While the rest of the PC-making world – Acer, Lenovo, HP – were up at least 7 percent this year, poor old dell dropped 5.9 percent and to third place. And, as we all know, being third place means you’re the second loser.

Tech analysts iSuppli estimate that Dell sold 10.34 million PCs and laptops. This means that Acer, once an also-ran in the industry, has hit number two. This is a huge deal.

While there’s no accounting for taste, it’s clear that Acer and HP are selling what people want. Lenovo has always been popular with business and Toshiba is, well, Toshiba. Dell basically needs to step up its game or get left in the dust.

Dell is serious about mobile computing. That is if you consider mobile computing touting around a full-power 8.5lbs, 17-inch notebook. At least with the new M6500, you won’t be compromising anything. Seriously, anything because the amount of computing power that the new M6500 packs into a mobile platform is impresse.

Spec highlights

• Core i7 Extreme processor options
• 17-inch LED backlit display
• Up to 16GB of RAM
• Three hard drive slots
• 1GB ATI & NVIDIA GPU options
• GPS
• WLAN,  UWB & EVDO modems
• 2MP camera
• DisplayPort & VGA outputs
• eSATA
• Blu-ray drives

Prices start out at $2,749 for the “basic” model but there is a special edition that features an edge-to-edge 17-inch screen and a special aluminum chassis for $4,219. But if you check the box on every option except for extra warranties and accessories, you can build one that rings up just shy of $10,000.

You can now run Chromium OS, the open source developmental version of Google Chrome OS, on your Dell Mini 10v. Don’t have one? Neither do I, so don’t feel too bad.

It make take some time to set up. For one, the download (an image file), as put together by a few of Dell’s Linux guys, weighs in at 7.5GB. Not only will that take a while to download, but you’ll also need a flash drive with at least 8GB of free space on there—another thing I don’t have. You’ll also need access to another Linux-based computer (well, any computer that can run the “dd” command) to get everything up and running.

Beyond that, it does appear to be fairly painless to instal. You download said image file then copy it from the Linux computer using “dd” to the flash drive. You take this flash drive, stick it into you Dell Mini 10, and away you go!

What’s your reward for going through all that? Running Chromium OS, of course. Think of it as Google Chrome OS, but way alpha.

I’m going to file this under the “Why would you bother doing that? Because you can” category.

via Liliputing

The software will come ready to use and preloaded with Portal to sweeten the deal. I’m sure this move will expose Steam to some new gamers, but chances are that if you’re buying an Alienware, you already know about Steam. Maybe Steam will eventually work its way onto standard Dell Inspiron and Studio lines for real exposure.

Well, it’s true. The XPS is available now for a mere $1,799 with a 128GB solid state drive, 13-inch WLED screen, 4GB memory, and an Intel Core SU9400 1.4GHZ processor. It will run Windows 7.

You can pick the old girl up right here

We’ve been pretty excited about Adamo generally and this is an interesting move towards the right size and shape for the line.

Dell just went official with the Inspiron Zino HD price and spces. There have been a few unboxing and previews popping up around the blogs the last few days and I’ve fallen in love with the little computer. It’s slightly larger than the Mac Mini, but I believe infinitely more versatile.

HTPC - It’s a given. The $229 Dell Zino HD would feel right at home on a A/V rack. The Athlon CPUs and optional ATI Radeon HD 4330 512MB GPU has more than enough juice to output 1080p to your HDTV. Check the box for the optional Blu-ray drive and TV tuner to create a bonafide HTPCIB – Home Theater PC In a Box, that is.

WHS - There are about a dozen and a half already built Windows Home Server options available. HP makes the media-centric MediaSmart line, Acer has the Atom-packing easyStore, Lenovo has options and the list goes on. They are competent boxes, but none of them have the processing power that the AMD options offer in the Zino HD, which is somewhat important if you want to turn the server into a torrent downloading monster. Choose the integrated graphics but select at least 2GB of RAM along with the option 1TB hard drive. The 2 eSATA ports ensure that you’ll never run out of storage capacity too.

