Dell has been teasing us with shots of the thin Adamo ever since CES, but the notebook is finally here. We spied the thin notebook yesterday at SXSW and it looked great, but a spec card was nowhere to be seen. Thankfully, Dell has finally released all the info about the “Thinnest Notebook Available.”
The 13.4-inch Adamo will be the first in the series and comes in a oh-so-sexy aluminum package. The whole thing weighs a pound more than the Apple MacBook Air, but manages to measure in at .65-inches. Sadly it seems that this guy doesn’t pack the goods where it counts to justify the $1999 price though.
Within the ultra thin body is a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo U9300 with integrated Intel X4500 graphics, 2GB of memory, with a 128GB SSD and optional mobile broadband. This notebook might even pack a five hour battery life. Just like the Air and other ultra thin notebooks, the optical drive will be external but available in both the standard CD/DVD or Blu-ray flavor.
Those keeping track will note that while this notebook comes with a 128GB SSD, which Apple charges $500 for on top of the $1,799 base price, everything else within this Windows Vista machine is sub-standard for that pricepoint. Besides that SSD, the $1799 base price of the Air nets you a faster CPU, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics, and an OS that isn’t Windows Vista. Or, the Voodoo Envy which has similar specs and size, but is a tad less expensive.
Maybe the next incarnation of the Adamo will come packing the with something other than just good looks. And maybe some modern specs to justify the very high price. As it stand right now, there doesn’t seem to be any reason to purchase this notebook when it launches on March 26th over the equally sexy Voodoo Envy or OS X-running MacBook Air.
ROUND ROCK, Texas, March 17, 2009 – Style-minded people who place a premium on precision craftsmanship and design can now add Adamo to their list of must-have items for 2009. Dell today unveiled the world’s thinnest laptop as a kick off to the new Adamo by Dell brand.
Adamo, derived from the Latin word meaning “to fall in love,” will serve as a flagship in a line of products created to disrupt the personal computing space with the combination of new design, aesthetics, personalization choices and sought-after technologies.
The News:
Adamo is the pinnacle of craftsmanship and design and features:
· A chassis milled from a single piece of aluminum featuring precision detailing and a scalloped backlit keyboard
· Striking high definition edge-to-edge glass display
· Fully connected with WiFi, Bluetooth(tm) and optional integrated mobile broadband* and full complement of connectivity ports with no compromises
· Cool, quiet and robust solid state drives
· Available in Onyx and Pearl colors with a broad range of complementary accessories
· Price starting at $1999
Quotes:
“Great design needs to be timeless and evoke emotion in people”, said Alex Gruzen, senior vice president of Dell’s consumer products. “While a premium computing experience was assumed for Adamo, the intent was for people to see, touch and explore Adamo and be rewarded by the select materials and craftsmanship you would expect in a fine watch.”
“Dell continues to signal a commitment to design and personalization across its entire product line and has made significant strides forward in the past year,” said Rob Enderle, Principal Analyst, Enderle Group. “The Adamo laptop is a showcase for this commitment and a flagship product that will draw buyers to the brand.”
People who choose Adamo will be offered a unique color matched collection of Adamo by Dell branded peripherals and accessories including, in the U.S. an exclusive line of bags from TUMI. Choices will include:
· External storage option with 250GB** or 500GB** external hard drive.
· External DVD+/-RW or Blu-ray disc drive.
· 8GB** USB drive.
· Connectors and cables including DisplayPort to HDMI, DVI, and VGA.
· Adamo Premium Service (US Only):
o 24/7 access to Dell’s best trained technicians
o Consistent communication with a dedicated personal team
The Adamo by Dell brand is being supported by innovative and new approaches to marketing and promotion for Dell. Designed to challenge people’s perceptions of what a computer is, the Adamo by Dell brand was inspired by fashion, luxury brands and timeless design.
Dell has looked beyond traditional approaches to reaching computer shoppers and launched a provocative campaign featuring:
· A stylish worldwide print campaign shot by acclaimed British-based photographer Nadav Kandar and featuring high-fashion models that reinforces the “fall in love” positioning. Kander, whose work is celebrated in galleries worldwide, also shot the moving portfolio, “Obama’s People,” which appeared in The New York Times Magazine earlier this year.
· AdamoByDell.com , the centerpiece of the campaign and a highly stylized site where viewers can learn about Adamo, register for updates and, beginning today, place orders. Since its launch last month, AdamoByDell.com has attracted nearly 800,000 unique visitors from around the world and more than 1 million page views.
· Artful packaging in which the product arrives “floating” in a clear box with minimal clutter – a beautiful experience for a sophisticated product.
Product Specifications:
· Intel® Core 2 Duo processors with Intel® Centrino ® technology
· DDR3 system memory
· 13.4-inch 16:9 HD display
· Draft-Wireless N
· High-performance solid state drives standard
· Bluetooth 2.1
· Mobile Broadband* option
· Up to 5+ hours of battery life (preliminary)***
· 2 USB ports, 1 USB/eSATA combo port, Display Port, RJ-45 port
· Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-bit
Available for pre-order today at www.adamobydell.com and shipping worldwide starting March 26, 2009, Adamo will be available online for purchase in 24 countries including U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, U.K. France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, ANZ, China, Honk Kong, India, Korea, Malaysia/Singapore, Japan, and Indonesia.