In total, Dell brought in $14.07 billion in revenue, but were only able to keep $372 million of it for themselves. This is down 51% from the same time last year, where they were able to profit $761 million. Operating profit also took a slide, down to $590 million from $1.01 billion from last year.

It’s certainly not a good end to what is possibly Dell’s last quarterly earnings report as the company is currently planning to go private again later this year, thanks to a generous loan from Microsoft, but it’s possible we could hear from them again in three months if the buyout doesn’t happen sooner.

Of course, Dell has mostly been spending its time making computers, but as the company admitted themselves, the PC industry is on the decline, and sooner or later the company is going to have to rethink their strategy if they want to remain in the black. Then again, a positive attitude is the biggest factor in success, right? Hopefully Dell can keep a smiling face on during these trying time.

According to HP, Dell has “a tough road ahead of them,” which could just be HP’s way of saying, “we’re coming after you,” but it seems that statement could go both ways. Dell’s own buyout could spell trouble for the company, but it’s ultimately a move that we’ll simply just have to wait and see how it turns out.

Dell’s acquisition of Enstratius is said to be made to compliment the company’s purchase of Gale Technologies. That particular exchange was made back in November of 2012, Gale Technologies having been folded into Dell’s Active System Manager and added to Dell’s Enterprise Systems and Services group therein.

Enstratius will help provide multi-cloud management from the get-go, adding application configuration capabilities to Dell’s services as well as management tools for multi-component applications across multi-cloud setups. Tom Kendra, vice president and general manager, systems management, Dell Software, spoke up on the acquisition earlier today.

“Dell, together with Enstratius, is uniquely positioned to deliver differentiated, complete cloud-management solutions to enterprise customers, large and small, empowering them with the efficiency and flexibility in the allocation and use of resources.” – Tom Kendra for Dell

This acquisition is one of several in the works with Dell, the most recent being an axed situation in which Blackstone stepped away from a deal back on the 19th of April. In that case it was a possible purchase of Dell, not a Dell purchase. It was also tipped then that Michael Dell wanted his job guaranteed if a Blackstone buyout were to be considered.

[via Dell]

Blackstone has now changed its mind and announced that it is ending its pursuit of purchasing Dell. The Wall Street Journal reports that Blackstone has issued a letter to the special board committee that it had been working with during the negotiations notifying them of their discontinued interest in the purchase. Reports indicate that Blackstone cited declining personal computer sales across the industry is a factor in its decision.

Other factors that Blackstone cited included concerns about Dell’s declining operating income, according to a source claiming to be familiar with negotiations. No official comments offered by Dell or Blackstone. Reports indicate that Blackstone had a team at Dell HQ in Texas working on due diligence for the potential purchase. That due diligence raised doubts for Blackstone about the future of the Dell PC business according to people familiar with the situation.

With Blackstone out of the picture, it leaves Michael Dell and his backers as well as investor Carl Icahn in the running to purchase the company. The potential offers on the table from Blackstone and Icahn were viewed by some members of the special Dell board committee as superior to the offering by company founder Michael Dell and Silver Lake. Whether or not an official offer is made by Icahn remains to be seen.

[via Wall Street Journal]

The machine features an anodized aluminum lid behind the display for good looks and a solid feel. The machine is 21 mm thick and weighs in at 3.43 pounds making it easy to carry from class to class and between office and home. Swappable battery options promise 10 hours of battery life for all day use.

The machine is also Energy Star 5.2 compliant and EPEAT registered. Dell says that the new machine builds on its previous success with the Latitude 2120 notebook computer. The 3330 notebook is available with a variety of processors including Core i3, i5, and Celeron parts.

The notebook has a 13.3-inch anti-glare LCD with the native resolution of 1366 x 768. The notebook also has an integrated microphone and HD resolution web cam. Storage options for the machine vary, but Dell says that storage will be in the form of high-performance SSHDs offering large storage capacity and fast boot time. Connectivity options include VGA output, HDMI, dual USB 3.0 ports, and an optional USB dock is available. The 3330 will launch in late April starting at $419.

[via Dell]

With our reviews of Windows RT devices you’ll find that we’ve not been too impressed. Have a peek at the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 Review we did earlier this month and you’ll see that while the hardware is basically a masterpiece of bits and pieces, the system is less than spectacular. With a full Windows 8 we’d have given the machine much higher praise. It would appear that Dell has been seeing similar responses for their newest RT devices.

Dell’s first Windows RT device on the market is the Dell XPS 10, a machine we got some hands-on with with in Germany this past season at IFA 2012.

“Demand is not where I would like it to be at this point in time. The amount of market information about it is not good enough, and the market sentiment is still pretty negative.” – Neil Hand, Dell

It was added that the Windows app experience for Windows RT has “not been as strong as it needed to be.” If you’re looking at a machine with Windows RT vs a machine with Windows 8, you’ve got a number of apps that literally work on your machine that’s less than Windows 8 – and Windows 8 supports less apps than we’d like, too.

On the flip side, groups like NVIDIA have made an effort to boost the market with their own NVIDIA TegraZone for Windows RT, a system that, like it’s Android counterpart, shows users that work with their processors that there are fabulous apps to be had. With several Windows RT machines on the market today you’re working with an NVIDIA Tegra 4 quad-core processor – with that, you’ve got games that will blow you away, even if you’re working with less than Windows 8.

Have a peek in the timeline below for additional news about Windows RT as of late and let us know if you’ve got a Window RT machine at your desk right this minute!

As this most recent IDC Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker report shows, the first quarter of 2013 was not extremely kind to the likes of HP, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, ASUS, and the rest of the bunch. With a total average drop in PC shipments of 13.9%, it’s not appearing too positive for the near future in next-level PC production. That 13.9% drop is compared to the fourth quarter of 2012, while year-on-year the decline was a rather similar -12.7%.

“At this point, unfortunately, it seems clear that the Windows 8 launch not only failed to provide a positive boost to the PC market, but appears to have slowed the market.” – Bob O’Donnell, IDC Program Vice President, Clients and Displays

You’ll find that Lenovo – good ol’ Lenovo – was the only vendor to have stayed flat from the quarter before this one to the one we’ve just completed. Their market share also went up a couple of percentage points while each of the other top-5 groups decreased by at least .2 points of a percentage – that’s Dell hanging in there as well. HP remains on top of the stack with a 15.7% share of the market but was hit hard with a 23.7% drop over the past year.

“While some consumers appreciate the new form factors and touch capabilities of Windows 8, the radical changes to the UI, removal of the familiar Start button, and the costs associated with touch have made PCs a less attractive alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices. Microsoft will have to make some very tough decisions moving forward if it wants to help reinvigorate the PC market.” – Bob O’Donnell, IDC Program Vice President, Clients and Displays

According to the top 5 vendors chart of United States PC Shipments, Apple reaches in for a piece of the pie – as does Toshiba. Here we’ve still got HP up on top, Dell not far behind, and Apple butting heads with Toshiba and Lenovo. Here you’ll find Lenovo once again the only brand of the top five to not have lost market share over the past year with a 13% gain from Q1 of 2012 to Q1 of 2013.