Trendy office computer – It doesn’t take much to run Microsoft Office apps anymore. Why live with a boring gray tower these days when the playful Zino HD can get the job done too? Even the base model should be fine for most office tasks.

In-car computer – The Mac Mini might score you nerd points with the geeks posing in the car tuning crowd, but there are a lot of PC-only in-car apps, which makes the Zino HD a perfect solution. It has a small footprint and more than enough power to run GPS and music software. But most importantly is that the computer comes in enough color options that you should be able to find one to match your ride.

Old folks computer – What do old people do on a computer these days? Play on Facebook? That’s about it and the Zino HD, along with countless other options, has more than enough power to be a reliable computer for them. The Athlon cores should be able to handle at least five Internet Explorer toolbars and several spyware programs posing as card games. Try that with an Atom CPU.

The Zino HD product page is currently up, but you can’t customize or order one yet. That will probably change sometime today.

Press release,

ROUND ROCK, Texas, Nov. 12, 2009 – Dell today introduced the mini-sized Inspiron Zino HD, which is versatile enough to handle tasks from basic computing chores to driving a big-screen, High-Definition TV media center. With a choice of colors, the Inspiron Zino HD can be easily personalized to add flare to any room in the home.

The News:

Starting at $229, the Inspiron Zino HD includes standard HD-capable integrated graphics, HDMI output and built-in networking that make it smart for typical home and student computing activities such as word processing, e-mail, organizing photos and music, and surfing the Internet.

The economical Inspiron Zino HD with optional additional memory, hard drive storage, combo Blu-ray disc player, HDTV tuner, wireless remote control and Windows 7 Media Player and turns into a powerful home media center computer. In that capacity the Inspiron Zino HD can record and play your favorite TV shows, display high-definition content from the Internet, and store and deliver music, video and photos very well.

The Inspiron Zino HD is also ideal as an additional household PC that can fit in tight spaces and make home networking a cinch. It measures about 7.75 inches square and 3.5 inches tall. While small in size, the Inspiron Zino HD is a big performer with:

• Ultra-small form factor designed to fit almost anywhere.
• Easy personalization with nine color choices for Inspiron Zino HD.
• Choice of AMD processors or dual core Athlon Neo X2 6850e.
• Up to 8GB dual channel DDR 2 memory.
• Up to 1TB internal hard disk storage.
• Combo DVD/CD RW drive with optional Blu-ray Disc combo.
• Integrated 10/100/1000 networking with wireless option.
• Optional TV tuner, wireless keyboard and mouse.
• Built in 2.1 high-definition audio and 4-in-one media card reader.
• Integrated ATI graphics adapter with standard HDMI and VGA video connections, and optional 512MB discrete graphics adapter.
• Four USB ports (2 front/2 rear); two eSATA ports (rear).
• Energy-Star 5.0 compliant.

A basic Inspiron Zino without High-Definition capability or upgrade options will be offered in some regions.

Yup, that gigantic Dell box contained a huge color laser printer. But to my pleasant surprise, the 100 lbs 5130cdn isn’t nearly as boring and mundane as I thought it was going to be. I really don’t know if it’s the fastest printer in the world like Dell claims, but I do know that this printer could be a serious weapon in the hands of a comic book pirate. (I would like to think they exist)

Disclaimer: I don’t know jack about business-level printers. When Dell first asked me to look the world’s fastest color laser printer, I thought it was going to be a desktop model like Best Buy sells. Nope, the 5130cdn is a full scale, business printer with a monthly load throughput capacity of a 110,000 pages. This printer is serious business but for $1,549 I would expect nothing less.

I managed to get the printer set up after some issues with Windows 7. For some reason, this brand new printer doesn’t ship with Windows 7 drivers, instead I had share the printer on another computer and then the print speed wasn’t up to spec. But once Dell gave me the right drivers and assured me that I got a pre-production model and the retail version will have the compatible drivers, I was off to the races.

