Gizmodo: xps m1530

Dell and Microsoft See (Product) Red for Valentine's Day

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:11:14 EST

If I've learned two things in life, it's that it's noble to jump on some bandwagons, and some things just look sexy in red. That's why I was pretty happy to see that Microsoft and Dell were joining the (Product) Red charity for global AIDS relief, and that for every one of the sweet new red XPS One's that are sold, $80 of the purchase will go directly toward buying 6 months of antiretroviral medication. If you buy a (Product) Red XPS M1530 or M1330, the donation is $50, and if you buy the red 948 all-in-one printer, somebody gets 10 days' worth of medication. Some of you are skeptical about this program—tell me, don't you think these numbers prove that (Product) Red is working? Jump for details and more Red-ified product pics. [Dell]

Dell and Microsoft will announce later this week that they will offer customers a simple way to make a difference, through the purchase of unique (PRODUCT) RED branded personal computers and a printer. Adding to the premium experience, all Dell (PRODUCT) RED PCs are powered by Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED, that include six unique desktop wallpapers, a screensaver, two innovative Windows Sidebar gadgets and a (RED)-themed Windows DreamScene. Dell is the exclusive PC and peripheral partner of (PRODUCT) RED.
• When a consumer chooses either laptop - the XPS M1530 (PRODUCT) RED or XPS M1330 (PRODUCT) RED with Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED (starting price $1,149 for either laptop) - Dell and Windows will make a total joint contribution of $50 directly to the Global Fund, which buys nearly 4 months of lifesaving antiretroviral medication.

• When a consumer chooses the XPS One (PRODUCT) RED with Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED (starting price of $1,599), Dell and Windows will make a total contribution of $80 directly to the Global Fund, which buys 6 months of lifesaving antiretroviral medication.

• When a consumer chooses the 948 All-in-one (PRODUCT) RED Printer (starting price of $149), Dell will make a $5 contribution to the Global Fund, which buys more than ten days of lifesaving antiretroviral medication.

More information about (RED) is available at www.joinred.com.

Dell's Aluminum Laptops Causing Electric Shocks?

Sean Fallon — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:00:40 EST

The folks at CNET were surprised to discover that using some Dell laptops can result in electric shocks that "vary in strength from a gentle tingle to a sudden jolt." They also noticed that the shocks occur when connecting peripherals to the laptops. It appears that the offending devices have been isolated to versions that feature a brushed-aluminum finish —namely the XPS M1330 and XPS M1530. Furthermore, they believe the shocks are the result of a power adapter that isn't grounded properly because its 2-prong connector lacks a third pin.

Interestingly enough, Dell's knowledge base acknowledges the problem in an entry entitled "A Tingling Sensation May Be Noticed When Touching Metal Components of Dell Devices Equipped with Two-Prong AC Adapters." However, the entry also states that "the voltage (tingling sensation) does NOT present any risk of injury to the user." Whether that is true or not, getting constant electric shocks from your laptop is, at the very least, annoying as hell. Fortunately, Dell informed CNET that they are willing to replace the two-pin power supplies with a three-pin version if requested to do so. If you are experiencing this problem (and entries on Dell's forums suggest that this issue is not isolated), you may want to hit Dell up for a replacement. [Crave and Dell Forums / Knowledge Base]

Dell Listens to People, Adds Higher Res Screens to XPS M1530

matt buchanan — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:30:17 EST

Dell's XPS M1530 is no slouch on the specs front, so the crummy low-res screen you were stuck with was a mildly bewildering (non-)choice. Cue power of the internets, and Dell's open ear via IdeaStorm, and we now have two higher-res options before the launch: WXGA+ (1440 x 900) and WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050). Well played, Dell, well played. Except that upgrading will push the ship date out even further, and Dell really should've realized this on its own. [Direct2Dell]

Dell XPS M1530 15-inch Core 2 Duo Laptop Unveiled, Available Now

Adam Frucci — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:40:00 EST

The Dell XPS M1530 laptop that had most of its details leaked early last month was made official this morning, delivering a 15-inch version of the popular XPS M1330 to the masses. It features a 15.4-inch WXGA display, a slot-loading DVD-RW (or Blu-ray) drive, is available with a 64GB SSD and weighs in at a respectable 6 pounds or so. It starts at $999 and is available for order as of today. Hit the jump for an updated list of the specs.

-15.4-inch display (CCFL up to 1280 x 800) -Core 2 Duo options from 1.5GHz (T5250) up to 2.6GHz (T7800) -Crestline GM/PM 965 chipset with up to 4GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM -GeForce 8400M or 8600M GS options (up to 256MB) -Slot-loading Blu-ray / 8x DVD±RW -Options for 802.11a/b/g/n, WWAN, Bluetooth -HDMI, VGA, 1394, ExpressCard, (3) USB 2.0, Ethernet, fingerprint reader, media reader -2.0 megapixel (with CCFL) or 300k (with LED) cameras -Weight starts at 5.78 pounds

[Product Page via CNET]