Dell to Release Ultra-Slim Laptop, Shipping Sandy Bridge PCs

Dell is shipping more systems with the new Intel "Sandy Bridge" processors and updated “Cougar Point” chipset hardware "than just about anyone else," according to a company spokesman, and that trend will only continue.

In a March 7 blog post, Lionel Menchaca said that over the next six weeks, the company will expand the systems it offers running the Intel 2nd Generation Core processors, and among these will be an Inspiron laptop (as early as next week) and a new ultra-slim notebook that will "answer a few questions plus bring performance and style together in a big way."

Earlier this year Dell canceled its thin-and-light Dell Adamo, which looked to compete with the Apple MacBook Air and—with the sleek design and its slick advertising campaign—change perceptions about the company. In the end, however, sales were lackluster, and the Adamo was both heavier and pricier than the Apple system.

The new ultra-slim Dell notebook will be part of an XPS consumer laptop line, PC World reported March 7, citing "a source familiar with Dell’s plans," and said the line will "draw heavily" from the Adamo.

Apple last refreshed the MacBook Air in October 2010, showing off a 2.3-pound device that relies on SSD (solid-state drive) storage technology instead of a hard drive, measures 0.68 inches at its thickest point, and runs Intel Core 2 Duo processors and Nvidia GeForce graphics. Introducing it, Apple CEO Steve Jobs joked that it looks like the result of what would happen "if a MacBook and an iPad hooked up."

For more, read the eWEEK article: Dell Shipping Sandy Bridge PCs, Plans Ultra-Slim Laptop.