Dell Adamo XPS can only be opened by rubbing

(Credit: Gizmodo)

The Dell Adamo XPS isn't only ridiculously thin, it opens like no laptop ever seen before. Its propped-up keyboard can only be opened by sliding a finger on the lid's heat-sensing strip. See it below to believe it...

Did your mouth drop? Because mine did. All I know is that rubbing that strip illuminates it and unlocks the aluminum lid. I also got to hold the system for a bit and it is really really sturdy. I thought it would be more flimsy, but it has strength.

I can't tell you much more, other than it will be officially announced in November and production is scheduled to ramp up soon. As for what's inside, I can sleep soundly now that I know that there isn't an Intel Atom processor (like the Sony Vaio X), but rather will use an Intel ULV chip of some sort.

Now back to your regularly scheduled Windows 7 programming.

Related story:

Dell teases with new Adamo shots

This story originally appeared on Gizmodo.

[-fjtorres-]

Now that is creative (and risky) engineering.
Conceptually, it reminds me of the old "lunchpail" portables that preceded the modern clamshell designs.
If the lock is temperature sensitive, I forsee serious problems with and probably a discrimination lawsuit from the vampire community. ;)

[slickuser]

how can ghosts open this thing?

[ark_v2]

Yes, it is creative, but it's something that should have never produced; it is cool only as a concept.

[Renegade Knight]

It's the kind of thing that Apple would do. Interesting that Dell's doing some of this stuff. Ignoring how it opesn I like how it sits. The tilt on the keyboard will help typing. I still hate Dell as a company and given their quality and support issues this is above their skill level.

[slickuser]

ok. how does this thing feels on a lap? I can see that the form factor looks good
on a flat surface..

[ColStruckin]

looks very awkward

[Mil_Doc_Jr]

Thats great but what if it decides to stop sensing?

[dagraham0]

More importantly, what if the battery dies? Will it have enough juice all the time to ensure it opens? Even after a week of being in hibernation? Or a month? This seems like the idea of electronic seatbelts in old Subaru: it's a fancy idea that will start causing problems when (not if, when) it fails.

[viper396]

@dagraham0, You are nitpicking at details but did you think it thru? If your battery were dead what difference does it make whether you could open it or not? Logically if the batteries are too weak to open the unit then it probable doesn't have enough to boot up. Therefore one would naturally just plug it in.

Think of any convential laptop, what good does it do you to open up and see the keyboard and screen if you still don't have enough juice to turn it on? A dead battery is always a problem whether you have a gimicky case design or not.

(And if it's really such a concern I'm sure there is manual release for the rare occasion when you really need to open up without power, much like the emergency release hole on most CD/DVD drives. Just carry a paper clip with you)

[dagraham0]

@viper396

Agreed, but more of the point was, long term, it could wear out, or fail. I've never heard of anything like this on a laptop, and it will likely not be perfect and have some failures. And I don't want to spend the amount of money Dell wants on this laptop to have to open it with a paper clip in a year or two.

I'm not trying to nitpick. Joanna gave us one detail about it, and my first thought is that there's a reason that more laptops don't do this. And it seems like the failure rate on it is likely to be pretty high, and it probably one of those features that will make the "this was better off not put into laptops" things.

[ilikejunk]

I was expecting it to open itself up automatically, too.

[C433Z]

same. i'm not impressed.

[thetruthisugly]

I thought it would too..like to old calculators that would stand themselves up. Very pointless and looks like it would be really uncomfortable on your lap..

[rmva]

I can see an ADA court challenge already. Rubbing-disabled plaintiffs will claim this infringes on their rights to use something this ultra-cool.

[tipoo_]

High-heel based laptop?

[Tiggobittie]

WOW! I wish Apple had a really cool thin notebook. Oh wait!

[Hunnter2k3]

Both are quite awful, to be perfectly honest about it.
It is useless eye-candy for the sake of being eye-candy.

I'd rather get a netbook over any of them if i wanted "portability".

[Vegaman_Dan]

It's a different take on a notebook and I don't really know what to think of it at this point. Intriguing, but until I see it in person, I think I'll reserve judgement.

[Perry_Clease]

Interesting prop up design, but as Slickuser said I wonder how it will feel on a lap. It probably isn't too heavy, but an edge like than can dig in even if the laptop is light in weight.

[rsucre]

Cool, but what is the value of that heat/rubbing sensor and impressive unlocking mechanism? Hope it's durable too.

[mgheff]

wow i did not expect that design. Not gonna lie though, really don't like it at all in any way shape or form. And the rubbing is a gimmick.

[albertsoler]

I agree, it looks cool. But, I have a strong suspicion that moving the hinge up that way solved an undisclosed stability problem. After all, with the keyboard base being so thin, most of the weight is probably on top where the glass screen is. It also creates a little extra space to cram all those chips without the need of an awkwardly proportioned keyboard base.

That heat sensitive strip may come back to haunt them though. We'll have to wait and see. But, if it's dependable, then I like that design element too.

[AppleSuxLeo]

That is one cool notebook. They out Apple`d Apple. Having the keyboard tilted up to ease typing and create air flow for cooling.
How long before Apple copies that design ?

[davidwarren]

uh, I imagine never. That's a ridiculous design for anything other than sitting at a table. The slide to open hopefully is not the only way for it to open too, that would be cool about two times. It looks like something Dell would come up with trying to be Apple-cool. Oh wait.....

[AppleSuxLeo]

No wonder Laporte ordered one...he has all the best toys.

[MaLvaDo39]

That keyboard incline is going to kill your wrists. :(

[gsmiller88]

At the risk of sounding like a fanboy here, I find the magnetic closure on the MacBook line more practical. Now this would be truly jaw-dropping if it automatically opened after rubbing your finger across the heat-strip.

[AppleSuxLeo]

The AIR looks positively ugly compared.
A major win for Dell.

[robertorosco]

You've got to be kidding. This thing looks absolutely ugly. Sorry Dell.. Try AGAIN!!!

[TCyuppy]

The Dell definitely looks better. Not pretty but better. I imagine this design allows you to charge the laptop while it is siting on a flat surface (unlike the crApple mac book air, which will disconnect from the magnetic power plug if you put any pressure on the keyboard.) The latch is only released by the signal from the rub strip. I would imagine that a spring mechanism causes it to pop up making it a fairly reliable system. As for lap use it will probably be very awkward to handle. If it was more affordable it would be way nicer than those underpowered net books with their Atom processors and limited RAM.

[NLips]

Whoever designed this had clearly forgotten that the word "laptop" used to be interchangable with "notebook".

[Medvedzlesa]

I found long video with Adamo XPS and a lot of photos on this czech web site: http://www.zive.cz/clanky/dell-adamo-xps-video-a-fotky-nejtenciho-notebooku-na-svete/sc-3-a-149431/default.aspx