Dell calls to consumers with coloured Inspirons
MacBooks, Vaios challenged
Dell has revamped its Inspiron laptop line with a set of three models all available in a choice of eight "vibrant" colours and with a pick of Intel or AMD processors.
Dell's Inspiron 1520
The family comprises the 1420, 1520, 1521, 1720 and 1721, with 14.1in, 1280 x 800; 15.4in, 1280 x 800; and 17in, 1440 x 900 displays, respectively. The machines are offered with either a 1.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 or a 1.6GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-50 processor, 1 GB of DDR 2 memory and 80-160GB of hard drive storage. Faster CPUs are availble built-to-order.
The Intel-based machines incorporate GMA X3100 integrated graphics, while the AMD models use an ATI Radeon Xpress 1270 integrated GPU. All of them come with Dell's own 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi module and a two-megapixel webcam.
You can choose either a CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive or a multi-format DVD burner among the standard specs, but a Blu-ray unit is available as a build-to-order extra. The machines come equipped with ExpressCard 54 slots and eight-in-one memory card readers.
Dell's Inspiron 1520: kitted out in 'ruby red'
While the new Inspirons aren't going to challenge an Apple MacBook or a Sony Vaio on looks, the coloured lids - black, red, pink, khaki, white, yellow, brown and blue - are cute and the larger machines have media playback keys on the below the lid latch. The 17in model also boast a numeric keypad.
The only thing missing from the new line-up is the much-rumoured 13in model, presumably dropped in favour of the 14.1in machine.
US prices start at $819 (1420), $769 (1520) and $919 (1720), and all three sizes are available to configure and buy there now. There's no word yet on UK and European availability.
COMMENTS
Now Available in the UK
Dell is now selling these on their UK Site, although at the moment you are only getting the colour and the webcam choice in the 17" model (Inspiron 1720).
Re: The important question is...
oh come on, everybody knows "red wunz go fasta"...
Dell systems
Not all Dell models are crappy. You buy Inspiron or Dimension and you get a cheap box with older and lower-spec components. Latitude or OptiPlex moves up up a bit, but the really nice professional stuff is from the Precision line.
A better solution to attracting these sorts of customers..
The type of person that wants to buy brightly coloured computers would probably be more easily snared if they offered colouring books and crayons instead.
They've Done This Kind Of Thing Before
I have an Inspiron 3800 from seven or eight years ago which has a coloured bezel around the screen and the keyboard. I had a choice of green, red, blue or the same grey as the rest of the case.
So adding spot colour is something Dell have done before. If only the machines weren't quite so gimcrack.
