Dell has revamped its Vostro small business laptop line with heavy emphasis on security and support. The company has also said it expects an upturn in SMB spending over the next year.
The Vostro 3000 Series is aimed at smaller companies with between one and 25 employees. The new range includes the ultra-thin 3300 13in 3300, the 15.6in 3500 and the 17.3in 3700. All laptops come with a choice of Windows 7, Vista and XP with Linux Ubuntu added to the range in April.
They run Intel’s new Core i3 or i5 processors while the 3700 also has the option to upgrade to the Core i7 Quad Core Processor. Touch screen capabilities will be added to the 3500 in April.
Dell claims battery life should be enough to last a full day’s work, with the range featuring a 4- or 6-cell Lithium Ion battery as standard. The 3300 can be upgraded to an 8-cell and the rest of the range can up upgraded to a 9-cell battery, which should give up to seven and a half hours life.
All models feature an integrated webcam and microphone.
For users worried about security, Dell has included as standard a Strike Zone shock absorber to protect the hard drive against drops. It also includes the option of Dell DataSafe Online storage backup to offer data backup and recovery services. Some of the models will also include an optional fingerprint reader.
With smaller companies often lacking a specialist IT department Dell says it has tried to make support as easy as possible. Dell ProSupport for End Users offers businesses round the clock phone support. Users will not have to pay for per-incident help-desk issues, Dell said.
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Larger enterprises often have a centralised management system, James Nolan, EMEA Vostro Notebook product manager at Dell, told CBR, but smaller companies don’t have that kind of technology so they depend on their IT vendor to support them. For an SMB that is trying to drive its business forward, they don’t have to worry about IT.
Users can also take advantage of Dell Connect, where an engineer will remotely access a computer to diagnose and fix issues. Nolan added that this should enable the user to fix the problem themselves should it arise again in the future.
Nolan also said that Dell is seeing a pickup in IT spending at SMBs as regions emerge from the recession. We’re also seeing a pretty fast adoption of Windows 7 since its launch, Nolan added. It had some very good reviews and I think a lot of firms didn’t adopt Vista. We’re also seeing a lot more activity in terms of what people are buying; it’s a good time to invest in technology because of things like Windows 7 and Intel’s new processors.
Prices start at £399 for the 3300, £369 for the 3500 and £389 for the 3700.
