When you do hear good audio it’s usually found on notebooks designed to be stuck on a desk, but the Dell XPS 14z is able to pack in some of the best sounding speakers I’ve ever heard, in a surprisingly portable package — one that starts at $899.

I’ve spent the morning working on the Dell XPS 14z, after lusting over the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook we’re giving away at GottaBeMobile, and I’m incredibly impressed with the sound quality coming out of this system.

The Dell XPS 14z has a few things working for it, including the large top open speaker grills which send the sound right at your head, instead of into your jeans like so many other notebooks do. Also helping out is the inclusion of Waves MaxxAudio on the system, which helps deliver better sounding audio in smaller packages.

The Dell XPS 14z speaker grilles help deliver great audio directed at your ears, not your lap.

Listening to a variety of music I was most impressed with the depth and clarity of the music. While listening to 99 Problems by Jay Z and I Put Your Picture Away (Live) by Kid Rock on Pandora it was hard to believe these were notebook speakers. I could make out background sounds that don’t come through on other notebooks and on some dedicated systems I have tried out.

Volume is good, though if you want to host a house party with this system, you’ll need to connect to some bigger speakers. For a dorm room, small office or a hotel room though, you get great sounding music at a sufficient volume.

This isn’t the only system from Dell with Waves MaxxAudio included, the Dell XPS 15z which I reviewed last year also impressed. If you are looking for a great audio experience on your notebook, I highly recommend the Dell XPS 14z, and suggest checking out other Dell systems with similar setups.

Stay Tuned for a full Dell XPS 14z review.

Dell XPS 14z Rocks – Great Speakers and Sound is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The new Dell XPS 13 takes design cues from the XPS line with a machined aluminum lid and carbon fiber bottom, but the size is the big deal.

Thanks to an edge to edge display and slim bezel Dell is able to cram the 13.3 inch display into an amazingly small chassis. When we saw the Dell XPS 13 in San Francisco last month we were able to compare the size to the 11 inch Macbook Air, and the XPS 13 was just slightly larger. The XPS 13 weighs in at 2.99 pounds.

Dell XPS 13 Video Tour

Inside this compact frame you have an Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD and 4GB RAM. The 13.3″ HD display has a 1366×768 resolution and is made with Gorilla Glass.

There is a full size backlit keyboard that has about the same amount of flex as the Macbook Air and key travel was good.

You also get a USB 3.0 port for fast connectivity. On the power side, you’ll find a built in 47 WHr battery that Dell is claiming will offer up to eight hours of battery life.

The Dell XPS 13 will be available starting in February at $999. You can purchase the XPS 13 starting today, and the first 10,000 orders will get a free T-Mobile 4G Mobile hotspot and 90 days of service.

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Claims “Most Compact Ultrabook” (Video) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Most commonly theses systems are referred to as a hackintosh, aka a hacked Mac. There are a number of guides out there for building your own hackintosh mini or hackintosh desktop, but if you want to run OS X on a notebook or laptop you need to be careful which notebook you purchase.

Because this is a hack, you can’t always guarantee perfect results, but with a little bit of research, you can find compatible laptops and notebooks.

The best resource I have found is the OS X 86 Project Wiki. Here, you can find compatible OS X Laptops. You can see which laptops work with which versions of OS X from Snow Leopard to Lion. These notebooks claim to have been tested by contributors to ensure that they work with OS X.

Each of these listings will tell you what system components work, and which need special configurations. Before you buy one of these notebooks, I highly suggest searching the model name and hackintosh to see how smooth the process is for other people. Also, look closely at the final model numbers, as small variances in parts can cause issues. Wireless is often not working, or requires much fussing about.

Below you can see a user who has gotten OS X Lion running on his HP G62-b53SE notebook. You can check out the YouTube description for more details on how he got OS X Lion running on an HP laptop.

If you can use a smaller screen, netbooks often offer easier compatibility with OS X. The Dell Mini 10V was a perfect netbook to hackintosh, but has been discontinued. There are other netbooks out there that are able to function as a hackintosh, which you can see on the Mac OS X netbook compatibility page, a portion of which are listed below.

The basic installation process for OS X can be performed by most tech savvy users. If you aren’t comfortable messing around with files to get the machine working, a hackintosh laptop may not be for you. You can get a feel for the installation process at the OS X 86 Project Installation Guides.

