tlax112

Hot-swappable laptop batteries.

Laptop Power submitted by jmxz May 31

I'd like to be able to swap the battery on my laptop without having to turn it off or hibernate it. It seems you could do this by putting a large capacitor or tiny internal battery that could provide power for the 30 seconds or so it takes to switch to a spare battery. Another way you might be able to do this is instead of having one big battery in each laptop, have 2 small ones instead; and you could swap them one at a time.

If it was really easy to swap them I'd probably buy more spare batteries; so I could go most of the day without plugging in the laptop (and then I'd want an external charger so I could charge them all overnight). 25 Comments »

Keyboard light

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by ccpljat Jun 19

Dell should make something similar to this light. It is located at the top of the screen and shines down on the keyboard to illuminate it at night. It is activated by a function key combination. 14 Comments »

HHO Fuel Cell ... Develop One Please!

Environment, New Product Ideas submitted by aikiwolfie Jun 22

HHO fuel cells are the future. Unless you have been living in a cave in Afghanistan you will have noticed YouTube is full of videos demonstrating this technology. Now choosing to avoid the nutters that are more likely to blow themselves and you along with them to kingdom come, I've choose a slightly more reputable video to get the message across.

So how green are Dells green credentials? Do you have the bottle to get really serious about green IT technologies? 26 Comments »

All 17" notebooks should have a numeric keypad.

Laptops submitted by winoffice Jun 13

I own a Dell Vostro 1700 notebook PC. I especially like the fact that it has an numeric keypad.

I also plan to purchase a Dell Precision M6300 notebook PC in the near future. I like most about it, but I do have a problem with the fact that it lacks a numeric keypad. If you can include a numeric keypad on the 1700, then why not on the M6300? I am certain that both are large enough to include one, since they both measure 17" in screen size. Include a numeric keypad on the 6300, and I will buy it! 2 Comments »

Cut the cost of a 9-cell battery upgrade

Sales Strategies, Laptop Power submitted by ccpljat May 6

Yes a 9-cell is more powerful and lasts longer, but $169? Come on. It can't be that much. Cut down the price to honestly reflect the difference. I mean good grief, you can buy a 9-cell replacement for an Inspiron 1720 for $154! An upgrade is always supposed to be less.

FIX IT, DELL!!!! 8 Comments »

Sales Chat Staff Should be Informed of Product Launches

Sales Strategies, Service and Support submitted by slateslate Jun 18

I asked a "live sales chat person/avatar" when the Latitude E-Series would be released.

Sales Chat Person didn't know and stated that the sales chat staff don't have that information.

Given that the E-series should be released in the next couple of months, someone should inform the sales chat staff of the approximate date of the release.

As an aside, the E-series looks extremely great. Finally something that gives the Thinkpad a run for its money.

Please don't let the initial batch suffer quality control problems like the M1330 and Inspiron 1420/1520 releases. 2 Comments »

Please stop using cheap LCD panels on your flagship XPS laptop line.

Monitors and Displays, XPS products submitted by tcpaulh Jun 3

Please stop using cheap LCD panels on your flagship XPS laptop line.

For example the M1530 although specified with 90-100 degree vertical viewing angles, the reality is that there is at best a 15-20 degree vertical viewing angle before colour inversion occurs.

Vertical viewing angles at present do not appear to conform to stated specifications!

Dell have been promising better viewing angles since 2002 with Ultrasharp screens but these screens are still not available across the XPS line of laptops.

Please sort it out Dell and stop using the cheapest screen technology in your premium products.

Thank you. 9 Comments »

Warn Buyers Dell Laptops Must Use Dell Charger

Service and Support, Laptop Power submitted by gear Jun 9

Dell laptops use a charger that has a built in "chip".

If you try to use a non-Dell Charger, it will only power the machine, but will not charge the battery.

So if you are traveling and lose your adapter or it failed, you have to get one from DELL.

The only problem is, DELL typically take days to weeks to ship a new adapter to you if you are in the USA, and if you are outside, much longer if it is available at all.

So a bad / lost Adapter means your DELL Laptop just became a paperweight. One too expensive to be thrown out.

The only non-Dell adapter that works is the Kensington brand adapter, but that is only distributed at Circuit City in the US, and even these ones may not come with the "tip" needed to work with a DELL.

DELL is the only major manufacturer to actively prevent people from using non-Dell adapters in their notebooks.

Apparently DELL hasn't figured out that people travel and may not be able to wait in one place for a while for a spare adapter to be sent to them from DELL.

Want some real fun? Try to get a spare Dell adapter in a mid sized city in China.... 2 Comments »

Don't put the Dell logo upside down on the Mini Inspiron

Laptops submitted by jervis961 May 29

I didn't notice this last night as I was checking out the pictures of the new Dell Mini but it was pointed out by JamesWeb on Dell's "yourblog" that the Dell logo is upside down.