Of course when you average the collection of the top 5 vendors of PCs in the United States, you still get a cool 11% drop this quarter compared to 2012′s Q1. Apple on its own also lost 7.5 points year-on-year in this market, still running strong with an estimated 1,418 units shipped in Q1 2013.

Have a peek at the timeline below for other recent IDC reports to see how the mobile and desktop PC universes are making their time here as we roll into the spring of 2013.

[via IDC]

In the SEC filing, in which the company lays out its plans to go private, the company expressed a handful of concerns with the issues facing the PC industry, including the “decreasing revenues in the market for desktop and notebook PCs and the significant uncertainties as to whether, or when, this decrease will end.”

Other points of discussion on the dying PC industry also involved Microsoft, and the lack of sales of Windows 8 is ultimately causing an overall drop in PC sales, saying that there is an “uncertain adoption of the Windows 8 operating system, unexpected slowdowns in enterprise Windows 7 upgrades and the increasing substitution of smartphones and tablets for PCs.”

Dell also mentions “the overall difficulty of predicting the market for PCs.” Overall, it seems that Dell definitely isn’t all that into the PC market anymore. Of course, we already knew that — the company has long been shifting its focus away from the traditional desktop and laptop market in favor of their mobile and enterprise business.

[via Forbes]

The board of Dell Inc. opted to entertain other competitive offers and one of the offers that came in is from a company called Blackstone Group. Michael Dell is using that 15.6% of Dell Inc. that he owns as leverage to help keep his job should one the other companies complete the purchase of Dell. According to sources who claim to be familiar with the negotiations Michael Dell has threatened to cash in is 15.6 percent stake in the company and walk away leaving Dell Inc. with a $4.5 billion hole in its financing if any deal considered bars him from involvement with the company.

The source claims that Blackstone believed Michael Dell wouldn’t participate in a buyout with the firm and perceived him as hostile to the Blackstone proposal. However, the source claims that Blackstone now believes that there is a possibility that Michael Dell would drop out of their joint bid to back an alternative proposal. Michael Dell reportedly didn’t inform Silver Lake of meetings he held with Blackstone.

Some believe that offers from Blackstone and billionaire investor Carl Icahn will be superior to the offer Dell and his backers made of $13.65 per share. The Blackstone offer reportedly values Dell at over $14.25 per share. The deal backed by Ichan would pay $15 per share in cash for his much is 58.1% of Dell stock.

[via Bloomberg]

The Wall Street Journal reports that Michael Dell could end up losing control of his company if one of the other bidders purchases Dell Computer. Blackstone Group LP and Dell investor Carl Ichan have expressed interest in purchasing Dell Computer head of a deadline for offers to be made on the technology company. The tip comes from people who claim to be familiar with the negotiations.

By notifying Dell’s board that they are working on firm bids to purchase the computer company, Blackstone and Ichan have given themselves four more days to put together offers according to the sources. These sources also claim that neither of the potential bids from Blackstone or Ichan go over $15 per share.

Michael Dell and the consortium of companies who started the buyout saga, including Microsoft and Silver Lake Partners offered a buyout at about $13.65 per share. If competing offers win the bid for the technology company, Dell could be ousted from control of his company. However, considering that Michael Dell owns 14% of the company, any deal would certainly make him a huge amount of money.

[via Wall Street Journal]

Dell isn’t the first to try the big-tablet segment. Sony showed off its 20-inch Tap 20 at IFA last year, while Panasonic brought a 20-inch, 4K prototype tablet to CES in January.

Still, the XPS 18 does have some advantages. At five pounds it’s not exactly light for a tablet, but it’s half the weight of Sony’s model and the battery is rated for almost twice the runtime. That means you can actually hold it with one hand, though you probably wouldn’t want to support it that way for more than the minimum of time. Instead, Dell supplies a stand – with a set of power-providing magnetic pogo-pins that charge the slate section – and flip-out feet that can support the XPS 18 either in an upright pose or at a more laid-back angle for comfortable typing. Dell did point out that the rubbery feet on the pre-production units we tried were likely to change, which is good since they were a little slippery on the table.

The display is a luscious Full HD panel which looks great showing photos and video. The XPS 18 has small stereo speakers, one in either side of the slate, but they’re plenty loud enough for impromptu video watching duties, making the portable all-in-one a viable option for keeping the kids entertained. Physical controls are minimal, with a touch-sensitive Windows button in the bezel and a power/standby button on the right side. You also get a pair of USB 3.0 ports and a memory card slot, along with a webcam and integrated digital microphone.

Inside, Dell will run the gamut with processors, kicking off with a Pentium dual-core and then stepping up through Core i3, i5, and finally i7 chips depending on your power requirements. Storage options range from a basic HDD through hybrid drives, and finally SSDs; RAM is from 4GB, while graphics are courtesy of Intel’s HD GPUs. Dell will include a wireless keyboard and mouse in the box, as well as a stand and a single AC adapter; you’ll be able to buy the stand separately for $50, if you want to have a few of them dotted around the house.

We’ll confess, we weren’t too hopeful for the XPS 18 when we first saw it. Still, after a little playtime, it started to make more sense. Where the Sony is ridiculously heavy – more of a luggable than a portable PC – Dell’s version is actually light enough to rest on your knees or crossed-legs without cutting off all circulation. That opens up some interesting browsing possibilities, or simply makes it more likely that you actually will pick up the XPS 18 and carry it round with you.

Nonetheless, it’s a niche product. Dell will offer it from $899 in the US and from £849 in the UK from mid-April, with prices climbing to around $1,200 for a fully-spec’d version. That obviously makes the XPS 18 more expensive than a tablet, but it also makes it considerable more expensive than a regular all-in-one PC. For some, the flexibility will be sufficient for them to overlook the price, but we’re still yet to be convinced that the big home tablet segment is one that will stick around.

The sources claim that the billionaire has purchased approximately 100 million shares of Dell stock. If the sources are accurate, 100 million shares would give him approximately 6% ownership in Dell Computer. The sources claim that Icahn purchased many of the shares over the last two weeks while the stock prices hovered around $14.

So far, the billionaire has offered no official comment on the rumor only stating that he wouldn’t discuss Dell or his reasoning for the investment. CNBC reports that people close to the deal have said Icahn has met with advisers for Dell’s special committee and urged them to pursue a leveraged recap of the computer maker. The billionaire prefers that rather than accepting the $13.65 per share leveraged buyout offered by Michael Dell and Silverlake.

