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Dell touts luxury brand but offers few details
ExciteNews.com ^ | 1-9-2008 | JESSICA MINTZ

Posted on 01/09/2009 1:54:43 PM PST by raybbr

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Computer maker Dell Inc. (DELL) (DELL), trailing Hewlett-Packard Co. in worldwide sales, could have used a home run at the International Consumer Electronics Show. Instead, it came to Vegas with a model and a mirage.

At a news conference Friday, Dell executives said the company would launch a luxury line of computers under the brand name Adamo. A model stood and removed a thin, black laptop from a bag and posed "Project Runway" style for a scrum of photographers. She did not turn on the computer, and Dell gave no details about what's under the hood.

Alex Gruzen, a senior vice president in Dell's consumer product group, would not say how much the new machine would cost, but emphasized that it would be a high-end, high-performance laptop. He defended the company's decision to launch a luxury line during a recession.

"It's not the only product we're launching," he said. "It's the right time, with the technologies and materials for us to satisfy a very important Dell customer segment."

Adamo, or "to fall in love with" in Latin, is set to debut with more details sometime in the next six months.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.excite.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: computers; dell
Just curious. How many people buy/use Dell?

All my boxes are built by me - I have two. One runs on Linux Mint and the other XP Pro. Been building them for ten years.

Two laptops. One a Lenovo - ok. One a Toshiba - pretty good with Vista.

1 posted on 01/09/2009 1:54:46 PM PST by raybbr
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To: ShadowAce; Ernest_at_the_Beach; HAL9000; Malsua

ping


2 posted on 01/09/2009 1:55:58 PM PST by raybbr (It's going to get a lot worse now that the anchor babies are voting!)
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To: raybbr
How many people buy/use Dell?

I have a couple and have been pretty happy with them. I needed Windows on them and buying that retail would have made a home built system about as expensive as I could buy it from Dell.

3 posted on 01/09/2009 1:57:59 PM PST by KarlInOhio (On 9/11 Israel mourned with us while the Palestinians danced in the streets. Who should we support?)
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To: raybbr

“She did not turn on the computer, and Dell gave no details about what’s under the hood.”

Sounds like Bambi.


4 posted on 01/09/2009 2:01:31 PM PST by golfisnr1 (Democrats are like roaches - hard to get rid of.)
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To: raybbr
I have three Dells, but I'm a bit biased, as I'm a Dell technician, and I get my hands on all manner of leftover goodies.


5 posted on 01/09/2009 2:03:50 PM PST by Viking2002 (Let's be proactive and start the impeachment NOW.)
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To: raybbr
Another desperate attempt to reach Apple's successful market?

Also, the name reminds me:

or


6 posted on 01/09/2009 2:04:40 PM PST by antiRepublicrat ("I am a firm believer that there are not two sides to every issue..." -- Arianna Huffington)
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To: raybbr
A model stood and removed a thin, black laptop from a bag and posed "Project Runway" style for a scrum of photographers. She did not turn on the computer, and Dell gave no details about what's under the hood.

A square piece of duck tape appeared where you might expect the Apple logo.

7 posted on 01/09/2009 2:26:47 PM PST by AZLiberty (I hope Obama changes.)
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To: AZLiberty

We bought laptops for our two kids in college this Christmas. We found two Dell laptops actually in stock for the sale price advertised at Best Buy - they went through the whole attempt to sell us extended service plans, and we said, no, no, and hell no - if one of the kids break the laptop, it’s on them to pay to fix it. The guy then rings up the laptops and tries to charge us $69 more for an “optimization fee.” When we asked, WTF is that, they explain that the computers had been already “set up” by whatever it is they call their IT people. At that point, the laptops were only $100 less than the MacBooks our kids really wanted (they’re $949 with student/educator discount) so we told Best Buy to take a flying leap and ponied up for the MacBooks.

We were in and out of the Apple store, with two MacBooks in 10 minutes, despite the store being crowded as could be...no gimmicks or bait and switch.


8 posted on 01/09/2009 2:35:41 PM PST by Chucky is a girlie man
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To: AZLiberty

It still runs Vista.

As far as competing with Apple, it is pretty hard competing with a cult. I have a nephew that has joined the Apple cult. He showing me his laptop the last time I visited. It was nice, and did some nice things, but he was gushing over it as though it was some huge advancement. I was thinking “So, I’v seen the same thing on both Linux and Windows platforms.” I didn’t tell him that, because I didn’t want to deflat him.

The really interesting, cutting edge stuff is happening on Linux, not Apple. The problem is there is too high a learning curve for most people to even start using Linux.

IMHO, Apple is the computer for people that don’t know much about computers/technology. They make a nice system with an emphasis on ultra ease of use. The irony is Apple started out as the geek/hackers computer, and now it has become the favorite computer of the non-computer literate.

If I had to buy my grandmother a computer, it would be an Apple.
If I had to buy a computer for someone studying computer science, it would run Linux.
If I had to buy a computer for a business, it would be a Windows machine.


