Developages - Development and Technology Blog

Filed under: Laptops

We’re assuming Apple will eventually give up and release a netbook of its own, but until then Steve had better get used to seeing OS X hacked to run on all manner of tiny laptops — the latest to make the switch is Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9. Nothing too complicated about this hack, since most of the work was already done for the internally-similarly MSI Wind, but you’ll have to dig up some extra Broadcom drivers to get WiFi and sound working. Seems like a fun little project for the weekend — anyone going to take the plunge?

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Laptops, Wireless

Laptops with built-in WWAN modems aren’t anything new, but there’s a hodgepodge of hardware and services available — a situaton the GSM Association is trying to simplify with the new Mobile Broadband standardization initiative. Sure, it’s mostly an excuse to get another sticker on your gear, but companies like Microsoft, Dell, Lenovo, ASUS, Toshiba, Qualcomm and a bunch of carriers are on board to ensure that Mobile Broadband-certified machines will be ready and able to connect in some 91 countries around the world — and what’s more, they’re committed to spending a cool billion dollars in the next year promoting MB as a “compelling alternative” to WiFi and WiMAX. That should be an interesting dilemma for the carriers that also run hotspot networks, but we’ve got a feeling everyone’s happy as long as the sub fees keep rolling in.

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

While in the throes of customizing your dream machine over at Dell, weighing CPU cost vs. memory cost, would you click on a $19 option called “Iron Man movie with bonus content?” We sure wouldn’t, but now you can, part of what the Director of Dell’s Global Consumer Group is calling the company’s “slow immersion into content as a major piece of the puzzle in terms of what consumers want from a PC.” Right. The (surely DRM-riddled) film is available on any Inspiron, Studio, or XPS laptop or desktop, playable on that machine itself or through your choice of Windows Media Extender. Iron Man is the only film on offer now, but meaty palms are likely being pressed as you read this to drive other partnerships and more choices. This could let the company hook customers before even shipping their hardware, a potential advantage for what looks to be a looming content battle with Apple.

[Thanks, SebS]

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Original post by Tim Stevens

Filed under: Displays

Enticed by Dell’s new, slightly less hard-edged 22-, 23-, and 24-inch LCDs but looking for something a little easier on the wallet (and your desk)? Well, it looks like you’re in luck, as the company has just let loose some matching 17- and 19-inch models that each come in under $200. From the looks of it, the $199, 19-inch S1909WX is by far the better bargain of the two, with it boasting a 1440 x 900 resolution, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, a 300cd/m2 brightness rating, and an HDCP compatible DVI port. The 17-inch S1709W, on the other hand, packs the same resolution and will save you twenty bucks, but you’ll have to make do with a 600:1 contrast ratio, 250cd/m2 brightness, and nothing more than a plain old VGA port, not to mention just 17-inches of screen real estate. Sold? You know where to get ‘em.

[Via Electronista]

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Original post by Donald Melanson

Filed under: Peripherals

Up until now, the words “Zink” and “Polaroid” were all but married together, but a breakup fit for The Hills is about to go down courtesy of the all-too-promiscuous Dell. Over in the deep waters of the FCC, we’re seeing a new Dell printer that utilizes the ink-free Zink technology. The PZ310 WASABI is yet another handheld printer that comes bundled with a single stack of printing paper, Bluetooth technology for printing from your mobile / BT-enabled PC, a USB port for traditionalists and a Reprint button for obvious reasons. As with everything in the FCC, the agency is never kind enough to hand over any preliminary pricing / release information, but it ought not be long now before Dell starts shipping these things without even telling anyone.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Displays

We’re not sure what’s up with Dell and its displays, but for whatever reason, it actually prefers to sneak new stuff out and just let you try to find it. After pushing out a swank new WUXGA projector with nary a peep, the Round Rock powerhouse has now hosted up a new 1080p LCD monitor dubbed the S2309W. Granted, the display is currently only on the firm’s Canadian site, but we reckon it’s only a matter of time before it makes it to other markets. As for specs, we’ve got a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 5-millisecond response time, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 1,000:1 contrast ratio and DVI / VGA inputs. No price is mentioned, but it should be shipping in under a fortnight to those who figure out a way to buy it.

[Thanks, Alex]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Displays, Laptops

We’re a bit miffed as to why Dell’s keeping its new One-Touch Privacy system exclusive to the Latitude E6400, but whatever the story is there, it’ll definitely keep straying eyes from seeing too much confidential information. Interestingly, this here filter isn’t hardware based; rather, it’s a software-driven application that “creates a pixel-based pattern on the screen, reducing the side viewing angles of people seated next to the user.” Dell assures us that it has “minimal impact on display brightness” and that it can be activated with a single touch key, but we’re still wondering how it landed on the seemingly sky-high $139 price. Talk about paying for the privilege.

[Via T3]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Just a day after rolling out its smallest SVGA projector of all time, Dell has quietly slid a new home cinema beamer into its accessories lineup. The 7609WU features a native 1,920 x 1,200 (WUXGA) resolution, DLP / BrilliantColor technology, 3,850 ANSI lumens, a 2,700:1 contrast ratio, twin stereo speakers, a lamp good for around 2,500 hours and a whole slew of ports including VGA (x2), component, S-Video, USB, RJ-45 and HDMI (x2). It’ll set you back a stiff $4,999, but just think, you’ll never have to spend another cent at the local Cineplex.