The sources also say that the advisors to the special committee have asked Icahn to sign a confidentiality agreement and join the go-shop process being conducted. However, Icahn has reportedly not signed that agreement at this time. CNBC reports that Icahn’s likely goal is to get Dell to pay shareholders a significant one-time dividend.

[via CNBC]

According to the Tablet Repairability Guide, the Dell XPS 10 is the best option for those who plan to crack their tablet open and do some tinkering, with it being rated as easy to open, with labeled cables, color-coded screw, and an easy-to-remove battery. The only complaint listed was the fact that the LCD is fused to the display glass.

Amazon’s Kindle Fire comes in second, also being easy to open with standard Philips-head screws and no proprietary fasteners to deal with. Dell makes the upper list again at number three with its Dell Streak tablet, which is simply listed as being easy to open with an easy-to-replace battery, but marred by the same LCD-fused-to-glass issue. The Kindle Fire’s negative mark is that its glass is fused to the device’s frame.

Dropping to the bottom of the list, we find a lot of Apple and Microsoft products, with the Surface Pro coming in dead last. While the battery is not soldered to the motherboard, that is the only positive aspect that is listed, with it’s negative marks being comprised of “tons” of adhesive to keep the components in place, as well as DIYers risking severing the wires when opening the device. Next up, in order, is Apple’s iPad Mini, iPad 4, iPad 3, iPad 2, and then Microsoft’s Surface RT tablet. A consistent problem with the iPads is the risk of cracking the glass while taking it apart, as well as too much adhesive. The Surface RT is said to be hard to open with a fused LCD.

[via iFixit]

Dell boasts that the enhanced security version of the Latitude 10 offers more features than any other competing tablet available. The entire tablet line is said to be 94-percent cheaper and 17 times faster than using the iPad, in terms of launching an enterprise-wide implementation for the company’s employees. Over 50-percent of enterprises report having to invest in software above the cost of the tablet, something that isn’t an issue with the enhanced security version of the Latitude 10.

According to the announcement, the Latitude 10 Enhanced Security tablet is designed to be easily added into an already-existing IT environment with minimal hassle. The tablet runs Windows 8, and is therefore also easier to implement for companies that utilizes PCs over Macs. The security features that set this device apart from its previous counterparts includes Dell Data Protection|Access, a management suite for both the device’s biometric security hardware and third-party software.

Trust Platform Module, TPM for short, is also available for device integrity checks, while BitLocker is available for creating encrypted partitions and such. There’s a Noble Lock slot for physical hardware security, and Computrace Support, which allows the tablet to be tracked in the event that it is stolen. As far as hardware goes, the Latitude 10 Enhanced Security features an Intel Atom Z2760 processor. The tablet is available now for $779.

[via Dell]

The benefits of the Wireless Dock are obvious. Instead of pulling out a bundle of cables and plugging them in one-by-one, only to be left working around them and trying not to knock anything loose in the process, users can wirelessly connect to devices and leave the cords behind. Because the dock uses WiGig technology, the transfer between the connected devices will have two benefits.

The first benefit, obviously, is that data transfer is faster. Transferring a large file wirelessly, such as a full HD video, will be faster than it otherwise would be by using the standard Wi-Fi network. In addition, the data load is not a burden on the wireless network, chewing up bandwidth and slowing things down for other users.

WiGig has a relatively short range of about 15 meters. The dock offers four USB 3.0 ports, as well as an Ethernet port, HDMI, and Audio In/Out. For those who don’t have HDMI, there’s also an adapter available for VGA devices. The Wireless Dock is now available globally from Dell.com, and is priced at $249USD in the States.

[via Dell]

GAAP earnings were $0.30 per share for Q4, and $1.35 per share for the whole year. The GAAP earnings were down 30% from Q4 2012, and down 28% for the fiscal year. Its non-GAAP earnings totaled $0.40 a share in the quarter, and $1.72 per share for the full year. The non-GAAP earnings were down 22% from Q4 2012, and 19% for the fiscal year. Dell’s GAAP operating income was $698 million, 4.9% of Dell’s revenue, and its operating income for the entire year was $3 billion. The non-GAAP operating income was $954 million, 6.7% of Dell’s revenue. The non-GAAP operating income for the year was $4 billion.

Dell ended Q4 with $15.3 billion in cash and investments, with $3.3 billion for the entire year. Dell’s server revenue increased 5%, and it’s networking products and solutions saw a 42% revenue increase. Dell’s Quest software brought in revenue that went well over Dell’s expected $180-$200 million mark for the quarter. Unfortunately, Dell’s desktop and mobile sector revenue decreased 20% in the quarter.

Dell wasn’t able to provide an outlook for Q1 2014 or for the full fiscal year due to its pending merger agreement to make the company private. The company will be buying back its stock for $24 billion, with a $2 billion loan from Microsoft. While Dell’s consumer revenue fell 24% in Q4 to $2.8 billion, and its operating income saw an 87% decrease to $8 million, Dell’s financial results are much higher than they had expected.

There’s a beastly release coming with this wave by the name of Dell UltraSharp U2913WM. This machine is a 29-inch “ultra-wide” monitor and works with PremierColor technology as well. This display is called “ultra-wide” due to its unique 21:9 aspect ratio, offering up a massively long amount of space to work with. With DisplayPort 1.2.[1] connectivity, you’re also able to chain several monitors together providing a massive extension for your home computer – wild!

Above you’ll see the 30-inch U3104 with newly-minted PremierColor technology, while below you’ll see the ultra-wide 29-inch newest member of the Dell UltraSharp Display family!

This announcement comes with a couple of accessories as well, the first of them being the Dell Single Monitor Arm, here coming with the code-name MSA14 and attachments to an assortment of devices. Models U3014, U2713H, U2413 and select Dell monitor panels work with what’s called the Dell Quick Release mount, attaching quick without the need for screws or any more work than a clip. There’s also a Dual Monitor Stand that works with tilt, swivel, height adjust, and horizontal slide – and two monitors at once, of course.

Each of the new models will be available immediately if not soon – The UltraSharp U3014 will be coming soon all around the world from a starting price of $1499 USD. Meanwhile the Dell UltraSharp U2713H and U2413 monitors are already available everywhere starting at $999 and $599 USD, respectively. Finally the Dell Single Monitor Arm is out in stores now for a starting price of $149 while the Dual Monitor Stand will run you $169.

It could be that Dell is simply sponsoring the promotion, but given that it’s an “Exclusive Offer,” we can’t see where the exclusivity lies. Either way, if you’re not already signed up for a Box account, this is your chance to get 50GB of cloud storage space for free. They’ve given away 50GB free before, but that’s the highest that the company has gone with its promotions.

Box is about the only cloud storage provider that gives you a ton of space for free right away. Dropbox gives you 2GB after signing up, and you can earn more with referrals, but that can take some work. Box is really the only simple cloud solution that can be considered a viable backup resource.

