Dell Latitude Z First Laptop With Wireless Charging
Posted by admin on Monday Nov 30, 2009 Under Gadget, Laptop
With the Latitude Z, Dell claims to be the first with a laptop capable of charging without wires. Using what’s basically a larger version of the Palm Pre’s inductive charger, the Z draws power wirelessly when planted on a laptop stand that also double as the power transmitter. According to Dell, charging times should remain similar to the traditional wired setup. So let’s assume a 2-3 hour wait?
Another key feature of the Z is the use of secondary hardware to support a touch-sensitive-driven instant-on mode. Great news, especially since previous incarnations of Dell’s instant-on modes were basically misnomers, as their reliance on the main CPU and motherboard meant longer startup times.
According to CNN, the Latitude Z represents Dell’s attempt to establish a wireless peripheral connectivity ecosystem. Aside from power, there are also plans to come out with inductive connectors for monitors and other devices.
The report’s glowing insistence that Dell is actually innovating smacks of friendly journalism. But at least it’s founded on truth, given that Dell’s known for checking out what the competition does and finding cheaper and more efficient ways to do it.
The Latitude Z, with it’s thin profile (14.5mm at the thinnest) and beveled back-end, should be available for corporate customers soon, with a starting price tag of $1999.