It is important to avoid automatic updates, which could break your system. Keep in mind that if you don’t purchase a copy of OS X Lion from Apple, you are pirating software, which has the potential to land you in trouble.

How to Find a Hackintosh Notebook That Runs OS X Lion is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Dell Latitude E5520 is a business class notebook, which means it is designed to meet the higher demands of businesses.

This notebook has a sturdier feel than many consumer notebooks and the Tri-Metal design, screen bumper  and spill resistant keyboard provide better protection for the system. Mobile workers will also appreciate the ability to open the LCD 180 degrees to find a perfect viewing angle.

The Dell Latitude E5520 has the following Specs:

• 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 2nd Gen processor
• 4GB RAM
• 250GB hard drive
• 15.6″ Anti-Glare display with 1366 x 768 resolution
• WiFi and Bluetooth
• 8X DVD RW drive
• webcam and noise canceling digital array mic
• 6 cell battery
• 1 year American based support
• 1 year next business day on site repair
• 1 year accidental coverage

Deal Details

To get this deal, Add the Ships Fast Dell Latitude E5520 to your cart at Dell Small Business and enter the coupon code 535LFNF?JW8HL8 at checkout to take an additional $60 off. Your final price should be $779 before tax. Choose Next Business Day as your shipping option to get free shipping.

Deal Tips

You don’t need to be a small business to take advantage of this deal. these business notebooks don’t have the flash of other consumer models, but they do make a great fit for students, especially given the great warranty support that is included at this price.

If you have an American Express or MasterCard, you may be able to double your warranty by purchasing the notebook on your card. Call the number on the back of your credit card to make sure that the warranty extension is included on your card.

You may want to add the 3 year Basic Hardware Service warranty to your purchase, which for $156 includes 3 years of next business day on site service after remote diagnosis. This is a good price for users who think they will need support down the road, and want to have a single point of contact to get computer repair.

Dell Latitude E5520 Notebook Drops to $779 After 42% In Savings is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

• budget Windows Notebook,
• all around Windows system,
• gaming powerhouse computer,
• high-end Ultra-portable system,
• and a high-end Powerhouse Money-Doesn’t-Matter system

Because your needs are different than the next student, it’s worth spending a decent amount of time to find a good notebook. We’ve covered student needs in a variety of articles, but this list includes a wide range of notebooks in a variety of prices. Returning upper class students may be interested in a more business centric notebook like these selections.

Budget Windows Notebook – Dell Vostro V131 – $499

The new Dell Vostro V131 looks like a really nice, inexpensive system for the budget minded student or parents who want long battery life. The base price is just $499, but for the model you would actually want to use it will cost closer to $700-$800. These are thin and light, with colorful options if you are into flair, or a basic black chassis if $30 is too much to part with for a touch of color.

The chiclet style keyboards often make for easier typing. With 4GB of RAM, 500GB of hard drive space and an optional Intel Core i5 processor, it has enough power for light gaming and creative content editing.

Windows Budget All-Rounder – HP DV6T Series – $599.99

If you need a little more than a budget system because you want more entertainment options, the HP DV6T series is a good all-rounder choice. The budget level starts at a penny under $600, but with some add-ons you will have a fairly powerful system that won’t break the bank.

I have an older version of this laptop and used it for a few years before handing it down to my son, who loves it. The system has the power to run most software, other than hard-core games. If you select some key upgrade options you can put together a really nice system for not a lot of money. We added the following to the base configuration at HP:

• Intel Core i5 from an i3 for $50
•  AMD Radeon 6489M Graphics Card for $100
• 750GB 7200rpm hard drive from a 500GB 5400 rpm drive for $50
• 9-cell battery from 6-cell for $21 offering a promised 9.75 hours (6-7 likely)

The total, after the above upgrades, is $820.99. You can also bump the display resolution up to a full HD 1920×1080 and add a Blu-ray drive for a few hundred more.

This is a nice system that can serve as a jack-of-all trades computer that should be future-proof enough to last a student most of their high school or college career.

Windows Power User Gaming and Media System – Toshiba Qosmio F755 3D – $1,699

Do you like to play the latest and greatest games? Do you enjoy 3D Blu-ray movies? Toshiba put gamers and movie/music lovers in their cross hairs with the Qosmio F755 3D. The powerful laptop does glasses-free 3D movies thanks to a cool new face tracking technology making it the “first” glasses-free 3D laptop, according to Toshiba.

