The Dell Adamo ... am I the only one who thinks it's ugly?

[ertihan]

So it has happened. Dell, never a company known for its aesthetic sense, has released an ultrathin laptop to rival the famed Macbook Air. According to its rather long-winded movie, which can be found on the Dell Adamo website, Adamo means “to fall in love with” in Latin. If you did not know this before, you certainly will after watching the movie, which can’t help mentioning the fact at least half a dozen times.

Now all joking aside, am I the only person who seems to think that this is one truly ugly laptop? Under most ordinary circumstances, I never purchase a computer for its external beauty. So long as it is functional, whether it is pretty or not is generally irrelevant. But in this case, it just seems so extravagantly ugly...

Does anyone else feel this way? Dell clearly designed the Adamo to be beautiful. Or at least, their idea of beautiful. But to me it just looks like a standard PC sub-notebook, boxy and plain, and with that extruding back-area, ugly too. Is it just me? Has my aesthetic taste gone haywire? Have I gone mad?

What do all of you guys think? All thoughts of price and feature-set aside, and just from a purely design point of view, is the Adamo beautiful, and am I just blind?

[Malfoy]

Not as nice as it could be. Definitely overpriced. At no point should anybody be able to say Apple is giving you more for your dollar. :D

[Abstract]

It's a slower MBA with more ports, except I think the Adamo looks nicer.

[11800506]

I agree that the Adamo looks disgusting. The Air certainly looks so much better, and I think it's despicable of Dell to release something that ugly, with much less performance, all at a higher price. What were they thinking?

[Eanair]

Smaller than the usual Dell laptops, yes, but not prettier IMO.

And for $2000.00, certainly not good money for value, again IMO.

[sn00pie]

The Dell Adamo just increased the value of the MBA in my books :p

[Thomas Veil]

Nothing particularly horrible or exciting...except that the lid design is hideous.

[Macaddicttt]

Since Latin is all about being nit-picky, doesn't "adamo" mean "I fall in love"?

[JohnDoe8450]

OMG, they SO copied Apple - there's no CD drive!!

[timerollson]

I don't think it's fugly but I know I'm not spending money on one because these ultraportable laptops aren't meant for me.

[Scippy]

I really can't say that i'm impressed.
If I was going to get an ultra portable, I'd still go with the MacBook Air.

[cleanup]

The Macbook Air isn't an ultraportable. It's a fashion computer, for God's sake.

Lenovo X200 + extended battery. There you go. Cheaper, faster, better. Ugh, MBA.

[cherry su]

It fails (in terms of looks and specs) when compared to the Voodoo Envy 133, also.

[Anuba]

Well... I like the basic (rect)angular shapes, the keyboard and the screen. Those aspects are pretty flawless IMO. This is almost certainly a brainchild of the AlienWare division that Dell acquired a while back, and those guys know their stuff.

Where it went wrong is the tacky ornamentation, especially on the silver/white version (the black one is much cleaner). All those stupid patterns and misc. Gucci handbag type bling makes it abundantly clear that the white one is the girlie version and the black one is for the dudes. And the ventilation holes are over the top too.

So basically, the 'industrial design' aspects are great (for Dell, anyway) but then some sort of committee with subpar design sensibilities came in and added unnecessary final touches, such as the Adamo logo which looks like it was made with the first freeware font they found in the Sci-Fi section on 1001freefonts.com. That's classic Dell for ya.

Still, there's hope for Dell... they're one of the few mainstream PC manufacturers who at least try to bring out the odd unique design once in a while (see the original XPS700, XPS One, the crazy 20" notebook M2010, etc). They're the ones who brought the PC out of the beige age by going black/silver with the Dimension 8100 back in 2001 (at a time when Macs were turqoise (G3) and graphite grey (G4).

