In Dell's eyes, the age of netbooks is drawing to a close, and because of that, the company has already stopped selling consumer netbooks (the Inspiron Mini is now history), and decided against developing new (Cedar Trail-based) 10-inch machines powered by Intel Atom processors.

Despite the thumbs down given to netbooks, Dell is still selling Atom-based products like the business-oriented Latitude 2120 and the display-flipping Inspiron Duo, but their days are numbered. According to Dell, low-cost solutions like netbooks are no longer of interest, the focus now being on 'thin and powerful' machines like ultrabooks. Of course, ultrabooks are somewhat premium products but they should go mainstream in 2012 when cheaper, Ivy Bridge-based models will come about.

Optical disc drives have been pretty cheap for years now, yet there is enough money in the business, that three executives managed to collude in price fixing of these devices, scamming HP, Dell and Microsoft in the process - and in the end the consumer, who foots the higher prices. The three are from Hitachi-LG Data Storage Inc. (HLDS) and have reached a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice on price fixing charges for optical disc drives during the 2005-2009 timeframe. According to Security Week, the three executives, Sang Hun Kim, Young Keun Park, and Sik Hur, will each pay $25,000 USD in fines and serve little sentences of seven to eight months in prison at a "correctional facility" aka prison, that is yet to be decided.

Dell's Alienware team has today launched an updated version of the Aurora gaming desktop which is based on Intel's Sandy Bridge-E platform. Known as model R4, the upgraded Aurora makes use of a head-turning ALX mid-tower chassis, and features a liquid-cooled Core i7-3930K or i7-3960X processor, up to 32 GB of RAM, up to a 2 TB hard drive and/or up to a 512 GB solid state drive, and up to an Nvidia GeForce GTX 590 card or two AMD Radeon HD 6950s.

Dell's desktop can also be equipped with one or two optical drives, a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio or Titanium audio card, and runs Windows 7. The Alienware Aurora R4 starts at $2,199 and can be found here.

The recent dreadful flooding in Thailand has forced the closure of several hard drive factories. The immediate concerns of course, are for the health and wellbeing of the people living and working in the area. The wider concern is the severe restriction in hard drive manufacturing capacity. Already, prices have doubled or tripled, depending on the exact model affected. The biggest HD manufacturer, Western Digital, has been hit the hardest, as IDC predicts that up to 75% of its production will be shut down. This means, that the big corporate HDD customers, those like HP and Dell, who build computer systems in large volumes, will get whatever inventory is available to fully satisfy their needs. Whatever is left is then sold on to the retail channel, for ordinary consumers to buy. IDC believes that hard disk production will reach pre-flood levels by around March, but that HDD levels by then will be very low. The prices should go through the roof then, in the meantime. As expected, this will also increase the prices of complete systems, as such a price hike is too much to absorb fully.

Dell rolled out a new ultra-slim 21.5 inch monitor, the S2230MX. It is just 9.9 mm thick at its thinnest point. The monitor is this slim thanks to two things: first, it uses LED-backlit illumination instead of CCFL; and second, it uses an external power brick. The Dell S2230MX uses a TN panel that provides 82% color gamut coverage.

With a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, the Dell S2230MX panel offers 2 ms (GTG) response time, 1000:1 contrast ratio with 8 million to 1 DCR, and brightness of 250 cd/m². While display inputs on the panel include DVI and D-Sub, a HDMI-to-DVI adapter is bundled. Backed by a one-year warranty, the Dell S2230MX is priced at US $219.99.

Dell today introduced the Vostro V131, a thin, powerful, and sleek addition to the award-winning Vostro laptop line. As one of the lightest and thinnest products in the Vostro portfolio, the Vostro V131 is designed specifically for small business customers. An ultrathin, ultra-stylish chassis houses up to Intel Core i3 and i5 processors, making the Vostro V131 a portable powerhouse engineered to maximize business productivity. A removable 6-cell battery with 2nd generation Intel Core processors, both available as an option, will deliver up to 9.5 hours of battery life, allowing users to work virtually anytime, anywhere.

"We designed the Vostro V131 to deliver fast, uninterrupted multitasking for today's business challenges," said Sam Burd, vice president of Dell's Consumer & SMB Product Group. "The result is a feature-rich laptop for mobile professionals who want full performance to support their technology demands without sacrificing design and portability. In addition, the V131 offers services and software solutions that improve productivity and data security."