Here’s the catch, though. Box only allows, at the most, 250MB files, so you might as well forget about backing up home videos. However, Box offers paid accounts that get rid a lot of the limitations that you’ll come across. Plus, 50GB for free may not seem useful now, but who knows when you’ll need it. Either way, it’s handy to have just in case.

That Dell and Apple’s paths – and Michael Dell and Steve Jobs – paths have diverged is arguably not surprising. Apple’s position in the market is very different to that of Dell, with the Mac and iOS ecosystems both paragons of control and self-determination; in contrast, Dell’s business is far more reliant on other pieces of the computing puzzle – Microsoft and its Windows OS being a significant component of that – and buffeted by other big names in the PC industry, like HP.

It’s easy to say that Dell’s strategy fell between the cracks between shifting with the marketplace and short-term investor demand. Certainly, the company’s lackluster attempts at the smartphone and tablet segments would seem to show signs of that; it takes time, effort, and investment, and even then you’re not guaranteed of success (look at HP’s webOS attempts for evidence of that). That’s not a juggling act that works well when you have shareholders watching over your shoulders, baying for profit, but it’s also something that’s incredibly necessary if you want to be successful in today’s market.

Dell’s original disruptive strategy in the PC business – back when we all had towers on our desktops, not laptops on our laps – was to make the computer ordering process a smorgasbord. Now, with spec flexibility less fashionable, and simplicity of range more prized by consumers and manufacturers alike, the time is ripe for another disruption in Dell’s business.

That disruption may not be so publicly visible, but it’s no less important. Wresting back control and taking Dell private means Michael Dell and his new business partners can play the long game that the consumer tech industry has become. There’s plenty to be said for a supply-chain that can shave margins to a minimum, and – as Windows Phone, Surface RT, and Surface Pro have begun to demonstrate – there are areas in which Microsoft’s platforms have potential as part of a joined-up ecosystem.

For Michael Dell, though, there’s much to be said for casting off the shackles of the peanut gallery. Steve Jobs had shareholders, but their demands were met with stoney resolution in the face of his unflinching vision for Apple. If Dell has a similarly sweeping vision for the company that bears his name, it’s been mired in board squabbles and the demand to answer the call for “more money now!” and to swiftly scythe away at anything that looks remotely like bad business.

That may well go hand in hand with a refreshed legacy: ending his tenure on a high point would be a fitting way to close out Dell’s position at the helm, something – despite the extra financial involvement – every party involved must at least be considering now. Still, raising capital is the easy part. Dell, both man and company, has a limited window for recreation, lest it go out with a whimper not a bang.

We heard a rumor that claimed Nokia will bring 41 megapixel sensors to standard smartphones, and learned that Jelly Bean is now running on 13.6% of devices. Huawei has a press event coming up at MWC 2013 and its invitation suggests we’ll see the Ascend P2, while AT&T added new markets to its 4G LTE network today. Redbox Instant will soon be rolling out of beta on Xbox 360 soon, and Jawbone UP will now connect you to Facebook Open Graph after today’s update.

Apple has launched Breakout Books to highlight indie authors, and BlackBerry 10 Android Jelly Bean integration was confirmed today. Dead Space 3 launched today with Electronic Arts announcing the first DLC for March, and the iOS 6.1 Jailbreak has seen some massive traffic since releasing. We learned that some lucky BlackBerry 10 developers are receiving a limited edition red BlackBerry Z10 handset for free, while at the same time hearing that the BlackBerry Q10 may not launch in the US until sometime early this summer.

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook is looking to take on the Macbook Air, and NASA announced that it will broadcast the Progress 48 resupply ship launch. Skeletal remains discovered under a UK parking lot have been confirmed to be King Richard III’s, and The Witcher III: Wild Hunt has been announced. Twitter is reportedly looking at two-factor authorization after a security breach, while Take-Two reported some strong financials for its fiscal Q3 2013. Finally tonight, we go hands-on with the new web-based Instagram feed, and Chris Burns tells us why HTC’s “new sound and camera experience” may simply be deja-vu. That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, we hope you enjoy the rest of the night folks!

In their statement, HP essentially reinforces the idea that if users want to seek out alternatives, HP will be there ready at your beck and call. The company says that “with a significant debt load, Dell’s ability to invest in new products and services will be extremely limited.” Plus, the company says that leveraged buyouts “tend to leave existing customers and innovation at the curb.”

HP thinks that Dell’s customers will now be “eager to explore alternatives” after the buyout, and while HP doesn’t flat-out say that its the best choice for consumers, the company says that it “plans to take full advantage of that opportunity,” meaning that they hope to gain from Dell’s yet-to-be-determined pain from the acquisition.

Of course, HP saw struggles of their own in the recent past. Analysts didn’t believe to heavily in the company’s stock, saying that it should be worth negative $2 if anything. Plus, CEO Meg Whitman even said herself that the company will struggle for must of 2013 as the company tries to rebuild itself.

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook with Full HD display option takes on a massive 1920 x 1080 resolution across its 13-inch display, this containing almost twice the amount of pixels compared to what Dell calls a “typical 720p display”. The image you’re seeing below comes from Dell and shows the XPS 13 in both of its non-developer editions. It’s made clear instantly how much more you’re going to be able to see in the same physical display size – hot stuff!

Also note above that yes, the physical machine sizes are the same, it’s no optical illusion. The amount of pixels inside the display allows for more to be shown from a standard app like Excel from Office 2013 (see our review of Office 365 for more info on that iteration of Excel). Dell also lets it be known that this version of the Dell XPS 13 offers a 72% color gamut vs the 45% color gamut on the “standard” panel.

Viewing angles have been bumped to 178 degrees up from 80 degrees on the standard panel – and it’s worth noting that each of these measures comes from Dell comparing the standard and the Full HD panels on the Dell XPS in a general way. They’re all just a little bit subjective when it comes down to it since it’s really up to your own eyes to decide how much more excellent one panel is compared to its predecessor. The display has also been amped up to 350 nits in its Full HD iteration, this “up to 75% brighter than a typical 200-nit display.”

Dell notes in their press materials for the Full HD XPS 13 that the unit is “often judged against the MacBook Pro 13, but in terms of size and weight, the MacBook Air 13 is a more realistic comparison.” The folks at Dell note that the XPS 13 is smaller than the MacBook Air 13 “as it fits a 13-inch screen into something barely bigger than an 11-inch footprint.” This machine is getting ready to be unleashed upon the public this Spring, aka “in the next few weeks” – stay tuned for more details, pricing, and hands-on action.

Bonus! This device is also offered from Dell starting at $1,449 USD working with Ubuntu – fun stuff for all!

