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Dell, Lenovo PCs Offer the Latest Technology from Intel, Microsoft
by Michelle Maisto
The most powerful laptop in Lenovo’s consumer portfolio, the IdeaPad Y550P features Intel’s Core i7 processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology. The display is HD and 15.6 inches. It’s priced at $1,149.
Available in red or black, the IdeaPad U150 is half an inch thick, weighs 3 pounds and features an Intel Core 2 Duo processor with up to 8GB of DDR3 memory. The HD display is 11.6 inches, and the notebook will sell for $585.
The IdeaPad U550 is priced at $650 and offers a 15.6-inch HD widescreen and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor. Meant for both work and home use, there’s a fingerprint reader, facial recognition, a DVD drive and controls for better battery life.
The consumer-focused IdeaCentre H230 starts at $449 and offers a variety of HDD and DDR3 memory configurations. Features include virus protection technology and quick data recovery.
The IdeaCenter runs an Intel Core 2 Quad processor and includes a high-performance RAID-configured hard drive for added storage. It includes the Lenovo Power Control switch, which enables users to adjust the power for greater performance or efficiency. It’s priced at $499.
The IdeaCentreB500, at $649, is geared toward gamers and big-time multimedia users. There’s an Intel Core 2 Quad processor, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory and 1TB of HDD storage space. The screen is 23 inches, and there’s a VOIP handset and a Webcam that can be trained to keep the user in the center of its focus.
Lenovo additionally announced that its IdeaPad U350 ultraportable laptop will be available in new textures and patterns. These include a brown lizard print, a white lamb-skin print and a red-light weave, for $649.
The Lenovo S10-2 netbook also now comes in a more colorful assortment, including pop art, violet floral, phoenix, garden and origami, among others. Pricing begins at $349.
On Oct. 27 Dell introduced the XT2 XFR, a 12.1-inch rugged convertible laptop, which it says is the industry’s thinnest at 1.5 inches thick and 5.4 pounds.
The XT2 XFR runs Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system and features four-finger multitouch capabilities. There’s also an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and up to 5GB of DDR3 1,066MHz memory on board.
Options for the Dell XT2 XFR include a fingerprint reader and the ability to use the entire screen as the viewfinder for a 2-megapixel camera.
The XT2 XFR can handle temperature extremes, dust, water, drops and generally all the bumps that vertical industries such as field service, first response, utilities and military applications can dish out. Pricing starts at $3,599.
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On the same week that Dell introduced its 12.1-inch Latitude XT2 XFR, a thin but rugged convertible tablet, Lenovo introduced six new machines—three IdeaPad laptops and three IdeaCentre desktops. Intel processors and Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system are aboard all seven devices, and Dell makes particular use of its integrated multitouch capabilities. Lenovo, for its part, worked with Microsoft to develop the Lenovo Enhanced Experience for Windows 7, which offers faster boot-up and shutdown times, as well as easy-to-use maintenance tools and rich multimedia features.