Dell announced the new UltraSharp U2412M monitor for business and enterprise environments. This 24-inch monitor uses an IPS panel that provides viewing angles of 178/178 degrees, its stand is designed to allow a number of orientation adjustments, including tilt, swivel, pivot and height. The U2412M features 1920 x 1200 resolution, with 1,000:1 static and 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratios; 300 cd/m² maximum brightness, and response time of 8 ms (GTG). Display inputs include one each of DVI, DisplayPort, and D-Sub. A 4-port USB 2.0 hub completes the accessories department. Backed by a 3 year warranty (extensible to 4 or 5 years), the Dell UltraSharp U2412M is priced at US $399.

Alienware is redefining mobile gaming - again - with three new, all-powerful laptops, including the soon to be released M18x, which lays claim to the title of "most powerful 18-inch gaming laptop in the universe;" the M14x, which delivers unprecedented performance and portability; and an enhanced M11x, already a favorite among gaming enthusiasts, and the most-powerful sub-14-inch notebook in the universe.

The two new faces in the Alienware laptop family, the upcoming M18x and the M14x, along with the new M11x, deliver unprecedented power to the gamer on the go. All three platforms offer the latest in gaming technology, and feature second-generation Intel Core i processors to deliver the most immersive high-performance gaming experience imaginable.

Dell introduced its very first Inspiron notebook based on the AMD Fusion platform, the Inspiron M102z. The 11.6-inch notebook is available in two variants based on the processor model, one with dual-core AMD C-50 1.00 GHz at US $699, and the other with dual-core AMD E-350 1.60 GHz at $799. The $699 variant features Radeon HD 6250 graphics, 2 GB of memory, 320 GB 7.2k RPM HDD, 56 Whr 6-cell battery, and connectivity that includes WiFi b/g/n, and Bluetooth 3.0.

The $799 variant packs Radeon HD 6310 graphics, 4 GB memory, and 500 GB 7.2k RPM HDD apart from other features of the $699 variant. Both models feature 1366x768 pixel WLED-backlit display, 1.3 MP webcam, 7-in-1 card reader, and 3W stereo speakers with SRS surround technology.

Knowing today's growing businesses require real-time information exchange and connectivity without compromise, Dell today unveiled its Vostro 3000 series laptops with 12 hours of battery lifei on select models and cutting-edge virtual collaboration solutions.

Available in 13-, 14-, 15- and 17-inch forms and styled with image-conscious entrepreneurs and mobile professionals in mind, the Dell Vostro 3000 Series packs the latest Intel 2nd generation Core I Series processors into a sleek design without compromising battery life. For those that demand the ultimate in collaboration, the Vostro 3000 is the first small-business laptop to feature voice enhancing technology SRS Premium Voice Pro software. A full HD webcam offered with the 14-, 15- and 17-inch laptops enables lifelike interactions with coworkers and customers, while a digital array mic helps reduce ambient noise, giving small businesses a superb virtual collaboration solution that's fast and clear.

The new Inspiron R series joins Dell's expansive collection of laptops and desktops equipped with the latest Intel processors and are fun, stylish and lightning quick. Available today at Dell.com, the new Inspiron R 14-, 15- and 17-inch laptops deliver incredible mobile entertainment, high-definition displays and outstanding battery life, but that's just the beginning.

The perfect combination of brains and beauty - the latest addition to the Inspiron family also introduces an innovative new design twist: new SWITCH by Design Studio interchangeable lids that switch the look of Inspiron R laptops with just a pop and a clicki. The SWITCH by Design Studio collection includes 25 new eye-popping lids sporting vibrant colors and unique designs. Start the day with a Peacock Blue lid, and switch it out for a design-inspired look at night.

After giving its price-performance ratio a huge boost in late December, Dell introduced an even newer value variant of the Adamo ultra-slim ultra-portable notebook. The company's latest offer includes a 13.4-inch Adamo priced at US $799 ($100 less than the performance variant introduced last month), and driven by Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 (clocked at 1.40 GHz), and 2 GB of memory. The 13.4-inch screen offers 1366 x 768 pixels resolution, and the chipset embeds Intel GMA X4500 graphics. Storage is care of a 128 GB SSD. Connectivity includes WiFi and Bluetooth. Other features include a 1.3 megapixel webcam. Windows 7 Home Premium x64 comes preinstalled.