The built-in webcam tracks your face as you are viewing a 3D movie or game. The computer adjusts the images so that you can see both 2D and 3D content simultaneously. You can watch your favorite 3D Blu-ray movie, but the computer also transforms other movies into 3D too.

3D is cool, but the F755 offers more than that one trick. The 15.6″ entertainment computer comes with a high-end Intel Core i7 Sandy Bridge processor, which means the processor won’t be your bottleneck for any intense tasks. The 8GB of RAM and a fast 750GB hard drive should tear through games, video encoding and converting or processing huge RAW digital photographs.

The Harmon Kardon speakers should pump out some great Dolby sound. Hook this rig up to your HDTV via the HDMI out port and share the fun with friends. Electronista says it will be ready to chew up your credit card on August 16th. See the company’s Qosmio page after that date to find the system.

High-End Ultra-Portable – Apple MacBook Air 11″ – $999

Some students only want a nice looking laptop to write papers, take notes in class and surf the web with. Throw in a few light casual games, watching fun stuff on YouTube and what you need is the new Apple MacBook Air. The graphics processor on this system isn’t that powerful, but the CPU and flash storage drive make up for that weakness nicely. You can easily throw an 11″ MacBook Air into a book bag and whip it out at a moment’s notice to take notes or work on a group project in the library. The five-hour battery life keeps you going through most of your day. You can buy cheaper systems, but you can’t get a better ultra-portable. Throw in another two hundred bucks to get the one with 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD and your student will be much happier.

The 13″ model costs more but might satisfy students who want to do more than just type documents or surf the web. I love my 13″ MacBook Air and use it for most of the tasks needed other than hardcore gaming. If you only want an 11″ model, get this one for $1,199. If you want to jump up to the 13″ model, I recommend this model for $1,299.

High-End Power Money Doesn’t Matter – Apple MacBook Pro 17″ – $2,499

For the student who wants to be able to do anything they could on a desktop on their laptop, we recommend the biggest MacBook Pro Apple makes. At 17″ it can serve as an entertainment hub in a dorm room. With the Intel Core i7 processor and 4GB of RAM it is ready for processor intensive tasks like making the next cinematic masterpiece. You can also frag bad guys with the best of them thanks to those specs plus the powerful AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics processor with 1GB GDDR5 RAM. This screaming powerhouse ain’t cheap, but you won’t feel handcuffed by the specs your senior season if you bring this beast along your freshman year. I wouldn’t recommend this system for everyone, but for the student who wants a desktop replacement system and money is no object, you can’t beat he 17″ MacBook Pro.

A few recommendations: get 8GB of RAM for another $200. Add a $19 Apple Remote for making presentations and controlling it from across the dorm room.

5 Hot Back to School Laptops is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The new business notebook joins the Vostro line of business notebooks from Dell. This line is known for affordable prices and quality notebooks with business sensibility, but not a lot of frills.

The new V131 changes this with a thin and light form factor that is further spiced up with a sharp look at optional bright red finish. If you ask me, this is a better looking notebook than the new consumer focused Inspiron 14z.

Dell Vostro V131 Comes in Red and Silver.

Vostro V131 Specs

The Vostro V131 is a 13.3″ notebook, powered by the latest Intel 2nd Gen processors (Up to Core i5), brings optional 3G and 4G connectivity, and can be configured with up to 4GB RAM and a 500GB hard drive. Surprisingly, this notebook also includes Bluetooth 3.0 and USB 3.0.

The notebook lacks an optical drive, which is no surprise given the size and 3.6 pound weight. You do get an integrated 1.0MP webcam and SRS Premium Voice Pro software bundled with the package to take advantage of the built in speakers and digital array mics.

If you choose to upgrade to the optional 6-cell battery, Dell claims you’ll get 9.5 hours of battery life which should translate into a little under a full day of work in the real world.

Dell Vostro V131 keyboard

The Vostro V131 has a chiclet style keyboard and includes the option to add a backlight for working in low light environments. The notebook also comes with a fingerprint reader standard and Absolute Lojack security software.

Small Business Extras

To boost the savings for small businesses V131 notebooks purchased in September will include the following extras as part of My Business Toolkit.