It's somewhat ironic that Apple ended up taking the black/silver route many years later, after the white phase, which will be officially 100% over once the last 13" low-end MacBook is out the door. There's still a lot of residual white peripherals though, I'm not sure why... when Apple went white-crazy with the original iPod, the white G4 desktops, the iBook etc, they also made all the cables, keyboards, power adapters and mice white. Now the transition to aluminium/glossy black is complete as far as the computers are concerned, and all the MacBooks have black keys, so it beats me why the Apple keyboard, the Mighty Mouse, the and all the cables and docking stations and stuff are still white only. You have to go to Logitech to get an aluminium/glossy black keyboard and a black/silver mouse to match the alu iMac... Apple's own peripherals stick out like a sore thumb and it makes no damn sense. Let's see, I have a black/aluminium iMac, black/aluminium Logitech keyboard, black/silver Logitech speakers, black/chrome Logitech mouse, black/chrome Apple iPhone... that plugs into a white dock with a white cable? Ummmm...

I really want Apple to bring out a backlit, full-sized Apple Keyboard with black keys, and I don't want a goddamn white USB cable coming out of it. Which has absolutely nothing to do with the Adamo, so I'll end my rant here.

[raggedjimmi]

A picture might have been nice, I hadn't seen it until I searched for it.
I think the back of the unit is hideous and reminds me of our first laptop many years ago. The lid looks a bit messy too.

Oh and Apple aren't perfect. Wish the MacBook had a keyboard that reached to the end of device like the old 12" PowerBook had, oh and that plastic hinge? Bleh!

[Tesselator]

This: http://images.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=Dell%20Adamo&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi ?

I think it looks just like the mac. It's ok... <shrug>

[NT1440]

I hate the look of those thousand dollars designer handbags, therefore I hate the look of the adamo.

My first thought when seeing it was that its obviously marketed to women as a fashion accessory.

[NT1440]

This: http://images.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=Dell%20Adamo&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi ?

I think it looks just like the mac. It's ok... <shrug>

http://media.obsessable.com/media/2009/01/24/3183187086-ded7801fc2.jpg

Can anyone honestly say those engravings all over (handbag designs) is Apple-esque?

Apple goes for the super minimalistic look.

[Tesselator]

Can anyone honestly say those engravings all over (handbag designs) is Apple-esque?

Apple goes for the super minimalistic look.



Oh, I saw:

http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:MFCX45fsA7Uy-M:http://apcmag.com/images/620-adamo-leftside-open1.jpg . http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:PDUPlotwvq0HfM:http://www.productwiki.com/upload/images/voodoo_envy_133.jpg . http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:AHTf1mQc-h5AoM:http://laptops.techfresh.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dell-adamo-01.jpg . http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:x_Th6YcmKGqIUM:http://www.notebooks-site.com/blog/fotos/dell-adamo.jpg

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:3cks_uLmwO3SPM:http://www.dell-adamo.nl/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dell-adamo-white-02_large.jpg . http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:dsoMbgsMY3kTwM:http://www.nbr.co.nz/files/Adamo%2520open%2520at%2520an%2520angle.JPG . http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:OpdPnurzHbeDTM:http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2009/01/10/dell-adamo_hP9bO_54.jpg . http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:v7Bb8dj9-QDEvM:http://beyondbanner.com/uploads/2009/01/dell_adamo.jpg

which at 1st glance I thought looked like Apple styling. :D

[neiltc13]

It's thinner than MacBook Air and it's better looking than MacBook Air (Dell didn't make the mistake of adding a keyboard which is a completely different colour to the rest of the unit).

All it needs now is better performance than MacBook Air and we'll be sorted.

[NoSmokingBandit]

As far as looks go i am impartial. I dont think its better or worse than the Air, merely different.

[Prof.]

Definitely one of the ugliest computers ever made.

[cleanup]

Definitely one of the ugliest computers ever made.

Honestly to me it doesn't look terribly different from a black MacBook. They both have the same general look, except the Adamo is thinner, shinier and has harder edges.