The deal is being financed through several different avenues, including cash and equity from company CEO Michael Dell, as well as funds from investment firms Silver Lake and MSD Capital. Along with the loan from Microsoft, a number of banks, as well as Dell’s cash on hand, will help with the debt financing.

So far, nothing will change as far as day-to-day operations of the company — Michael Dell will still remain CEO. Current Dell shareholders will receive $13.65 per share, which is a 25% premium over the company’s closing price on January 11, which was $10.88. The deal values Dell at approximately $24.4 billion, and Dell officially closed at $13.27 yesterday.

The deal has actually been in the works since August, and while everything is finalized, it will all have to be approved before it becomes official, but that shouldn’t be a huge problem at this point. As rumored earlier on, Microsoft was indeed in on the deal, with a loan that’s smack-dab between the rumored $1 to $3 billion investment.

Reuters reports today that Dell is near making a deal that would see the company sold to a buyout consortium led by Michael Dell and a private equity firm called Silver Lake Partners. The deal would take the company private where some analysts believe it would be easier for the company to operate and make acquisitions away from the public eye. According to sources cited by Reuters, a deal could be completed as early as Monday.

According to the sources, Michael Dell is expected to become the majority owner. Silver Lake and Microsoft would be minority investors according to another source. It remains unclear what the final buyout price paid to Dell shareholders will be. Reuters says that if the buyout is successful, it would be the largest leveraged buyout since the global financial crisis hit.

According to the sources, the buyout deal will be finalized over the weekend with the consortium working on last-minute details. However, the sources do note that the timeframe for closing the deal could change. Sources claim that the buyout consortium has secured up to $15 billion of debt financing. Michael Dell contributed is existing stake of almost 16% in his effort to become the majority owner of Dell Inc.

[via Reuters]

Amazon delivered its Q4 2012 results today, posting a net loss of $39 million for the year. Just the same, Gameloft’s Q4 2012 saw record sales, so the company is looking pretty good going into 2013. The EFF clarified the new laws against jailbreaking today, and this week retailers gained the ability to charge you for credit card purchases. XMBC 12 is now available with support for Android and Raspberry Pi, while Google is donating 15,000 of the inexpensive computers to UK students.

The HTC HD2 has been hacked to run Windows RT, while Electronic Arts announced that SimCity will be coming to Mac this spring. We learned of some rather strange-sounding fixes to the iPhone 5′s “greyed Wi-Fi” issue, and Samsung has announced that it will buy medical imaging company NeuroLogica. After a bit of a situation involving adult videos on Vine, Twitter has remedied the problem, while YouTube is said to be considering paid content in 2013.

500px is now back on the App Store after a porn problem of its own, and the ban on unlocking phones has resulted in a petition on the official White House website. New interest from the US Department of Justice will probably result in delays for the Sprint/Softbank deal, so don’t expect to close very fast. Acer is hinting at some new budget tablets to take on the likes of Google and Amazon, while we also heard that the iPad 5 will be smaller than previous iterations. NVIDIA has released a new beta driver in time for the Crysis 3 multiplayer beta, Pinterest is readying a new site design, and Hawken showed us some fancy PhysX graphics in a new trailer. Finally tonight, we have a review of the Dell XPS One 27 for you to check out, along with a first drive of the KIA Sorento and Forte. That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, we hope you enjoy the rest of the night folks!

Hardware

The Dell XPS One 27 is a machine that comes in several different iterations – and you may have seen it in the past without an articulating stand or a touchscreen. This version is the newest and, of course, greatest of the pack with a relatively massive 19.32 x 26.14 inch chassis with depth ranging from 1.25 inches to 2.82 inches. This beast has been called competition for the newest iMac, but as you’ll see in our iMac 27-inch (2012) review, aside from the “all-in-one” name, these computers are altogether different, essentially top to bottom.

This XPS monster weighs in at 35.16 pounds as you’ll see plainly in the hands-on video above. The neck is made to make the computer’s bulk feel light, and indeed it does – we’re able to easily tilt the display back and forth with one hand, no problem. Moving the display up and down will require a couple of hands to manage, but again you’ll have no trouble – it’s picking the whole machine up and moving it from table to table that’ll give you a back-ache, but since you’re only going to have this bulk in one place the whole time you own it, that shouldn’t be a problem.

The front of this machine has about an inch of bezel surrounding the display, a bit more than that at the bottom with an additional bit of casing under the glass that brings you down another inch. The display glass sits out and above the casing rather than being flush with it, this giving you the impression that it goes from left to right to top almost magically – not an easy feat and certainly appreciated in the final aesthetic. The back of the machine is a simple gray on the back, all hard plastic casing with the largest collection of ports sitting below the neck.

This set of ports includes four USB 3.0, HDMI out, HDMI in, SPDIF 1 (7.1 ch), and ethernet. On the right side of the machine you’ve got a disk drive for 12.7mm action, DVD+/-RW and BluRay Combo for your pleasure, HDD LED light, and a power button. On the other side you’ve got an 8 in 1 media card reader with support for SDXC (SD3.0), Secure Digital (SD), Multi Media Card (MMC), Hi Speed SD, Hi Capacity SD, Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick PRO, and xD Picture Cards alike. Also on the left side you’ve got two more USB 3.0 ports that are Sleep Charge Capable – how about that?

Up on the front you’ve also got a set of four relatively hidden buttons that are capacitive and only appear when you tap them. The first two buttons increase and decrease the brightness of your display, the third controls the input of your display (if you’re using your HDMI-in, for example), and the last button will eject a disk from your disk drive, no questions asked. Each of these buttons is marked with an LED light that, again, only appears when you tap it.

The front-facing camera on this machine offers you the ability to speak with Skype (or whatever other video chat apps you like), extremely easy to use and decent at least for video chat in general. While you wont be recording any Hollywood-quality videos with this camera, it’s certainly nice to have as a given. It’s also relatively hidden from view if you don’t plan on using it all – no unrelenting design cues here!

Software and Performance

The machine we’ve got here works with Intel HD Integrated Graphics and NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M 2GB GDDR5, so you know good and well you’ll be packing high graphics power from top to bottom. While we’ve been drawn immediately and continuously to playing HD video as this machine cannot be denied as a great motion picture player, gaming is certainly a reality here right out of the box. You may want to pick up a few gaming-centric peripherals if you do want to go that route as wired may feel slightly more perfectly accurate than Bluetooth for mouse and keyboard action, the power under this hood is good to go.

Have a peek first at the system components included in this particular build, then see below the results of our standard benchmark test in Geekbench. Feel free to compare this score with past reviews of similar systems, keeping in mind that each system is indeed unique and benchmarks, no matter how accurate, show numbers, not your overall positive or negative experience.

