New Dell XPS 17 3D Laptop and Alienware M17x Take Center Stage & Frequently asked questions in 3D...

XPS 17 3D Notebook
Dell revived the XPS brand of notebooks in late 2010 with the XPS 13 and XPS 15 multimedia notebooks, but arguably the most impressive entertainment experience comes from the new 17-inch XPS 17 3D laptop with built-in 3D display (using NVIDIA Nvision 3D glasses, sold separately). The new 3D capable XPS 17, like the rest of the XPS lineup, features JBL-branded sound, an integrated subwoofer and glossy high-definition screens

This is the first Dell laptop with native support for 3D in both the display as well as the graphics card. The XPS 17 with 3D display comes equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M graphics card to provide the rendering muscle needed to generate stereoscopic 3D images at fast enough frame rates for HD video playback. The XPS 17 3D laptop also features NVIDIA 3DTV Play software, allowing movie lovers and hardcore gamers to connect their XPS laptop to a compatible 3D HDTV and enjoy 3D Blu-ray disc playback or play PC games in 3D. Dell will also be including the newest generation of Intel Core i7 processor options from the Intel Sandy Bridge platform.

Our initial impressions from the show floor at CES pretty positive: Despite naturally being thicker and heavier than the smaller 15-inch XPS 15, the new XPS 17 is pretty thin and light for a 17-inch multimedia notebook with 3D capabilities. The keyboard in the demo systems feels firm and enjoyable to use. The JBL speakers sound nice, but we'll have to see if the placement in the palm rests was a good idea. Sound is directed up and toward the user but since the speakers are right where your wrists naturally fall, I suspect at least a few people will find the audio muffled from time to time.

We'll hold our judgment until we've had enough time to fully test the new XPS 17 in our lab.

Dell "Stage" On All Dell Notebooks and Mobile Devices
It's no surprise that most consumers use a variety of electronic devices for staying connected. The average American home may have a desktop PC, a notebook or netbook, a media tablet, and a smartphone--any one of which might be used for watching video and listening to music. Dell realized this and has announced it is extending its "Dell Stage" software across the company’s entire consumer portfolio. The software is intended to make it easier and faster to transfer your favorite music, photos, movies and TV shows between multiple devices.

The team on our DesktopReview.com site first saw the Dell Stage software last year on touch-screen models of the Inspiron One all-in-one desktop. The software also appears on the Inspiron duo convertible tablet. Stage uses a tile-based user interface that works on both touchscreen and non-touchscreen devices. Later this year, Dell plans to add the sync capability via software update to all Stage-equipped devices allowing the same photos, videos, music, documents and other files to be synchronized across Dell PCs, tablets and smartphones.

Updated Alienware M17x promises the "most powerful" 3D gaming experience so far
Dell's Alienware team has been hard at work on developing the next generation of its popular 17-inch gaming notebook: the M17x. We first stumbled upon leaked photos of the new M17x last month, this third revision of the M17x or (M17x R3) raises the bar by using the latest Intel Core i7 quad-core processor technology from Intel's Sandy Bridge platform and combining that with the NVIDIA GeForce 460M and a built-in 3D display.

In the same way that the XPS 17 is a first for Dell, the new M17x is Alienware’s first out-of-the-box 3D-capable gaming laptop. The Alienware team promises this notebook has more than enough power to offer realistic, lifelike, mobile gameplay on the 17-inch display. If you want the new 3D functionality then you must purchase the M17x with the optional 120 Hz with 3D Bundle WideFHD WLED LCD display and NVIDIA 460M graphics card. Full pricing on the 3D configuration will be available on Monday, but the new Alienware M17x will have a starting price of $1499.

Key features on this update to the M17x include, support for up to 32 GB of DDR3 system memory, optional 256 GB solid state drives, USB 3.0 ports, slot-loading optical drive, VGA, mini DisplayPort, and HDMI. The new M17x also features built-in wireless HDMI so that you can watch movies or play games on your HDTV (with wireless HDMI adapter) without












FREQUENTLY ASKED  QUESTIONS IN 3D:

Q	What is 3D and how does it work?

A

You’ve probably heard of 3D as a certain type of movie you see in a theater, where things appear to look like they jump out at you and off of the screen. By sending different visual perspectives to your right eye and left eye, 3D creates the illusion of depth, when you’re wearing the provided glasses. The extra dimension of depth gives you the sense that you are right in the middle of the action and the objects in the movie can sometimes look like they are moving towards you off the screen. Thanks to modern technology, 3D is no longer limited to just movie theaters. With the right media, equipment and accessories, 3D PC games or movies can now be experienced at home.

Q	Do I need to wear those funky glasses you get when you go to 3D movies at the theater?

A	Yes, you'll still have to wear glasses, but not necessarily the ones you get at the movie theater, or out of the cereal box! Not all 3D glasses are the same. There are different types of 3D technology, so you’ll need to match up the right pair of glasses with the right type of content.

Q	What can I view in 3D?

A

Games and movies can be some of the best content for viewing 3D. Many games are already built to display in 3D – you just need the right technology/components to actually view it in 3D. Similarly, many computer-generated movies already have been created with 3D information inside them. Major movie studios have already started producing their computer-animated movies in 3D along with 2D because of this. Also, there are a few occasions where 3D cameras are used to film concerts and live sporting events. These are sometimes transmitted to 3D theaters or are put onto 3D discs for home viewing.

Q	What do I need to take advantage of 3D?

