| | | | | Palm sells a kit to recharge its Palm Pre smartphone |
| Dell introduced the Latitude Z business laptop, which | | | | using inductive charging, also known as inductive |
| includes a new wireless charging technology that | | | | coupling. Similar technology is being used to recharge |
| could eventually find its way into other Dell systems, | | | | electronic toothbrushes and even power tools. |
| the company said on Tuesday. | | | | The quick-boot environment, called Latitude On, |
| The Latitude Z can be placed on a special stand that | | | | boots the laptop in a few seconds, after which users |
| generates an electromagnetic field to recharge laptop | | | | have access to applications include e-mail, contacts, |
| batteries wirelessly. The technology, which Dell calls | | | | calendar and the Web. Based on a lightweight version |
| inductive charging, takes the same amount of time | | | | of Linux, the environment reduces the need to fully |
| to recharge laptop batteries as an AC adapter, said | | | | boot into Windows to run certain applications. |
| Steve Belt [CQ], vice president of business client | | | | Dell adopted the Arm chip for the quick-boot |
| engineering at Dell. | | | | environment as it morphs the laptop into a |
| "There's a coil in the bottom of the notebook and | | | | smartphone-like device, Belt said. |
| then there's a matching coil in the stand. You set | | | | "Because it doesn't run Intel and it doesn't run |
| them next to each other and it generates a current | | | | [Windows], it get gobs of battery life. It's like taking |
| that flows and charges the battery," Belt said. | | | | a big battery and strapping it to my Blackberry." Belt |
| This is the first time Dell has included wireless | | | | said. The quick-boot battery life could range from 12 |
| recharging in its laptops. The recharging stand must | | | | hours up to two days if the laptop is often in sleep |
| be purchased separately, however, as an optional | | | | mode, Belt said. |
| extra. The technology could help reduce the | | | | The laptop can also connect to an optional wireless |
| dependency on power adapters traditionally used to | | | | dock via ultrawideband technology, allowing users to |
| recharge laptops. | | | | move around the room with the laptop without being |
| Dell is also adding new hardware that will allow the | | | | tethered by wires. The dock, in turn, connects to |
| laptop to boot quickly while giving it "always-on" | | | | peripherals using wires. It has a DVI (digital visual |
| capabilities similar to those in a smartphone. The | | | | interface) port to connect to a monitor, and USB |
| laptop includes an Arm processor -- a type of chip | | | | ports to connect to peripherals like keyboards, |
| more often found in smartphones -- to boot a laptop | | | | printers and mice. |
| quickly for fast access to commonly used Web | | | | The Latitude Z has a 16-inch screen, weighs 4.5 |
| applications like e-mail and a Web browser. The | | | | pounds (2 kilograms) and measures one inch at its |
| processor is included alongside an Intel processor, | | | | thinnest point. It runs on Intel's Core 2 Duo |
| which is used to run the Windows OS. | | | | low-voltage dual-core chips at speeds of 1.4GHz to |
| The laptop is a vehicle to demonstrate some of the | | | | 1.6GHz. The laptop supports up to 4GB of RAM and |
| latest mobility features Dell could ultimately put in | | | | 512GB of storage through two solid-state drives. Dell |
| more of its business laptops, Belt said. Inclusion of | | | | offers multiple wireless options including Wi-Fi 802.11 a |
| some of those features in further laptops will depend | | | | g/n and mobile broadband connectivity through 3G or |
| on how the market responds to the technologies, | | | | WiMax networks. |
| Belt said. | | | | The laptop starts at US$1,999 and is available in the |
| Wireless charging is already being used in some | | | | U.S., Canada and certain countries in Europe and Asia, |
| consumer electronics like mobile phones. For example, | | | | Dell said. |