Dell today unveiled the Vostro V130, the latest and most stunning addition to its award-winning Vostro laptop line. Designed with the needs and wants of on-the-go entrepreneurs in mind, the Vostro V130 combines head-turning style with best-of-breed durability and security. The Vostro V130 is one of the thinnest [as thin as 0.65" (front) to 0.78" (rear)] and lightest (starting at 3.5 pounds) ultraportable 13-inch laptops available and includes color options Lucerne Red and Aberdeen Silver. Constructed from sturdy aluminum and reinforced with zinc hinges and a magnesium alloy palm rest, it is also road-ready and able to survive everyday bumps and thumps. In addition, the V130 is the first ultra-thin laptop to offer Hyperbaric Cooling, an Intel Advanced Cooling Technology, to help it stay quiet and cool.

At the ongoing Intel Developer Forum event, Dell showed off its latest convertible tablet notebook concept, which breaks away from the conventional "screen-swivel" design which tends to make the device thicker due to the big rotary joint. Dell's design is as slim as any normal notebook, with a typical lid hinge, except that the screen is held by two joints on either sides, allowing it to flip, thus converting it between a multi-touch tablet and a notebook. The only downside we so far is that the web-camera is fixed on the bezel facing the notebook side. Dell may capitalize heavily on this concept building a number of models with different sizes and specifications.

Dell started adding to its display lineup for fall 2010, the company released four new 16:9 widescreen display models in sizes ranging from 20-inch to 23-inch. The offer starts with the 20-inch IN2020M that has a native resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels; 22-inch ST2220M and ST2220L; and 23-inch ST2320L. These three models are full-HD (1920 x 1080) ready. These monitors have dynamic contrast ratios as high as 8,000,000:1, with response times as low as 5 ms. DVI and D-Sub are standard inputs, while the ST2220L and ST2320L add HDMI input to the mix. Expect these models to reach stores in the weeks to come.

Dell today announced the latest in compact computing - the ultra-portable and ultra-stylish Inspiron M101z laptop. The perfect combination of size, weight, performance and contemporary lux looks, the Inspiron M101z is the ideal on-the-go, easy-to-use laptop PC for today's mobile population.

Whether a student running between classes or a mom trying to keep the kids entertained, carrying this ultrathin sub-4-pound laptop that fits easily in a handbag or backpack helps lighten the load. Despite its diminutive size, the Inspiron M101z laptop packs performance punch, nimbly stepping through everyday tasks quickly and delivering impressive playback of streaming movies and HD videos.

Dell released a netbook based on the AMD-platform this time around, the Inspiron M101z. This one sports a 11.6 inch screen with 1366 x 768 pixel display, driven by ATI Radeon integrated graphics, and comes with bezel colors that include Clear Black, Peacock Blue, Tomato Red and Lotus Pink. Under the hood is an AMD Athlon II Neo processor, 4 GB of memory, up to 320 GB of storage, and connectivity features that include 10/100 Ethernet, and optional Bluetooth 3.0, 3-in-1 card reader, 1.3 MP webcam, and a 6-cell battery. It comes with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit pre-installed, and sells for £379 in the UK.

Dell today announced the availability of the UltraSharp U2211H and U2311H flat panel monitors with in-plane switching technology (IPS) to deliver consistent colours across wide viewing angles for growing businesses, knowledge workers and photography buffs who need superior colour reproduction in their work or leisure activities.

These new displays are part of Dell's premium UltraSharp Display Series and are available in Australia and New Zealand from today at value-driven prices starting from US $279 for the U2211H, and $299 for the U2311H.

New additions to the line of popular Dell Latitude E-Family laptops - and complementary software and services solutions- will make it simple and affordable for public and private sector organizations worldwide to refresh laptops. According to IDC, the industry can expect to see 27 percent growth in commercial laptops over the next three years as organizations begin to realize the cost and impact of holding on to an aging infrastructure.

