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Technology giant Dell unveiled its Vostro 460 desktop at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, announcing worldwide availability for the PC starting Tuesday, Jan. 11. The Vostro 460 is powered by second-generation Intel Core processors and up to 16GB of DDR3 memory, as well as Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, which automatically allows processor cores to run faster than the base operating frequency. Aimed at small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the Vostro starts at $599.
Businesses can choose extra features they need and increase storage space with a hard-disk capacity expandable up to 3TB to keep work files, photos, music and other media. With a 350W power supply and up to 150W of graphics-card power, the Vostro 460 also offers a Blu-ray disc drive and 7.1 HD sound. Customers can choose their own level of 24/7 IT support with optional Dell ProSupport services, and Dell Support Center comes preloaded in the 460.
Also included is a suite of desktop-accessible service and support solutions, built-in performance for business graphics, with the option to upgrade to the 1GB Nvidia or ATI HD discrete graphics for more enhanced computing experiences, a toolless chassis, eight USB 2.0 ports to connect digital devices and peripherals, plus the ability to back up important files to an external hard drive with USB 3.0 via an add-on card. Built-in security services from Trend Micro round out the package.
With tablets predicted to overtake desktop sales by 2015, according to Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps (PCs are expected to sell 18.7 million units in 2010 and then drop to 15.7 million units in 2015), Dell is positioning to catch up with market leader Apple and the company’s wildly successful iPad device. Originally scheduled for U.S. release in July, the 5-inch Dell Streak tablet includes a 1GHz processor, WVGA touch screen and 5-megapixel camera.
The arrival of the Streak and business-minded competitors like Cisco’s Cius tablet are helping push the currently consumer-focused tablet market into the business world. The corporate tablet market is primed for expansion in 2011, according to ChangeWave, with 14 percent of businesses reporting an anticipated tablet purchase for the first quarter of next year. “In other words, the total number of companies making use of tablet devices is set to double in just the next three months-an explosive surge in demand going forward,” Paul Carton, ChangeWave’s vice president of research, wrote in a Dec. 15 research note.
The Vostro 460 wasn’t the only announcement Dell made this week: On Tuesday, Dell confirmed it will acquire SecureWorks, an information-security services company, in order to expand Dell’s enterprise IT-as-a-service portfolio. During a conference call with reporters, Peter Altabef, president of Dell Services, said Dell has been making “key investments” in services, cloud and storage to meet customer needs. With its proprietary threat-management platform, SecureWorks helps clients protect assets, reduce risk, improve regulatory compliance and lower IT security-management costs, he said.