Windows 8 is running as smoothly and as beautifully as we’ve ever seen it here on the Dell XPS One 27, making its case for what’s easily one of the most high-quality presentations of the operating system to date. Windows 8 is coming in to its own with more official full-screen and touch-optimized apps every day (see: Office 365 for example) and you’re sure to find yourself lost in exploration with this machine if not ready for full-on entertainment action from day one. Video looks great out of the box, graphics and settings can be optimized instantly with NVIDIA’s newest iteration of the GeForce Experience (still in Beta at the moment, but working great), and touchscreen action has never felt more natural.

Wrap-up

This machine will be costing you right around $1300 USD, and for that price you’re getting one beast of a computer. The Dell XPS One 27 with multi-touch display is easily one of the most solidly put together total packages running Windows 8 today, and makes us feel right at home with the touchscreen user interface immediately on startup. Dell has created a computer that makes us confident that touchscreen interfaces are indeed the future of home computing, especially in the entertainment realm – grab it now!

That Microsoft might have a Windows bias hardly comes as news, though beyond mandating predominant use of its software, the company would supposedly be a quiet partner. Day-to-day operations would be left to Dell to decide, without Microsoft involvement, under the current deal being proposed.

Microsoft is also apparently hoping to weight the payout in its favor should Dell – even with the extra financial help – collapse under the strain. The preferred security it hopes to hold in Dell would put it ahead of the line of stockholders, should Dell go bust and debts be settled out of what was left over.

The potential deal is already being compared to Microsoft’s partnership with Nokia, which switched to focus its smartphone efforts on Windows Phone back in 2011. Although talk of Microsoft buying out Nokia wholesale proliferated both before and after that partnership was agreed, the two companies have remained distinct, with Microsoft merely sloshing cash into the Finnish firm’s account on a quarterly basis.

Microsoft has also helped foot the bill for some of Nokia’s advertising and promotional work around Windows Phone, a move that led many to wonder whether other smartphone manufacturers using the OS might balk at the apparent favoritism. A similar concern has arisen around this rumored Dell deal, with suggestions that Acer, ASUS, Sony, and other OEMs might react to the proposed investment by looking to Google’s Chrome OS or other platforms.

However, even with its close ties to Nokia, Microsoft doesn’t always turn to Lumia devices when Windows Phone needs promoting. The company surprised many by opting to brand HTC’s 8X and 8S handsets as “Signature Windows Phones” last year, rather than their Lumia counterparts.

Microsoft is said to be in talks with private investment company Silver Lake and Dell CEO Michael Dell. Essentially, the investment would either be “mezzanine,” meaning debt that converts to equity if the debt isn’t paid back in a certain amount of time, or some sort of preferred shares that would see Microsoft’s investment turned into shares at some point.

This wouldn’t be a surprising move at all for Microsoft. The company is loaded with cash, and they have invested in a handful of big companies in the past, including Facebook, Barnes & Noble, Comcast, and even Apple. Plus, investing in Dell would help out Microsoft in the long run, since Dell obviously relies heavily on the software company with its new Windows 8 OS.

However, we’re sure that HP, Acer, ASUS, and the rest of the Windows 8 hardware bunch will feel pretty betrayed if Microsoft ends up siding with Dell. However, negotiations are said to still be in progress, so the final decision on what Microsoft will do has not yet been decided. Dell was once a giant in the personal computer market, but the company has struggled in recent years, losing over a third of its value just last year. However, the company currently has a little over $5 billion in cash to help it float, and hopefully Microsoft’s investment will see the company make some progress.

[via Business Insider]

Trading was halted on the company for a short while, but shares jumped 15% when trading resumed. Dell has declined to comment on any rumors or speculation, but it’s said that the company is in talks to go private with at least two private equity firms. However, the deal could easily fall apart if the firms can’t line up the needed financing, or can’t figure out how to exit the investment in the future if need be.

Dell was once a giant in the personal computer market, but the company has struggled in recent years, losing over a third of its value just last year. In the most recent financial report, Dell’s revenue was down 7% year-over-year, while profits were down 34%. However, the company currently has a little over $5 billion in cash to help it float through the decline.

Since CEO Michael Dell owns a large percentage of shares (15.7%, to be exact), Bloomberg‘s sources say that it’s easier for financial firms to work out the deal. If Dell were to actually go private, that would mean that all of the publicly traded shares would be bought up by a private firm, and being private means looser regulatory issues to deal with, which could be an opportunity for shareholders to cash out.

[via Bloomberg]

Dell originally launched the latitude 10 in October of 2012 in a standard configuration. The latitude 10 Essentials configuration promises a secure, manageable, and durable enterprise-ready tablet option for consumers on budget. The tablet supports rich entertainment features including movie watching, books, and games and offers compatibility with applications people are used to on desktop PCs.

Tablet has a magnesium alloy frame and uses soft touch paint for enhanced durability. The screen of the tablet is covered in Gorilla Glass to help survive drops and resist scratches. The tablet is available with an optional productivity dock that has a traditional keyboard and mouse for use on the desktop. The Latitude 10 tablet also has a full-size USB port and a SD memory card reader.

The tablet uses an Intel Atom Z2760 processor operating at 1.8 GHz. The screen is a 10.1-inch unit with a resolution of 1366 x 768. The tablet is paired with 2 GB of RAM and uses Intel Graphics Media Accelerator for graphics duties. The Latitude 10 essentials with 64 GB of storage is available right now starting at $579. A version of the tablet with 32 GB of storage will be available in the coming months for $499.

Project Ophelia is the handiwork of Dell’s Cloud Client Computing Team – formerly the Dell Wyse team – and given the initial enterprise focus, as you’d expect there’s a good dollop of security in play. There’s support for Citrix, Microsoft, and VMware remote-computing platforms, and onboard Bluetooth and WiFi for connectivity; Bluetooth is used to hook up a wireless keyboard, mouse, gamepad, or other peripheral.

No external power supply is needed, with Project Ophelia getting all its juice from the USB port. Inside there’s Android 4.0, with preloaded web, social networking, and media playback support, as well as Android app support; it’s unclear if that includes Play market access.

Project Ophelia will be available in the first half of 2013, Dell says, though it hasn’t yet suggested pricing. One possibility is a deal with cloud access providers or companies with OnLive ambitions, who might rebadge the stick to suit their own service.

One Latitude 10 buyer, originally promised a mid-December ship date for the 10-inch tablet when he ordered in late November, was subsequently told that his tablet now wasn’t due until the new year. The current listing for the Latitude 10 on Dell’s site suggests a January 22nd ship date is the earliest the slate will be available; previously, December 12th had been the estimated ship time.

In fact, some Dell customer services agents are apparently telling customers that – contrary to what the site indicates – the Latitude 10 is still in pre-order stage. “Dell Latitude 10 is not officially launched” one Dell rep said. “As soon as it will be launched it will be sent to you.”

