Dell introduced three new additions to its Latitude E family of laptops on
April 8.
One semirugged and two professional, the laptops are the result of a
year's worth of design tinkering and taking to heart to client feedback, and
Dell no doubt hopes they'll encourage enterprises made timid by the global
recession to finally refresh older machines.
The Dell Latitude E6410, with a 14.1-inch display, the E6510, with a 15.6-inch
display, and the semi-rugged E6410 ATG, also
with a 14.1-inch display, offer Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, 1,066 or
1,333MHz DDR3 (double data rate 3) memory, a
choice of Microsoft Windows 7 or Windows Vista operating systems, and a long
list of features and options that includes a Fast Response Free Fall Sensor to
prevent a drop from resulting in data loss.
Patrick Burns, a senior product manager with Dell, told eWEEK that Dell had
three main areas of focus in designing these latest models. The first, he said,
was, "How can we drive the mobile collaboration forward even more? How do
we optimize a thin-and-light design to include all that customers demand?"
The result is slim designs made to last, with tri-metal
construction, steel reinforcements inside the case and zinc-reinforced hinges.
The Webcam was upgraded to 3 megapixels, and the speakers and digital-array
microphones were likewise improved for a high-end conferencing experience.
There are also a slew of connectivity options, and the glass displays are
impact-resistant.
"These laptops are for road warriors who are in and out of airports or
shuttling between buildings," Burns said. He added that Dell is launching
a 90-watt adapter for plugging a laptop into an airplane seat jack. Whereas
previously the laptop plug went into a converter that then went into the
seat, Dell is getting rid of the middle component.
"That's just one example of how we're trying to reduce the total weight
for customers," Burns said.
The second major focus was compatibility, and making the laptops as appealing
to users as possible. Burns offered examples such as rounding the edges on the
laptops, giving more color options and continuing the option of LED lights
that shine up through the key caps, Burns said, "offering better usability
on overnight flights or when taking notes in a darkened conference room."
The final focus was on security and improving the chipset architecture, making
the devices faster while drawing less energy. Each of the new laptops offers
Dell's Latitude ON
technology, giving quick access to e-mail, calendar and contacts without
booting up the machine. They're also Energy Star- and EPEAT-certified, offer
energy-efficient LED displays and backlighting, and feature Energy Smart power
management settings and an inverted motherboard for "improved
thermals," Dell said.
With all three models, Dell customers can choose imaging and asset management options
for deploying, managing and recovering assets. Dell also offers an assortment
of automation tools—for automating, deploying and managing tasks such as system
updates or configuring BIOS without a deskside visit—as well as deployment,
management and hardware customization services.
The E6410 and E6510, which additionally offer discrete graphics from Nvidia,
start at $1,129 and $1,164, respectively.
The semirugged E6410 ATG is military-spec
810G-tested to withstand shock, vibration, and temperature and humidity
extremes. Customers also have the option of a three-year battery warranty. The
notebook can share a docking station with the other two models, as well as a
number of earlier Dell laptops, regardless of size. The starting price for the ATG
is $2,114.
According to research company IDC, the PC
industry can expect to see a 27 percent growth in commercial laptops over the
next three years, as organizations begin to feel the impact of continuing to
use aging machines.
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