June 2007 - Posts

• Yours is Designed for the Environment

  Thu. Jun. 28, 2007
  by David Lear, Dir.—Environmental Affairs

  This has been an exciting month at Dell, not only because we launched some new notebooks, desktops and workstations, but also because we made great progress toward our commitment to become the greenest technology company on the planet.

  We expanded our ‘Plant a Tree for Me’ program to Europe, launched a global zero-carbon initiative and announced a new company policy that requires primary suppliers to report CO2 emissions data during the quarterly business review process. We also started a new dialogue with our customers to help us build the "greenest PC on the planet," something you’ll be hearing more about in the coming weeks.

  On Wednesday, Greenpeace International gave Dell high marks for ongoing environmental initiatives in its latest Green Electronics Guide. In the report, we rank ahead of our industry peers, based on our recycling and design for the environment programs. Take a look at the current Greenpeace rankings and let us know what you think.

  With all the excitement surrounding our new products, we also wanted to point out a few environmentally-smart features:
  

  • LED Display: Customers who purchase the super thin 13.3” XPS M1330 notebook have the option of adding a WXGA (1280x800) light emitting diode (LED) backlight display, a state-of-the-art, environmentally-smart feature that’s halogen-free and uses up to 15 percent less energy compared to cathode fluorescent lamp displays.

  Another new technology we’re committed to is solid state drives. They feature improved reliability and better performance than traditional hard drives overall. We support the technology on most comprehensive set of products in our industry, including the XPS M1330, the Latitude D430, 630 and 830 notebooks, and the Precision M4300.

  • Energy Star 4.0: Corporate customers who prefer the Latitude D430 and Precision M4300 can configure their systems to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new Energy Star 4.0 standard. We’ve also added the Dell Precision 390, 490 and 690 to the list of Energy Star 4.0-compliant systems ahead of the EPA’s July 2007 deadline, giving customers the most comprehensive selection of Energy Star 4.0 products in the industry.

  • EPEAT Gold: Dell was the first to offer global EPEAT Gold notebooks and also listed two of our leading Energy Smart desktop products as gold, in contrast to a limited offering from a competitor.

  Our challenge to you: Keep the pressure on. Share your thoughts, ideas and comments. Visit Direct2Dell, IdeaStorm and DellEarth. Tell (or show) us how we can strengthen our partnership for a cleaner environment. We’ll not only listen…we’ll keep raising the stakes for our friends and competitors to join us along the way.
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• Ubuntu on Two New Inspirons; Update from the Linux Live Expert Forum

  Wed. Jun. 27, 2007
  by Lionel Menchaca, Chief Blogger

  Since yesterday's launches, Direct2Dell readers like Concerned asked what we are doing to offer OS choice on the new products. From a Ubuntu perspective, we're now offering Ubuntu 7.04 to customers in the United States on the Inspiron 1420N notebook and the Inspiron 530N desktop. Both are available for order now at www.dell.com/open. Since these are new systems, it usually takes us a bit of time to ramp production. Because of that, we expect to ship these new systems by the middle of next month.
  

  In terms of how of what to expect, the same technical details that John Hull blogged about before we launched Ubuntu systems apply to these new systems. 

   

  Here's the base configuration on the Inspiron 1420N:

  • Core 2 Duo T5250 processor (1.5GHz/ 667MHz FSB)
  • 1GB shared dual-channel DDR2 667MHz RAM
  • 80GB hard drive
  • Ubuntu 7.04

   

  And here's the base config for the Inspiron 530N:

  •  Intel dual-core processor E2140 (1.6GHz/ 800MHz FSB)
  • 512MB single channel DDR2 667MHz RAM
  • 160GB hard drive
  • Ubuntu 7.04
    

  In this morning's Linux Live Expert Forum session, John Hull confirmed that we do plan to offer Linux on the client side in additional locations outside the United States. More details to come later this summer. That's something that we continue to see a lot of interest in—the Sell Linux PCs Worldwide from user ergo has been the top idea for a few weeks now, and I've received hundreds of comments on Direct2Dell about the same thing. John also said that Dell is considering bringing Linux to our small business customers as well.

  You can take a look at this thread to follow most of the discussion from this morning's session. A couple of new threads were added outside of the live one, like this one where John asked the community what Dell could do to improve our Ubuntu offering.

