Dell details 'world's thinnest' laptop Dell has been teasing us for months with spy shots of a super-thin laptop. But now the firm has decided it’s time to officially spill the beans about the latest addition to its Adamo line. Dell_adamo_XPS_01 Dell's Adamo XPS: measures just 9.7mm top to bottom The Adamo XPS – actually the third machine in the Adamo series – …
I think it would rather tricky to balance this beast on your lap, so call it a protable desktop computer instead.
Also, I think the dimensions (at least width and breadth) of portable computers shouldn't extend much past the dimensions of the screen. Why would I want a larger footprint (when closed) if I don't get any usable real estate for this? There is plenty of empty space above they keyboard, so if you want a slanted keyboard, make it bend there instead.
Presumably, the "stand" is used to hold most of the electronics so nothing needs to be tucked under the keyboard or behind the screen, so you can reduce the thickness. But I don't really get this urge to make things as thin as possible. I would rather have less weight than less thickness.
I really like the hinge design, to give a raised keyboard. That's a neat idea. But can you name one person (who isn't an overly wealthy twunt concerned only with being flashy) who actually gives two shits about ultra-thins?
Oooh, my laptop is so slinky! Pity I paid so much for something that ultimately can't do any more than an Eee.
Though I am amused to see this not only being thinner than the Air, but much, much cheaper.
I want a laptop to be as thin as paper, so that I can fold it and then roll it up to put it into my pocket. Also solar powered, and be able to detect my finger/thumb print when I pinch a corner so I don't need to log on with a keyboard.
And transparant.
and in my Christmas stocking please.
ttfn
PH - while I'm on a roll I might as well ask for her as well.
Take a look at a Microsoft Natural keyboard.
http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/06/ms_desk7000_front.jpg
See how the keys slope away from you to make it comfortable to type? Now look at the Adamo, and notice that they've got it backwards. I give you half an hour before you develop RSI.
At least the MacBook Air is useable.
I can't imagine trying to use this anywhere. Certainly not on my lap. An airline seat table or train table looks equally challenging.
I'm sure the Dell engineers thought they were being very clever in putting the big bits of electronics on the 'stand' part. But have they actually tried using this in the real world (assumption: engineers are aware of the real world)?
I'm not sure where you get the 'much much cheaper' than the MacBook Air from. I've just checked the Apple US website, and the Air with 128GB SSD costs exactly the same: $1799. You do get a faster CPU, but only 2GB of RAM (mind you, you don't need as much RAM with OS X, and if the Adamo comes with a 32 bit version of Windows, it can only use 3GB of the 4GB anyway), and one fewer USB ports.
You didn't make the mistake of thinking this thing would actually cost £1084 when released in the UK, did you?
The Adamo is impressively thinner though -- if only it didn't make it look completely unuseable.
Personally, I'm all for thin'n'light. Most netbooks have a screen and keyboard that is too small for me to do any serious work. On the basis that when I am working, I am usually carrying around a few documents and other A4 sized bits and bobs, then I need a bag that's A4 carrying sized. Therefore, I lose nothing by having a laptop of similar size; but gain on the proper sized keyboard and screen. My job currently provides me with a ThinkPad X61 which seems a pretty decent compromise -- it's faily light and thin. Still, even thinner would be better...
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Sorry, but how was this designed to compete with the Macbook Air? They're not competing in price or power... maybe the only thing they care about is the removable battery...
Or MAYBE it's competing because it's running Windows! That'll get them to separate the cash from their wallets, because, you know... it's more logical to spend a four-digit amount of cash on something less powerful then something that's £300.
Put aside its take it or leave it appearance and notice that it features a removable battery. This completely demolishes the argument that batteries should be sealed in. If Dell, purveyor of cheap and cheerful PCs can produce a slim laptop with a removable battery why is it that the alleged masters of usability (Apple) cannot?
The answer of course only reason Apple seals in batteries is to make their devices disposable so people buy new ones after a few years. It has nothing to do with looks, usability or any other bullshit excuse that the company or its legions of apologists would have people believe. I hope the existence of devices like this force Apple's hand, or better yet force the EU's hand to mandate removable batteries by law.
Thin maybe, thinnest not.
The Thinnest title still goes to Sony Vaio X (13.9mm at thickest part, 780g light).
http://www.sony.co.uk/product/vn-x-series
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/10/08/hands_on_sony_vaio_x/
Ok, not a direct competition to Adamo or Air since it is only Atom powered (Z550 2GHz, 2GB RAM), it's the world's most expensive (yet coolest?) netbook...
Vaio X does have an Ethernet port though.
1USB, no ethernet, no reasonable GPU, and if that battery is removable in that small of a form factor it'll be dead in under 3 hours likely... I bet the power brick is also a brick too, not to mention some clunky optical drive that would also needs its own power brick). Oh, and it's 510MHz slower than the very outdated MacBook Air (which advertises 5 hours of "wireless connectivity" and they're right about that)
Apple will be releasing new Macbook Air with an even faster, lower power CPU, more ports, better connectivity, better resolution, at the current price (which is LOWER than this machine's price) very soon... I doubt before Christmas, but this thing won't be out from Dell until then anyway, so a January or early Feb release from Apple would be no big deal...
Sure, the Dell may actually be more eye appealing, but it's not gonna sit on my lap, so its useless to me... and at that price?
I really could give a flying F*** about a removable battery too... If it lasts 5 hours and charges in 30 min, wtf cares? I've had 4 notebooks with a second battery. I can count on one hand the number of times I swapped the battery after killing it where I was a) not near a power outlet b) had the battery on hand, and c) found it actually had a charge... and those were 90-120 minute batteries. 5 hours? If I used it hard enough to kill it after 5 hours and had not been around an outlet during that time, a 2nd 2.5 hour battery from Dell would still not have made a difference...
That's a lame analogy.
When the air first appeared, the apologists were all over the sealed battery claiming it had to be done that way to make the device slim enough. Clearly that was not the case, so what excuse does that leave? It certainly isn't for usability's sake. Air owners must merely undo 10 screws of various lengths to get at the battery which is considerably more effort than just opening a hatch or a clip as virtually every other laptop manages.
Why are those keyboards with each individual key spaced a mile apart all the effin rage? Tried one just our of curiosity and typing speed is dranstically reduced as you try to focus on accurately hitting each key rather than falling in the gap between them! It's the most stupid bit of design I have seen in ages and all the Apple copy cats are following apply like...sheep.
"Tried one just our of curiosity and typing speed is dranstically reduced as you try to focus on accurately hitting each key rather than falling in the gap between them! "
If that's the case the only conclusion I can draw is that you're really shit at typing.
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