• Free website hosting form Web.com
• Ruby Receptionists – 30 days ro 100 minutes of free virtual receptionist service.
• 15 months of Trend Micro Antivirus Service
• Dell DataSafe – automatic data backups

More information on these specials will be available from Dell on September 1st.

Vostro V131 Price and Warranty

The Dell Vostro V131 notebooks start at $449, but most users will want to bump up to faster processors. The ULV processor and 2GB of RAM will have a tough time keeping up with the multitasking needs of many business users. Most small businesses will be best served by bumping up to the Intel Core i3 model which starts at $599, even though it only has 2GB RAM.

The V131 comes with a standard 1 year warranty with next business day on site service so that you aren’t stuck waiting for your notebook to get fixed while business passes you by.

Dell Vostro V131 Gallery

Dell Vostro V131 Launches With 9 Hour Battery and Small Extras is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Inspiron 14z and 13z have more in common with the Dell XPS 15z we recently reviewed than they do with the rest of the Inspiron line, known for plastics and bright colors.

The Dell Inspiron z notebook have traded in the plastic for aluminum palm rests and covers, a move that is similar to HP’s decision to bring metal lids to the Pavilion line last year.

Del Inspiron 14z

The new Inspiron z notebooks are thinner then we are used to in the budget range, but they aren’t thin and light notebooks by any stretch. The Inspiron 14z measures 1 inch a the thickest point and weighs in at 5 pounds.

Dell Inspiron 14z Specs

The new notebooks pack in 2nd Gen Intel Core i processors, up to 8GB RAM, Intel WIreless Display, up to a 750GB hard drive, SRS Premium Sound, DVD drives, 1.0MP webcam and WiFi. The notebooks also include USB 3.0, a Mini Displayport and SD card reader as well as Bluetooth 3.0.

The notebooks have a chiclet style keyboard and come in Diamond Black and Fire Red colors.

Dell Inspiron 14z Keyboard

According to Dell, the Inspiron 14z and 13z are just the beginning of the new z series notebooks which will span multiple product lines at Dell. The “z” will be added to “Dell’s thin and powerful mobile products” which are launching throughout the rest of the year.

Dell Inspiron 14z Pricing and Availability

You can pick up the Dell Inspiron 14z for $599 starting today at Dell.com. The 13″ Inspiron 13z will initially only be available overseas.

Dell Inspiron 14z Gallery

Dell Inspiron 13z and 14z Start at $600, Upgrade Budget Line is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Dell XPS 15z angle display

Quick Specs

Inside the sleek metal frame you’ll find a 2.7GHz Core i7 processor, 8GB RAM and a 750GB 7200RPM hard drive. Our review unit is equipped with a 1080P 15.6″ glossy display, powered by a Nvidia GeForce GT525M GPU with 2GB RAM.

The XPS 15z starts at $999, but our review unit has several upgrades and a retail price of $1,499.

Who is the Dell XPS 15z For?

The Dell XPS 15z is a high-end machine that should interest media professionals and students looking for a powerful and stylish notebook at a lower than MacBook Pro price. The price puts the XPS 15z out of the reach of many buyers, but for anyone in need of a good-looking Windows notebook, the XPS 15z is worth a look.

Hands On Video

Build and Design

Dell focused heavily on the design of the XPS 15z, showing a renewed desire to deliver a sexy notebook. The looks take a lot of styling cues from the MacBook Pro, but up close you’ll notice that this is clearly not an Apple product.

Dell XPS 15z barrel hinge

We aren’t sold on the “look at me” barrel hinge, but the rest of the notebook looks great. More importantly, it feels great. The speaker grills and vents don’t look like an afterthought, but an actual design element worthy of the sound that comes out of it. The very soft plastic palmrest feels good even during extended use. The chrome keys, edges and aluminum exterior come together well, showing considerable thought on Dell’s part.

As far as build quality goes, the XPS 15z is impressive. Most consumer notebooks are nowhere near as sturdy as the 15z. We could barely flex the base of the unit and found a similarly rigid display. The build quality flowed throughout the notebook from the middle of the keyboard to touchpad buttons.

Dell XPS 15z design

Features

Design – The XPS 15z is the thinnest 15″ Windows PC (still thicker than a MacBook Pro) and a great looking notebook, especially for a Windows PC.