The printer is rated at 47ppm in both mono and color and I found those numbers to be accurate. With just a random text-only PDF, I was able to get about 39ppm when printing over a wireless network and exactly 47ppm via a direct USB connection. Even when the document has a splattering of color, the speed isn’t noticeably affected.

But let’s say you want to print a full-color comic book for some random reason. Just how fast is it then? Well, the 5130cdn managed to spit out the 38 pages in 1:38 as shown in the video above. Trust me, that’s fast considering each page is a full color image around 800KB in size. Try that with your inkjet and see what you get.

Dell has of course loaded this printer with a ton of new technology to get these results. It’s the first Dell printer to use ColorByDell, which is a total print quality solution that improves color saturation, sharpness, and print quality. Plus, the printer has a Cost Per Page of 1.04c per page for black and white, and 7.72c for color.

The 5130cdn is available starting today for $1,549, which includes a 3 year next business day on-site service contract. Let me warn you though, if you do buy this monster, its shipping weight is 120 lbs on a pallet and your wife won’t like it if it sits in the living room all evening.

Dell Launches World’s Fastest Color Laser Printer

3 New Commercial Printers Help Customers Boost Productivity & Lower TCO

ROUND ROCK, NOVEMBER 10, 2009 – Dell today announced three new commercial workgroup printers to help businesses of all sizes increase productivity and lower their total cost of printing. Printers available today include the Dell 5130cdn, the world’s fastest single function letter (LTR) size color laser printer, the Dell 7130cdn, Dell’s first LED color printer with tabloid size printing capability; and the Dell 3330dn, a single function monochrome laser printer for high performance class black and white printing. These new printers will be launched and available in Europe and the Middle East on November 24.

The Dell 5130cdn can print up to 47 single-side and 37.6 double-side LTR pages per minute (ppm) in both mono and color, making it the world’s fastest LTR size single-function color laser printer.  The 5130cdn also premiers ColorbyDell, a total print quality solution that delivers improved color saturation and image sharpness and outstanding print quality. This is enabled through a combination of a powerful new image enhancement algorithm, advanced toner technology and improvements in print engine design. The Dell5130cdn also brings significant energy and cost savings by using a new toner formulation that fuses at a lower temperature, enabling a remarkable Cost Per Page (CPP) of 1.04c for black and white and 7.72c for color print outs[i]. With a maximum duty cycle up to 110,000 pages a month, the Dell 5130cdn provides outstanding reliability and is available today in the US from $1,549 with 3 Year Next Business Day (NBD) Onsite Service after remote diagnosis[ii].

To help companies reign in the costs of their color printing, Dell also announced the availability of Dell ColorTrack Pro—a remote administration tool for IT administrators to centrally monitor and control access to color printing on the Dell 5130cdn. Designed for workgroup environments, Dell ColorTrack Pro manages user access at the server level, to more easily control printing and toner costs.

“With a school district as large as ours, it’s important that we provide students, faculty and staff access to quality technology,” said Tim McNeese, Information Systems Director of Williamson County Schools. “After installing the new Dell 5130cdn printers, we noticed a big difference in the quality and speed of the printouts. The great value and high production rate helps our schools run smoothly and collaboratively,” he added.

The Dell 7130cdn is Dell’s first LED-based color printer with the ability to print up to tabloid-size, high quality Pantone® approved color prints, for more accurate color reproduction. With its ability to bring professional quality color printing in-house with lower costs and improved printing options, the Dell 7130cdn includes a rich feature set, including numerous paper handling options, a powerful processor and enhanced memory. This allows the printer to print the first page (First Print Out Time) as quickly as 6.5 seconds in both mono and color. The Dell 7130cdn is available today in the US from $2,799 with 1 Year Next Business Day (NBD) Onsite Service after Remote Diagnosis[iii].

