Dell rumored to give MacBook Air a run for its money
Roughly a year after Apple's MacBook Air made its first appearance, Dell is purportedly on the verge of claiming the thinnest-ever notebook crown for itself.
Following the trail of a briefly available rumor, the New York Times has discovered that Dell owns the trademarks to a mystery product known as Adamo that even has its own teaser page with a bare minimum of graphics.
Investigating deeper, however, both the newspaper and Engadget have separately heard that Adamo is actually an extremely thin notebook. The company is said so confident of the system's thinness that it will reportedly be marketed as the "world's thinnest laptop" and is very consciously aimed at the MacBook Air, which according to Apple currently holds the title for such a design.
How Dell plans to accomplish this feat isn't known, though the firm won't be alone in attempting to reach or get near the mark: however intentional, Lenovo's ThinkPad X300 series and the HP-made Voodoo Envy 133 both embrace the same philosophy as Apple, which mates a relatively large screen to a very thin and usually lightweight chassis.
In talking with Dell consumer sales and marketing VP Michael Tatleman, the Times hasn't confirmed any details but has also received hints that Adamo is as much about the company's image as it is a design goal; the executive implies that an ultra-slim notebook would let the company represent more than the utilitarian and frequently thick PCs commonly attached to its name.
"I think we need to get some iconic products out there, so people associate Dell?s brand with other things," he says.
While potentially crucial to Dell's lineup and its public perception, the system may have to wait and will face more than its share of comparisons as a result. Engadget claims that Adamo was originally slated to be ready as of this month but will now be pushed back to "at least" February, lining the Windows computer's release up against the one year anniversary of when Apple's MacBook Air was widely available in stores.
Following the trail of a briefly available rumor, the New York Times has discovered that Dell owns the trademarks to a mystery product known as Adamo that even has its own teaser page with a bare minimum of graphics.
Investigating deeper, however, both the newspaper and Engadget have separately heard that Adamo is actually an extremely thin notebook. The company is said so confident of the system's thinness that it will reportedly be marketed as the "world's thinnest laptop" and is very consciously aimed at the MacBook Air, which according to Apple currently holds the title for such a design.
How Dell plans to accomplish this feat isn't known, though the firm won't be alone in attempting to reach or get near the mark: however intentional, Lenovo's ThinkPad X300 series and the HP-made Voodoo Envy 133 both embrace the same philosophy as Apple, which mates a relatively large screen to a very thin and usually lightweight chassis.
In talking with Dell consumer sales and marketing VP Michael Tatleman, the Times hasn't confirmed any details but has also received hints that Adamo is as much about the company's image as it is a design goal; the executive implies that an ultra-slim notebook would let the company represent more than the utilitarian and frequently thick PCs commonly attached to its name.
"I think we need to get some iconic products out there, so people associate Dell?s brand with other things," he says.
While potentially crucial to Dell's lineup and its public perception, the system may have to wait and will face more than its share of comparisons as a result. Engadget claims that Adamo was originally slated to be ready as of this month but will now be pushed back to "at least" February, lining the Windows computer's release up against the one year anniversary of when Apple's MacBook Air was widely available in stores.
Comments
Roughly a year after Apple's MacBook Air made its first appearance, Dell is purportedly on the verge of claiming the thinnest-ever notebook crown for itself.
If thinness was everything I'd have an iPod touch rather than an iPhone. Air is great, but far from perfect. The best thing is it's "shape" + thinness. The whole port thing (stupid door) and the low power, but high price are the things of most concern. I'm holding out for Air 2.0 (not a bump, but major changes). And if Mac touch comes first? Well bye bye Air. The Air needs work before I'd consider it, though it looks nice.
Investigating deeper, however, both the newspaper and Engadget have separately heard that Adamo is actually an extremely thin notebook
Here's a link to info on an early protoype
Adamo prototype
"I think we need to get some iconic products out there, so people associate Dell?s brand with other things," he says.
A pig wearing lipstick is still a pig.
The interesting thing is that regardless what Dell has up its sleeve, it seems the bigger players are realizing that the MBA is a goal to reach. So much for those critics and whiners predicting that the MBA is a failure.
Unlike the critics, I'm a proud MBA owner. I come from owning Dells, Toshibas, and Sony's. My MBA is by far the best notebook I've ever owned.
A pig wearing lipstick is still a pig.
Genius!
I'm using that!
Mac OS X is the primary reason to own a Mac. Dell cannot compete with that. Nor can anyone else.
Genius!
I'm using that!
If the shoe fits..... throw it.
I doubt it will run Mac OS X, so how will it in any way compete with the Air?
Mac OS X is the primary reason to own a Mac. Dell cannot compete with that. Nor can anyone else.
tell that to Psystar
I wonder if Apple's going to release a design refresh around that time? The MBA's design isn't old, but it could probably use a small refresh to bring it in line with the Unibody MBP and MB. Mainly the glass screen and black trim. Could probably release the MBA refresh at the same time as the Unibody 17" MBP is released to bring the entire notebook product line in sync.
Ummm...they already did that in October. The MacBook Air now has the NVIDIA chipset using DDR3 RAM and the NVIDIA graphics just like the MacBook and MBP and Apple added in a 2nd model that has an SSD hard drive standard. So the MacBook Air is up to par with the aluminum unibody MacBook and new unibody 15" MacBook Pro. That being said, I doubt you'll see any changes/updates to the MacBook Air until at least spring.
Apple must really be worried
I doubt you'll see any changes/updates to the MacBook Air until at least spring.
The next update to the MacBook air will come when Intel release the SL9600, due in April.
If thinness was everything I'd have an iPod touch rather than an iPhone.
Ah, but remember that the iPod touch has a faster processor, better battery life, and you never have to deal with annoying people with an iPod touch. Triple win for the iPod touch.
I wonder if Apple's going to release a design refresh around that time? The MBA's design isn't old, but it could probably use a small refresh to bring it in line with the Unibody MBP and MB. Mainly the glass screen and black trim. Could probably release the MBA refresh at the same time as the Unibody 17" MBP is released to bring the entire notebook product line in sync.
They had an opportunity to do a tune-up with the last refresh to the nVidia chipset but didn't take it. If they bothered to redo the circuit board & change the video port, a glass face and updated no-button trackpad wouldn't have been much of a stretch. Maybe they wanted to keep some differentiation, the size and weight difference between the new MB and MBA isn't really that much in my opinion.
Ah, but remember that the iPod touch has a faster processor, better battery life, and you never have to deal with annoying people with an iPod touch. Triple win for the iPod touch.
So, how's SnapTell working for you on your iPod touch? Phone calls, text and internet outside of a open free WiFi network?
My point: thinness isn't everything, no matter the excuses.
Any competition in the "thin" space, whether direct competition or not, is a good thing.