or years, Dell's Latitude laptops were the gold standard for many businesses with employees on the go. The company's new Inspiron line of mobile computers carries on this proud tradition, with many enhancements.
These computers have screens so large and keyboards so good that a growing number of businesses are purchasing Dell Inspiron 3800 laptops as desktop replacements. I think this is a mistake, but it's easy to see why a company might be lulled into such a decision.
The Inspiron 3800 is an impressive machine. It can be purchased with a huge 14.1-inch liquid crystal display that has a larger visible area than many 15-inch video tubes. Unlike other laptop vendors, which force users to choose between a track pad and an eraser-like pointer-stick device, the Inspiron 3800 comes with both. It has stereo speakers built into its base, a built-in modem, and the full complement of ports.
There are two bays under the keyboard. The one on the right can hold a battery. The one on the left can hold a battery, a CD-ROM drive, or a DVD.
Unfortunately, you need to shut down the machine if you want to swap the floppy for the CD-ROM. You can also put a blank piece of plastic into the right-hand bay, which lightens the load on the system somewhat.
As is the case with many new laptops, the new Dell battery has a built-in meter: Just push a white button on the side, and five LEDs indicate the charge. You must remove the battery from the unit to use the meter, though.
Dell has also caught iMac fever: Its 3800 series comes in four colors, midnight gray, Tahoe blue, forest green, and Sierra maroon. The case is textured with a denim-style print, which makes it easier to hold and hides fingerprints. Unlike some other laptops, the screen folds flat to the table, which in some circumstances can prevent it from breaking.
Technically speaking, one of the most difficult things a laptop does during day-to-day operations is suspend and resume. Some laptops do it well. Others never seem to wake up properly. Here, the 3800 has an uneven history. Speaking with friends whose companies have adopted the machines, I have learned that some 3800s have no problem waking up, while others seem to crash frequently. This may be the result of software that's been added, or it may be the result of manufacturing problems and minor hardware and software differences between machines.
Dell's reputation for service is good, but not terrific. The company prefers to do tech support through its Web site, which is great as long as you have a working computer. In the past two years, several friends have had Dell equipment speedily replaced if it broke down within the three-year warranty period.
But one co-worker repeatedly had his tech-support queries lost, because somebody at Dell mistyped his name. Dell made amends by replacing his laptop's motherboard free of charge, even though the warranty period had passed, but that might not have happened if I hadn't intervened.
Te 3800 is available in a wide range of configurations. The slowest processor is a 450 Mhz Celeron; the fastest is a 650 Mhz Pentium III with Intel's new SpeedStep technology, which lets the processor run faster when you are plugged into the wall, but slower with batteries. The screen is either 12.1 or 14.1 inches (both in the XGA resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels).
Prices range from $1,638 (small screen, slow processor, with 32MB of RAM) to $2,864 (fast processor, big screen, 96MB).
Of course, that's just the beginning of Dell's laptop configuration extravaganza. You can boost the system's memory to 512MB ($1,700), replace the 4.8GB hard drive with an 18GB drive ($449), swap the floppy with a 120MB superdisk drive ($139), and so on.
My favorite option is a second lithium ion battery ($99). Get three, and you can forget about carrying around a charger.
Unlike other vendors, Dell will also sell you a second 18GB hard drive ($598).
These prices are all pretty good. Dell sells a high-performance laptop for less than $500 above the price of a similarly configured desktop system.
Unfortunately, too many companies are forsaking desktops and giving their employees laptops to use at home, at work, and on the road. The two problems with this strategy are ergonomics and durability.
Typing on a laptop keyboard (which has keys that don't move as far as on a full-size keyboard) and looking down at a laptop screen for eight hours a day is an invitation to eye strain, neck aches, and other problems.
And although the Dell is a strong computer, the fragile connectors on its back and sides are not. If you constantly plug and unplug cords and connectors, they will break.
Fortunately, there is a simple solution: another Dell accessory, of course. It's Dell's Home Base Bundle, which includes a port replicator, a full-size keyboard, and a mouse. The port replicator connects to the big docking connector on the back. You leave your desktop gear connected to the replicator, and slide your laptop in and out as you need it.
Technology columnist Simson Garfinkel can be reached at http://chat.simson.net/.
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