It's one of the nicest looking notebooks out there, IMHO. It's about time people stopped only liking the aesthetic of something if it's aluminum/glass and has no seams. :rolleyes:

[NT1440]

It's one of the nicest looking notebooks out there, IMHO. It's about time people stopped only liking the aesthetic of something if it's aluminum/glass and has no seams. :rolleyes:

Funny how you go out of your way to mention that its your opinion, while using :rolleyes: to discredit others opinions.....

Its my opinion that it looks like a handbag with those ridiculous engravings ALL OVER (its even on the bottom for christs sake!). I HATE the super image conscious handbag lifestyle that this computer is obviously marketed to.

The reason I love apples designs so much is the minimalisticness of it.

[Cassie]

I think it looks great. I like the way they placed the hinge farther forward.

[Abstract]

I HATE the super image conscious handbag lifestyle that this computer is obviously marketed to.


Welcome to Apple™

[NT1440]

Welcome to Apple™

Hmm, i dont see apple designs looking like a Gucci handbag.....

Refer to my previous post about the industrial minimalistic looks of apple that I like. First and formost tho, im going to be entering the mac world for OSX.

[FX120]

Hmm, i dont see apple designs looking like a Gucci handbag.....

Refer to my previous post about the industrial minimalistic looks of apple that I like. First and formost tho, im going to be entering the mac world for OSX.

And what about the black version? No engravings on that.

Personally I think that the black version looks a lot like the Latitude E6x00 series, which I also really like the design on.

http://www.nbr.co.nz/files/Adamo%20open%20at%20an%20angle.JPG

http://images.macnn.com/esta/content/0808/delllatitudee6500-lg.jpg

Eh, maybe it's the reason I own Thinkpads...

[NT1440]

And what about the black version? No engravings on that.

Look at the bottom.

[FX120]

Look at the bottom.

I looked for a few minutes, but couldn't find any product shots of the bottom, would you mind posting a link?

[NT1440]

I looked for a few minutes, but couldn't find any product shots of the bottom, would you mind posting a link?

You'll have to excuse me if it might take till tomorrow, its 130 am here and i have to get up. I do vaguely remember seeing shots with the black having the same base as the white version, but it my just be my mind jumbling things up. Im sorry if I'm wrong on that one.

You are right tho, the black looks WAYYYYYYYY better than the handbag version.:p

[That-Is-Bull]

The black one looks pretty decent IMO, but the back of the bottom part that sticks out an inch when open ruins it.

[sir Mudkip]

I think even with more ports and functionality, The Macbook Air is still a lot nicer and better designed.

The Adamo is poorly designed compared to Apple-esque products, and for a dell of that speed, I expected it to be quite a bit cheaper than it was.

[chaosbunny]

At least its trackpad is in the middle where it belongs and not in the far left corner of the notebook. I can't stand non-centered trackpads from both a usability and looks perspective.

[it5five]

I don't think it looks bad at all. I have absolutely no interest in wasting my money on either a MacBook Air or the Adamo though.

Welcome to Apple™

Seriously. A bunch of image conscious people who are easily manipulated by aesthetics and clever marketing are complaining about this computer? I like my MacBook and all, but some of you people are way too devoted to a corporation that couldn't even begin to care this much about any of you.

[Melrose]

I agree that the Adamo looks disgusting. The Air certainly looks so much better, and I think it's despicable of Dell to release something that ugly, with much less performance, all at a higher price. What were they thinking?

Word.

And, it's a Dell. Me had probs with Dell(s). I dunno about their stuff in the last three years, but I'm burned on their stuff and definitely wouldn't consider a first-model-to-market.

[Str8edgepunker]

While it is an interesting design concept, I'm not that crazy about it. Especially since I'd be constantly afraid of catching that thick part near the hinge on something. I also feel that somehow, with this concept, they could have had more screen real estate but chose to do something else.

Also, I'll never buy a computer with such a crazy resolution, even if it is that of a 720p hdtv.

[ErikCLDR]

The hinge design instantly reminded me of those really old laptops like this...

http://www.computercloset.org/Apple_Macintosh_Portable.jpg