Please don't leave the logo like that, it looks bad. 52 Comments »

Don't charge up to $50 more to downgrade from Vista to XP

Operating Systems - Multiboot, Desktops and Laptops submitted by jervis961 Jun 17

Dell is going to start charging customers up to $50 to downgrade thier systems operating system from Vista to XP after Wednesday. While some people see XP as an upgrade, I don't think there should be a charge for it. 17 Comments »

Install FireFox 3 as the default browser

Software submitted by badblood Jun 18

It's your second chance. Firefox has come out with a gleaming new version of their internet browser. So install it as the default browser before it's too late.

27 Comments »

LED Backlit Displays for Higher Resolutions for XPS M1530

Monitors and Displays, Sales Strategies, XPS products submitted by whitefrost May 14

The release of the LED backlit 1440 x 900 display is great, but needs to be expanded to higher resolutions most notably the 1680 x 1050 resolution which a large number of people use and are most comfortable with. It would not be a threat to the M1730 as you can keep the LED Full HD 1920 x 1200 for it alone. 5 Comments »

How about another update on the highest voted ideas.

IdeaStorm submitted by jmxz Jun 19

It seems many of the highest voted Ideas are the most neglected by Dell

Pre-Installed OpenOffice | alternative to MS Works & MS Office (currently with 138079 points) has been one of the top-5-highest-voted Ideas on IdeaStorm since Feb 07. It has no "Status" regarding whether it's in progress, or rejected; and the only comments from Dell were just one employee's personal opinion.

No OS Preloaded (with 85050 points), has also been one of the top-5-highest for over a year. It's status is the same partial implementation (available on a couple models) that has been true from Dell since long before IdeaStorm was around (2004, if I recall). Clearly the Idea is popular because people want to see it on more models. Rather than just labeling the Idea as "partially implemented as always" - could you give some update on the progress on this Idea.

Firefox instead of IE (with 115593 points) has also been a top-5 idea for over a year. With the recent release of FireFox 3 - along with great press from the technology and business industry alike, another update on this idea would be very welcome. The recent Forbes article Why Firefox Matters clearly sees Firefox as the industry leader, and Wall Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal explicitly states that Firefox 3.0 Is the Best Browser for Web. Surely Dell would want to offer the best for their customers, no? 42 Comments »

"Dell E" Find a new name for your new computer...

Advertising and Marketing submitted by badblood Jun 13

Dell's upcoming netbook ultaramobile thing is apparently going to be called the 'Dell E' which sounds like Deli, where you can buy milk, bread and other nice things.

Please think of another name. Have a naming competition on Ideastorm.

I vote for the Dell Lite as in delight!



'Delle" in german means "dent" 35 Comments »

GeForce 9M series of laptop GPUs on Dell XPS laptop

XPS products, Laptop Power submitted by helmecj01 Jun 3

Dell needs to have the New Geforce 9M series of laptop GPUs on Dell XPS laptop.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/03/nvidia-gets-official-with-geforce-9m-serie... 33 Comments »

Backlit Keyboards

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Sales Strategies, Desktops and Laptops submitted by rarmasu 02/21/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**

I find myself many, many times in dark or poorly lit environments having to guess the various keys - would be fantastic to have a backlit keyboard - with backlit individual keys as the best option.

I would actually pay extra for that convenience if the option was available.
This could be done for desktops or notebooks.


Check out the white LED backlights on the <ahref>XPS M1730.
296 Comments »

Give XPS Notebooks Gigabit Ethernet

XPS products submitted by croftki Feb 17

I understand that Dell market research says home users in general are not interested in gigabit ethernet for home networks. Those who pay for the premium design in the XPS line, however, are more likely to want gigabit ethernet. I would rather buy something more exciting than a business class notebook, but I want to build on my home technology with each purchase I make. XPS Notebooks unfortunately do not help me do this. It seems my only option is to buy a Latitude. 28 Comments »

Optical mice only please

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) submitted by falbert May 22

How come we can still get in 2008 mechanical mice. Come on guys, in 2008 there should be only optical mice available. Also please make it clear on the web site what people are purchasing. 26 Comments »

Give Open Source Software a Higher profile On Dell.com

Dell Web Site submitted by aikiwolfie May 22

From InformationWeek.com : Open Source Quality Improving, But Development Assumptions Need Revising

This report confirms what open source supporters have known all along. Open source developers deliver very high quality code. As such Dell should be giving the open source developers it uses a higher profile on Dell.com instead of hiding them away in some dark recess out of the way!

At the very least give your own in-house open source developers more exposure! They deserve it after all the top quality code they've produced, tested and tweaked. 3 Comments »

Please make Ubuntu XPS Notebook cheaper than XPS Vista Notebook

Linux, Operating Systems, XPS products submitted by dki May 26

Hi,
I have tested the price of the default Vista-Notebook XPS M1330 (in Germany) and the Ubuntuversion with the same Configuration. The result was amazing :(:

Vistaversion: 909,00 €
Linuxversion: 923,44 €

Is Vista cheaper than Ubuntu?? I can not imagine.

So my wish: Make Ubuntu-Laptops competitive! 19 Comments »