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Dell Rolls Out Sub-$900 Laptop with Blu-ray Drive

Jennifer LeClaire, newsfactor.com Fri Mar 28, 3:51 PM ET

With the high-definition format wars over, Dell is offering a laptop with Blu-ray for under $900. Aimed at movie buffs, the Inspiron 1525 with optional Blu-ray drive starts at $879. ADVERTISEMENT

Dell's reasoning: As retailers and video-rental companies expand their high-definition offerings, Blu-ray is the new "must-have" technology to help consumers get the most out of the viewing experience.

"Like everyone else, Dell was inhibited by the dual-standard situation. Dell wanted to make sure it didn't overcommit before the technology decision was made between Blu-ray and HD DVD," said Roger Kay, principal analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates. "Now that it is clear what the standard is, Dell is building to that. Of course, Dell has always been a major supporter of Blu-ray."

The Inspiron Details

The Inspiron 1525 laptop features a 15.4-inch high-definition, wide-aspect display with 720p resolution. It also includes an HDMI port for connectivity to high-resolution displays and HDTVs.

The Blu-ray disc drive is fully backward compatible, according to Dell, and will play as well as burn traditional DVDs and CDs. Consumers can also chose a Blu-ray burner drive for backing up and storing digital files. A Blu-ray disc will hold up to 50GB of data, compared to 8.5GB for the typical DVD disc.

Dell's Inspiron 1525 with Blu-ray incorporates Broadcom Media PC technology that allows PCs with integrated graphics to play high-definition video. The high-definition video playback is enabled through a built-in dedicated accelerator located in a mini-card slot.

Like all Dell consumer laptops, the Inspiron 1525 features Dell MediaDirect technology which promises one-button instant access to media files, even if the system is powered off or in hibernate.

Dell is offering optional accessories to enhance the movie-watching experience, including a slim travel power adapter, a remote control that slips into the ExpressCard slot, and Creative noise-isolation earphones.

A Regular Business Alignment

David Daoud, manager of PC tracker programs at IDC, was not surprised by the offering. Now that the standards war is over, he said, PC makers will begin launching notebooks with high-definition optical drives based on Blu-ray.

"Dell's move is a reflection of a couple of things. The industry has sided for Blu-ray standards. On the other hand, you have a lot of Blu-ray content coming from the studios that can't be ignored," Daoud said. "If you want to have a much better digital experience, you have to go the Blu-ray route. This is a regular business alignment to a standard technology."

According to Dell, the lightweight Inspiron 1525 is all about self-expression. Dell has rolled out colors that aim to complement consumers' individual styles. Laptop designs include Chill, Blossom and Commotion, or a spectrum of vibrant colors, like Sunshine Yellow, Midnight Blue and Ruby Red.

The Inspiron 1525 laptop with Blu-ray is currently available in the U.S., Canada and Europe.