9 posted on 01/09/2009 2:36:42 PM PST by Brookhaven (The Fair Tax is THE economic litmus test for conservatives)
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To: raybbr

What is a “luxury computer”? Do the keys have a mink lining? Maybe a diamond stud on the “F” and “J” keys for finger positioning?


10 posted on 01/09/2009 2:43:10 PM PST by Hazwaste (Feeling bitter and clingy since 1963.)
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To: raybbr
I bought a laptop with Ubuntu Linux preloaded. The amazing thing is that thanks to free upgrades every 6 months the computer is actually better than when I bought it.
11 posted on 01/09/2009 3:24:38 PM PST by Nateman (Windows free since 2007!)
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To: raybbr

Somehow I think the timing isn’t quite right for a “luxury” anything.


12 posted on 01/09/2009 3:43:07 PM PST by informavoracious
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To: Viking2002
...and I get my hands on all manner of leftover goodies.

That's simply not fair. :(

13 posted on 01/09/2009 4:07:52 PM PST by raybbr (It's going to get a lot worse now that the anchor babies are voting!)
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To: Nateman
I bought a laptop with Ubuntu Linux preloaded.

Where'd you get that?

14 posted on 01/09/2009 4:10:19 PM PST by raybbr (It's going to get a lot worse now that the anchor babies are voting!)
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To: raybbr
Hey, bro, too bad you're not closer. I'm always willing to hook up my fellow Freepers-in-arms when possible.


15 posted on 01/09/2009 5:24:13 PM PST by Viking2002 (Let's be proactive and start the impeachment NOW.)
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To: Viking2002
Hey, bro, too bad you're not closer. I'm always willing to hook up my fellow Freepers-in-arms when possible.

There is such a thing as mail. :)

16 posted on 01/09/2009 6:02:21 PM PST by raybbr (It's going to get a lot worse now that the anchor babies are voting!)
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To: raybbr
I bought it online direct from Dell. I had tried years before to install Linux on a corrupted HP that had no Windows recovery disk and couldn't get it to work, so I figured I'd buy a machine with Linux preloaded to try it out. ( I now have that old HP up and running with 6 different versions of Linux on it just for fun)
17 posted on 01/09/2009 6:21:45 PM PST by Nateman (Windows free since 2007!)
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To: raybbr

Not a big fan of Dell these days. I suppose they’ll work. I’ve purchased at least 150 HPs in the past year and only had one that needed re-imaged.


18 posted on 01/09/2009 6:34:41 PM PST by Malsua
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To: raybbr
Just got a new Thinkpad - T61, came with Vista Business, now running openSUSE 11.1. I'm toying with using Xen to run Vista as a VM. Also playing around the VirtualBox on another 11.1 machine to run W2K as a VM.

I'm a Thinkpad user from way back in the 80486 days. Great laptops. My T30, also running openSUSE 11.0, was one of the last of the IBM models. So far the Lenovo is living up to the Thinkpad name, but I haven't yet dropped it a couple of times while it's running like I did the T30. Which BTW, other than a corner missing from the case, still works fine.

And I absolutely refuse to use a laptop the doesn't have a trackpoint mouse. I can't stand those trackpads.

19 posted on 01/09/2009 7:37:43 PM PST by AFreeBird
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To: Brookhaven
The really interesting, cutting edge stuff is happening on Linux, not Apple.

Linux often gets to have cutting-edge because the development cycle is extremely fast and you can do things like replace the entire graphic system with another one at the drop of a hat (a Red one maybe?). That advantage creates a problem though, no cohesiveness anywhere. You learn Linux on your friend's computer, you might have a learning curve on your other friend's Linux computer. Apple does keep the cutting edge in interfaces. Everybody's still trying to copy the iPhone.

As far as cutting edge in hardware, the new notebooks have shown that no OEM comes even close to Apple. They're all so far behind in the horse race the manure has dried before they catch up to it.

20 posted on 01/09/2009 7:46:32 PM PST by antiRepublicrat ("I am a firm believer that there are not two sides to every issue..." -- Arianna Huffington)
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To: raybbr

Does this mean that Alienware is dead? Why create a new line product that will compete with one you already own?

As to owning Dells. The company I work for now is a Dell shop and I have worked with Dells for over 10 years working as a full/part time tech for another company. I don’t care for them, especially there support. Much prefer buying HP business line products. The support staff is usually American, if not you can ask for one and be rerouted.


21 posted on 01/10/2009 12:11:22 AM PST by neb52 (Currently Reading: The Senior by Mike Flynt)
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To: antiRepublicrat

I am still waiting on HP or Dell to take the plunge and create a Linux/hardware version of Apple’s OSX/macs.


22 posted on 01/10/2009 12:13:42 AM PST by neb52 (Currently Reading: The Senior by Mike Flynt)
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To: Hazwaste
What is a “luxury computer”? Do the keys have a mink lining? Maybe a diamond stud on the “F” and “J” keys for finger positioning?

