[Merged] Dell Adamo - 4lb, $2k Macbook Air Competitor

[nilk]

This is meant to be a competitor to the MBA? Seriously? It's in the wrong weight class. A MBA competitor needs to be ~3.0 lbs or less. It needs to be thin and light. And the cheesy design doesn't help it all.

Personally, I'm not in the market for these kinds of notebooks. I can do without the optical drive, have a less powerful GPU, maybe even get by with a less powerful CPU, but I need 4GB of RAM and a low-res 13" display just isn't adequate for me (not to mention I hate glossy displays). But I still am pretty impressed by the MBA and recommend it to a lot to people who do fall into the niche that would be happy with this kind of notebook. And looks like it still doesn't have any competition for its particular niche.

 

[darngooddesign]

Maybe its underspecced because Dell realized that if you raise the specs too high it will overheat and not even be able to play Flash video.

 

[darngooddesign]

As someone who used to work in Apple's European HQ, i'll tell you they're not the greatest employers either. From what I've seen/experienced when it comes to the production side I'd imagine they're about equally bad/good, as you go up the food chain Dell are probably the better employers. I've only one friend left in Apple and they're goal is to get out.

I have a hard time believing that working for Apple doesn't make you feel like you're hugging puppies.

 

[drakeshipway]

dude, nobody's getting a dell..

 

[tubbymac]

I am horribly confused as to which thread I should be posting in now that we have like 3 threads on the Adamo all on the same page

Having said that though, I agree with your points. I was just hoping that the specs would have been better. If the Adamo had better specs along with a nice screen with no lines - well that would have at least pressured Apple to do something sooner about it's own quality control.

I just feel for that price point you could probably get a much better Windows only machine from other vendors. Heck, even from the same Vendor! Dell sells another ultraportable called the Latitude E4300 that weighs a pound less and has better specs. Then there's the Sony Z Series, and the Lenovo X301 with again much better specs.

The Adamo seems to be purely about the looks. If you look at the Cnet review that was posted today, they mention that the machine has some noticeable keyboard flex in the center and they only saw 3 hours of battery life. At $2000 I think keyboard flex is unacceptable. The E4300, the Sony Z, and the Lenovo X301 all have closer to 5 hours of battery.

Other than the looks, which the Air still wins in comparison, is this Windows machine really a worthwhile purchase in comparison to it's Windows competition, let alone the Air? I just don't see the market for this Adamo.

 

[bossxii]

Those spec's are amazing.... If nothing else at least the Windows fan boys can now see even Dell can't put out a thin laptop without it costing $2000 bucks. 1.2ghz? 800mhz DDR3? It's like they just slowed down everything the MBA has. When it's closed it's a decent looking laptop or paperweight, when you open it it's just ugly, that back looks like some sort of design gone wrong. Sure it has a few ports but it's not like your hooking this up for a desktop computer, this truly is netbook spec's. Sony Vaio P at least is only $899 for these type of spec's, I don't think Dell did itself any favors here.

Dell just made the MBA look ALOT better to anyone searching for a ultra thin laptop.

 

[tubbymac]

Dell just made the MBA look ALOT better to anyone searching for a ultra thin laptop.

Ain't that the truth. I think the Adamo has backfired on Dell. Apple tried long and hard to advertise the value in the Air. Who would have thought that Dell was the secret for free Air publicity?!

 

[NT1440]

Good news everybody!

Looks like there is a 1.4 ghz model for $2,699 but hey it comes with 3G (yay?).

 

[Airforcekid]

Costs more for even less!

 

[Airforcekid]

Good news everybody!

(yay?).

NICE!

 

[PeterQC]

The thing look hideous. I like the glass screen, but since it's marketed as a Air competitor it's pretty much a rip-off of the MacBook line. and 1.2 GHz for 2000 bucks? Who in their right mind would buy that?

 

[NT1440]

The thing look hideous. I like the glass screen, but since it's marketed as a Air competitor it's pretty much a rip-off of the MacBook line. and 1.2 GHz for 2000 bucks? Who in their right mind would buy that?

Its literally a fashion accessory, from the handbag looks to the price. Seriously, check out the teaser videos on Dell and all you see is "high scale" women in the videos. Even the little engraving on the BOTTOM looks like one of those stupid design on $500 handbags.

Its a chicks fashion accessory/computer

Edit: Its clear that Dell bought in to the crap cliche that macs are fashion accessories and placed this "competitor" into that market, stupid move. Its not even a direct competitor. The air is a travel companion/satelite computer for those on the go. The adamo is a handbag.

 

[dongmin]

Its literally a fashion accessory, from the handbag looks to the price. Seriously, check out the teaser videos on Dell and all you see is "high scale" women in the videos. Even the little engraving on the BOTTOM looks like one of those stupid design on $500 handbags.