"Organizations have a great incentive to refresh today," said Bob O'Donnell, Program VP, Client Computing, IDC. "With new technologies such as Intel's processors and Microsoft Windows 7, CIOs can drive greater workforce efficiency and IT automation. In addition, a modern system running a modern operating system offers greater efficiencies when it comes to desktop virtualization, data protection, asset monitoring and remote management."

Dell rolled out its latest business LCD monitor, the G2410H. This model succeeds an older, similar model, the G2410. It has a 24-inch TN panel screen with WLED backlit illumination. The LCD uses arsenic-free glass. Power management and ergonomics is taken care of by an ambient light sensor that adjusts the monitor's settings to best suit the environment it's in. When in sleep-mode, the display consumes 0.15W of power (under 20W typical consumption). Its stand allows height and angle adjustments. Specifications include a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, 5 ms response time, 250 cd/m² brightness, and contrast ratio of 1,000:1 with dynamic ratio of 1,000,000:1. It takes input from DVI and D-Sub. Sold with a 3-year warranty, the G2410H is priced at $339.

For those with the passion to discover, imagine and create the future, "on-the-go" access to workstation-class computing provides the freedom to work wherever inspiration strikes. This passion to create is why Dell continues to push the boundaries of workstation performance and mobility with the announcement today of the world's most powerful 15.6-inch mobile workstation¹-the Dell Precision M4500.

The Dell Precision M4500 joins Dell's family of mobile workstations, which includes the world's most powerful 17 inch mobile workstation, the Dell Precision M6500. The new mobile workstation is designed to liberate creative professionals, designers, animators, engineers and research scientists from their desks. The M4500 also supports the missions of defense customers who require mobile workstation performance and security, including authentication and data encryption, when in the field.

Following the successful launch of the ultrathin and light Vostro V13, Dell is offering business customers even more choice with the stylish Vostro 3000 series - a range of new thin, lightweight and durable laptop computers. Featuring powerful processors, high-end graphics and built-in security, the Vostro 3000 series is designed for small businesses that require robust mobile computing solutions.

Today's SMBs and entrepreneurs want notebooks that are powerful and attractive, and the new Vostro 3000 series was designed to meet and exceed both those needs. For the most demanding tasks, the Vostro 3000 series sports the latest powerful Intel Core processor technology, including, the optional, Core i7 Quad Core processor available on the Vostro 3700. For those that demand portability and productivity, the Vostro 3300 is one of the industry's thinnest commercial 13" laptop with an integrated optical drive. For those that can't afford to be chained to their desks, the 14" Vostro 3400 offers a full day of mobile productivity with up to 8 hours of battery life with an optional 9-cell battery.

Dell announced today its most powerful business desktop yet, the new OptiPlex 980, combines superb management and an environmentally friendly design. The new OptiPlex 980 can deliver up to 35 percent greater performance than previous generation OptiPlex systems. The desktop can also lower energy costs with an energy-efficient design and environment-conscious features. New management features to enhance productivity include, virtual remote control capability with an optional Intel KVM (Keyboard, Video and Mouse) and simplified task management with Dell's Update Catalog for Microsoft Systems Center.

Dell gave its Pine-Trail based Mini 10 netbook a specifications update to create a variant, called the "Performance Plus" option. The variant includes Broadcom's Crystal HD chip, that accelerates HD video on the netbook's 720p capable display. The Crystal HD chip also helps playback of full-HD 1080p video. It also includes a 10 inch screen with a native resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. The audio controller packs SRS DSP for audio effects. HDD space is also upped to 250 GB (vs. 160 GB on the base-model). The 56WHr 6-cell battery maintains high rated battery life with these new components integrated. The Performance Plus pack can be opted for on Dell's online store. The Mini 10 with this pack sells for around $410.

Intel Corporation today unveiled its 2010 Intel Core vPro processor family to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes for PCs with greater, more flexible performance, theft prevention and cost savings in a rapidly changing business computing environment. These and several other capabilities are at the heart of many new Intel-based business laptop and desktop computers beginning to roll out from computer manufacturers worldwide.

The Intel Core vPro processors arrive as business computing evolves with the emergence of video, Internet telephony, social networking and other heavyweight applications - in many cases running at the same time - making a computer's performance an even bigger priority.