  Update 6/28: Yesterday, Direct2Dell reader Brandon asked about a price increase on the Inspiron E1505N notebook. The issue also came up in last night's Live Linux Chat. That price mistake was due to a website glitch, which we have fixed. The Inspiron 1505N is available for a starting price of $599. My apologies for any inconvenience this has caused.
  

  We've got another Linux Live Expert Forum session again tonight from 8pm - 10pm. Both John Hull and Ben Collins from Ubuntu will be there again tonight. To join it, go to the Linux Community Forum area, and look for the second Live Linux Chat thread.
  
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• New Inspiron Notebooks: Your Choice of Color, Wireless Connectivity, Integrated Cameras & More

  Tue. Jun. 26, 2007
  by Lionel Menchaca, Chief Blogger

   

  Know many of you have already seen some of the details, but earlier this morning we officially introduced a whole bunch of Inspiron notebooks at a launch event this morning at Macy's Herald Square in New York. For those who are interested, you can view a recorded version of the webcast from this link a bit later today. We're also hosting launch events today Spain, Japan, China, Singapore, Australia and India.
  

  There's five Inspiron notebooks in all: three Intel-based ones, and two AMD-based ones. All of these notebooks can be ordered in one of eight different colors—Ruby Red, Midnight Blue, Spring Green and Jet Black to name a few.  All models feature widescreen displays, a host of integrated Wi-Fi and mobile broadband options, and optional 2.0 megapixel integrated webcams with microphones.

  Lots of customers have asked us for this functionality. The Laptop Webcam and Microphone idea from user terrymain is another example of a popular IdeaStorm idea submitted on the first day we launched the site. Regarding displays, these notebooks can be ordered with a variety of widescreen resolutions and finishes, including the high-gloss TrueLife or the non-glare finish.

  As far as connectivity options, all support integrated 802.11g by default, and all can be ordered with integrated 802.11 Wireless-N, which offers faster throughput and greater range than previous Wi-Fi options. Beyond that, Dell also supports a variety of mobile broadband options across the entire lineup—including Sprint, Verizon Wireless (EV-DO Rev A), or AT&T (HSDPA).
  

  In this vlog, Matt Jorgensen walks you through some of the features the new Inspiron notebook family supports.

  Format: flv Duration: 2:55

  Downloads WMV  MP4  OGG

  Santa Rosa in All Intel-Based Inspiron Notebooks:

  Direct2Dell readers like Bobby Kay, Andrew and anand and others have asked when Santa Rosa would make its way into Inspirons. All three of our Inspiron models we're launching today feature Intel's Santa Rosa chipset. Each of the Intel-based notebooks can be ordered with Blu-ray optical drives. Also, all three of these models support either integrated or discrete graphics card options.
  

  • Inspiron 1720
  • Inspiron 1520
  • Inspiron 1420

  The following AMD-based notebooks feature Turion 64 X2 dual core processors. They support the same colors and connectivity options as the other notebooks. Additionally, the 1721 supports RAID 0 and 1 functionality as well.
  

  • Inspiron 1721
  • Inspiron 1521
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• XPS M1330: A Sign of Things to Come

  Tue. Jun. 26, 2007
  by Lionel Menchaca, Chief Blogger

  Several of you have already seen the stories in Engadget, but now I can share all the details of our XPS M1330. As many of you know, I've been here at Dell for a long time. Having seen my share of products (and product launches), it's been a long time since I've seen the kind of internal excitement we're seeing so far with the XPS M1330. Typically, I'm a desktop guy, and I definitely want one of these.

  What's the reason for the excitement? The thin and light design. It's less than an inch thick and packs a lot of performance inside. It's based on Intel's Santa Rosa chipset and is our first notebook that features an optional 13.3-inch WXGA (1280x800) LED backlight display, which is notable for two reasons:

  • it's brighter than a typical LCD display
  • it allows for an even thinner profile compared to its LCD counterpart

  The XPS M1330 comes in three finishes: Tuxedo Black, Crimson Red and Pearl White. And these aren't your average paint jobs—the Pearl White color, for example, is made up of seven layers of paint. Other nice touches: touch-sensitive media buttons across the top, an integrated remote that fits in the ExpressCard slot, a full-size keyboard, aluminum palmrests, a standard webcam (2.0 megapixel with the LCD display, VGA resolution with the thinner LED display) dual digital microphones and noise isolation earbuds, an optional biometric reader, dual headphone jacks and an 8-in-1 card reader right in the front of the notebook.