“Dell’s new commercial printers add to a compelling portfolio of business color and mono printers for organizations of all sizes,” said Keith Kmetz, Vice President of Hardcopy Peripherals Solutions and Services at IDC. “The Dell 5130cdn revolutionizes speed and usability. And its user-friendly appeal makes it attractive to organizations looking for high quality color output at a low total cost of ownership,” he added.

On the black and white printing front, Dell announced the Dell 3330dn, a single-function black and white performance printer that can print up to 40 pages per minute (ppm), with a monthly duty cycle up to 80,000 pages. Built for high performance printing needs, the Dell 3330dn packs work-horse reliability, and includes paper drawer and memory expansion capabilities that grow with increasing business demands, all in a compact desktop size. The Dell 3330dn is currently available from today in the US from $599 with 1 year Advanced Exchange Service.

“Dell has always focused on efficiency, reducing costs and increasing productivity for businesses of all sizes, and today we have extended that same winning formula to the printing world,” said Mike Arterbury, Global Director Commercial Software & Peripherals at Dell Inc. “Our portfolio of printers provides customers with valuable and affordable choices and lower cost of printing, saving them time – and real money!” he added.

“Dell’s complete lineup of laser printers provide customers with outstanding value, world class reliability and ease of use to help them achieve more with less, with minimum downtime and complexity,” said C. K. Lim, General Manager of Dell’s Global Imaging Business.

Dell printers are available direct from Dell and from Dell’s more than 50,000 partners worldwide.

Printer Specifications

	5130cdn Color Laser Printer	7130cdn Color Laser Printer	3330dn Mono Laser Printer
List price	US$ 1,549 (includes 3-yr NBD On-site Service after remote diagnosis)	US$ 2,799 with 1-yr NBD Onsite Service after remote diagnosis	US$599 with 1-yr NBD Advanced Exchange after remote diagnosis
Consumables type	Separated toner and drum unit	Separated toner and drum unit	Separated toner and drum unit
Print Speed (Letter)	Up to 47ppm in both mono and color (Actual print speed will vary with use)	Up to 35ppm (actual print speed will vary with use)	Up to 40ppm  (actual print speed will vary with use)
Duplex Print	Standard	Standard	Standard
Max. resolution	Up to 1200 dpi x 1200 dpi	Up to 1200 dpi x 1200 dpi	Up to 1200×1200 dpi / 2400 IQ
User interface	160 x 64 Mono Graphics backlit LCD text	128 x 64 Graphics backlit LCD text	4 line backlit LCD (text and graphics)
	3-button + 5-way cursor keypad	6-button cluster	20 buttons keypad
	1 LED: Status (green, yellow & red)	1 LED: Status (green, yellow & red)	1 two-tone LED
Processor	800 MHz	1 GHz	466 MHz
Connectivity	High-speed USB 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet	High-speed USB 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet	USB 2.0 (Hi speed), Parallel, 10/100 Ethernet
Print Language	PCL® 5c, 5e/6 Emulation: 81 fonts Adobe® PostScript® 3: 136 fonts	PCL® 5c,  PDF direct v1.4 , Adobe® PostScript® 3 Adobe® PostScript® 3	PCL® 5e, PCL 6, PCL XL, HBP (GDI), XPS (GDI) and PostScript® Level 3 Emulation
Paper input (std/max)	700 / 2900 sheets	600 / 2100 sheets	250 / 850 sheets (550tray+MPT)
Paper output (std/max)	500 / 1000 sheets	400 / 400 sheets	50 sheets
Multi-purpose input	150 sheet	100 sheet	150 sheets
Max. monthly duty cycle	Up to 110,000 pages	Up to 150,000 pages	Up to 80,000 pages
Size (W x D x H)	22.1” x 20.0” x 17.0”	25.2” x 26.2” x 15.7”	10.2″ x 16.6″ x 14.53″
Weight	99lbs (45kg)	145.2lbs (66 kg)	31.15 lb.

Related Links:

For more details, please go to www.dell.com/printers

The industry is all a buzz with the latest entry in the “I’m the thinnest laptop” competition. The latest Dell Adamo is definitely a strong contender, at 9.99 mm at some points. Of course, that’s just the official figure. I would have tested it myself but I forgot my calipers.

