15z

Again, Apple gets all the attention

So, why does the world obsess about the newest MacBook Pro and not competing laptops from Hewlett-Packard or Dell?

Let's just say that Apple has an innate sense about good design.

And you can bet Microsoft has uttered this sentiment behind closed doors more than a few times -- thus, the Microsoft-designed Surface tablet announcement this week.

But let's focus on the Retina MacBook Pro for now. That's a design that any PC maker could have feasibly done.

Big 15-inch class laptops fall right into the wheel house of the PC guys. Dell did the XPS 15z. … Read more

Dell unveils thin 14-inch XPS z laptop

Dell is adding a 14-inch model to its new line of thin XPS z series laptops--though availability, for now, will be limited to China.

The 4.4-pound XPS 14z boasts a borderless--or bezel-free--display yielding a design that's similar to a 13-inch laptop. And Dell squeezes an optical drive into a form factor that's just less than an inch thick.

Like the earlier XPS 15z, the 14z has Intel Core i5 and Core i7 Sandy Bridge processors. It also comes with an Nvidia GeForce GT 520M graphics option, USB 3.0 ports, and a 1366x768 HD LED display.

Availability is in China only and is being launched ahead of the country's Golden Week holiday. Availability in other regions, including the U.S., will be announced in the coming weeks.

By announcing in China first, Dell is acknowledging the enormity of that market.

In China a model with an i5 processor, 4G RAM, 500GB HDD, and 1GB video card will be priced at 7,699 yuan. Information about pricing and sales in the U.S. was not immediately available. … Read more

Dell's new thin budget laptops: Inspiron 13z, 14z

When reviewing the Dell XPS 15z this summer, it was hard not to notice how comparatively slim it was to the normal XPS 15--and how thick so many of Dell's laptops are by comparison. While the Inspiron R series is hardly as large as the XPS, it's miles away from anything one would call thin and light.

Dell's newly unveiled Inspiron 13z and 14z laptops are a continuation of the thinner laptop trend, but they're a bigger deal for most consumers: they're 13- and 14-inchers, and they're relatively budget-oriented mainstream machines as opposed to high-end. It's a repeat of what Dell did just a few years ago with the Inspiron line, but revisited on the latest-generation laptops. … Read more

Dell's new XPS 15z reviewed

Dell this morning announced its latest addition to the high-end XPS laptop line, the 15-inch XPS 15z. Probably the worst-kept secret in technology since Dell's last laptop announcement, the 15z has been the subject of many rumors and leaks, not to mention a teaser video from Dell itself, and a recent Tweet from CEO Michael Dell that revealed the new system's name.

In the run-up to this official unveiling, predictions from some corners of the Internet have pegged this new 15-inch as Dell's latest version of a MacBook Air competitor or a successor to Dell's now-cancelled … Read more

How the defunct Dell Adamo led to the new XPS 15Z

Just more than two years ago, Dell introduced one of its most unlikely products ever. The Adamo laptop was stylish, it was expensive, and it wasn't around that long. The product was killed less than two years after its very splashy debut.

On Tuesday, Dell is set to announce the XPS 15Z, a $999 laptop that is in many ways a descendant of the Adamo. While the XPS 15Z lacks the same daring design and sleek profile, it's much more in line with what people have come to expect from Dell nowadays: some thoughtful style, decent quality, but … Read more

Dell to announce Adamo line successor, XPS 15z

Dell tomorrow plans to announce what the company is positioning as the successor to its ultrathin Adamo line.

The 0.97-inch thick XPS 15z can be configured with Intel "Sandy Bridge" Core i5 (2.9GHz) and Core i7 (3.4GHz) processors, a 15.6-inch 1920-by-1080 resolution display (300-nit), and a 750GB 7200RPM hard disk drive.

Constructed from anodized aluminum, it will also be offered with Nvidia GT 525M graphics, two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and Mini DisplayPort ports, a slot-load optical drive, a "spill resistant" back-lit keyboard, Ethernet port, media card reader, and a 1.3MP Webcam with dual array microphones.

As a bonus, the 15z qualifies for the free Xbox 360 4GB console promotional offer. Orders can arrive the next day with Dell's "fast ship" option, the company said.

As CNET reported earlier, the 15z is expected to start at $999 with Windows 7 Home Premium.

The Dell Adamo was discontinued in February. Launched in March 2009, it competed with Apple's MacBook Air. … Read more

Dell's two new thin laptops: Inspiron 14z and 15z

Dell's ubiquitous Inspiron line of laptops is getting a few new additions today, with the announcement of the Inspiron 14z and 15z. According to Dell, the "Z" designation for these new systems indicates, "thinner, lighter bodies, and long-lasting power-sipping batteries."

They also both feature 16:9 1,366x768 widescreen displays, and Intel's Core 2 Solo processors -- which offer much of the battery saving advantages found in low-power chips such as Intel's Atom, but with better performance more suited for a mainstream system.

Specs, according to Dell, include:

Both 14-inch (14z) and 15.… Read more