  In this vlog, I talked to Vio Luminosu, the lead industrial desginer for the product. Before the M1330, he was the lead designer on our XPS 2010. Many of the design elements he's proud of first appeared in the XPS M2010 and have made it into the M1330. One thing that the new notebook brings with it is a lower price of entry—the XPS M1330 starts at $1,299.

  Format: flv Duration: 3:32

  Downloads WMV  MP4  OGG
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• More on the XPS M1330

  Tue. Jun. 26, 2007
  by Lionel Menchaca, Chief Blogger

  If you're interested in this product, bet you've already seen the design-focused blog entry and vlog on the XPS M1330. A few performance-related things that this sub-4 pound notebook supports are: 

  • Intel Core 2 Duo processors up to 2.4GHz
  • An optional 32GB SSD drive
  • Regular hard drive capacities up to 250GB
  • HDMI, Firewire, USB ports
    
  • Optional for NVIDIA's GeForce Go 8400M GS discrete graphics card with 128MB.

  In this vlog, Matt Jorgensen provides a good overview of the features that the XPS M1330 offers.

  Format: flv Duration: 3:20

  Downloads WMV  MP4  OGG
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• New Inspiron Desktops, Widescreen Displays

  Tue. Jun. 26, 2007
  by Lionel Menchaca, Chief Blogger

  Today, we're launching four desktop models overall: two Intel-based ones and two AMD systems. The Inspiron 530 and 531 are the larger minitower versions. The 530 supports a variety of Intel processors up to the Core 2 Duo, and the 531 supports several AMD processors up to Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors.

  Both support optional wireless 802.11g internal network cards. Bluetooth 2.0 technology is integrated into the optional 13-in-1 card reader. With these add-ons, customers can use a wireless keyboard, mouse, have wireless Internet access and use other wireless devices.
  

  Both support the optional 256MB GeForce 8600 GT from NVIDIA, dual hard drives up to 1TB total, and the optional ATI Theater 650 Pro analog/digital TV tuner cards. With all this hardware, customers can watch and record hours of HDTV content.

  The Inspiron 530s and the 531s are the slim tower chassis versions of the desktop. Like their bigger counterparts, the 530s supports the same Intel processors while the 531s supports the same AMD processors. They both support the dual hard drives up to 1TB total, and lots of optional  hardware like ATI Theater 650 Pro analog/digital TV tuner, internal 802.11g network cards, and integrated Bluetooth 2.0.
  

  In this video Mary Miller gives a good overview of the overall features that these two form factors provide. 

  Format: flv Duration: 4:29

  Downloads WMV  MP4  OGG

   E198WFP Widescreen 19-inch Monitor

   The SE198WFP 19-inch widescreen monitor features some high-end specs—like a maximum resolution of 1400x900, a bright 1000:1 contrast ratio, and a 5ms response time—for a price of $189.
  

   

  New 2407WFP-HC Display

  For gamers, enthusiasts and photographer types, today we're now offering a new version of the 2407WFP. It now joins the 2707WFP and the 3000WFP-HC displays to feature a 92% color gamut—a technology we call TrueColor. What it means is that the new version of the 2407WFP-HC can now display a wider range of colors more accurately than its predecessor.
  

  
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• Making Support Easier Through Dell Support Center

  Mon. Jun. 25, 2007
  by Julie Lary, Dell Client Services

  If you wanted to find the address for a restaurant in another city or locate the closest bookstore, you’d probably look online. For a lot of folks, the Internet is the first place they look for the name, address and telephone number of businesses and services. It's easy and it's quick.

  Update, 12-6: Some of you have reported errors with earlier versions of Dell Support Center. I just posted more details on how to uninstall and reinstall Dell Support Center. I hope this helps any of you who are still having problems with it. Sorry for the inconvenience.