Performance – As a Premium notebook, performance is also a big feature. The Core i5 processor and GT 525M GPU deliver power worthy of the premium notebook status.

1080P Display – It’s amazing to see a 1080P display on a 15″ notebook, and even more amazing that this is only a $150 upgrade.

WavesMaxx Audio – The sound experience on this notebook is incredible. WavesMaxx is a software solution that maximizes the sound experience over speakers and headphones.

Display

Dell XPS 15z head on

The XPS 15z we have in for review comes with the amazing 1080P HD Display option, which is awesome. The ability to view two documents, web pages or projects side by side anywhere you go, on a notebook thin enough to be portable, is great.

The viewing angles are very good side to side, enough so that you could share a movie with two friends on your next flight without any trouble. The vertical angles drop off quicker, but didn’t get in the way during our use on a table, lap or countertop.

Colors looked great and while the glossy display will kick back some reflections, it’s not the glossiest we have seen. The display has an ambient light sensor which adjust the brightness based on your surroundings. The changes can be dramatic at times, but we enjoyed the adjustments for the most part.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Dell XPS 15z backlit keyboard

The island style keyboard has good spacing (although it has relatively flat keys and an easy to hit caps lock) and overall offers a very good typing experience. The backlighting is also a welcome feature, as that allows us to work anywhere we are. The backlight can be controlled with a function button, or set to automatically light up when you need it.

Dell XPS 15z touchpad

The touchpad is large and offers precise mousing with support for 2-finger gestures and two finger scrolling. In all it performs well, but is way too close to your right palm. Even while trying to keep our palm away from the touchpad, we couldn’t get through the past 3 paragraphs without 4 to 5 misplaced words. We looked, but couldn’t find any palm rejection settings in the Cypress touchpad settings.

Processor and Performance

Thanks to the laptop’s beast of a processor, a Core i7 capable of Turboboost speeds up to 3.4GHz, we never had to wait on this notebook to catch up with what we were doing. From standard web browsing with multiple flash tabs open to editing videos on Sony Vegas the XPS 15z delivers.

For most users there will be excess power here, but for creative types the 8GB RAM and high-end GPU won’t leave you wanting for media creation or playback.

Multimedia and Gaming

Movies look great on the 1080P display and the 15z has the horsepower needed to display them in all their glory. Local 1080P trailers looked great as did the 1080P YouTube version of Dark Knight Rising.

We booted up Portal 2 to test out the gaming chops on the 15z and were impressed with the quality of our surroundings. The environment was detailed and as gloomy as Portal can be, but colors popped and the fire looked great as we moved through the crashed facility. We didn’t run into any lag or stutter while playing, and relished the chance to get another level of Portal 2 under our belt. This may not be an Alienware notebook, but it will meet the needs for many enthusiast gamers.

Audio and Speakers

Dell XPS 15z keyboard and speaker grille

The audio is one of the highlights of the XPS 15z, which was a bit of a surprise to us. The Waves MaxxAudio pushes out an incredible audio experience, even though there aren’t premium speakers tucked under the pretty speaker grilles.

This audio solution tweaks the sound so that you have a loud yet clear audio solution. The sound system can acceptably handle faux surround sound.

Highs and mids left us impressed with crisp sounds throughout the listening experience. When we cranked up the MaxxBass we even heard a hint of the low-end.

Though nothing you would confuse with the noise you get from a dedicated subwoofer, it is impressive in a mobile package. The sound system filled our one bedroom apartment with volume to spare.

Heat and Noise

The XPS 15z is one hot notebook, and not just in looks. The fan is rather quiet, but perhaps it could be louder, something we could tolerate if it meant a cooler experience. After a few hours of use the palmrest, specifically the left palm area, was warm enough to make out wrist sweat.

The base of the notebook was also quite toasty, but not until after we played 15 minutes of The Daily Show on Hulu. During normal use the heat was just enough to be annoying, but after watching video the palm area was warm enough to make us take our hands off.

Dell XPS 15z battery meter

Battery Life

We tested the XPS 15z battery, which is rated for over 8 hours, with a battery test that simulates web surfing with the display set at 40% brightness. The Dell XPS 15z was only able to eek out 5 hours of battery life under these settings.

