m1330, and XPS One machines are all going crimson, as well as the 948 AIO printer. Microsoft's kicking in a special (PRODUCT) RED-themed edition of Vista Ultimate to keep things special on the OS tip, and obviously you'll feel better about things with donations of $50 - $80 of each machine's purchase price going to RED, and $5 on the printer (hey, those margins are low enough as it is). All the new stuff should be available by the end of the week in the States, and by January 31 in 30 additional countries -- or right now for your viewing pleasure in the gallery. %Gallery-14555%
Dell's XPS M1330 with Ubuntu pre-load in Germany, only
Whoa Dell, what's this? An exclusive, XPS M1330 in Germany sporting an Ubuntu 7.10 pre-load with full DVD and webcam support? Where's the Stateside love, yo?Update: Dell tells us it's also available in the UK, France, and Spain. Headed to the US in "a week or so."[Thanks, Roland K. and Andrew M.]
Microsoft and Dell see (PRODUCT) RED
Confirmed details are scant, but Microsoft's Nick White over at the official Windows Vista blog says that Windows and Dell with introduce (PRODUCT) RED "products" later this week. Rumor has it that Dell will ship an XPS One all-in-one, XPS M1330 and XPS 1530 laptops (already available in plain ol' red), and even a Dell 948 AIO printer in fancy RED editions. Besides the paint, the PCs will feature a special edition of Vista Ultimate with -- you guessed it -- a RED-themed desktop and sidebar gadgets. Perhaps best of all, Dell and Microsoft will donate $80 from the purchase of a RED XPS One, $50 from each RED laptop, and $5 from each printer directly to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa at no additional cost to you. However, let's wait for the official details before the back patting gets out of control.[Via istartedsomething, thanks Long Z.]
Dell laptops packing a jolt, again
It looks like Dell didn't exactly learn from its past misadventures with electricity, as it now seems that a number of users (including some of the staff at Crave UK) have reported similar shocking behavior from some of the company's most recent laptops. Those problems, not surprisingly, are confined to models with a brushed-aluminum finish, including the XPS M1530 and XPS M1330, which also just so happen to have been shipped with a non-grounded two-prong connection between mains lead and the power adapter instead of a less shock-prone three-prong one. For its part, Dell finally seems to be on top of the problem and, according to users that have spoken with the company's support, they're now sending out replacement power supplies and cables.
How would you change Dell's XPS m1330?
Believe it or not, Dell's sexy XPS m1330 ultraportable was unveiled to us way back in June of this year, which may not be all that notable if the Round Rock powerhouse would've had these things out to eager customers in a timely fashion. As it stands, one of Dell's most highly anticipated laptops (dare we say, ever?) spent the majority of its time in a cycle of perpetual delays. Once thought to be ready as early as July 10th, the wee machine was spotted exclusively from the sidelines by eager customers for months on end, and while most fanboys (and girls) easily swallowed the first setback, the subsequent holdups garnered more and more objections. Even after Dell finally got its act (and paint guns) together, the XPS m1330 had its image tainted further by arriving to one user's home only partially built. Currently, it seems that the ruckus surrounding the shiny PC has finally calmed, and most customers who've placed their orders in the not-too-distant past are receiving them sans an unbearable wait. But for the folks who were sold from the word go, you've earned the right to be extra critical of the oft-delayed lappie. As respectable as the specifications (and for that matter, the design) on the XPS m1330 are, we just have to believe that it has managed to lose some luster after being so late to its own party. After all these months, now's your chance to explain how you would change things. Would you have simply axed the reportedly troublesome Pearl White hue from the start? How about adding a high-definition optical drive? Or is your only desire to beat down Michael Dell's door and demand a Jobsian refund for the trouble? The floor is yours.
Dell also blames Inspiron delays on inability to paint stuff
We're not really sure how a company like Dell hasn't been able to track down anyone with some laptop coloring chops to fulfill its backlog of XPS M1330 and Inspiron orders, but whatever their reason might be for not figuring things out by now, Dell is pinning colored Inspiron delays on that exact same paint job problem they detailed for the M1330. As has been the case from the start, your best shot at getting a laptop in a timely manner from the big D is to completely disregard those ads of theirs and order a boring old black or white model -- individuality is overrated anyways.