The Adamo definately does the sleek, simplistic look well.  About two inches bigger in both directions than a sheet of paper and only 3.2 lbs, you could almost forget you were carrying this thing around. Although forgetting you have $1800 in your arms might not be the most desirable…

Dell replaced the usual manual cover latch with a heat-sensitive capacitor. Just swipe your finger across the front edge and the lock disengages. When you open the Adamo, the screen doesn’t so much fold up as the keyboard folds down. It rests in the crazy position you see below. And it’s not just for looks, kids. The open space under the unit allows for more effective airflow, meaning no more burning laps while you work. The keyboard has full sized, metal keys, and the angle didn’t interfere with my typing at all. The touchpad on the other hand, is a little on the small size. This thing has multitouch support, but even my small hands found trouble getting multiple fingers on there. Another thing I didn’t like was that when you adjust the angle of the screen, it moves the angle of the keyboard as well.

Now I’m sure the question you’re all wondering is how in the world does this thing sit on your lap? Its actually pretty comfortable, and you can type without fear of knocking it off your lap with each keystroke. However, it does only have two points of contact so its not as secure against people bumping into you as other laptops.

As for the device’s internals, nothing jumps out at the eye. The screen is 13.4″. Powered by a 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with integrated graphics and 4 GB of DDR3 RAM. You get 128 GB of SSD, no word on whether that is upgradable yet. Wireless comes in two flavors, 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1. The only ports on the laptop are 2 USB 2.0 jacks, audio, and a DisplayPort out. Ethernet, HDMI, and the like can connect through the use of an external dongle.

Another cool feature is the replaceable battery. But you’ll have to be replacing it every 2 and a half hours. Not very long for a laptop that is designed for maximum mobility, but at that size? Can’t beat it.

You can expect the Adamo sometime this holiday season. Windows 7 comes standard as well as the diamond-etched logo on the cover. If you’re into that sort of thing.

This monster box was just dropped in my livingroom by Fedex. I can’t tell you what it is right now but don’t get that excited about the contents. The damn thing shouldn’t even be on CrunchGear.

When I agreed to the early look, I didn’t ask enough questions instead I blinded agreed to review it. What I should have done is simply ask “Is this a consumer or business product?” and not assume the former. Oh well, I’ll give it the go-around. Now to get this beast in the basement.

Thankfully Dell still managed to pack quality computing components within the rugged frame and it rocks a Core 2 Duo CPU, up to 5 GB of RAM, hot-swappable modules including GPS and webcam, Bluetooth, 3G modem, 802.11 a/g/n wireless, and four-, six-, and nine-cell battery options.

All this doesn’t come cheap though. The XT2 XFR starts out at $3,599 and is currently available in the North American and European market.

Dell Delivers Smallest 12.1-Inch Rugged Convertible Tablet PC, First with Multi-Touch Technology

Latitude XT2 XFR is Purpose-Built to Meet Unique Requirements of Field Service Workers, Military, Law Enforcement and First Responders
Thinnest 12.1-Inch Rugged, Convertible Tablet PC
ROUND ROCK, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dell today unveiled the industry’s smallest 12.1-inch rugged convertible tablet PC that is the first with a multi-touch display, the Latitude XT2 XFR. The system is designed to meet the unique and demanding needs of customers in the military, police, border patrol, field service organizations, factory fulfillment and first responders.

The Latitude XT2 XFR adds to Dell’s Rugged Mobility Solution offering that includes the fully rugged Latitude E6400 XFR and the semi-rugged Latitude E6400 ATG laptops. It also joins purpose-engineered products like the Latitude Z, Latitude 2100 netbook for education and Dell Precision™ M6400 mobile workstation as another step in Dell’s strategy to develop differentiated form factors and solutions that meet specific customer usage needs.