[Via Electronista]

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Original post by Darren Murph

A new report predicts that ultramobile devices will reach 200 million in unit sales by 2013 and will match the market for notebook PCs.

ABI Research said products such as netbooks and mobile Internet devices, or MIDs, will gross $27 billion by then, with MID units growing in popularity to surpass its rival.

All this from ZDNet.

On the other hand, in a wide-ranging interview, Dell CEO Michael Dell (in photo) voiced suspicion that small-screened netbooks will shake up the computer industry or become the primary computer in developed parts of the world.

“I think it’s a second machine in developed countries and a first machine in newly developed countries,” he said, according to a report in CNET.

So is it yes for netbooks or no for netbooks?

Time will tell …

Tags: dell, michael dell, netbook, notebook

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Original post by nafiz

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment

It’s one thing to hear 3.46- x 4.12- x 1.46-inches. It’s another thing to see how giant someone’s hand looks beside Dell’s absolutely minuscule M109S pocket projector. Based on a hands-on session with a near-final prototype of the pico-PJ, the cats over at Popular Mechanics were mighty impressed with what they saw. They noted that “colors were a little more washed-out than a top-end home theater projector,” but given the size and the manageable $499 price tag, it still managed to wow. Peep the in-action video in the read link.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Displays, Laptops

We’ve already heard about a certain other computer manufacturer’s supposed plans to go all LED with its laptops in the not too distant future, and it looks like Dell is now set to take the energy-saving leap as well. According to PC Magazine, Dell says that two-thirds of its Latitude E-series laptops will ship with mercury-free LED backlighting as standard by December 15th of this year, and that by the end of 2009, fully 80 percent of all its laptops will be equipped with LED-backlit displays, which also have the added benefit of looking better and being thinner. The remaining laptops will then apparently make the switch sometime in 2010. In case you’re wondering, Dell also says that it is “absolutely committed” to transitioning its desktop displays to LED, although it doesn’t seem to be quite ready to make any firm commitments.

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Original post by Donald Melanson

Filed under: Displays

We’ve been waiting ever patiently for this to get official, and at long last, that Project Projector we saw leaked in July has been revealed. Formally christened the M109S, this 0.8-pound beamer arrives with a native 858 x 600 resolution, a projection distance of up to 94.5-inches and a mercury-free LED light source that lasts up to four years. Moreover, it packs the ability to suck power from a Latitude or Vostro AC adapter if you’re caught in a pinch, and yes, it’s available today for $499 in the United States. As for the rest of the world, you wait.

[Via AboutProjectors]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Laptops

Well, hiddy ho Dell Precision M6400, nice to finally meet you all retail-like. The 17-inch (LED back-lit 1,920 x 1,200 pixels covering 100% of the RGB color gamut) Mobile Workstation capable of playing host to 16GB of memory, a Core 2 Duo Quad Core Extreme processor, and up to 1TB of data (2x 500GB disks in RAID 0 or RAID 1 configs) is now up on Dell’s website. Other specs include up to 1GB of NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700M Graphics, Bluetooth 2.1, Ultra-wideband, WWAN, GPS, 802.11a/g/n WiFi, stereo speakers and dual-array mic, 8-in-1 card reader, ExpressCard 54 and PCMCIA slots, Firewire, 4x USB 2.0, DisplayPort, eSATA, and more. All that in a 15.4 x 11.0 x 1.35-inch chassis weighing 8.5-pounds with a biggie 9-cell battery. The only thing missing is Blu-ray and that shuttle controller spotted in the teaser video. Starts at $2,599 with an October 22nd ship date.

[Thanks, M.Luczak]

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Original post by Thomas Ricker

Filed under: Displays

22-inch monitors have generally been stuck at a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution for years with just a few notable exceptions. Now it looks like Dell is about to change that with the introduction of a newly designed, S2209W monitor with rumored 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution. The evidence stems from that prototype pictured above as well as drivers already available on Dell’ support site. Still not sure about the piano-black, Samsung-esque design, though. One more snap after the break.

[Thanks, Alex P.]

Read — Dell drivers
Read — Prototype

Continue reading Dell’s 22-inch S2209W monitor to reach Full HD resolution?

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Original post by Thomas Ricker

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

We’ll spare you our feelings on just how cheesy this thing looks, as we’re fairly certain you can judge that for yourself. Those with no shame and an unrequited love for all things gold, however, may actually find this one quite appealing. Cooper’s Amber F1 purportedly features a 2.8-inch widescreen LCD, support for RMVB, AVI and FLV formats, a built-in equalizer, SRS WOW technology, a bundled case and an obligatory set of gilded earbuds to ensure public humiliation. A price or release date wasn’t immediately apparent, but please don’t say you’re willing to dig around to find out. Please?

[Via PMPToday]

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Original post by Darren Murph