Dell explains XPS m1330 delays, discontinues Pearl White models
Dell looked to have a sure winner on its hands with the sexy XPS m1330 laptop, but customers have been complaining of shipping delays ever since the machines were made available to order. A new post on the official Direct2Dell blog tries to explain some of the issues causing the delays and provide some insight into why some orders have shipped and others have been severely postponed -- although no time frame was given for clearing out the queue and getting back on track. While supply of those oh-so-hot LED backlit displays is definitely affecting production, the major problem appears to be the m1330's colors -- Dell says that painting these lids is much more difficult than anticipated, and that only Tuxedo Black units are coming off the line with acceptable results. As a result of these difficulties, the company is discontinuing Pearl White as an available choice -- customers who've already ordered Pearl White units will still receive them, but that'll be it. While we're not certain how an issue like that slipped through during development, we're definitely wondering why no one at Dell has just called up Colorware and asked them how they do it.
Dell's XPS M1330 finally ships to all regions this week
There's good news this morning for those of you stuck in the Dell XPS M1330 build queue. After weeks of delay, Dell has finally kicked it into large-scale production and expect M1330 systems to ship in all regions "beginning this week." Unfortunately, this update comes a tad late for those of you who felt jerked around by Dell's uninformed customer service reps. For the rest, your 13.3-inch LED-backlit fix should be on the way.
Dell XPS M1330 review roundup
Dell's XPS M1330 laptop has only just officially been announced (after much rumor and leakage) but the reviews are already starting to trickle in, most of which seem to be quite favorable to the unit. Among those getting their hands on the laptop was CNET, who remarked that Dell has "finally put design first," adding that the laptop delivered solid performance, with its LED-backlit display also helping to improve battery life, not to mention shave a bit of thickness off the lid. On the downside, they found the touchpad to be a tad small, and they were disappointed by the lack of options at the moment, including Blu-ray and SSD drives. For its part, ZDNet also seems to have been quite taken with the laptop's design, along with its well-performing discrete graphics and optional EV-DO Rev A. They were less impressed with the added weight from the nine-cell battery, however, which tipped the scales to 4.7 pounds (as opposed to 3.9 pounds with the four-cell battery). Also putting in some time with the laptop was NoteBook Review, which likewise sees the M1330 as a huge step froward in the design department for Dell, adding that their overall impressions were "overwhelmingly positive," although they're reserving their final judgment for a more in-depth review they have promised.Read - CNET (7.9 out of 10)Read - PC Magazine (4.5 out of 5, Editors' Choice)Read - NotebookReview (no rating)
Dell's XPS m1330 and Inspiron laptops now on-line
After an initial appearance on Canada's site, Dell's new XPS m1330 and Inspiron laptops have broken free from the rumor mill. Available on-line now, the new 17-, 15-, and 14-inch Inspirons start at $769 while the XPS m1330 hottie will set you back at least $1,684 $1,299. Specs are in line with what we've already heard: LED-backlighting, slot-loading and Blu-ray optical, SSDs, big juicy 1,920 x 1,200 resolutions, GeForce Go 8600M GT graphics, 2x hard disk configurations and enough colors to make you doubt your manhood.Update: Dell just updated the website (again) to reflect a starting price of $1,299 for the XPS m1330. That's more like it.[Thanks, everybody who sent this in]
Dell Canada prices the XPS m1330 at CDN$1499
The hottest Dell laptop we've seen in a while just got an equally hot price -- a reader at the NotebookReview forums posted a scanned-in Dell Canada ad that lists the 4-pound XPS m1330 at CDN$1499 (that's about $1399 USD). It doesn't look like you'll be getting an LED backlight for that price, but you will score a T7100 Core 2 Duo, Vista Home Premium, 2GB of RAM, a 120GB disk, and a dual-layer DVD±RW drive, in your choice of three colors: Candy Red, Tuxedo Black, or Pearl White. No word on when these might start shipping, but it's obvious we're getting close.Update: The m1330 just popped online for Canadian retail.Update 2: US site now updated. Giddy up![Thanks, Charlie]
Dell confirms XPS m1330 and Inspiron laptops -- and 22 other "confessions"
Dell has a new post titled "Dell's 23 confessions" up on their official Direct2Dell blog. The fact that Dell's Digital Media Manager, Lionel Menchaca apologizes for some embarrassingly public missteps made recently makes the piece worthy on its own. However, one of our favorite disclosures has to be confession number 9 where Dell confirms both the new XPS m1330 and Inspiron series of laptops coming "later this month." We must say, Dell's frank, open discussion with the consumer community is certainly refreshing and -- for good or for bad -- stands in stark contrast to the brutal, one-way flow of information out of Apple. Speaking of which, confession number 19 states, "If Steve Jobs ever changes his tune on OS X, we'd probably offer it too." Not that that's going to happen mind you.[Thanks, CR H.]