The News:

Inspired by discussions with the defense, law enforcement, homeland security communities, field service departments and utility companies, Dell developed a convertible tablet that can adapt to changing mission requirements and withstand harsh environments. Features of the Latitude XT2 XFR include:
At 1.5 inches (38.1 millimeters) it is the thinnest 12.1-inch rugged convertible tablet and starts at 5.4 pounds (2.45 kilograms) with four-cell battery and solid state drive1, it is engineered and independently tested to meet MIL-810G standards for operation in harsh environments. Dell expects MIL-810G certification in the coming weeks.
Compression-sealed and rugged I/O doors, LCD, and keyboard, provide an IP54 level of Ingress Protection, or resistance to moisture and dust.
The Latitude XT2 XFR can be installed in police or first-responder vehicles where critical information can be accessed with one hand. The Latitude XT2 XFR is also ideal for field-service and industrial manufacturing workforces who need an easy to carry, rugged system that can stand up to drops, spills and temperature extremes.
The Latitude XT2 XFR is available with Dell’s optional remote management capabilities and next business day service and support.2
The rugged tablet shares common images and components with the Dell Latitude XT2 tablet for easy integration into existing environments. The Latitude XT2 XFR also includes:
Intel Core 2 Duo processors with up to 5GB3 of DDR3 1066 MHz memory.4
QuadCool Thermal Management System enables excellent performance, even in extreme temperatures from minus 10 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Four-, six- and nine-cell battery options.
Standard data security features that include Dell ControlVault and Dell ControlPoint, as well as optional solid state and spinning disk drives with full disk encryption.
Impact resistant, sunlight viewable, 12.1-inch wide LED display with capacitive multi-touch gestures-enabled or optional resistive touch screen.
Optional hot-swappable modules including GPS (in the coming weeks) and webcam.
Optional expansion sliver provides camera/light, serial, and RJ11 inputs.
An extensive range of optional accessories and services that include mobile rugged docking and mounting solutions in the coming weeks.
A full complement of wireless connectivity options including wireless LAN 802.11 a/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and mobile broadband.
The XT2 XFR is available in the U.S., Canada, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany and Italy via all of Dell’s sales channels, including PartnerDirect. It starts at $3,599 and more information is available here.
Quotes:

“The Latitude XT2 XFR is more than a laptop, it’s a key part of our mobile command and data-center solutions for field service, defense and first-responder customers,” said Paul Bell, president, Dell Global Public-Sector Business. “These unique solutions, coupled with our service model, make those communities more effective, enabling them to focus on their core missions instead of managing technology.”

“We are listening and delivering purpose-engineered products based on unique usage models within customers’ environment,” said Steve Lalla, vice president and general manager, Business Client Product Group, Dell, Inc. “The Latitude XT2 XFR is a perfect example where feedback told us that customers needed the innovative functionality of the Latitude XT2 with the ability to perform in rugged environments.”

So here’s what we know. The XPS will be running either a 1.4 or 1.9GHz dual core Intel CPU, integrated X4500MHD graphics, and 4GB of DDR3. You’ll be able to choose from either a 128 or 180GB SSD, and the screen only comes in a 13.4 inch size. There is some bad news (which might be why Dell is holding back currently), the machine apparently comes back with a Windows 7 Experience test rating of 3.3, which is not a good thing.

Additionally, that fancy flip screen thing won’t work if the batteries are dead. Not a huge issue, since I’m not sure why you’d need to open your notebook if it’s got no power, but still a little odd.

[via Engadget]

It looks like Dell’s rumored slightly-larger-than-an-iPod-touch Android MID that we heard about back in late June has finally seen the light of day.

Apparently called the Dell Streak (I hope that’s not the final product name), it’s a 5-inch mobile internet device similar to the recently-released Archos 5 Internet Tablet with the added functionality of 3G wireless data connectivity.

The actual hardware is labeled as an “engineering sample” with a US-based model number, so it could still be a while until we actually see the finished product here. That being said, early specs include a 5-inch touchscreen with 800×480 resolution, Android 2.0 (Donut), Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/3G (it has a SIM card slot), 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, microSD expansion slot, and a 1300mAh-capacity battery.