This isn’t awful, but we expect more, especially with a battery rating over 8 hours. There were a few times we were caught without power when we took the 15z out for a quick afternoon coffee.

The battery is not user replaceable, so you will need to carry a power adapter instead of a second battery. We do like the battery meter, which makes it easy to see how much battery life you have left before running out the door.

Connectivity

The XPS 15z is a pro-sumer level machine, which carries over into the ports and connection options. Be warned that there is no VGA connection, but there are more than enough alternate connections available.

Dell XPS 15z left side ports

Left side: HDMI, DisplayPort, USB 3.0, USB 3.0, SD Card Reader, Battery Meter

Dell XPS 15z right side ports

Right side: Headphone, Mic, Slot Load DVD

Dell XPS 15z back side ports

Rear: Power, Vent, Ethernet

Webcam

Dell XPS 15z webcam

The built in webcam does OK in low light, but you won’t be able to make out colors very well. In our test of the video camera the image was above average, but there was a loss of color in low light situations. Audio via the built in microphone was clear to our caller and the audio from the call was loud and clear on our end.

Software

The XPS 15z comes with a collection of pre-installed software, some good and some bad. On the good side is the Dell Stage software which brings widgets and your media to one place for easy access from the main display, in a manner that looks great when you connect to a big screen. We liked the movie stage “app” which lets you browse new releases and buy or rent them at competitive rates. We also like the Dell Photo “app” which can connect to Facebook and Flickr for a beautiful way to look at your photos.

Sadly, there is also a trial of McAfee which pesters you to no end, asking you sign up with screens that don’t even have a close button on them. On the desktop there are also links to eBay and My Identity Protection, but those are easily deleted.

Value

The Dell XPS 15z is a higher priced notebook, but the specs, performance and style come together to offer a good value for your money, especially on a Windows notebook.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a MacBook Pro, go buy a MacBook Pro. If you are looking for a sexy looking Windows notebook with plenty of power and a beautiful 1080P HD display, then the XPS15z is the notebook for you.

Dell XPS 15z top

Pros

• 1080P Display
• Great Audio
• Power for Creation, Work and Play

Cons

• Touchpad Palm Rejection
• Battery Life

Dell XPS 15z Gallery

Dell XPS 15z Detailed Specs

Dell XPS 15z Review: Style & Power With a Beautiful Screen is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Michael Dell’s post on July 17, 2011 read as follows:

I am thinking about hangouts for business. Would you like to be able to connect with your Dell service and sale teams via video directly from Dell.com?

Since that time followers added the Google+ version of a “like” by clicking the plus one button 618 times and 167 people shared the comment with those in their circles, which the Google+ version of friends or followers. Comments ranged from “Great idea” to a more thoughtful post which read:

Whatever people say about automation we still need that human contact when the buying process gets complex.

How would the company use the service? Imagine if a few dozen people each contacted customer service through the Dell website with problems related to something similar, like how to boot into Safe Mode in Windows. The customer service reps at Dell could start a hangout for those who need to boot into safe mode in Windows 7. That is a very specific use. It might be more general like how to upgrade or replace RAM in a Dell XPS notebook or training on Dell’s built-in software.

Hangouts could benefit Dell or other computer manufacturers by dealing with multiple customers at once. Because it is video chat, each customer might feel like Dell takes them more seriously. More users are served and in a more useful way. A process viewed in a video chat is easier to replicate by customers than listening to someone describe the steps.

Customers benefit from faster response time if the people all get their questions answered in the same amount of time it took only one person to find a resolution with traditional phone or Internet chat. Person number ten in line doesn’t wait as long.

Google+ is still very new. The geek community is excited and jumping on onboard but ordinary people don’t even know it exists. Dell would have to not only fix the customer’s computer problem but would have to design an interface that incorporates Google+ Hangouts in a way that is simple enough for users to take advantage of without much training.

Already companies use social networking for customer service. We had a problem with a Fed Ex shipment recently and tweeting about it drew a response from the company’s Twitter monitors. The problem was resolved that night instead of the next day which is what would have happened with traditional customer service.

Source: Gigaom

Image Source: Michael Dell’s Google+ Profile Page

Dell May Use Google+ Hangouts for Customer Service is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The Tri-Metal case resists scratches, but likes fingerprints.

