Tech On The Blog

Combining a screen that’s roomy enough to avoid eye strain and a weight that’s still reasonable enough to carry to the coffee shop or on the occasional business trip, 13.3 inches may be the most perfect size for a laptop. How much better, then, that Fujitsu has issued the LifeBook T1010, a tablet whose 13.3-inch display rotates and folds down over the keyboard to let you take handwritten notes? Viewed as a laptop, the LifeBook T1010 seems fairly average, with a typical assortment of features and the entry level of Intel’s latest Centrino 2 components. Viewed as a tablet, however, the LifeBook T1010 seems more compelling: it’s priced lower than many 12.1-inch tablets, yet provides a little extra screen real estate. We think it’s a good choice for students and executives who prefer to take handwritten notes in lectures and meetings.

We like the look of the Fujitsu LifeBook T1010, which includes a glossy, silver lid with an abstract, almost bar code-like pattern as well as a matte-silver interior. Its squared-off corners are consistent with Fujitsu’s reputation for slightly boxy laptops, but the 13-inch screen means its overall footprint is compact and appealing. At 5.2 pounds, the Fujitsu is heavier than other 13.3-inch systems, such as the Dell XPS M1330 and the Toshiba Satellite U405D; and it’s more than a half-pound heavier than such 12.1-inch tablets as the Toshiba Portege M700. Nevertheless, the Fujitsu’s weight is reasonable for semi-frequent travel and for regular trips to the coffee shop or library.

Like any other convertible tablet, the Fujitsu LifeBook T1010’s display connects to its base on a single hinge that lets you swing the screen around (in either direction) and fold it over the keyboard to take handwritten notes on-screen. Unlike other convertible tablets, the LifeBook T1010 incorporates a 13.3-inch wide-screen display. The size is not only our preferred compromise between portability and usability, but it also provides a comfortably roomy amount of space for writing notes by hand.

The screen’s 1,280×800 resolution is fairly typical for a display of this size, and its matte finish cuts down on distracting reflections–a huge plus for taking notes in a meeting room or lecture hall. The screen surface provides a pleasing amount of drag when you’re writing with the included stylus, and five buttons in the display bezel–up and down arrows, screen rotation, a Function key, and an Alt key–help you navigate without the keyboard while in tablet mode.

Complete Review / Source: cnet.net

* Matches affordability with quality and reliability
* Backed by specially designed support services
* Fuels commitment to emerging economies

Dell today unveiled two new Vostro laptops and two desktops designed specifically to meet the needs of small businesses, governments and educational institutions operating on limited budgets in the world’s emerging economies.

The new Vostro laptops and desktops will be available through authorized channel partners, as well as direct from Dell in more than 20 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. More information is available at www.Dell.com/newvostropresskit.

“Within the world’s emerging economies millions of new businesses are demanding just the technology they need, at the prices they can afford, from a vendor they can trust. Today we answer that need by introducing new products that join our existing Vostro product line,” said Steve Felice, president, Dell Asia-Pacific/Japan. “Together with our partners, Dell will play an important role in bringing more technology to more people than ever before – whether in business or in the public sector. Vostro is a key building block to unleashing the potential of the Connected Era.”

The new Vostro products include two pre-configured laptops and two desktops. Additional Vostro products designed for emerging economies will be introduced in coming months. The new Vostro products being introduced today provide:

* Everyday Business Mobility  – The Dell Vostro A860 laptop is an affordable 15.6-inch laptop equipped for handling everyday business tasks. This system is ideal for customers interested in transitioning from desktop to mobile computing. It offers an HD widescreen LCD with anti-glare coating, the choice of a variety of Intel®  processors from Celeron®  to CoreTM  2 Duo and the choice of Ubuntu®  Linux®  or Microsoft®  Genuine Windows Vista®  operating systems. The laptop also offers an integrated network, modem and wireless connectivity with optional Bluetooth capabilities.
* Compact Affordability  – The Dell Vostro A840 is a 14.1-inch version of the A860 laptop with an anti-glare WXGA widescreen LCD. It offers the same practical technology for mobile business computing, but for small business customers who value mobility and compact size at an affordable price offering.
* Affordable, Basic Business Computing  – The Dell Vostro A180 is an affordable, practical desktop solution for everyday business computing. The system offers Intel Celeron and Pentium®  dual core processors to optimize office application performance and simple multi-tasking, in addition to the option of Ubuntu®  Linux®  or Microsoft®  Windows Vista® .
* Entry-Level Productivity  – The Dell Vostro A100 is a reliable, entry-level desktop designed for basic business productivity. The system comes standard with an Intel Atom processor and Ubuntu®  Linux®  operating system.

According to IDC, there are more than 72 million small businesses worldwide, with 23.4 million – nearly one-third of the global total – located in Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan). Latin America and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) follow with 12.5 million and 11.9 million, respectively1.

Through the thousands of daily conversations Dell and its channel partners have with small businesses in these countries, Dell identified significant challenges related to the purchase, ownership and support of technology. These include:

* The prohibitive cost of technology, especially mobility.
* Product reliability and quality.
* Finding solutions that are easy to set up and maintain.
* Accessible support and services.

The new Vostro products were designed to address these needs as follows:

* Affordable : These systems enable growing businesses to increase productivity through basic business and everyday computing applications.
* Reliability : The new Vostro products reflect Dell’s reputation for high-quality standards and underwent up to 7,000 hours of rigorous reliability testing.
* Easy to maintain : The set configurations are easy to set up and maintain, delivering out-of-the-box productivity. The systems are also pre-configured with core office productivity applications and only the software customers want.
* Worry-free Dell services2 and support : As the technology needs for small and medium size businesses in emerging economies continues to grow, so does their need for services and support. To help these businesses keep their systems running smoothly, Dell offers a range of services and support that includes:
Technical support that begins with telephone diagnosis and consultation, and includes system repair or replacement3 if necessary.
Easy-to-use return for repair process4 at Dell-certified repair facilities.
Next business day onsite support5.
Support consultation and repair parts and labor included as part of the standard one-year limited hardware warranty6.
Accidental damage service and basic installation.

Pricing for the new Vostro products will vary by configuration. For more information on the new Vostro product line and country availability, visit www.Dell.com/newvostropresskit.

From and For Partners

Consistent with Dell’s commitment to deliver affordable and reliable technology to emerging countries through multiple channels, the pre-configured Vostro laptops and desktops will be available primarily through a Dell local solution provider, distributor or retailer. While all products are available through Dell channel partners, this is the first time a Dell product will be available primarily through Dell channel partners in emerging countries.

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell is a leading global systems and services company and No. 34 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit www.dell.com, or to communicate directly with Dell via a variety of online channels, go to www.dell.com/conversations. To get Dell news direct, visit www.dell.com/RSS.