Meanwhile, HP has pushed back availability of its Envy x2 convertible, now listing a January 9th ship date; HP had previously indicated a November release for the twisting touchscreen notebook.

According to the tipsters, the hold up is down to Microsoft’s Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) testing process, or more specifically the apparent inability of Intel to get its Clover Trail drivers approved by that process. Windows PCs can’t legally be sold, according to the terms of Microsoft’s licensing of the OS, until all of the components are WHQL approved.

Exactly when Dell and the other OEMs can expect to have approval to sell their tablets is unclear; we’re waiting on an official comment from Dell.

According to this report when Microsoft made it known to partners that Windows RT would be the name for its ARM supporting operating system, a top Dell executive tried to talk Steve Ballmer into using another name. Dell PC division head Jeffrey Clarke said that he spoke to Ballmer earlier this year about Windows RT. Clarke urged Ballmer choose a different name since the ARM version of Microsoft’s Windows operating system can’t run older Windows programs.

Clarke apparently feared that calling the operating system Windows RT would confuse some consumers into thinking that RT was compatible with older versions of Windows software. However, Ballmer reportedly said that the Windows brand was too important not to use for Microsoft’s new ARM operating system.

Dell does plan to sell its own Windows RT tablet called the XPS 10. Exactly when the tablet will ship depends on the configuration chosen. Ship dates for the XPS 10 tablet range between late December and early January at this time.

[via Neowin]

“It’s a content play with Android” Clarke argued. “Amazon is selling books and Google is making it up with search. So far we couldn’t find a way to build a business on Android.” The company had adopted Google’s platform for the Streak tablet, as well as the little-loved Streak 7 follow-up, as well as hedging its bets with a pair of Windows Phone devices.

The Streak tablets died in mid-August, however, while the Windows Phones were yanked from the US market earlier this year. At the time, Dell spokespeople insisted that the move didn’t imply a complete abandonment of the smartphone segment, but it now appears that such a withdrawal was indeed on the cards.

Still, Clarke says, Dell is experimenting with potential implementations for possible future devices. “It doesn’t mean we’re not looking at Android” he said. “You should come and see what’s in our labs.”

For the moment, though, Dell will focus on Windows 8 and Windows RT, with the company revealing a spray of new and updated products running Microsoft’s latest OS. That will hopefully help turn around the recent financial dip, which Dell has suggested will be smoothed over thanks to touchscreen Windows products.

The XPS 13 features a 13.3-inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768. Inside you’ll find an Intel Core i7-3517U 3GHz processor and 8GB of RAM. There’s Intel HD 4000 graphics, and a 256GB SSD. The operating system is the latest and greatest Ubuntu version 12.04. It weighs in at a svelte 2.99lbs. Included with the purchase is one year of ProSupport.

ProSupport can be bumped up to 2-year and 3-year service plans for an extra $215 and $330. The machine itself is made from carbon fiber and aluminum, and offers Gorilla Glass for durability. The battery is a 6-cell unit, while the audio is Waves Maxx Audio 4.0. The laptop measures in at just 6mm on its thinnest edge, and 18mm at its thickest point, which is still less than 3/4 of an inch.

Dell offered this statement: “We’re super excited about the XPS 13 Laptop, Developer Edition, and want to thank all the developers who have been actively participating in helping us create a laptop designed specifically for them. Basically, we loaded a super sleek Dell machine with Ubuntu to give developers the essentials they want while staying true to our core values of openness and affordability. But the power of the community input really helped make this a big success.”

[via Dell]

According to the insiders, Sharp is hoping to squeeze up to $240m from Intel or Dell, though its ambitions for Qualcomm investment are more modest. The display firm has been mired in ongoing negotiations with Foxconn/Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. for several months, with the firms needing to reach a conclusion by March 2013 but uncertainty around Sharp’s value stalling the deal.

Unofficially, however, a Sharp executive speaking to the newspaper said that while the companies continue to talk, “the unpredictability of its earnings are hindering” the likelihood of a deal. Others familiar with the deal have said that Sharp is laying on hyperbole about IGZO’s promise as a key negotiating point, routinely describing it as “potentially game-changing technology.”

That game-changer comes down to how IGZO works, replacing the substrate material among other changes, and in doing so reducing power consumption and increasing pixel density. That makes for displays that can offer the same brightness as regular LCD but with lesser power demands, or alternatively use the same power as traditional panels but for a much brighter picture, useful for outdoor applications.

IGZO production, however, has struggled to meet Sharp’s goals, and so far the panels are only showing up in a limited way in tablets and phones for the Japanese market. However, Sharp claims it is ready to offer a 32-inch IGZO panel that runs at an impressive 3840 x 2160 resolution, and which could well find its way into future Apple products according to some industry speculation.

In fact, Apple involvement in Sharp’s ongoing business has been the source of display channel muttering for some time. One analyst has suggested that a $2bn blip on Apple’s most recent financial results sheet was in fact a helping hand to the Japanese firm, potentially bringing forward future panel orders onto the books so as to help shore up the supplier.

Sharp has declined to comment on whether it is in negotiations with companies outside of Foxconn, and neither Dell, Qualcomm, nor Intel would comment on the rumors. It’s possible, however, that the move to widen negotiations – or, indeed, the leaks that such a move is being considered – is a tactical one to increase pressure on Foxconn management.

HP’s PC chief took some time out of his day to talk some smack about Microsoft Surface, while Google started sending out emails that said some Nexus 4 orders have been placed on backorder for three weeks. We learned today that 4G LTE networks are surprisingly easy to bring down, and Dell’s earnings for Q3 are showing a pretty big decline year-over-year. Usage of Microsoft’s SkyDrive has doubled in six months (and there are new features on the way), while a new survey is telling us that consumer demand for Windows 8 is a little on the low side.

We learned that the Steve Jobs biopic will be comprised of a collection of pre-keynote footage, and SpaceX founder Elon Musk talked about the future of space exploration. Steve Ballmer had some harsh words for the likes of Android and Apple today, while we learned that thieves made off with a shipment of 3,600 iPad minis. The HTC Deluxe was leaked today, leading us believe that it’s the international version of the HTC DROID DNA, and a new augmented reality game called Google Ingress was officially revealed.

Microsoft will be holding Windows Store app labs in 30 different cities to help Windows 8 developers make apps for the new OS, Xbox Live celebrated its 10th birthday. Spotify confirmed that its web app beta is rolling out to select number of users today, and Bethesda shared a bunch of new screenshots from its upcoming Dragonborn DLC. Finally tonight, Don Reisinger asks why the music industry seems to dislike fairness, while we go hands-on with the new Samsung Galaxy Camera – it’s a cool little device, so you’re not going to want to miss that one! That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, enjoy the rest of your night everyone!

