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Last week was very special for our team in Dell Colombia as we inaugurated a new technology center in Colombia at an organization called “Fundación Fe” in Bogota. Fundación Fe is a non-profit organization that supports people with cognitive disabilities through specialized services.

The new center became a reality thanks to a USD$20,000 grant from Dell Giving and a COP$20,000,000 from Acción Social de la Presidencia de la República, the Government of Colombia’s entity dedicated to improving social activities within vulnerable communities in the country. Now more than 70 students, teachers and family members will be able to enjoy the state-of-the-art technology at this new center.

This is the second year in a row that Dell supports a community program like this in Colombia through the organization “Give to Colombia”. Last year, Dell Giving donated $20,000 to the school “IE Barrio Santander” in Medellín to open a new digital classroom.  We are proud to have partnered with Give to Colombia for both of these important community projects.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place earlier this week and it was a very special event as we witnessed the students enjoying their new computers for the first time. I was proud to represent Dell at this event, along with additional Dell Colombia team members. Attendees also includede representatives of Give to Colombia, Fundación Fe, Acción Social and the U.S. Embassy in Bogota.

Our goal is to continue supporting important community causes such as Fundación Fe in the future.

Sometimes being dependable, steady and unassuming may not always work to your advantage, especially on days like today when we're introducing products like the Latitude Z. The same I think holds true for commercial desktop technology. In recent years, desktop PCs have been much maligned being labeled as boring, passé and even antiquated. I couldn't disagree more, based on recent conversations with colleagues and customers, I've found that desktop systems will continue to play a vital role as the client backbone to most Fortune 500 companies.

Today, our OptiPlex line is the best selling commercial desktop in the world, according to IDC. As customer needs change and evolve, we've taken a good thing and made it better. How?

Well, the OptiPlex 780 gives IT managers streamlined remote systems management capabilities through Intel vPro technology. This technology provides a great way of "future proofing" an IT investment because it enables desktop virtualization, which is still in its infancy. At the same time, the OptiPlex 780 is engineered to keep downtime at a minimum when performing the four most common desktop service tasks: replacing hard drives, replacing power supplies, adding memory, and adding PCI(e) cards.

At the end of the day, IT managers and users want a versatile mainstream desktop solution that won't break the bank. The OptiPlex 780 delivers just that-delivering performance, efficiency and dependability. Systems like the OptiPlex 780 may not ever get noticed for being sleek but it is one of the few things that will keep working and plodding on without interruption.

Though they're not as exciting as the images of the Alienware ALX or the Latitude Z, you can see more pictures of it in our OptiPlex 780 Flickr set.

I’m writing this post from San Francisco where we’ve just finished up briefing reporters and bloggers on one of the coolest laptops Dell has ever introduced. And guess what – it’s designed for corporate customers and it’s called the Dell Latitude Z.

Yes, that’s right, while my consumer colleagues are typically all giddy with their latest gadgets, I get to brief the world on a laptop that just about every single design-savvy individual will want but one that your IT department will like as well. A system that is predictable, easy to manage. And now I am the one doing a little jig of excitement because this laptop is very cool.

Of course, there’s been some rumor and speculation about this new system for some time. Robert Scoble got an early peek at it (suggesting he would be throwing away his Mac when it comes out), there’s been some chatter on it over at Notebook Review’s Forum and, as always, our friends at Engadget and Gizmodo couldn’t pass up talking about it. Some secrets are hard to keep.

Before I share more details on the “Z,” let me give you some background on our overall commercial client strategy and how this fits in:

• Stability in our core, mainstream family of products. For example, Latitude E-Family laptops and OptiPlex desktops, with virtues grounded in commonality, image stability and extended lifecycles;
• Choice in innovative, purpose-engineered products designed for specific usage needs. like our Latitude E6400 XFR fully rugged laptop, Latitude 2100 education netbook and even our massively scalable Dell Precision workstations; and finally,
• Efficiency in flexible computing solutions that simplify management, speed up deployment, secure information from data center to desktop and reduce TCO.

With this in mind, we set out to develop another product that falls into our strategy. For many of our customers, their “personal brand” is critical to their success -- entrepreneurs, sales staff, executives, creative agencies, thought leaders and policy makers in higher education, and attorneys, to name just a few. We set out to bring together super svelte design with breakthrough features in a laptop that your IT department will support and manage.