Say, Jim! That's a bad P C!  



23 posted on 01/10/2009 4:40:47 AM PST by JoJo Gunn
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To: Hazwaste

“What is a “luxury computer”? Do the keys have a mink lining? Maybe a diamond stud on the “F” and “J” keys for finger positioning?”

LOL! That would a cool PC. But no it is just a PC that comes with a high end graphics card and starts off with more memory standard then the typical minimum that the low end PCs start off with.


24 posted on 01/10/2009 4:48:47 AM PST by neb52 (Currently Reading: The Senior by Mike Flynt)
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To: neb52
LOL! That would a cool PC. But no it is just a PC that comes with a high end graphics card and starts off with more memory standard then the typical minimum that the low end PCs start off with.

My Toshiba has 4 gig. Came that way. It's because RAM is so cheap these days. The video card is standard integrated with dynamic memory. I wish I could set it at 512mb. The video is not that great but not bad either.

25 posted on 01/10/2009 4:56:21 AM PST by raybbr (It's going to get a lot worse now that the anchor babies are voting!)
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To: raybbr

Are you talking about the Adamo? Usually in the “High End” market the video card is separate, because it is a high end graphics card with it’s own memory that produces a lot of heat. Processor is usually the highest in cache and processing power. Really the difference between what a normal PC and a high end is not much nowadays.


26 posted on 01/10/2009 5:03:02 AM PST by neb52 (Currently Reading: The Senior by Mike Flynt)
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To: Brookhaven
IMHO, Apple is the computer for people that don’t know much about computers/technology....If I had to buy my grandmother a computer, it would be an Apple....

Although not a grandmother, I agree with you. I just purchased a MacBook and I did it not because I think Apples are oh so great but because it is easy to use for what I need it to do.

27 posted on 01/10/2009 5:08:19 AM PST by SoftballMominVA
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To: neb52
Are you talking about the Adamo? Usually in the “High End” market the video card is separate, because it is a high end graphics card with it’s own memory that produces a lot of heat. Processor is usually the highest in cache and processing power. Really the difference between what a normal PC and a high end is not much nowadays.

No, I have a Toshiba laptop. It's pretty good. Not low end but certainly not high end. I can't dedicate memory in the BIOS. It calls it "dynamic" which I take to mean that it uses memory as needed.

28 posted on 01/10/2009 5:42:53 AM PST by raybbr (It's going to get a lot worse now that the anchor babies are voting!)
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To: neb52

The Adamo has a feature that will really make users say Wow! Been in the IT field since the mid 80s and I was truly surprised when I saw one last week.

Search YouTube for ‘Dell Adamo’ to pick up a clue on this game-changer of a feature.

KK


29 posted on 02/20/2009 8:09:23 PM PST by KKing
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To: neb52
I would also suggest having higher quality parts that are matched to each other. I'm one of the Apple fan boys, and part of what drives me crazy about the Acer I have at work is the sloppy fit of everything and the cheapo parts. Reset button hangs and you have to use a paper clip to unstick it. DVD won't respond to software or hardware eject, so every time you want to eject a DVD you have to stick a paperclip in the eject hole and it squeals like a banshee when it kicks out. Higher end PCs should have a better over all fit and finish. I'm no Windows fan, but a lot of the complaints about Windows are because people got super cheap econoboxes with bad memory modules and mismatched components. Some of the "Windows" problems are actually hardware problems.

For most purposes, the dual 2.8 GH & 24" monitor are all I need. Apple hard drives aren't that big, so I put 2 TB of USB2 drives on the outside and I'm pretty well set.

30 posted on 02/20/2009 8:40:51 PM PST by Richard Kimball (We're all criminals. They just haven't figured out what some of us have done yet.)
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To: raybbr

Have a Dell desktop and a Dell XPS laptop. The newer laptop is a heck of a lot faster than the older desktop. I’ve wanted to build one from some good stuff at Newegg, but just never seem to get to it.


31 posted on 02/20/2009 8:44:19 PM PST by RandallFlagg (Satisfaction was my sin)
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To: KKing

Searched and found some reviews, but didn’t find anything earthshaking mentioned in them. I did find the South Park AWESOM-O episode.


32 posted on 02/20/2009 8:57:45 PM PST by Richard Kimball (We're all criminals. They just haven't figured out what some of us have done yet.)
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To: Richard Kimball

Agree with your last two post. I looked at the Adamo on youtube as well and other than it is a nice thin aluminum style, I don’t see anything new. I guess at least they are moving in the right direction though.


33 posted on 02/20/2009 9:36:09 PM PST by neb52 (Currently Reading: Mensa Guide to Chess by Burt Hochberg)
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To: Richard Kimball

Did you miss the part when the reviewer was unable to find where the power plug plugs into the back?


34 posted on 02/21/2009 6:07:13 PM PST by KKing
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