Quick Specs

A 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB RAM and a 320GB hard drive power the Dell Latitude E6520 in for our review. A wonderfully high 1920 x 1080 resolution display spans the 15.6″ anti-glare display. A backlit keyboard, light sensitive webcam, microphone and a full collection of business-required ports rounds up the rest of the feature list.

As configured the Latitude E6520 is priced at $1,906. The base model starts at $1,334 and Dell has been known to offer discounts on the Latitude E Family of notebooks.

Who is the Dell Latitude E6520 For?

The Dell Latitude E6520 is a business notebook that is designed for road warriors that need a business rugged notebook that can handle the abuses of traveling from customer to customer. The E6520 is not the most portable notebook, but the Core i7 processor and 1080P HD display combine to deliver a mobile powerhouse that will be worth the tradeoff in portability to certain users. For a smaller, more affordable option, the Dell Latitude E5420 is a less rugged option.

Dell Latitude E6520 Hands On Video

Build and Design

The E6520 has a collection of features which add to the overall durability of the notebook. From a Tri-Metal casing and a powder coated base to the anodized aluminum display case and 360 degree LCD bumper the E6520 is prepared to handle the road life of business users. The notebook isn’t the sexiest business kit out there, but it does offer some sleek curves and an orange accent to class things up a bit more than your typical black box business notebook.

Solid hinges add to the build quality of the E6520.

One of our favorite things about the notebook is the build quality. The metal hinges deliver sturdy display placement and the entire body feels very solid. Even the center of the keyboard is stiff enough to withstand heavy typing and pressure without buckling. The entire case had a similar solid feel to it.

Features

MIL-STD 810G Rated – The business ready E6520 is MIL-SPEC 810G rated for temperature, vibration, dust and high altitudes.

Quick Access Door – IT managers will enjoy the easy to access internals which are easily accessible through one large panel on the base of the notebook.

Latitude E Family Compatibility – Another plus for IT Managers is the ability to use the same batteries, docks and chargers across the entire Latitude E Family of notebooks.

Display

While reviewing the E6520 we had the good fortunate to enjoy some wonderful weather, which allowed us to see how the 15.6″ anti-glare display handled the outdoors. Much to our enjoyment, we were able to spend an afternoon working outside a local coffee shop without losing site of our work.

While the display isn’t one we would pick to use outside everyday it is certainly up for the occasional outdoor work session and the harsh overhead lights of many offices. The display also opens to 180 degrees, which allows you to find a good angle to work from.

The 15.6" 1080P anti-glare display is gorgeous.

Another standout option on the E6520 review unit we have in for testing is the 1080P HD display. We could care less about watching a movie in 1080P on this 15.6″ screen, but absolutely love the extra space to compare documents side by side without losing half the document.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard on the Latitude E6520 isn’t the chiclet or island style which is becoming more common on business notebooks, but rather a hybrid style which has a dropoff along the edges. Combined with the curved keyface, the keyboard is nice, though we typed slightly slower than on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 keyboard.

The hybrid style keys allow for decent typing speeds.

Thanks to the larger notebook body we are able to gain a dedicated number pad and a fully backlit keyboard with four levels of backlighting to accommodate many work environments. Though we couldn’t test this option, the keyboard is also spill resistant, which is a musty have for business travelers who will often have a coffee or soda near the notebook.

A small mousepad is flanked by good buttons.

The mousepad on the E6520 is quite responsive and supports two finger gestures for scrolling and customizable multi-finger gestures, but it is ultimately small for a 15 notebook. The primary limitation in size is the inclusion of a pointerstick and accompanying three mouse buttons. The pointerstick offer precise pointing, but it is too flush to the keys for our tastes. Even with these limitations you can get the cursor across the high resolution display pretty quickly.

Processor and Performance

Over the course of our review we made the Latitude E6520 our primary machine, working in Excel and Word while using multiple browser instances and miscellaneous utilities like many business users would. During our testing the Core i7 processor and integrated graphics delivered enough power to keep us at work. Unlike some other notebooks we were able to continue working without a slowdown when we attached two 1080P 23″ monitors to the E6520.

The integrated graphics proved capable enough while using Windows Live Movie Maker, but professional creatives will want to upgrade to one of the higher end NVIDIA graphics option. When it comes down to it, the Core i7 processor on our review unit had more than enough power, even dealing with heavy flash content in multiple windows without slowing down.