The result: the Latitude Z600 – the thinnest, lightest 16-inch notebook in the world. The design isn’t the only advanced feature -- we’ve gone beyond to introduce several industry firsts such as wireless docking and inductive charging. We're also introducing Latitude ON, a hardware-based feature that allows you the full power of your laptop with the flexibility of your smartphone.

Latitude ON is essentially a motherboard within a motherboard where a separate processor and OS boot into Latitude ON “mode” to provide instant, interactive access to email, contacts, calendar and the Web. And, it hooks into Microsoft Exchange, IMAP, POP and Novell GroupWise email, while delivering battery life that lasts for days, not hours. See Lionel's Latitude ON post for more details.

Note: Click on the images in this post to see larger versions. If you want to see more, check out the Dell Latitude Z set on Flickr. Since there are many details to go through, I’ve listed out the details of the Latitude Z600 into bite-sized pieces. Here we go:

• Half an inch thin, 4.5 pounds with a four-cell battery with a lean, tapered design and soft-touch Black Cherry finish;
• World’s first laptop with optional wireless docking, that relies on a UWB radio for point-to-point communications, and inductive charging, which eliminates the need for power cords by using a dynamic power transfer between system primary stand and secondary module. Both will be available in the coming weeks;
• Dell’s first-of-its-kind EdgeTouch allows users to interact with commonly used applications and media controls through a touch interface that is on the edge of the system’s screen;
• Spacious multi-touch touchpad and silky-touch backlit keyboard;
• High-definition (1600x900) WLED display and two megapixel camera featuring Dell Capture technology that allows users to scan and save business cards to Microsoft Outlook contacts and copy documents;
• Dell FaceAware Lock-Out automatically locks out other users when a user steps away from the laptop;
• Ultra-small power adapter;
• Custom bags by Cole Haan and Timbuk2 designed specifically for the Latitude Z;
• Wireless options include WLAN, Bluetooth, optional 3G WWAN.

The Latitude Z is available starting today in select countries in Europe and Asia, as well as Canada and the U.S., starting at $1,999.

These new products are designed to meet the unique needs of our customers when they are ready to refresh or add to their existing infrastructure. We hope you like what you see. I would love to get your feedback and thoughts.

Check out this video on Latitude Z that will give you a better idea of how all its features work.

During the launch of Connected Classroom in The American School of Milan, I had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Alan Austen, The American School of Milan Director. Watch below as we discuss the technology they implemented in the School, the Learning Ecosystem and how to equip students with the 21st century skills they need to be competitive in the global economy.

For those of you who keep up with the technology industry, you may have caught some of the buzz from that Intel's annual round up known as Intel Developer's Forum (IDF) in San Francisco. One of today's highpoints is Intel serving notice they have raised the bar in mobile performance by releasing the mobile version of Core i7 quad core processors (a.k.a. Clarksfield).

Note from Lionel: I saw that some readers were giving Engadget a hard time because Dell.com wasn't updated with the mobile Core i7 goodness. Some of it is now. Click on the banner above  to look at our i7-based laptop offerings. I'll add the Studio XPS 16 link when it's updated. Done.

Make no mistake, putting a quad core processor in a laptop does a lot for performance and there is an elite group of folks out there who always feel the need for speed: gamers. For these acceleration aficionados, Dell has delivered the new Alienware M15x—a 15-inch laptop that reinforces that nobody - but nobody - knows how to pack more into the 15-inch gaming laptop than the Dell/Alienware gaming engineers and designers.

But enough about the expected - let's talk about the unexpected - like the fact that Dell is actually offering these new high-powered processors as an option on three other laptop models, including a Studio 15 laptop powered by the new mobile Core i7 processors with a starting price of  $999. The other news of the day is that we have significantly updated the Studio 17 laptop and have launched mobile Core i7 edition starting at $1,099. And just to make sure all the bases are covered, we've added a Core i7 processor option to the elegant Studio XPS 16 (more on that in a bit). Any one of these systems should definitely appeal to those of you who are "obsolescence paranoid" as well as the performance enthusiast who can't quite fit the aggressive Alienware design into their personal style.