  We're about to roll out a new tool called Dell Support Center, and our hope is that it makes getting online support easier. When you click on the desktop icon, the application opens and presents links to:

  • Self-help tools
  • Dell support contact information
  • Resources that are specific to your systems
  • Other support and service resources

  Dell Support Center makes it easier for you to find the service, support and system-specific information you need… when you need it. The Dell Support Center was designed by users for users. We started with a clean slate and asked customers to tell us what they look for on Dell.com. One clear message is that customers want to have information about their system at their fingertips.

  At the very top of the Dell Support Center, you’ll find the model number for your system along with its service tag, express service code and warranty expiration. When you give permission to Dell to use your service tag, we can provide additional details about your system, such as available memory, disk space, installed hardware, network addresses and modem, installed security software, and much more. In addition, using your service tag, we can link you to the most relevant Dell.com web pages for renewing your warranty, ordering accessories and installing recommended drivers and downloads.

  Having this system-specific information at your fingertips can save you time and effort when maintaining your system or working with a Dell support technician.

  We know how challenging it can be to quickly contact a support technician. That’s why the Assistance from Dell section of the Dell Support Center provides links to Dell Technical Support via email, chat or phone. You can also access online training materials and tutorials.

  Dell Support Center launches soon and it will be available in multiple languages. During its development, over 160,000 Dell customers tested the software. One of the most popular sections was Self-Help Tools. In two-clicks you can check the performance of your system, access a network assistance tool, or learn about security and backup solutions.

  We invite you to download this free application and try it for yourself. Visit www.dell.com/dellsupportcenter. If you're interested in seeing the kind of functionality Dell Support Center provides, take a look at this video. It joins tools like PC Tune-Up and the updated DellConnect remote service to provide new ways to help you prevent issues altogether or to make it easier to diagnose problems when they do occur.
  

  Format: flv Duration: 6:29

  Downloads WMV  MP4  OGG

   
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• Parts & Upgrades For Your Dell

  Fri. Jun. 22, 2007
  by Lionel Menchaca, Chief Blogger

  It's pretty common these days for customers to want to add components to systems they purchased: more RAM, a bigger hard drive, a faster graphics card, etc. However, a lot of customers have a hard time narrowing down the parts they need.

  To help with that process, today we launched a new Parts & Upgrades section on the United States website. Home Users can check it out here and small business customers can either click here or go directly to www.dell.com/upgrades.

  Click on the screenshots below to see enlarged versions of them. 

   
  

  You will be given 4 options from the main page:

  • Dell System Analyzer - Clicking the blue button will initiate a scan that takes a few seconds. From there, it will identify your service tag number, processor, memory and hard drive configuration and more.
    
  • Service Tag Search
  • Part Number Search
  • Search By Product - For folks who'd rather enter their own system details
    

  
  
  After you scan or select your system, you have the option of choosing the type of device you're looking to add. The search results that follow are meant specifically for your system.
  
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• Unlocked Nokia Phones on Dell.com

  Fri. Jun. 22, 2007
  by Lionel Menchaca, Chief Blogger

  I saw some discussion about this on the Roam4free blog on a post by Pat Phelan. I don't have a lot of details but, it's true—we are offering unlocked phones by Nokia on Dell.com. We also offer the Pharos GPS unlocked phone as well.
  
  Check out this link.
  
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• XPS 720 Hardware Kit: What to Expect

  Thu. Jun. 21, 2007
  by Lionel Menchaca, Chief Blogger

  I mentioned last week that I would post pictures of the hardware kit. This is what you will receive when you place your order. Thanks to Chris M. for heading down to our Parmer campus to take the shots. I've seen some chatter where some customers are concerned about parts we'll use in the hardware kit. I will say this: all parts will be new—including the mobo. There are no refurbished parts in the hardware kit.

  Update, 8/13:  The link for the XPS 700 Exchange Program is now live:
  

  www.XPSUpgradeProgramDell.com 

  Beyond that, I continue to get questioned about when we will offer the program. I still can't share specific details yet. We are definitely working to bring this to you as soon as we can. Like I said before, the reality is that this is a very complex process for us to implement and we're taking the time to do this right. In other words, we are not unnecessarily delaying the process.

  Here are the pictures—you can click on any one of these images to see a larger version. 

   

   
   
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