Multimedia, Audio and Gaming

While this is primarily a business notebook, it will handle on the road entertainment rather well. The notebook can display 1080P content without stuttering if you want to watch a downloaded movie. We tested out the notebook with a variety of online streaming video services including Hulu and Netflix during our month with the notebook and never had an issue.

If you want to listen to music, the built in speakers will suffice on the road, but you’ll definitely want a good pair of external speakers when you get back to your office. The volume maxes out far to early and the sound was quite muddy in the mid-range; bass was nowhere to be found.

You can get by with some casual gaming, thanks to Intel’s improved integrated graphics. We could play Portal 2 with playable frame rates, but true to the business roots this is not a gaming machine.

Heat and Noise

The E6520 runs fairly quiet even under a heavy load. After playing a Hulu video for 20 minutes the palmrest did not get noticeably warm, nor did the base of the unit. While the fan was running during much of our use it was not loud enough to distract form what we were working on our to interfere with music or movies.

Battery Life

The 9-cell battery delivers all day battery life.

There are numerous battery options for the Latitude E6520 and Latitude E family of notebooks which meet the needs of various users. Our review unit came with the 9 cell 97 Whr battery, which has what it takes to last all day long. Using the Laptop Mag battery testing tool we were able to achieve 7 hours and 58 minutes of battery life with the screen at 40% while the notebook underwent a simulated surfing test.

To test the battery we chose the standard Dell power saver battery option which tweaks the power use to deliver longer battery life. This includes switching to the Windows basic theme and turning off power to un-needed ports and peripherals. All of these tweaks can be enabled by choosing this built in power plan.

Connectivity

As a business notebook we expect a number of connectivity options not found in consumer notebooks and the E6520 delivers in most areas. Notably, there is no fingerprint reader on our model.

Right Side: ExpressCard, WiFi Switch, DVD Drive, Firewire, USB, USB eSATA combo, HDMI,

Left Side: VGA, USB 2.0, Vent, SmartCard

Back Side: USB 2.0, Power, Kensington Slot, Ethernet

Front Side: Latch, SD card slot

Webcam

The low light webcam on the E6520 performed well, though our recipients did report some grainy-ness while chatting in a dimly lit area. When we moved to a brighter location image quality improved. The webcam is capable of recording in 1080P, and when you are able to find the right balance of light and bandwidth you will enjoy good video quality.

The webcam performs admirably, though gets grainy in low light.

The Digital Array microphone provided decent sounding audio for a quick chat, though the caller could tell that we were on a speakerphone rather than a standard mic. Unlike the advanced audio controls found on the new Lenovo notebooks, we could not limit the listening to personal mode if we wanted to tune out those nearby.

Software & Warranty

Like many business notebooks, the Latitude E6520 will arrive with a basic Windows 7 installation, so that IT managers can load up their preferred software tools and packages without the need to remove crapware.

The notebook shipped with a standard array of Windows Live tools, Microsoft Office 2010 Starter and various Dell tools for mouse and webcam settings as well as a backup program. Overall a very clean system, which allowed us to get right to work.

When it comes to business notebooks, the cost of a warranty is often built into the purchase price. The E6520 comes with various warranty configurations that last as long as 5 years. Most businesses will opt for a 3 year option with next business day on site service to ensure a smooth return to service if the notebook fails.

Value

The E6520 is a pricey notebook as configured, but given all of the included features it lives up to the price tag. The notebook delivers enough power to handle most office tasks, long battery life and a plethora of affordable warranty options to help businesses stretch this purchase out over a number of years.

Conclusion

Despite a smaller than desired mousepad and the decision to stick with a hybrid style keyboard it is hard to find things we would change on the Latitude E6520. It is great to see a 1080P anti-glare display available as a $130 upgrade for users who need loads of screen real estate while working on the go. While not as sexy as the ThinkPad X1 or as affordable as the Latitude E5420, the E6520 delivers in all the ways a business class notebook should.

Pros:

• Incredibly Sturdy and MIL-SPEC Rated
• Beautiful and Affordable 1080P Anti-glare Display
• IT Friendly Access and Compatibility

Cons:

• Small MousePad and Recessed Pointerstick
• Low Speaker Volume

Notebook Gallery

Latitude E6520 Detailed Specs

Dell Latitude E6520 Review is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.