Let's dive into some of the details around the new Studio 17 which frankly lands near the top of the entertainment powerhouse list - excelling at both creating and consuming multimedia content. First up, we have added a JBL-branded 2.1 audio solution with SRS Premium Sound - two 1.5-watt speakers in the palmrest and a 6-watt subwoofer in the base. The colossal 17.3-inch HD+ 16:9 display is great for watching HD content, and includes a 2.0MP webcam. A few other items of interest: this is the first Studio laptop to feature a 1GB graphic solution, and also supports dual hard drives. And while the engineers were upgrading just about every possible feature, the designers were trimming it down, the result being the new Studio 17 is slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor. For $1,099 you get:

• Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz (1333 FSB/6MB L3 Cache)
• Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit) - eligible for Windows 7 upgrade
• 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650
• 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz
• 250GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
• Slot load CD/DVD Writer (DVD+/-RW)
• 17.3-inch HD+ (1600x900) WLED display with built-in 2.0MP webcam
• JBL-branded 2.1 audio solution with subwoofer
• Full-size keyboard with separate keypad
• 9-cell Battery
• Black Chainlink exterior color

While the Studio 17 is primarily a desktop replacement than can be moved from room to room, there are those who need a laptop that balances performance with portability, and so the Studio 15 will also include a Core i7 option. For $999 you get:

• Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz (1333 FSB/6MB L3 Cache)
• Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit) - eligible for Windows 7 upgrade
• 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570
• 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 1066MHz
• 250GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
• Slot load CD/DVD Writer (DVD+/-RW)
• 15.6-inch HD (1366x768) WLED display with built-in 2.0MP webcam
• 6-cell Battery
• Black Chainlink exterior color

Of course you can put your own personal mark on a new Studio 17 or Studio 15 with a choice of color options ($40) or one of more than 200 original designs ($85) found at www.dell.com/designstudio. 

Finally, we are also offering a Core i7 option on the award-winning Studio XPS 16, with a starting price of $1,249 and it should be available on dell.com by Thursday.

• Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz (1333 FSB/6MB L3 Cache)
• Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit) - eligible for Windows 7 upgrade
• 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670
• 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1067MHz
• 250GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
• Slot load CD/DVD Writer (DVD+/-RW)
• 15.6-inch HD+ (1600x900) edge-to-edge WLED display
• Built-in 2.0MP webcam and facial recognition security software
• 7W audio solution with subwoofer
• Full-size backlit keyboard
• 9-cell Battery
• Obsidian Black high gloss finish exterior

The Studio 15 and Studio XPS 16 with Core i7 are available worldwide this week. The new Studio 17 is available in the U.S., Canada and Latin America now and expected to be available in the rest of the world next month.

What makes this processor family stand out is the fact that the appropriate number of cores kick into "turbo mode" as needed. (Warning -geek out section ahead). Here's how it was explained to me: If you are running a single-threaded application (word processing, web surfing) then a single core will ramp up to max "Turbo Boost" speed as needed. If, however, the application requires two or more threads, (Gaming, Photoshop, some Excel functions) then the appropriate number of cores ramp up to a higher speed, somewhere less that "max" but still enough to boost performance. Basically whatever you are doing, the processor will crank up the horsepower as needed to get things done, and then drop back down to a more battery-friendly level when you don't. There is no special action required, like fiddling in the BIOS or fussing with power management settings to make this happen, it's all done on the fly dynamically based on what the system needs at the time. If you want more insight on this, check out what the folks at Anandtech said about turbo mode in their Lynnfield review.

And let me end on this note - for those of you who are wondering if the new mobile Core i7 quad core processors are worth the additional coinage, following are some internal benchmarks hot off the line by the engineers in the performance lab. I think the results speak for themselves.

• The Intel Core i7 720QM processor performs up to 151% faster than the Intel Pentium Dual Core T4300 processor.
• The Intel Core i7 720QM processor (1.60GHz) performs up to 137% faster than the Intel Core 2 Duo P7450 processor.
• The Intel Core i7 720QM processor (1.60GHz) performs up to 101% faster than the Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 processor.
• The Intel Core i7 720QM processor (1.60GHz) performs up to 74% faster than the Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 processor.

(Fine Print: Based on 3DMark Vantage CPU overall score results by Dell Labs in August 2009. Actual performance will vary based on configuration, usage, and manufacturing variability.)

So there you have it - three laptop options that can handle the needs and deeds of any multi-media or entertainment enthusiast and one gaming laptop to rule them all.  Fasten your seatbelts!