Dell dangles devices, tips tablet, pumps price

Beverley Head
Wednesday, 09 February 2011 06:23

Business IT - Technology

Dell has put together what it claims is its largest ever product refresh, officially launching 15 new business computers today - and promising another 24 during the year including a 10 inch Windows 7 based tablet.

Pricing on the new machines is fairly standard - the new Dell Latitude E family of laptops will start at $1,555 while the Optiplex solutions start at $1,299. However the top of the range machines are more expensive than originally expected.

When Dell debuted the machines to the media last week it indicated that the entry level price for the Dell Precision T1600 workstation range would be $840. By the time final Australian prices were revealed yesterday however that had sprung up to $1,899.

Dell yesterday said that the$840 figure was the US price. It said that Dell's local version of the Precision would feature a Core i5 processor (Core-i3 in the US), and that it would come with a wireless networking adaptor as standard, where that is an option in the US. The Australian price also includes GST and accounts for the higher cost of providing warranty services according to a spokesman.

With the $A still flirting with parity with the $US, savvy consumers will be able to do their own analysis about features and prices and whether the Australian model really is worth twice the cost of the US model.

There will be plenty of time to ponder this question as this year's crop of new machines is expected to be around for a while - five years at least according to Dell executives who during last week's preview said the systems will be available in Australia from March.  All the Latitude family has been updated with the release of the E series which runs Windows 7, although a Linux option is available.

The focus on laptops is warranted according to Dell as statistics from IDC suggest that by 2012 the number of devices that IT departments will have to support will increase 66 per cent. By 2013 a third of the workforce is expected to be mobile.

Dell is clearly trying to seduce IT managers of large enterprises with the new systems which it claims will be easier for them to manage as part of that burgeoning fleet. The laptops are pre integrated with Citrix and VMware remote desktop clients.