Its a chicks fashion accessory/computer

Edit: Its clear that Dell bought in to the crap cliche that macs are fashion accessories and placed this "competitor" into that market, stupid move. Its not even a direct competitor. The air is a travel companion/satelite computer for those on the go. The adamo is a handbag.

Yup. This will sell as well as the Prada phone. This is yet another failed attempt by Dell to gain some traction in the non-commodity PC business. I give this project 1 year at most.

Considering that you can get a 1st-generation MBA, that's faster than the yet-to-be-released Adamo, for $999 refurbished, Dell really has no clue in building value AND high-design into their computers.

 

[Apple //e]

adamo?

looks like dell fell for apples trap and tried to compete in the category apple invented: thin and pretty.....and failed

they should have just stuck to ultraportables instead of playing apples game

what the hell is an adamo? sexy=girls name, not some nekkid dude in some old book

 

[bossxii]

Adamo translates into Dell's limited design team creating a paper weight. Not that it wasn't expected from Dell, but the spec's ouch! I've checked out the Sony Vaio P and other than saying is small and lightweight... well that's where the appeal ends. The Sonly only starts at $899 so even with an impulse buy it can be justified as an expensive toy/netbook. Adamo takes netbooks to a whole new level. They mix 1.2ghz processors from a year or so ago with the latest SSD drives, just baffles me how this will draw buyers. The Windows users may be fans to the end but they know how much of a resource hog Vista is.

 

[mhnajjar]

The only thing I like about it is the see-thru packaging!

 

[DarrenT]

i have concluded that while we were all asleep one night Apple bought a controlling share in Dell and then forced them to release this to make the Air look even better.

Surely as an engineer or a designer on this project someone said "but its going to cost more and do less". Did no-one listen?

 

[rtheb]

... it's pretty much a rip-off of the MacBook line.

Indeed!

 

[kenned]

That ass ruins the design completely! Makes the computer look cheap and uncompleted.

And btw, when using the air, it'll feel thinner than the Adamo because of the edges, the Adamo is the same thickness all the way around

 

[BanjoBanker]

Does anyone else see the irony of Mac owners complaining about overpriced, underpowered but generally sharp looking computers?

I guess not.. But, you are so right. I have enjoyed the "over priced piece of crap" comments immeasurably. I guess we are too busy bashing it to see the irony.

 

[gkarris]

Adamo translates into Dell's limited design team creating a paper weight. Not that it wasn't expected from Dell, but the spec's ouch! I've checked out the Sony Vaio P and other than saying is small and lightweight... well that's where the appeal ends. The Sonly only starts at $899 so even with an impulse buy it can be justified as an expensive toy/netbook. Adamo takes netbooks to a whole new level. They mix 1.2ghz processors from a year or so ago with the latest SSD drives, just baffles me how this will draw buyers. The Windows users may be fans to the end but they know how much of a resource hog Vista is.

Depends on the chipset used. I cannot find the chipset anywhere. I would imagine at least an Intel x4500 for Vista.

PC companies are just positioning themselves for unhappy Vista owners to have to upgrade to Windows 7 for better performance on lower machines such as this one and NetBooks.

More money for Bill...

 

[DarrenT]

I guess not.. But, you are so right. I have enjoyed the "over priced piece of crap" comments immeasurably. I guess we are too busy bashing it to see the irony.

thats true to a point but its only been recently that there has been anything else that even thought about competing with the air. If there is only one option then you have a simple choice, stump up and have the unique item or dont. The problem with the Adamo (i keep wanting to say adama) is that its a year later, heavier and in my opinion not as nice to look at. to top it off they have an even higher price than the air which it is supposed to compete against.

Were it coming in cheaper with a slightly faster chip then it could be said that the air is overpriced and that you are buying it for the name. If Dell are serious about the price then maybe we have to consider the possibility that you buy an Air because its the best comprimise between price and abilty for this niche bracket.

I think if they were to drop the Adamo to 60-70% of the cost of the low end air then they might just be on to a winner, but they wont becuase its aimed at mac haters with loads of money. Before my Air i had never used a Mac but i always saw the good points for having one. there are millions out there who just refuse point blank to accept a mac.

 

[manhattanboy]

The Adamo is looking to be a huge disappointment, especially when compared to what looks to be it's main competitor, the MBA. It has a much slower processor, is a pound heavier, and at that weight, you might as well get a regular sized computer, many of which are around that weight anyways. At that price, it makes the MBA look like a great value!

And what's interesting is that the majority of Engadget commentators seem to agree.

Hey I read engadget...
But anyway... yeah for MBA until the mac netbook comes out...

 

[aaquib]

Indeed!

Very unibody-ish.

 

[tubbymac]

Dell wants everybody to compare it to the Air but I think eventually it will be compared against the Macbook. To get into the same league as the Air you really have to get into the 3 pound or under weight class.