Dell Uses Blu-ray Disc to Increase Notebook Storage

Dell announced Dec. 11 that its XPS M1710 consumer notebook will now feature Blu-ray Disc technology, offering users more storage space and an array of DVD features.

Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc format that was developed by the BDA (Blu-ray Disc Association) to allow storage of large amounts of data and the recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video features.

Blu-ray technology supports up to 50GB of data and up to 4GB of 667 MHz DDR2 (double data rate 2) memory.

Marc Spier, senior manager of Peripherals Marketing at Dell, based in Round Rock, Texas, said, "Blu-ray Disc technology will give small and medium-sized businesses a storage tool that will allow them to back up and archive their data for 10 or more years while also enabling them to back up [an] entire hard drive onto a single medium. It gives them a capacity advantage in the corporate space."

This emerging technology will also allow XPS M1710 consumer users to store large data sets without having to use an external hard drive.

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The Blu-ray technology will allow the XPS M1710 to support read/write functionality across CD, DVD and Blu-ray Disc media, enabling users to burn up to 50GB of data or write up to 50GB of video on a single medium.

The addition to the XPS M1710 notebook also supports playback of HD feature-length films, giving Hollywood studio buffs with a solid format to work with.

"This technology could allow Hollywood studios to grow, as many of the major Hollywood studios support the format, with an abundance of feature titles being announced in the near future," Spier said.

According to the company release, the XPS M1710 Blu-ray-enabled notebook will also feature the following:

High picture quality at 48M bps and up to 1,080-pixel HD resolution

7.1 channels of uncompressed surround sound and options for up to 32 audio streams for cinematic sound

Intel Core 2 Duo T7600 and Intel Core 2 Duo T7600G (2.33GHz, 4MB Level 2 Cache, 667MHz FSB) processors

Nvidia GeForce Go 7950 GTX graphics processing unit with 512MB memory, for high-definition gaming

"We continue to see PCs—both desktops and notebooks—functioning as the entertainment and productivity hub in the home and on the road with their versatility, power, connectivity, and vibrant high-definition displays," Alex Gruzen, senior vice president of Dell Product group, said in a release.

Spier added, "We want the customer to experience [the] flawless video playback provided by Blu-ray disc technology today and in the future, as we hope that the Blu-ray disc technology will emerge up and down our notebook product line."

Dells XPS M1710 Blu-ray-enabled notebook is available now. Pricing will start at about $3,699.

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