Today, Dell unveiled a batch of new Precision and Latitude notebook PCs. They are wowing notebook nerds with the lightest laptop in the company’s history, coming in at 2.2 lbs, while also introducing security upgrades and instant access to the Web.
Digital Journal — It was a big day for Dell and its fans: the PC company announced details on 10 new laptops, some of which are available today. Dell was so excited about the refurbished lineup it webcast the San Francisco press conference to cities across the world, including Toronto. DigitalJournal.com was in attendance to find out how these new laptops could boost Dell’s prominence in the market. Plus, we were curious if Dell was going to impress us with new and bold technologies.
The true highlight is the Dell Latitude E4200, a 12.1-inch laptop available in several weeks. It weighs in at an astounding 2.2 lbs, the lightest in Dell’s history. This notebook, along with its sister E4300 notebook, feature the Latitude ON technology — you can access data without fully booting up the machine. It uses a low-voltage sub-processor and OS that can enable multi-day battery life. It’s a great function for people who can’t wait for all their desktop icons to load, who need instant access to their email, calendar, contacts and so on.
Also raising eyebrows this afternoon was Dell’s claim that its E6400 ($1,159) laptop can last for 19 hours on a single battery charge. But there’s a disclaimer: it reaches such breakthrough battery life if it’s powered with a 9-cell battery, battery slice, integrated graphics and SSD. So the jury is still out on whether the E6400 (available now) will be as ultra-mobile as Dell claims.
Implementing these new features was the result of dedicated customer service projects, said Paul Cooper, country manager for Dell Canada. “Customers were willing to tell us about new product development,” he noted, “and we had direct conversations with more than 4,000 customers regarding this new line of notebooks.”
Those conversations helped fuel ideas such as backlit keyboards, which are ideal for workers trying to type in dark areas such as airplanes. The light can automatically adjust to the background light.
Security features were also top priorities for Dell customers, according to Jeff Clarke, Vice President of Dell. In the San Francisco press conference, he stressed how customers want their “PC to resemble a vault.” Dell responded by enabling owners to track their lost or stolen Dell notebooks, and they then have the ability to remotely track the notebook and delete sensitive information before the criminal can access it. “And if the unit is in a freefall position, about to crash, it automatically parks and protects its hard drive heads,” Clarke added.
Dell also wants to get colourful with their notebooks. Although the new colour palette wasn’t on display at the Toronto event, executives promised its Latitude laptops will be available in Regatta Blue, Regal Red and Quartz Pink (E4200 only) in the coming weeks. Pink not be the ideal colour choice for a notebook, but at least the option is there for any funky laptop user.
Also, Dell introduced Precision “mobile workstations” (read: notebook) for people in the demanding fields of engineering, entertainment (?) and biosciences industries. These are “power users,” as Cooper explained, who want high CPU power and astounding graphics. The M2400 weighs just under five pounds and boasts a 14.1-inch display, and the M4400 showcases a 15.4-inch screen and 8GB of RAM.
Dell’s lineup of notebooks also spurred the company to launch a website called DigitalNomads.com. Mirroring a social network and blog site, it’s supposed to be the new home for mobile Dell users, complete with “nomad stories” and tips to “make our lives easier.” It’s another attempt by a tech company to engage with its customer online in order to keep the brand prominently in their lives. But will Dell customers take a break from their Facebook/Twitter lives to extol the virtues of their Latitude laptops?
Judging by the bevy of new features and models coming from Dell today, the company’s early adopters should be anticipating the actual hardware (instead of Web offerings). There’s a lot to enjoy, so the tough part will be decided what to test out first.