Here’s a hands-on video from Tinhte.com:

And a few photos:

[Tinhte.com via SlashGear]

[Dell via Engadget]

Ron Garriques in Business Week,

“This isn’t going to be a high-volume product for us, but it’s going to be a product that says, ‘Wow! Dell did that. What else does Dell have?’ “

This strategy isn’t new. Car manufacturers have been building showroom beauties since the beginning to draw in customers. But once they are within the reach of the salesman, they will likely drive off in one of the more affordable, mainstream models – unless of course they actually wanna buy the Corvette.

We still don’t know anything about the Adamo XPS’s hardware, battery life, or when the damn thing will be released. At the rate Dell is going though, we’ll probably be able to report one of those three items sometime in the coming weeks followed by another one a week or two later.

It’s not the kind of thing you’re going to build out the next big web application on, but this looks like a solid start from which to start building more modular data centers.

Pike has crammed two servers running dual-core, 2.5 GHz Intel processors (Harpertown), 32 GB of memory, 4 TB of disk space for storage, a power supply, a 5-port Gigabit Ethernet Switch and even some solid-state drives into a metal box. The box consumes about 325 watts, is relatively portable and provides enough performance to act as a DNS server or a data center for a small business

Via GigaOm.

After those strange, heady days of the Dell Dude, the company has fallen off the coolness radar. In an effort to right this wrong, Dell hired Vice to create a website and news source – sort of a pop-up web presence – to talk about tech to a more plugged-in audience.

Dell needs the boost. Their revenue is down by 16% this quarter and their Studio line, while trendy, is facing tough competition by Apple and HP. Their market share is now about 26.3 percent, below HPs. Even their uber-laptop, the Adamo got bad reviews.

So what are those jokesters at Vice offering offing Dell? First, a little street cred. Motherboard will feature a videos of famous geeks – Richard Garriott appears below – along with “tech news” in a blog format. Dell also gets plenty of branding opportunities and access to “thought leaders” like dude in hoodies who make techno.

The website is a little odd and I wonder if Dell will be able to survive its interface with Vibe without wandering away confused. However, it’s an interesting example of media cross-marketing in an effort to gain a more aspirational crowd. Dell knows the low-end and the IT shop, but do they know how to sell to some skinny guy with a fixie?

First, a rant: Dell is really taking advantage of the media with the new Adamo XPS notebook. It’s classic. First they put up a teaser website a month ago that shows nothing but the incredibly thin dimensions and a side picture. Then they call a press conference where all they do is wave around the notebook for 3.5 seconds and then put it away. Now, there is a press release that contains nothing but two new pictures. This practice is tiresome and I hate that we must play the game, Dell. Anyway… on to the press release.

The new pictures shows off the unique hinge design of the Adamo XPS. It’s exactly how I thought it would work after seeing some pictures from the 9/9/09 event. The notebook is so small that designers had to pack all the computing hardware under the screen instead of around/under the keyboard. The result is what we see above as the hinge had to be moved up so the screen to keyboard ratio isn’t thrown off. I’m just curious how the notebook will stay open when sitting on your lap. Oh, and I of course wanna know the price and specs too.

The entire press release,

ROUND ROCK, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Because so many people who have had a sneak peek of Dell’s super thin Adamo™ XPS laptop seem to be falling in love with it, the company today released two more photos of the highly stylized, thin 9.99-mm Adamo by Dell system. The Adamo XPS is as intriguing open as it is closed.

The initial reveal, unveiled on 9/9/09 at www.dell.com/AdamoXPS, reflects the product’s unique, super-slim profile.

In March, Dell introduced the Adamo By Dell brand and Adamo™ laptop as the pinnacle of craftsmanship and design. Derived from the Latin word meaning “to fall in love with,” the Adamo laptop is the world’s thinnest and photos released today shows Dell’s commitment to taking that to the next level. Stay tuned for more information on this head-turning product.