A

It depends on what type of media you want to watch in 3D. If it is a movie with the current anaglyph 3D movie technology, you’ll need four key ingredients. First, you’ll need to be sure the movie that you have is the 3D version. Next, you’ll need the appropriate red/cyan glasses (one eye is red, the other is blue), which typically come with the 3D movie package. Then you’ll need a DVD or Blu-ray player (depending on what disc type the 3D movie is on). And finally, a TV – virtually any TV will work. If you want to play games, there’s more to consider. First, you'll need to start with a PC with a fast graphics card as it will need to work twice as hard for 3D games. Next, you’ll need a 3D monitor that supports 3D. And, depending on the type of 3D monitor you choose, you’ll need a pair of 3D glasses that works with it. Some are simple plastic glasses with special lenses, and others are complex electronic shuttering glasses. Once you know what type of glasses you'll need, you may also want to consider things like how comfortable the glasses are, what your budget is, and how you plan to use them. The price of 3D glasses really can vary depending on what your preferences are. 3D gaming bundles that include a 3D-worthy PC along with a 3D monitor and glasses are a fail-safe way to go to be sure you have the right equipment that all work well together.

Q	Are 3D movies available now?

A

As you know, you can watch 3D movies in the theater today. And if you would like to watch 3D movies at home, there are some 3D movies available on DVD and Blu-ray™ that use a type of 3D technology called anaglyph. Typically you’ll find that the disc includes the regular 2D version and an anaglyph 3D version, as well as cardboard glasses for viewing the 3D version of the movie. Just be aware that viewing 3D with this type of technology will not be the same quality as the 3D that you may be used to seeing at the movie theater. But, it can be displayed on the TV you already have and played from a standard DVD or Blu-ray player so there is no other special software or hardware you’d need to get. Looking ahead to holiday time 2010, there may be an industry standard 3D technology, which should provide more theater-quality, full-resolution, full-color 3D movies available in Blu-ray format.

Q	Can I watch TV in 3D?

A	Currently, very few television programs are broadcast in 3D. While there are a few 3D TV programs in the UK and Japan, there are none in the US yet.

Q	Do all games support 3D technology? How do I know if the game I play supports 3D?

A

The best applications for 3D are PC games because many already have 3D information inside them. Using 3D programming interfaces, developers have been creating PC games suitable for 3D displays for over two decades. Until recently gamers have not been able to view them in 3D because the components were either too expensive or complex to set up. However, now there are inexpensive 3D display options, enabling PC games to be viewed in 3D and played in their true 3D form. The vast majority of PC games today support 3D technology. This does not include casual PC games like those on Facebook or Bebo. For console gamers, the first wave of 3D games is just starting to come to market. The PC games that support 3D technology are those that are typically sold in retail stores or are downloaded and installed on a PC. Both require a DirectX or OpenGL graphics card to play.

Q	Are 3D technologies the same or is one better than another?

A

3D technologies vary widely in the viewing experience they provide. Often it's the most complex and expensive approach that produces the best results such as brightness, a rich and full color spectrum, optimal resolution, and separation. With 3D technology for home use just starting to evolve, the number of options is still fairly limited depending on what you want to watch in 3D. The 3D technology for movie watching isn't quite as far along as 3D gaming technology is today. Format limitations aside, another consideration is quality. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide the level of 3D quality they prefer and how much they want to spend. The three most common 3D technology types for use in the home are anaglyph, active shutter or passive polarized. Anaglyph is a very old 3D technology which was once very popular in movie theaters – like 1950s drive-ins. You probably remember the cardboard glasses with the different colors for each eye. It creates the illusion of depth by having the two images (left and right eye) filtered in the color spectrum. By wearing the appropriately colored glasses, the eyes see the corresponding left or right eye image, and the visual cortex in the brain translates the difference in those images as depth. While anaglyph is a relatively inexpensive way to view 3D, it tends to come at a cost to the color quality. Because anaglyph images are composited into a single image from the original left and right eye information, it can appear washed out because the process removes some of the color. Imagine anaglyph as the “black and white” version of a 3D movie compared with other types of 3D technology which can provide the full color spectrum. Anaglyph 3D can be viewed on any computer monitor or TV. While anaglyph 3D technology is most commonly used for 3D movies for home viewing, some PC games can also be found in anaglyph.  Active shutter is another 3D technology that requires glasses which electronically open and close liquid crystal lenses over each eye, synchronized with a 3D display. When this display presents a left eye image, the glasses cover the right eye so only the left eye sees the display, and vice versa for the other side. This is repeated over a hundred times per second and is virtually undetectable to the user. While movies in active shutter 3D are extremely rare, this 3D technology is most currently used for PC games in 3D. Since movie penetration is limited, it is mostly computer monitors that you'll find with this 3D technology.  Passive polarized is the 3D technology most commonly used in theaters today. This technique requires light from the projector to be polarized so that it is filtered in a very specific way that does not alter the color. This light projects onto a screen that preserves that filtering on reflection. Then, glasses with special lenses either block or pass through the polarized light, depending on the type and degree of polarization. By wearing these inexpensive, plastic glasses which often look and feel like sunglasses, each of the viewer’s eye sees full resolution, full color 3D from the corresponding (right or left) projector. Some of today’s more advanced flat screen technology incorporates a film layer that can polarize light in a similar manner to how the projector does at the theater. In the near future there may be 3D televisions for use in the home that incorporate this same polarizing film layer.  For an optimal, full-color experience in 3D gaming, active shutter is the way to go. Unfortunately, for watching 3D movies at home, 3D technology is still evolving. Right now, anaglyph is the most common and prevalent format for viewing movies in 3D. But, there should be higher quality options coming on the market in late 2010.

Q	What does Dell have to do with 3D technology?

A

Since a quality 3D movie experience in the home is still a ways off, Dell is primarily focused on optimizing the 3D gaming experience. Dell now offers select Alienware and Studio XPS PCs with super-fast graphics cards designed to bring state-of-the-art 3D gaming into your home. When combined with 3D monitors and glasses based on Active Shutter 3D technology, Dell provides a rich and immersive gaming experience.