This number comes in with a net income for Dell dropping 47% year-over-year. Again that’s nearly half of what it was last year at this same report at the same time of year. The second quarter of the company’s fiscal 2013 had them showing $14.5 billion, while a year ago in Q3 the computer manufacturer reported a cool $15.5 billion. Net income for Dell this Q3 2013 was in at $475 million while back on year ago they brought in $893 million – that’s the 47% downturn.

The consumer devision for Dell reported a total loss of $65 million for this fiscal Q3 2013, with revenue dropping by 9 percent in the USA and well above 10 percent for Asia and across Europe. The Enterprise Solutions division of Dell had a continued revenue growth of three percent – that being year-over-year in this case. You’ll find that operating income (GAAP) here in this most recent reporting period went down 48% as well, while non-GAAP operating income went down just 31%, both of these numbers being year-over-year.

Brian Gladden, Dell CFO has made it clear that they’re feeling good about the enterprise business they’re growing in. “In a difficult global IT spending environment we saw solid proof points that demonstrate progress in our strategy,” he noted, “we’re also encouraged by early interest in our new Windows 8 touch portfolio and the opportunities it creates for our commercial and consumer businesses.”

Now we’ve got to see if Dell can pull out a win with a combination of Windows 8 and enterprise business across the board. With cash flow from operations this quarter racking up $1.3 billion and working with $14.2 billion in cash and investments, we won’t see the company going away for a very, very long time. Have a peek at our Dell tag portal for more on the big D.

Dell will be attacking the PC world with a selection of products running Windows 8 at launch or fully prepared to work with Windows 8 with attachments. These include tablets, notebooks, and flip convertibles as well as accessories. Available for purchase starting this week – with delivery starting this week as well – are the following:

• XPS One 27 with touch – starting at $1599.99
• XPS13 – starting at $999.99
• S2340T multi-touch monitor – starting at $699.99
• TP713 wireless touchpad – starting at $69.99

This update also covers the entirety of Dell’s PCs and Precision workstations which has Windows 8 for pre-order available on the Dell online store. With Windows 8′s formal unveiling happening this week, we’re expecting orders to be shipped sooner than later. The rest of the items being priced today are available for purchase today online but will be delivered at a later date – not too long though, with Dell saying “in the coming days and weeks” as an estimated delivery window.

• XPS 12 – starting at $1,199.99
• XPS 10 tablet – starting at $499
• Latitude 10 tablet – starting at $649
• Latitude 6430u – starting at $899
• OptiPlex 9010 All-in-One with touch – starting at $1199
• Inspiron 15z – starting at $749.99 ($899.99 with touch)

Have a peek at the links embedded in the names of these units to see more information about each of them. The S2340T is a new unit which is indeed Dell’s first multi-touch monitor, it working with a 90-degree articulating stand and full Windows 8 functionality. The TP713 touchpad offers up more Windows 8 gesture and touch functionality with a full-touch surface.

The Latitude 643u is Dell’s first business Ultrabook. This unit works with lovely aesthetics on the outside and a highly manageable notebook on the inside, with durable features top to bottom. This unit works with wireless docking using WiGig technology, has all-day battery life, and is made to be hardcore, “having undergone a broader set of United States’ Military’s MIL-STD 810G standard tests than any other system in its class.” The Opti-Plex 9010 All-in-One is made for those with small desks and big business needs. You’ve got a multipoint touchscreen, fixed or rotating camera, and articulating stand – this unit is also optimized for Microsoft Lync.

The Inspiron 15z Ultrabook is being revealed with an optional touchscreen interface and a giant display. This unit measures in at less than 1 inch thick and has a shiny aluminum finish, made for those that want both a giant amount of space to work and a thin unit to do it in. Expect these devices to be hitting shelves immediately if not soon!

Last quarter, Dell’s earnings dropped 18% and the company’s market cap has been cut in half since February. However, Dell says the release of Windows 8 will hopefully put them back on track where they need to be with their line of new desktops, laptops, and tablet hybrids. And when asked why Dell didn’t come up with a revolutionary tablet like the iPad, Johnson said that there wasn’t an OS for tablets yet.

Johnson cites Dell’s reliance on Windows as the main reason why they couldn’t release a tablet, and Microsoft simply didn’t have a tablet OS back then, but he noted that Apple simply has a different business model than Dell, saying that “the reason why Apple has had so much success is because they’ve vertically integrated [both hardware and software] into their environment.” Johnson continued by stating that Dell takes a different approach by leveraging and integrating the technologies of other companies.

Johnson mentioned that a lot of companies are adopting Apple’s business model of developing both hardware and software under one roof, like Google, HP, and Microsoft, but Dell has yet to take that approach, and Johnson says that’s because apps also play a huge role in that business model, which isn’t in Dell’s strategy.

However, Johnson notes that one of the biggest changes during the last few decades has been the intertwining of enterprise and consumer sectors, and that’s an area that Dell is currently focusing on. Johnson says that Dell is one of the few companies that can provide value in providing different services such as management, networking, security, and data solutions. He says that Dell is “really focused primarily on that,” and the company’s “PC business is actually very healthy. It’s a different investment.”

[via Fast Company]

Dell is getting in early on the Windows 8 action, opening up pre-orders for a handful of new machines today, and we learned that a staggering 6 billion people around the world are now using a mobile phone of some type. A leaked T-Mobile release roadmap gives us an idea of when the carrier expects to receive a bunch of different devices, including the Windows Phone 8X. We received a rather in-depth look at an LG Nexus prototype today, and LG delivered a brand new Optimus G “product movie” that aims to get us familiar with the new handset’s features. Netflix released a Windows 8-compatible version of its app today, just ahead of the launch of the OS.

Google could be headed for an antitrust case from the FTC, and it seems that the Apple Maps controversy hasn’t done much to damage consumer enthusiasm for the iPhone 5. Speaking of the iPhone 5, Apple’s latest mobile offering has managed to overtake the Samsung Galaxy S III in web traffic despite being available for a much shorter amount of time, and Google is getting the Play Store ready for the holiday rush. SoftBank is looking to secure $23 billion to buy a majority stake in Sprint, and industry insiders are claiming that the long-rumored iPad Mini will be revealed on October 23 – just a couple weeks from now.

Star Citizen has already managed to raise an absurd $500,000 in funding, while Borderlands 2 was seen outshining its predecessor in a pretty significant way. We learned that the games industry is still on the decline, and ASUS unveiled a brand new Windows 8 VivoBook today. Amazon is now posting a disclaimer about the Kindle Paperwhite’s backlighting, YouTube is rethinking the way it ranks videos for search results, and Anonymous has cut ties with Wikileaks after the website started restricting access and asking visitors for donations.

Finally tonight, we have an unboxing and hands-on with the Huawei MediaPad 10 FHD for you to check out, and Chris Burns tells us why every little piece of Apple news seems to matter so much these days. That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, here’s hoping that this weekend is a good one!