Dell Offers Peek Of Adamo XPS

Dell has released photos of its forthcoming Adamo XPS, a high-end, stylish laptop that's slightly less than four-tenths of an inch thick.

The profile shots highlight the slim design, but offer no other details. In trickling out information on the upcoming system, Dell hopes to pique consumer curiosity and create industry buzz.

The Adamo XPS is roughly half the thickness of the first Adamo released in March. The product line is aimed at consumers considering the Apple MacBook Air that's three-quarters of an inch at its thickest point, tapering to 0.16 of an inch. The first Adamo is 0.65 of an inch thick, and has the same starting price as the Air, $1,499.

Ultra-portable laptops under an inch thick are alternatives to less-expensive netbooks, mini-laptops that typically sell for between $300 and $500. The ultra-portable systems typically have much more power, full-size keyboards, and larger displays than netbooks -- as well as bigger profit margins, making them more attractive to vendors.

Dell has not said when it will release the Adamo XPS. The company last month gave a peek at a "design concept" for the laptop, which is featured on a Web site specially created to show off the PC.

In marketing the XPS, Dell is using the same strategy as it used for the first Adamo. The company launched a teaser site in December 2008, the month before Dell showed the system briefly at the Consumer Electronics Shows in Las Vegas.

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